Archeron headed out and Von Junzt entered the compound courtyard area. Those still outside the inner compound find that many people are dissipating now that the food is gone.
Some people are sticking around. The Gaians that were around get back to work on different things.
(weirdly it showed a result when I did a 'preview' but when i went and added texts i guess it did something? here we go again)
Zellgato sees Agent Rena walking through the rows between the yurt like shelters. She's dressed in Gaian white. She has another Gaian with her. They each have medical satchels slung over their shoulders.
Zak wants to know all about Von Junzt.
Von Junzt talks about his previous life until he fell from grace and ended up in the compound, leaving out anything about the mission and his abilities. He answers everything, but he's obviously looking around, anxious to see what's next.
Zak wants to know all about Von Junzt.Von Junzt talks about his previous life until he fell from grace and ended up in the compound, leaving out anything about the mission and his abilities. He answers everything, but he's obviously looking around, anxious to see what's next.
Zak listens intently and asks clarifying questions.
While Von Junzt talks, Ryder and Brother Andrew come out with a young woman. It's the same young woman that Gristlethorn caught the attention of while Zelgato scanned. She seemed very out of sorts. Von Junzt later saw her enter the compound. They stand on either side of her and call everyone to attention. "Last week, a woman came to us, like you are today, with questions about Gaia. Like many of you, she was willing to accept a seed of Gaia's wisdom into her heart. She wasn't ready though, to surrender to Gaia. None of you are yet. That seed of wisdom grew though until, last night, she came to us in distress begging to be let into the compound. She knew she needed to surrender to Gaia."
She doesn't seem in distress now. She's beaming with joy.
"We let her in and spent the night in meditation. She felt the spirit of Gaia grow within her until she was ready to be reborn as a Child of Gaia. Her old name is forgotten now. This Child is now called 'Asasarame.' She is with us now."
There's some clapping, led by the Gaians.
"Doesn't she seem happy?" asks Zak.
A couple of Gaians stand and walk with their new friends to one of the three buildings.
"She is beaming. Is this, what we are doing right now, considered a 'seed of Gaia's wisdom into the heart'?"
[dice=Perception]1d20
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20"She is beaming. Is this, what we are doing right now, considered a 'seed of Gaia's wisdom into the heart'?"
"Oh, no. That requires meditation. Would you like to visit the garden? That's where we go to meditate. No obligation."
Zellgato sees Agent Rena walking through the rows between the yurt like shelters. She's dressed in Gaian white. She has another Gaian with her. They each have medical satchels slung over their shoulders.
Trotting up to them, taking a moment and gesturing towards the satchels"Oh, Excuse me, I'm new. I've been trying to figure out how I can help out best--only feels right to help if I'm taking aid. I know some medicine--learned it as part of basic training, Do you know where I could help best?"
Having warned the others, Archeron left the compound and once he could break line of sight, he circled around and headed to the relay.
As he moved, his hands assembled his rifle, anticipating he might encounter some resistance at the site.
Zellgato sees Agent Rena walking through the rows between the yurt like shelters. She's dressed in Gaian white. She has another Gaian with her. They each have medical satchels slung over their shoulders.
Trotting up to them, taking a moment and gesturing towards the satchels"Oh, Excuse me, I'm new. I've been trying to figure out how I can help out best--only feels right to help if I'm taking aid. I know some medicine--learned it as part of basic training, Do you know where I could help best?"
She asks your name.
"I've got a trainee today, but you can accompany us," she says, "We've had other trainees before who had experience in medicine from the world-that-broke. They are difficult to retrain. And stubborn. Let's see about you."
She doesn't stop walking as she says any of this and barely paused to look Zellgato over.
She brings you into a refuge and you see a woman sitting on her bed, her feet in a small bucket of soapy water.
"My trainee knows this case already. What do you see?"
Having warned the others, Archeron left the compound and once he could break line of sight, he circled around and headed to the relay.
As he moved, his hands assembled his rifle, anticipating he might encounter some resistance at the site.
Settling in, taking a moment to look the woman over, and access the situation. Likely a fungal infection of the feet perhaps? Zellgato silently posits as he thinks things over.
Archeron soon sees a large all-terrain vehicle moving towards him to intercept his progress.
It's top is back and you can see the three occupants clearly. Two large people in leather and denim and a man dressed in Gaian white.
Settling in, taking a moment to look the woman over, and access the situation. Likely a fungal infection of the feet perhaps? Zellgato silently posits as he thinks things over.
[dice=Medicine Not Scanner related] 1d20+12
The woman has a bacterial infection that emerged in the camps in the 2050s. It's not as common these days. It causes the skin to blister and flake, especially around the feet. It is painful, but few conditions get debilitating.
The woman asks for something for the pain. Rena ignores her and asks Zellgato "Your observation?"
"That your bedside manor isn't great-although triage rules apply in a situatin this big. But, other than pain, she most likely won't experience any long term effects. If there are extra anti-bacterials then it would help it clear up. Its the old 50's teneament blight. If you have the antibacterials it seems a fair use of it. Better that, then having it spread througout the camp. It may not cause serious issues, but it would affect the morale of the camp. Also possibly production efficiency of work" Patting the woman on the head, Zellgato will step back a few steps after answering Rena.
Zellgato will move off to the side, hoping Rena will talk to or examine the patient. Hoping for a moment where her attention is focused and he can scan her subtly. If not, he'll simply follow along with her conversations, with the intention of becoming a trainee to try in the future.
(urg. please roll well, i can't biohack myself as that would be suspicious)
(edit: Paizo apparently knows a British word, that I guess is a curse haha)
Rena examines the patients' toes. It's the opportunity Zellgato has been waiting for.
"What's that? What are you doing?" Rena asks.
IX speaks up, "How can I get that wisdom?! I'm pretty angry all the time!"
IX speaks up, "How can I get that wisdom?! I'm pretty angry all the time!"
The Gaians haven't paid nearly as much attention to IX as they have to the Zellgato and Friedrich. However, an open expression of interest in the faith needs to be addressed.
A few people walk over to IX; first a man from among a group of refugees that had laughed at the heckling. When the stranger walks over though, a pair of Gaians come over quickly.
"If you want peace, surrender to Gaia," offers the Gaian.
"If you want peace, open your heart to God," says the new refugee.
A back-and-forth between the Gaians and the newcomers follows. The Gaians talk about broken religions from a broken world. The newcomer preaches too quoting scripture from one of these broken religions apparently.
While the two groups argue, Genius Meadows walks over to IX and stands close and quietly asks, "Why are you pretty angry all the time? Are you angry now?"
IX kneels down looks at her seriously, "People don't like ugly. That is why these Gaians only seem to be choosing pretty people to really join."
IX kneels down looks at her seriously, "People don't like ugly. That is why these Gaians only seem to be choosing pretty people to really join."
"Can I tell you a secret?" asks Genius. If given permission, she steps closer and says, "You don't want to join them. And you shouldn't. That's our secret, right?"
"Oh, no. That requires meditation. Would you like to visit the garden? That's where we go to meditate. No obligation."
“Ah, seed, garden… I love how everything is connected to nature. Is there a tree involved at some point? But, please, by all means, let’s go!” Von Junzt stands up and offers his arm to be guided forward.
"Oh, no. That requires meditation. Would you like to visit the garden? That's where we go to meditate. No obligation."
“Ah, seed, garden… I love how everything is connected to nature. Is there a tree involved at some point? But, please, by all means, let’s go!” Von Junzt stands up and offers his arm to be guided forward.
"No. I don't think you're ready. You're too cynical. You don't believe you're deserving of something better because you've seen so much worse," says Zak.
“You are being too paranoid, Zak. Finding the peace in Gaia’s light is the only objective in my mind right now! Come, show me what’s next - I’m ready.”
[dice=Bluff]1d20+11 “You are being too paranoid, Zak. Finding the peace in Gaia’s light is the only objective in my mind right now! Come, show me what’s next - I’m ready.”
"I'm sorry. It's just very important to us that people come to Gaia willingly. It isn't a joke and it isn't easy. Come try meditating in the garden though ..." Zak leads Friedrich to the large shed. Much of the shed is used for growing plants on vertical gardens and in stacked beds that reach to the ceiling. Zak offers Friedrich a couple of the berries to taste.
In the midst of the plants is a 20' diameter circular platform about 3 feet high, with a small set of stairs to climb up to it. At the center of it is a steaming pool ... pretty much just a hot-tub. Prisms hang above the oasis catching light and turning it into rainbows. One person sleeps on the edge of a pool. Another sits, dangling her feet in, lost in thought.
Zak invites Friedrich to put his feet into the pool and feel how warm the pool is and then to focus on his breathing.
IX winks at the child, a thing that might have caused him to look suave, smooth, or charming...like Santa... It would be something that, when you see it, make you think 'that person is good with children', 'a good teacher'. Unfortunately, on his malformed face it just looks sketchy.
"Genius, right?" IX croaks softly, "There are many monsters about. Sometimes those monsters look like monsters. Other times they look like normal people because they are mean. I stand between the monsters and good people so that the monsters hurt me instead. If you find any monsters, you let me know."
Von Junzt sits by the pool, sticks his feet in the water and looks into it, trying to see if there's anything inside - besides water.
"Aaahnn..." he moans.
Archeron pulls his rifle off his shoulder and cradles it in his arms but doesn't point his weapon at the approaching vehicle.
"What's that? What are you doing?" Rena asks.
Oh, I'm taking some notes, if I'm going to be here a while, I'd like to be sure I don't misjudge and become exposed to a bad element. My Mother died to an easily preventable sickness, but she just couldn't bring herself to spend what little we had to see a doctor. Kept saying it would just go away. She always looked for us, not herself."
Gristlethorn enters his tent and quickly texts most of the team.
"I think von Junzt might be getting in over his head. Does anyone have eyes on him?"
Gristlethorn pauses, and then types again. "I think we're starting to duplicate efforts. Let's schedule a meet up to share information. Zellgato made a major discovery, it's not just mind washing."
Gristlethorn is just wandering around talking to people and trying to ingrate himself with the various gossip groups.
IX winks at the child, a thing that might have caused him to look suave, smooth, or charming...like Santa... It would be something that, when you see it, make you think 'that person is good with children', 'a good teacher'. Unfortunately, on his malformed face it just looks sketchy.
"Genius, right?" IX croaks softly, "There are many monsters about. Sometimes those monsters look like monsters. Other times they look like normal people because they are mean. I stand between the monsters and good people so that the monsters hurt me instead. If you find any monsters, you let me know."
Genius just nods. The theologians have stopped arguing with each other with the Gaian retreating with a few promises of Gaia's eternal abundance. The others are still hanging about, but not preaching at IX.
Von Junzt sits by the pool, sticks his feet in the water and looks into it, trying to see if there's anything inside - besides water.
"Aaahnn..." he moans.
The water is surprisingly cold. The prisms reflect the horticultural lights casting rainbows across the surface of the water. Von Junzt looks for something in the pool and sees nothing at first. Then, a fan blows across the area causing the water to shimmer and Von Junzt thinks he sees something circling just beneath the surface of the water--a rainbow-scaled serpent.
Suddenly, Von Junzt feels he is both in the grow room and somewhere else at the same time. The somewhere else is equally surrounded with vegetation, but there are stars above. He sense that he is not alone. An alien mind reaches out for his.
Archeron pulls his rifle off his shoulder and cradles it in his arms but doesn't point his weapon at the approaching vehicle.
The vehicle comes closer. The Devil's Bridge Brigade members are carrying rifles as well. They don't raise theirs either.
"You lost?" asks the Gaian.
"What's that? What are you doing?" Rena asks.
Oh, I'm taking some notes, if I'm going to be here a while, I'd like to be sure I don't misjudge and become exposed to a bad element. My Mother died to an easily preventable sickness, but she just couldn't bring herself to spend what little we had to see a doctor. Kept saying it would just go away. She always looked for us, not herself."
Rena looks angry, almost angry enough to strike Zellgato. She glares for a moment and then says, "That's not the way we do medicine. We do not use these devices. Gaia provides."
The Gaian trainee returns with a vial of liquid, which Rena adds to the bathwater.
"Give me that," says Rena, pointing to Zellgato's scanner.
"Gaia?"
Gristlethorn enters his tent and quickly texts most of the team.
"I think von Junzt might be getting in over his head. Does anyone have eyes on him?"
Gristlethorn pauses, and then types again. "I think we're starting to duplicate efforts. Let's schedule a meet up to share information. Zellgato made a major discovery, it's not just mind washing."
** spoiler omitted **
Gristlethorn learns there is a pretty significantly sized faction of pissed off refugees here. A group of X-tian refugees used to have a place at the camp when the the Devil's Bridge Brigade ran it. The Gaians displaced them too. They're the only other faction at the camp to speak of.
He also hears stories about how people join the Gaians and then reject everyone who knew them and start living their lives in completely different ways.
"Not really. Why are you following me?"
"Gaia?"
Something moves among the leaves in the half-light of the other world, and, then, finding Friedrich rushes towards him in a streak of color and light.
Friedrich's back in the real world entirely now, but still senses the presence of another; this other seems to love Friedrich very much. Friedrich feels lots and lots of love and reassurance coming from this other as it pokes around at Friedrich's mind.
"Not really. Why are you following me?"
This time it's one of the Devil's Bridge Brigade members who talks, "This area's part of ARIZ-29. We don't allow armed strangers to wander around here. So, again, are you lost?"
"So, you racists have decided to come kill me after I spoke up at your little sermon? You know that stringing me up from a tree won't work, right?"
"Alright, 'Gaia', show me the light! Von Junzt wants to see where this goes.
"So, you racists have decided to come kill me after I spoke up at your little sermon? You know that stringing me up from a tree won't work, right?"
"We weren't at Brother Andrews greeting to the hungry this morning," says the Gaian. "But, if you were, you should be getting back there. This area is off-limits."
"Alright, 'Gaia', show me the light! Von Junzt wants to see where this goes.
The rainbow reflections from the prism dance across the surface of the pool and the space around Von Junzt.
Von Junzt continues to sense another mind, in touch with his own, sifting through his thoughts. He catches strange glimpses from its mind too, scenes of alien architecture and men with the heads of beasts. Soon, this restless mind in touch with Von Junzt settles down and, while Von Junzt senses it is still there, it simply lurks.
Gaia does not show Von Junzt any more light.
[
Rena looks angry, almost angry enough to strike Zellgato. She glares for a moment and then says, "That's not the way we do medicine. We do not use these devices. Gaia provides."
The Gaian trainee returns with a vial of liquid, which Rena adds to the bathwater.
"Give me that," says Rena, pointing to Zellgato's scanner.
Powers down the tool, "Fine, I won't use it. I'll even give it up, if you can show and explain a better way. This is how I know how to help people, if you know a better way-then how?"
EDIT: Well unexpected roll.
"No, I think not. I'll just be leaving. I want no part in your cult of Human supremacists."