Terexaltherin enjoys spending time with the group outside of work, though he particularly has fun with Arlo and Lyra's kids. He 'sings' a thoughtsong for them about his own childhood, which gets him a bit nostalgic for his past before he shakes himself out of it and starts a game of catch-the-dragon with them.
***************************
Afterwards Azzim told Terex, "So what do you reckon? Did this place live up to the hype?"
Terexaltherin perched on the, for once, actually properly sized and shaped seating and let himself be carried away in the illusions as he ate, though part of him can't help but pick apart how they're accomplishing each effect. He stretches almost like a cat when the meal is done and flies out alongsize Azzim.
It was very impressive, the little dragon admits. The Blood War isn't my favorite dinner topic, but they manage to make it enjoyable in spite of it. I'm still trying to figure out how they put together some of those illusions, it didn't seem like any of the usual glammers...
He cuts himself off with a chirrup of laughter. Look at me, I can't ever just enjoy something without trying to figure out how they did it. Though part of it might just be I'd rather think about that than the Blood War... but if I'm honest with myself, I'd probably be doing that no matter what the subject was.
***************************
Terexaltherin doesn't get as much time in his library as he'd like. There's always things to buy and people to talk to in Sigil. He remembers to stop in with the professor who was working on changing the enchantment on his circlet to see how it's going, he browses some bookstores, and he sees about getting a few new magic trinkets and small improvements to his library.
Still, he has enough time to confirm that something weird is definitely going on. Books stay put when he's just checking on things, but whenever he's actually researching a topic they definitely appear closer at hand than where they were shelved. He could even swear that the computer terminal he has in his library is returning results that respond as much to his thoughts as his typed searches.
Investigating magically doesn't turn up much, however, since the whole place is already very complicated in terms of magical effects. He can tell a bit has shifted in the active magics, but unraveling just what that means is beyond him.
Which gets him thinking... shouldn't he get back to working on improving his magic? He'd gotten caught up with his psionics after he made that breakthrough a few months ago... maybe now he could finally overcome the limitations he's had so far with his magic now?
He focuses what time he has left on practicing with and reading about magic.
***************************
Terexaltherin takes the references to Black Glass, Inahane, Mordan, Bisselban, and metallic neutronium and tries to cross-reference them to see if he can turn anything more up.
Metallic neutronium would be terrifying to deal with, he thinks to himself as he does so.
Later, once everyone has a relaxing few days, Ari Shadowfire and Arjunara show up to each of your homes and invite you to another party. "This one is different, here you must be on your best behavior, alert but relaxed, keeping to your cover stories even as the other guests most likely will see them as being that..." and shes continues with further fine-point of diplomacy. The next day, everyone arrives at The Spire and Bethia's machinery transports you to the outskirts of Almery, where you proceed to the Fall Gala, where a multitude of colorful magicians, kings and noble on vacation or exile and other remarkable characters gather in a large, seemingly informal dinner party. Ari shows a hologram invitation at the door and the group fans out, chatting with a variety of remarkable people and creatures on the specific obscure, entertaining neutral topics that have been chosen for the event, from "cultivating Veenon bushes" to "the etymology of Obladian constellation names". As you wander the area, Ari describes the more impressive characters, their histories and crimes. "Iocuno, who knows who's locked in his basement..., Sandoval The Blue, leashed an army of demon cows once... " Arjunara comments.
Terexaltherin is attentive and in-character during the event. Afterward with Ari, he comments privately, That was very educational, as much what wasn't said and done as what was.
He hesitates a long moment, then decides he might as well speak his mind. In fact, it seemed to me like the kind of thing future Organization leadership might need to be trained in. Should I be making the obvious inference here?
That was very educational, as much what wasn't said and done as what was.
He hesitates a long moment, then decides he might as well speak his mind. In fact, it seemed to me like the kind of thing future Organization leadership might need to be trained in. Should I be making the obvious inference here?
Ari responds "Everyone in The Organization is being trained for leadership from the moment they enter. Your group has done very well - so well we'd be leery to promote you since we'd lose some of our best field agents. Still, we are all leaders but also all have to spend time in the field, which is where we will defeat The Traders... but at some point we may have you mind the planar machinery while me and Bethia go and have some fun..."
Roughly, Terex knows "allies" are some sort of outer planar allies. A "Mordan" is something like a theme. He can't immediately find a reference to Inahane or Bisselban, however. Clearly, neutronium has a metalic form only in unusual variants of the standard physics.
Well, I suppose I can't complain about learning new things given I'm me, Terexaltherin jokes in response to Ari's explanation, then grows more serious. But however I can best help defeat the Dark Traders and people like them, I'll do it. I'll make sure to think about what weak spots I have in terms of leadership and organizational skills from here on out.
Arlo frowns and crosses his arms. "I'll be an operative if I must. But I don't want leadership. I'm already leader of my house. I'll help The Organization.." The dwarf paladin drifts off, wondering what to say next.
Azzim nodded, "The Blood Wars was a bit of a surprise to me, I suspect it was an excuse to use a lot of very spicy chillies. I hear until recently they were doing the War of the Lance in Krynn where the forces of good ultimately won, albeit at great cost. I think I would have preferred that."
Azzim listened to Lofit's account with growing alarm before replying, "That sounds absolutely devastating, apocalyptic in fact. Thank the gods you escaped. Do you know if anyone has done any research into the origins of this black fire? Unleashing something like that is no trial endeavour."
Azzim's worry was if it was done once it could be done again. He wondered if he'd heard anything like this before and speculated into how such a drastic weapon might work.
Rollo seems to have disappeared concurrently with the ending of the initial mission briefing....
The Sage then reappears directly after the mission briefing ends.
Smiling at those in attendance, the Arcanist reaches for a glass of brandy.
So, I want to speak with our new friend the Guardian. I asked him if he has seen or heard anything about the event 200 years ago on Gofthonan. And we had tea and played a few games of chest. He is quite good.
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Consulting the Organization's own small library of texts, Azzim finds:
It should be noted that most planar apocalypses involves weapons and weaknesses specific to the given plane. This is why the Dark Traders as a rule attempt to embed themselves in a given plane, working over the eons to bring ruin. There are exceptions [Note 1 below] - but normally, the overwhelming weapons and forces of a given plane are limited to that plane. Conventional magic may seem paltry compared to nuclear weapons, world-consuming worms, The Deplorable Word, singularities and so-forth but they universally applicable unlike these.
As the others conduct research on Sigil, Rollo returns to the Giant's Playground complex and asks if Guardian will allow him re-entrance to Pillars Of Time.
Rather than seeking one of gambling houses on the surface, Rollo rises to mid-height on the Pillar Giliahah and, performing a short ritual, enters it. Within, the pillar ... he finds interesting things. The Pillars, naturally, store some records of past, present and future events in the multiverse (a source of the myth of "Akashic Records"). The records are partial, redundant, difficult to access but extraordinarily useful.
Paging through the lead-up to the disaster, there's no doubt that what was involved was not merely a world war on the planetary/planar level but an effort at summoning a Major Being from the Outer Planes... And looking for the final results, Rollo finds ... nothing. But more, it appears records have been expunged here, which is, itself, very significant. Some powerful force wishes this result secret.
Terexaltherin reports what he's learned to the others. It seems like whatever happened involved some pretty 'exotic' physics, if it's somehow linked to *metallic neutronium*, he comments. So, any thoughts on anything we might want to buy before we go? I was thinking about some new wands and scrolls...
Azzim shares his find too and remarks, "Based on what Rollo found, I suspect this black fire may actually have been the body of a god, or perhaps the plane's reaction to the god's presence*. The only good thing is I'm pretty convinced that effect was specific to that plane and it likely can't be used elsewhere. Regardless it seems an extraordinary effort was undertaken, clearly the Dark Traders have many powerful backers. I wonder if we might identify some of these backers - presumably gods, and somehow drive a wedge between them and the Traders?"
So, research and acquisition completed, the party heads to The Spire for final discussion and transport...
Bethia notes: "There are some downsides to planar travel being known in Gofthonan. All of the known entry-points are essentially controlled borders of one or another rising states of the area. We've decided the best destination for you would be Kalthinia - it's growing, multi-species and fairly open. They ask that planar visitors stay in a special quarter but once acclimatized, you should be able evade any controls..."
So, the party selects their disguises and leaves by a standard Gate spell and arrives in a special "Portal Room" and negotiates with the Consulate and Planar Control Office of Kalthinia - they expect planar visitors to be either investors or military consultants and it's easy convince you are one of these. You are then lead to a fairly luxurious series of cabins near the city of Holania's military headquarters where a number of planar travelers are staying. You are expected to get escort when traveling and you naturally don't yet fit in easily. It turns out, the Ruler, Prince Gameyal, likes to greet planar visitors personally but he's out of town and you are invited to wait three or four days until their return.
Holania and the rest of Kalthinia is developing at an accelerating rate, with half of the city quite backward but mid-tech and even high-tech artifacts being found regularly in the destroyed zones, some parts of the city are quite advanced.
Arlo enters wearing a high-tech radiation combat suit, with both The Arlosword and what looks like a high-powered energy rifle on his back, along with his normal backpack.
"Let's go save another world."
Lyra has presented her husband with the Tech EVA suit just before they set off. It was nothing short of a walking Tank.
"Adamaini Armor, with a companion layer that should give you from protection from most environmental danger factors such as Acid, Heat, cold that kind of thing. But keep away from electricity if you can. Also, it Can enviremenily lock for 48 hours and is good in Vacme and pressures up of 2km water. The HUD will tell you what's around, and the weapons rack on the back is for your sword come blaster"
Then she pressed a button on the side of her collar and her own armor, expanding out like a white liquid hardening around her body, Skin tight and flexible. She clips her rail gun on that back. And slots into place to force blade handles on her hips.
Her face is uncovered and it does not look as robust as Arlo's suit, it seems more built for movement.
"Change of plan, if it is a God's body we are dealing with I'm coming, Gift has agreed, and will look after the body."
Well, it's not confirmed that's what it is, Terexaltherin points out. But I'm always glad to work with you again, Lyra.
Terexaltherin decides to go for a raven form as his disguise. Azzim, Rollo, does one of you want me to pretend to be your familiar? I'll have a good excuse for being intelligent and talking that way.
After they arrive on Gofthonan, the little dragon considers the situation. I kind of want to wait and talk with this Prince, he states. As long as we think we can keep our secrets from him, it'd be good to subtly get a feel for what he knows about the situation. And check for Dark Trader influence on him...
As the party is sitting in the comfort of a high cabin in the Visitor's Veranda (as Kalthinia Immigration styles it), looking out over the bustling city of Holania, after a single day of scouting it with your guide (who's retired for the evening), you are approached you from path below by another off-worlder, a stocky human dressed in what appears to be white "power armor" under an gray silk bathrobe. "Greetings newcomers, I am Seldon Marquat of Sigil. Can I introduce you to business in this fair port? At the minimum, it is important we coordinate pricing at the minimum Eh? We offer the locals good value in military technology and information but keep things from blowing up, literally and figuratively, I'd hope you agree. Also, can I offer you some of the local holy gin, actually quite excellent."
Both Herself and Arlo have full-face helmets, so hiding what they look like is simple. His is the grim face of a dwarf god, Hers the face of an Elf goddess
Lyra greets him. form speakers in her own while power armor suit.
"Greetings Seldon Marquat of Sigil, I am Lady Asha and this is my bodyGuard, Killick."
She indicates Arlo,
"I will let the others introduce themselves."
Terexaltherin, in raven form, broods silently on Rollo's shoulder, considering their visitor.
He's probably wanting to make sure we don't rock the boat, so to speak, he theorizes silently to the rest of the group. I'd suggest we be friendly but noncommittal.
Seldon bows to Lady Asha and Killick. "Have you considered what you will be offering Prince Gameyal? I am planning to help construct a light vehicle factory and I getting an excellent price so far. The Prince claims considerable wealth in universal gold. I'm not sure how he comes up with it." Seldon sits down, spread his legs in a relaxed fashion and fills several silver tumblers of holy gin, one of which he lifts in a toast to your health.
"You must remember, we independents must remain gray traders, not dark traders, we bring these planes things they need but not things to throw their balance over... "
"Yet you were white under your grey robe, most telling. But we here are of the same mind I think. Sustainability and profit should go hand in hand. No point burning the field for a fast gold. Ahen tomorrow you have nothing, that is a very parasitic way of working, not at all practical or good."
She sips the gin, by means of a small white tube.
Seldon Marquat drinks, entertains and gives a sort of rough price list that the various planar traders are using. He may talk of selling vehicles or steel but in the end he's an arms merchant strengthening Kalthinia's power against rivals (and perhaps next month moving to a revival, Meeravia). But the alternative of complete imbalance for one regime seem undesirable so may be a "least evil" option (or he may not be).
Lyra thinks over what they could do.
I'd rather we didn't even pretend to get into arms dealing, Terexaltherin says. And we don't exactly have a huge amount of material with us, so I was thinking something informational. Between Rollo, Lyra, and I we have a ton of technical and magical knowledge, so we could probably offer something in terms of that, preferably something that would require us to go oversee construction of something so we have a reason to be out and about. Either that or we just slip away after having an 'unsuccessful negotiation' with Prince Gameyal to gather information on him.
.
Azzim had been researching various things and he got the group together to present one of the things he found. "I'm sure you'll agree Gift's hive mind proved to be extremely useful out in the field. Since she is elsewhere, I have been investigating alternatives. I found a spell called telepathic bond which is essentially the same thing as the hive mind, the downside is it lasts a little over two hours. Experience suggests that even if extended to almost five hours that isn't enough. Anyway apparently a telepathic bond can be made permanent and while expensive this is within our budget. What do you think, is this something we should consider?"
Arlo looks over Azzim's proposal. "Well, it's a close area spell. So when we go our separate ways after a mission, the bond breaks. Which is something I appreciate. I suppose I'm for it if the team is. Is the cost 12k once or for all members?" The dwarf asks.
Rollo arrives as he intents and at the moment of his intentions made clear. The Arcanist is seen wearing a prospectors outfit complete with hard hat, various spelunking tools and even a light.
He waves at everyone departing.
Prospectors must be lining up at developing that disaster land there!
The dhampir adjusts a shovel.
Once the group arrives, the obvious prospector greets, shakes hands and inquires about possible savage rights, equipment transportation availability and where to hire possible laborers.
Well met! Sir Duncan Devros Douglas Davidson, prospectors extreme, atyour service!
So, the party spend a pleasant evening with Seldon Marquat and meets other traders and "consultants" in the Visitor's Cabin as well as surveying the city of Holania around them escorted by their "guide" Shordan.
On in the morning of the third day, a tall, handsome and sensitive-looking man in a richly embroidered tunic knocks on your door and introduces himself as Prince Ladvid Gameyal. The party members introduce themselves and outline plans for non-military development. The prince smiles. "That may be an excellent choice, both for you and for Kalthinia. While we are colliding with other states in places on this newly hopeful and developing world, these problems require growth for everyone for a lasting solution. And while arms might seem the most profitable, the market may be filled... I especially like the idea of more systematic mining in the dead zones...." after adding more details of deal and opportunities, the prince adds, "Remember, this world was almost nothing but dust and ashes two hundred years ago - knowledge allow quick development but we are still short of many things, especially people..." The prince grants the part an office on outskirts of Holania where they are permitted to solicit investors for expeditions into the interior for the purpose of mining, exploration, agricultural development and mapping...
Lady Lyra hits the office on the outskirts of Holania like a whirlwind, soon there are at least 12 local staff, working on planning and data collecting. Each has a desk, seat, plus odd steampunk-like PC terminal.
A meeting room and dining area. They even have an area and receptionist.
If the space is to small she will hire more in the same building, if not a new building.
Lyra has lots of meetings, making teams, and also bringing local scouts and experts to be interviewed by the team. Working hard on working on raising funds with possible backers.
In other words, holding up the cover story.
For kit prep, she hires a workshop in town for the team to make and craft things for expeditions. And seems to be working on a basic tracked ATV - Kharkovchanka for trips.
Azzim was wearing his pinstripe suit of anonymity. He's been listening politely to and Prince Ladvid Gameyal. After the prince finished speaking he suggested, "Your Highness, given the population, perhaps mystical aids to fertility - both of the people and the land may be of interest. There are quite some number of benign nature deities and spirits who we might be able to petition on your people's behalf."
He left unstated for a very reasonable fee because discussions of money were bad form.
What, I'm not good enough? Terexaltherin mock-pouts at the suggestion of a telepathic bond. It's probably a good idea, really. Relaying things back and forth takes a lot of focus, especially when I'm watching out for signals to connect from the rest of you.
He is happy to see their offer of civilian technologies is appreciated. The 'raven familiar' debates pushing for a bit longer of a discussion to try to get more of a feel for whether or not the Prince has been influenced by the Dark Traders, but decides it's better to gather information 'on the ground' and not draw more attention right now.
Terexaltherin mostly helps with selecting technologies and information and teaching it to clients... when he's not sneaking out and gathering information. He tries to learn what groups are exploring out into the wastes, and looks for whatever information he can on the areas that have been explored.
So, the party concludes an agreement with Prince Gameyal various transfers of the civilian technology in exchange for offices and the ability to raise money from the nobility of Kalthinia. You then go to work and put together a small organization - scientists and aids. Soon you're aiding the entire plane's development while creating maintaining a network of informants...
The city is pleasant, something like steampunk version of 19th/early-20th century Prague or Vienna. The intellectual atmosphere is heady, the cafes ring with debates while new steam boats travel the rivers under ornate apartment complexes. Scientific discoveries are frequent though the situation is much more complicated than simply importing technology. Any physical process, any plant or animal, etc has to be locally adapted, a process that takes between weeks and years. Even the scientific method itself seems to have variations. And a percentage of off-worlders abandon their project before completion but others have magnificent successes.
However, the picture of Kalthinia's finances is interesting... The Principality, like the other young states of the planet, is using a variety of off world helpers to fuel it's rapid development and paying them freely in universal gold, gold whose sources are murky.
One rumored source is a trade in "dark crystals", said to be retrieved from the deep interior of the decimated zones - which is odd because most Kalthinian explorers avoid these interior areas since they seem to be a source of "the sickness" (which resembles radiation sickness but has other odd and terrifying qualities like a slow descent into madness). Also, many claim there is nothing of greater interest in the "deep interior" given the planet's technology seemed evenly divide across the surface.
And certain other off-world organizations are apparently buying these crystals while keeping their activities very quiet.
Lady Lyra sets up a nice little apartment for herself and Arlo.
Its like they are young again, date for the 1st time.
They eat on the balcony and read the local papers.
Chit-chatting over the day's work. They have a guest, a local girl with a sharp mind, Lyar took her on as a PA, and is also teaching her tech. She has a habit of Lyra's master, in the old master and apprentice way.
The Spy network she left to Rollo the others. She was an organizer and tech head. While Arlo was also the security one, he kept disappearing to come to local sports club events, she could hear them crying out when a goal was scored or some such. He had told her about it but she had tuned out. Are men and their hobbies. So long as he did not go off with some huzzy she was happy for him. Huzzyes and females who took a liking to Arlo while Lyra was around, tended to have very hard and abrupt conversations with her. The result of which was them running off with a worried look on their faces.
Now that the lab and manufactorum was up and running, lyra worked on the new shielded powered land wagon. Basically a steam engine magneto drive with force and plate armor. Massive, not so fast, but tough as hell.
,
Arlo hasn't heard of anything like this 'sickness'.
Azzim performs some discrete research into the sickness, taking advantage of any local libraries as well as reading several texts he'd borrowed in Sigil in preparation for this trip. He looked at it from various aspects, the medical, the arcane, and any religious connotations.
He spared a speculation with the others, "I know this world has seen some advanced sciences but I can't help but wonder if a cult of some sort is responsible for what happened. If I'm right I wonder if they're still out there..."
So, in the first week, Azzim sets to studying the sickness and discovers various disturbing properties. Its seems to be something like magical radiation - apparently various spells were somehow added to conventional radioactive isotopes, making their neutron radiation harder to resist and adding various mind-affecting qualities. The radiation suits the party brought with them will be magically enhanced to resist this effects (it would only take a week) but also object contaminated with this substance are hard to detect and can poison people over time - you would need an enchant a Geiger Counter - any project to rid the city of objects contaminated by the sickness could weeks though you might be able to delegate the task to competent local.
Terexaltherin spends some time teaching classes--he actually enjoys classes, and his disguise as a raven familiar gives him a reason to have the intelligence, capacity for speech, and knowledge to be able to do so. Not to mention he does believe in the value of education beyond just keeping up their cover...
But he makes sure to save plenty of time for scouting and infiltration. Since Azzim seems to be covering the sickness angle, the little dragon decides his skills would be best applied to the crystals. Using his animal shapeshifting circlet and his natural talents with stealth, he eavesdrops on people and sneaks into places that seem likely to be associated with the trade of the dark crystals. He tries to learn all he can about the trade, and if he can manage to get close to one of the crystals while unobserved, he does what he can to observe its magical and physical characteristics.
So after skulking through the more obscure back alleys of Holania for almost a week, following rumors, telling fortunes and riffling through drawers, a raven is seen flying from a tenement basement where a sick explorer stashed a package. Yes, a "dark crystal" - or at least, until analyzed, a crystal that's dark.
And analyzing this... it is a strange and fragmentary demiplane, possibly filled with one or another resources for those who enter it. And what could the source of this be? Texts on the subject are obscure but this sort of thing often results from a "frozen" interplanar disaster... and such things are often cordoned off by great wizard societies - bureaucracies larger and slower than The Organization. It would be good to know where exactly such a thing came from...
She read the letter that had planes dropped to her,
' To my old friends, I have a nasty case of bottom pox from my late nights in the lady district, But good luck with the endeavor. Yours Billy Boy"
It was code, a jokes one, the organization had Rollo doing something back home and he was not able to come.
She would pass on the information to the others.
Rollo wonders if Lady Lyra received his missive. The Sage hopes she doesn't think it is code.
Never again, never again will I try drink an ogre magi under the table....
Terexaltherin shares his findings with the others. It looks like these crystals may be shards of a frozen planar disaster... definitely the kind of thing the Dark Traders would be interested in, he 'says'. So I think we have four things to investigate here--where they originated from, where people are getting them, who's ultimately buying them, and whether or not they're connected to the odd sickness people get. Any suggestions on how to proceed?
One thought is to see if we can enter this shard somehow... or given what it is, maybe just send a drone or a spell or something into it to investigate it remotely. Do we have any way to do that? We'll want to see if it has any kind of unique magical or physical signature... we might be able to use that to track them or find more...
He muses on these ideas for a while.
After further probing, Terex realizes this crystal can indeed be entered by a living being (though likely not a construct) and that this is something of dark or negative analogy to a "Crystal Map", a thing well known to The Organization and which has been used by it in the past to gather resources. But negative analogue to this might be indeed a dangerous thing. Still, entering this would be difficult proposition though The Organization has specialist who could likely do this.
Also, following the rumor mill in the next few days, Terex is able to discover that these dark crystals are being purchased by shadowy traders trolling the poorest zones, one of whom is named T'Chanat. They are known to be found deep in the decimated zones and those who find them often die of The Sickness after they return - so only those desperate to help their families or friends seek these but unfortunately there are too many of these in the Under-Pier district of Holania.
As The Black Raven, Terex acquires a reputation for paying for information with gold, magic or more information - and being very discreet about who his informants are (supernatural entities of this sort are rare in Holania but accepted).
'Poor bastards", Arlo grimaces, when he hears the plight of those unfortunates who mine the dark crystals.
Lady Lyra has set up a lab for the others to work in.
Its had the best of local and outside tech.
Azzim considered how to enhance the radiation suits, he told the others one evening "I wonder if we can imbue them with a permanent Remove Radioactivity effect. Permanency is a bit of a finicky magic to work with not to mention expensive."
He researched a bit more on the subject.
She nods
"This kind of magical radiation - where various spell effects were added specific radioactive isotopes, and with it, their now magical tainted neutron radiation hard to block, but we could counter. Anti-magic fields would take out the taint, then it just blocks the neutrons which can be done with Magnetic fields and shielding. I suggest a transport with both an anti-magic field combined electromagnetic field generator And a load of shielding. The power suits have a smaller anti-magic field generator and shielding. It would not be wise to go out of the craft for long but with some decontamination units in it. We could travel for a while before the effects start. I have been working such a craft."
She brings out a pocket holo projector and shows and image to the team.
Terexaltherin considers Lyra's work. That does seem effective... it'll take a lot to assemble all that, though. Antimagic usually isn't cheap to build into something, unless there are some quirks of the local metaphysics that make it easier... I suppose that's a research topic for me. It'd kind of be a problem for me and probably Azzim offensively, though. We'd have to make sure we had alternate weapons...
He trails off thoughtfully for a moment before switching topics. So, these dark crystals... do we want to try entering one? It'd be valuable to learn more about just what we're dealing with. Or we could maybe ship one to HQ and let one of their specialists try it. We--or maybe just I for now--might be better off trying to track down this buyer. It definitely feels like a Dark Trader kind of thing, and I don't like the idea of them getting too many of these crystals.
Terexaltherin does his best to stealthily keep tabs on this T'Chanat, trying to learn his habits and how the group might catch him if they deem it necessary.
The Organization is able to transport an anti-magic sphere to the group - permanent anti-magic field 10' radius and Lyra can build an effective walked vehicle around this, hardened against radiation and with limited self-healing abilities. It works reasonably well for some short runs into the decimated zone...
Getting direct information about T'Chanat is difficult but Terex is able to discern who has contact with the character and then trace his activities to a network of underground tunnels. There are a few places where an ambush might be set...
Arlo does his best to assist Lyra in the construction of the walked vehicle. Advanced technology is her thing, but the dwarf can e an extra pair of hands, or babysitter while his wife works.