Gift was out cold, the hive mind collapses as she slumped to the ground.
Eruander came over and sort to help her, but no matter what he did Gift would not respond. Her body looked fine, nothing there. It had to be her mind, something there must be off. But no amount of magic or craft could wake here. It was as if her body was there but her mind was not.
Lyra had just fed the girls and got them to bed when I planes link to Gift pinged. She left the children with one of the maid bots and headed to her Lab. By the time she got there, the large screen above the main workspace was showing singles not just from Gift but from Arlo. This should have been impossible, Where they had gone was plane-Locked, and now a signal was coming from Hexqil Gifts drone. Her mind as always worked on logic, as an Andriod fear played no part in her thinking. But she needed to sort this. Something was very wrong.
She went to the combat cabinet and darned her battle suit, Then took her Vibe-Blaed and rail gun locking them into place to they powered up from her core. She then Slotted 6 of the dark matter amo blocks into Belt pouches. Bending and Picking up her combat backpack, she heads out of the lad to the Teleport disks. Standing on one while slinging her pack onto her back she ordered.
"House!! Full locked down, Active Nanny bot to look after the Girls. And all bot units to active and patrol. Cancel all my meetings and set Teleport destination to Organisation HQ, Activate."
And with that, she was gone.
Rollo smiles proudly at Terex' masterful arcane performance. The Sage nods in an understanding soon to be realized....
After the light show fades just a bit the dhampir looks about the place. His blue eyes turning from the direction of town.
So, who wants to volunteer to tell the locals that we just despaired their gold mine?
The Sage grins.
Terexaltherin and Terecho continue to lie still. I just want a nap. Maybe in an hour, Terexaltherin 'says', somehow making his telepathic voice sound like a tired mumble.
With his eyes closed, he doesn't have a clue that Gift was lying unresponsive, nor that a familiar figure was drawing close.
The jungle ex-lair of the Cucurai: Those party members still able stand gather themselves up as Arlo (!) appears. The heroic dwarf first seems delirious, waving his sword against some nonexistent enemy but the party is able to calm him after a couple of minutes as Eruander warns him of Gift's condition.
The first order of business is returning home but all planar transport methods seem blocked. So, the group marches to the valley of mists (Arlo carrying the unresponsive Gift), staying in that warm and pleasant area just long enough to rest and then pushing on. The Valley residents are interested to hear of the end of the Cucurai but not particularly worried. You notice that the Valley seems to expanding and the light spirits tell you the area seems to be gradually becoming a true world. But pushing on, you get to the oil flats, where planar communication had possible previously but now things are still blocked. And Gift is still unresponsive and Leander vows to also go with the group until Gift's condition is understood at least.
Finally, without notable encounters, you arrive at Gamjee Town to find it nearly deserted, virtually all factions having left, just few stragglers feasting on the food and drink no one bothered to carry away. The stragglers mention that planar travel and communication suddenly was blocked about the time that contact with the Cucurai ceased and the inhabitant left quickly after some auguries. But Mayana is still in the harbor with Moon, Gift's ex-lover and Moon's companion watching the harbor for the party's arrival. They offer to take the party up-river to where they believe planar travel is not blocked and so after two days on the river Unash, the magic users of the group feel a sudden release of pressure and a simple gesture takes the group instantly back...
The Spire, Organization Headquarters Far above the Ghetto section of Sigil, Lyra appears in the Landing Zone and charges into the Main Room of the Planar machinery where Bethia, Cordelia, Ari and a couple other planar experts are gathered around area of the planar map that suggests the remnant of fire. Bethia turns and looks Ari who approaches Lyra. "Come with me..." and leads the android back to the Landing Area which glows momentarily and then the party appears and Ari takes the entire group to the spare room to talk "My friends, you have achieved great success but with considerable costs and some serious missteps - and I believe the Organization may have made some mistakes too (glancing a Strandel) for which I appologize. The situation with Gift is one we are already aware of and we are very sad. The time stream has been in an uproar since the Cucurai have left - we were not able to contact you due to time massively accelerating in your area. Still, I believe you have the information we have sought for years however. We should stow that immediately and then many things much happen. This is can save countless lives. Think of when you think of the rest of your difficulties. And now, we ask that you all rest for a minimum of two weeks before joining a mission again - these events have stretched each of you. And Arlo and Lyra, we may know more soon or we may know more later . You are welcome to try to discover a way to recover Gift in the meantime and we will tell you all we know"
Arlo sits by GIFT's bed, pensively waiting for her to wake up.
Rollo greets Arlo with a hearty clap on the dwarf's back!
Great to see you, Arlo! Too bad under these circumstances. She will evolve. No worries!
The Sage winks.
After the debrief and the announcements, the dhampir decides to take a few days at an all inclusive resort!
When Arlo Arives Lyra walks with them as Gift is taken to a hospital wing.
You note she is in her full combat mode.
While Arlo sits Laya walks back and forth thinking.
If you made it, at once you can see that Lyra body has changed she is once more an Andriod. Also, she is as cold and hard as she was the 1st time you met her here. Yes she pecks you on the cheek, the its a known action. Behind her eyes you can see the lack of feeling she had all that tme ago.
"I have talked to them about what might be wrong with Gift, but they need more time to pin it down, husband. As for our Boys, they are fine. The house is in lockdown and they are being cared for.
Arlo stands up when Lyra appears in the room, The dwarf looks at his now-android wife dumbfounded.
"Your..your back to when we met." The dwarf searched Lyra's face to see the love in her features were still there. Arlo explains all he know about what happened to GIFT.
Lyra looked Puzzled,
"Back to the way I was? I don't understand, Have I changed in some way, Form when we married?"
She tries to read his face but she had never been good at it.
There is recognition on her face but the love she had in organic form is not there. She is as she was, unfeeling to a great extent.
"But that can wait, tell me everything"
As he tells her what has happened she looks over her daughter.
"When we made our three children, Gift led the way, letting us splice some of our souls if such a word counts in my case, into her new form. Her Andriod body like mine was crafted as best make and can hold such a soul. But then she went through this change to upgrade to another kind of construct. She gains more of a soul. It grow, and I learned from that."
Lyra shows him images and yes, both she and the boys are androids.
There is even an image of Gift as she was, an Andriod. If you push her she will show the birthing tanks used for all of them, and she explains that Guft shows the way, so that the boys will grow just like a normal child. As the gift was the prototype so boys are the final form. Having them with organic sex would be ridiculous. As Lyra has no organic reprodutive parts. If he pushes more and insists Lyra was Orgnic she scoffs and says such tech dose not exist, one can only do as Gift did and upgrade a construct form to another.
But she has more pressing things to talk about.
"From what I gather from talking to the techs here. Gift somehow sacrificed her own soul parts to undo what was done to our sons. Their seed android souls now live because of her. And they are back to the way they should be. The right age and time is back to how it should be."
Lyra looked Puzzled,
"Back to the way I was? I don't understand, Have I changed in some way, Form when we married?"
"But, we are married, right?!" Arlo looks up with pleading, atery eyes.
"But that can wait, tell me everything"
As he tells her what has happened she looks over her daughter.
"When we made our three children, Gift led the way, letting us splice some of our souls if such a word counts in my case, into her new form. Her Android body like mine was crafted as best make and can hold such a soul. But then she went through this change to upgrade to another kind of construct. She gains more of a soul. It grow, and I learned from that."
Arlo face drops when all has been explained to him. How Lyra and Arlo never had sex, and the emotions both shared never existed.
The broken dwarf sits down on a nearby chair. "Then, why would I shave my soul just to make android children? I'm sorry, but that sounds like an act of love to harm my soul just for kids? I could knock up some prostitute and get the same result?"
Lyra looks shocked by his out bust,
"Where is this coming from Arlo? You love our Children, Why are you by Gifts bed if this was not the case? And I am.... yes I think the organic word is [i[hurt[/i]. By the fact, you say 'real' Children. They ARE real children, with souls and personalities all of their very owm. They love you as your love them. They and Gift are far more complex than me, Their souls make them so. They Feel as you do, not so much myself. We talked about this. You wanted a family, I wanted off-spring too. This one the only way we"
She moved her hand indicating the two of them,
"Could have a family. I know you love me Arlo, and I know you love our children. I have always shown my as you say affection in my own way. And us having our kids ones one. Now you say they are not real I... I don't know what to make of it. On your trip did someone cast a spell on you, to make you so body... intolerant."
The dwarf just brooded in his misery. "Well, good. At least there's that. I was just angry because my timeline changed."
Lyra looks at him.
"Arlo you seem so, I do not know how to help you with emotions, I never have. Would you like some alcohol, you seem to find that of use when you brood like this?"
She asks with out a hint or arony.
Arlo grumbled. "Oh, I assure you, dear, that I will comsume a lot of it when everyone's safe at home."
Lyra seems satisfied with his answer.
"I am going to talk to the Magic-medics now about the tests they did on Gift, The house will respond to you when you get home Arlo. There is also food and drink, just as you like it."
She took one last look at the monitoring crystal that showed Gifts life signs, no change, and then left the room.
Arlo watched her leave.
"The wife I knew is gone. The kids I knew are gone."
The dwarf stared into the darkness of the doorway, hoping against hope, this was all some elaborate joke.
"My life is one big elaborate joke", Arlo sulked.
With nothing better to do, Arlo returns to his vigil over his-now android daughter's body.
Terexaltherin is very concerned to find Gift unresponsive when he finally stirs, and both he and Terecho hover anxiously about her for a while until it's clear there's nothing they can do to help. Realizing she'd been carrying the Duke of Hell's box, the little dragon grabs it in the vague hope it has something to do with her state, then stows it in his handy haversack when nothing changes.
He is, however, quite happy to discover that his vaguely book-shaped rock he'd kept from meeting the Oomsata now serves as a way to go back and forth to his library.
Once back with the Organization, he brings it out to show Ari. He explains briefly what they'd learned about the container and its occupant. I don't know if he should be released or not... I don't *like* keeping someone locked up like this, but on the other claw he seems to have a lot of power and no sense of responsibility, which is a pretty dangerous combination.
I'll make sure to write a detailed report on everything we learned... but I wanted to bring up one other thing. Terecho here, he nods at his clone, Has been getting tired of sitting around and reading--amazing, I know, but it's happened. He was wanting to join in on a mission, but given the imperfect nature of the copy method, he's afraid he'd be too fragile to face the challenges we're up against. Could he maybe go on a mission with another team?
After three days, Cordelia quietly contacts everyone in the party as well as Lyra and Arlos, "Can you tell me anything you can think of that could have lead up to the situation of Gift? Our preliminary research seems to indicate that something about an effort to 'fix' the timeline of her resulted in this. The Organization finds this strange because temporal rearrangements usually don't result in this sort of thing - it's an anomaly within an anomaly. We have our guesses but what you could guess might help us here. We know she was carrying a strange artifact that we're dealing with separately."
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With gift unresponsive, Azzim initially tied to help but he knew he was totally out of his depth. The magnitude of the forces involved had been titanic and he had a feeling the issues where ones Gift needed to solve herself.
He realised that he'd been very tense for some weeks, waiting for machinations from the Dark Traders that never materialised. Instead there had been strife within the group, things had been shared psychically that where hard to unsee.
At a loss, Azzim wandered Sigil for some time, ending up in the Lady's ward. He found himself walking past the Fortune's Wheel tavern, one of the most famous in all of Sigil where the high and mighty of come to engage in the kreigstanz that makes their lives interesting. The doormen where as efficient as they where selective - you had to be somebody or rich to enter. He wasn't sure he was either although to his surprise he wasn't stopped as went to enter.
The place was every bit as gaudy as he'd heard, stuffed with gambling machines from a dozen planes. He ignored all of those, making his way to the bar where he ordered a pint of something called Murphy's which proved to be dark, heady and smooth as velvet. The bar itself was dominated by an enormous dragon's head - it was animated by some necromancy and this remnant of a once magnificent dragon was regaling the patrons with tales of its life on the Prime.
Azzim expected some of the escapades had grown somewhat in the retelling but the dead dragon had a sense of dry wit and irony which appealed to him and he spent the better part of a day listening to it's anecdotes.
Terexaltherin spends a couple of days visiting every bookseller in Sigil that he knows of, and searching for more. Some new books is exactly what he needs to help him relax... especially now that he knows he still has access to his library. He does make sure to write a very detailed report on everything they'd encountered on their latest adventure, including every detail the group had learned about the wrecked planar machinery, the true identity of Ancients #17, the nature of the Cucurai, and their 'dream machinery'. He also writes about what happened with Gift and Strandel in exhaustive detail.
This doesn't leave him with as much time to read as he would like, but he doesn't feel like he can really relax until it's done, especially with what's going on with Gift.
He finished only a little before Cordelia contacts him. Well, I just submitted my report, which has all the details I could think of, he replies. As for anything specifically about Gift... let me think...
He reviews the last few minutes with the Cucurai, trying to think of anything that would be of particular import to Gift's situation. We told you about the 'calm' liquid, right? That's what comes to mind first...
After four days, Eruander invites both the current party members as well as a number of Ormembers to his home plane for a three "training vacation" - those can't fly can still leap down massive trees and relax by cool, fresh water pools. There are swimming, climbing, fly and other training obstacle courses. And naturally one can sit by a camp fire and tell stories of previous adventures (carefully vetted but still very instructive)... Informal and advice is crucial part of keeping knowledge spread around The Organization . Of course, this only last three days and then it's back to Sigil and waiting for any word on Gift.
Meanwhile, The Organization has brought in several outside clerics to try to figure this riddle while following other available leads.
Lyra went to the large spare room and shuck Arlo awake. He smelled like he had been drinking again. She simply said
"We have been invited to Eruander's for training, the house ran you a bath. I will be done stairs feeding the boys, I will see you there."
and Lyra left him.
There was no emotion, no peck of the check, nothing of lyra who as was. But the boys were not like this Lyra, they lit up when he came into the room and giggles with delight, and they held out their hands for him to pick them up and hug them. They also did not look like Lyra, where you could see she was an Andirod. His two boys looked as real as real could be, and they were flesh and blood. As dwarven as could possibly be with Biotech. Just as lytas old body had been. They acted, small eat and drank like babies but Arlo could tell they had real feelings not programmed simulations of them but real love when they looked at him.
the old Lyra may be gone but his baby sons where still as real as ever, Just Biotech better, they saw in the dark, and could hear him coming way before he could hear them.
Lyra explained she had made a Bio-vat womb for her body and used it to gestate the embryos test tube fertilized from her designed Bio tech eggs and his DnA. They have been in there for the 15 months it takes Dwarven mothers to give birth from conception to birth. Arlo had been there to lift his two sons out. One light skinned the other dark. One raven black hair the other nearly white.
She had recorded the whole thing, and he could watch it all. And him naming them, Beldrun and Belgrim Brighthammer.
But there was no oracle there, no see'er just himself and Lyra.
"Beldrun desist from throwing food at your brother Belgrim at once. Or no apple."
Lyra came to the home of Eruander and entered, she had her full agent load out ot, pistols, Rail gun, and twin blade light sword.
Lyra ran the training obstacle courses with some ease. Her body never tired never stopped. She just kept going seeking the hardest runs. Leaping and rolling. Jumping from heights that would kill others yet take little or no damage.
Even when she did her self-repair kicked in and she just kept going. The ones with targets she blasted with her two pistols, with at close range, her twin lights sword came out, long-range her rail gun. Much damage was done to the causes.
Over and over day and night, she never stopped unless she needed to go home for the boys, for meetings or for conversations.
Terexaltherin gladly joins in the training exercise, in company with Terecho. The little dragon and his clone have some fun teaching some of the less experienced Organization members about stealth, misdirection, and ways that a physically weaker fighter could deal damage to a superior force. He shares a few stories from his time with the Organization--with revealing details redacted, of course.
When not participating in the training, he plunges into his newly expanded library, browsing the titles he was most excited about before deciding on a few to read. Reading helps soothe the pain of the last mission, which he tries not to think about too much while he's reading.
Not that he completely pushes thinking about it away. Indeed, Terexaltherin often finds himself thinking of what he could have done better to help Gift or restrain Strandel... and he also thinks of how he misses <Shimmer>. He'd gotten the briefest of glimpses of their home when he'd been connected with <Shimmer> to accomplish the transfer, and it... well, he was still struggling to comprehend it all.
He knew <Shimmer> hadn't really had an emotional connection, knew it was for the best they went home, but... well, making connections like that was part of who he was. He wasn't going to feel sorry for feeling that way about <Shimmer>, even though it kind of hurt knowing there hadn't been any real emotion in return. Though... he did kind of wonder about that. He didn't think <Shimmer> had set up the link between his 'book rock' and his library before, so... had it been a parting gift of sorts?
Well... he might never know.
He was just as glad that this train of thought kept him from worrying uselessly about Gift.
After his vigil, Arlo walked the streets of Sigil, until he found one of his old drinking haunts. The thri-kreen behind the bar looked up in surprise. "Arlo, I didn't expect I'd bee seeing you again", the insectoid chirped.
"Me neither", Arlo grumbled and took a seat. The dwarf took out 10 gold pieces and put them on the bar. "Five of 'My usual' in silence." The thri-kreen shrugged and served the morose dwarf 5 large buckets of a questionable alcoholic beverage. Hours later, Arlo eventually stumbled home, still very sad, but now also very drunk.
Once inside the different Brighthammer Home, the dwarf asked the house AI were his bedroom was. Because of his slurred speech, it took several tries for the AI to understand Arlo. But the House AI was able to direct the drunken dwarf to his bed, where he fell fast asleep without removing his armor or gear.
Lyra went to the large spare room and shuck Arlo awake. He smelled like he had been drinking again. She simply said
"We have been invited to Eruander's for training, the house ran you a bath. I will be done stairs feeding the boys, I will see you there."
and Lyra left him.
Lyra's Love was gone. Or it never existed. He wasn't sure which. But his boys were still here. And GIFT was still here. And for Arlo, he guessed that had to be enough. The paladin would always mourn the loss of Lyra's love, but Arlo would still be there for his kids. Even if out on missions, Arlo swore he would always come home. No born dwarven children meant no horrible Prophecy to hang over the family. There was that, Arlo guessed. The proud dwarven father put his boys down and helped them eat their breakfast. Occasionally Arlo would look up at his android wife smiling, only to see the smile not returned; in which case, Arlo would quickly look back at this boys.
After four days, Eruander invites both the current party members as well as a number of Ormembers to his home plane for a three "training vacation" - those can't fly can still leap down massive trees and relax by cool, fresh water pools. There are swimming, climbing, fly and other training obstacle courses. And naturally one can sit by a camp fire and tell stories of previous adventures (carefully vetted but still very instructive)... Informal and advice is crucial part of keeping knowledge spread around The Organization . Of course, this only last three days and then it's back to Sigil and waiting for any word on Gift.
Meanwhile, The Organization has brought in several outside clerics to try to figure this riddle while following other available leads.
Lyra came to the home of Eruander and entered, she had her full agent load out ot, pistols, Rail gun, and twin blade light sword.
Over and over day and night, she never stopped unless she needed to go home for the boys, for meetings or for conversations.
Arlo traveled with Lyra to Eruander's plant-based plane. Outsiders could tell things have become awkward between the dwarven paladin and his android wife. Arlo struggled to socialize with Lyra. Once initial greets were made, Lyra quickly went off by herself to train. At this, Arlo's attitude became even more sour. The junior members of the Organization tried to initiate conversations with the bitter dwarf, to which to Arlo's credit, the dwarf gave small responses instead of threats of violence. Some of the more senior members must have figure the surly dwarf may have mellowed a bit; fatherhood can do that. Arlo reluctantly headed a workshop on melee combat at Bethia's urging.
Strandel, having several days to recover from his bizarre ordeal with the Cucurai in one of the Organization's medical facilities, made a big appearance ay Eruander's forest getaway camp. The satyr cordially greets Rollo, Azzim, and Terex. From a distance, the satyr bard saw Lady Lyra and Arlo arrive. The dwarf and Strandel locked eyes for a moment. The jovial nature of Strandel's face fell when he recognized who he saw. Strandel absentmindedly rubbed his neck where Dream-Arlo stepped on it. The satyr, in a unique moment of clarity, decided wherever Arlo was in this plane; Strandel would not be at that location.
The training exercise is a success, forty or fifty junior members of The Organization take part and it feels like significant experience is passed on.
Once back in Sigil, Armaund, the iron dragon who occasionally joined the party in the past, approaches you about a possible assignment. "This is something of a classic confrontation - one The Organization has been involved in for several hundred years in the time of this plane. We have a roughly human level 2 technological society occupying two continents while strange magical interlopers, almost certainly Dark Trader connected, appear on a third continent. One important factor is there are number of 'planar anchors' protecting this world, most of them key cultural sites of this technological society." Continuing. "It is crucial for these anchors to be guarded but at the same time, we want to help this society keep away from their own primitive ideas about magic and religion. This is a quite similar world to my own late home world. There, I lived in a technological society, ruled by dragons who herded the humans by their fear ... of dragons. Here, the demons infiltrate a society again using their fear... of demon. Also, it seems these demons have found a way of interfering in the timestream of this area and we may need to find ways to deal with this. Ari hasn't told me whether this will be your next assignment but I'd love your ideas about the situation."
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Lyras class for new Angents stood in front of her,
They were all outside in front of the range, which was behind her.
Each new Agent had in front of them a small table on which sat a handy haversack.
"We shall begin. Good morning Angents, I am Lady Lyra Anna Fitzroy-BrightHammer. You may have heard of me or my husband. We and our team are some of the most experienced agents the organization has. The reason for this is simple, we prep well before every mission. Research will save your lives, and Terexaltherin and Rollo will teach you about that. But you need to research what may work in the way of combat. each plan has its own set of rules and physics. Magic tends to work on most plans but not all. And that is why you are here with me today. I am going to run throw a flexible approach to worlds where tech is the norm. Some of you may have come from planes where some form of Empirical science or technological revolution is underway. They have steam power or nuclear power, Bio-Engineering or artificial intelligence, mass communication, and printing."
reached into one of to Havsack in front of her and took out a small book.
Holding it up she said.
"Agent Terexaltherin has written this Stages of Technical Development reference book. With the catchy title of From the wheel to God level AIs in it you will find a classification system for plans and where they sit on the tech-dev scale. In including worlds that use Magi-tech. Read it, keep it self and study it.
She put the book down on the table. And started to take other itesm out of her handy haversack.
"Please do as I do and take each item out as I do. The sack will know what you want, just think it."
Tents, survival kits, ropes, cumpus, spy glass, watch, note pen, reasons, all came out.
But next she bright out, mithril shirt.
"On most tech worlds the need for Armor as such is no longer of use. Firearms have rendered armor very much pointless. But one still needs protection from blades and other cutting weapons. The sirt you have been supplied with has an enchantment that busts it defenses capabilities. Its light, easy to place under clothing and does not hinder you. This should always be warned, it's your baseline of personal defense."
Next she bright out a combat blade.
"The most useful weapon comes tool you will have. Made of Adamantine it can cut most things. And keeps it sharp. Always have this with you. Its you baseline defense. Next clothing..
She brought out two sleaves of many Garments.
"Blending in can be key, so there tend to work even on tech planes. Instant clothing to match those around you. Always have this on, with your sight-fitting undergarments. and this..."
She took out a way-finder.
"Agency Tech wayfinder, just like the ones you have but where you may have an Ion stone, you will find a built-in crystal radio comms unit, radio is about the most basic means of tech comms and this uses it, Your team will have one each. Keeps you in touch with each other. The range is not limitless and will change depending on the plane. But used well it can help you do what needs to be done."
Next, She brought out a ring.
"Ring of sustenance, put them on if you have not got on. You will never starve while you have this on, and the most important thing of all. your need for sleep will greatly be reduced. That in and of itself can save your life. And last, of all, and why we are here. Your firearms."
She bright out two pistols.
"Designed by myself and the boys in the Labs, the standard agency revolver 1. You will find ammunition in your haversack and gun kits for fixing it. You will notice that it's what is called a revolver, Some of you may be asking why not a more complicated firearm. like a blaster on a laser weapon. Well the simpler we can make it, the more planes it will work on. No point having a death ray mega gun on a plane where all it does is tickle your opponent. But Alchemy works on just about every plane we know of and as such Alchemical weapons have the most chance of working on the ones you find yourself in. Even plans with no magic basic Alchemy works.
She started to load her weapon and the agent followed her leed,
"It holds 8 shells. But you will see a second barrel, which can hold a shotgun sell off a number of types. This barrel can also act as a black-powered barrel. As backup should you ever have no shells and only local Alchemy is open to you. You will find balls and powder in the second pouch."
Lyra tuned and in one move shot all 8 rounds, placing a hole in the center of 8 targets. Then on the 9th she punched. large hole in it with the shotgun round. Just as fast she cracked her weapon open and with a speed loaded, reload it and slotted in on one move into her leg holster.
"This is your baseline, firearm, and for the rest of this class, we will be shooting. And seeing how well you do. Come to me one at a time and I will observe you shoot. Mirlex your 1st"
And so the class went on.
Azzim enjoyed the time on Erundar's plane, telling the treant, "This place is remarkable, if I'd been told about it as a boy I wouldn't have believed it. I feel a sense of peace here that I'm sure will stay with me, even in the darkest of days. Thank you for inviting us here."
Later when Armaund approached them about the tech level two society endangered by the machinations of the Dark Traders. Azzim's initial reaction was, "You know I really ought to learn more about engineering. My background is magic, which likely sticks out like a sore thumb in such a world. Certainly I'd be willing to help."
A thought occurred to Azzim, while history didn't repeat, it often rhymed,"Tell me what happened to your own world? Did you prevail against the Dark Traders?"
"Class gathers round, I want to show you the state of the art when it comes to projectile weapons."
She held up a white ling rival. It looked simple and well-made.
"This is an Exelirator rail gun. It uses gravitons to push a needle no more than a few grams of Adamtimum. Too many times the speed of sound. That projection acts mass increases to the point where on impact it can punch a hole and throw just about anything. The hole is small, and its not really that which does the harm, it's the shockwave that it creates as it passed throw and object, a cavitation shock front, that liquefies living flesh. I knight in full armor becomes a pressurized tin can, with its contents spraying out of the entry and exit holds. Look down the range, please. Do you see that suit of Hell Night armor on that stand? yes?"
She waved and to of the range men picked it up and walked it behind a stone wall.
"That wall is the thickness of a good keeps, as thick as I am tall."
She waved again, and now the men wheeled it metal plating.
"Iron plating from. typical sea-going warships."
She waved oagain
This time a single sheet of ceramic armor wheeled in.
"Light scout spacecraft armor."
She then sited the rail gun and waited, minutes passed and then there was a sharp zipping sound. A tiny hole was pinned into place. On the spacecraft armor. Bits of rock flow out from the sided of the stack of obstacles and there was a gushing sound.
"Come on"
They walked down range and Lyra showed the wholes passing throw every layer ending in Suit of Armor. Green goo dribbled out the holes.
"I filled it full of Gabbages. All that is in there now is cabbage soup. So seeing this impressive weapon who can tell me its downsides?
And hands went up.
"You Lyra pointed at one of the studenst.
"It takes a long time to charge"
Lyra nodded and then pointed at another student.
"It may not work on the mission planes."
Lyra pointed again.
"If you have no way to charge it, or it barks how do you fix it."
Lyra held her hand up.
"All good points, but its single main drawback is this. Most combats you will be involved with will be close combats. Weapons like this become a liability in such fights. You are just as likely to harm a fellow team member as you are your Assailans. And we have not even talked of collateral damage. Big weapons mean big damage and lobbing grenades blindly into a room Can kill civilians who have nothing to do with your mission. I know it has happened to me. So use close and accurate pinpoint weapons."
With a sudden move, she punched the stone wall. A number of large stones shattered and fell out of it. She hit the wall 3 more times and the hole left side fell away.
"Weapon that gets you close and personal, are just as deadly and have far less risk"
Now her two light swords came out, and with four slashes the Hell knight suit fell apart, spilling liquified cabbage.
"You are agents, not soldiers, Agents take out with precise hits at weak spots, not all-out war."
And in one move her Andamint dagger was out and thrown, Sticking into the Battleship armor where one rivet held four plates in place. The plates sprang apart.
"A warship sinks because of one rivet, this is our mantra. The Minimal amount of damage for the maximum amount of effect. Use that whenever you get ready for a fight. Well class, dismiss, take everything I have given you, but most of all, My words."
She waves at Azzim
"They are all yours Azzim"
And she went off to meet the next group.
Further seminars (NPC descriptions here):
Kargal (warforged android): Sabotage of unusual technological devices.
Dr. Gerald Washington: Charting the connections between technological, psionic and magical methods of plane travel.
Ari Shadowfire: Understanding planar weaknesses and the history of the conflict with the Dark Traders.
Gorgio: Principles of nautical combat from rafts to air ships to star cruisers....
Armaund: Journalism, ideology and governance of mid-level technological realms.
Armaund in response to Azzim. "We did no prevail against the Dark Ones but we evacuated various key groups, some tribespeople and the ancestors of present day dragons. Tech worlds can be remarkably unconcerned with magical effects - depending on the world, of course."
Terexaltherin notices that Arlo is... not doing well. He finds a moment to catch the dwarf alone.
The little dragon radiates concern. I'd see it was good to see you again but... not in these circumstances. I... want... I wish...
His telepathic communication breaks down into a confused mess of emotion for a little while before Terexaltherin is able to marshall his thoughts again. Would it help at all if I... shared some of our adventures with Gift? I could show you some of my memories, if you want.
*************************
Terexaltherin participates in what seminars he can, particularly Kargal's and Ari's. Sabotage is something dear to his heart... for a little dragon can get into places unseen that big people could never reach, and there was nothing quite like the delight of seeing some Dark Trader mechanism fail them right at the worst possible moment. Really, though, he wishes he had more time to participate in *everything*...
*************************
Glad to see you again, Armaund! Terexaltherin 'says' when his fellow dragon approaches him. He listens to the description of the problem. Hmmmm, that's tricky... I guess it depends on the order of goals... probably need to defend first, so at first focus on that. What kind of weird ideas about magic and religion are we talking about? Perhaps some 'discoveries' could be presented to help them get on the right track while also encouraging the sites to be protected... but defense can only hold so long.
Sooner or later we'll need to root out the Dark Traders and their agents... what kind of intelligence do we have on them? Do we have any idea how they're influencing matters? We might need to do some infiltration and learn the details of what we're up against...
*************************
Terexaltherin notices that Arlo is... not doing well. He finds a moment to catch the dwarf alone.
The little dragon radiates concern. I'd see it was good to see you again but... not in these circumstances. I... want... I wish...
His telepathic communication breaks down into a confused mess of emotion for a little while before Terexaltherin is able to marshall his thoughts again. Would it help at all if I... shared some of our adventures with Gift? I could show you some of my memories, if you want.
The sad dwarf looks up into Terex's small face. A face of concern. Of fellowship. Of compassion.
"Thanks, Terex." Arlo said with what he hoped was sincerity. "Maybe later. Still. Thanks a lot." The dwarf held out his index finger so the pseudodragon might shake it with his claw.
Terexaltherin gently grabs the end of Arlo's finger with one of his foreclaws and shakes it. Any time. And if there's any other way I can help, I will.
Just a hint of humor creeps into his mental tone. Maybe you should visit my library sometime, that always cheers me up! he jokes.
Ari comments to Azzim somewhat later in the training... "I believe Armaund told you the mission we're thinking about. One more thing about it is that this world is somewhat temporally unstable. The 'planar anchors' already controlled by the Dark Traders' allies on the planet have them to change the time flow of the other civilization on the planet. We're investigating all the temporal anomalies the organization has on file and this came up. To begin with then, our aim is position you to stop strange 'history-changing' events. This will require exquisite care. Let me explain..." pauses... "A given prince or bureaucrat is fated to be assassinated in a given time in the ordinary course of event. The Dark Traders aim to change the assassin so that the event also creates a war - but if you stop the assassination, you may stop both assassinations and produce a more problematic timestream...so care is required."
Azzim smiled to Lady Lara, and he address the recruits "I'm not sure I could possibly top that demonstration, so instead I'm going to discuss the metaphysics of the ruined planar engines we encountered. The engine was set in a natural cavern but nothing about it was natural. The energies of it's operation had been so intense that even today, the local planar environment was like foam on top of agitated water. That's actually not such a bad metaphor, ripples from the event still echo although in five dimensions not the regular three we're used to. There were bubbles between distinct planar regions you could walk through, it was a most unnerving experience - these boundaries are correctly called a brane although I've heard the term skein used too. Such boundaries can be quite dangerous, depending on how dissimilar the planar locals are. I would suggest you take caution before approaching such a phenomenon."
He went on in this fashion for some time, peppering enough anecdotes about monsters and planar denisions to keep the talk interesting.
Azzim nodded to Ari, "So I must admit a certain moral squeamishness about not preventing an assassination. It would help if the prince was a poor ruler who deserved it... Anyway based on what you said it might be for the best if the assassination occurs but in such a way that it doesn't give rise to a casus belli. Presumably this means who kills the prince and how is of vital import. For example if a family member killed him that's one thing, but a foreign agent quite another."
Terexaltherin gives some thought to a disguise.
I'll probably need a polymorph item of some kind, he concludes after a while. The most useful would be something that would let me assume a couple of different forms--one like some kind of pet animal, and then one that's more like a child or a dwarf, maybe? I mean, I guess I could be a normal-sized humanoid but as much fun as it is to be big it starts to feel weird after a bit...
*************************
Terexaltherin drops in one day at the Six Circles School, a mage's college he frequents in Sigil. He's become known there as something of an oddity, a student of magic who can do very little magic himself.
One of the enchantment teachers there, a dwarven aasimar with the (translated) name of Darkhammer, is an acquaintance of the little dragon. On this day they get to discussing how he's expanded his telepathic abilities, which leads to discussing his circlet of telepathy.
It's not really helping me much at this point, Terexaltherin admits. My own abilities can do everything it can, really.
The professor strokes his beard. "Hmm... I might be able to do something about that," he muses. "It'd be an interesting challenge--custom work usually is, and modifying an existing enchantment to take advantage of the wearer's innate powers? I might be able to get a paper out of that. Though I wouldn't do it for free, even then..."
The little dragon wonders, not for the first time, if Darkhammer has some idea of what Terexaltherin's real business is. I could probably pay... you say it would take advantage of my innate powers? What exactly were you thinking of?
"With enchantment, there's always options," Darkhammer replies. "Let's discuss some possibilities..."
Lyra went into Arlo's room, Lyra did not sleep so the idea of them 'sleeping' together was mute. As long as she had known the dwarf. He slept she worked. Well now was on of those times. But she had something to give him. She placed it by his bed.
A small glasses case with a note that said.
"Put me on"
If Arlo puts them on, they act as a hat-of-disguise
She herself had been working on some new Circuitry-of-disguise she activated her own and looked like a flesh and blood version of Lyra.
------
Sigi Thrift shop.
Lyra had been looking over piles of junk. A broken fusion injecter she had found was missing a part, she had been looking for it when she pushed some tech junk out of the way and Found something that courts her eye. A small module with a screen. On the back were printed the words in bright friendly print"Don't Panic" On the front it said. "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Planes" It was an old-style hand-held PIA encyclopedia the power was gone, but that could be fixed. It was just a few pieces of gold, she paid for it and took it home, wondering what was on it. Power it up with new cells in her lab, she read the publishing garb.
"The Hitchhikers Guide to the Planes"
Your handy and friendly companion on your travels.
Want to know where the best
drinks are on the Shadow plane of 'Mirolok"
hotel rooms in Alysiam
Barberhips in Bedlum
Then the "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Planes" is for you.
Kept up to date by our planeswalkers reporters and an infinite number of reviews and helpful tips are at your disposal. Simply type in your query and let us do the rest.
She typed in "Where is the best foot Masagerges in Sigil.
It took a moment but then a voice spoke while cartoon-like images played on the small screen.
"The best foot and hoof massage is to be found at the wandering succubus Bathhouse."
And an address was shown.
Lyra was impressed and tucked it away in her kit.
Lyra went into Arlo's room, Lyra did not sleep so the idea of them 'sleeping' together was mute. As long as she had known the dwarf. He slept she worked. Well now was on of those times. But she had something to give him. She placed it by his bed.
A small glasses case with a note that said.
"Put me on"
When Arlo woke up, he was dismayed to find out Lyra was in his room, only to deliver some eyeglasses. When the dwarf put on the magical gear, he found he could change his appearance.
"Hmm. Not bad", Arlo said to himself.She herself had been working on some new Circuitry-of-disguise she activated her own and looked like a flesh and blood version of Lyra.
When Arlo walked down for breakfast, Lyra was trying out her new Circuitry-of-disguise. The paladin looked stunned. Lyra looked as she did when she loved him. And a dagger of heartache shot through his chest.
Arlo stammered out, "Y-You look ..nice. And thanks for the glasses. They'll come in handy."The dwarf patted and kissed his boys being fed by the Nanny Bot. "I'll be in the study, going over Ari's cultural report this morning."
Arlo sits down among the reports, and takes a moment to grumble. "It's not enough you take my wife away, then have her return in visage only", the dwarf said to no one, with clenched fists. After this anger subsides, Arlo reads and rereads the reports.
Hmm. Monotheistic religion. Lots of holy wars. Could work with that.
Later, when Arlo peruses the Sigil Thrift Shop, he happens to find a holy symbol of The Redeemer, the monotheistic relgion of the world their new mission takes them.
Well, that settles it, Arlo said to himself as he bought the holy symbol. "I'll play the part of a paladin. A role I know well.
Arlo was impressed by the level of detail on Ari's report. The dwarf saw a nearby cassock of the clergy that would assist in his disguise and picked it up.
Key take-aways of Ari's seminar
The Dark Traders are divided into multiple factions - Throsheds, Durrang, Ordun and miscellaneous. The traders use of the undead often makes their attacks on planes crude and The Organization can often stop these if it arrives in time. But this also means the Dark Traders duplicate themselves multiple times over, overwhelming the ability of The Organization to stop them on every plane. The Traders themselves, by aiming to be "cost effective", focus on planes that have been weakened in some fashion or other. Such weaknesses can come from ancient meddling, from large cosmic conflicts or from inherent qualities of a given plane. She mentions The Organization strengthen about 50 planes recently and hope to include another 100 or within the week, thanks to the heroism of certain agents.
But because of the planes the Dark Traders target, The Organization concentrates on saving "key" planes as well as on other ways to thwart the Traders planes. "There are some hard choices involved here" Pausing to let that sink in... "One always has to consider, nothing is certain. Some planes the Traders target 'save' themselves with help from us. Some of our efforts fail."
Later, after Azzim describes the planar machinery the party investigated, there's an impromptu brainstorming session with other experts of The Organization. Much is reconstructed but much remains a mystery.
At the end of this, Ari returns to the "prince and assassination" theme. "While it's reasonable to head off all violence, if one is hypothetically a time traveler from the future, changing that future might turn out to have disastrous consequences. Or not. What adjusts and what doesn't is still mysterious to us - as we saw with Gift's accident" she pauses, thinking "I think we have to have more of an obligation to the future than the past. We might very carefully right one particular past wrong in just the proper way and do good. But a plan to right all the wrongs of the past leads to madness as you saw with the Ancients in your investigation I think"
Terexaltherin is troubled by the discussion. Time travel is... trouble. It's hard enough to solve the problems of now, if you have the possibility of tackling the problems of all time...? Madness is right. Unless there's a clear reason to change events, well... just prevent them from changing history.
Arlo sulks. "You ain't kidding, Terex." The dwarf crosses his arms in a funk.
A small group of students lingers after the seminar in the tree-top circle where it was held. The light is different shades of green... "No doubt time travel is trouble, trouble overall is our business but this especially so. At the same time, with Gift's condition, we're looking at all time-travel trouble have in our back files. This world seems most promising for sorting the current mystery. We will sending a party there. I thought I should give you the option..."
"Time splitting is also a possibility, if a past event is changed, a whole new plane of reality may be formed. Splitting of from the time stream."