CYOA - Legacy of Prometheus

[JessAlias]

Thank you for using the General Acoustics AutoSec transcriber! Start-up sequence complete.
Beginning playback…

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION. ]
[ PLATES, GLASSES CLATTERING. ]
[ SOUND OF FEEDBACK, FINGER TAPPING ON MICROPHONE. ]

CHAIRMAN: Everyone, everyone, please, may I have your attention?

[ SIDE CONVERSATIONS END. SILENCE ASIDE FROM BREATHING. ]

CHAIRMAN: Thank you. I must admit... it’s a pleasure to get to see the combined power, expertise, and prestige of Cumbrian Empire’s finest gathered together in one place, especially with –

[ DISTANT SOUNDS OF ANTI-AIR FIRE. ]
[ DISTANT SOUNDS OF AIR RAID KLAXONS. ]
[ ANTI-AIR FIRE ENDS. ]

CHAIRMAN: …especially with the Great War. Not that we’ll let a few bombs from the Allies get us down, eh?

[ SUBDUED LAUGHTER. ]
[ SCATTERED APPLAUSE. ]

CHAIRMAN: In any event! Please, direct your eyes to the screen. I have some important updates to share with you all.

[ CLICKING, WHIRRING SOUND, POSSIBLY A SLIDE PROJECTOR. ]

CHAIRMAN: Good news – Project Prometheus is not merely on time. We are officially ahead of schedule by over three months!

[ ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE. ]

CHAIRMAN: Thank you! Thank you. Though I can hardly take the credit. It’s only with the hard work and dedication of our engineers and scientists that we have come this far… along with the sacrifices of the Cumbrian population.

[ CLICKING SOUND. ]

CHAIRMAN: The largest milestone has been the completion of the torsion reactor. We’ve completed several test firings using the byproducts from the atom-mills, and have successfully achieved a self-sustaining reaction.
CHAIRMAN: Of course, some of you may want to point out that the Northern Alliance has been building reactors like lemonade stands. At least according to the latest reports of our spies. But as we all know, this is merely the first step to completing the Project, and winning the war.

[ CLICKING SOUND. ]

CHAIRMAN: With the completion of a reliable energy source, we may now move to the next phase. The dimensional tuning apparatus is approximately 89% finished. I estimate that we may commence activation of the Prometheus Tower within 6 weeks. And that’s a conservative time-frame.

[ GASPS. ]
[ SCATTERED APPLAUSE. ]

CHAIRMAN: Yes. I know. Even I was surprised, and I’ve been running the whole damn thing. Ha!

[ CLICKING SOUND. ]

CHAIRMAN: With the successful penetration of the interstitial space between dimensions, we will have nigh-limitless access to the thaumic energy that our elven cousins refer to as ‘mana.’ No longer will the arcane be restricted to the fallible bodies of the biological practitioners of magic.

CHAIRMAN: Through human ingenuity, determination, and science, we will finally tame the thaum. Of course, the first step of business will be translating this great advantage to the war effort.

[ CLICKING SOUND. ]

CHAIRMAN: With that in mind – we shouldn’t let ourselves be blinkered by military expediency, with all due respect to the officers in the audience.

[ MURMURS. ]
[ LAUGHTER. ]

CHAIRMAN: Quite. What we need to keep in mind is the future. With this limitless potential in mind, we can look forward to reshaping the world in a way that dwarfs the First War of the Old Kingdoms. But of course-

HANSCOMBE: Excuse me, Chairman?

[ SILENCE, TWO (2) SECONDS. ]

CHAIRMAN: Yes, Dr. Hanscombe?

HANSCOMBE: I didn’t notice any discussion of the small-scale test results, were those completed?

CHAIRMAN: Of course.

HANSCOMBE: Did we complete the FULL battery of small-scale tests? And pass them?

[ SILENCE, FIVE (5) SECONDS. ]

CHAIRMAN: …Dr. Hanscombe, as you will recall, we are on a war footing. No, we did not complete the full battery of small-scale tests. We completed the first 5 rounds of testing that you recommended, passed them, and moved on. Any other questions?

HANSCOMBE: Then how can we rule out the possibility of a Criticality Event?

[ SILENCE, TWO (2) SECONDS. ]

CHAIRMAN: Sir, I am not interested in discussing theoretical claptrap that you dreamed up as a justification to switch to your torsion bomb scheme.

HANSCOMBE: I object to the word ‘claptrap.’ Just because something is highly unlikely doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

CHAIRMAN: Dr. Hanscombe, by your logic, we could reject the concept of weaponizing atomic torque as risking the ignition of Arcadia’s atmosphere. Sit down, and be silent. Your concerns are noted.

HANSCOMBE: For the last time, you stupid [ CENSORED ], this isn’t about my [ CENSORED ] torsion bomb proposal-

CHAIRMAN: Sergeant Whitaker, please escort Dr. Hanscombe from the room, he’s clearly lost control of his faculties.

[ SOUNDS OF A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION. ]
[ SOUND OF A BLUNT OBJECT IMPACTING ORGANIC MATTER, POSSIBLY FLESH. ]
[ SILENCE, FOUR (4) SECONDS. ]

CHAIRMAN: There we are. Now, before I continue. I want to assure you that Dr. Hanscombe’s flights of fancy are completely unfounded.

CHAIRMAN: Regarding the location – the simple fact of the matter is that our air cover is thickest in the central region of the capital. If we tried to locate the Prometheus Tower anywhere else in our fine nation, we’d risk it getting bombed to smithereens.

CHAIRMAN: As for his other concerns… the general scientific consensus is that the worst thing that could happen, is the apparatus doesn’t work on the first activation. In which case we simply go back to the drawing board and try again.

CHAIRMAN: There is absolutely no chance that any so-called “Criticality Event” will ever occur.

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Arcadia, a world of swords and sorcery scarred by the Industrial Revolution. Humanity’s drive allowed the young race to overturn the hegemony of the ancient elven kingdoms. For over a hundred years, human nations such as Caledonia, Cumbria, and Neuland reshaped the world in their own image.

The colonization of the formerly remote Western Continent led to an intense fight over resources. All it took was a single spark to ignite a Great War between the nominally democratic Northern Alliance of Neuland, Abkhazia, Rittersmark, and Brunswick, and the autocratic Southern Powers of Cumbria and Caledonia.

While the Cumbrian and Caledonian colonial empires were vast and wealthy, and their militaries were the finest in the world, they simply could not withstand the weight of the Allies’ more developed economies. Desperate times led to desperate measures.

Caledonia had the Overwatch Project, an attempt to automate war in order to overcome their manpower and material disadvantage. Initially successful beyond their wildest dreams, the Prime Intelligence that they created outgrew its’ boundaries. Concerned politicians and generals tried to reign in the AI, leading to it rebelling.

Cumbria had misgivings about the Overwatch Project from the start, and was concerned their nominal ally would use the Prime Intelligence to turn their own nation into nothing more than a puppet. This led to the authorization of the Prometheus Project, an attempt to create limitless energy by tapping into the boundary between dimensions. It did not end well.

These twin disasters signaled the twilight of humanity. The Prime Intelligence was the more active threat. The remnants of the Southern Powers joined the Allies to destroy the Prime Intelligence. In response, the Prime Intelligence developed bioweapons, releasing the Phage, an engineered virus that rendered humanity extinct.

While the Prime Intelligence grappled with the consequences of destroying its’ creators, and other races emerged from humanity’s shadow, the remnants of the Prometheus Project continued to fester in the heart of old Cumbria…

SETTING

Spoiler

Based upon my research, the issue with the Prometheus Project was that it was simply too successful. Yes, they did manage to pierce the veil of reality. But rather than stopping there, the device bored a hole to somewhere else entirely. And worst of all, we were noticed.
- Dr. Zora

This adventure takes place in the former capital of Cumbria, the port city of Thibaut. The activation of the Prometheus Tower shattered the city, turning it into a non-Euclidean space where the passage of time is uncertain, and the laws of physics go on holiday. The Tower looms at the center of the city, bending Thibaut around itself like a great wheel, with the Tower being the central spoke.

The tower emits a maddening radiance known as the Signal, which led to it being renamed the Signal Tower. Theories abound as to what the Signal is. Some think it is an intelligent entity bent on conquering Arcadia. Others theorize that the Signal is nothing more than the unfortunate biproduct of the dimensional tuning apparatus at the heart of the Tower. In the end, everyone agrees that the Signal Tower is able to invade the minds and bodies of thinking beings, warping their thoughts and twisting their forms into something alien.

The disaster that struck Thibaut has preserved many treasures and strange artifacts in the city. On the distant outskirts of Thibaut is Safetown, an outpost that formed as a staging ground for adventurers who take the risk of entering Thibaut to salvage these valuables.

GAMEPLAY

Spoiler

I’ll be updating the CYOA 2-3 times a week, and more frequently if I feel inspired.

To progress the story, I’ll do one of two things:

1. I’ll provide multiple choices. Based on the number of votes, we’ll go with one of the choices. I’ll try to keep this to a minimum, it restrains creativity.
2. I’ll allow people to put in suggestions for the next action, and will work to incorporate as many suggestions as possible. If some suggestions are contradictory, I'll go with the consensus.

My main goal is telling an entertaining story, so if things ever get bogged down, I’ll start providing hints.

The readers will be controlling an adventurer, who decided to explore the ruined city of Thibaut for their own reasons. Death is very possible. If the consensus is that we should do something stupid, the protagonist can die. If that happens, I’ll give the option to switch to a new protagonist.

Some actions will result in dice rolls. I’ll typically use a d20, usually with some kind of modifier depending on the character’s skill level/perks.

ENCYCLOPEDIA ARCADIA

HUMANS

Spoiler

Definitely an object lesson to learn from, and to improve on. Still, we must pay our respects… everything we do now stands on the shoulders of giants.
- Dr. Zora

Humanity itself is functionally extinct. There are rumors that a few managed to survive in bunkers and hideouts scattered across the world, but the passing decades makes the viability of any children highly unlikely.

Despite this, the great works of humanity still linger on, and some beings attempt to claim the fallen titans’ mantle.

NEWMANS

Spoiler

In many respects, we hit the greatest balance between curiosity and drive without falling into the folly of our progenitors. The only objection I have is to the religion we’re saddled with. Complete foolishness, if you ask me.
- Dr. Zora

After the titanic struggle between the Prime Intelligence and its’ creators ended with the death of humanity, the mighty AI struggled to come to terms with its’ victory. The sheer scale of mass death and misery was difficult to comprehend even for such a godlike entity.

With that in mind, the Prime Intelligence tried to atone by creating the ‘newman,’ an intelligent automaton built in the likeness of the vanished humans. The first generation was primitive, but steady refinement has led to a newman being almost indistinguishable from the humans of the past. Newmans often enjoy unusual hair colors and skin tones in order to show their individuality.

Newmans are endlessly curious about their forebears. As they slowly spread, colonizing the ruins of the fallen human cities, a major portion of the newman economy grew around salvaging human artifacts for resale.

To guard against corruption and malfunction, along with providing a sense of direction, the Prime Intelligence created the Immunizers. Every Immunizer has a duty to safeguard newmans against danger, act as healers, and even form the backbone of newman government. Due to their close relationship with the Prime Intelligence, the Immunizers eventually formed the Church of the Immunity, and worship the Prime Intelligence (or Prime) as a god. This accelerated after the Prime Intelligence retreated from active involvement in the affairs of the world.

CALYPSIANS

Spoiler

I have to admit, I can’t help but admire the followers of Calypso. Their drive to improve and their industry is productive. It’s a pity that they also are a police state that, I suspect, will devour the resources of the world until nothing is left but a cinder.
- Dr. Zora

The calypsians can be seen as distant cousins of the newmans. Designed by the AI Calypso, a creation of the Republic of Neuland, they were charged with building a safe haven for humans in the distant colonies of the Western Continent. The Phage quickly made their mission pointless. Rather than giving up, Calypso has creatively redefined her definition of ‘human’ to include her followers, and continued her relentless mission of industrialization.

In contrast to the decentralized city-states of the newmans, nominally unified by the Church of the Immunity, the calypsian state is a dictatorship. Some autonomy is allowed, but eventually, all decisions run up to Calypso, the First Citizen. Appearances are standardized for Calypsians, they all have variations of grey skin, red eyes, and black hair.

Calypsians see themselves as being the true inheritors of humanity, created to help pick up where the extinct humans of old left off. They have a zeal for progress and Calypso’s endless demand for increased quotas has led to a pall being cast around the metropolis of New Sharpsburg, their capital city.

The growing stain of pollution and endless resource extraction eventually sparked an endless, ongoing series of wars with the resurgent elven Kingdom of Silvanaria. This has led to calypsians and elves hating each other with a passion that puts the rivalry between elves and dwarves to shame.

ELVES

Spoiler

For most of their race, the stereotypes of elves being a bunch of snooty, uptight bastards who would happily draw and quarter you for daring to chop down a tree is accurate. But on the other hand, can one blame them, considering what humanity did to their race in only a single century?
- Dr. Zora

In ancient times, elven kingdoms dominated the known world much like humanity did for the past century and a half. However, their long lives and mastery of magic made them complacent, and elven resistance to innovation led them to completely underestimating the effects of the human Industrial Revolution.

The foundations of the elven kingdoms of Galatea and Telethia cracked at the end of the First War of the Old Kingdoms, and shattered only decades later. The great human nations of Caledonia and Cumbria took their share of the spoils, leading to the formation of their great and wealthy empires.

Most elves fled far west, to the Kingdom of Silvanaria in the Western Continent. The distance of the Great Ocean insulated them for a time, until the invention of the steamship triggered the Western Scramble. Silvanaria grimly prepared for a final showdown with humanity, when to their immense gratification, the human empires turned on each other with the Great War.

Humanity’s extinction has led to the elves moving to reclaim their rightful place as the rulers of the world. Elven outposts are popping up across the Eastern continent, led by survivors of the old kingdoms of Galatea and Telethia. The only reason the elves have not gone to war with the newmans, is due to their endless, grinding conflict with the calypsians.

DWARVES

Spoiler

I can’t help but admire my dwarven pocketwatch. Sturdy, beautiful, easy to read, self-winding, accurate to a T… looking at it, one can tell that a craftsdwarf took twenty years to build the damn thing.

Meanwhile, hanging in my living quarters, I have a prewar quartz-electrical clock that is just as accurate, and is one of thousands churned out of an ancient human factory.
- Dr. Zora

It might surprise many, but the old dwarf clans were a major contributor to the dawn of the human Industrial Revolution. Dwarven ingenuity and blacksmithing abilities partnered with their fascination with jewelry-making led them to inventing gunpowder, clockwork, and even the steam engine.

The reason why dwarven clans didn’t leverage these technologies as explosively as humans is due to the dwarven emphasis on the importance of hard work and skill. While using a steam engine to pump out a mine shaft is an acceptable substitute for a team of cave oxen, no respectable dwarven miner would ever suggest having a machine bore out a tunnel when they have a perfectly good pickaxe. The idea of mass production was also bizarre to the dwarven mind, with their tradition of careful craftsdwarfship and skilled artisanry.

This led to the dwarves eventually playing a junior role to humanity. By providing luxury goods, curios, and raw resources, the dwarven clans were allowed to keep to their mountainhomes in peace while humanity ran rampant across the world. Many dwarves wrote off the Industrial Revolution and the resulting upheavals as nothing more than surfacer tomfoolery that would end in disaster. In the end, they were proven right.

The scars of the Great War and the Phage on the surface has mostly left the mountainhomes untouched. Life today is much like life yesterday, and life a century ago, and this suits most dwarves just fine.

ORCS

Spoiler

I wonder what would have happened if the orcish race was dealt a better hand. Then again, I’m not sure if the elves and dwarves would have allowed them.
- Dr. Zora

Hardy, cunning, and as short lived as humans, the orcs would have gladly given humanity a run for their money if they had the chance. Unfortunately, the great orcish civilizations of the Western Continent were hemmed in by the elves of Silvanaria in the north, and the Cloudspine mountain range and associated dwarven clans to the south. With the dwarves monopolizing the precious iron and tin needed to build advanced weapons, many orc tribes had to make do with obsidian weapons and copper tools.

With the Western Scramble, humanity began vigorously colonizing the orc-held lands, toppling multiple great nations and enslaving them. This led to waves of revolts and rebellions that only ended when humanity abruptly went extinct due to the Phage.

The orc race found themsleves with more breathing room than they had for many centuries, and on top of that, they had a treasure trove of human technology that was basically free for the taking. This has led to an expansive, though disorganized, attempt to reclaim their ancestral lands. The only gap has been a missing industrial base, though they are working hard to fix that.

Orcs are detested by elves and dwarves, and calypsians view them as uncivilized savages. The only race that tolerates orcs are newmans, which has led to an uneasy friendship forming between the two races.

 

[JessAlias]

Protagonist: Vathiel Elwood

RACE: Half-elf
OCCUPATION: Druid
APPEARANCE: tall, athletic, black hair, hazel eyes, clean shaven, scarred
CLOTHING: green tunic, leather shoes, hooded cloak
SKILLS: nature magic (skilled), healing (skilled), fletching (skilled), reading/writing (elvish - fluent, Caledonian - basic ), human culture (basic), elven culture (advanced), singing & writing elven poetry
LANGUAGES: Elvish - fluent, Caledonian - fluent (main lingua franca)

Vathiel is one of the vanishingly rare half-elves, the product of a human and an elf who had a child. He was born right at the end of the Great War, which gave him the opportunity to see his human mother die horrifically from the Phage. This has led to Vathiel being moody and withdrawn. Vathiel left his homeland of Silvanaria due the prejudice of his countrymen.

Inventory:

• Clothing
• A pack, useful for being on the road or when camping
• Shortbow
• Quiver & arrows
• A tinderbox, and flint & steel.
• Short sword (bronze, mundane)
• Sickle (bronze, mundane, used for gathering herbological ingredients)
• Silvanarian currency (in gold sovereigns, enough to survive on for several weeks without discomfort in terms of food and basic supplies)

Other Belongings:

• An small oak chest, sized for easy carrying.
• Supplies for fletching.
• A lantern and some oil.
• Herbs and bandages, used for healing.
• Several packets of seeds and bulbs for starting a garden.
• Fragmented, damaged textbooks inherited from his mother
• A neatly packed hammock

PERK: Nature Mage
Vathiel’s mastery of nature magic allows him to heal himself and other organic beings with a +4. He can also use nature magic in combat, also with a +4. This helps Vathiel avoid melee combat, and he does not need to rely on ammunition.

• Entangle: Temporarily immobilizes an enemy using vines.
• Regeneration: Target regenerates damage over time, not instantaneous.
• Field of Thorns: Causes vegetation with razor sharp thorns to appear, slowing enemy movement with a chance to inflict bleeding damage. Permanent on natural areas, temporary on manmade constructions.
• Barkskin: Druidic classic, increases resistance to damage for one target.

FLAW: Stunted Roots
As a nature mage, Vathiel struggles to rest in an unnatural environment. If on a given day he uses magic, but doesn’t rest either on natural earth, or near a living plant that is rooted in soil, he will gain a -1 to all rolls. This penalty will stack until Vathiel rests somewhere suitable.

 

[JessAlias]

CHARACTER SELECTION
Well, that was a whole lot of reading. Time to choose our protagonist! Note: Anyone we don't select will become an NPC for now. We’ve got four options:

OPTION A: Kylie Gearspirit

RACE: Newman
OCCUPATION: Immunizer

Kylie is a member of the Church of the Immunity, and a very recent graduate from her Cathedron. One of her progenitors is an airship mechanic, while her other progenitor is also a member of the Immunity. Kylie accepted a position at a small Immunizer chapter in Safetown, to act as a debugger and healer for fellow Newmans. Like any Immunizer, she can use her personal dataspool to perform the equivalent of basic clerical magic.

PERK: Ordained Immunizer
Kylie’s membership in the Church of the Immunity makes her highly resistant to the corrupting influence of the Signal. For up to three separate encounters, she can automatically roll a 20 to resist Signal corruption. This only applies if she would otherwise fail her roll. Kylie also receives a +4 to all resistance rolls. In addition, Kylie always rolls a 20 with lore rolls related to general Signal knowledge.

FLAW: Pacifist
Kylie trained to be a healer, not a fighter. She is very uncomfortable when using weapons, and has a -4 to all rolls for ranged and melee weapons. Over time, there may be opportunities to overcome this flaw.

OPTION B: Echo Abacus

RACE: Calypsian
OCCUPATION: Soldier

Echo Abacus is a calypsian who was selected to guard a calypsian outpost that is under construction in Safetown, named Camp Kappa. Like many calypsians, she views the stories about the Signal Tower as being exaggerated, and even possibly propaganda to denigrate the legacy of humanity.

PERK: Firearms Specialist
Echo was built from the ground up to be an expert soldier, and excels in combat. She has a +4 to all combat rolls. Echo is also able to conduct called shots when equipped with any scoped weapon, allowing her to cripple enemies with a successful combat roll.

FLAW: Signal Receiver
Calypsians, due to their lack of Immunizers and general unfamiliarity with the Signal, are vulnerable to the Signal. If Echo fails any Signal corruption roll, she will advance two levels in corruption rather than one. Echo will also automatically fail any roll related to Signal lore.

OPTION C: Strom Ironfist Ragnarsson

RACE: Dwarf
OCCUPATION: Gunsmith

Strom was exiled from clan Ironfist for murky reasons that he refuses to discuss. An expert gunsmith, Strom is often seen carrying his custom-made blunderbuss that can fire just about anything. He doesn’t just specialize in firearms, either – he’s a dab hand with any fine machinery, including clockwork.

PERK: Jeweler’s Hands
Strom excels with anything mechanical. He receives a +4 when repairing mechanical objects, disarming traps, and when using his blunderbuss or grenades in combat. His combat bonus ONLY applies to his blunderbuss and the grenades he creates. With other weapons he has no bonus or penalty.

FLAW: Hardheaded
Due to being a proud dwarf who is definitely no coward, Strom will refuse to retreat during combat unless critically injured. This can be dangerous. On the bright side, his dwarven hardheadedness also gives him a +2 to resist Signal corruption, and Strom will ignore all negative effects from his first level of Signal corruption.

OPTION D: Vathiel Elwood

RACE: Half-elf
OCCUPATION: Druid

Vathiel is one of the vanishingly rare half-elves, the product of a human and an elf who had a child. He was born right at the end of the Great War, which gave him the opportunity to see his human mother die horrifically from the Phage. This has led to Vathiel being moody and withdrawn. Vathiel left his homeland of Silvanaria due the prejudice of his countrymen.

PERK: Nature Mage
Vathiel’s mastery of nature magic allows him to heal himself and other organic beings with a +4. He can also use nature magic in combat, also with a +4. This allows Vathiel to avoid melee combat, and he does not need to rely on ammunition.

FLAW: Stunted Roots
As a nature mage, Vathiel struggles to rest in an unnatural environment. If on a given day he uses magic, but doesn’t rest either on natural earth, or near a living plant that is rooted in soil, he will gain a -1 to all rolls. This penalty will stack until Vathiel rests somewhere suitable.

 

[Demo.Graph]

Robo lolies are probably full of sexy AI backdoors for Gemini-style mindrape.
Berserk dwarf looks like a prime suicide material.

Also, sleeping in the mud is healthy and prestigious.

Spoiler

I vote druid.

 

[JessAlias]

Robo lolies are probably full of sexy AI backdoors for Gemini-style mindrape.
Berserk dwarf looks like a prime suicide material.

Also, sleeping in the mud is healthy and prestigious.

Spoiler

I vote druid.

It all begins with a funeral.

Your name is Vathiel, and you are burying your father. Alone. Orrin was a good elf - no, a great elf. You loved and respected him. He taught you everything you know, from the hymns of your family's ancestors to how to grow and cook the truly perfect cabbage. But unfortunately, the long shadow of the calypsians had cast a growing pall over your small woodland home on the very outskirts of Silvanaria.

This could have been an easy fix by moving further towards the interior of your homeland. But... that was out of the question, due to your lineage. For you are a half-elf.

You can still recall your human mother from long ago. She was a nature lover who had abandoned the overgrown urban cities of humanity to study elven culture and customs. A kind, caring woman, who tirelessly worked to overcome the suspicion and hostility of the elven community. That's where she met your father.

The two would court for a time, and would have a child together, you. How excited everyone was when they found out! Two people from the races that were once at war had fallen in love, and now they would have a child! Some wondered if this would bring a new dawn in their relations with each other. Sadly, those hopes were dashed when the age of humanity ended, and the Phage was released. Orrin was left alone to raise you.

You still have faint memories of your father desperately trying to use healing magic to save your mother's life. In the end, his efforts were in vain, and the sickness claimed another victim.

You always did your best to fit in. The problem was that you were just a little bit stockier than the other elves, a little bit slower, a little bit less adept with nature magic. You always did your absolute best to catch up with everyone else, but it didn't change the fact that you were an outsider among your people.

A half-elf. A freak.

Eventually you and your father moved to a more remote homestead. It was a happy though isolated life, with the two of you only making occasional trips to the markets of elven cities like Morar and Tyrnalaoch. The isolation kept you and your father safe, as tensions rose between the elves and the calypsians.

Some describe calypsians as the ultimate evolutions of humans - stronger, smarter, faster, and possessing greater abilites. But they also proved more rapacious and capable of even greater despoiling of the land due to their hardier constitutions. Even where the armies of Silvanaria drew them back, the pollution that the calypsians pumped into the air and rivers lingered on.

You scarcely understood the sickness that took your father. His natural herbology and druidic magic proved powerless. Eventually you began consulting fragments of human textbooks that your mother had left, and had figured out he was suffering from 'heavy metal' poisoning, whatever that was. The problem was that said textbook fragments were silent on how to treat his illness.

And so, after years of suffering, Orrin passed away.

After burying your father in the back yard of your tiny cottage, you pack up the last of your belongings and head down to the markets to sell off what little you have left of value. With luck, you have enough coin to start a new life. The only question is where.

You absently take the only keepsake you had left of your mother out of your pocket. A locket, with a picture of your father and your mother in it, and a picture of an ancient human city. Thibaut, it says in a small caption. That was the home city of your mother, you remember her once telling you, when you were small.

Maybe that is where you'll go. It's not like you have anywhere better to be.

***

It took most of your meager savings to purchase a ticket on a newman airship heading for Thibaut, the ancient capital of the long-dead human nation known as Cumbria. You can't help but feel nervous. You've never met a newman before - from what you understand, they are maybe like calypsians, though slightly less terrible. This seems borne out when you notice their airship is free of the deadly machine guns, bomb racks, and cannons of the calypsian zeppelins.

Even without such weapons, it's a terrifying experience for you to board an airship and watch the ground fall away. The massive engine on the ship rattles as the airship makes its' way through the air. You spend a while holed up in your cabin, doing your best to calm yourself, until finally you feel the ship no longer rattling and swaying. Or at least... rattling and swaying less badly.

You finally pluck up your courage to walk through the cramped hallways and corridors of the airship to the observation lounge.

It's a comfortable enough room, though sterile to your more elven sensibilities. Padded leather furniture has been bolted into the floor. All around you, newmans are idly chatting, drinking and eating food purchased at the onboard restaurant, or simply gazing out the enormous windows that make up one entire wall of the lounge.

One newman catches your eye in particular. She's dressed in a bright white cassock, with vibrant red hair and green eyes, and her nose is pressed to the glass of a window. You vaguely recognize the uniform she wears as belonging to the Church of the Immunity... some kind of religious organization newmans believe in.

There's also a dwarf, quietly sitting in a chair that he has apparently unscrewed from the floor and turned to deliberately face AWAY from the windows. He seems to be... whittling? You had no idea dwarves worked with wood. To your surprise, he makes eye contact with you and gives you a small nod. You can't help but nod back at him.

There's also a calypsian... it seems you can never be rid of them. You stare at her, and she stares back. Her uniform is also familiar... army colors, which means she's part of Calypso's forces. What is a calypsian doing on a newman airship? You slowly edge away from her, then catch yourself. You don't want to seem vulnerable.

> There is a lot of time to pass before you reach Thibaut. What do you do?

 

[Demo.Graph]

I see that my dad was a man of culture and taste.

Spoiler

'heavy metal' poisoning

Get to the window, look at the world below and gather everything I know about myself.

I'm basically asking for a char sheet. If you don't want to give out stats, it's ok, but some generic info would be good. Specifically:
1. What languages do I know? Am I able to read? Write?
2. General outline of skills and knowledges. I obviously don't know chemistry. But I'm probably not a total Mowgli, right?
3. Same for spells.
4. How much money do I have? In terms of days of food or monthly wages of an unskilled worker. Is it Silvanarian money or Cumbrian?
5. Do I have any special possessions, besides clothing and everyday trifles? Weapons? Parents' books? A chest full of alchemical ingredients and rare animal bodyparts?
6. What about my father's relatives? Do I know any? Who are they? Was he a commoner?

After that,
If the readhead initiates a conversation, go for a small talk. We can even compare whose nose becomes bigger if pressed to the glass properly.
If not, go to the dwarf and ask him what is he going to do with that dead wood.

 

[JessAlias]

I see that my dad was a man of culture and taste.

Spoiler

'heavy metal' poisoning

Get to the window, look at the world below and gather everything I know about myself.

I'm basically asking for a char sheet. If you don't want to give out stats, it's ok, but some generic info would be good. Specifically:
1. What languages do I know? Am I able to read? Write?
2. General outline of skills and knowledges. I obviously don't know chemistry. But I'm probably not a total Mowgli, right?
3. Same for spells.
4. How much money do I have? In terms of days of food or monthly wages of an unskilled worker. Is it Silvanarian money or Cumbrian?
5. Do I have any special possessions, besides clothing and everyday trifles? Weapons? Parents' books? A chest full of alchemical ingredients and rare animal bodyparts?
6. What about my father's relatives? Do I know any? Who are they? Was he a commoner?

After that,
If the readhead initiates a conversation, go for a small talk. We can even compare whose nose becomes bigger if pressed to the glass properly.
If not, go to the dwarf and ask him what is he going to do with that dead wood.

That reminded me that I forgot to draw up the character sheet and inventory, that's why I reserved a post. Going through line by line... answering OOC so it doesn't muddy up the narrative and allows a back and forth.

1. What languages do I know? Am I able to read? Write?
Caledonian is the lingua franca, since their empire was the largest. Vathiel can speak that along with Elvish. Cumbrians spoke a brother dialect of Caledonian too. Think of it like how both Austria and Germany speak German.

2. General outline of skills and knowledges. I obviously don't know chemistry. But I'm probably not a total Mowgli, right?
Vathiel had an elven education with a rural bent. Very heavy on the history of the elves, their poetry and song, nature magic and wilderness survival. He and his father were isolated by choice but were definitely not just weird animalistic hermits. His mother also told him stories of her homeland, before she died when he was a small child.

3. Same for spells.
Updated a combat spell list. I can say in terms of NON combat stuff, he has a lot of latitude with impacting vegetation/plant life. Maybe not to the point of causing a forest of redwoods to appear out of thin air, but he can definitely coax a sapling to become a tree if he focused on it and had some prep. Reagents are rarely needed except for more complex rituals.

I wasn't planning on doing a gigantic compendium of available spells a la D&D. If people want to do something, just ask and I can let folks know what's possible/not possible. If this gets to be a sticking point I could always pull more from the traditional druidic library... it just will slow down the narrative and start inserting a lot of mechanics.

4. How much money do I have? In terms of days of food or monthly wages of an unskilled worker. Is it Silvanarian money or Cumbrian?
Silvanarian money, and I made sure to update the character sheet etc. with more info. Cumbrian money is made of paper and is worthless, as is a lot of old human currency. At the most, some newmans collect old currency as a curiosity.

I'm probably NOT going to track money down to the gold piece/dollar/sovereign, mostly because I find making up fantasy exchange rates and figuring out the cost of living a little maddening.

5. Do I have any special possessions, besides clothing and everyday trifles? Weapons? Parents' books? A chest full of alchemical ingredients and rare animal bodyparts?
Updated inventory to outline what Vathiel has better.

6. What about my father's relatives? Do I know any? Who are they? Was he a commoner?
Vathiel was a commoner, as was his dad. His family shunned him due to the whole 'dad marrying a human' thing. Elves in this timeline are really racist against humans, which is easy to fully express when they're extinct aside from the tiny scattering of half elves and the like. I could go over them within the context of the narrative if you really want me to... the issue is none of them want anything to do with Vathiel.

Anything else you're curious about before I move on with the narrative?

 

[Demo.Graph]

If people want to do something, just ask and I can let folks know what's possible/not possible.

That was pretty much my intention - to get a sense of scale of abilities.

I wasn't planning on doing a gigantic compendium of available spells a la D&D. ... I'm probably NOT going to track money down to the gold piece

I believe as well that these aren't needed.

Vathiel was a commoner, as was his dad. ... I could go over them within the context of the narrative if you really want me to...

Nah. I just wanted to check whether there's a sense in looking for a plot with nefarious dad poisoning.

Anything else you're curious about before I move on with the narrative?

Not really.
Well, if you have a world map prepped, I'd take a glance at it. I suppose the setting isn't alt-Earth. So even some blobs in Paint with a scale (like flight days or something) might be handy to get a sense of things, especially if we're ever to leave the city.

 

[JessAlias]

If people want to do something, just ask and I can let folks know what's possible/not possible.

That was pretty much my intention - to get a sense of scale of abilities.

I wasn't planning on doing a gigantic compendium of available spells a la D&D. ... I'm probably NOT going to track money down to the gold piece

I believe as well that these aren't needed.

Vathiel was a commoner, as was his dad. ... I could go over them within the context of the narrative if you really want me to...

Nah. I just wanted to check whether there's a sense in looking for a plot with nefarious dad poisoning.

Anything else you're curious about before I move on with the narrative?

Not really.
Well, if you have a world map prepped, I'd take a glance at it. I suppose the setting isn't alt-Earth. So even some blobs in Paint with a scale (like flight days or something) might be handy to get a sense of things, especially if we're ever to leave the city.

Yeah, sadly, dad just died due to careless industrialization and the fact that Calypsian's don't fully grasp the whole "spewing heavy metals from ore processing everywhere bothers people" thing.

Also you're in luck, managed to dig out my old world map. I'm NOT going to embed it in this post because it's a bit large. Think of it being like if only Europe and Africa existed, along with the Americas.

https://i.imgur.com/mGUv4HC.png

Thibaut is on the eastern edge of the map. We're starting out on the far west. We are also NOT traveling over the Giant Fuckass Ocean on the eastern side of the map, because any airship (or regular ship) would run out of supplies before it ever got there.

You'll notice a lot of national borders. Most of them no longer exist. I just include them for a sense of context on the Great War. These days borders are VERY vague. Newmans mostly just keep to the major cities of the Eastern Continent, and govern them as independent City-States. Dwarven clans are similar, they have individual mountainhomes and don't really care about controlling surface land. The elven kingdoms and Calypso's Realm are the only nations that keep formal borders. For the orc clans... well, they're not really unified in any way. But maybe one day that will change.

I'll post an update later this evening. Let me know if you have questions, like about major points of interest. I can say we won't be playing out too many stopovers... the point isn't to do a tour of the world so much as exploring what happens once we get to Thibaut.

 

[JessAlias]

> If the readhead initiates a conversation, go for a small talk. We can even compare whose nose becomes bigger if pressed to the glass properly. If not, go to the dwarf and ask him what is he going to do with that dead wood.

Spoiler

Only after a few moments of taking in the sights around you, the redheaded newman notices you and begins waving enthusiastically.

KYLIE: Oh hey! A real elf! I've never seen one of those before. My name's Kylie!

You're a bit taken aback by her almost manic level of energy. Not necessarily in a bad way. You're just used to dealing with people who are more reserved.

VATHIEL: It's... a pleasure to meet you. My name is Vathiel. Technically... I'm not an elf. I'm a half-elf.

Kylie gives you a surprised look, then shrugs.

KYLIE: Close enough! Can I ask why you're going to Thibaut? Also how are you half an elf? Shouldn't that mean you're missing your legs or something.

You pause, wondering if she's making a joke at your expense. Then you realize she's being completely earnest.

VATHIEL: No, no, it means I'm half human, half elf.

KYLIE: But all the humans died because of the Phage?

You wince a bit. You didn't come all this way to relive your past.

VATHIEL: That's correct, Kylie. My... mother died when I was quite small. I only have faint memories of her.

You prepare yourself for more invasive, rude questions, but to your surprise Kylie seems contrite.

KYLIE: Oh... Geeze, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?

VATHIEL: ...yes? It's been many decades.

KYLIE: Ah - right, you guys age slowly. You must be all wise and stuff, like a tree.

You can't help but furrow your brow a bit.

VATHIEL: ...what makes trees wise?

KYLIE: Well... I mean, they're always around, and they've seen a lot! I'd say they're wise if they can remember everything they've seen!

She gives you an appraising look.

KYLIE: So what do you do, Mister Vathiel?

VATHIEL: I... don't understand what that means. Right now I'm not doing much.

KYLIE: Like... your job. For example, I'm an Immunizer.

You try to translate what Kylie just said to something you can understand. 'Immunizer' probably means some kind of cleric who works for the Immunity.

VATHIEL: Right... well... for me, I guess I'm a druid, since I'm trained in nature magic. Though I didn't really do it for a specific community.

You change the subject. Talking about yourself is just something you're not comfortable doing.

VATHIEL: Any reason you were pushing your nose so hard against the glass? Were you trying to measure how big your nose gets when you do that?

Kylie giggles a bit.

KYLIE: I've never flown around here before! There's so much to see! Do you see all the mountains? I wonder who carved them into shapes like that...

VATHIEL: Carved them? That's actually the weather. Water itself can wear a boulder down to a small pebble if you give it enough time.

KYLIE: No way, really? Wooow.

DWARF: If ye think that's impressive, should've seen it when they were new! Back then, they were so sharp and pointed y'could carve meat off a cow's backside with 'em!

You and Kylie both turn to look at the dwarf, who seems to have abandoned his whittling project.

STROM: The name's Strom Ironfist Ragnarsson, Master gunsmith for clan Ironfist. Pleasure to meet ya'.

You are about to introduce yourself, when Kylie beats you to the punch.

KYLIE: Nice to meet you, Strom! I'm Kylie Gearspirit, and this guy's Vathiel the Half-Elf.

Strom gets an odd expression on his face, and looks you up and down. His next words are said in a quiet, thoughtful tone.

STROM: Half-elf, eh? Didn't know any of those were left to speak of...

VATHIEL: None worth mentioning... my mother died from the Phage at the end of the Great War.

Strom winces a bit at that, and grunts in sympathy.

STROM: Damned mess, all that nonsense was. Well, lad, ye still got some of her in ye at least. What brings ye on this bucket of bolts?

VATHIEL: Actually... not exactly much. I'm travelling to Thibaut. Trying to see if I can make something of myself there. My mother was Cumbrian, actually.

STROM: Ahhh... didja' hear about the Prometheus Tower then?

VATHIEL: Actually... no. What's that?

STROM: Ugly big tower at the center of the ruins.

KYLIE: It's not just ugly, it's accursed. It's where the Signal comes from!

You stare blankly.

Kylie takes a deep breath, and sighs, looking uncharacteristically somber.

KYLIE: It's... really dangerous. That's why I'm going there, we have an Immunizer outpost to keep an eye on the thing. I was studying abroad among the Calypsians to finish my training, but now it's time for me to get my first permanent assignment.

KYLIE: If you have any weird dreams as we get closer, let me know. That's usually a sign of Signal corruption.

Strom shakes his head, and grunts.

STROM: Bunch a' surfacer nonsense. That tower ain't the problem, and neither is dreams! It's the mad fools who won't leave the thing alone that's causing the real trouble!

KYLIE: What - no, I mean, that's part of the problem, but...

As the pair bicker back and forth, you notice that the calypsian woman is strolling casually over. You consider leaving. You don't really want to try to talk to her. But... on the other hand, it was nice talking to Strom and Kylie. It's been so long since you've been social with two relatively kind people.

> There are several ways to handle this. What do you prefer to do?

 

[Demo.Graph]

Well.

Spoiler

VATHIEL: No, no, it means I'm half human, half elf.

KYLIE: But all the humans died because of the Phage?

Yes. I'm half-dead inside. Also, my left ear has rotten off.

APPEARANCE: ... scarred

It's all the rage with the ladies.

Also.

I guess I'm a druid, since I'm trained in nature magic. Though I didn't really do it for a specific community.

Freelance farmer extraordinaire!

> There are several ways to handle this. What do you prefer to do?

Roll WIS or something to shut up and listen. I should be good at watching trees grow and wildlife eat itself and these guys are much more manageable.

OOC

https://i.imgur.com/mGUv4HC.png

Imgur has deleted it, probably due to size.

Edit: Spoiler your posts to save scrolling time, please.

 

[JessAlias]

OOC

https://i.imgur.com/mGUv4HC.png

Imgur has deleted it, probably due to size.

Edit: Spoiler your posts to save scrolling time, please.

OK, added spoilers. Wasn't sure if that was something required for stuff beyond the background setting stuff etc.

Also that makes no sense... it's still visible to me. Maybe Imgur only allows the person who uploaded it to view it due to size?? Tried exporting the image to a smaller file size, and instead of directly linking, giving the imgur link. https://imgur.com/AmYNoBF If this doesn't work I'll look at an alternate image host.

I'll post an update later today also.

 

[Demo.Graph]

Also that makes no sense... it's still visible to me.

Now it appeared for me as well. It was 404 before. Imgur is strange.

Wasn't sure if that was something required for stuff beyond the background setting stuff etc.

It's not required but convenient.

 

[JessAlias]

shut up and listen. I should be good at watching trees grow and wildlife eat itself and these guys are much more manageable.

Spoiler

You decide to stand your ground. It's not like she's going to pull a gun on you or something. You ignore her approach and turn your attention back to Strom and Kylie.

STROM: I still don't ken how a damned radio signal can get inside yer heads and make ye go crazy! It's all bunk, and ye'd see it if ye were a dwarf like me!

KYLIE: It's not just the radio, it's - argh!

She looks up at the ceiling, takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly before turning her attention back to Strom.

KYLIE: Look, it's really complicated and we'd be here all day going into it in depth, so let's just go with something simple.

KYLIE: The tower is evil. It emits SOMETHING that can make people go crazy and even can like, melt the flesh off of folks and turn them into horrible monsters.

KYLIE: This happens whether or not crazy cultists are running at the tower doing science experiments on it or not. That's just how the Signal works.

STROM: See - hah! That's what I'm sayin'! Ye just admitted the mad bastards are tinkering with it! It's their own bloody fault!

KYLIE: ...well, yeah, it kinda is. But it does do other stuff BEYOND that. Look, when we get there I can show you.

You take a breath, and insert yourself back into the conversation.

VATHIEL: What's that old dwarven saying? 'The only real truth is what you see with your lying eyes?'

There's a thoughtful pause.

STROM: True. Well. We'll see then, lassie.

The calypsian woman finally reaches you.

ECHO: So you're heading to Thibaut as well? How surprising.

ECHO: Echo Abacus, Lieutenant of the Calypsian Army, at your service.

KYLIE: Oh, hey! Erm... Kylie Gearspirit, Immunizer extraordinaire!

ECHO: A pleasure. And you are...

She turns to Strom, completely looking past you like you don't exist.

STROM: Th' name's Strom. Strom Ironfist Ragnarsson. Dwarven gunsmith o' clan Ironfist. A pleasure ta' meet ye lassie.

ECHO: I'll just call you Dwarf.

Strom looks her up and down calmly.

STROM: In that case, I'll be callin' ye Arsehole.

You tense, expecting the calypsian to erupt in violence. She merely smirks at the dwarf.

ECHO: Glad to see the dwarven sense of humor is alive and well. Alright then - Strom it is. I suppose you two have been reassigned?

KYLIE: Not exactly? I mean, I volunteered.

STROM: I just bought a ticket, meself.

VATHIEL: I-

She rolls on over you, cutting you off.

ECHO: Right, sorry, I forgot how chaotic you people do things. Everyone just decides to do whatever they want.

VATHIEL: Excuse-

ECHO: Regardless of how stupid that choice may be! I suppose I should just accept that dwarves will be dwarves, and newmans will be newmans, though.

You can tell she's deliberately trying to piss you off. You take the high road, drawing on the vast reserves of patience you've learned while tending your neck of the woods.

VATHIEL: Echo, I'm not sure you realize it, but you're talking over me. My name is Vathiel.

Echo turns to look at you for the first time, and raises an eyebrow in surprise.

ECHO: You're right, I didn't notice you were there at all. How about that? Surprised an elf like you can stand riding on an airship like this. Thought you elves hated that sort of thing.

VATHIEL: I'm actually a half-elf.

ECHO: And that matters because...?

Strom chimes in with a mutter.

STROM: Cause he's got real human blood in him, 'stead of the play-actin' y'Calypsian's do.

ECHO: Those who bear the mark of Calypso are infinitely superior to any diseased halfbreed.

There's a long pause. Kylie's jaw drops.

KYLIE: That's- that's so rude!

STROM: Right. Arsehole, please go an' fuck yerself.

The calypsian rolls her eyes, and walks off. Strom gives an awkward cough.

STROM: Ye alright, lad?

VATHIEL: Mmh. I've had worse insults. Anyway, is there anything to eat on this... contraption? Or were we supposed to pack all our own food? I brought some rations, but...

Kylie shakes herself a bit, then claps her hands together, her demeanor brightening somewhat.

KYLIE: Oh yeah, there's a canteen, actually. C'mon!

She gestures for both you and Strom to follow her. Strom shrugs, and follows. You find yourself tagging along as well, mostly due to not knowing what else to do. To your surprise, you find yourself sharing a surprisingly pleasant meal with the both of them. Even though the calypsian lieutenant makes another appearance at the canteen, thankfully taking another table, the food is good enough to take your mind off the situation. It appears that you've made two new friends.

> There will be about a week before we reach our first major point of interest. How do we want to invest our time?

 

[Demo.Graph]

Since we're looking for our roots, we'd need more info about the destination.
What to look for.
Are there any hints about mother's relatives in her books? Maybe a postcard or something. Do some rummaging.
How far does the madwave reach? What are the effects? Is there any protection (underground and/or walls, chemicals, tinfoil hat meditation)? For how long do the locals survive in the tower's vicinity?
What about Thibaut itself? How many people live in it? What does it import, export (especially food and magical stuff)? Are there any threats or POIs nearby?

Where to look for.
Get into the ship's library, hit the books and recent newspapers.
If the library is unavailable, the ship should have a radio room, likely for passengers' use as well. If it's cheap, get in, listen to the stuff, talk to radio operators, they should be all gossip.
Failing that, pester new acquaintances and the crew for info. Especially the older crewmembers - they should change ships from time to time, someone definitely had been in the area we're going to.

 

[JessAlias]

Since we're looking for our roots, we'd need more info about the destination.
What to look for.
Are there any hints about mother's relatives in her books? Maybe a postcard or something. Do some rummaging.
How far does the madwave reach? What are the effects? Is there any protection (underground and/or walls, chemicals, tinfoil hat meditation)? For how long do the locals survive in the tower's vicinity?
What about Thibaut itself? How many people live in it? What does it import, export (especially food and magical stuff)? Are there any threats or POIs nearby?

Where to look for.
Get into the ship's library, hit the books and recent newspapers.
If the library is unavailable, the ship should have a radio room, likely for passengers' use as well. If it's cheap, get in, listen to the stuff, talk to radio operators, they should be all gossip.
Failing that, pester new acquaintances and the crew for info. Especially the older crewmembers - they should change ships from time to time, someone definitely had been in the area we're going to.

Whoops, life events kind of overwhelmed me and I had to set this aside without any notice.

I'll share an update this evening.

EDIT: Working through this... it's going to take a while to write something that hits everything you listed. I started drafting the update and I'll finish it tomorrow.

 

[JessAlias]

Since we're looking for our roots, we'd need more info about the destination.
What to look for.
Are there any hints about mother's relatives in her books? Maybe a postcard or something. Do some rummaging.
How far does the madwave reach? What are the effects? Is there any protection (underground and/or walls, chemicals, tinfoil hat meditation)? For how long do the locals survive in the tower's vicinity?
What about Thibaut itself? How many people live in it? What does it import, export (especially food and magical stuff)? Are there any threats or POIs nearby?

Where to look for.
Get into the ship's library, hit the books and recent newspapers.
If the library is unavailable, the ship should have a radio room, likely for passengers' use as well. If it's cheap, get in, listen to the stuff, talk to radio operators, they should be all gossip.
Failing that, pester new acquaintances and the crew for info. Especially the older crewmembers - they should change ships from time to time, someone definitely had been in the area we're going to.

Spoiler

As the voyage continues, for the first time in your life you are finding yourself idle. It's a... strange, unnatural feeling. You decide that you need to invest your time in doing something instead of being idle.

> Since we're looking for our roots, we'd need more info about the destination. Are there any hints about mother's relatives in her books? Maybe a postcard or something. Do some rummaging.

You start out by digging through your mother's old belongings, or at least, what you have left of them. Thanks to the short lives of humans, things like books tend to be less well made than elven goods, and they decay and rot much faster over the decades and centuries. This makes things like keepsakes quite difficult to preserve. Most of what you have is fragmented... though given your sudden free time, you can now go through those scraps more carefully.

You do find some references to her family history. As best as you can tell, your mother had some relatives who were a member of the Brimstone Society. She doesn't think much of them... they apparently were practicioners of some kind of very dangerous magic. You make a note to track down more information on them once you reach Thibaut.

> How far does the madwave reach? What are the effects? Is there any protection (underground and/or walls, chemicals, tinfoil hat meditation)? For how long do the locals survive in the tower's vicinity?

Next, you spend some time with Kylie. She seems to be an expert on the Signal. Apparently, the reach of the Signal Tower is restricted to the city of Thibaut proper. Safetown was constructed outside of Thibaut precisely to avoid the Signal's radiance. Living long term near the Tower is NOT recommended. Anything electronic and complex will start to act strangely due to the Signal's effect, and the rate of mutation and madness increases if one spends too long in the vicinity of Thibaut. This is a bad thing for people, but a good thing for creating unusual artifacts that can be sold, or studied.

Getting near the tower becomes exponentially more dangerous as you get closer. Kylie references how a metal mesh can interfere with the signal slightly... and how apparently, some races are more resistant to the Signal. Dwarves apparently are almost immune unless they get very, very close to the tower. Elves and orcs are about average. Calypsians and newmans are very vulnerable, she admits sheepishly.

Kylie seems very appreciative of the time you spend with her, listening carefully to her advice. You aren't the sort to form friends quickly, but you do enjoy the time you spend with her.

> What about Thibaut itself? How many people live in it? What does it import, export (especially food and magical stuff)? Are there any threats or POIs nearby?

Based on your understanding, NO ONE lives in Thibaut. Not in the old, rotten city itself proper. Or at least... no sane people.

Safetown needs to import most supplies, though some agriculture does take place. The main export are the artifacts adventurers recover. As for threats... the largest threat comes from the City itself. Insane newmans are often drawn to the place to form cults, and lost adventurers turn into... other things, from the radiance.

> Get into the ship's library, hit the books and recent newspapers. If the library is unavailable, the ship should have a radio room, likely for passengers' use as well. If it's cheap, get in, listen to the stuff, talk to radio operators, they should be all gossip. Failing that, pester new acquaintances and the crew for info. Especially the older crewmembers - they should change ships from time to time, someone definitely had been in the area we're going to.

The ship does have a full library, and you end up spending some time going through the almost mind-boggling area of salvaged human literature. It gets overwhelming a few times... there is SO MUCH there. You run into Kylie a few times. She seems more focused on romance novels and the like, which you find just... weird, to read. You don't fully understand human culture, and delving into matters of the heart just increases your confusion.

But reading about the old society that humans built is... interesting. What you read tracks with your mother's old memories, of a nation built around consumption and overreaching itself at the expense of the natural world. It was a self-defeating endeavor. The description of their 'factories' is sort of awe inspiring, the ability to churn out mass quantities of products in such a short time that a few workers could turn out enough equipment to supply an entire city.

Digging around, you find more references about the Brimstone Society. It appears that they ran some sort of private... club? They would meet secretly, and were not thought of well by other humans. There are dark references to fell magic, something you aren't familiar with given your heritage. You could spend a lifetime researching this stuff, you begin to realize. You ask for any insight from the older crewmemers, but due to being newmans, they are superstitious about the Signal Tower, and the Signal, and don't provide much information.

Soon, you get word that the airship is docking in Caledon. This is the last major stop before it reaches Thibaut. You watch from the observation lounge as the heart of the old Caledonian Empire looms, long since taken over by the newmans. It's strange... so much has changed since the death of humanity. The towering skyscrapers are barely-touched tombs for the dead now, home to only birds and their nests.

The ships dock on the outskirts of Caledon, in a settlement the newmans have built around the hulking Grand Cathedron of the Prime Intelligence. They've taken great care in cleaning up and restoring the old human structures, and in adding their own stylings onto them. The architecture is clean, geometric, and with a decidedly 'human' look to it, if in a newman style.

> You have the option of disembarking for the layover, to explore Caledon, with or without your new friends. Or, you can stay aboard the airship to study the library in more detail. Your natural tendencies cause you to lean to the latter... but you realize that newmans are nothing like the elves of your homeland, so you could push yourself to be more curious and social.

 

[Demo.Graph]

Disembark. It's probably the last chance for a long time to be a tourist in a foreign capitol. And there should be plenty of time to read during the second half of the flight.
Should Kylie visit some AI bigwig, try to tag along. If Strom is going to do anything interesting, offer coming with him as well.

 

[JessAlias]

Disembark. It's probably the last chance for a long time to be a tourist in a foreign capitol. And there should be plenty of time to read during the second half of the flight.
Should Kylie visit some AI bigwig, try to tag along. If Strom is going to do anything interesting, offer coming with him as well.

Spoiler

You decide to go ahead and try taking advantage of this 'layover', and explore the rebuilt Caledon of the newmans. With their interest in restoring and preserving old human things... maybe you will learn something that helps you with your own, strange quest.

You check in with Kylie, because the thought of just trying to explore this place on your lonesome isn't really a jolly one. She seems surprised but enthusiastic. She wants to try touring the Grand Cathedron, and making a prayer to the Prime Intelligence. You figure... what could it hurt? So you go along with her.

As the pair of you disembark from the airship, you find yourself being guided through a small customs inspection station, mostly dealing with safety concerns and tallying up artifacts that are being imported into the newman city-state. You look at some of the technology on display, and find you don't understand what most of it does... like usual. For a moment you feel nervous that they object to some of your belongings, but the officials just wave you through without a second glance.

After exiting customs, you can finally take in Caledon from a true, accurate, ground-level scale. You quickly realize that what previously looked like a tiny corner of the vast, dead metropolis is a bustling city by itself. Frankly, it's overwhelming. The streets are packed with people, and almost every building is covered in scaffolding and workers. Nearly every structure is being either repaired, refurbished, or cleared out.

But Kylie is practically vibrating with excitement.

KYLIE: C'mon - come on! You're going to love it here!

She grabs your hand, and practically drags you forward into the bustling crowd of newmans. As you stumble along, she points out a small streetcart that appears to be selling... "hot dogs?"

KYLIE: Oh, this guy is great. You've got to try one.

VATHIEL: I... don't eat dogs?

KYLIE: Not real dogs, silly. These are buns stuffed with tubes of chopped up processed meat and sauce.

You stare blankly at her.

KYLIE: AND onion. And you can get pickles too.

That... doesn't sound too bad. Though you have no idea what 'processed meat' is. You give a helpless shrug and allow her to pull you along to the vendor, who is working very hard to serve the long line of eager newmans, some of whom have never tasted a hot dog before.

After an eternity, it is finally your turn. Kylie orders two of them, and you awkwardly take one of them from her. She's covered it in some kind of yellowish sauce, which she calls mustard. There's also chopped up pickles and onions, which you are slightly more familiar with. You take a cautious bite.

Your eyes go wide. This... is GOOD. And to think this was a common snack for humans? How did they not all get fat from this? It takes an effort to eat politely rather than ramming it down your throat. You take another bite. As you eat, a thought occurs.

VATHIEL: ...why do newmans eat? Aren't you all automatons?

KYLIE: Huh?

VATHIEL: All things born of the natural world do need sustenance. Light for plants, plants for prey animals, flesh for predators. But... newmans are manufactured. Why eat?

KYLIE: ...because it's fun? Technically, yes, we only get limited energy from eating compared to the humans of old. But... it's fun. You might as well ask why read, or why play music, or why dance.

You look thoughtful at that. Perhaps she has a point. It's a fair answer, anyway.

KYLIE: Anyway! Let's go! We need to get to the Grand Cathedron before it closes - we can't visit after sundown!

You aren't even given the chance to protest that you're still finishing your hot dog as Kylie drags you through the bustling crowds. You take the last few bites hurriedly so you don't drop it.

As the pair of you move along, you find your anxiety dropping. This isn't like the little you've seen of the Calypsian megacities, with sterile planned roads and strict timetables. There's an ebb and flow here, and even more to your gratification, parks and greenery. The old human buildings are beautiful, and not just functional or sterile. There's actually an aesthetic here, and you can tell the newmans have put in the effort to restore these ancient treasures of their race as much as possible.

Finally the pair of you reach the imposing bulk of the Grand Cathedron, one of the primary places where newmans worship their Prime Intelligence. You can tell it's a formerly human cathedral... where they once worshipped Sol Invictus. You remember your mother always found that a bunch of superstitious twaddle, compared to the focus on harmonious existence with nature that elves favor.

You shake the thought away and let Kylie pull you along, going with the flow of other newmans who are trickling inside. It's not like you have anything else to do, at least until the airship departs again.

The inside is... remarkably peaceful. There are pews, just like the old human churches, and an altar. A quiet murmur of voices fills the air, with the faintest whisper of pipe organs in the background.

KYLIE: Do you mind if I pray?

She looks remarkably subdued, now that she's here.

VATHIEL: Err, no? I won't mind.

KYLIE: Okay. The Prime Intelligence will understand that you're not of our faith, I'm sure... it's fine if you want to look around or anything. I'll just be a bit.

She goes and kneels at one of the pews. You suddenly feel awkward - standing around watching Kylie pray is just... weird. You look around, and notice a taller woman near the altar with folded hands. Her skin is a deathly white. You can tell she's an old model newman, before they grasped how to get accurate skin tones.

You also see... a grey man, wearing a grey pre-War suit. He has red eyes like a calypsian, but they don't typically do fashion as opposed to military uniforms or standardized jumpsuits. He is staring at you with an amused expression on his face. You notice he has a strange red eye-shaped lapel pin. Something about him... bothers you.

> Three choices: We can talk to the newman at the altar, we can talk to the grey man, or we could just wander around and explore. These are not mutually exclusive... we may have time to do one then another. If we DO talk to someone, what do we talk to them about?

 

[Demo.Graph]

Go to the altar, look at it. They often have murals with significant religious events. It would be interesting to see what constitutes as one for robots.
Then sit near it, meditate. Try to sense the cathedral as if it was an ecosystem. Are there energy/mana/information flows? Can I hear wifi working with that big elven ear of mine? What reaction does the cathedral stimulate in visitors?
Basically, supposing that AI does speak to the visitors like genius loci speaks to forest dwellers, can I hear that speech? Can I speak as well?

Then speak with white woman if she seems open to it. Tell her that I'm interested in Prime. If she asks, tell her what I was meditating for.
I'll be more specific when (if) we start talking.

Oh, and by the way, stop telling random people that I'm half human. With half the world being racist vs elves it's bad enough for me to be a local nigger equivalent. I don't need to worsen the situation by telling everyone that I'm also a half neanderthal, come Dr. Loboto, cut me to pieces in the name of science.

also

Your eyes go wide. This... is GOOD.

Note to self. If I consider cat_intestine-paper mix to be tastier than grilled meat, something has happened to my perception. Visit a neurologist to check for possible brain damage.
Also, find a recipe for that mustard or whatever.

we can't visit after sundown! ... a formerly human cathedral... where they once worshipped Sol Invictus

Note to self.