Episode 12: The Unseen realm[]
Rook starts his day asking around for a good birthday gift for Faye. What he has in mind is a new customized deck styled to her liking. Along with a deck it is customary Orcish traditon to gather some bones for her "Knock-la-grah" (spelling?) which he orders from Charles to gather. As he does so he is warned that the head of Talaris was looking for him for some reason. Walking home he is approached by a man in blue dark armor, getting on his guard it turns out to be Warren - returned after his capture at WOTO. He tells of his encounter with this "Thaddeus" as well as getting injected with super soldier tech and having explosives implanted into himself by Quixote, ensuring his cooperation. Getting that removed may prove difficult so Warrens visits to the Row may grow more rare.
DM: The above and below[]
In the Upper City, although dormant Titans influence still reaches out. A WOTO synth guards loses control and charges into Sonitii HQ, rejecting commands to stop he gets gunned down. Inspecting the body another of the Sonitti guards suffers the same fate and loses control and goes haywire.
Sheila leads the funeral
In Scrap Town a funeral is held after the loss of Ash and Pepper. Many of the townsfolk walk forward to offer their sympathies and honor their memory with some words. Offering his words for the fallen Trey aims his anger and towards the synths, especially Patches, still blaming them despite learning that they lost control due to the A.I. Titan.[1] Sheila who is leads the arrangements speaks to the spirits and appears to summon the spirits of both of the fallen. Their voices are carried in the wind like a whisper thanking the gathering, before they fade away forever.
What one may find an unlikely pair to share spirituality in common with eachother, Sheila and Rikky
DM: A spirit Journey[]
An unlikely pair Rikky and Sheila meet following the same spiritual calling. Journeying together to a hidden canyon out in the wasteland, following the guidance of the spirits. Rikky who has been having strange feelings ever since he went on his "spirit walk" still carries the firearm with from before with the engraving "Tolstek" on it, none the wiser as to discern its meaning. His only armed guard is Manyu who walks with him. Meeting the rest of the wastelanders joining the caravan the corporate ratis is met with suspicion. After Wit explained that Rikky was the one responsible for getting him shot and telling everyone to watch their backs, Sheila declare that she vouches for him still. She senses something special within him.
Rikky tells them that ever since he first came to the wasteland and felt that calm by walking with a stranger, he only wishes to feel that way again. The stranger had showed him compassion with no regards for personal gain and he aims to continue searching for what the stranger described as "the truth".
Following Sheila she leads them to a canyon that after going through a narrow location opens up what looks like a magical place. Ethereal plants and animals move ahead of them with ancient ruins of structures older than the great Savior City. A deep mist seeps from the cliff faces and the group crosses a pond of water connected by a pathway of cylindrical pillars. Jumping over Rikky falls in the waters but makes his way up again after splashing around.
Coming to a crossroad separated by circular gateways the ruins are etched in strange markings. The etchings tell of a story that was never completed of which only Ahi can read. It says:
Ahi reads the written account of the Nahtraki
- Long ago when the sun swirled in the sky not above sand but above a green veil, there the people rejoiced. The Nathraki they were called, they danced under the suns bounty under the moons grace. Piece by piece they made whole their home but there was one thing they did more than the others. While the others took and did not give back the Nathraki found another way. A world within worlds, just beyond sight... -And there the writing trails off, leaving the story incomplete
The gates surrounding the crossroads are locked but by reciting an incantation of her people Sheila manages to open it. Passing through another way blocks their path. This one Ahi can open by doing the same. After passing this one Sheila's usually jovial nature fades away and she takes on a serious note - like a queen of the sands she walks forward with no fear - right into the rocks of the earth - and vanishes. Feeling the spirits around them the caravan follows and they find themselves in another canyon and eventually a large circular cavern filled with crystals. There is a break in the middle of the crystals where a smaller crystal formation is situated with a stone.
The crystal cavern
DM: Rat englightenment[]
Walking up to the small growth a blast knocks all unconscious except Rikky. He feels himself hit with a strong feeling of guilt as an inner voice starts speaking to him, it is the same voice as Tolstek. It tells him that he took everything to reach the top, but now he must give back to the bottom. In a vision he sees himself stumbling around on all fours in the dark among giants, giants who have much more than they could ever need. That drop what they are carrying and he feeds on the remains that fall to the ground from their lips. Long has he ignored his primal parts for far too long, he wear their clothes and adopt their mannerisms - it calls to him now. In the wastes it has the shaman - but in the clouds it seeks to have a sovereign. The choice is his if he wants - he can become his own sovereign and take the stone.
A crack in reality leading to another world - the magical connection to this one
Rikky grasps the stone not with greed but with purpose and sees the dreams of those around him as well as the spirits of the unborn surrounding him. Looking up in the cavern he can now see - a small crack with a window leading to another world. It's a gateway leading to the spirit world but opening it would require much energy. He suddenly is aware of what this means, if the portal remains closed and shuts completely the magic of this world will slowly fade away and die, this place must be protected at all costs or else many of those present who are magically inclined will perish.
Rikky makes a decision not based on greed
The rest in the caravan wake up and recover their senses. Rikky is immediately met with distrust and questioned. How can anyone trust a corp and of WOTO even? Sheila puts their worry to rest, vouching for the large ratis. If she openly places her trust in him then the others will probably come around too.
Leaving the cavern a weapon is found, which happens to be identical to the one marked "Tolstek" that Rikky is carrying. His inner voice tells him that the weapons are spirited pairs - the voice whispers in the wind to him "thank you" as it is put to rest. He now gained a skill named "Akimbo", and can now dual weild the guns. Saying goobye Rikky remarks to the others that he was shown generosity without any ulterior motives when he met the stranger in the desert and was led to safety. Horizon suggest splitting up the keystones they got before when opening the circular gates, to prevent anyone uninvited getting access to the place, Rikky keeps one while Sheila holds the other.
On their exit Rikky and Sheila feels a powerful presence and they meet the one and only Thaddeus who approaches them. After expressing his surprise at seeing Rikky out here he asks his reasons for being there and why he finds himself in such "low-esteemed" company.[2] Rikky firing back tells only that his species started from the bottom, and that it pays to know others who do the same, refusing to answer any other of Thaddeus questioning. Seemingly content with that tiny tidbit of knowledge Thaddeus bids them adjeu, leaves and disappears from sight.[3]
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