[IC] New Crobuzon & the World Beyond

[Betimi]

Simon then says to Betimi, "The first day went well.  Your item should be completed by tomorrow."

"My thanks, sir Simon."

To the rest of you he says, "I believe I know where you should travel to next.  There are ruins that to my knowledge have never been explored.  Or at least no one has returned from the ruins to tell anyone what lays within them.  Unfortunately getting to the ruins are going to be extremely difficult.  The land surrounding the ruins are a desolate wasteland called the Cacotopic Stain that was created by the unreliable magical energy known as Torque, created by Torque Bombs.  Torque leads to strange mutations, altering both living creatures and the inanimate environment.  There is no limits to the horror's that this energy can create.  I've heard of a railway carriage and its three occupants who were transmogrified by the Torque into a blob of semi-solid matter containing three nuclei!  Obviously we must try to get as close to the ruins as possible before attempting to enter the Cacotopic Stain.  Because the longer you're immersed in the Torque energy, the more likely you will be mutated into some new thing."

"Since you are off-worlders I do not know what you're capable of.  Do any of you have any suggestions for how we might pass through the Cacotopic Stain?"

"If we wait until tomorrow I can protect myself from the wild magic effects, but that will not extend to anyone else."