[IC] New Crobuzon & the World Beyond

[Betimi]

"The warding I will be ab;le to enable will protect me from any mortal magic that transmogrifies, it is not protection from Wild magic. I merely used that description based on how you had described the Torque.  Torque is mortal magic is it not, rather than energy beyond mortal capability?"

Immunity to Transformation: No mortal magic can permanently affect your form while you are bound to Haagenti. Effects such as polymorph or petrifi cation might force you into a new shape, but at the start of your next turn, you can immediately resume your normal form as a free action. You remain affected by such effects only when you choose to do so.

[GM Marvel]

"I am not sure if Torque energy is classified as magical.  Your ability may work but not all energy in the universe is magical.  Torque energy was created through technology not by a spell.  I guess we will have to wait to find out.  If your ability does work it would be something I would like to study in greater detail."

[Selina Parcellus]

[...]
The wolf-hound strolls over to the group, sits down on its hunches and begins to pant while not looking at anyone in particular.  If someone pets him he gladly accepts the scratches behind the ears.

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?"

Selina sighs and slips to a knee, pulling off her gauntlets and stashing them in her pack as she presents a hand to the hound to sense.  Then, it is impossible to mistake the smile as she is recognized and begins scratching him behind the ear and giving him a pet.  Some things were best left without words as she takes in a pleasant moment free of danger or struggle with no small amount of relish.

When kneeling, she looks at Simon.  "This Torque Energy.  What sort of process does it cause its...tranmogrification by?  Is it arcane, divine, psionic, or something else?"

[Nacesh]

Nacesh looks for a cup of something to drink (might as well be water, he feels parched), and a place to sit down with something behind him to lean back against.

"Now we are talking. But as willing I am to go there, just as eager I am to get back from there. Paragliding doesn't look like a return trip. How wide is this critical zone we should cross as fast as possible? Talking about minutes or hours?"

[GM Marvel]

A few minutes later Kee nods to the unfamiliars and says: - I'm Kee Borg and thanks for watch my Chris.

A green Kobold replies, "My name is Piper and you are welcome but thanks should be given to the Wolf-Hound.  We did not know who owned the cheetah but the dog refused to leave the cat behind.  It was quite unusual."

When kneeling, she looks at Simon.  "This Torque Energy.  What sort of process does it cause its...tranmogrification by?  Is it arcane, divine, psionic, or something else?"

The Wolf-Hound will happily accept Selina's attentions. 
 
Simon replies, "I believe Torque is a manifestation of both technological and arcane magics and neither.  So it's likely your friend [Nods to Betimi] would receive partial protection from its effects with her ability.  The Torque is profoundly chaotic in nature and seems to interact with random results whenever it has been tested.  If you've never heard of this energy I can only assume that in your world it has either never been discovered or it simply does not exist in your reality.  The latter would be consistent with what we know of the energy's chaotic nature and how its effects are so random.  I would also be interested in knowing if your world knows of some other exotic energies that were created in this world such as Possible Energy.  

Possible energy was discovered when powerful entities appeared and took over the whole planet for a period of 500 years. The Ghosthead, as these entities were known, originated on another world in a different plane of existence somewhere on the eastern rim of the universe. Seeking a milder place to live than their homeworld, which was torn between a vicious cycle of days and nights that created oceans of molten iron and froze the very atmosphere, the Ghosthead built a "metal fish" and used it to find this world. Their arrival created The Scar, a massive physical and dimensional rift on the planet's surface from which different existential possibilities leak. The Ghosthead harnessed the energy from The Scar with a process called "possibility mining", and used their power to gain control over all of the world, manipulating possibilities to their advantage. The Ghosthead Empire was ultimately destroyed by a rebellion called the Contumancy, followed by a period known as the Sloughing-Off. The Empire's history has survived long after its fall in documents such as the Imperial Canon, and in lost technologies and structures.  I have heard that scientists are even getting close to creating technology called a Possibility Engine.  Who knows what possibilities could be harnessed from such an incredible achievement!"

"Now we are talking. But as willing I am to go there, just as eager I am to get back from there. Paragliding doesn't look like a return trip. How wide is this critical zone we should cross as fast as possible? Talking about minutes or hours?"

Simon replies, "Days, actually.  But I will have the paragliders equipped with flying engines so they may travel a short distance.  If my calculations are correct, which they always are, each will have enough energy to get enough altitude to be able to glide to the nearest border of the contaminated zone or to get to an Airship if you somehow find yourselves in possession of such a vehicle.  The Airship would of course be the safest option as the less time one spends in the Stain's Radiation the less likely one will become a talking pickle."

 

[Forge]

Forge begins imagining the possibilities of the Possibility Energy.  Maybe it can counteract the Torque.  Thinking very hard a number suddenly pops in his head, "42."

"Are there any known materials that resist the Torque, like gold, silver, or adamantine?"

Ooc - Is it safe to assume Forge was able to purchase his items?

[GM Marvel]

[OoC: @Forge Sorry, yes you can purchase the items. ]

"None that I know of and as mentioned before, the Torque reacts not only with biological matter but with inanimate matter too.  So you could find yourself somehow mutated into a sentient adamantine, tentacled, pitcher plant.  As interesting as that sounds, it's not really how I would want to spend the rest of my existence."

[OoC: Actually I totally forgot that Forge was made from metal. In case it matters, the Cacotopic Stain's ability to also effect inanimate matter was not something I just added to make sure Forge had something to fear too. It's actually part of the description of the effect. I'm not making it possible to effect him too cuz I'm a jerk. ]

[Kee]

- I'm totally new in this team so could someone tell me: Why are we want to go there? What is that we want to find there?

[Betimi]

- I'm totally new in this team so could someone tell me: Why are we want to go there? What is that we want to find there?

"Sir Simon has agreed to help us find a way back to your world in exchange for assisting him in his research. His research follows the same lines as well, so simply finding us that way home advances his research as well."

[Selina Parcellus]

The Wolf-Hound will happily accept Selina's attentions. 
 
Simon replies, "I believe Torque is a manifestation of both technological and arcane magics and neither.  So it's likely your friend [Nods to Betimi] would receive partial protection from its effects with her ability.  The Torque is profoundly chaotic in nature and seems to interact with random results whenever it has been tested.  If you've never heard of this energy I can only assume that in your world it has either never been discovered or it simply does not exist in your reality.  The latter would be consistent with what we know of the energy's chaotic nature and how its effects are so random.  I would also be interested in knowing if your world knows of some other exotic energies that were created in this world such as Possible Energy.  

Possible energy was discovered when powerful entities appeared and took over the whole planet for a period of 500 years. The Ghosthead, as these entities were known, originated on another world in a different plane of existence somewhere on the eastern rim of the universe. Seeking a milder place to live than their homeworld, which was torn between a vicious cycle of days and nights that created oceans of molten iron and froze the very atmosphere, the Ghosthead built a "metal fish" and used it to find this world. Their arrival created The Scar, a massive physical and dimensional rift on the planet's surface from which different existential possibilities leak. The Ghosthead harnessed the energy from The Scar with a process called "possibility mining", and used their power to gain control over all of the world, manipulating possibilities to their advantage. The Ghosthead Empire was ultimately destroyed by a rebellion called the Contumancy, followed by a period known as the Sloughing-Off. The Empire's history has survived long after its fall in documents such as the Imperial Canon, and in lost technologies and structures.  I have heard that scientists are even getting close to creating technology called a Possibility Engine.  Who knows what possibilities could be harnessed from such an incredible achievement!"

For some reason, Selina is beginning to form a tinfoil hat.  As she pets the wolf-hound to keep herself calm, all the exposition that she gets from Simon just keeps clicking with what she knows from their interactions with 'the Ambassador' and 'the Magister'.  If this world was truly so lost to the machinations of Chaos, it only made sense that they would seek to utilize it to undermine other worlds, planes, existences.  And it seemed that even those who were against this government had had the proverbial wool pulled over their eyes if there was this much excitement over something derived from the Chaotic energies of the Far Realm.  'Possible Energy'.  'Scar'.  'Possibility mining'.  'Possibility engine.'  Everything absolutely reeked of consuming the world in order to have the resources to pursue other worlds to vandalize.

"Indeed...who knows?" She muses aloud.  "Who knows how much awesome torment this world has already withstood from the dangerous use of this...Possibility Mining?  Who knows what creatures this government can create by 'Remaking' innocents with this Torque Energy?  This place..."  She shakes her head to clear it.  She knows how she would have finished that statement if she wasn't being artificially infused with peaceful feelings by the nearby hound.  She was quite angry at the entire situation and knew that, above all else, this was just another thing she felt honor-bound in rectifying...somehow.  The absolutely unmitigated temerity of the people in the positions of authority in this place.  The absolute vileness of the depths of their corruption.  She had to end it.  Somehow.  But first thing was truly first...she had to get back.  Finish one task before moving on to the next.