We meet our heroes, Kristopher a Confident Arkus who Sees Beyond and Callan, an Ultraterrestrial Nano who Exists Partially Out of Phase enjoying a meal at a local canteen on the outskirts of the city of Aian, Capital of the ProtoDemocratic Nation of Milave. They are joined by the Automation Radius when they spot Zoyin of the Amber Gleaners disoriented in the street. She does not recognize any of the group, know who she is or anything about herself, but Kristopher’s kind confident manner won her over and she allowed the group to take her home.

Radius confides in the group that he has also experienced some recent memory loss. The group seeks out the knowledge of the Amber Gleaners in their station, a squat domed structure made of iridescent magenta stones. It is here that they meet Challenger Forsyth for the first time, the local leader of the Amber Gleaners. He is a mahogany skinned man with a shocking white long beard. He wears Amber robes with a single green gem fixed into the hood. Challenger accompanies the characters back to Zoyin’s hut and, after seeing the condition of his friends, asks the characters if they can do what they can to find the “mudbirds” who the party realizes are the abhuman Murden, and do what they can to restore her to her former self.

The group examines what they believe to be the location where Zoyin was assaulted and lost her memories. Through skills and a few lucky finds they managed to track the Murden activity to an out town just outside of the walls of Aian. Finding their way to the Snug, a local watering hole, they learn that the memory problems suffered by Zoyin are more widespread. They speak with the barkeep, a silver haired woman named Melly, and befriend Hestar, a reedy scruffy haired man who simply could not recall how to get home, but did recall seeing a vegetable cart nearby where a man was transporting the Murden. The group encountered a group of ruffians demanding a “toll” while helping Hestar, but Callan, using hedge magic, was able to fool the leader into taking his own money as payment.

Finding the wagon trail proved to be somewhat challenging but eventually the group found their way down a cart road  passing a number of farms until they found the farm of a man named Federkin, who himself lie dead in front of his house, seemingly from starvation and malnutrition. A search of the home turned up an interesting six eyed helmet and a few shins. A commotion in the barn was caused by 13 murden who rode a wagon pulled by two Aneen out of the doors and east into the countryside. 

The group managed to track the Murden to the Mephitic Forest and after some minor encounters with local fauna, found the Murden Nest. A pitched battle occurred that ended in the surrender of the Murden Flock chief and the recovery of the Memory Collector. A powerful artefact capable of stealing the memories of others and storing them in a tiny synth ball. Touching the balls would give the holder a glimpse of the memories within. They managed to return to Radius his memories (and his axe) as well as Hestar and a few others. They have two left to deliver, one to Zoyin, and another to an unknown person who has forgotten their child.

The first thing the group did was return to the row of huts where Zoyin resides. Challenger Forsythe answers the door inviting the characters in asking if they had any news of Zoyin’s conditions, and was most relieved to learn that they had her memories in a small ball of synth. With her memories returned both Zoyin and Challenger discuss what had passed and express their gratitude to the party along with the payment promised by Challenger. Afterwards Challenger approached the characters about an much longer mission, one where they would accompany Zoyin and a few others to a settlement founded by an advanced group of Amber Gleaners a month or so back in the south east of Milave near the Cold Desert. Radius had previously given his agreement and, after a breif discussion the rest of our heroes decided in favor as well, but let Challenger know that they had a bit of unfinished business to resolve beforehand - the last memory ball.

Retracing their steps and using the glimpses of memories they could glean by touching the ball (but not absorbing its memories) they determined that the best place to look for the mother of Braeyan - the boy’s name - was the Snug as this would appear to be the neighbourhood that he was from. Melly was able to give them a name Taishja, and a location, the local aneen abattoir. Finding her there they gave her the ball and caused the memories of Braeyan to come rushing back. The woman immediately became distressed as, in addition to remembering her son, she remembered kicking him out and chasing him off, not knowing at the time who he was. After some consoling form Callan and Kristopher, they set out to find him, looking in popular spots and then having success at a friends house. The parents where hostile towards Taishja at first, due to Breayan’s account of what happened, but  were convinced by the group to bring him to the door only to discover he had slipped out the back way. The group combed the nearby area, discovering both a strange glass like gem and a culvert made of blue stone big enough for a man to enter stooped.

Sure enough the culvert was where Braeyan was hiding, but he was not alone. Though able to see beyond, A Balikna was capable of using poor lighting to strike at Kristopher, injuring him significantly before pursuing its intended meal, the child. Callan managed to wrestle it to the ground while Kristopher used the memory collector to strip the creature of its predatory skills and drive. AFter dispatching the beast, they reunited the child with his mother, who though not of well means offered them any help she could render in the future.

That night, an interesting development in his sleep Kristopher grabbed and squeezed the Balikna’s memory ball absorbing its instincts. As as result, his mind has now honed its instincts making him a bit stronger, quick, and feeling more predatory and carnivorous, awaking from a nightmare stalking prey he informs Callan of the development

After a bit of shopping and living well using the shins they achieved (and selling the gem, monochromatic or “greystone” as it is sometimes called, and having Zoyin treat Kristopher’s bite wounds, the group met up with Radius and the rest of the caravan setting out to the site of the settlement. Along the way the encounter a farmer, Griff and his son Ko. The wife, Seri, is in the back. Griff informs the group that they had to abandon the farm after digging uncovered a machine that shot out globs of spike green goo, killing his animals and damaging his home. One hit the wife just above the knee causing a horrible infection that Zoyin indicated would require the removal of the left leg below the thigh. 

It took some convincing but reasonable minds prevailed and Seri got the attention that she needed. Callan and Kristopher had the idea to invite the family to accompany them along to the settlement, as it would need people such as them to help it succeed. Griff was grateful twice over, he provided the group with a pair of cyphers that he had found and the group continued on their way.

Having reached the forest of blue brown trees and seen the first of the red cloth bands, the group stopped for lunch, Callan slipped on an embankment, alerting a dozen Betulan, giant brown blue moths swooped down and attacked. Most of the caravan worked to keep the draft animals from panicking and running down a hill while Radius and the heroes defeated the swarms. It is here that we leave our heroes, on the last leg of their journey, to revisit next week.

Kristopher decides to get close and anger the creatures, drawing a number of them off and leading them back to Callan Radius and Visso, who are waiting in ambush. Emboldened by victory, the quartet press their luck and enter the dome, only to find that it appears to be too big on the inside and that a large number of Phrontex, including one twice the size of a man and another who is able to speak The Truth, are too much for them.

The group makes their way back to the village to deliver the worrisome news and enlist the help of any warm body. Kadri, Griff and Ko are all uncertain, but some rousing words from Kristopher convince them that it is the only way and they set out again the next morning. 

This time they are successful in storming the dome, Callan’s Onslaught defeats the large Phrontex, while the rest of the group wears down the rest of their number. The leader, disarmed of his cyphers and spear, surrenders and agrees to take the Phorntex left alive and depart this area. It is here where are heroes wait  and recover, hoping to discover the location of their missing comrades when next we join them

Having vanquished the Phrontex and sent off the survivors, the heroes  continue into the next corridor  and are  happy to find most of the missing first wave of the outpost. Visso found his brother Nort, who similar to Callan was suffering from an allergy to the Phrontex slime, though far worse than the Nano. Also behind the blue synth steel bars where Tsala, the communities leader, Gennd, a quiet delve dressed in dark colors, a number of laborers, and I/O, a Prepared Delve who Defends the Weak. The group was able to free the trapped individuals by making a particular sound in a particular place, allowing the bars to flex and bend open. 

The group were informed the the 5 most injured laborers were taken, and have not returned. The group continues on to explore the last of the chambers. Finding a painting made of the red Phrontex slime of a great storm as well as a crystal formation in the shape of an inhuman screaming face the size of a man. All around the jaw were piles of fine ashy powder that the group, now including I/O, determined to be the remains of the missing workers. They disabled and salvaged the face finding a suitable amount of azure steel in the process. 

Having discovered all that there appears to be of interest, the group returns to the Amber Keep. Everyone focuses on exploring and building the community, with the hopes that it can be raised beyond the ruined camp that the heroes and Radius found it as. Walls and temporary shelters are the prime focus of the settlement, which sees its numbers increased by roughly another 25 settlers in a third wave over the next few weeks. I/O managed to encounter a strange substance that claimed one of his boots, but aside from this the time was fairly calm and uneventful.

During a community meeting where she praises the hard work and effort of the community, Tsala speaks to the Radius and our heroes. She informs them that Gennd has found a place of interest - a gargantuan arm broken past the forearm. Tsala warns the group that there are a group of blue and grey skinned creatures - abhumans or mutants- living in a small village alongside the arm. She knows not much more than that, only that the arm should be a promising place to salvage. The group decides to head out the next day.

The heroes make their way towards the arm and see the village with a few hours of daylight that remain. The group can see some figures moving in the distance and, with no available cover to move up quietly, decide to approach the village. They are met by a group of cautious blue and grey skinned individuals with small black eyes all around their heads. Things appear that they will get tense until finally Kristopher is able to discern enough of their language to communicate. He arranges the exchange of spears with the individual, who calls himself a “blue tongue”, and explains it as a gesture of friendship.

The conversation goes very well, the group meet the village leader and an arrangement is made where Kristopher is permitted to spend time in their village for a linguistic exchange, he will teach two blue tongues Iska and Toole the Truth and they will help him learn their language. They inquire about going into the arm to explore, and the Bluetooth have no problem with it, but they do warn the heroes that there are a number of monsters within the first chamber, and to exercise caution.

The group makes its way into the hole where the arm was originally sheared off and encounter among the blinking lights, scythe banded rainbow links of wire, and strange panels a number of laaks. The group manages to defeat them with near no issue. In the next room they squeeze through a narrow series of panels and make their way to an open room that seems to house some very interesting potential salvage. As they approach it, an ancient security protocol is activated and two salt shaker shaped automations appear, using a combination of tendrils and high pitched sonics, they provide a challenge for the group but are ultimately defeated, leaving our heroes to ponder on what to investigate next… 

The group received a pleasant surprise: I/O fresh back from the latest caravan heard of their predicament and quickly met up with them in the Kalpis, being unbothered by the bugmen after Kristopher’s encounter with them.  The group managed to free radius and learn that the red robed women, Morigera, was the prophet of something called the Machine God, finding her journal amongst the wreckage, they learned that the Machine God (or Ciszan as it was sometimes referred to) was interested in tracking down “Fallen Angels” to retrieve the divine keys that they stole. Radius was listed as one such angel, another called Chord the Philosopher, had been identified as living in the area of Delend under something called the Changing Moon. Radius was familiar with Delend, but noted that it was very far from their current location.

On their way out the group encountered a numenera device that appeared to allow them to ask a single question of the Datasphere, provided that they could endure the mental shock of the information overload. Kristopher learned that the Kalpis was once the research station of a prior world groups of creatures, completely submerged beneath the waves as the tentacled creatures needed the environment. Radius attempted to use the device but it would not respond to him, so I/O asked for him who Chord the Philosopher was. I/O learned that Chord was remarkably similar to Radius in appearance but with a number of small circles embossed in his chest. It showed him in a community under a bizarre moon like structure that, given what they knew, was likely the changing moon. The group decided to leave this thing intact as it may well be useful, but realized it would only work once for each individual.

As they returned to the Amber keep they noted that I/O had a inch square purple mark, vein or root like in its appearance, the same color as the giant hand in the middle of his forehead. Apparently  I/O had an encounter with an energy discharge during the salvage operation. He had been having dreams of a giant four armed automation roaming the countryside.  He had been, to say, “marked by the machine”

Radius informed the group of his desire to head to Delend, he noted he had a vehicle capable of doing so but it needed time and iotum to be repaired, the group had everything they needed with the exception of a few containers of memetic gel. Speaking with Tsala, they learned that there was a community called blue cloud further down the river that was more established and may well have some. Tsala wanted to open up trade with this group similar to how the community had done with the blue tongues. She gave her blessing to make the journey there by water. The group went to Visso who was able to make alterations to a wagon so that it could be turned into a raft capable of making it down the river. 

On their journey the group encountered a creature known as a Grey singer, who communicated in song. The group attempted to respond, but they must have said or sang the wrong thing as the singer simply left. On the raft the group’s journey was largely uneventful save for an encounter between a cloud-like creature that was very interested in Kristopher, transforming one of his cyphers before departing.

Several days later the group arrived on the shore and following the map they received from Tsala, made their way safely to Bleu Cloud where they were first encountered by the Ranger Diada. She was very suspicious of the group, as Blue Cloud has recently lost its defender and had come under attack by a tribe of “demons” that given the description, the group was fairly certain were the abhuman Magyr. After convincing Diada that they were simply traders and representatives of a new community down (or up) river, and that they could help, she brought them to the town leader, and it is here that we leave our heroes to find out what shall pass next time….

Diada led the heroes to Nalisor, the leader of Blue Cloud who informed the group about the current situation with the attacking demons (Magyr) and the absence of their protector, the Nightwalker. The Nightwalker appears to be an enigmatic cloud type entity, faintly luminescent and blue in color (for which the community was named) that has not been seen in a number of days. This happens from time to time, but it seems that the Magyr have taken this opportunity to attack the community. Several have been killed or carried off, including one of the town defenders, Baraton and a number of homes have been damaged. The group, now interested in this situation and concerned for the locals, agrees to help in exchange for two of the samples of memetic gel that Nalisor has in the town vault, plus room and board. At his request, Diada leads the group to the home of Serri, who after the recent loss of her parents to a wasting disease, has some room to spare. 

From Serri they learn a bit more of the community and the missing Baraton, who happens to be her partner. As the characters are getting settled in the sounds of alarm go up, the Magyr are attacking! The heroes challenge a squad of the attacks and emerge victorious. As battle rages on they hear screams and cries for help coming for a burning home. Kristopher acts as a one man bucket brigade, while Callan, using his esoteries, puts the inhabitants into a sort of protective stasis. Once I/O gets the doors open the two quickly ferry the trio out to safety.

The Magyr are repelled, but not without losses in the community. Diada though now finds her suspicions of the characters to be abetted and tells them what she knows of the situation, including Baraton’s discovery of something called the Grove of the Sleeper. Searching Baraton’s jackets and room, they find a map of this place and as bizarre jagged claw shaped bric a brac that Callan simply cannot leave behind. Returning to Serri’s home they meet Kley, the third ranger. He seems pleasant and helpful, which is a surprise to all except Serri, as he is typically known for being surly and difficult. The group is just ready to leave when Nalisor approaches. He is starting to doubt that the Nightwalker will return, he asks the group if they can scout the demon caves to get an idea of what they are up against so that he and the remaining rangers can begin to plan. The group agrees and heads out north.

On the way following Baraton’s map the group goes off track and passes under an archway that causes them to time skip ahead most of the day. Reaching the Grove they find a series of stone structures shaped like prisms (rectangular triangular cylinders, devoid of color on the exterior side but vibrantly colored on the interior. The whole area is pleasantly colorful and emits a pleasant and pleasing aroma (except for Kristopher who finds it debilitatingly nauseating) the examine the altar and the surrounding area to discover that something rather large was taken and manages by exerting a fair amount of effort to determine that the tracks were heading back to Blue Cloud. This discovery is quickly followed by a surprise strike by a wandering group of Magyr, however our heroes manage to vanquish this group. The question remains…what was taken from the Grove of the Sleeper…and by who ?

Having taken a Magyr prisoner the heroes, unable to gain the information they need via conversation, decide to use the Memory Collector to get what they need. Kristopher  removes several weeks of memory and, touching the synth ball containing it, experiences a series of events as if watching them through the abhuman’s eyes that are so terrible that  it causes an injurious mental backlash. He is able to learn that Baraton, the missing ranger is dead, that Kley, the third ranger, was captured and tortured by a group of Magyr and was let go when he claimed he could “get rid of the Nightwalker” Kristopher also learned that there was a secret entrance into the cave network, which itself was the home to roughly 100 Magyr.

Taking this information back to Blue Cloud, they immediately went to Diada and Nalisor and explained what they had learned. The group all decide to go to Kley’s home and, after cornering him inside, learn that he took the Sleeper of the Grove, which is the form that the Nightwalker is forced to take in daylight, and has it trapped in his cellar. IO and Diadra go down and remove the glowglobes preventing darkness from touching it, only to have the creature rapidly change and expand into the slightly luminescent cloud and break through Kley’s home  to return to the sky. All but Callan, who lucky managed to propel himself through a window to the outside, are notably banged up by the unexpected incident. Everyone searches to make sure each other are alright and all are found except Kley, who has disappeared without a trace.

Things become a bit more calm in Blue Cloud the next morning, however the Heores and the leaders of the Aldiea are still concerned for the missing community member who, due to Kristopher’s examination of the Magyr’s memories are likely still alive but will soon be consumed by the abominable abhumans. They make their way to the secret entrance, activate some sort of platform that takes them down below where a corridor with some sort of mechanical arm and banged up old machinery can be found. Using their talents to circumvent and disable the arm, the group unfortunately does not realise until too late that the  machinery is in reality an automation - a disassemble - that the group battles and defeated before moving forward into an open room where they encounter no one but a mated pair of Gnaths, who attempted to attack and presumably devour the characters. The Gnath failed and the heroes managed to slay the beasts, leaving them with an interesting machinery before them. What does it do and might it help them in their quest to save the missing people of Blue Cloud?

Session 8

Working to take apart the mysterious device, IO is able to  retrieve several units of iotum and an acidic resonator, which the group uses to spray their weapons to improve their ability to damage opponents. The search the attached rooms, each filled with circular cubbies some of which are sealed with a waxy substance. Fortune favors them as they find the equivalent of a unit of mimetic gel, the substance that Radius needs to repair his conveyance,  in a few of the cubbies.  Making their way down an access tube in the form of a slippery synth pipe, the heroes find themselves in a large domed room with a number of metallic grey statues of magyr and a large machine, fixed to the ceiling. in the middle. As the group moves, the machine, sensing their presence, comes to life and attempts to grab them. It cannot  grab Callan, as he is out of phase, but Kristopher is not so lucky as the large hand grips him, its fingers cutting into him as it does so. It sprays him with a quick hardening liquid, the same color as  the statues. It is then that the group realises that the statues are not statues but real magyr which have been processed by the automation, known as the entomber. Callan’s force blasts manage to shatter its metal casing, rendering it inoperable, while IO works tirelessly to take down the makeshift but sturdy barrier closing this room off from the others.

Using the memories that Kristopher gleaned from the memory stealer, our heroes navigate successfully past the danger zones populated by the majority of Magyr. Our heroes stumble upon a particularly vile smelling room, vile enough to cause Callan to lose his lunch, populated by two Magyr who are quickly dispatched. In the next room, a Magyr champion, the largest of the foul abhumans any of the group has ever seen,  is encountered in a strange cube of running water. The Champion, despite his physical prowess, is no match for the heroes, who then manage to find two of the missing townsfolk, Orrin and Easa, as well as the traveler Zara, who herself is in a dazed and fugue state from a head injury. The 6 now make their way back up the synth pipe, no longer having to worry about the entomber. On the way out of the Demon Caves the group realizes, only two of the three prisoners were from the aldeia of Blur Cloud. Easa notes that Zep is still missing, having been taken out of the room by the Magyr earlier.

After debating how to keep the already rescued survivors safe, our heroes descended once more into the depths of the Demon Caves in search of the last kidnapping victim. The only room left in the wing where the others were found is, unfortunately, the torture room. Opening the door reveals a human male, most likely Zep, who is strapped to a blood stained table surrounded by 2 magyr champions. He is injured but in one piece. The vile creatures take up arms but are unable to overcome Callan’s Onslaught, Kristophers’ Slug thrower and claws, and IO's spear. The group, prepared to flee with the still injured Zep, comes across a quartet of Magyr, a hunting party who have come back with their catch. Kristopher taunts and goads them into standing and fighting instead of running away, a smart move as the quick to anger abhumans attack with a fury. The group emerges victorious over their opponents and still manage to get themselves and the emancipated townsfolk back to the surface with relative quiet and safety, the 100 or so Magyr that remain in the caverns being none the wiser. Now having rejoined the group of survivors, time must be taken to figure out how to get the civilians that have now been made free back home. But what awaits our heroes once they return to Blue Cloud?

Session 9

On their way back to the community with their rescuers, Callan has a strange encounter with a floating orb made of a combination of synth and crystal. The thing, which he later identifies as a Cuiddit, is noisy and bright but follows him and the group playfully, bleeping, blooping and glittering along the way. Our heroes best guess it that the creature is largely benign and simply curious.

At Blue Cloud they reunite family with friends. All except Zara, the wandering nomad. The group learns that a funeral for Baraton and the other lost souls during the raid is poised to take place the next day. They meet with Nalisor who provides them with their payment plus a few extra cyphers of no use to the community. They then meet Diada, who is in a heated argument with a young woman named Isha, her apprentice. Or is this the case. Both part ways after strong disagreement of Isha’s duties and responsibilities and if those can ever be brought in line with Isha’s hopes and “flights of fancy. The youth rushes off, allowing for Diada to vent to the group. She professes Isha is a good youth and capable, but perhaps with everything that has happened lately, and especially with her added burdens due to the deaths of the other Blue Rangers, Isha needs someone who is not constantly carrying the park on their lone shoulders now that Baraton is dead and Kley is “gone”

IO finds and approaches the youth and after a lengthy conversation an offer is put across to the young energetic and ambitious woman, travel with the group and learn what it means to make a difference. Isha, not believing at first, agrees wholeheartedly once she realizes the offer is genuine. It is clear to IO and the others that there is much work to be done. In the same vein, Zara, having recovered naturally from the blow to her head, speaks of travelling with her liberators for a time, as has been her habit since youth. Normally she goes along but after last time she appreciates the strength in numbers.

Daida and Nalisor express their gratitude and their mild concern regarding the groups decision to take Isha along. However the memorial ceremony is the next day, the entire town makes a progression out to the Dias where items and candles are lit in silent prayer. The candle IO is handed causes a stir until someone recognizes the large black candle that IO was given. The item is deemed inappropriate for the festival and another option is thankfully substituted in, allowing the group to participate in services.

Once the service clears, Nalisor bids the group safe journey and lets them know that they will forever have friends and a place to stay at Blue Cloud. The group makes it way as far as finding their modified cart raft and builds camp for the night. IO and Isha briefly talk, Isha promising to not let the group down and thanking them for this opportunity.  Kristopher, on the other hand, encounters trouble. Lizard-like beasts with bug-like faces, Tachyrons, who perceive the present differently from normal men. Thanks to Kristopher’s gifts he is able to see them coming as they come and as they already have gone. Rousing the group, IO shifts between a protective stance and projectiles, Kristopher strikes with hand and fist (and later boot to the backside), and Callan locks the hungry predators away in stasis to be dealt with in smaller more manageable groups. 

After a pitched battle full of risk the creatures, bloodied and realising that our heroes are no easy prey, run away back into the forest. Though they must fight the current, the group appears to be ready to brave the return trip to the Amber Glave. What will they find when they return?

Our 5 heroes, having rested after their battle with the Tachyrons, fashion some paddles and poles out of nearby harvested wood (a pale, birch-like wood with pale cerulean swirls) and begin their journey back up stream. Their first night of camping by the river side starts fairly uneventful, Kristopher regales the group with interesting stories by a roaring campfire, an ochre quadradeer is hunted and prepared, truly a peaceful night under the moon and its green belt. 

Peaceful until Callan’s Cuiddit starts to act in a bizarre fashion, emitting mauve pulsing lights and repetitive high pitch “phweee!” sounds. Curious, Callan does not notice the slimy translucent creature grab him with one of its 11 tentacles, trying to pull him into it. He shouts out and wakes his companions. Who set out to free him and drive the creature off. A difficult beast to hit, with the entire team on top of it they manage to seriously injure it and drive it back into the river. During the fight, one of its tentacles was severed and began to act on its own, trying to strangle Kristopher. Pinning the thing to the ground they are able to assess it to be a ___, a slippery creature known to live near the water and devour its prey by dissolving them in its innards.

The group continues on the next day, not as well rested as they would like due to the early morning attack. They make it most of the way back up the river but reach a point where their muscles are too strained to continue, They find a fairly defensible campsite. A soft grassy area about 10 meters squares nestled inside and henge of stubby finger like rocks connected to the land by a series of large stones. Fish are caught and - after losing an ore due to accidents and rough waters, Kristopher and Zara set to using the fibers form a number of very large leaves to fashion some ropes and other add-ons to make the boat a bit more useful and secure.

IO and Isha on the other hand come across a lone individual, who identifies as Aedric of Far Brohne, that claims to be exploring the woods. He seeks to find all the hidden places no one knows of and to become the leading expert on the area. IO is cautious, it is after all not common to happen upon lone travelers out in The Beyond. He sends Isha back to bring the others. While Callan makes his way back with her, IO manages to make a favorable trade of cyphers. After questioning the trio for all that they know of the area and about their community, the two groups part ways amicably.

The third day sees the heroes make their way back to the Amber Keep, only to notice a large structure, balanced on a pale yellow column of flame, just outside of the Amber Keep. Making use of his Farspeaker, Kristopher manages to parley with the at first confused owner? Pilot? Manager? Of the strange thing. For all intents and purposes this craft, which the owner Sparadhi refers to as “The Burning Column” seems to be a wandering party craft that stops at communities along the way for socializing and trade. Attempts to get a feel for the “hosts” motives suggest that his intentions are benign. The group makes their return to a more developed Amber Keep -there are more huts, the walls look bigger and stronger, and the wooden watch tower is mostly complete - as the Burning Column descends and “parks” flameless on the ground just outside of the community. The group meets up with  Radius, and happily provides him with the mimetic gel needed to finish the work on his conveyance.

Tsala comes to the group and tells them of this vessel that appears a few hours prior to the heroes. She notes that Sparadhi has invited the town aboard to see his craft and to trade. She notes that after everything they have experienced here she feels a bit uneasy, some of the towns folks, Visso and Nort among them, have already gone aboard. She asks if Callan, Kristopher and Io can accept his invitation to better figure out the true story here. They agree, wondering what  they will find aboard this strange numenera mansion that travels on a column of flame.

At Tsala’s request the group with tier followers make their way towards the now “parked” Burning Pillar with Kristopher seeming especially intent on rounding up the missing community members. As they make it onto the Pillar’s front deck they are greeted by a radiant and animated woman, whom they quickly learn is the steward of the Pillar, the individual known as Sparadi during the communication between Kristopher and via the Farspeaker cypher. 

She greets them warmly and emphatically, noting that several of the townsfolk have already made their way aboard and that all were welcome to come aboard, to eat drink and be merry. A bit of a conversation begins between IO, Kristopher, and Sparadi, Callan choosing to remain silent and observant despite Sparadi’s occasional attempts to make him a more active participant in the conversation.  The group is able to learn that the Pillar was originally the possession of Sparadi’s mother and that she has spent nearly her whole life on it, travelling around the southern edges of the Steadfast and the Beyond. Though she calls herself the Steward or the Owner, she typically lets it steer itself where it wishes to go, stopping at the different communities along the way, trading in everything from provisions, shins, cyphers, and rumours. She has a very interesting philosophy, to go out and to be merry, to see what one is able to see, experience what one is able to experience, to share in what one has and what makes one special. 

After bringing the conversation to a pleasant and amicable end, the heroes make their way deeping into the mansion-like construction that rests atop the pillar and that Sparadi calls home. The main hall is a huge open area with irregular brass staircases heading up to a second and third floor, a giant multi colored crystal chandelier hands from the ceiling projecting a calming multicoloured light all over the chamber. To each side are rooms filled with food, drink and people making merry, including some of the inhabitants of Amber Keep.

Kristopher is on a mission, first approaching Kadri, encouraging his fellow Arkus to leave the festivities if only for a while while dodging the insistent inquiries from the elderly Elgom, who Kadri points out is suffering from a terminal disease and spending the rest of her life in adventure.

Kristopher then moves on to engage with Lagim, a rare visitant known as a Varjellen. The Wright is fascinated by Lagim and doesn't appreciate having his conversation broken up  by one such as Kristopher, who is intent on ending it. Krirstopher manages, though not before Lagim, who himself is a bit of a craftsman, decides to sell Visso a carved wooden figure of a broken hound. The Varjellan has not had much contact with humans prior to its time on the Burning Column, and is therefore very inquisitive as to what the local det up to on a day to day basis.

Meanwhile IO and Callan, content to let Kristopher work his social magic, come across a short stocky man, well dressed with a topknot by the name of Mondris. Mondris is carrying a brass platter full of samples of blue bars with golden and silver veins coming through them, served on an edible red leaf. He encourages the  pair to try one, which IO does. Once eaten it  gives him a warm feeling, causing his veins to lighten with a golden and silver tinge. This goes away, but leaves him with Golden Iris’s and silver lines in the cornea. Mondrsi mentions that this does not happen every time, but only to those who “have a special destiny” He then continues off in the direction of Zoyin. Callan takes note of a well muscled woman with a stronglass arm. She is amusing Nort, Visso’s brother, by breaking things with it.

Callan must suddenly phase shift to avoid the attack by a crazed man, the man, who has a number of sparking protrusions from his scalp, falls taking out a table with it. The other guests are quick to get Sparadi who warns the man, a nano called Beverec, that one more outburst and he will be dropped off in the middle of nowhere. She asks Callan and the woman with the Stronglass arm, who goes by Thule, to take Beverec to his room upstairs. Sparadi apologises profusely for the disruption to the pleasant mood.

Krisptopher, who as just managed to free himself from the unintelligible ramblings of a man missing all of his teeth on the left side of his mouth and who reeks of booze, enters the room and makes his way towards where Zoyin is in conversation with Mondris, he tries one of Mondris’ creations, but his eyes remain unchanged. He successfully impresses upon Zoyin that there will be more time later to return and socialise before turning his attention to the last remaining member of the Amber Keep aboard the Burning Pillar - Nort.

Nort has been watching Thule with unabashed awe use her arm to crush, squeeze and break objects, and even engaged in an armwrestling competition that she allowed to go on longer than necessary. Kristopher approaches Nort, who is glad to see the Arkus, and is about to leave disappointed with him back to the village when Thule intervenes, stating that she is not impressed with Kristopher intruding on their good time. Some words are exchanges and a wager is made, with Zara and Thule, convinced by Kristopher to use her human arm, will arm wrestle to determine if Nort will head back to the Amber Keep, or if he and Thule will continue their afternoon uninterrupted with Kristopher picking up his duties for the rest of the day. Zara, though putting forth a strong effort, fails. And sure enough Kristopher keeps his word leaving the appreciative Nort behind. 

IO and Kristopher also wish to discuss trade, as it is something that Sparadhi has alluded to doing in The Amber Keep as well as other communities she has stopped at in their travels. Among the items that Sparadhi has it is the jewel of the collection -  an Analyzing Shield. Kristopher offers the Slugspitter, to which Sparadhi is willing, so long as the group can sweeten the deal a bit. Some back and forth occurs when IO comes up with the unique and intriguing idea of trading a memory of his along with the slug splitter for the shield. As what this entails is explained to the curious Sparadhi, she becomes more intrigued and agrees. IO thinks back to the time that he explored a series of numenera ruins with his then ward, Nicholas. It was during this time that he had lost his ward in the ruins to another dimension and when he had vowed to search in all corners to fine something - anything - from the present and any prior worlds that would allow IO to find his ward and bring him back home. It was during this excursion that the decision to become a Delve became solidified in his mind. IO carefully instructs Kristopher what memory to take, and Kristopher has success, but while removing the memory of the ruins, the memory of how Nate disappeared and of the event that made up IO’s to choose his profession left as well.

IO still knows of Nicolas, knows that he disappear and still wasn't to find him, however when pressed for the details of why he became a Delve and what happened in the temple, his mind draws a foggy grey blank, even when Sparadi tries to inform him of his ward’s fate second hand. The memory is gone, surgically removed to leave no damage to his purpose and other memories, just some bizarre hiccups in the knowledge of others.

Kristopher is handed the shield, Sparadhi is left wondering if t perhaps she pushed herself too far as the synth ball crumbles and IO’s memories  enter her mind as her’s. IO is struggling to recall some important information. Sparadi in her concern decides to provide  IO with a small token of, a pen whose ink is only visible in the cold. With a deep respectful bow Sparadhi promises to safeguard IO’s memories for the rest of her days

That evening the pillar starts to slowly circle the village, its movement being what is responsible for its odd music while a number of citizens return to enjoy the rare opportunity that such a place provides to those who live out in the wild. Kristopher decides to head over to Tsala’s home instead, where they have a long evening talk over a few drinks and Tsala confesses to having a crisis of confidence as a leader as of late. Kristopher is able to sooth her concerns and the pair have a pleasant evening together before Callan and IO stop by to check in.

The next morning the Heroes, accepting an invitation from Sparadi, make their way towards the Pillar for a breakfast  buffet of fruits, breads, and cheeses. Kristopher invites Tsala, who  finds his company increasingly pleasant and desirable, to dine with him. Callan makes an attempt to do the same with Thule, who appears to be more focused and infatuated with the currently absent Nort, and is rebuffed.  The meal is a pleasant one, until a distressed looking Visso approaches Thule inquiring as to the whereabouts of his brother Nort. Both seem to be under the impression that Nort was with the other and, their conversation now being noticed across the hall, cannot find him anywhere. The group inquires into the matter and sadly the information both can provide has relatively few answers to the burning question on the Burning Pillar, “Where is Nort?”

Visso and Thule’s worried conversation has begun to spread to the rest of the festivities, garnering the attention of Kristopher, Tsala, Callan and IO, who inquire about the matter. It also draws the attention of the recently arrived Thremody, a Risk-taking Wright who Battles Automations and Sepherith, a Mutant Glaive who Constantly Evolves. Both have been working with Visso and Nort over the last little while while the rest of our heroes had journeyed to the adelia of Blue Cloud. Arriving at the source of distress, Tsala conducts an awkward and belated introduction. 

Thremody, Callan, and IO have the idea that Berevec may be responsible for Nort’s absences. They confront him, he starts off sad and lonely, lamenting his tragic tale for the trio before said tale in itself causes him to begin to become angry. IO swoops in and ingeniously deescalates Beverec’s bottled range into sadness, after which the poor broken Nano just wants to lay down and be alone. He claims to have no knowledge of Nort and the group complies, returning downstairs. A number of other patrons Senmin, the half-toothed drunkard, Thule, who had spent the majority of the day before with Nort and the varjellan Lagim all volunteered to  assist.

IO and Isha, they head to the exterior as despite Visso’s instances that Nort did not return home, that did not mean that he had not found his way somewhere else outside of the Burning Pillar, cleverly triangulating  the circular path of the pillar around the Amber Keep IO determines that wherever Nort may be, it must be somewhere on the Burning Pillar as he clearly did not set foot outside. Using his skills and triangulating the path he is able to conduct this search in about a quarter of the time that a less experienced Delve would need, enabling IO and Isha to return to assist with the search.

Sepherith pairs up with Lagim, both of whom find the other interesting in their uniqueness, Lagim begins to ask many questions of Sepherith regarding his tentacles, having never seen a human such as him. The two engage in a conversation regarding being “different” from the majority and in their friendly chat, maybe pay a little less attention to the search. Thremody has a bit less luck with his partner, as Senmin is quite inebriated and unintelligible, and as such spends almost as much time searching as keeping Senmin upright.   Callan partners with Thule hoping to edge in a bit of romance, but finds her to be completely oblivious to any advances, it becomes clear that she only has eyes for Nort.

Kristopher and Zara appear to also have little luck in their search as well, but eventually the pair runs into Threnody and Callan.Shortly after Sepherim and then IO arrives just on the heels of Sparadi, who has an uncharacteristically worried expression on her face, she informs the adventurers that they must have been drawn to the pillar for it holds the door to what Sparadi calls “The heart of the pillar” Sparadi explains it as a strange palace, almost alive. It is a whimsical playful place that she used to go in and play with years ago when she was but a child, but became harder and harder to get into. But perhaps not for Nort, given his very child-like mind and demeanour. She urges the group to  open up their heart to gain access. Kristopher give an emotive speech and tries to gain access, only not having enough

To force his way in. Callum  and his phasing abilities are brought into play, he opens up to imagine what his unknown childhood would be, visions of purplish blue nebula drift across his mind as he opens his imagination and taps a previously unknown childhood sense of wonder. He then reaches into the wall to pull the heptagonal door open revealing the condensed dimension beyond. Sparadhi, amazed to the point of near speechlessness, tries to reach in  but a field the form of the door blocks only her, and only in the spots that she would touch. She appears sad and crestfallen as one by one the group is able to enter. She cautions them on the maze and warns them not to lay down and sleep as the Heart find it rude

The heroes all  enter and find a room where the floor and ceiling are all covered in a dense rolling golden fog that is around ankle deep the ceiling appears to be much the same. The walls appear to be made out of some glass like-substance. Behind these walls are the flaming rainbows, There are two corridors running in opposite directions, each has a golden that rolls in like a hazy fog making it impossible to see what lies at the other end. The group decides on the left corridor and ends up in a single room with a heptagonal window apparently peering out into the dining area where everyone had breakfast. All are surprised when Senmin reaches through the porthole and grabs a hunk of cheese bringing it back though to eat. Others experiment with this  feature before continuation on down the next corridor, calling out to Nort in the hopes that he will respond, if able.

The corridor offers a challenge as it appears to be both occupying the space of another perpendicular path, but not all at the same time. With a bit of effort the heroes  make their way through this strange nearly incomprehensible  passage, though find it extremely mentally taxing. The next chamber is similar but has a transparent face on the wall. IO studies it only to have it, in turn, study him, copying every expression the Delve makes until the group leaves heading in what they hope to be a northerly direction. It is here that they find Nort, asleep and partially sunken into the floor. They are unable to wake him, but Sepherith, taking advantage of the tentacles that serve as his arms, wrap them as best he can around Nort and with some assistance, pull the large man free of the floor.

Nort immediately wakes up, a bit unsure of where he is at and glad to see his friends, he thanks them all for finding him and wants to go home. At the door he is happy to see Thule and with a hearty thanks goes off to spend time with her. 

Sparadhi, still saddened by the heart's lack of desire for her to go in, laments that perhaps it is time for her and the pillar to leave the community and perhaps this is why her mother gave her the Burning Pillar when and in the manner she did. Kristopher, saddened and sympathetic, uses his talents and assists Sparadi in finding the childhood spark. She opens the door, and is completely speechless, the finery she has built around her persona melts away  and every part of her being radiates joy. She informs the heroes of her everlasting gratitude and tells each of them to select any one cypher that she has as her thanks. As she heads into the Heart she tells the group that it is her intent to continue on her journey in the evening and to please spreads the word that she will be leaving then. She informs them as the door closes that she will not be available for most of the day, she will be busy getting reacquainted with an ‘old friend’

Sure enough  people, mostly those already living in the Amber keep begin to leave, though a few of Sparadhi’s guests decide to give the community a shot. They include Thule, who as become enamored with Nort, Senmin, whose pleasant but unintelligible speech remains a bit of a mystery, and Beverec, who has decided to leave the Pillar and try to live up to IOs encouraging words, maybe this is where he can do it. With that the pillar irises up on its column of flame and departs sought towards the Cold Desert. The heroes themselves will soon turn in as they have a journey soon ahead of them as well.

With the departure of the Burning Pillar, life returns to what passes for normality in the community of Amber Keep. Callan takes advantage of the lull to recover from his experiences whileKristpoher and Zara speak with the quiet and reclusive Gennd regarding the salvaging of iotum to help Zara learn to craft cyphers. An accord is struck where Gennd will exchange knowledge for resources and the possibility of further beneficial exchanges has been entertained. Krstopher appears to find Gennd a bit of a mystery, constantly dressed in unrevealing black clothing, her cat-like eyes almost glowing in the dark, perhaps something to pursue further at a later date.

IO and Thremody take the time to make plans for future developments and work to attempt to disassemble a few cyphers and oddities to find  their composite iotum or the seeds of a plan to perhaps build something more. The pair discuss needed materials for the farspeaking pylon or tower that Thremody wishes to construct to link the community with others.IO is interested in trying to develop a device that could aid in the search for Nicholas, his former ward. Together they manage to make some progress, with Thremody condensing an iotum into a banishing node and IO finding the beginnings of how to construct a spatial warp ring.

Thremody later meets up with Sepherihm, Visso, Nort, and Thule. They are patching up a weakness in the stone wall that surrounds the community while making peasant conversation. Nort cheerful and childlike as ever simply cannot get enough of the Glaive when he wags his tentacles and encourages Thule to show him the “cool trick” she can do by crushing rocks with her stronglass arm. Much praise is heaped upon the Glaive for his help, especially by Nort who remembers his rescue (well to a point at least). It is around this time that, fresh from the rudimentary workshop they have set up in their hut, Thremody arrives on the scene to help.They and Visso strike up a grand conversation about what can be done to improve the strength and quality of life in the community, with the suggestion of using baked drit in place of wood when possible construction going forward. Conveniently Tremody with Sepherihm’s aid has the chance to test another application by using said innovation to help shore up a section of weakly set wall. 

Midday meal soon comes, and the community meeting at Tsala’s cottage that the Kadri pronounced earlier in the day, banging his metal rod on the large synth disc to attract the listening ear of all, has begun. The group can see their friends, followers and contemporaries present as Tsala welcome and thanks all, new and old for all of the hard work that they have done thus far. She tables the question of what might need doing, to which Callan and Kristopher raise the question of Griff’s farm.Griff, turning his hat in his hands like a steering wheel on a conveyance, mentions that it will be a while before the crops are ready but he has nowhere to store it. Some back and forth go on and the idea that a storehouse or a grainery, preferably with a root cellar be constructed. Visso mentions the possibility of an oven to make baked drit blocks, a conversation that turns into the decision to build a workshop after the stores have been completed. Senmin also makes a few strong points, or at least thats what those in attendance assume the incoherent mutterings mean.

At the end of the meeting, Radius steps up and announces his intention to depart the community in search of his sibling, a notion that causes Thremody to roll their eyes. He hopes that the tendril crawler, now repaired, will bring them to and fro quickly. He thanks his friends and companions for all they have done to this point and for the upcoming help on the journey ahead. With that the meeting is dismissed. The group helps Radius rig a few extra seats to the conveyance and, after a heartfelt exchange between Tsala and Kristopher, where the former gives a gift of a stamp that denotes edible food to the latter, the group say their goodbyes and set off into the approaching sunset.

The journey starts off quiet and easy, the 8 travellers (9 if Callan’s cuiddit can be counted). The first day’s journey puts them on a hill overlooking the grand sprawling city of Rarmon, capital of the Paythorian Empire and home to the Empress Challadien III. The heroes decide to save their shins and make camp on the hillside, which allowed both IO and Kristopher to bear witness to the unknown to them rare sight of the Sunken Palace, levitating out of its resting place near the city centre turning and awash with a field of gasoline technicolour, turning and then setting back down. Though a few kilometres away, Kristopher is able to use his gifts to view the events as if he were on the paving path across the street from it. He describes the sights he sees close up to IO who recalls the stories and rumours that he himself has heard of the Sunken Palace, wondering if perhaps just perhaps there may be marvels within that would allow him to better pursue his goal. He asks Radius the next day that, if at all possible, they may be able to stop at Rarmon on the way back, to which the metal man agrees.

Not more than a few hours into the second day’s journey, the group notices smoke and then an oddly shaped crashed nightswimmer in the fields ahead. As they approach, a number of 8 foot tall Oorgolian soldier, each armed with either a slugspitter or beam emitter, approaches and in harmonic machine language, which only Kristopher appears able to understand (Thremody is unsure if they believe that Radius can’t) asks if the group is responsible for the “termination of movement” of the vessel. After establishing that they are not, the automations direct them towards a 5 sided porthole to enter and fix the ship. Time is apparently of the essence, as there is an impending “Termination of Delight” coming on if nothing is done.

The porthole leads to a long cord as wide as a human foot, that extense 300m in this structure that should simply not be this big on the outside and connects with a large suspended cube. Kristopher starts to regale the trio with a helpful anecdote about tightrope walking, but the chamber causes his voice to reverberate and become so loud that the cords begin to shake and tremble, making movement impossible until they stop. A clever way to cross using one of Thremody’s oddities is devised to get across within Sepherith basically pulling them across while Callan and Kristopher stand guard in the small exterior room. Sepherith slips! But is thankfully able to grasp IOs outstretched waiting hand. He climbs back up and the trio is able to safely get across to the cold room on the other side.

This second room, also larger than it should be, is a virtual labyrinth composed of 12 foot slabs of dark synth with irregular light trails running across them in no discernible pattern. Thremody recognizes these as databases, storing an untold wealth of information in a non physical form. Resisting the temptation, They along with IO and Sepherith make their way through the jumble, this time exiting out of a bioluminescent water garden. In the centre appears to be a 4th  passage in an apple core shaped configuration, Semi-circular portholes would appear to grant access.

Before much action can be taken, IO begins to feel an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach, as if danger is near. A yellow swarm , duller than the bright blues greens and yellows of the garden engulfs IO in their cloud nipping, biting and stinging. Seraphim and Thremody attack the swarm with fire and energy, doing enough damage to drive them off of the unfortunate Delve, who in turn uses a sweeping deluge of fire to try to flush out the rest of the now greatly reduced swarm., but also causing a not insignificant part of this forest to be set ablaze.

This fact does not go unknown to the Oorgolian Soldiers, who level their slugspitters asn Kristopher and Callan, who had been at that moment mulling over perhaps going deeper in to help their companions stating that their trust in the party has apparently been greatly misplaced and that they should prepare to meet their “deity, progeniture, creator, manufacturer, transcendent entity”. How will they get out of this?

Session 14

Staring down the barrel of an Oorgolian Slugspitter Kristopher unleashes a verbal barrage so intense that the automation takes notice. At this point thoroughly fed up with conditions and the strange dialog of the Oorgolians, Kristopher convinces them to take he and Callan deep into the nightswimmer and to determine the cause of the fire. Using their articulate toes to grasp the cords and their knowledge of the layout to navigate the labyrinth, it takes minutes for them to get to the bioluminescent garden, where IO has successfully used an extendable hose to extinguish the burns sections of the area.  

Once the group is all together Kristopher makes his way in and investigates the situation. As it would turn out, the centre of this inner chamber has a large 5 to 10 foot diameter sphere that is in reality a dimensional portal, used by the nightswimmer as an engine. He and Callan are quickly able to determine that normally such an anomaly would shift from dimension to dimension, changing its end point and thus generating whatever energy is necessary for the vessel to move as it should, but at present something was keeping it locked in on the current location, which appeared from every angle to be a room made of blue crystal from the vantage point of a door. It was also determinable that the root cause of the portal being “stuck” was on the other side.

Stepping through the experience of dimensional travel was disorientating for some, and injurious for Kristopher. Callan, being ultraterrestrial in nature, found the journey as taxing as seeping from one room to another, however he did discover that for some reason he could not phase through objects in this realm, which immediately consisted of a large greeting hall three stories tall with winding staircases leading up. The doorway they stepped through was a wash of magenta energy, as were the numerous windows high up above.

As the group marched up with Callan in the lead, two blue crystal skulls with glowing red eyes wreathed in fuchsia flames descended and spoke to Callan in a language they could not understand but Kristopher, thanks to the use of his comprehension worm, could. He understood that the beings before them were inquiring about their purpose in the tower and if they were here under the direction of “The Master”. After a few tries, the skulls, which spoke as one, were able to effectively converse with Kristopher and to explain that normally the tower moves from dimension to dimension  and this procedure was powered by thought. It was however no longer working as the master dreamed a dream and thought into being a device to aid its servants, but apparently had had an unfortunate series of consequences.

Having convinced the glowing skulls that their intentions were help, the group moved up three floors past a number of curious glass diodes and bubbles connected via tubes funnelling strange liquids and  gases, tables covered in carved runic script, archaic looking suits of armour with vermillion mist wafting gently out of the face plates ant finally the room up top. In this room half blocked by the solid blue crystal, something roughly human sized appears to be embedded within so deep as to be just barely perceptible to the naked eye. Along this wall runs a machine made of glittering precious metals and that allow s through clear tubing made of an indiscernible material pumping unknown fluids throughout. It would appear that this machine, though intended to facilitate dimensions shifting from world to world and reality to reality while protecting the towers integrity from adverse dimensional trappings, has actually caused the tower to become stuck on the nightswimmer’s portal. It is now up to Thremody and IO to take the thing apart, a difficult task as the whole of the machine appears to have been fitted together as if it has always existed in this state. They are successful, with IO salvaging a number of different iotums, shins and parts and Thremody, narrowing their search, manages to salvage some pliable metal needed for their project back in Amber Keep.

Now that the machine has been disassembled its effects have passed, Callan is able to once again be out of phase and the tower starts to tremble and shudder, the magenta and white lights flicker and flash outside the windows. The heroes begin to leave asking the skulls if this is normal. While it is not, they surmise that it is an effect of the tower’s inactivity while linked to the portal. They state that the heroes are well welcome to stay to see the next destination, an intriguing prospect to some, but should leave now if they wish to return to their previous reality. Shortly after the group returns to the Oorgolian nightswimmer, the portal shifts and now appears to look out upon deep space, before shifting again to something else a few minutes later. The Oorgolians offer a gift of a cypher as gratitude for the group’s aid, Kristopher manages to convince them to part with a slugspitter in place of that.

Voyaging onwards confident that they have done right by the strange automations and that hopefully soon they will leave and any conflict that would have resulted once they began to explore the nearby area and settlements, they come to a rest by a river near the border between the Pytharon Empire and the province of Malevich. The night brings pleasant opportunities to rest, recuperate, and even relax, however it is not long after the heroes set out the next morning that trouble is discovered. The tendril crawler approaches a bit of scrubland where the dishevelled and grease form of a man appears to be lying face down in the  dirt, moaning and groaning in pain. Attempts to scan and go over the area turn up that it is a real flesh and blood human man, but is very much dead. 

The whole of the scenario, as many suspected, was indeed a trap. 10 Sathosh, 5 on each side, spring from the concealed hiding places that they covered with the disguised by nature shields. Sepherith pummels the villains with he tentacles, Kristopher bare knuckle brawls, Thremody cleverly converts and iotum to a beam weapon, Callan uses his mental assault to physically batter the faceless creatures and IO takes a defensive stance, calling out to his friends who may be at risk before mixing it up with the enemy. In the end, all but two of the Sathosh have fallen, the last two running back to where they came. Radius raises the suggestion that the pair of abhumans should be followed as other Sathosh live and travel in large packs, and such a grouping could spell disaster for any adelia in the area. It appears that the group has a beef with some abhumans, a beef they intend to bring to the creatures front door.

Our heroes allow the wounded Sathosh to flee into the distance and, making Radius’ suggestion their own, decide to follow them , IO and Isha taking point and doing the majority of the tracking, back to their colony. While Thremody has their doubts that Radius can truly empathize with the potential plight faced by any organic life, he seems genuine at the moment in his desire to do good and vanquish those who would harm the people of this region. With a bit of time and a lot of skill. IO and his follower are able to  follow the tracks back to a patch of brambles and bushes that have a large burrow 5 feet in diameter hidden among them. The tracks, two pairs of somewhat human prints, make their way up to this point and then stop.

The incline is a bit steep so Sepherith, taking advantage of his mutations, lowers himself by means of tentacles while IO tries to use his own talents with ropes. Both Are successful and assist the rest of the crew down with only Radius remaining on the surface. A helmet with a glowglobe fashioned to it is provided and Sepherith dons it, leading the way. The burrow continues to descend, only at a much more reasonable decline and open up to 8, 10, or twenty feet wide.

Callan’s Cuiddit choses this unfortunate moment to become rather noisy, alerting the Sathosh to a presence in the cavern of intruders. The bizarre tentacle-faced abhumans rally each other but their numbers fall to stop Callan’s onslaught, Io’s short and long ranged weapons, Kristopher’s slugspitter and bare fists, Thremody’s vaporizing iotum blast, and Sepherith’s forceful tentacle bashes that quickly win the day against the first wave of defenders. Shortly after as our heroes advance into the burrow, unable to determine what creature was responsible for creating it originally, a second wave of Sathosh warriors arrive followed quickly by a third. Having stomped and pounded on their shields with their weapons in an attempt to psych themselves up before rushing in, the heroes had time to ready themselves as well with Sepherith and IO mostly holding the line against the violent assaults of the abhumans (with IO using his cypher effected crude spear to jab and teleport randomly away) allowing Kristopher, Callan, and Thremody to act and support them from afar.

It is during this struggle that a lone Sathosh, dressed in  a much finer raiment made of shins synth and other materials, enters the fray. Unlike its lean, nearly emaciated cousins, this one has wiry  cord-like muscles over its entire body. It supports a long metal tube, with wires and smaller tubes running in and out of it, which it readies on its shoulder with the aid of its tentacle. It fires, just missing a number of the heroes, a fist sized rock which loudly shatters upon hitting the earthen wall. As the group whittles the number of Sathosh down, they turn their focus to eliminating the artefact wielder. It puts up a fight, but in the end suffers the same fate as all who challenge the heroes.

Investigating around the group are able to find a number of oddities as well as shins. They endeavor to explore the last 2 chambers in the burrow and at first discover a cesspit with a scent so foul that several  gag and turn back out, eyes already watering. Sepherith, less bothered than the others, decides that exploring it might have a result. It does, but not in the way he had hoped as a large crab clan grabs his tentacle and drags him down under in the foul murky water. The group hears the commotion and confronts a Mesomeme, horrible crab like beat with gibbering heads on its back. It takes a bit off effort but Sepherith is able to separate himself from its grip before it can use the other claw to sever his head and add it to its collection. Force blast, slugspitter, bow and arrow, and iotum blast are all called to bear on the horrific creature in effort to save their friend before it is too late. The beast is defeated, leaving its carcass in an appropriate resting place.

The last remaining room, which is entered much more carefully contains a bizarre looking configuration, a purple bulbous crystalline configuration, much in the same colour as the giant arm that the BlueTongues near the Amber Keep have used to shelter their community rest inside, oozing a clumpy purple blue ooze like substance. What does this do and what is it for, mysteries that will have to wait.

Thremody, Callan, and Sepherith behold the strange structure before them and with some hard work and study, are able to determine the device allows the one manipulating it to hear far off places, however it does not seem to give points of reference and there are no real clues to know where one is hearing at the moment (or search out a specific place). The “far listener” as Thremody describes it, is of interest and they try to suss out some plans for it, a difficult task especially negotiating in the hot sun. Efforts are appreciated and it is taken apart, with the plans and a number of parts and cyphers to show for it, as well as a sealed container filled with the blueish ooze that Callan collected beforehand

It is once they hit the open road the next day that they notice Khristopher and IO’s illness, neither can lift himself up and both seem to only be capable of unnaturally slow movement. A decision to head to the small agricultural community of Aagar where Radius understands a surgeon or medicine man can be found.. It is on their way their that a floating metal orb with a number of bizarre extensions.The automaton looks damaged, however after it scans both Radius and Sepherith, it  somehow hovers a palm sized black cube out to Seph and after an awkward few minutes it drops to the ground before continuing on. Radius believes the object to be some sort of artefact, but  is not knowledgeable enough regarding them to suggest what its purpose might be. The odd encounter seemingly self resolved, the group continues onward to  Aagar.

And at Aagar they arrive just as dusk settles, the sun’s angry red tail disappearing under the horizon. They are greeted by a small wary mob consisting of a half dozen or so villagers. The leader of the rabble, a woman named Jarkenn questions the characters as to their intent and satisfied with the explanation of seeking aid for ill friends. She directs them to Maxis, the local Aeon Priest who takes them to the long house. The Long house has a look as if someone placed an upside down canoe on top of a longboat. It is made with the same orangish sticky wood as every other building nearby the community’s centre. Inside the heroes notice a host of oddities mostly nature based such as the skeletons of strange creatures and a terrarium filled with iridescent beetles.

Applying diagnostic leeches, Maxis expresses his relief about having at least one problem that he may well be able to solve, unlike the issue with the disappearances. When pressed for more detail, Maxis reveals that lately there have been disappearances, first livestock, and lately people (“first the Yaris girl, but she was trouble and frankly no one really cared, but then it took Thod, who was well liked and now we are all a bit on edge) the multi paw beast drags off its victims, no one knows to where. He lets the heroes know that he will be able to eat the leeches the next day and plot a course of treatment for them, suggesting that they seek out Ogin, the brother of Thod, for lodgings as he shared his home with his brother and obviously now has some spare room.

Not much sleep is had as in the middle of the night a scream, sounding like that of an elderly woman, rang out in the night. The beast has claimed another victim. Our heroes arrive on the scene and attempt to track it east in the direction of the Black Riage’s foothills before losing the trail in the foliage and dark of night. Upon returning to Aagar, it is discovered that the victim is the much loved Elder Eda, who was apparently attacked on the way to her outbuilding. There is much sadness in the community as the news spreads with the coming dawn.

Callan, Thremody and Sepherith resolve to find the beast first thing in the morning. With Daylight comes better luck and soon enough they can spot the  beast, a Frilled Baul, paces around a bit of shrubbery . Using a cypher known as a Ghost Viel, Calln (with VECHI and Cuiddit tow) comes up on the beast to perform a scan. The beast starts to sniff the air, aware that something is not right, but unsure of what. Eventually it manages to put 2 and 2 together and bites at Callan, sinking its teeth into him and the fight is on! It is a ferocious fighter, biting with its powerful jaws and stomping with its poison laced claws. Even attacking it is a risk due to the razor sharp frills along its back. A combination of mental and electrical blasts from Callan, crushing tentacle blows from Sepherith and intense beam strikes from Thremody’s iotum eventually felled the creature.

Exploring the scene in hope to determine the fate of the villagers turns up the chewed and stripped bones of human and inhuman creatures alike. They also turn up 3 small Frilled Baul “cubs”. This gives the heroes pause, is there another such beast nearby? A mated pair? And what should they do with what they have found?

Having found the Frilled Baul pups, the heroes have taken them back to the village of Aagar where they discussed the matter with Jarkenn and then Maxis. Maxis offers to train the pups to work with whomever is willing to have them. Isha, IOs ward, offers to look after one, whereas the heroes donate the other two to the protection of the town.  During the week that follows Seph, Thremody and Callan all assist with the  building up of local defenses, such as a crude stone wall and a wooden watchtower made from the same mysterious orange wood. It is during this week while out patrolling that Callan sees the signs of…something coming from an old shed. Creeping quietly (even the Cuiddit is quiet) and discovers a secret meeting between a well dressed man warning a fuligin cape and cowl speak with a number of the villagers, Ogin included. 

The man is some sort of resistance member, but who is he resisting? Someone called the Hand of Melch, the secretive vizier to Holiva the first. From what Callan can overhear the rulers of Thaemor have been exploiting the people for their labour, wealth and possession while neglecting to ensure the very basics of safety and security have been provided to the people, all for the alleged purpose of some secret venture that is ventured to allow Thaemor to emerge as the dominant power in the Steadfast. The man tries to gain support for the resistance movement to put the rule of Thaemor back in the hands of those who care about the people, but only Ogin and one other seem interested.

Callan returns to the others and tells what he has heard, attempts to track the mystery man show that they took too long, he has left on the back of some sort of bird-like creature (based on the tracks left behind). Searching the barn, they are able to find a symbol resembling a clawed hand among some shapes but not much else. They still have Ogin that they can ask questions of, so the idea is to prepare a meal at his dwelling with him. Ogin is able to fill in some but not all of the gaps, from him the heroes learn of the negligent and sometimes overt oppression that the people of Thaemor must endure from their current ruler, and that the man seen at the barn last night was the Emissary of someone called the Truncator. Ogin urges that the group keep that symbol hidden (filling in the missing pieces for them) as should the Hand of Melch or his shadowy agents, whose reach runs quite far, catch wind of someone with it, it would not just be the holder who disappears but also their friends, family, and recent associates.  Thankfully for the information and cognisant of the potential danger, the heroes resolve to be on guard and, once their business is concluded, they ensure that Kristopher, still suffering from a serious case of the Sloth sickness is safe in Aagar with Zara before making their way on the Tendril Crawler east towards the Black Riage, visible on the horizon, and the mountain adelia of Delend. 

Crossing the mountains to Delend is surprisingly uneventful, though the site of the enormous “Crimson Moon” over head  is quite a site as they enter the mountain valley to which Delend can be found. As they descend the hilly pathway towards the stone arch that marks the endurance of the town a strange red-like rain begins to descend, bouncing off of electrified rooftops, though anything else it touches, including a hat, getst its composition rewritten into a westward facing stone slab. Callan manages to solve this issue by using his newest esotery, a movable forcefield, its a bit cramped underneath it but it seems to offer protect save for Thremody, who stumbles and needs to keep up, using a cypher to retrieve temporary protection but still taking some damage as a result. 

Once in Delend proper, a man who calls himself Johann ushers for them to quickly  enter his home and safety. Johan is a bit flustered by the heroes carelessness, but is more than able and willing to answer a number of questions about Delend. He is particularly interested in Radius, who bears a striking resemblance to an individual called Chord. The heroes learn that chord was a bit smaller, had a different hue to his skin and had circular symbols carved into his chest. No one has seen Chord in about two months, the last time he climbed up to the Changing Moon to explore.Having rested and chatted until the red rain, which is thankfully an infrequent occurrence, they are urged to seek out Melynder, whom many of the townsfolk seem less than happy to be ruled by, as she is the one who controls access to Hildwinns ladder. The only reliable way into the changing moon.

The group decides to pick up a few of the electrified batons, like the one the Johan used to remove the red rain from disintegrating Thremody’s possessions during the rain, just in case the need come up again. It is while they are browsing the market section of Delend that people begin to part away as the PC notices a small number of individuals, very important looking emerge from the group and seem to beckon towards the characters. Who are they and more importantly, what do they want.. 

In the Market in Delend, the crowd parts and the heroes are approached by a muscular woman with tattoos covering the left side of her face and body. She is flanked by two large human-like creatures that look like they are not entirely developed. Whispers in the crowd identify this person as Melyndwr, also known as Boss Melyndwr, the ruler of Delend.

Melyndwr immediately notices Radius, noting its similarity to Chord, a brusque conversation follows in which she bluntly informs the characters of Chords last known location, and the fact that they are not the only ones who are looking for him. A group of cultists bearing tattoos of machine parts and gears ascended Hildwin’s Ladder in search of him. It becomes increasingly apparent that Melyndwr is a blunt and shrewd individual primarily concerned with her own interests. She informs the heroes that she has an offer for them, but will not discuss it in public, they may find her down by the ladder when they are ready, so long as they do not keep her waiting too long.

As Melyndwr and her entourage of Vatt Warriors leave the market, the group decides to spread out and look for anything that might give them an edge in the Changing Moon, notably Cyphers and Artefacts. The market offers a plentiful bounty in this department as Io’s talent for seeking out the numenera is not solely limited to out in the wild. While the group searches, Thremody works to craft a cypher, able to cobble together a functioning Energy Siphon disc. IO manages to successfully trade for a Stem Cypher and a sword that turns out to be a mysteriously depleted Null Blade. Callan, not so much the negotiator, uses his imposing form to secure an excellent deal on an Eye in the Sky Cypher. Thremody negotiation technique is far more cagy, exchanging a few oddities for a invisibility nodule, which as far is Seph is concerned is the most nonsensical thing he has seen in a long while, and trades the slugspitter he acquired from the Sathosh for a projectile drone artefact. Seph for his part  is quite happy with his foray into the world of commerce, leaving the market with a Pain Inverter Cypher and a scythe ball that tells the temperature using colourful lines of light. They finish up their foray with the purchase of a large quantity of rations as well as a few helpful items for their journey upwards.

Making their way to where Melyndwr said she could be found, they arrive at the base of Hildwin’s ladder, which extends from the ground all the way up to one of the Changing Moons spires. The structure appears less sturdy and stable the closer it gets. The fixer, flanked by a number of vatt Warriors (there seems to be more than a dozen here) brings Melynder to meet with the group. She confesses that she has reason to believe that a Red Rain event is coming in a few weeks, and that this particular rain will be stronger and more powerful than any in recent memory. Too power even, for the electrified rooves of Delend to stop it. She of course has devised a plan, but needs oraculum, 5 units of it, to put her plan to save the “Ungrateful community of Delend” into action. She is unable to go into the moon herself, least her absence put her dominance over the community at risk. The heroes though, they already want to go up in there, they want to find Chord and, while she respects the Philosopher, her interests are not adversely affected by his presence one way or the other. They bring her the oraculum, they do not have to pay the exit fee. They do not bring it back and lose her divining artefact (which the fixer hands over to IO) they would be better off taking their chances with a Shift then with her back down on the ground.

A deal is agreed on and the companions make their way up Hildwin’s ladder to where, swaying in the breeze, it connects with the spire Seph is the last to make his way across and it is at the moment that he tries to step over that a strong burst of wind causes his grip to begin to slip. Callan reaches out and Seph, with his hard as iron crushing tentacle grip, firmly grabs him. He makes it across into the spire.

The insides of the Changing moon clearly denote it as a prior world structure (as if the fact that it is a giant metal sphere suspended in the air by an unknown force was not clue enough). Everything seems to be made up of linked or free forming cubes, some of which emit a red light. The group traverses a bit of non euclidian geography followed by a maze of hallways (made easier by the discover of  a number of chalk line marking the path of the Machine God Cult. 

The path to Chord seems to lead the heroes to a large open chamber, festooned with piles of scythe and metal junk. Five massive lumbering creatures, identified by Callan as Esculants. He makes sure to share pertinent info, such as their preference for flesh over junk and garbage. It is at this moment that two unfortunate things take place, the first is that Thremody begins to feel shaky and ill, she notices two of her cyphers are interacting due to the proximity to each other and separates them. She know that she will have to use one soon.  The second thing is tha Callan’s Cuiddit, fairly well behaved for the last few days, begins to make noises while emitting a pulsing orange light. This seems to get the attention of the Esculant, who are now making their way over. Due to their size, the creatures  could potentially be a great to any village they cross. Thus the situation must be dealt with, but what will our heroes do?

Deciding to avoid conflict, the group backs off and initially tries to flee the  approaching Esculants, most of the group makes it away and ducks around a pile of scrap. Thremody tripped, twisting her ankle and allowing the lumbering beasts to gain ground. However at the same time, Seph, having rushed a bit quickly around the debris, inadvertently caused an avalanche, temporarily impeding the Esculants. Thremody uses this to her advantage, setting off a beam of energy that makes the behemoths decide that they have bitten off more than they can chew.

Once the creatures are far enough away. Thremody IO and Callan all work together to find some of the oraculum that they promised they would bring back, coming up with 3 units between them as well as other useful salvage. Continuing onward and hoping to find Chord Thremody lends her expertise in tracking automations to IO’s prowess as a navigator. This with the aid of the diviner first finding their way to script clearly written by the machine god cultists and then on to a room in the shape of an ellipse, cords and coils of synth and metal connect various cylinders and boxes with lights panels and diodes to the ceiling and the floor. In the centre of the room is a roughly 8 foot long cylinder, transparent top, resting on a bed of wires, tubes and coils. The group is able to determine that it’s function appears to be healing injuries and ailments, and Sepherith, who has had a few scrapes and bruises over the last bit, approaches and is, to his amusement, grabbed by tentacles which secure him into the pod. At first things are going good, the device eventually is able to communicate that it is diagnosing and restoring Seph, healing him, but then it glitches and keeps trying to heal, though what is unknown. It is uncomfortable at first, but quickly becomes painful. IO and Thremody try to get him out, and using his corrosive tentacles the trio is eventually successful and pulls the  injured glaive from the pod. 

It reacts aggressively trying to grab anyone who  needs to recover, Callan uses a notably powerful onslaught, blasting some of the tentacles and causing the pod to burn and spark. Thremody, now free of any threat, rushes over to the walls and manages to find the kill switch for the pod, rendering it inert and ending the threat. The group takes a moment to rest and recover, Callan helping to heal the damage redone to Seph and Thremody able to pull some interesting  organic iotum out of the deactivated pod. Io with Thremodies help, continues to explore the red hued labyrinth, successfully following the signs  and clues left behind by those there prior to them. Eventually they come across a gruesome clue that the machine god cultists are on the trail of Chord, one of them has apparently been fatally sandwiched between two of the red cubes, themselves inexplicably suspended in mid air. Cautious that the fiend had set off some sort of trap, they debate how to cross safely, with Seph throwing a hammer and Thremody detonating a temperamental cypher. Mostly sure of their safety they successfully cross to see a mostly circular chamber containing a flickering cube floating in mid air.

Approaching cautiously to examine the cube, Callan is first presented with what he suspects to be present day images of the one place that he considers a home in this dimension, the Amber Keep. Things are pleasant but the images change sharply to show buildings on fire, friends dead and an automation, similar in appearance to Radius brandishing bloody weapons and wearing a bandolier with human heads attached standing in the midst of the carnage. It is clear to those watching him that something is wrong, Callan shares his vision which is enough to convince Seph and Thremody to look anywhere but, but Radius, shocked at what Callan has shared about what he has seen. IO, also intrigued, sees the same thing. However the cube has something extra for the delve. For roughly 10 seconds IO and only IO sees a young man, scuffed up, hands on his ears as if a sound is too loud, floating or drifting somewhere. It takes a moment but IO recognizes his lost ward, Nicolas, looking somewhat older than before. For the first time since his loss, the numenera has shown IO that his ward is alive, and given him a clue as to where in the multiverse he might be.

Seph and Thremody make their way to the other side of the room, not wanting to stare at the cube out of concern that what they see may be disturbing. They are confronted with a translucent energy barrier blocking the entrance to the next room, a large chamber with 3 other entrances. In the centre of the room appears to be a thin staircase made from red blocks leading up to a suspended platform made of the same. On this platform sits a being who, based on its appearance, must surely be the automaton Chord. Chord is cross legged holding up a glowing white orb which is emitting the energy field. It does not respond to calls or shouts out to it. It sits there in a trance.

Radius is the first to try to cross the barrier, it does so with no ill effect. Concerned that it  was able to do so because it is a machine. The other debate goes on and devises a number of convoluted tests before ultimately throwing caution to the wind.  Radius and IO discuss the next move and, ultimately, Radius decides to ascend the stairwell and give Chord a little jostle. This works better than expected as the moment Radius touches Chord, it come out of the trance, the field (which Callan was able to determine protects the environs from the effects of a shift) comes down. The two long lost siblings introduce itselves to each other. Radius has many questions but Chord tells it that, while it has much to share, they should probably get to somewhere a bit safer beforehand.

Chord discusses its find of the Diamond Mind with Callan, who is able to determine its uses and properties for both organics and automations, even taking in a bit of the benefits of it in the process. Chord asks to join the group, believing that Radius is its sibling and one of the 4 automations that the diamond mind said it was connected to. It tells IO and Thremody about its escape from the Guild of Purity and how the Mender Karlox helped it, tended to it and gave it a love and fascination with wellness, peace, and knowledge. Having heard of the diamond mind, it made tracks for Delend and became a respected member of the community before heading in and finding the item, it was during its meditation to establish a connection with the artefact that the heroes woke its from its slumber.

Before leaving the field that protects this room, and has indeed saved Chord from the effects of a number of shifts, Thremody takes the time to study it and determines that the main functioning component is an irregular disc like object with a partial sphere on each side, is responsible. Encouraging IO, whom himself stands of the shoulders of Radius and is thus just able to reach the device, deftly salvages it and as a result has a level 5 stability projector, able to protect the holder and those nearby from the effects of the shift (and other reality altering effects as well).

The group comes across a circular room with and stone and synth device in the middle, upon entry they quickly discover that gravity has shifted and has been multiplied in strength several times over the norm, pinning the automations against the floor/wall while others cling to cracks between the cubes comprising the former floor, now wall. IO and Callan are able to make their way to the device followed by Thremody. Sephireth manages to hoist a surprised Radius up into the air and onto the floor that is now the wall, he also uses one of his mentally controlled cyphers to retrieve Chord, but psychic interference between the disc, the gravity manipulating device, and the changing moon itself causes his vision to change, allowing him only to see things in monochromatic shades of red. The trio deactivate the device before pulling it apart, finding among their spoils 3 oraculum, one more than they need, and a few shins and parts for their troubles. They were also able to determine among the lot of them that this installation is part of a much larger system responsible for reorganising the interior of the Changing Moon during shifts.

It is at this moment that seven red robed figures emerge from the aperture on the far side of the room, the chief of their number displaying a face tattoo of an intricate gear, marking him as a prophet of the machine god. The prophet Troth discusses philosophy and religion with IO becoming more flustered and distracted as the conversation continues. Callan uses this moment to attack with onslaught, brutally effective against the underlings, and all but Chord, who is a pacifist, leap into the fray. The battle quickly turns in the heroes’ favour when a bizarre noise can be heard emitting deep from within the bowels of the installation. Cubes begin to pull free from walls and move in singles and groups. Troth screams “Machine save me! It’s a shift” before a wall of red cubes slide forward into the space that he occupied and he is gone. At least 2 of the other 4 remaining cultists are visibly slain by the moving materials but the combination of the Stability Projector and disabling the device central to this room, are enough to protect the heroes from the dangers associated with being inside the Changing Moon during a shift. 

The group, thankfully unharmed, now find themselves within a nondescript hallway. IO takes the lead, after a period of feeling his way through the scarlet labyrinth he leads the group back to the same gravity shifting room. His confidence bolstered that he is on the right track, he powers on and comes out at a new chamber. This one is home to 13 fountains, only one of which appears to be working. Thremody is able to quickly determine that the red liquid extruding from its nozzles is the same material that makes up the red rain. IO cobbles together a stick and dips the extra oraculum into the liquid while Seph decides to take the more straightforward approach of tossing a claw hammer into it.

Sure enough, both hammer and stick turn into west facing slabs of stone. The oraculum does this as well…but is animate and begins to slowly lumber-waddle towards the western edge of this chamber. What does this mean? Is it nothing? Is it a clue to the purpose of the red rain? Are they even going the right way? Only time will be able to tell.

The heroes continue to study the animate slab, it waddles itself into the wall going true west and nothing really seems to have much of an impact on this and its single minded actions During this, Thremody manages to acquire a sample of the red fluid, Chord looks on awestruck, Callan observes the slab with curiosity, as Seph makes his way over to it and, in an attempt to move it, snaps it in half and decides to keep the top half. The group decides to see where it goes and follows it “West”.

Moving back and forth through the red squared labyrinth the group eventually comes to a large open area filled with trees and bushes made solely out of the red blocks examining the water by the tried and true method of “tossing an axe into it” . As they gather around the pool, Callan notices a quintet of creatures circling the group, getting closer. The electrical currents coursing through their tails and frills identify them as Babarisa, pack hunters who hunger for flesh. They dash in and dash out, closing their net on the heroes, meaning that the current hopping from one to another begins to become painful and harmful. Thankfully the heroes, with a combination of Radius’ hammer, Callan's onslaught, Thremody’s artefact and Seph’s iron tentacles kill some of their number and drive the rest off before their hit and run tactics can do too much harm.

The group, continue to choose the westward option of  passages (or at least the most westward and after a few hours find themselves in a room very much similar to the one with the out of whack healing pod. Thremody, taking a risk, decides to give it a try, only to be firmly pulled into the pod. A burning feeling followed by pushing happens, but no healing. Thremody exits the pod with small, bat-like vestigial wings protruding from her back, unfortunately too underdeveloped to be effective.  With Callan’s help, she approaches the pod once more and manages to first deactivate it before pulling it apart finding a treasure trove of oddities, psiranium, shins and parts. Satisfied that the room has been cleared, they continue on to the next room and hopefully answers.

The group has excellent luck with the labyrinth and realises two things. One, that West leads to the exterior of the moon and two, they are close, so close that they find themselves confronting the Machine Cult prophet Troth in the exit. He “holds” a gem floating between his two hands and demands the automations, who he calls “Fallen angels”, surrender their divine keys. Troth begins to blab a bit more than he should, but catches himself  before attacking with the gem artefact.  He is quickly overwhelmed by the heroes, who discover that they must wait for the ladder to reach the recently shifted moon once again.

When able, the descent back to Delend and solid ground, however Melyndwr is furious as their “pet slab” destroyed much of the work done to reattach the ladder after the shift. It took an extra day to effect repairs, so in addition to the oraculum  she demands a few shins oddities and the gem artefact used by the machine prophet, which the group turns over to keep the peace. They begin their long journey back to the amber keep with the automation Chord in tow, they make a stop to check in on the Frilled Baul’s and Maxis has them well treated. They also pick up Kristopher who seems to be coming out of his sickness. Together they journey to Rarmon, one of if not the largest city in the southern steadfast. What wonders or troubles might they find here on their way back to the amber keep?

Upon arriving in Rarmon, capital of the Pytharon Empire and former and future jewel of the Southern Steadfast, the group parts from Kristopher, Zara, Chord and Radius and makes their way down the large boulevard towards the centre of the city where the Emperor's Market can be found. Sampling a few early morning street food vendors, the group learns that the best place to trade for iotum is in the west end of the market by the Wrights and Artisan’s districts, that there is a doctor who, depending on who you ask, is a miracle worker or complete charlatan, by the name of Istiev Kob, and that the best person to ask about transdimensional matters, would appear to be Garrot in the Grand Orrery.

Io and Thremody make their way to the artisan’s district and manage to make a few shred trades to  cobble together a device allowing IO to detect transdimensional disturbances or anomalies within a kilometre. Furthermore Thremody is able to gather a number of rare and interesting iotum needed to craft a few projects she is interested in once the heroes return to Amber Keep. In the meantime, she crafts a few temperamental cyphers that should help with discussion and negotiation as Topher is still recovering from his illness.

Seph has heard good and bad about the Doctor, everyone he and Thremody have spoken to agree on one thing…his address. He makes his way there and is greeted by Istiev Kob, a man with a frizzy perm, long curly moustache and long thin beard on one half of his face…and absolutely no detail on the other, not even the other half of his mouth. The two discuss the problem and arrange payment, Kob will trade a curative elixir for the pain inverter cypher, a hammer, and services rendered. He heads out to collect the 10 shins from the yoghurt seller  who asked for his extra toe removed but  now has no toes, and after some persuading manages to get his due and. Drinking the potion, is soon able to see other colours again. He is so happy he gives the doctor a big squeeze…breaking the vial of numbing oil in Kob’s jacket causing both Kob’s torso and Seph tentacles to go completely numb for the time being.(Thankfully this will wear off in about an hour)

IO makes his way to the Grand Orrery and after some patient waiting, is able to meet Garrot, a diminutive man decked in the accoutrements of a man of science and engineering. Garrot is unable to help IO directly, but he believes he knows someone who would have the answers he seeks. A woman in the town of Guran by the name of Mecky. A former nano now running a “junk shop” called the Rusted Relic. He warns that she has had some unfortunate exposures and her memory may need help to properly give IO the information he seeks. After taking in the beauty of the Orray IO and Thremody depart and meet up with Seph to tick off the final box on their Rarmon wishlist.

The trio make their way to the Sunken Palace dipping down below ground level to its current entrance. They make their way through short meetings with a number of functionaries before being put  in front of a courtier by the name of Imogéne Falz. Thremoday discusses trade and a possible allegiance or swearing of loyalty to the Pytharon empire in the future with Falz, who for his part is unable to commit to  any official course of action. He does say that he will put a fluttering moth in the ear of some merchant contacts he knows in Far Brohn and instructs Thremody on the forms to fill out and how to fill them out to get an official Envoy to visit the community. The discussion, while a bit formal, is very pleasant overall leaving both sides feeling that at least some small good has been achieved and positive progress made. 

Those happy thoughts were rudely interrupted once the trio noticed a pack of shady individuals following them through the streets. Turning down an alley, they attempted to set an ambush for their pursuers with Thremody and Io hiding up against opposite walls and Seph…laying on the ground. While the would be bandits approach Seph with confusion Thremody and IO strike! It turns out that their leader is a semi-formidable nano, who is able to put Seph into stasis. Not wanting to give him another chance, IO grapples him and pins his hands behind him while Thremody uses a combination of tactics to dispatch the remaining bandits. The nano surrenders, he and what’s left of his gang flee after leaving behind their cyphers. Seph then wakes up and wonders why everything looks markedly different…

The trio round out their trip with a few basic purchases and then continue south homeward to the Amber Keep. Upon arriving they notice that the population has increased and now includes a small number of Blue Tongues that Kadri has been working with. They stop to see Tsala and on their way pass the food stores and the workshop, as well as the homes that look more like cottages and less like makeshift huts and lean-tos. Tsala is able to catch the group up and the thankfully uneventful month or so while the heroes fill her in on their journey and introduce her to Chord.  It is at this point that both Radius and Chord begin to meditate with the Diamond Mind Artefact, hoping to learn more about their siblings. Thremody decides to work on assembling two Brain Bud artefacts, using one on herself and gifting the other the IO, who himself takes the time to do a little anomaly hunting and prospecting. Seph seeks out his pall Nort and gives the man a snowglobe-like oddity that he had found on his journeys. 

What else do our heroes get up to on their well deserved down time? And what might cause it to end?

After their long journey, the heroes readjust to life not on the road. While Radius and Chord continue their meditation with the Diamond Mind, the others turn their attention to their friends and their home. Thremody, short a few needed supplies for the Farspeaker Tower she wishes to build, accompanies Gennd out into the surrounding wilds. The pair manage to find an undulating metal wall along the side of a hill that appears to be organic once cutting through the outer layer. With a few days of digging they are able to secure a half dozen units of biocircutry and roughly 2 dozen parts.

Now fully stocked, Thremody takes a few days to build the tower. She focuses her attention on the City of Milave and is pleased to discover an entire community, which includes Challenger Forsyth, the local representative of the Amber Gleaners, and several others. Once she has completed this task, connecting their community to the world in a very real way. She turns her attention to the workshop, building over time a hoverbelt, and a friendly relation with Nort, learning the card game that the simple yet cheerful man enjoys playing (but does not know the name or origin of) and discovering that he is surprisingly clever and shrewd at. Both spend several evenings enjoying the game and each others company

Callan and Seph turn their attention to the development of the town. Both suggest that it works to become more self-sufficient and assist with the labour of building a ground water pump and cistern, as well as a windmill to generate electricity. The windmill…is a bit odd. Its blades turn at a slow and leisurely pace regardless of the force of wind, but its base vibrates with such force that the surrounding ground constantly trembles. Using his knowledge of ultradimensional forces, Callan is able to determine that the slowed turning is the result of a highly localised temporal disturbance, which seems to only affect inorganic metal. Seph and Nort use this to develop a game called “Is it metal?” where they pick up a small object and throw it at the top of the windmill. If it slows, its metal, if not, it’s not.

Life is going well, people are more or less happy, the blue tongues are working well with everyone. Even a few traders have trickled down from the area of Far Brohn, bringing foods, textiles and interesting wares for the  people, including a few oddities that one benificent merchant decides to hand out in return for help received.

All good things must come to an end. One day 3 of the blue tongues out for a hunt return carrying one of their number. They encounters a horde of roughly one hundred men and their leader was a machine-man like Radius only bigger, bulkier, and sharper. The quartet warns that the horde is only a few hours away. Callan and Thremody decide that creating as many simple detonation cyphers as possible is a good first act. And Thremody and Visso manage to work together to create a grand total of 14 with materials on hand. Sephirith, with help from Topher and Chord, whip up the bravery and tactics of the town, getting everyone on board with a defensive strategy. Callan Radius and Thremody make their way to Griff’s farmhouse, lying in wait there to see what happens.

It is not long before the horde comes into sight, the howling intimidating racket of metal weapons banging on metal sheilding and the loud angry shouts announcing them minutes in advance. The leader, an automation named Axis that is not unlike Radius calls out with its booming voice that it searches for Radius and that it knows Radius is here. It gives the Amber Keep 1 hour to turn over Radius to it or it will raze the community to the ground and leave no survivors.

The trio in the farmhouse come up with a plan. Radius will appear to give himself up but the out of phase Callan will hide in the metal man and, with Thremody leaping into the air with her Hoverbelt from the side. Meanwhile Seph and the Blue Tongues manage to make over a dozen spears to help the defenders. Chord and Seph also notice that Axis does not appear to be aware that of its presence.

Moving slowly to help Callan stay concealed (though Callan seems to get bizarre flashes of confusing images from his overlap of the automation during this time). Radius approaches the horde and is let through to Axis, who immediately questions its about its “divine key”. It is clear from the conversation that Axis does not know what this key is either, but it is willing to tear Radius apart to find it. As Axis’ goons grab Radius, they launch the sneak attack Callan pops out and hits Axis with his onslaught. Thremody takes to air, peppering the surrounding mercenaries with detonation cyphers from the air before opening up on Axis with energy beams from her remaining iotum. Radius swings his axe, but avoids or perhaps hesitates to bring his arms to bear on the heavily armored Axis, who uses his flame sword to strike the grounded pair. Crossbow arrows and stone fly up at Thremody, but thankfully the hoverbelt allows for impressive enough mobility to avoid most damage (her armor takes care of the rest)

As the horde crashes up on the community wall, the detonation cyphers fly , taking out many before turning to their acid sharpened spears. Seph dives over the wall, one of his hammers has become animated and begins savagely beating on all of his nearby opponents (and seemingly overexcited, hits Seph once as well). The valiant amber keepers with Seph as their frontman, slays and backs off the invasion. Meanwhile 50 metres away a heated battle between defenders and Axis concludes with Callan onslaughting  a large chunk of machine out of Axis’ right  side. The automation’s eyes go black and he falls. With the majority of Axis; forces dead and the rest fleeing. Victory is had with roughly 12 dead and same again injured. The windmill and waterpump will also need a bit of work.

Visso rushes up to them , shouting about Tsala being hurt. Sure enough, the group finds Tsals, laying on an incline. Callan uses hedgemagic to clean the wound and pull the small metal projective  and Thrmody applies smart tissue in place of a tourniquet. Tsala eventually come to but is faint and thirsty from lack of blood. Topher, who never leaves her side, and the rest get her into her bed in her cottages.

Is this it? Or is it simply the calm before the real storm?

The heroes take time over the next few weeks to get the damage done to the Amber Keep repaired, though nothing can fix the loss of roughly a dozen  members of the community. Thankfully Tsala’s injuries were not too severe, she is able to get around, albeit sometimes she needs assistance to do so, and has taken the time to even try and organize communal meals when possible to get everyone together. Materials are being gathered to build up, but it is uncertain if the community will try to build a healing hall, a mortuary, or both.

Meanwhile, Thremody has spoken with Chord and Radius regarding the body of Axis. Along with Callan and Sepherith, she manages to convince the automations to allow her to take Axis apart and search for the “divine key”, under the condition that she puts it back as she found it as best as possible. While unable to find any physical trace of the key, she does find a few useful objects in its make up. The group notices that the automations have severed Axis’ head from the rest of its body. The pair explain that they learned from the Diamond Mind that it was necessary to stop it from regenerating and self repairing the damage done to Axis during the attack. The siblings are continuing to use the artifact to try and find out more about themselves and their other siblings.

Just as the community gathers enough units of building materials, people in the village begin to get sick. They are fatigued, their stomachs ache, and a few, such as Khadri, begin to develop dark spots all over the body. Even Thremody begins to feel tired and sore in the abdomen. Thankfully with the use of a cypher she recovers, but the others in the community have no such recourse. 

It takes a while to interview and retrace the steps and actions of those who are sick, the only thing that they seem to share is an enjoyment of one of the newer foodstuffs that has arrived in the community; duskfruit. The duskfruit was brought by a gatherer and peddler named Tyek, who no one has seen leave his lodgings for the last few days. Sure enough he is ill in bed. Figuring that the automatons are immune, the group has Chord interview him, and learn that he found the duskfruit in a forest about a dozen miles to the north that surrounds a pre world structure known as the Weeping Tower. Chord is able to extrapolate a map leading there and Radius offers to unpack the Tendril Crawler to take everyone there.

It is not long before the 4 reach the forest of short (10-20 foot tall) trees. The weeping tower can be seen in the distance, jutting out of the treetops at a 45 degree angle. Radius informs that the passage between the trees is too narrow for the crawler, and that they will have to continue on foot. It is during this journey that they are ambushed by a pack of broken hounds. Seph uses his bell bracelet oddity to intimidate and scare off half of them. The overly loud bongs either making the creatures flee or angry. Thremody makes good use of her last detonation cypher, which she charges up for added potency, and Callan utilizes his natural gifts at being out of phase to round out the conflict. In the end, the few survivors flee allowing our heroes to continue onward to the tower.

They arrive at a clearing to find that the enormous obelisk shaped structure is located in an extremely well-maintained clearing in the forest. Water pools on the surface of the tower like sweat running down the sides and almost causing a light drizzle on the tower’s underside. The only entrance noticeable is the one at the very tip top of the obelisk. Thremody uses her infiltrator cypher to delve into the tower. Finding multiple rooms tilted at strange angles, few matching the orientation of the tower. An automation, one of many it seems, makes a statement in a language that the drone does not know, but allows it to pass, where it continues along until it is subjected to a time disturbance and extreme cold.  Left with more questions than answers at this point. The group scales the tower.

The trek is dangerous going as the water on the pillar can make the smooth polished surface of the tower quite slick. Seph uses their corrosive abilities to etch grip pads into the wall making a part that Thremody and Calln can thankfully catch themselves. Once inside they make their way to the fused man, whom Trhemody has given the moniker of “The Operator” Once it hears the group speak it switches to the Truth. Questions seem to lead to more questions and confusion, so trickery is attempted and successful, granting the group deeper in. 

The heroes pass a few vaults, which serve as no barrier to Callans gifts. He is able to find a number of shins and parts, some iotum that will be useful in crafting installations, and nearly a half dozen cyphers. Meanwhile Thremody attempts to question one of the other operators only to have the silent machine make a painful telepathic link. Rather than fight it, Thremody opens up to it allowing for an exchange of ideas that gives her the information that the tower and the forest work to cancel each other out and that the dusk fruit illness can only be cured with something called silver ioquid. The group knows it still has a long road to get down before the solution is in their hands but will they figure it out in time,?

Continuing along the path that Thremody had previously traced with the Interceptor cypher, the group has been taking its time, which has had the added benefit of allowing IO to catch up to them. Callan continues his exploration of the vaults, though he mostly comes across small amounts of parts and shins. He does make a good find in a grey crystal mind blade, but discovers dangers when a large mechanical monstrosity, which Thremody eventually recognizes as a disassembler, attacks and forces it’s way through the vault door. Threomody gets her autocannon set up, IO attempts to attack from a distance, Seph uses his corrosive touch before picking up a vault door to throw, and Callan readies his esoteries. The group manages to corrode and shatter the creature's armor before pummeling its insides with physical and mental attack. The disassemble does get in a few hits, unweaving Callan's armor and damaging Thremody’s cannon, before being smashed.  

IO gives up his micromesh to help Callan, and the group goes through the pieces of the automation, finding shins, parts, and a biometric patch. IO is also able to take another go over the thing and locate pliable metal.The group manages to continue onward to the time dilation room, unaware of its exact purpose save for it has something to do with the flow of time. They make their way to the last operator - the one opposite of the chilled passage. After a long pointless conversation the metal man has been somehow provoked and it attacks. The heroes manage to quickly fend it off, causing it to step back into the wall.

The group ascends the uneven bone chilling passage - Seph having a bit more time and the pain of frostbitten suckers - and arrive at the Meteoron control in the center of this installation. 

After brief negotiation and explanation the control center  allows the group a number of vials of silver ioquid, more than enough for the village’s needs. Upon their return, the heroes are quickly able to develop a cure for the dusky pox with many of the community members - several who became quite ill or had loved ones who also did so - expressing their thanks. Tsala, reading the mood of the Amber Keep, holds an impromptu feast a few days later, making sure that all are well aware that there is absolutely no dusk fruit on the menu.

Now home at the Amber Keep and having cured the Dusky Pox plague (the silver ioquid being set up in gas well lantern style apparatuses around the community, for some reason this has eliminated the signs of the Pox in all effected), the heroes have begun to turn an eye to the development, security, and prosperity of their home.

Callan, ever quiet and stoic, has turned his attention towards the Farm run by Griff and Seri. He has helped with maintenance, planting, irrigation as with Seri’s leg, Griff and Po have been having a harder time keeping up. Callan spends so much time with the family and gets on so well that they start setting an extra setting for meals when he is around and begin to think of him like a member of the family. While open with him about themselves, Callan remains a bit private about his origins, (which perhaps he himself  may find difficult to put in a way that the inhabitants of this universe would understand?). As the rains pick up, he finds that he is spending more and more time working around drainage. Having seen and heard Seri’s laments over her lack of leg, he politely leans on  Visso to build her a prosthetic made of synth. Visso gladly puts this on the list.

Thremody spends much of her time scavenging supplies for her latest project; she wishes to convert her torrent artefact into a Lightning Turret. She has much success, but it takes time. She first crafts an object replicating cypher and goes on the hunt for materials, bit by bit she finds what she needs, and even stumbles upon an interesting cache of apt clay that, while perfectly functional, has a transferable bright green coloration. She is thankfully able to borrow from Visso or break down other items in her possession to find what she herself is unable to find in a timely manner. Despite distractions during the rains, she is able to build the Turret after only a few months, a fairly remarkable feat considering. She occasionally sees Nort around, as he enjoys helping around the workshop, but not much conversation is exchanged between the two.

IO takes this time to further prepare and train Isha to safeguard against the dangers of the ninth world and to embrace the gifts and knowledge found in its wilds. He oversees her development as a hunter and a tracker. As for himself, he decides to try his hand in the ranching business in between hunting and scavenging runs. The two of them find a mated pair of Shuil, large herd animals. After taking the time to calm the beasts and establish a report, they are able to take them back to the community, setting up a makeshift barn for them and allowing them to graze in the nearby plains to the northwest. The two, due to the time they spend out of the community, are some of the first to notice just how local the rains are around the Amber Keep

The rains began a few weeks after the hero's return from the Weeping Tower. It was light rain at first, but simply became unrelenting. After a week people in the community began to wonder if there was some sort of unknown cause, while others thought perhaps this region just had an issue with rain, even select pockets of rain, for part of the year. With the rain came the translucent winged filament creatures, dubbed “Rain Sylphs” by the locals. These creatures emitted a bluish light that, when they struck something, caused an electrical sparking. Though not much more than a nuisance in ones or twos, in larger numbers they could be a serious menace. On one occasion the Sylphs, numbering a half dozen, became aggressive, dive bombing structures and resident alike, the latter dropping to the ground temporarily immobilized. The heroes rushed to action, Callan with his powerful esoteries, Thremody with her mastery of cypher and numenera, and IO’s expert bowman ship won the day. It did get people wondering, just why these creatures had shown up in the community and when would the rain let up?

Despite soggy conditions, a number of community members brought the idea of celebrating the founding of the community to Tsala, who working with them put together a feast for what she called “Founding Day”. During the large feast under a canopy tarp (due to the unrelenting rains) she begins a custom she had brought from her corner of Milave called “The Telling” in which everyone tells of something that relates to the community, their connection to it, a fond memory. The heroes share their stories and it is very much the theme (though some more verbose than others) of feelings of belonging and the meeting of new friends, be they be people travelled here with, people rescued, or the new arrivals from the Burning Pillar. The event is viewed as a success and there are those whose spirits have been lifted already talking about preparation for next year.

Shortly after reflecting on friends already made, a new caravan from Aian arrives bearing documentation from Challenger Forsyth. There are men, women, and even children (a dozen not counting Po) to bring the total population to around 140 people. There are a number of skilled tradespeople, but an even larger number of unskilled and untrained who, for whatever reason, decided to take a chance on the Amber Keep. A small number end up helping Visso and Tremody in the Workshop (Visso having recently finished construction on the Healing Hall and is now turning his focus to the Mausoleum, or would be if he didn't have to construct rain and water barriers). Two young people in their early 20s Zard and Kaence end up working with IO’s shuils and do fairly well despite limited experience.

One individual though puts an uneasy feeling in the hearts and minds of the heroes. Ganilon Brig, a large broad man with a winning smile, dangerous eyes, and a tentacle in the place of his left arm, asks to meet the heroes. All of them have heard at least a bit about the man from the others, and he has made a good impression on many as a generous, take-charge man who's going to do “big things!” but what those things are and how Ganilon intends to achieve them is  unknown. The verbose overly friendly man shakes hands, and verbally bigs up the heroes. He promises much, looking forward to finally getting things off the ground here. When questioned about helping, it becomes clear to most that he is capable of moving goods and services around, though not above appearing to be the one doing the favor rather than the groups he pressured or set up to do it actually. Upon parting, Callan muses that should they come back and folks are missing and Ganilon is in charge that he will “take them out”.

Into the third month of now unending torrential downpour the community is at risk of washing away. The group tries to determine the cause and it is IO who eventually notices that the rain and activity is centered around the silver ioquid lamps and, after saving a child who accidentally breaks one, rain lets up where there is no ioquid. The group makes the decision to remove the lamps and take them to the edge of the Cold Desert, where they may return to try and terraform a bit of it should time and circumstance prevail. Thankfully the Amber Keep is now rain free and some of the ponds and giant puddles have already started to dry up.

Radius also has some news. He and Chord have also found another unknown sibling using the diamond mind, unfortunately they do not know much about him except  he is located in Shmallas, Perhaps the time for adventure has returned?

During the three month period Seph has busied himself around two main tasks; learning how to do some minor blacksmithing, and getting a defensive force at Amber Keep to help defend while they are gone. For the first of these, Visso helps him, though Seph tends to rely on his own corrosive abilities  to shape and sharpen, he learns well and is able to make a series of basic tools and weapons, provided he has access to the proper facilities. Seph also organises a starting fighting force of around 22, with 14 being fairly dedicated and another 8 not so much. !0 more people join with varying degrees of commitment when the new settlers arrive. He’s also taken some time to hang out with his pal Nort, who brings him a “cool”oddity, a porous stone (the pours resemble his suckers, says Nort) that cleans and makes things smell nice if they rub it on it.

At Founding Day Seph is at a complete loss as to what to say, as if he brain just emptied, and he passes. Once the settlers arrive he keeps hearing people big up this Ganilon Brig fellow, figuring that maybe Seph knows him due to them both having tentacles. He does, and can never seem to find Ganilon, almost like Ganilon is avoiding him? Ganilon even meets with Sephs friends without him! Talking to them later about the meeting (Callan vocally not in favor of the man) is the final piece of the puzzle that tells Seph that Ganilon is in fact deliberately shunning him. What’s more Seph can figure out why?

Radius finally convinces them to help him go to Shamallas, he gets the tendril crawler set up as  the crew grab a few last minute things. IO gets Isha some light armor. Blue skinned leather armor covered in white fur. The exquisite armor is surprisingly inexpensive. Callan trains with his found sword and Thremody puts the final touches on a few things, she will need to stay behind but promises to catch up. At the end of the first day they stop just outside of Rarmon, IO picks up a replacement suit of armour cloth while the others window shop. A day and a half later, just as the group is about to cross from the Empire into Malevich, a portwalker moving at breakneck speed comes out of nowhere and slams into the crawler. Radius is ejected forward and the portwalkers carriage slams into the ground.

Once checking to see of Radius is ok (its metal skin healing itself before the heroes’ eyes) they turn their attention to the other vehicle. Four people exit. Bovix, a scruffy looking jack, Gresten, a silent chain smoking Delve, and Nuzu and Uduvu, both glaives. Uduvu being the bigger of the two and Nuzu, the driver. Nuzu immediately start shouting about the heroes having gotten in his way and not watching where they were going. Callan has some brief but terse words for him and Uduvu looks about to put his two shins in (at his size more like 5) when Bovix interjects, showing himself to be the negotiator of the group, IO speaks up and the two broker a cooling down as they inspect the vehicles. It seems that a Portwalker Leg has become mangled and has pushed  though into the “brain” of the crawler. Using some rope leverage and other creative means. The two groups work together to dislodge the leg, but even still it is clear that this is not enough to get either vehicle travel worthy again.

Bovix and his companions are aware of a strange place near the chasm that might have what they need, biological and mechanical, roughly half a day northeast. They leave Nuzu, who Bovix identifies as a jerk, and Radius behind with the vehicles to stand guard. They are able to smell the location before they see it, and when they do see it, it is obscured by a expansive mass of swarming flies and insects hovering over the 100 or so metres long field of corpses. Most are human and intact, but a small number are visitants and others are not finished looking. One or two looks like they could not possibly exist. A machine, using some sort of telekinetic ability, goes to the edge of a square opening in the cliff face and hurls another corpse out into the field.

The group decides to go around rather than through. The smell is nauseating . the eventually make it and lower a rope down to the hole below. Entering they see a rather larger chamber with what appears to be a glowing yellow brick inside. Ignoring this they continue deeper into the facility, on the lookout for automations and hoping they can find something  that they may salvage to get their vehicles working again. They find a few odds and ends, but it is likely that more time and effort will be needed before they may leave this accursed place.

Back in the Amber Keep, Chord approaches Thremody, explaining that it had given IO one half of a cypher that should allow the holder of the other half - which it passes to Thremody - to transport themself to the other. Chord explains that all Thremody has to do is think of IO to transport herself, which causes her to think of IO and blip out of the Amber Keep.

One second IO is in the corridor helping to salvage, the next a confused Thremody stands in his place. Uduvu, is the first to notice, but the last to register. The heroes catch the Wright up on what has transpired in her absence. They have this talk and the three explorers from the other group introduce themselves, as they arrive at a sealed door at the end of the long, west-ward corridor. The group looks over the walls and find two circular pads, one on either side. They realise they need to be pressed at the same time to open the door and Seph, able to stretch his tentacles wide enough to do so.

The chamber, which is shaped like an elongated half-oval, contains a number of large to small sized automations, similar to the ones that the group watched toss a body out of the facility. Thremody scans one of the smaller ones and goes to salvage it when it and the others begin to glow red. The smaller ones retreat and the larger ones advance on the wright. A pitched battle begins, Seph grapples and slams the hovering automations with his tentacles, Thremody, in her element, floats up and obliterates one after the other. Callan, blindsided by an attack by his Cuiddit, puts it in stasis before belting the mechanisms with his onslaught. The trio also assisted with Uduvu in particular smashing the machines with his spear. They hold out well, but Bovix is injured. Thankfully his crew has a rejuvinator, allowing him to recover a fair amount.

After destroying the automations the group salvages them, finding a number of parts, shins, a few iotum and a pair of oddities. More than enough to repair the other’s portwalker. A discussion is held, and the others decide to hold up to their end of the bargain. The heroes continue to make their way to the roundish chamber across from the automation room. 6 golden rectangles hover and slowly turn in the centre. Callan is able to determine that they have the power to recharge a recently spent cypher, or even an artifact, under the right conditions. Thremody decides to return to some of the other panels in the hallway, finding the last of what she needs to repair both vessels. The six of them make their way back out and repair their vehicle, Thremody learning a plan seed in the process. Nuzu, ever the asshole, makes a few rude comments as the other’s disappear to the east.

The group continues to the north, but makes a gruesome discovery in the west Thaemor countryside. A number of bodies lay in a clearing, one is Ogin who lived in the village of Aagar as well as a The Emissary of the Truncator. The party takes a look. Callan uses his knowhow to determine what happened to the bodies. All appear to have been completely drained of blood, their faces white and pale yet none have any cuts or even scraps. The emissary of the Truncator appears to have an additional symptom, a black handprints embedded into the skin of his chest. Thremody attempts to examine the scene to see what is happening but cannot determine what happened. The best she can figure is that they must have harmed each other as there is no evidence of anyone else. They bury the bodies and continue onward

Passing the city of Auspar,ITs needle like metal structures gleaming in the sunlight, the group then passes the Dark Hills and are on route for Shamallas. Seph is able to foil a would be pickpocket on their way into the southeast gate. It is not long before the group learns where Shamallas gets its name as the City of Echoes. They notice that they are being followed by a group on a similar conveyance, only to discover that it is an echo of themselves that is following the exact path that they have taken. Once this occurs they begin to notice more and more the echoes of Shamallas, sometimes it is them, other times townsfolk who walk past then walk past again in a sort of bizarrely normalised deja vu.

The group with Thremody at their lead begin to ask around about a being similar to Radius. They ask a few of the city’s guards who become suspicious of the questions and in turn begin to uncomfortably question Thremody. Once convinced that the heroes are not trouble (for now at least) they leave. Thremody notices a young street urchin, he had been listening quite intently to the guards interrogation from the shadows. Now it is the group's turn for guile and stealth as they follow him without his knowledge down and across streets, pathways, and alleys until he arrives at a rundown blue building. Looking both ways, he enters.

The group knows that they want to know what is going on inside. Callan obliges with his phasing abilities. Undetected, he sees the boy speak to a woman with long braided hair and a red sash. Telling her that outsiders (the heroes) have been asking about Origin, which the party knows to be the name of Radius’ sibling. The entire area gives Callan strong “hideout” vibes as he pulls himself back through the wall and goes to share what he has learned with his companions. As they discuss their next move, they notice a number of cloaked individuals quietly and stealthily approach the blue building. One of their cloaks slips revealing the uniform of the town guard. What trouble is about to unfurl here, and how do our heroes fit into it?

Session 29

Unsure of what they are seeing but suspecting sinister motives on behalf of the Shallamas guards, the heroes decide that the best course of action is to bring attention down on them. Thremody moves out into the street and calls out that the guards are not in fact guards but thieves, trying to break into the blue building. A pair of them move up in an effort to silence her but are met with the imposing and intimidating forms of  both Callan and Radius. They back off and Thremody continues making noise, causing a circle of locals to gather around and warn the boy, the woman, and the other inhabitants of the building, who fled. Half the guard runs after them while the other three close in on the heroes with the goal of subduing them. 

Clearly they were not prepared for them as Themody Seph and Callum make extremely short work of the local law, taking care not to kill or do any undue injury. It is not long before a pair of them are dragging an unconscious 3rd away back down the alley and the heroes realise that the rest of the guards as well as the occupants of the building are long gone. As the crowd disperses they decide to make the best of the situation and investigate the contents of the blue building, an old storehouse and repository, now a hideout for a collection of petty thieves and street urchins. The group goes over the structure noting a number of shins parts and oddities among the items left behind, and that is when Thremody notices the painted tarp poorly hiding an entrance to another room.

This room contains a bed stuffed with the blue feathers of some large animal, a night table with gaslamp, a few worthless personal possessions, and a large table with the torso and right arm of a being that very much resembles Radius. A number of small paper boxes hold what appear to be some of its “parts” as well. Radius enters and the little warmth  that it has in its cool metallic features is extinguished by the sight of its sibling dismembered on a table. It laments that this seems to happen too frequently with its brethren, being hunted by humans or turning the hunter as was the case with Axis. Thremody finds herself in the odd position of trying to calm down the automation before she finds a packet of loosely strung together scraps of paper. On one is says Gislan has found the head, it is in Garmulu’s manor”

It is decided that the heroes will find out who Garmulu is and where they live. As it turns out even the idea of asking about Garmulu gets some curious and worried looks, as they are apparently considered a dangerous recluse who live in a wealthy district where the houses are all raised on blocks of stone as a security feature. Some meandering around town finds them a delivery man who, for the generous price of 5 shins, walks them to the gate and tells them of the dangerous guard animals, who he refers to as gophers, and the fact that the entry balcony is trapped with a sound vibration device set off by the doors knocker. Having arrived at Garmulu’s manor, they can see the home in the middle of a well gardened field, raised up on the smooth stone. The delivery man wishes them luck and tells them to seek him out if they survive their visit.

After knocking and some brief back and forth with one of the gardeners, Seph uses his tentacles to snap off the slide panel. The gardener, mortified, decides to let them in but tells them to wait by the doors. As he heads off in the distance, 8 of the gopher creatures, 3 to 4 foot long clawed beasts the size of a large dog with razor sharp teeth, rush the heroes and attack. They manage a few bites on Callan Seph and Radius (Thremody having decided to hover above and blast the beasts with her iotum ray) but the groups sheer skill and power are too much for the guard animals, who are quickly dispatched via a combination mind slices, iotum rays, and tentacle grapples.

Tracking down the gardener hiding in the shed and getting very very loud with him. He reveals what is and isn't trapped between here and the balcony door while begging for his life. The group lets him live, and makes their way to the manor entrance, first by climbing the series of steps  and onto the balcony. Callan attempts to simply phase through the door, but is stopped by some sort of network of anti phasing crystals trends woven into the exterior.The door is assessed and with available resources and some effort it would seem that picking it would be easier. Thremody spends some time jiggling her tools in the lock, he eventually gets a click and the door swings open revealing a long hallway that seems to abruptly turn left 30 or soe feet in. To the left there is a door, to the right a narrow halfway. 

Thremody can’t shake the feeling that there was something not quite right about that lock opening but doesn't  know what it could be. Calln, able to phase through interior walls it seems, peeks into the room on the left and sees it as an infrequently used pantry full of crates of things that are not food. The group then goes down the narrow hallway across to find a sitting/reading room there with another door on the opposite side. The group looks over the room with its comfy chairs and chaise lounges. Thremody checking the books notices one called The Life and Times of Thremody Wrainwright. The very old book, when the front half is skimmed proves to be accurate. Nervous, he hands it to Seph for safe keeping.

Just as the four are about to turn their attention to the locked door, the burbling fizzing of an approaching figure can be heard in the narrow hall, the terrifying creature, a Ressiduum makes its walk toward the heroes and it seems pissed. The collection of data machine and synth approaches, its dialogue cryptic and its just plain strange form advances aggressively on the heroes. IT strikes at their minds harming  Seph ripping and uncontrollable fear, he does a similar thing to Thremody, making her overhead and angry to the point she confusedly attacks her own comrades. Radius seems to blip out of existence and Callan receives some sort of flash of a mutant man called Gailin being embraced by his family, taking him out of the fight for a few moments

All the stops come out as the heroes realise that this may be one of the single deadliest opponents they have faced Callan “opens” the creature and onslaughts it repeatedly, Sepherith grabs and  entangles it once he can, and Themody, using every automaton fighting idea she has picked up in her years and blast him repeatedly. IT takes some time but the creature falls to pieces and every part of it is mangled body that is reusable, including a number of shins parts iotum and cypher It is here that they wait, taking a few moments to rest while wondering where Radius has disappeared to.

IO arrives unexpectedly back in the Amber Keep, having just moments ago begun surveying and salvaging components of the pre-world ruin that some of the others referred to as “Corpse Flinger”. He is with Chord in its home, who also looks a bit bewildered to see him. “That is not how the cypher was supposed to work,” the automation muses with a confused and slightly defeated tone in its voice. The two catch each other up and Chord states that it has another device that may return IO to where his companions are. IO uses the time to stock up on a few torches, rations and other key travelling supplies. Chord returns with a violet-blue crystal. It tells IO to place it under his left foot and step down on it, crushing the crystal while thinking of the person that he wishes to go to. IO thinks of Thremody, crushes the crystal, and is quickly encircled by a swirling mass of glittery violet clouds.

When he can see again, he finds himself in a well put together room with comfortable chairs, a bookcase and his friends, minus Radius and Isha (who he will learn is guarding the Tentacle Crawler), standing over the partially salvaged ruins of…something. They bring IO up to speed, and assure him his arrival had nothing to do with Radius’s disappearance.

Thremody and Seph are still a bit engrossed with the book,”The Life and Times of Thremody Wainwright”. She gets Seph to pick a spot and read, he picks a spot near the half point and finds he is reading about events that occurred only a few hours ago. Though a bit of a slow reader, he catches up to the present only to find the pages blank, and filling in as things are happening (mostly him reading the book to Thremody). After a brief discussion over the nature of fate, which Sepherith is admittedly not the most knowledgeable of, Thremody decides that the unsettling novel won't have any hold over her. Triggering an iotum ray, she blasts to book, reducing it to cinders. 

Finding Radius becomes the group's priority. Callan and Thremody put their minds together and as best they are able determine that the Residuum could not have sent the automation far, and due to the crystal lining of the manor, there is a good chance that Radius is still somewhere within. Thremody applies a bit of pressure and chemistry to a unit of psiranium and a pluripotent mass, causing the psiranium’s psychic side effects to shift from organic beings to automations. It is decided that IO will ingest the mixture as it has the least chance of harming him (though it still does). Shortly after he is able to detect the thoughts of Radius, coming from the western side of the manor.

The heroes make their way down the hall and discover a shifting non-euclidian style maze. Thankfully Radius does not appear to be within it. They first go south, arriving on a hidden balcony that gives a marvellous view of the city of Shallamas. Then, realising it is a dead end, north to what appears to be some sort of sitting room. In the centre of said room is a device that provides a pleasant experience for Callan, and is highly debilitating for everyone else. What’s to make matters worse, IO hears it “speaking”; singing, telling jokes, and doing an overall terrible job at being entertaining. It is loud, so loud he almost cannot hear Radius’ mind anymore, and so leaves through the door to the west. The sound lessens the further he is, but it is still fairly loud and excessively obnoxious.

Thankfully he is able to direct the group in the direction of Radius. The office has a door that is fairly solid, and barred shut from this side. Callan uses his phasing powers, as the interior walls do not share the crystalline barrier of the outer walls. To walk through the door and then another almost identical on the other side. He sees Radius, and another man, sitting in the corner. The second man is dressed similarly to the leader of the raid on the blue building. Radius is glad to see them, tells them that he has no idea how he got here and that the other person has not been helpful. The other person, named Collias, has been here for an unknown period of time and is quite disorientated.

Callan returns to the group, assuring Radius it will be out soon, and Seph, rather than simply sliding the bars aside, hulks out and obliterates them.  Radius and Collias  are freed and IO takes a thorough sweep of the office, discovering a key hanging underneath the desk, and taking a number of second hand accounts of numenera devices from Garmulu’s desk. The group then, with caution to avoid harm a second time. Takes apart the entertainer, which protests this to IO but quickly becomes a number of Shins parts and iotum.

Garmulu, standing roughly 8 feet tall, covered in an oversized loose fitting cloak appears in the opposite doorway. “Theives! Interlopers! You shall pay for breaking in here and attempting to steal from Garmulu!” it says, its cat's paw style hands reaching out and setting off one of Thremody’s cyphers, causing it to overload her senses. In a panic she runs to the door. A fight is on, there is no talking to this angry being, who moments later reveals itself to be a Sarrak, a biomechanical half feline half lizard superintelligent creature with a glowing ball of energy for a head. It attacks with its bare paws as Callan unleashes the force of his esoteries. IO uses skill and spear, Seph meets physical force with physical force, and Thremody, a bit of iotum always on hand, blasts once she shakes off the effect of the cypher.

The battle draws to a close once Seph brings a powerful tentacle swing down on Garmulu’s back, breaking its spine with an audible snap and causing the energy ball to blip out. Garmulu is no more. A quick search of its sleeping chambers reveals a few simple but interesting oddities. The key that IO found turns out to work in the heavy door in the reading room, revealing the Trophy room. A few interesting items are found, such as a mirror that always has a golden futuristic city in the background and a few artifacts (a shatter wand and a mind displacer) and cyphers. 

They also find Origin’s head. Radius, silent and visibly holding back emotion, cradles the head, similar to its own in many respects in his hands. IT does not take a genius to recognize the hurt and emotion of the moment, and after a time Radius addresses the group, mentioning that there still appears to be something left in Origin, a spark of life perhaps, that should be accessible if it is placed near the rest of his body. Solemn now their union, they take the first few steps on their journey back to the Blue Warehouse where they first found origin, or at least part of it, with hope that Radius’ sibling can be saved.