story Interlude - Reflections on Rocks and Sky.

[TiffanyKorta]

Rock World

---

This world had a stark beauty with a field of orange-red rocks against a deep blue sky, the sun in the sky was bright but a little smaller than back home and it didn’t seem to cast any warmness down on the planet. You seemed to be on some sort of Mesa, a challenging climb to Jane’s eye, allowing you to see any threats coming from quite a distance, though there didn’t seem to be any life as far as you can see.

 

“As far as I can tell life never evolved here, that might be why time runs slower here, nothing ever happens here.” Fiona offers as an explanation

 

Turning a corner you see a small lean-to full of supplies and a seating area around a small well-stocked fire.

 

“I think it a wise idea to allow these people a chance to recover from their traumatic experience…” it was a statement, not a discussion “… and I have something I need to borrow some of you for another important task.”

 

She quickly gathered together a team and left on this mission, allowing the rest of you a chance to see the effect from the other side, with them seeming to glitch and blur before just disappearing as if there was just a screen wipe on reality. You were disappointed that there weren’t any sounds involved, there should have been something like a pop or something.

 

Rachael meanwhile was getting some interesting information from her psychic readings, the security guard was a blank they just seemed to disappear from the DMV and appear on the mud island. Linda was a different matter however, she seemed to have echoes of the demon, feelings of pure hate towards your kind through the purity of the feeling, and the distance, making it difficult to get anything further.

---

Quick pause as we wait to see if we get any new people, and clear out the old! A good chance for everyone remaining to talk about there experiences, especially as no one's really discussed what they've seen so far.

[Sir Lazeabout]

Jane paces restlessly. A whole multiverse to play around in, and they get stranded in the middle of nowhere! She has half a mind to see if she can do that thing Fiona does and get out here to somewhere where hang gliders have been invented...

Probably best not to. Taking risks is one thing, but the chance to get stranded somewhere even duller is daunting even to her.

On the other hand, the cliffsides look kind of inviting. She glances from them to the lean-to. Well, why not try something?

"Okay, so, there's going to be rappelling gear under those blankets," she says. "Someone could have included it with the rest of the stuff. That makes sense, right? Right. Rappelling gear. Rappelling gear. Rappelling... gear!"

She pulls the blankets off with a sharp tug, looking expectantly at what's beneath.

[Anthr4xus]

Rachel sits next to fire, absently poking it with a thin branch as she watches Jane trying to generate specific items from her blanket.  She had initially wondered whom would have selected the supplies that were here, but eventually wrote it off as likely being Fiona.  It was strange. Knowing that you have access to near infinite power really did seem to trigger a certain paralysis of choice.  When you can do anything, how do you pick what to do first? 

Jane was trying to replicate one of the first tricks Fiona had taught them: pulling from a liminal space.  Rachel wasn't sure the blanket was going to be sufficient.  She would be better off looking in those boxes she thought, but she was curious to see what happened. 

[Thot]

Akhtar Mubarak, Cultured Diplomat

Either it was an habit from those in power, or from older people, but Akhtar had noticed and regretted the lack of information from Fiona. She was playing really close to her chest, and while she had apparently saved their lives, the Diplomat still found it odd. He wondered what were her stakes in this game ?

 

Noticing their resident sports-addict antics, he nonetheless agreed with her attempts. They should learn to flex their new powers. Any edge would be welcome if their life were at stakes. The Egpytian chose to focus on something else, though, and tried to replicate this abilty to summon skills and knowledge from an alternate version of themselves. In this case it was easy, he tried to imagine himself immersing in his country's desertic lifestyle, a ranger of sorts, to summon bushcraft and survival skills applicable to their current environment.

 

[TiffanyKorta]

GM Post, Rock World

---

There's that feeling that you've felt before and as you wanted a set of rappelling gear, or very good quality, is lying there ready for use. Also, there is a note, in a language you shouldn't be able to but can read the handwriting easily.

 

I know you really want to go exploring, but I warn you not to go too far, ask Akhtar how dangerous this place can be.

   - Fiona

 

Indeed with the local Mubarak's knowledge, the place seems pretty bleak. There's literally no life anywhere to be seen, down to at least the most basic of lifeforms, and with no plants, there's nothing to trap water. Though the dull sun means it doesn't get too hot it wasn't somewhere you'd survive long with supplies.

 

Linda looks surprised at Jane's action and without thinking asks an unusual question "Why does she need to do it that way, couldn't she just draw the stuff here instead?" she looks a little shocked at herself, raising a hand to her mouth as she did so.

Edited May 9, 2023 by TiffanyKorta (see edit history)

[Sir Lazeabout]

Jane makes a face as she reads the note. "Smartass," she mutters, throwing it over her shoulder. Apparently there is more to this reality-warping business than Fionah has gotten around to explaining yet. This is possibly a mind-expanding experience of some kind, though Jane's mind has always protested against being expanded.

She looks over at Linda.

"Er, this is the only way I know how to do it," she says. "Why? Do you know a better way?"

 

OOC: While I'm at it, I might as well spent 1 of my points bringing Psyche from Below Average to Average. Jane is learning, mostly in spite of herself.

[Thot]

Akhtar Mubarak, Cultured Diplomat

When Jane handed him the note, Akhtar frowned. Was he so predictable in such a short while ? had Fiona been spying on them for longer than she had claimed... probably. It sounded very likely indeed. There was much more to see than met the eye in their situation.

 

"I am afraid I  can only agree with lady Fiona's assessment. This planet is lifeless, and so would we be if we strayed too far from camp. I urge you to consider caution."

Obviously that would be asking much from Jane, but probably it wouldn't be lost on Linda.

"Given our location, I think the safest and most useful thing to do is share our thoughts and insights in our situation, and perhaps hone our skills as you are doing indeed.

I can start if you wish me to ?"

But he didn't want to force anything on the ladies, and so he waited for them to show at least some interest before expanding on his questions.

 

[TiffanyKorta]

Rock World

---

Linda looked a mix of confusion and concern, thinking about what she'd just said "I'm... I'm not quite sure, I think somehow I'm sharing thoughts with that... other me?" it sounded a little strange, but no more than anything you'd experience today.

 

There wasn't much time to consider things as there was again that strange feeling you got when someone was traveling or between worlds, and Fiona appeared dressed again in her suit, but with a completely different hairstyle and makeup.
 

"Ah good, no one has wandered off yet!" she smiled sweetly "These two here are stragglers that were menaced by more of those mud monsters, please fill them in with what you know and I'll be back shortly!"

 

Not giving you any time to react she was again gone leaving you with even more people to potentially babysit!

---

Okay @coreal and @Primeval Stasis feel free to jump in!

[Sir Lazeabout]

Jane glares at Akhtar.

"You do realise that I hate nothing so much as caution?" she complains. "Okay, okay, fine. I'm not sure I have any insights, but if you want to..."

At that point Fiona turns back up to drop two more recruits to their cause (whatever cause that is - Jane still isn't entirely sure) in their lap.

"Hey, wait a sec..." she protests, but the Amberite is already gone. Jane sighs. She supposes that she can respect a woman on the go, but it'd be nice if she got to be one instead of being put in the time-out booth.

She manages a tired grin at the newcomers.

"Hi," she says. "I'm Jane. I'd fill you in about what I know, but mostly I don't know very much. Apparently there are endless worlds out there and you can go to them or yank things from them, and also apparently in some worlds there's demons, which is kind of a hassle. So, how're you dealing with all of this so far?"

Edited May 17, 2023 by Sir Lazeabout (see edit history)

[coreal]

Ben spends a long, long moment watching just where Fiona wandered off, as if hoping she'll return and take him back so he can actually get his trailer plate for his portable smoker. A long sigh and he turns to the introduction from Jane, "Umm, alright.  I'm Ben... and I guess there is some reason why we got yanked all together then?  Or did she gloss over the whys and wherefores with ya'll too?"

He then pulls a can of cheap beer out of a jacket pocket, "No point in waiting till after I drive back home to crack this open now... feels like one beer isn't going to even cut it."  

*pisht*  He cracks it open and takes a health couple of swallows from the can.

[Primeval Stasis]

Katjuk favors the small company with a broad grin, but his eyes are troubled and his brows drawn. "I am Katjuk," he says. His deep brown eyes fall on Jane. "You sell yourself short," he says with a nervous smile, "you know more than I." ”I am puzzled, I don't really know what to make of this." His mind is far off, but instinct kicks in and he asks Jane, "How are you feeling?" He is still processing internally what is happening. Is it related to the nightmares he still gets from time to time? The quiet stillness of the place soothes him - it reminds him of childhood. And yet at the same time, it has an odd beauty unlike anything he has ever seen. Staring off at the horizon he says absently, "I wish I had my paints."

Edited May 17, 2023 by Primeval Stasis (see edit history)

[Thot]

Akhtar Mubarak, Cultured Diplomat

This was getting more and more haphazard by the minute, and Akhtar's attempt at catching Fiona's attention ended up wasted as she left without sparing them more than a passing glance. The Egyptian diplomat looked at the thin air from where she had disappeared as if he could follow her whereabouts, and actually... he wondered if there could be more to this idea than just wishful thinking.

The two woman could fill in the newcomers just fine, so he just waved his hand noncommitally, and instead focused his Will trying to feel anything that may provide an indication on Fiona' direction.

Could she have left a trail that he could pick with his newfound powers ? What if he also tried to supplement his efforts with the skills from a double that would have already done that ?? Could he then pick something ?

 

[Sir Lazeabout]

Jane groans and rolls her eyes theatrically.

"I feel bored!" she complains. "Every world that you could possibly imagine to play around in, and Geek Girl has to strand us in one where absolutely nothing happens and then forbid us from wandering off, can you believe it? At least when we were being chased by demons something was happening."

She gives Katjuk a look.

"Have you tried, you know, yanking them?" she says. "Like, just decide that your paints are behind that rock over there, then go over and check. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but apparently if you can come up with a reason why something might be there, you can make it be there." She pauses. "I mean, I admit that I'm not too clear on why your paints would be behind that rock, but it might be worth a try."

[coreal]

There is a splutter then a snort, "Demons you say?" Ben takes a look around at how dull and drab this place seems to be.

"So sorta like how she said to just grab a drink as we passed that fridge on the way here? I mean it was a little odd that it had so much PBR in it."

He takes another long swallow from his PBR and looks over at the well dressed diplomat, "So what's his deal, he lookin' for something in particular?"

[Primeval Stasis]

Katjuk blinks in flutters as Jane vents, muttering a word in repeat every so often. "Geek girl..." "Demons..." "Yanking?..." His interest peaks at that last bit. He had understood some of what had been told to him, but the strange woman had seemed in a hurry when she was bringing him here.

He stares at the rappelling gear, obviously not brought here by conventional means. After thinking for a moment, he disappears behind a rock as Ben recalls his magic beer experience.

When Katjuk reappears, he is hold a handful of spray paint cans. "I don't think this is the sort of place you sit for hours and paint, but I could think of all sorts of reasons for these to be here." He smiles.

To Jane he asks, "Would you like to leave a mark? Something to tell future visitors just how bored this place made you?" He gestures up the surface of a towering rock on the mesa.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Primeval Stasis (see edit history)