Previously: Session 054 Next: Session 057
- Seresia's childhood was a little rocky, but Meluan really did try sometimes.
- Trenia fills us in on the Phoenix that she 'killed' (aka took down and propaganda was spread that she killed it).
- Galin reveals that he knows a lot of information about F9 because she was being considered as one of the targets for Starbreak.
- Val & Cass will be staying in Cerr.
- Dixie gives Kathika a haircut.
- Casey gives us MacGuffins (rune rings that socket into terminals as wireless interfaces).
- Katrynn has coffee for us. Bless her.
- We head southward. There's trade routes along the Volthom foothills that we fly over.
- Marshy territory around the Bay of Eona.
- There's settlements built around the struts of the bridge leading the Aegim.
- We consider the water itself but there's sea mines.
- There's a spot to nearby to a toppled skyscraper that would be ideal to settle; not perfectly discrete but better than nothing. Trenia & Nyn drop in to scout the area.
- Casey pulled a fire escape map from the Arcane Assistant and delivered it to Seresia.
- We bribe Skeevy Pete the Tropical Parrot for info on what he's seen.
- He'd seen about two dozen people about two weeks ago who were wandering on deeper into the island toward The Place We Don't Talk About.
- They were inside for a few days and three of them scampered out with a bunch of things in their arms.
- They were wearing black and something shiny, and also got hurt.
- Pete brings us a tape that mentions Project Sunbeam. Dated 2266, 3rd of Delos, tape 1A. High energy arcanophysics. Amastacia Tresslyn. Researcher, insignificant publishings aside from one where she was listed as the second name on the paper after a redacted source. Listed a deceased on 23rd of Ijos, 2270. Died during the program.
- Some of the buildings look like they've been intentionally collapsed. One of the bombs was unexploded and it looks like it's only got 5-10 years of rust on it.
- There's a decrepit, smaller golem labeled SAR-B3 in the garage nearby. It was originally designed to replace the UDM project. Semi-Autonomous Force Reconnaissance (SAFRON) .
- It comes online. Time to fight.
- Current HP: 319.
- It had missiles, shield-casting drones, flight, active cloaking,
anti-communication measures, and a self-destruct. We disable it.
- Attempt to recover data from it.
[Unit shutdown from inactivity 40th of Speros, 2385]- A few weeks ago, it received a signal.
Activation signal received.
Enabling.
Targets detected.
Warning issued.
Targets refusing warning.
Targets refusing warning attempt 2.
Target engaging.
Engaging target.
Target destroyed.
18 targets remain.
[Combat log]
Shutdown signal received.
Shutting down.
[Indecipherable auth string.
- A few minutes ago:
Startup command received.
Initializing.
Elemental threat detected.
Class 5 elemental threat detected.
Engaging with extreme prejudice.
- We head inside. This place was burned, apparently within the last few weeks. Likely when the previous group was in here.
- Within the high-energy physics wing we find a desk that is badly burnt and containing a tape.
- "Log 1. Should I really just use numbers? 1A? Log 1A, 2266, I'm Amastacia; Project Sunbeam, this will be a comprehensive vocal record of the publication for high-energy arcanophysics small facility Lyndeville, direct ectoplanar siphon (Starbreak?), practical application, Dahlia leading the project, Felicha head of engineering.
- Lyndeville: Across the Valis on the north shore.
- Seresia & Robin disable the fire suppression system.
- A section of the wall collapses to reveal a metal door that's beaten to shit but still standing.
- It doesn't open for Kathika, Trenia, or Dixie. For Seresia, though: "Authorization accepted. Welcome back, your highness."
- Inside is an elevator with only one button. We all squeeze inside. On our way down, a recording plays: "Before I begin, I would like everyone to look at the clock. Note the time. 8:32 AM, 32nd day of Myhros, 2263. Mere seconds over 50 years ago, in NW Valia, the last of the dragons died. Great minds of Aphora, I would like to present you an opportunity to surpass that [Recording cuts out]."
- Evidently this is a private elevator for Rex.
- Descended approximately 100 feet.
- We head to Rex's office. The blackboards are cleared.
- "[Names of the members of the program] transmortal augmentation. Each of you has been selected." "Exemplary deeds? Respectfully, sir, all I did is get in the way of a shipping container. This feels more like a punishment detail than a commendation."
- Robin finds a secret compartment in the desk. The one we find is a red herring. The real one was in the bottom of the pen container.
- Evidently there's a dead man's switch in the ceiling to detonate some things.
- Subject 21, operation 4. "Fuck. Fuckin' shit. What the fuck are you doing? You son of a bitch, what the fuck are you doing to me?" Miss Trendant has reached stage 3, the furthest of any candidate so far. We've successfully extracted a strand of _ essence and prepared it for the graft. It appears to be gravitating to another signature."
- "Ah fuck. Fuck that hurts." "Kathika? Kat? Stay with me Kat. Stay with me Kat. Don't leave me Kat. Kitty Kat?" "I'm permanently revoking your nickname privileges." … "Miss Winters and Miss Trendant appear to be developing a bond with one another… I believe the attempts to disrupt it would [cause problems]."
- "Yesterday's sampling of Miss Winter's aura shows 14.5% presence of elemental contaminants." Joan enters. "With all due respect to your research, I would like to formally submit my paperwork for immediate transfer." "And you want me to approve it?" "If you won't, I'll find someone who will." "Oh Joan. Are you really going to do this? After all we've done together? Go back to your short, pointless little life?" "Sir, with due respect, my intestines feel like they've been removed. Just sign the paperwork, doctor. Please. Just sign it." "Sigh So that is how it has to be. Phone dialing. Corporal, please revoke Miss Kumari's elevator access. Hang up. You should go rest for tomorrow's test. I'll make sure that you request is given the proper… consideration. Paper shredder."
- Joan's quarters have a small collection of books, odds & ends, sci-fi on the self, and a partially slapped-together radio transmitter. A Newton's cradle made out of metal.
- Cordon's quarters have a couple books on the arcane, an alchemy kit in the corner (a toy more than a tool), et cetera.
- We find an obstacle-course-type facility that Kathika was run through at some point. Dixie & Kathika run through it and find a safe path.
- "She continues to resonate near-perfectly with the catalyst. We should expect to see ignition. Increase the flow." "Sir, she's on fire." "Isn't it beautiful? Let her burn. Relax, miss Winters. Death is not so cruel. Ignite your heart, and you will be back with us soon. - [Pause tape, resume] We have successfully reignited the remnant of the phoenix. Miss Kumari was less successful and was shipped to Arkaline medical under the guise of a petrification." The catalyst was a talon of a phoenix.
- Trenia had shrapnel in her chest from the phoenix talons that would have destroyed her had she not been attuned to F9's inferno for so long. She died on the operating table and was reborn in fire.
- We reach the high-energy arcanophysics wing, with a smaller sign labeled "Starbreak."
- There's the hum and crackle of power here.
- There's many desks with terminals, and it looks abandoned as if everyone intended to come back.
Dr. Loeffler,
We sent out the requested copies today, along with backups to Cinna and Hiera. I hope that they find you well, and that they prove sufficient for the Apotheosis Initiative. We intend to perform a fresh set of field tests, before packing up operations and moving to your site. I'll keep you updated on their status. Best of luck to you.
-F. Antyrias
- There's a single tape in an unlabeled, open envelope at the bottom of the drawer. "I'm sorry. -F" 3c 22nd of Azra. Felichae!" "Get that thing out of my face." "One day they might make a documentary about us." Always liked big machines, almost went into mechanics." "How about you, Dahlia?" "It's the next clear step isn't it? Radiant crystals are limited in output, and rift-blown generators are dangerous to operate."
- One of Kathika's targets. She was listed as a "rogue scientist from a military research program that intended to sell weapons and secrets to insurgents for terrorist acts."
- ITAC = Imperial Technological Advisory Council. They had final say on direction and what papers were allowed to be published.
- Dixie finds a picture of their birth dads. In the back of the frame, there's a folded note written in pencil. "Love you. Come home soon. - H."
- We find some new tapes.
- 8a: Scanned with an entrometer on a test.
- 9e: 40th of Eos, 2268. Dahlia left for Skymark last week on a fancy rift-blown project. That makes Amastacia the lead. The test was unsuccessful, no mark on the entrometer.
- 14a2: 8th of Speros, 2268. 5ke prototype. Forgone stasis field entirely. Mandani capacitor. Siphon self-sustaining over a 30s time period, 6 seconds of 99% dampening. Mr. Antyrias. 12k & rising. Stable at 30s, dampening successful.
- 16b: 15th of Natis, 2268. Demonstrated to ITAC, thanks to Clover. Outpouring of support for Project Sunbeam. Chairman will back publication once output is comparable to a rift-blown generator. Direct ectoplanar siphon wasn't catchy so they settled on Starlight.
- Kacey pulls data from the terminals. There's something putting out 10% less than a fully-powered rift-blown generator.
- We head toward the source and enter a U-shaped room.
- There's another tape on a desk as well as a porthole preview. Inside the concrete room is an arcane contraption of extreme complexity, two stabilization rings twirling around it keeping it in harmony with itself. Little pinpricks of light seem to stream from the walls in reality itself around it.
- Log 22d: 2nd of Silvis, 2269. Maybe the 3rd. The output wasn't enough for the military.
- There's more tapes within the core room. Robin fetches them.
- 34a2: 2269, 23rd of Speros. Augmented Prototype 16. Iridium-platinum alloy for its increased arcanoconductivity. Secondary construct to thin the planar membrane. Spike in power output. Field around the core is expanding. Power is rising exponentially. Field is breaking.
- 34b: 39th of Speros, 2269. Starbreak. Tore a hole in the Tapestries itself. Moved to Fort Lysenna now. "I hope Raya won't be too mad about moving."
- Kacey has decrypted the last of the recordings that she's able.
- Kat & Trenia conspiring to escape.
- Last files
- ML01: Meluan insisting Seresia take on Rex as an advisor.
- ML02: "Everything is ready, Meluan. Have you come to a decision?" "I have." "And it will not be in vain, your highness. When can we expect her?" "You cannot." "Pardon?" "No, Rex. I have decided, and my decision is no. I will not go through with it." "But we have everything prepared, and I can assure you-" "It's not about safety. It's about my daughter." "Your daughter? Your daughter, who actively refuses the throne? Your daughter, who disobeys you at a whim? Your daughter, who you could fix in a single procedure and make an empress out of her?" "Yes, Rex. She is impudent, disobedient, unambitious. She resents me, aspires to be nothing like me. Perhaps I have failed as a mother, but I will not butcher who she is to right that." "Even if it would make her love you?" "Dr. Rex, if you ever suggest doing that to my daughter again I will ensure that your words burn with you.
- Video: Grainy, low resolution, not an especially bright room. Dr. Rex and Meluan standing together. Meluan's eyes are red and her hair is perfectly tied back in the way that's too crisp. Her posture is sagging just a little bit, but she straightens when she notices it. "Your highness. I was so very sorry to hear about Astelia's unfortunate… accident. I cannot imagine what it's like to lose a daughter like that." "Spare me your self-serving attempts at sympathy, Dr. Rex. You know why I'm here. Can it be done?" "You understand that it will not be the same? She may end up wholly different." "She may end up close." "Close, yes. But not the same."
- Kacey starts glitching and we run back to the computer core.
- Another audio log starts playing over the loudspeakers.
- 40a: Final. It's done. 8 of Ijos, 2270. Cooped up in Fort Lysenna. They named it Starbreak. Make it bigger. Make it controlled. Could we have? Maybe. But I won't. They sent in their resignations except for Feliche.