[Shortly after the return to Liminal Space]

[pseudologist]

Nice flowers.

Not that I'm complaining about being away from all the raging teenaged emotions, but what happened to get us all sprung so fast? I don't think we were at the Shambala any more than a week - definitely not our usual stay.

Comments

[solvethepuzzle]

That's quite a time discrepancy.

[pseudologist]

So I've heard. And I'm guessing someone would have mentioned it if that was usually the case with these split Jaunts we have going now.

[solvethepuzzle]

No, the passage of time has been the same each time past. A difference of weeks is an anomaly.

[Time is nebulous within Liminal Space itself, but this is the first time to his knowledge that a Jaunt and Walkabout have been out of sync. It's interesting.]

[pseudologist]

But not out of keeping with the difference in how time seems to pass in a dungeon as compared to outside.

[Or on a traditional walkabout, he almost says, but he's never spoken to anyone who remembers one of those clearly enough to give an entirely faithful accounting of time.]

I guess the question is, is this actually a change in how things work, or is it just information we didn't have before?

[solvethepuzzle]

I don't have any dungeon experience as a reference, but it's interesting to note.

That's difficult to determine with only one reference point. To my knowledge, no one has spoken of this happening before, but it has also been only recently that Walkabouts have been remembered in detail. That much could indicate a change, but it's not a certainty.

[pseudologist]

From what I've heard, it's only recently that they've become a group effort, and not just one or two people at a time wandering off through a strange portal. I wouldn't be surprised if the two changes went hand in hand.

As for the dungeons, I'd recommend avoiding the experience if you can.

[solvethepuzzle]

I've no inclination to enter a dungeon, but whether I have one of my own is out of my control. [He'd rather not have one, but as he says, it isn't up to him.]

This time would mark the third Walkabout that counts as more of a Jaunt in its own right.

[pseudologist]

So I've heard. I'm still not entirely clear on what sparked the change. The prevailing theory seems to be a previous mission failure.

[solvethepuzzle]

[He pauses a moment to think about this.] The first came after our time in Purgatory, which indeed was a failure. The conclusion of events in Nova Venezia was more ambiguous. I'm rather certain the Jaunt involving werewolves and vampires was actually a success, as was the Walkabout to Misericordia, if narrowly. Though the Walkabout did result in an uprising that could easily have caused displeasure.

The theory has some merit, but it isn't clear-cut. If there's another Walkabout the next time, the theory will have to be discarded; all indications of Liminal Space point to the Trumps being satisfied with the most recent results.

[pseudologist]

Not necessarily - the initial failure in Purgatory might still have prompted them to change their tactics in hopes of producing more favorable results. All that would tell us is that split Jaunts don't necessarily follow only after failed or partially successful ones.

[solvethepuzzle]

It could be true. [The supposition is fair enough.] Overall, the split results have been largely favourable thus far.

[pseudologist]

Interesting. They do seem to be pleased this time, though their taste in venue leaves something to be desired.

[solvethepuzzle]

As it usually does. [Close-quarters is fine, but there are other aspects that are irritating if one allows them to be.]

[pseudologist]

At least it's not usually underground.

[Close quarters, he can deal with. Weird flora, he can avoid. But the subterranean design is just too damn reminiscent of the Deep Roads for comfort, even if the actual similarities are mostly in his head.]