[Week 2] [Day 315]

[helborn]

Okay, two things. First of all, that raider they found all messed up in the dunes is physically stabilized but probably needs more healing... something seems messed up with her mind. I'm not great at psychic stuff, so if someone wants to see what they can do she's in the Factor tower.

Second - those kids they found today near the Shadow District? I peeked in on what the one who died saw. Some kind of blast at neck range, but there was one of those isopod things on the wall at the same height so I think it distinguishes between sapient minds and not. I don't know if that's helpful for anyone... I can pass the memory on if you want, though... you know. You'd be seeing from the perspective of someone who died, and I know not everyone's okay with that.

Comments

[comebewe]

So it's an actual physical attack? Not just more psychic bullshit?

I don't need the memory, but can you show us what the isopod thing looks like? I've been...thinking of poking around the place a little. It'd help to know what I need to teleport past.

[helborn]

Sure.

[And he sends over an image of a moderately large isopod.]

Though actually... now that I think about it, the guy had ducked down for something and then got hit in the neck. That's probably why he died while the other guy is just unable to walk.

[comebewe]

Thanks.

Thorne's overlay told us that something makes people 'fall to their knees in awe'. So there is some psychic bullshit, clearly. I figure the best way in is to avoid it entirely.

[helborn]

Maybe, but one of them clearly didn't fall. And unfortunately I don't see any ghosts around to ask.

No, clearly it's too much to ask on nearly every Jaunt... I mean I'm glad they're going where they need to go, but...

[comebewe]

Didn't fall? What do you mean?

[letsgetdowntobismuth]

Not like it can't be both. We can do that now, don't see why they couldn't.

[comebewe]

Maybe.

[they give a bit of a mental shrug]

Either way, we don't plan to get it it's range at all.

[letsgetdowntobismuth]

Fifteen feet's bigger than you think. It can be pretty easy to underestimate how close you think you are.

[comebewe]

Not if we go up.

Who says we need to go in on the ground floor?

[helborn]

Entirely possible. I can check again if we find another corpse.

[letsgetdowntobismuth]

I'm heads and shoulders taller than most of you guys, if it knocks me down it'll probably just hit my belt.

[Even her gem is about face height for most normal human teens, she's found.]

[helborn]

Good, I'll hide behind you.

[capital_asset]

It's probably worth noting that the raider actually refused a kythe, which indicates that there's still a psyche in there underneath the catatonia.

The dead Shadow District explorer also had a number of worshipful memories of Ghalib - pre-exploration - so one or both of those explorers were his converts.

[helborn]

If they can't revive her, they'll probably cut her off. I don't know how long we have for that.

... First of all I'm curious how you found that out, and second of all... was he looking for something? Did he send them out for something in particular? Or did they just happen to wander in?

[capital_asset]

Days at most, I think.

My overlay is a Cleritor. They regularly kythe with the dead and dying.

I'm not sure our explorers knew to look for anything in particular. Ghalib didn't order them; they psyched themselves up to go together because they assumed it would please him.

[helborn]

Oh... that's neat. I tend to work with people after they're gone but I can only see around the point of death. Usually I'd just ask a ghost what happened.

Oh, I got it. That makes sense. It's stupid, but it makes sense.

[capital_asset]

Incidentally, about the raider... she has a number of odd puncture wounds on the same side of her lost arm. Three clusters of eight, or possibly six clusters of four. The holes don't line up symmetrically, and they're both large for tines or spikes and small for blades. My overlay doesn't recognize the pattern, and it doesn't look like a weapon type I'm familiar with either. Unfortunately, I have no way to heal her that I can actually get away with using here.

And the fact that she's refusing kythe is deeply unusual. Katadors generally don't.

[helborn]

Yeah, I don't know what it would be, either. At least she's stabilized physically for now. If you or anyone else can think of who can heal that stuff, let me know.

[levelthreehooligan]

Hnnn. I can help heal them, if they are willing to even be healed. It sounds a tad more complicated than my regular fare.

[helborn]

It's at least worth a try. I can't do a damn thing about catatonia, and I'd rather not have a person starve to death inside their own body if I can help it.

[levelthreehooligan]

Hopefully a combination of my healing abilities and the Psychic skills I've learnt during my time travelling will help.

Where are you now?

[helborn]

Right now I'm hunting snakes in the ruins, but let me send you some pictures.

[There's a quick burst of memories, a few seconds at a time, showing her where the Factor Tower is and what room the woman is being held in.]

[fearinahandfulof]

I can heal. Liminal and psychic, and hybrid.

[helborn]

Please. If we can bring her back, that's saving a life as well as maybe getting some information.

[fearinahandfulof]

Of course, if it will help.