Myst: Relinked Relinquished IC

[gunnar11]

Maenas, D'ni Gate

"No way this system could be this easy..." Trenarios says, putting his hand on the vaults. He decides to go with Nada's plan and put's the third lever (from the right) in the third position.

If that fails to make the mechanism move, he'll put the first lever from the left on the 3rd position, then second lever from the left to the 0'th position, the first lever from the right onto the second position and finally the second lever from the left onto the third position again:

0321
3321
3021
3022
3322

"To get the air flowing in all of them."

[Rakmakallan]

Meanas, D'ni Gate
Nada & Trenarios

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I went with Trenarios' impulsive action in this case. Positions were 0020 when you started.

Third lever to third position: The path between second and third closes, whereas the ones between third and fourth and third and first open. The gas is the third cylinder flows in both ways, and this time the effect is much clearer that in the indirect path from third to first resulted in a slower and weaker flow.

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The mechanism moved. Shall I describe the rest of the actions' results too?

Nada [exclusive]

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Use technology (pre-restoration): You get the roll because of Prodigy. You get a hunch that the fourth lever might have a fifth position.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

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Assuming that Trenarios stopped moving the third lever when the gas went through. Also changed the post slightly because of the added information of where the gas went with a specific lever adjustment.

Nada keeps writing her numbers. She hums thoughtfully. "So it does go both ways... And did you hear the mechanism between 2 and 3 close just now? But there was no gas flowing between them these last few times we moved something. So the valves obviously allow the gas only to flow in one direction at a time. What a marvelous machine! All these years, and it's still hermetically sealed! I wonder what a valve like that alone would be worth..."

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0000 - all closed > all gas in 1
0001 - 1 to 2 > all gas in 2
0011 - all closed > all gas in 2

0021 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3 > gas half in 1, half in 3
0022 - 1 to 3, 2 to 3 > all gas in 3
0023 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 1 to 4 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0024 - 2 to 3, resets to 0020 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0020 - 2 to 3 > all gas in 3 (no flow)

0320 - 1 to 3, 3 to 4 > gas half in 1, half in 4

((@Rakmakallan: better?))

"I have an idea. Look at the fourth lever, the one on the far left. I think it has one more notch to go than the others. What if we filled the fourth cylinder entirely with gas and then tried the additional setting? It might just divert the gas to where we need it to open this door..."

She clicks her pencil against her teeth, thinking. "So.. there's gas in 1 and 4 right now. We'd need to see what levers will send the rest of it to 4... Or no, we'd probably have to put 4 in third position first so nothing else will be opened when we want to send it out... Is that right?" She looks at her scribbles, frowning.

[gunnar11]

Right, Trenarios says while pulling the second lever from the right untill it reaches a position where the gas flows to the fourth container.

So we need to get everything flowing to the fourth container, and then move that one onto the fifth mode, right?

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Meanas, D'ni gate
Second lever to third position (0330): 1 to 2 opens, 2 to 3 opens, 2 to 4 opens. Flow from 1 to 2, and 4 to 2. 4 to 2 is slower. Entire gas content is in 2.
Second lever to fourth position (0340): 1 to 2 closes, 2 to 3 closes, 2 to 4 closes. No flow. Lever resets to initial position. Entire gas content in 2.
Manipulating the second lever under current circumstances did not move any gas to the fourth cylinder.
Final positions: 0300, 1 to 3 open, 3 to 4 open, all gas in 2

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Sorry for the short answer, but it's kind of entirely technical now. If you were intending a different action, pm me so I can fix it.

Sunfall: Yes, much better.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Promenade

Had anyone told Gareth this morning that he'd find a way to leave Gadar behind, he'd have called them mad.

It worked. It actually worked. He felt his thin body through his robe, making sure everything was in proper order. No misplaced organs or limbs: a good sign.

It all felt very surreal. He blinked up at the blazing blue of the sky, no clouds to be seen. He had expected to relish in the sunlight and lack of rain, but something about the depth of the sky left him strangely unnerved. The vast emptiness of it, like a mouth that could swallow him up at any moment. And he'd fall up forever and ever, nothing to stop stop him, nothing to slow him down …

He shuddered. He was just creeped out by the feeling of traveling through the Linking Book, that was all. What had that been about, that strange feeling of being watched?

There were more pressing matters, though. Such as 'Where am I?' He had no idea whether the inhabitants of this Age were peaceful or hostile, but it seemed that either way along the path he went he would be encountering them soon. And who knew what dangers the forest might hold?

Gareth set along the path toward the square.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"I think so", Nada answers and watches Trenarios working the lever, as always taking the positions and effects down. Then she begins to strike out and alter some of her notes, thus reversing the direction of the valves according to the flow.

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0000 - all closed > all gas in 1
0001 - 1 to 2 > all gas in 2
0011 - all closed > all gas in 2

0021 - 2 to 1, 2 to 3 > gas half in 1, half in 3
0022 - 1 to 3, 2 to 3 > all gas in 3
0023 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 1 to 4 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0024 - 2 to 3, resets to 0020 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0020 - 2 to 3 > all gas in 3 (no flow)

0320 - 3 to 1, 3 to 4 > gas half in 1, half in 4
0330 - 1 to 2, 3 to 1 (no flow here), 3 to 2 (no flow here), 4 to 2, 3 to 4 (no flow here)> all gas in 2
0340 - 3 to 1, 3 to 4, resets to 0300 > all gas in 2
0300 - 3 to 1, 3 to 4 (no flow)> all gas in 2

"Kid, I think I've got it now!" she murmurs, not quite able to conceal her excitement. She looks at the remaining oil in her lamp, gauging how much time has passed since they have arrived. It can't be too much... Plenty of time. "Just let me see one more thing before we do this..."

She pulls the third lever down the last notch, thus resetting it and closing the remaining valves. Then she slowly and deliberately pulls down the fourth lever to 1000, 2000 and 3000, always noting the consequences. (If all the gas happens to go from 2 to 4 in the process, she'll stop.)

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
After a few hundred meters, the path opens up into a square of hewn cobblestone, surrounded by cottages of expert woodwork and stone masonry, Judging from the signs, most, if not all of them are shops. However, the most prominent feature of the area, is a statue, probably of volcanic stone, some 5 meter tall, and quite imposing on its smooth pedestal, of a middle-aged man bearded, wearing round spectacles and a formal-looking waistcoat, his hand on the shoulder of a teenage girl in an old-fashioned dress, her hair tied in a long braid. Both carry books in their other hands.

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Rolls for Awareness and Knowledge: D'ni history

You notice a brass plaque on the pedestal, though it's unintelligible at this distance. Also, the girl...she seems quite familiar, as if you've seen her face somewhere in some historical book but cannot really make a connection any more.
There are paths leading away from the square in various directions, and a breeze carrying the salty smell of sea. The commotion is rising, as more people appear running towards the crowd, all poised in a circle around some sight, seemingly most interesting. At a glance, it seems that there is a person lying on the ground, white-haired, bearded and motionless.


Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate
0000: all paths closed, no flow, all gas in 2
1000: 1 to 4 open, no flow, all gas in 2
2000: 1 to 4 closes, 2 to 4 opens, all gas in 4

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Yep, you've nailed the concept so far.

[Sunfall]

Nada grins triumphantly and lets go of the lever as soon as all the gas has flowed into the fourth cylinder. "Yes, I thought so - the levers position corresponds with the cylinder that it will connect to! Pulling more than one lever makes a combined effect. So, what do you think? Position four or five? I'd say four is our ticket, and five resets..."

She looks expectantly at Trenarios.

[gunnar11]

"You're... unexpectedly smart..." he says, while pulling the lever down to the fourth position. If that doesn't work, he'll try again, but on the fifth position instead of the fourth.

"You, my lady, are full of mysteries" Trenarios says, kissing Nada's hand gently while doing so.

[Rakmakallan]

[B]Nada & Trenarios[/B
Meanas, D'ni Gate
As soon as the lever hits the fourth position, something entirely new happens, there is a rumble of larger mechanism from somewhere within the mine walls, as if stone grinding on stone, then the familiar sliding between the fourth cylinder and the left wall and the gas flowing into the rock. For a moment it seems as if the gate is going to open, and truly it rises a few inches above the ground, then as suddenly drops down again with a loud thud and the gas flows back to cylinder 4, all mechanisms closing. It seems this is indeed the way to open the gate, but some adjustments are needed. Perhaps more power to the gas flow.

[Sunfall]

Meanas D'ni Gate

"Why, thank you, kind sir!", Nada smiles as they watch the mechanism do its work. But her good spirits evaporate the very instant the door slams shut again.

"Aw, come on", she groans and once more consults her notes. "So the principle's sound, but the gas needs more pressure? But how?" She realigns the levers in her head, frowning.

"So the flow gets weaker the longer its way is. But we can't just shorten the way, as we're out of levers in that direction. The only thing I can think of would be to open all the other valves in the direction of 4 to maybe give it a little push... But is that even possible when the other containers are empty?"

Just to be sure, she pulls down the fourth lever one more notch (to 5000), expecting it to simply reset.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate
As expected, the lever hits position 5 and reverts to its initial position, all paths closing and gas remaining in cylinder 4. It would seem so far that the pressure decreases when the gas follows and indirect path, though it only seems to the last paths opened. Maybe if there was a way to stack direct paths, it would build up enough pressure.

[gunnar11]

Maenas, D'ni Gate

Trenarios watches as the gate opens...
And closes.
Nada is mumbling some things, but Tren isn't listening anymore. He's got the answer, or at least, he thinks so.
We just have to create a direct path, from the first valve to the second- and he pulls down the first lever to the third position (0003),
the second to the third- and he pulls down the second lever to the second position.(0023)

And finally he says, while pulling the third lever to the third position we unlock the door, pulling the fourth lever onto the fourth position. (4323)

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Start: 0000, all closed, all gas in 4
0003: 1 to 2 opens, 1 to 3 opens, 1 to 4 opens, flow to 1
0023: 1 to 2 closes, 2 to 3 opens, no flow (1-3,2-3,1-4)
0323: 1 to 3 closes, 2 to 3 closes, 3 to 4 opens, no flow (1-4, 3-4)
4323: 4 to Wall opens, very slow flow through 1 to 4 and into the wall. The gate does not even budge. Gas returns to cylinder 4, 4 to wall closes.

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How did you even come up with this sequence? I thought the puzzle was terribly easy.

[Sunfall]

Meanas D'ni Gate

Frowning, Nada watches Tren do his sequences. "Wait, I don't think that's-", she starts, but interrupts herself as soon as the flow goes through and it's evident that nothing will happen.

"OK", she says instead and gives Trenarios a wink. "My turn. We've still got plenty of time to figure this out..."

She glances at her notes one more time and resets all the levers, leaving the gas in 4 for the moment (0000).

"You're right, you know. I think if we put it in 1..." She pulls the first lever down, just as Tren did earlier (0003). "...and then open the rest of the valves to make a direct passageway, it should gain enough momentum to open the door. My guess is that the trick is to do it backwards, so the gas will find its way unobstructed from the beginning."

• She resets the first lever with the gas remaining in cylinder 1 (0000).
• Then she puts the fourth lever into position 4, opening the valve that goes into the rock. (4000)

"Well, I'm not quite sure about the interference this one will create when I combine the levers, but on a hunch, I'd say..."

• She moves first the third lever (4300) and then the second lever (4320) to their respective positions.
• If the gas is still in 1 after this, she'll take deep breath and pull the first lever to its (hopefully) final position (4321).

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Crossing fingers...

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
0000-reset:All closed, gas in 4.
0003: 1-2 open, 1-3 open, 1-4 open, flow to 1
reset: all closed, gas in 1
4000: 4 to wall opens, no flow. 4 to wall closes.
Seems there should be open paths for the gas to traverse before going into the wall.
4300: 1 to 3 open, 2 to 3 open, 3 to 4 open, flow to 3. (1-3, 2-3, 3.4)
4320: 1 to 2 opens, 2 to 3 closes, no flow. (1-2, 3-4)
4321: 1 to 2 closes, no flow. (3-4, gas in 3)

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So, in case you haven't inferred it by now, the principle is: Whatever you paths the position manipulates, they open if they are closed and close if open. Flow occurs when a gas-containing cylinder has a path opened, but only to the paths opened during the last manipulation. eg if there was gas in 1 an 1-2 was open already, setting the third to position 1, would only move gas through 1-3, not the already open 1-2. Fourth lever fourth position is the "flush", if there's any sort of pathway to 4, it sucks the gas in and then into the wall.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"Nope, that wasn't it either", Nada says dejectedly, already twigging after pulling the third lever that it won't work that way. She diverts all gas back to cylinder 1, then resetting the levers to 0000.

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But if everything else is closed, lever positions just count through the cylinders, right? Like position 1 on lever 1 opens to 2, position 2 on lever 1 opens to 3 and so on? That was as much as I twigged. Just hadn't quite figured out what happens if you pull more than one...

So the moment you manipulate more than one lever, the scheme of open valves inverts? *goes back to checking the schematics*

Yeah, I'll need to think about this some more.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

Gareth made his way over to the commotion to get a better idea of what was wrong with the man on the ground. He cautiously stood near the outskirts of the crowd, worried about how the inhabitants of this Age might react to a stranger from afar.

The clothes don't help, he thought, glancing irritatedly down at his dirty red robes.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada takes some time puzzling through her notes, now and then looking up at the levers, counting them and mouthing words. Finally, she raises her eyebrows when she realizes her mistake.

"Ooooh", she says, shaking her head in amazement. "Of course! We never moved the levers that were already in position, so it must be the new combinations that closed the paths..." She turns to Trenarios who looks just as clueless as she has a moment ago, and starts to explain.

"I see it now! Every position past the first one influences not only one, but more valves! Valves that have already been open, close if influenced again. See, position 1 on the first lever manipulates valve 1-2. Position 2 on lever one manipulates valves 1-2 AND 1-3. As 1-2 is already open, it closes if you pull from position 1 to 2. That's why it looks at first like every position influences only one corresponding valve." She looks at him expectantly, waiting a moment for him to follow her. Then she continues.

"So position 3 on lever one manipulates 1-2 AND 1-3 AND 1-4, opening paths that were closed and closing paths that were open. And it's the same for all the other levers. Now, the goal, as you've already pointed out, is to establish a smooth flow from cylinder one to four and then out. But four will close if there is no flow to begin with, so we can't open that one right away. Same with cylinder one, if we want to open all the valves, we cannot have the gas there. We must put it in four before we open the last valves. Though I've no idea where to put it at the start. Let's leave it in one for now, as this is the default position anyway."

"So our goal must be to open all consecutive valves 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, THEN moving the gas into the first cylinder and while it flows though, open the path into the wall. We need to have the entire path set up beforehand and be careful to open only only the paths necessary, no side ones. Those would only slow it down again."

She claps her hands and looks at Tren. "So now it's only a matter of finding the right sequence of lever pulls. And we'll probably have to pull some more than once. Savvy?"

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Hope I got it right this time, Rakmakallan... Gunnar, did that explanation work for you?

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square (Western side)
A few heads turn as you approach the crowd, examining you from top to bottom, before returning to their excited chatter, as if they have seen their fair share of strangers. Strangely you can understand most of it, though it appears to be some different dialect. You manage to catch some random phrases from the ruckus:
"...he doesn't have any family...take care of..."
"What a pity...him all my life."
"Did...how old he was..."
"...kind to everyone...to himself in the lighthouse."
"It...time of the month...pick up provisions."
And as you approach the man lying on the ground, several more people from the crowd turn around to examine you, though more importantly, the man's face comes clearly into view.
Though, you have seen but portraits of his at a younger age, you can't help but recognise with absolute certainty, your great-uncle Dakrenn, and he is not breathing.


Nada

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Yep, path set up, gas in cylinder 1, then 4th lever to position 4.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

Gareth blinked. He hadn't been sure what he'd expected to find in this Age, but … it certainly hadn't been this.

He felt little pity for the dead man lying on the cobblestones, despite the murmurings of the people around him. If what Rovan said were true—and it appeared to be—then Dakrenn had left hundreds of people to rot in Gadar while he flourished here in an Age of sunshine and beauty.

"Pardon," Gareth said to a person standing next to him in the crowd, "but could you tell me a little about this man?"

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
The one who answers your question is a middle-aged woman, somewhere during the second century of her lifetime, or whatever the equivalent is in this age, dressed in a blue and wearing an apron, blackened and charred around the corners, indicating she is some sort of baker. She looks you in scrutiny for a few seconds before answering.
"Ye're not from around here, are you now, youngster? I suggest you lose that filthy robe or people will start asking awkward questions. Comes with the island life, not many visitors appear that we don't see getting off a ship.

Anyway, this is the keeper of our lighthouse, I remember him from the time I was a young lass, when he appeared one day in the island, just like you. He was really battered and in a bad shape, but seemed awfully delighted, nearly hysterical; we thought he was insane. Strange how he hasn't aged almost one bit. Long-lived fellow, if there ever was one, but I guess it was his time after all.

And you, where did you come from, youngster?"
At this closer distance, you can notice that Dakrenn is still, even dead, clinging to a small leather satchel.


Nada & Trenarios

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Still stuck? If so, you can tell me to start dropping more hints.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

"I'm from … the same place Dakrenn was," Gareth said quietly. "This man was my great-uncle."

Gareth knelt beside the corpse and reached between the stiffening fingers, pulling at the leather satchel.

[gunnar11]

Trenn ponders.
Time still is ticking, though, and he would have to move fast if he wanted to accomplish their goal before the guard came back.

"Come on, Nada, we have to be fast!" he tells her, and begins moving the levers again.
He checks if every lever is in the starting position, and if not, resets them.
Then he pulls on the second lever, changing it to the second position, he waits and listens to the flow of the gas before continuing. Then he pulls on the fourth lever, bringing it to the third position

0000
0020
3020

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I think I've got it, but I just want to be sure. What happens now?

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
The lady looks at you sheepishly for a second, not understanding the implications.
"Well, my condolences, young man. He was a good person, from the little I knew him..."

Your fingers close around the satchel and by its weight it feels almost empty. But at that moment, a few strong-armed men from the crowd start shouting at you.
"Hey, you! What do you think you are doing?'

"What are you trying to pull with old man Dak's belongings, thief?"

"Have you no respect for the dead? This man should be attended by medics and buried."

Then, a few seem to shove through the crowd trying to reach you with threatening dispositions.


Trennarios
Meanas, D'ni Gate
0020: 1-2 opens, 2-3 opens, gas to 2
3020: 1-4 opens, 2-4 opens, 3-4 opens, gas to 4


Warning, spoiler contains part of the solution

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You've been warned. It can be solved from the current position.

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It takes 5 more moves, exclusively in lever 4. My original solution, starting from 0000, takes 8 moves

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you'll have to move through 1020 twice to send gas back to 1 and then close the pathway.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

"Dakrenn was my great-uncle!" Gareth spat, rounding on the approaching men. The stresses of the last hour—laying eyes on the book he'd been searching for for years, leaving the prison that was Gadar, this new Age with its disconcerting blue sky, the new people (more than he'd ever seen in his life), and now finding Dakrenn dead—collided. And when Gareth was stressed, he grew rather waspish.

"I arrived today only to find my own long-lost flesh-and-blood dead. So pardon me, but yes, I will inspect whatever he was holding when he died—" Gareth jerked the satchel from Dakrenn's hand and thrust it into the air so all could see, "—if it bears a clue as to the manner of his death or where he was all these years." He waved his finger angrily at the dissenters. "Unless one of you would like to tell me how he came to be lying dead in the middle of the town square, hm?"

He rolled his eyes as he opened the satchel. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll put it right back in his hand after I see what's inside. I'm sure he'll make great use of it."

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"Gods, kid, I think you've got it!", Nada exclaims excitedly as Trenarios pulls his two levers. She, too, has been glancing nervously at the remaining oil in her lantern, gauging how much time has gone by while they were thinking.

"Now all four of them are open and you just need to put all the gas into the first cylinder again so it can pick up speed..."

She looks expectantly at Tren, not wanting to steal his thunder.

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square

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Negotiate roll

At the first hint of blame for Dakrenn's death, the self-righteous bullies stop dead in their tracks, exchanging confused looks, while whispers start among the crowd.
"Let the child mourn his relative. We've intruded enough in a family matter."
"Who is even this stranger? There haven't been any ships in weeks. Where did he come from?"
"Bah...too much fuss for an old man. It was his time anyway. Let the fellow do whatever he wishes with the corpse."

You manage to take a brief look into the satchel before getting distracted by the noise around you. At a glance, it seems to be half-empty, save for some sheets of paper, a poorly bound book, a brass compass, a chunk of half-eaten bread and some coins in probably the local currency.

You notice a venerable man, clad in all black robes, so hunched that his beard almost touches the ground approaching from your right and raising his arms and his abrupt unspoken command, the crowd falls silent. Then, he addresses them in a stentorian voice, completely unfitting to his frail appearance.
"Stop your bickering, and for once show some dignity. Where is your hospitality to weary travellers? Have you lost all respect for the departed and the mourning? The Maker always sees, and by his ways should we conduct, our homes and arms ever open. Attempting to assault this grieving man. Shame thricefold upon you, your families, and your homes. What would your ancestors thinks if they could see you now? Go about with your businesses, and leave Dakrenn's body to the care of the medics. Or was he not one of us for as long as most of you can remember?"
No sooner have a few moments passed that the crowd disperses, people going about their business for the day. The old man turns to you, giving you the telltale gesture to be quiet for a moment.
"I am not exactly sure who you are, young man, or where you came from, but for sure you are one of them; the ones who helped this island centuries ago.", he says pointing at the statue, and with this reminder the vague memory suddenly clicks in place, for you recognise the figures as Atrus and his daughter, Yeesha the Grower, those that guided the D'ni to Releeshan 600 years ago and restored their civilisation, though how their likeness came to be here escapes you.
"Now, now. Don't lose this satchel and follow me."
He pulls your sleeve hobbling towards the other side of the square and to the harbour. As you pass in front of the statue, an inscription comes in sight:
"For our saviours, Atrus and Yeesha.
Death only lurks within.
One never truly dies while hope survives."

How ironic...

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada gives a delighted laugh as Trenarios gives a polite little bow and steps out of the way to grant her the honor of opening the door. "Well, don't mind if I do", she says, sauntering past him and grasping the fourth lever.

She moves it four times, always waiting in between until the effect takes place. Her leather jacket (it might be a bit tight around the shoulders) groans under the strain of her pushing the lever up a few times instead of down.

2020
1020
0020
1020

Then, if all has gone according to plan (all direct passageways from 1 to 4 are open and all the gas is in cylinder one), she renews her grip on the lever and casts one last look at her companion. "Ready?", she asks with a twinkle in her eye.

Then she pulls her last lever.

4020