The Floating World [IC]

[Recherché]

If we don't want to do any more exploring then I wouldn't mind taking first watch. I have plenty of spells left and I'd like the opportunity to record everything we've seen and our theories while its still fresh. Ryoko regretfully walks back to the dormitory with only a few glances back at the gorgeous decoration and blessed hot food.

[Bhaakon]

Sute shivers at the food service, the seemingly mundane (golems aside) occurrence rendered deeply disturbing by the utter lack of diners present to enjoy the repast. She isn't even tempted to touch the food, however delectable it appears. Nor does the thought of sleeping here remotely appeal to her.

"No...no, I don't think we should sleep in here. Not until we at least get a hint of what happened to the crew. Did the golems turn on them? Was it one of their own? A plague? An experiment gone wrong? Did they abandon this place for some reason?" The list could go on, but she thinks the point is made. "If you're set upon resting, then let us do it outside, where we aren't trapped with whatever emptied this place. But first, I'd rather try and accomplish what we came here for. Let use break into some of the dormitory chest, see if there's a journal or some other hint as to what happened. If nothing else, it may give some of you an ideas as to what magics to prepare."

[The Hellbug]

Ennius nods with each of Ryoko's points, but it is obvious from his swagger towards the table that he was mostly interested in her semi-agreement about the food being safe enough to eat. In fact, he's taken his shield and spear in the same hand, and the other is hovering over one of the platters of fruit when the other two disagree. "Listen," he argues, "if I wanted to defend a fortress like this, I'd do of it before the intruders were stepping through my feast halls and dormitories. Tragic as it was, I think those shadow demons were a fluke, not a countermeasure against invasion. And Ryoko's right, we haven't seen a single sign of currently-living residents in this whole place. There might not be any at all, which means this dinner that I presume would be for them given the dormitories here is going to waste. So the question is this: would you rather be stuck out on a windy rock with cold rations or feasting dry in here?"

[Recherché]

We probably are past the worst of the defenses assuming those were defenses and not just us bumbling around like idiots in a dangerous magical laboratory. That being said I’m still very paranoid about not knowing what the rules are around here or how the golems will react to us breaking them.

If it was a disease or poison that killed the inhabitants then we’ve already been exposed to it and any further exposure is unlikely to hurt us more. And if the inhabitants dies here then where are the bodies? I suppose the golems could have removed them up as part of an automated cleaning routine.

Ryoko looks thoughtful for a second.

Sometime when we’re ready to move fast I’d like to propose an experiment; we deliberately litter a couple of pieces of meat from our stores and see how the golems react. If they take the trash somewhere and we can follow we might find the inhabitants remains. Or their garbage disposal which would give us nearly as much information on them.

Ryoko pauses looking at the food covetously again.

Sute, you’ve been willing to use your familiar as a test subject before. And he or she eats right? How would they feel about a temporary job as a taste tester?

[Bhaakon]

"I mean...he doesn't need to eat, but he can." Sute replies, still surprised that the others were so set on sleeping indoors. But at least and experiment might mean some sort of progress before they called it an early day.

The weasel chitters nervously at the idea. Certainly it wouldn't die from poison, but it wouldn't be pleasant. "Oh, grow a backbone." Sute snaps at the mustelid, which just elicits more complaints from the less-than-flesh and blood being. "Fine, fine, just meat." Sute looks up, "Vegetables make Kama sick anyway, so we'd be out of luck if only the greens are bad. I don't suppose they served dormice."

If no one objects, Sute will pick morsels from a sampling of place settings and feel them to Kama. Then, assuming nothing untoward happens, she will pick up a plate and dump it on the floor.

[ylvathrall]

Kama finds nothing objectionable about the food; the meat is delicately spiced and expertly cooked. Whoever or whatever prepared the food, they seem to know their business. There doesn't seem to be any poison, and the constructs don't seem to particularly care about him eating it.

They do, however, react when Sute spills a platter of roasted vegetables onto the floor. One of the constructs immediately moves forward, not seeming hostile, but rather intent on the mess. It quickly and efficiently gathers it together, then carries it back towards the door which they came from.

Assuming you follow it, you find the construct standing in a sort of foyer just inside that door, dumping the soiled vegetables into a large vat of sorts. Inside, mechanical blades churn, shredding the food and mixing it into what looks like a substantial pile of similar shredded food -- enough to account for several meals of the sort that is currently laid out on the banquet table. Trickles of water run from holes near the top of the vat, keeping the mixture moist. The construct then sets the empty platter on a conveyor belt on the other side of the foyer, which carries it further in.

Deeper inside, you can see what appears to be the kitchen. There are a roughly even mix of large machines and places where a person -- or a humanoid construct -- could perform tasks. At present there appears to be no activity within.

Spoiler: Profession (farmer) DC 14 (you can make this check untrained)

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The vat appears to be a sort of large-scale automated composting system, rendering the food waste down into a moist, shredded mixture which will decompose into compost. Presumably, at that point it will be used to fertilize soil.

[The Hellbug]

"See, exactly what I expected," Ennius editorializes as Sute's familiar's actions don't bring the cutlery to life to attack the group. He is just in the middle of taking a bite out of a ripe-looking peach when Sute knocks over the platter. "What's the idea, Sute? Never had a liking for...oh."

The druid then follows the construct with interest as the construct disposes of the mess. He looks curiously at the vat and belt for a few seconds, chewing on a bite of his fruit. "You know," he finally says, "a place like this couldn't really keep going forever if there were no one to operate it, could it?"

[Recherché]

Forever probably not, but a very long time? That could easily be the case. It could have only drifted here because something broke down. That said I think some of the ingredients in the lab had only been abandoned a week or so ago. I doubt it was very long unless the golems are somehow doing research/. Also I don't think the structure was damaged so it seems less likely that what happened was violent

Ryoko gestures at the path back.

I'm going back for food since it looks okay. It'll make my rations last longer if nothing else. And Sute think of it this way, if we sleep in here then we'll have enough flight spells left to get out safely if we need to evacuate in the middle of the night. If we head back to the rock with the cows it'll take my last spell and we won't have a way to safely leave the island.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle frowns as his companions take unnecessary risks like spilling the food, or eating it, but remains silent aside from a few muffled coughs until Ryoko states she intends to have dinner. "I do not believe that is wise until such a time as we've figured out what happened here. For all we know the golems are completely harmless, but something dangerous got into the water purifier or the vegetable farm's soil that they aren't programmed to fix, which wiped out the population. It seems this place is heavily based upon magical experimentation, and when that kind of things gets out of hand I find it's safer to trust nothing at all is what it seems. If you wish to partake, I will not stop you, but I shall be eating rations and sleeping on the floor tonight, myself."

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Ennius

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The peach is ripe, and very sweet; the soft, pale flesh is delicious, and trails of sticky juice run down your chin as you bite into it. There appears to be nothing immediately wrong or harmful about it.

[Bhaakon]

"I recall seeing cattle, but no orchard." Sute mentions as Ennius bites into the fruit. "So either there's a massive greenhouse somewhere in this complex, or that magically created. Probably the former, since they're composting their garbage. Though if this place is growing things entirely indoors, then is that because it usually travels places too harsh for plant to survive on the outside?"

Hearing Ryoko's argument, Sute sighs. "I wouldn't be able to fly to land if I had all the magic available to me. Not even close. I can float to the ocean and hope the boat is still there with what I yet have, though. But it's better to follow a plan than have everyone go off on their own poking and breaking more things, I suppose. Fine, but let us use the room that opens on the vent, so that we can reach the surface again if needed."

[The Hellbug]

Ennius nods at Ryoko's supposition as he chews. "Well, it doesn't taste like there's anything wrong with it, if any of you didn't trust the weasel, and it's quite good. Some of the noblest tables in Aseoto would be jealous!" the druid remarks with a lick of his fingers when he's done. He then grabs one of the empty plates and begins to eagerly assemble a first course out of the most delectable-looking dishes on the table.

[TheOneHawk]

Fools, taking risks like that in a place this obviously lethal based on nothing more than circumstantial evidence? I had hoped for more prudence in my allies. Alas. Carlisle's face does nothing to betray his thoughts as he simply returns to the room they entered through, dropping his pack and setting up his bedroll right next to the vent. Once done, he returns to the group with a small bag of trail mix and begins inspecting the runes upon the tablecloth as he eats.

[Recherché]

I definitely agree on staying near the vents in case we need to evacuate in the night. I'd also suggest keeping our packs as ready to go as possible just so we don't have to leave anything behind. Ryoko nods at Sute's suggestion.

Unless of course anyone else has any other experiments, ideas or explorations they'd like to do tonight?

The witch will take a look at the food and the dining room with detect magic and keeps a close eye on Ennius and the weasel for a half hour or so before indulging in her own share of the feast. Assuming they show no signs of anything being wrong.

[ylvathrall]

The food, for those who eat it, is delightful, each piece prepared with exacting precision. The flavors compliment each other wonderfully, and all of the ingredients appear to be of high quality. Many of the fruits and vegetables are exotic, native to areas far from where you are currently. The tastes are exotic, but each of them is used well enough that even unfamiliar tastes are appealing. The runes on the tablecloth appear to be based on Draconic, but don't actually convey any message, and seem to be purely decorative.

Precisely one hour after the repast is laid out, the bells which have been playing for this entire time slowly fade out. At the moment that they go silent, the golems move forward again, gathering up the dishes they so recently laid out. Each one, full or empty, is carried back to the kitchen by a silent stream of metal automatons. As they vanish, the magical lights dim, not entirely going dark, but leaving the hall in dim twilight.

The beds, for any who use them, are something of a contrast to the food. Rather than luxurious, they are rather uncomfortable, the mattresses a shade too hard and the blankets thin and scratchy. The dormitory, precisely one hour after the end of the banquet, goes dark as well, the lights in the room fading out completely.

You're woken, come morning, by the sound of bells. They ring out from above and below, following a simple reveille. One minute later, the clockwork golems begin moving, going to each of the beds in the dormitory in turn. They strip off the bedding with mechanical precision, neatly folding it and placing it in a pile next to the door. Outside, you can see more of the things laying out another meal on the banquet table, this one containing foods which are more typically associated with breakfast.

Spoiler: Ryoko

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Your rest is disturbed by dark, troubled dreams. You can't quite put the events in them into a clear order, or even remember them with any clarity. There are vague impressions of cages, half-seen in the darkness. Blades gleaming in the crackling light of electric sparks. Screams, which are at first pleas for help, and then fade into wordless, distorted howling. Dull, smoldering flame. The slow grinding of clockwork pervading every moment. Twisted forms of meat and bone which don't line up with any natural creature and move with soft, sickening wet noises. You get the impression that the dreams are repeating themselves, the same things happening over and over with slight variation, and leaving you feeling more drained after each one, though none of them can awaken you and you cannot seem to awaken yourself.

In the morning you wake with the strange and disturbing echoes of the dream still haunting you, distracting and troubling.

Spoiler: OOC

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DC 12 Will save or take (1d10)[10] damage. If you take this damage you are treated as fatigued and your sleep does not count as rest for the purpose of recovering spells.

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle awakes to the reveille and immediately grabs for his blades out of instinct, but leaves them sheathed as he watches his predictions come true regarding the golems and the linen. He sits up and leans against the wall as the others awake, pulling some dried meat from his pack and eating it thoughtfully. "This place certainly does seem to bear a resemblance to a boarding school of some kind, as you proposed, Ryoko. At the same time, a magical boarding school based inside a floating mountain would probably gather... rather more notoriety than this one has, seeing as how nobody in Aseoto seems familiar with it whatsoever. Unless it floated across the ocean..." He trails off a moment to think before continuing, "We know very little about this empire across the sea to the west... perhaps their magic is more advanced than we had thought?"

[Bhaakon]

Sute abstains from the food, still distrusting the place, and keeps a careful eye on Kama as she picks at the rations she'd brought along with her. At least the weasel would be forced to merge with the tattered remnant of her shadow when she slept, so she wouldn't have to worry about any nefarious effects taking hold while she couldn't keep an eye on him.

And sleep, for her, comes on the hard floor beneath the thin shelter of her traveling blanket, stationed conveniently close to the vent they used to enter the dormitories. It's not a comfortable night, but she doubts she'd have been able to sleep at all without being so careful.

The bells jar her awake at dawn--at least she assumes it's dawn. She shouldn't have been surprised given that they had rung out previously, but she still jumps to her feet and instantly summons a weapon to hand...but the only target available for skewering are breakfast meats and pastries. She lets out a sigh and forcibly calms herself before responding to Carlisle's speculation.

"Powerful enough to create this place, but not powerful enough to keep from losing it?" She says. "I don't know. Clearly people at least somewhat like us--humanoid, living, eating, sleeping--once made a home here. More than that, I think it's too early to say. We should explore more aggressively. Collect writings and see if we can recognize some of them."

[Recherché]

Ryoko rubs her eyes wearily as she lets Cherya finish weaving her hair into the braids that keep it out of the way. To mention the dreams or no? They're probably just a reaction to seeing two companions killed yesterday. Probably. Theoretically they could also be some form of magic around this. Would be bad to miss something due to nobody bringing it up, but twould be embarrassing to be the only person complaining.

Did any of the rest of you have . . strange dreams last night? She asks tentatively clearly fumbling for the right words.

In any case I can't say I know enough of the far continents to answer definitively. However we can bring back drawings and records to see if anyone else in Aseoto has better information for us to compare this to. Ryoko pauses for a half second thinking. Would you mind if I took a little time right now to try and draw some illustrations of the art in this area for later comparisons? It also might be a good idea to record everything else we've seen while it's still fresh. Ennius, do you think you could give a detailed account of the food? You're the only other one who tried any and it might save a little time. After that mapping this area more thoroughly might be a good idea; it seems safe enough and we might be able to find out more about the inhabitants. Do you suppose the entire complex is like this or did we just stumble into the school section?

Spoiler: OOC

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Taking 10 on calligraphy to try and make detailed illustrations of the are focusing on the artwork for a 27 total since we aren't in any hurry

[The Hellbug]

The bed's rigidity is a disappointment to Ennius after such lavish fare at dinner, but, though he is no stranger to making the ground his bed, the cold, hard stone of this extraordinary structure is a cut below even bare ground, and he opts for one of the beds. In the morning, the chiming bells have the druid reaching for his weapon, but he soon realizes that he and his companions are not currently in any mortal danger and stands with a stretch.

"School?" Ennius replies quizzically, "with beds like these I would have said 'barracks' which would have fit with my original suspicion of this place being a weapon, although I'm now fairly certain that's not the case." He shrugs, "don't know enough to say one way or the other, really."

"As far as time, Ryoko, take as much as you need," the druid goes on, "I need time to meditate, anyway, and although this isn't my preferred sort of sanctuary, it'll have to do. I'll need some time to come up with the right words for last night's feast, as well."

QUickly, though, he sheds the smile that came to his face at the thought of his most recent meal for a visage of concentration. "Wait, you mentioned dreams? I can't say I remember any of mine--" he shudders "--wouldn't be surprised if those shadows showed up in them, though."

[TheOneHawk]

Waving his hand dismissively, Carlisle replies, "Barracks, boarding school, whatever. Some form of communal living, the purpose of which we have yet to ascertain. Exploration is our best bet for figuring out the true purpose of this place, with any luck now that we've found a more public area we can do so without suffering further casualties." Turning to Ryoko, he coughs lightly then continues, "No dreams I recall, no. Nightmares after a difficult day are not unusual, however. It's possible that it was something malevolent about this place, or the food, or it could have been nothing more than an overactive subconscious."

[Recherché]

The witch frowns slightly. The only reason I mention is is that the dreams did not seem natural quite. I could understand nightmares based on yesterday, but this wasn't in any way I can ken. And it was the same thing repeated over and over. I almost suspect some kind of magical effect behind it but I don't have anything concrete to base that on. Still perhaps best not to eat more of the local food.

Her hands move swiftly over the paper and brush painting out a detailed scene of art they've seen as well as far rougher blueprints of the area.

Someone said they wanted to try and take a look in the chests before? While I still fear the golems might take it as theft we are at least now better prepared for it. Or at least we will be once everyone has finished preparing spells.

While Ryoko has no skill at picking locks and is probably not the best person at making a new opening in the chest by force, she can at least think her way out of a wet paper bag. Once her companions assert that they are ready, delicately she begins just trying to open each of the chests in case any are unlocked. Assuming none are she also asks those with more muscular development to try and pick one up or otherwise move it to see if anything can be heard rattling around inside. Also so they can try and open it somewhere away from all the construct's watchful sensors.

[The Hellbug]

"Nonsense," Ennius retorts as he inspects various offerings from the dining table before either adding them to the platter in his other hand or replacing them on the table, "I didn't have any sort of dream, and I ate even more than you did last night."

The druid sits down in a corner of the room with his full plate in front of him and unsheathes a knife to begin skinning a ripe-looking mango. "If it was so strange, though, why don't you share what you remember of it with us?"

[ylvathrall]

After a breakfast of fruits, breads, delicate pastries, eggs, and milk (or alternatively one of trail rations and water), you begin the day's work. Ryoko finds that the footlockers, while they have locks, are all unlocked, and open readily when she tries them. Any excitement, however, is short lived. The sturdy wooden chests appear to be empty, one after another containing nothing but air.

During the breakfast hour, the bells continue to chime their reveille. The golems cart away the unused linens, and then return with more, which they begin laying out on the beds. They move with the same exacting precision, each bed made with exactly the same folds, every sheet and blanket spotlessly clean. Once the room is returned to the same state it was when you first saw it, they go to stand by the door. The automatons don't react at all as you go through them, watching impassively from the doorway.

Spoiler: Perception DC 15

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The chests aren't entirely empty, though they seem so at first glance. Tucked into a few corners and seams, you see small things still there. They look very ordinary -- a few copper pieces, a pretty but valueless stone, a scrap of blank paper, and similar detritus. It looks like what you would expect to see after someone moved out of a place, leaving a few belongings behind forgotten.

Spoiler: Perception DC 25

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The ceiling of the dormitory is very slightly damp. It isn't dripping, but faint discolorations and a subtle sheen suggest that the stones aren't entirely dry. You aren't sure what it is that they're damp with, but it doesn't look like quite like water.

After dining, preparing for the day, and going through the footlockers, you head out, climbing the stairs across the dining room. The stairs aren't quite so grand, though they are still remarkably well-designed. Each of the steps is exactly the same in spacing and design. They're made from smooth, unadorned stone, leading through a sort of notch in the stone just large enough for two people to pass each other. The stairs go up thirteen steps, pause at a semicircular landing, and then double back to continue up another thirteen steps.

At the top of the stairs you find yourselves in a large stone-walled closet. To your right is what appears to be a coat rack of some sort. In front of you is a selection of janitorial equipment, primarily mops and buckets, as well as a variety of stranger things. Heavy leather gloves that would cover your arms to the shoulder are covered in faint score marks; smoked goggles hang from hooks. A large wooden box appears to contain dozens and dozens of earplugs. There are helmets designed to hold a small lantern for light, and a few heavy fur coats that look to be extremely warm.

To your left is a hallway, one which runs parallel to the stairs. It's very long, extending for hundreds of yards behind you before branching. In front of you it extends a shorter distance; in fact, you'd estimate, the end of the hallway must be just about directly above the dormitory you slept in.

On the opposite side of the hallway from the stairs (towards the edge of the complex), there are a few cracks. From the inside it's readily apparent that they are places which are designed to open, allowing access to the exterior. There's no indication of how to open them, however. Steel faucets protrude from that wall in places, with handles above them. It all looks very simple and utilitarian, lacking the grandiose decoration of the dining hall below.

On the other side, towards the center of the mountain, are doors. They are evenly spaced a good hundred feet apart, and they all look the same. Each is made of steel, or something like it. Each has a heavy metal bar on the outside, holding it closed. Each has a number cut into it, counting sequentially. The stairs come up at door 160, and it counts up to the end of the hallway, the last number being 169.

After that is the one exception, a door you recognize and which helps you orient yourself. The massive slab of metal is covered in locks and chains, in addition to the heavy bar that the others share. Rather than a number it has the word DANGER cut into it in dozens of languages. Given that, the ventilation shaft you entered through must be right next to that door, and the room beyond must be directly over the dormitory you were in.

[TheOneHawk]

"Danger," Carlisle muses. "Not a huge fan of opening doors that heavily locked myself, but I have a sinking feeling that what's behind it has something to do with the seeming total absence of sapient life here. The ceiling where we entered was damp as well, strangely so, and I'm fairly certain that room was directly below this one."

[Recherché]

And this is why I didn't want to mention anything Ryoko busies herself with a chest and turns away from Ennius and his question. Moment you admit to having a problem and people start probing for weaknesses.

---

Good thing we don't have to actually open the door then. Ryoko continues to chat for a second as she retrieves a tiny glass eye and a few other items from her pouch. By the by the equipment we found, I don't think any one being would require smoked goggles, earplugs, lanterns, and everything else. What if instead there's a different creature behind each of these doors and we're in a kind of zoo? Or maybe not a zoo exactly but some kind of holding area for many different kinds of beings?

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting clairvoyance targeting about 10ft from the door

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Ryoko

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The inside of the room as you see it through the spell is unlit, and you can only see the small circle which the spell permits. The ceiling is out of sight, as are the walls other than the nearest one to you. That one is made out of the same stone as the rest of this place, raw stone without any seam. The inside of the door is covered in a thin sheet of glass, which is covered in runes. You can see another sheet of glass to your left, apparently separating off a section of the room, though you can't see what's inside that section.

Aside from the door and the sheet of glass to the left, the room is seemingly filled with...something. The wall that you can see has a dusting of fuzz on it which, after a moment, you identify as small polyps of some kind. Patches of the stone floor have what look like flesh on them, slick-looking flesh reminiscent of viscera. In places this flesh extends up into tentacles, and you can see one which is nearly as tall as you are. They waver and flex strangely, the movement almost but not quite forming patterns.

The floor is sloped slightly downwards, leading further in. You can just barely see a drain inside, at the base of that slope, into which is flowing a mixture of strange fluids. There is blood there, but also a pale greenish fluid which is thicker than blood.

[Recherché]

Well there's definitely . . . something in there. I can't see clearly, there's not enough light. But there's something I'm not sure if its even a plant, an animal or something else. It has tentacles and polyps of some kind, something like flesh but growing over the ground like moss. Also blood and other stranger fluids leaking into a drain in the floor.

The door itself is in two parts, an outer steel piece we see here and an inner glass piece inscribed with runes. Its necromancy based and I think has something to do with stopping the passage of living creatures. However its enhanced with acid, probably because whatever's inside can't tolerate it. Possibly they used glass because it can't be eaten through or rusted unlike metal. There's another pane of glass in the room with more enchantments to strengthen it and also some having to do with divination and enhancing vision of some kind. I can't figure out the intricacies of that one from here though.

[The Hellbug]

"Or not. I suppose it's up to you," Ennius muses with a shrug before sitting down to his breakfast.

______________________________________

The hallway on the floor above immediately piques the druid's curiosity, and he takes a few of the strange items in the janitorial closet in hand to inspect them before replacing them on their hooks and shelves and catching up with the others. The door at the end of the hall, though, while certainly begging to be opened, gives him pause. "I am inclined to agree with Carlisle on this matter," Ennius states when Ryoko finishes her divination, "with the proper magic we could perhaps find out more about what's on the other side, but I think the warnings are best followed for now. Speaking of which, though..." he gestures back towards the other numbered doors "...with all these nearly identical doors, there must be some sort of record of what is or was being kept in each, especially if they were diverse enough to warrant all that equipment back there."

"If I were the one keeping such a prison, I'd keep it with the equipment," Ennius continues as he walks back to the closet and begins going through the coat pockets and anywhere else someone might keep a note, "but where to begin..."

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Ennius

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There doesn't seem to be any kind of coherent record, but you find a handful of scraps of paper mixed in with the equipment. It doesn't seem that they were put there deliberately; you get the impression more that they were forgotten or lost. There are a number of different styles of handwriting in evidence, although the notes all seem to be rather terse in style. The papers are mostly torn, faded, and otherwise damaged, but after a bit of work you manage to make out the following notes:
"-double earplugs for 162. Can't stand to lis-"
"Bring acid...111. Water takes too long...king tonight."
"Howler's acting up again."
"Boss sent...train seventy-two after we finish. ...chains."
"Heard you're on 55...mate. Buy you a drink if...out."
"-inforce the wall on triple-two. Can still hear it bangi-
"-ing it in 17 since that...ee men and extra goggles for it, don't want to take chances."

[The Hellbug]

Ennius thoughtfully shuffles through the notes, trying to make sense of them. "You were right, Ryoko. It looks like there are, or were, maybe, all kinds of creatures here. I just can't tell from these what they were," the druid reports, still staring at the scraps of paper, "can any of you make any sense of these?" Suddenly, though, he takes hold of two of them in his hands and glances back and forth between them. "Aha!" he exclaims, "I've got something! I'd guess there was a howler, whatever that is, in cell 162! Here, take a look."