Pius Fidelus: Outer Plane

[Don Beegles]

Kranolk
Kranolk sees the writing on the floor and grins. Then he continues to attack the dummy until he cannot think up any new and creative ways to hurt it. He moves closer to the writing and talks down into it, ,but realizes that he probably doesn't need to. He prowls the room, still bursting with energy, and talks as he moves. "At least I'm honest. Listen to them in there; they're killing each other with words. What's the point, I ask? Who cares if we're ideas, if we're part of Forneus's imagination, if we're just specks of sh*t on the foot of a goat. What matters to me is that I'm hungry, and the food that I can just dream up doesn't satisfy me. I want blood, and I don't think I'm going to get it here. I'm just trying to keep in practice, because I can't find any real competition here."

At this point he pauses, and looks around. As he concentrates, trees grow up in the sides of the training room, and undergrowth and bushes flourish throughout the room, until it looks something like his own room. He finds the area on the floor where Falenra had written, and brushes the leaves aside. "I don't suppose we can do anything to put a little bit of life into these dummies?" He shows his teeth, and cracks his back, stretching his claws as well.

[Oculus]

Arasylon

Arasylon let others bicker as he drank quietly. One could learn far more by listening to tavern brawls start than by taking part in them. Most of the other... beings, left the room but Arasylon was always content when there was free Ale and whenever he looked down his mug was full again. Suddenly the table on which his feet were propped changed to display a landscape.

He tried to examine it and found his vision blurry. With a sigh he reclaimed his own sobriety and saw the map was extremely detailed and layed out with tiny shapes.

"Shall we have a game then?" He said to no one in particular.

He looked down to his fiddle, which had conveniently enough become a flute, and lifted it to his lips to play a few idle notes.

[pseudovere]

Sedha

Sedha hadn't moved an inch since she had last spoke, other than her hand slipping almost imperceptibly slowly from her chin to her forehead. Quite simply, she had given up on the vast majority of the others. While they desperately needed organization, they all seemed not to care the slightest bit for her advice, and simply claimed pride for the insignificant "discoveries" of the insignificant cosmetic changes they had found that they were capable of inflicting on the rest of the occupants of the room. Sedha had to agree with some of the things that had been said by the others, however it was so buried underneath the rest of the worthless information that it was not. She was just glad that it appeared that there was nothing they could actually harm.

The only reason left to stay in their company was quite simply because she had nothing else to do, and watching them was the closest thing she had to entertainment, however mindless it might be.

It seemed that the only thing that they had managed to achieve in all this time was to discover the use of the immutable several of them possessed. It seemed that her gown was not actually part of her, and had a similar immutable property to the other artefacts. It was worth investigating later.

However, there was no hurry. It seemed she had all the time in the world, for better or most likely for worse, judging from how bothersome the majority of the others were becoming.

As the others began to leave the room, and Sedha began to contemplate leaving herself, the map appeared on the table. She examined it from her seat at the edge of the table for a short time before speaking.

"Interesting. But what, exactly, is it?"

[Jerian_Rumple]

Words form on the table as well as the training room.

Well, it struck me that it made no sense for us to come together in this place. An idea given substance, that was rare enough. Eighteen coming together in the same place? Now that's quite improbable. Unless there was something drawing us all here. A vacuum, of sorts. A place in need of ideas. So I felt around a bit, and there it was. This. It's a world, as far as I can tell. I tried to reach out and find intelligence, and it was there, but I could barely touch it. That's why I came back...

In the training room...

Oh I agree with you completely. They're all just blowing wind to make themselves feel important or better. Especially Ripik and Forneus. Honestly, those two are the most self-absorbed beings I have ever met. Well, I guess that doesn't count for much right now but you know what I mean. Can I make the dummies move? Hm, I haven't tried...

The dummies begin to twitch, then move slowly, robotically...

Falenra! Come here please, I need your assistance!

What? Oh, fine. Sure. Now you need me. Sigh. I'll be back.

The dummies stop moving and out on the table Falenra's spot starts forming words again.

Yeah, I'm here, what do you need. And what is this thing?

This, my dear, is a map.

No it's not. Its a doodle.

What?

It's a doodle. Maps are of real places.

This is a real place. Here, let me show you. Reach out in that direction. Yes, that way. Farther...you see it?

...Oh. Well, good for you. You want some pig meat?

No, I need your help.

With what? Looks good to me.

There are intelligences down there. Intelligences I can't focus on. They're too...primitive.

Ah, so that's it. Get the "savage girl" to poke at it? What's the matter? Poor little genius' mind is afraid to get down and dirty, is that it?

Falenra. Please, I need your help.

Alright, alright, I was only joking. Hmm...there's...five kinds. Here...here...here, here, and here.

On the map, markers appear denoting different kinds of species.

Anything else, Ripik? I have a thing back in my room waiting for me.

Just one more. I have a thought. If you can sense it, and I can sense it, then maybe, together, you and I can touch it. Connect to it. And through us, them...

[Altairius]

Ikeklos
The Ice around Ikeklos' door cracked and receded, and presently Ikeklos opened the door and strode across the threshold. It was satisfied with what had been done. It returned to its throne, the two slowly merging the longer it sat there.
Ikeklos took time to read what conversations had passed. Suddenly, with glacier speed, its ancient face cracked into a look of surprise.

"Speak further of these Primatives, Table-Writers. Are they as one? Are they separate? Are they we, or our greaters, our lessers?" It spoke with mild interest, a phenomenally greater degree of enthusiasm than it had ever shown before.

[pseudovere]

Sedha fell out of her spot in the air and almost crashed into the ground before flipping back upright.

"WHAT? Are you INSANE? You are thinking of giving us access to a developing culture? I wouldn't trust 90% of us in interacting with potted plants, much less a group of defenseless, sentient creatures! The only reason any of us are still alive is because we appear to be completely indestructible!"

[Wizzardman]

Fabacillus Bile

Its curiosity unsated and its question unanswered (except with anger, which confused it somewhat), the worm turned towards the newly constructed map.

"Interesting..." it said. "And, if this connection works, could that connection be used to influence the minds of the 'primitives' you speak of? Or could the connection work in reverse, influencing our behavior?"

It again pauses. "Additionally: pig meat? I had not noticed any pig-animals in this place thusfar."

[El_Frenchie]

Ark

The curtains of Ark's room ripple and the curtains open for the Immortal, his keen green eyes focusing on the new commotion at the center of the room. He moves towards it, his hand passing through his hair once more as he gazes down on the table.

His hand gracefully gestures towards Sedha as he finishes to read what came to pass and bows his head towards her.

"There is concern, to be sure. However, wouldn't you think that the fact that we have been 'chosen' by some kind of superior entity... reassuring?"

He gives a nice smile to her, as charming a smile as he could muster.

"My name is Ark... and I am the power for Fertility and Lust. And you are?"

[pseudovere]

Sedha turns to face Ark, her face remaining expressionless.

"I am Sedha, of Darkness and Mercy. How could you possibly find the fact the same 'superior power' that chose you also chose..." at this, she pauses to slowly look at each occupant of the room and each door in turn, pausing exceptionally long at Forneus's door. "most everyone else as well, reassuring? I, for one, find it deeply troubling."

[El_Frenchie]

Ark

The Immortal pauses after she finishes, thinking his reply. A hand goes through his blonde hair again, returning the annoying strand of hair behind his ears.

"From what I have seen, they are loud. Which to me means that our perception of the number of people that are decidedly hostile or wouldn't be fit to influence these sentient beings are probably less than I imagine."

He pauses, his green eyes watching her shadows move about as she stands still, finding interest in her power and admiring the dark and silent beauty of night.

"There is one that is War and Slavery, the gods that control fire seem to be full of wrath. There's also this other one, disgusting in appearance, that doesn't bode well either."

He continues.

"But overall, I would say the beings in this room are more rational than meets the eye, and if a few of them would treat the creatures ruthlessly, I am sure other gods..."

He looks at her with a smile.

"... Wouldn't, perhaps, tolerate that. And perhaps the creatures that have been revealed wouldn't either, and if offered a hand by another god, could possibly turn to you instead."

[Wizzardman]

Fabacillus Bile

"If that suggestion is true," the dirt-spawn interjected, "could it perhaps be that whoever gathered us here--for whatever purpose--intended for conflict between us to occur? Or did not anticipate this form of conflict? After all, a being powerful enough to gather us here is not necessarily infallible, or well intentioned, for that matter."

"However, I see little need for concern regarding this 'higher being hypothesis.' if such a being exists, he/she/it has not interacted with us as of yet, and may be too powerful for us to effect in any case. Proper preparation seems difficult at this time; we shall have to deal with this encounter as it becomes an issue.

"Our potential for interacting with those others is interesting. Can we contact them directly? Communicate with them? Please continue, fellow inhabitants."

[Altairius]

Ikeklos
Ikeklos glanced at Sedha. The Other professed caution. Rational behavior. Perhaps others than himself could become Truth-Holders... But no reason to move without proper proof. For now, let them learn the Truth gently.
"I appreciate your concern for these Creatures, Shade-Bringer, as I do Book-Writer and Earth-Eater's. But we have no choice in the matter. We will contact them, regardless of wish. We must. It is destiny. You used the word, Shade Bringer. Deity. Look into yourself. You match the definition. As do the Others. As do I. We have our place. We must abide by it. If you fear The Impatient One, you will have the power to work against him. But I know my path. These creatures must be given the Truth, as shall any prepared to understand it. For their own sake, as well as ours. For now, endeavor to avoid arguing against the Truth. Such meaningless action disturbs me."

It lapses into silence, gazing at the table intently.

[pseudovere]

Sedha looked at Ark, Ikeklos, and... and the giant worm that hadn't given it's name yet in turn. She could understand their viewpoints, but they were all taking the the fact that Falenra and Ripik were actually going to follow through with their theory.

"Well, yes of course, we could probably work to counteract the destructive ones, but I will work to counteract them as much as possible if they act as they have towards inanimate objects towards these creatures. What I was saying that I would certainly hope that if there is a higher power, it wouldn't be as sadistic as you suggest, and that while I would hope that counteracting them would work, I'm not sure that whatever help we could bring to these creatures would be worth what damage the others could bring. Ripik, Falenra, I implore you, give this at least a little more consideration before you create the potential for so much harm."

[Hoorex]

Kaba'al

A loud and extended squelch interrupted the conversation. It was an abrupt end to the discussion, as no one could possibly hear over the din. It was impossible to tell exactly which part of Kaba'al made the noise... in fact, it was impossible to tell exactly which part of Kaba'al was which as he was such a congealed and bloody mass.

What was immediately apparent, however, was the wretched substance spewing forth from Kaba'al's gaping maw. Out from a large hole, possibly a mouth, poured gallons upon gallons of filth; blood, bile, urine, tissue, excrement, even a few bits of bone here and there. It all filled out onto the floor and across where the other gods were, flooding their feet with disease-ridden puke puddles.

As the vile liquid slowly stopped, Kaba'al continued to stand in the corner. Despite having performed in a fashion no one could have missed, he seemed not to have noticed.

[tugboat]

After seeing the map and realizing what power as been given to him he states “ This is a great responsibility and if these creatures are defenseless then defend them we must.” Tirus then begins to shamble to his room with the help of his mechanical arms. looking to Arasylon just before entering his room “ I would like a game as it would be more useful then arguing. but perhaps another time. there is work to be done.” he then enters his room.

[Wizzardman]

Fabacillus Bile

Seemingly without paying attention, it extended the other end of its body towards Kaba'al's mess. Almost at once, fungal growth and rot spread across the mess, starting from the end of the dirt-spawn's tail, and spreading outwards.

[pseudovere]

Sedha

Sedha appears not to notice the actions of the (literal) pile of filth, although an elaborate canal system forms at her feet, leading to a some sort of hole that suddenly appeared in the ground near to the slaughter god's feet (base?), draining the fluid at an almost frightening rate, an overpowering smell of oranges began to emanate from her, and she now hovered several feet above the ground.

"I had an experiment I was going to attempt, and now seems to be as good a time as any."

With that she turned, and floated through her door, which promptly faded to a dim shadow, the wall of the common room clearly visible through it.

Once she appeared back inside her eternal void, she dismissed the smell of the oranges, and locked her eyes on the nude copy of her hovering off to the side of the room. She hadn't really given it much thought when she had first appeared, as it failed to move on its own, and would not properly respond to any of her attempts to alter it. However, with her new knowledge, this made it quite interesting.

She floated to the center of her ring of bookshelves, as did the inanimate figure, pulled by several hands that had emerged from the darkness. Upon reaching the center, she examined the copy thoroughly. It seemed so... fragile and defenseless.

The gown of shadows around Sedha moved from her to the copy. As shadows gathered back around the goddess, to take the form of her gown, if not the potency, she examined the shadows now surrounding the clone. It seemed that these objects could not be altered at a whim as the others had tested. However, what if one took the same steps as one would while creating one of these items to alter or improve it...

Sedha concentrated on the gown, attempting to give the gown the power to grant the wearer awareness of what occurred in the shadows around her.

[Don Beegles]

[B]Kranolk: Turn 1[B]
When Falenra starts the dummies moving, Kranolk falls into his hunter's position, ready to start a game of some start. When the dummies fall back into position, he is momentarily confused, and holds the position awkwardly for a moment. When he realizes what must have happened, he goes to the place on the floor where she was and corroborates his suspicions. He tries to move the dummies, himself. It works fairly well and soon he has them creeping through his makeshift forest evading his pursuit. Unfortunately, this is not practice; he already knows where they are, and the second he moves to chase them, he loses his concentration and they collapse back to their neutral stature.

Frustrated, he abandons this practice for now. He tries to think of some other way to improve his hunting ability, the tricks he will need to make a killing when he can finally find something to hunt. Unsure of what he should do, he begins to prowl around the outskirts of the room. Not paying attention to what he is doing he steps on a branch, breaking it with a crack. He jumps, looking around instinctively, before he knows what he is doing. He realizes that in the same situation, a startled buck might flee its hiding place or a flock of birds stand from its roost. Seeing another stick at his feet, Kranolk stomps on it, listening to the sound. Then he holds it insides his head and tries to hear it coming from a spot about twenty feet away from him. He listens to the specific echoes it would make into the woods around it, and the precise lessening in intensity it would feel from the distance, and, when he has it perfect, he projects the sound from his mind to the spot he has imagined. A crack emerges from the bushes, and he almost howls with sheer delight at his skill at manioulating this strange world. He practices, trying to project the sound to different spots, then imaginging the sound of a paw scuffling against gravel, or a caught breath caused by a unseen thorn bush, anything that could spook a prey.

When he finally thinks he has it, he decides to call Falenra back to have some fun with his new trick. Unsure of how to proceed he tries carving into the dirt near her writing with a talon.
What's wrong? Are the others fighting again? Come back, we can plan some way of taking care of Forneus and Ripik. You would be amazed at the range of interesting things this room can do.

[tugboat]

(while Tirus is in his room)

Spoiler

Show

First Tirus finds his avatar and examines it. He trys to find the description upon doing so he reaches up and grabs them. When opening the rolled up parchment he find that it is blank. With an aggravated look he begins working on the description. After a long and detailed description the thought of his outer plain comes to him, again reaching up to find an empty parchment. With an exhausted but expected feeling he writes the description down. When he has finally finished with his documents Tirus decides that he should have himself a chair in the table-writers room. Tirus decides on a chair that can follow him around to ease his movement around the room. To begin he enters the table-writers room.

Tirus stumbles out of his room shambles to the table pulls out some tape and measures the dimensions of 1/16 of the table that is in front of his room. During this he is humming a marry tune. He then proceeds to shamble back into his room.

(after Tirus has shambled into his room)

Spoiler

Show

Using his chisel and tools from his gloves Tirus begins to make a chair that has Gothic arches for legs almost like a spider. The chair itself is made of stone and wood that has a very sturdy look. throughout the back of the chair there are mini arches. The arms of the chair are that... arms that can reach out and help hold objects like a drink or some other object. Also the chair takes up exactly his portions of the table after using the dimensions that he just took. After creating his chair he notices the mess that is left and trys to have it remove itself by using his thoughts but nothing happens. With a mess at his feet Tirus realizes that he needs something to clean up this mess and what better then a shovel that move piles of material like dirt too where one wants it without the work. With this in mind he begins to make his shovel.

[lilomar]

Krixal 1.8

Drained, Krixal steps back from his work.

There, that will do nicely for now. You're going to have to wait on the tunic though. That took more out of me than I thought.

Krixal leaves his room and notices the slop on the floor.

Ugh, which one of you did this?

He looks suspiciously back and forth between the pile of parts and the worm.

Hm, well, no matter. Easily enough taken care of.

Krixal begins removing the mess with a thought, but then becomes distracted by the map on the table.

Hello there! Ripik, did you make this? What is.. Oh. (reading over the transcript) Sentient beings? And we get to be gods? How wonderful! Oh this is going to be fun! It almost makes sense in a way, we do have quite a pantheon here don't we? Although this is a far stretch from any heaven I've ever heard of..um, known of..um, well, however we know things.

Hey, why so sour everyone? Aren't you excited about shaping the destinies of five whole species? I intend to enjoy myself, that's for sure!

[El_Frenchie]

Ark

Ark sighs slightly as people progressively leave the room, his gaze lingering on the shadows surrounding Sedha until she disappears out of sight.

He diverts his attention towards Krixal. His eyes blinking a few times.

"Sour? Not really. Concerned, yes. We all seem to have our own idea of how to lead. This is going to cause us to disagree, perhaps fight. And then the people down there will suffer from it one way or another. In a sense, we are more a curse than a blessing."

He pauses.

"Of course, you should enjoy yourself if you can. Ignorance is bliss, and if you intend to enjoy yourself, I suppose there's no choice other than to ignore those sentient being's pleas."

[Wizzardman]

Fabacillus Bile

It sighed as it watched two of its fellow suck up or remove the putrid mess from the floor. It wasn't sure why the walking mass of appendages spilt so much excess potential food across the floor, but after it began to rot, the mess made the room feel more alive, somehow, and less... sterile. His upper regions rotated towards Ark.

"Which is why we should get the others to convene, and hopefully form some kind of understanding or government before we all become too wrapped up in our own little worlds. Unfortunately, they do not seem willing to listen--especially not to one such as myself. I seem to have trouble getting a word in edgewise at the moment."

[Altairius]

Ikeklos
Ikeklos turns its head towards Fabacillius, with associated cracking as he pulls it away from where it has melded to the chair.
"To attempt to teach Wastrels the Truth, Earth-Eater, is to dabble with joining their ranks. Their Nature, and our own, cannot be tampered with. We are as we are. We shall be as we are. Do not needlessly waste effort to change the immutable."

[Dr Bwaa]

Tumine Barok

The cold one here seems to have a point. If we've demonstrated one thing here, it's that we, whatever manner of beings we are, are unchangeable.

Tumine looks down at the sludge contaminating her pool with an annoyed look on her face. She concentrates on it, feeling the water, feeling it now ridden with rot, filth, and pestilence. She singles these out, those microbes and toxins that could harm her plant-chair-throne, and begins to remove them. As she does, she realizes that disease, and filth like this, could be the quickest killer of a newly-developed sentient species, especially if... things like Kaba'al were going to be roaming around amongst them. She begins concentrating harder, trying to perfect the ability to remove such poisons and so on from water, to be able to do it at a whim.

[Wizzardman]

Fabacillus Bile

"An interesting point. However, how unchanging our natures are is as yet uncertain. Since I doubt I can effect any change on them at this point, let alone convince everyone to discuss as a group, I shall simply study their actions, and see if we are as changeless as we appear right now."

It turns to Tumine. "...If you'll pardon my question, why are you killing that which dwells in your pool?"

[Dr Bwaa]

Tumine Barok

Tumine looks up. I'm not killing it. I am preventing the toxins and so forth from killing this plant, she says as she gestures to her tree. The toxins and so forth are destroyed, but the living things remain alive. I am merely relocating them to the floor nearby, where they will not infect my tree. Believe me, I value life of all kinds. I simply place higher value on the purity of my pool than on the immediate proliferation of the microbes that would harm other life.

Tumine takes a moment to create another, separate bowl near the first, and begins (imperceptably at first) siphoning off the living organisms into this other pool (of Kaba'al's filth, which is still leaking across the floor), where they immediately begin feasting.

I'm moving them all to this other pool, now, where they may thrive without damaging others or making me uncomfortable. I value the purity of my water so highly...

Tumine's attention drifts off, as she concentrates more fully again on the large pool. There's plenty to sift out, as Kaba'al's effluence is continuing to seep in, but Tumine doesn't seem to mind, as this gives her a chance to practice.

[Jerian_Rumple]

Writing appears on both sides of the table.

I agree with the walking shadow. You've seen these things. They have almost no consideration for anything but themselves and their wants. Now, I'm all for chaos, but there's a difference between healthy fighting and total destruction. And if they destroy that world, then who knows what happens to us?

Yes, but who knows what will happen down there without us? Without them? Thinking beings need ideas, which we clearly are. It's our purpose! Look, everyone, be calm for a moment. I know that this course of action is risky, for us and them, but I think it's what our purpose is.

Purpose? Did it ever cross that mind of yours that this could be simply random chance? We shouldn't mess with them until we are absolutely certain what's going on!

There's nothing left to debate! We've learned all we can like this. We need to change the experimental parameters.

Parameters? Ripik, are we your test subjects? Is that all we are to you? Look, I may not like most of these beings but at least I respect them. Look at you, treating them like nothing more than variables!

Falenra, that's not what I meant...

Yes it is! We're your test dummies! Me, them, all of it! Even those innocents down there on that rock are just playthings to you!

It's progress, Falenra! You can't stop progress! We can't stop progress.

You're wrong, Ripik! You said you needed me for this, so I refuse! I won't help you, so it's a moot point.

No, Falenra. I needed your help to make a full connection. I think it's quite within my grasp to let some of these fine folk through. You hear that, everyone? If you want down there, just ask! We will shape this world, so thirsty for ideas! Be free!All you need to do is want to be there, and you will be.

If any immortal professes a desire to go down to the world and agrees with Ripik, a faint glowing blue line shoots out of the central table, and their scrying pool becomes active.

After a few moments...

Grah! Damn you, Ripik, you're going to be the end of everything! Alright, the only way to fight fire is with fire. Anyone who's with me, let me know. We need to save the world.

Anyone who wants to and professes to agree with Falenra will have a faint glowing red line travel from the table to their door. Their scrying pool becomes active.

((OOC: And the race is on! Teleporting will be active at the beginning of turn two. Go forth and convert!))

[Altairius]

Ikeklos

With speed uncharacteristic for Ikeklos, it reaches out for Ripik's beam. There are questions to be answered...

(If a destination is required, Ikeklos aims for the Creatures in the water. It feels comfort in the blue color of the terrain...)

[lilomar]

Krixal 1.9

Krixal is delighted by the blue beam stretching through his doorway.

For once, Ice-Man, we seem to feel the same way about something!

Krixal arc's through his doorway with one bound, and is momentarily mesmerized at the patterns in the brazier in the middle of the room. Soon, it clears and reveals the world in all it's detail.

He spends some time looking at each of the races, before seeming to come to a decision. He races back out into the central room and delightedly begins yelling at Forneus's door.

Forneus! Forneus! I know what our contest shall be! Hurry up and answer this door before the others have all the fun!

[Dr Bwaa]

Tumine Barok

A red line draws itself from the table to Tumine's door. She rises, and after carving a trench to stop the flow of muck into her pond, she follows the line to her door and inside.

Once inside, she follows the line's progress along the riverbed to an unusually calm pool, for having a waterfall pouring into it. The line stops there, but there is some kind of strange energy in the pool. Tumine thinks hard, concentrating on the map of the world she saw, and suddenly it is there, in the pool, just as she saw it (but without the grid). She focuses on where the table-writers had indicated species. One appeared to be living actually in the water, so she looks for these first. As she concentrates, the image suddenly blurs, and she starts as she feels herself falling. The fall gradually slows, though, and she realizes she is more flying than falling, and that she can control her altitude. She goes in closer, looking down for signs of life, and eventually sees it: a blue-green network, lightly traced across the water. She comes down closer, but there seems to be a limit to how low she can fly. Nevertheless, she observes the creatures for some time, watching them gather food and swim about.

Eventually, she flies east, looking for other species, and eventually finds each of them, looking at each in their turn. Awed by the possibilities, and especially the great expanse of water and great potential for development and growth, Tumine becomes intoxicated with watching the various species. Eventually, she feels satisfied , and realizes a vague pressure on her knees. She looks and finds that she is kneeling in her room, in the pool. Looking back at the pool, the image is still there, just as she left it.

Ahh... I think I am beginning to see what they meant. Now, what did he say... "All you need is to want to be there, and you will be." I've got that down, but I can't go all the way... I wonder...

Tumine looks up, at the exact copy of herself standing nearby. It is identical to her, but it wears an amulet of some kind. Tumine reaches out and takes it, and puts it on. Oh! Everything in the water becomes even more perfectly, beautifully clear. She can see tiny, individual pebbles; she can individual specks of dirt floating in the water, but they disappear if she tries to look past them. She eventually takes it off, and puts it back on her copy.

Tumine heads back out into the main room.

Does anyone else have a copy of themself in their room? More importantly, I think they are involved in our being able to contact that other world. She turns her attentions to the table; Do either of you know anything about those?