* You wake up. The sun is shining down heavily, wavering slightly in each little raindrop. There's a lot of little raindrops, because it's raining heavily. What the...? * You're lying on something soft, and there's voices off to the side. * Carter looks around, trying to take in everything. "Soft...?" * Carter stands up and spreads his senses as wide as possible, looking for the source of the voices. * There's a big rectangular black monolith visible off in the distance, that dosen't seem to register on anything but your sight. And there's people? on the other side of the nearby wall. You, yourself, are lying on a cot, thats nice and soft. There's several empty ones near you, and there's no roof. * Carter ineffectually brushes off his (now soaking wet) clothes. He shivers for a moment, then seems to have gotten warmer. He walks around the wall, broadcasting a greeting to the ...people?... he assumes he'll find there. ( Mrr? Broadcasting? As in, not actually speaking? ) ( Right. Not occurred to him yet that they wouldn't "hear" him. ) * There's two figures there! One is a four legged thing. It's furry, and has a bushy tail. The other is some kind of wavering form, sifting from blue to black to dark green, and various shades in between. * Neither of them seem to have heard you. Um... Hello? *shakes his head, as if trying to gather his thoughts* Can you... hear me now? * "Another human, right?" "I wonder how long it'll be out." "It didn't look too bad when it got here. Just give it time." "It's awake. Do your stuff." Excuse me. I was wondering if you could tell me where I am? * The four-legged thing steps forward. "Hello, human." * Carter blinks. "H-hello." Realm. Where you came from? Me? I came from...Earth. *draws himself up, as if remembering his manners* My name is Carter Delger. It is a pleasure to meet you. *he executes a courtly bow at first the 4-legged thing, and then the wavery thing* May I inquire as to your names? * The four-legged thing looks Carter over, clucking to itself. "You seemed to defilibrate well." I know by Livle. My match know by Groo. * Livle bows in return. * Carter checks definitions for "defilibrate", and finds none. "Pleased to meet the both of you. What did you mean by 'defilibrate'?" Ah, sorry? My kind always have trouble with language translate. How do you say... get better? Heal? Ah. You seemed to 'heal' well. * The wavery shadowy thing taps Livle on the shoulder. "Let me." *nods* Um... could you tell me how exactly I got here, please? The last thing I remember is the Demon Gate malfunctioning- *a look of shock and wonder crosses his face* could it have worked? Did it connect to another terminus? * Groo steps forward, it's coloring seeming to stabilize at a dark green. "Your Demons Gate didn't connect to what it was supposed to, if it did." This is the Realm. Me and Livle are part of the welcoming commitee to greet newcomers here. Oh. Thank you, then. Do newcomers appear often? Occasionally. The scientists have estimated about one per gate every 27 days. I should tell you, though. However you got here, it is one way. * Groo looks a bit closer at Carter, shifting to a neon navy blue. "I don't think your trip was pleasant, by how you ended up here." I.. don't remember most of it. *tries to look for readings on the transit in his memory* Wait, gates? Plural? And they're one-way? How is that pos- *completes the thought inside his own head* * There's not much thats legible, or understandable. Shortly in, gravity got too wierd for anything to be accurately recorded. Near the end, though, passing through a black film of some sort was recorded. * Groo watches Carter think, then turns to Livle. "Well?" I'm sorry. As I said, I was not conscious for most of the transit. I am quite happy merely to be alive - I thought I was going to die. *notices the weather* Um... can we find someplace...drier? *his clothes are most definitely not designed for outdoors use, and are almost translucent now that they're soaked* Come, come in, come in. Humans not like be liquified, as I understand them. * Carter follows them in wherever it is they're going. * Livle waves Carter over to the door. It's a shiny plasteel door, and the inside seems to be rather high-tech. Are there many not-human species on this planet? *Carter gratefully walks in, and takes off the loose red jacket he's been wearing, revealing a less-soaked sleeveless, high collared tight shirt underneath* * There's a table, chairs, various communications devices, shelves, etc. Looks more like a bunker, sans weapons. * And Groo enters! Not through the door, though, rather, passing through the wall. "Many." * Carter sees if there is anything that responds to radio communication, then stops himself, realizing that might be rude. * He does, however, turn a few analytic sensors on Groo, to see how he managed to phase through a wall. Oh. * Groo points at Livle. "Mytrite." * It points at itself. "Unigai." * Acording the sensors, Groo seemed to change his energy signature, down to a subatomic level. Which seems to be in a constant state of flux. * Carter stares at Groo for a moment. "Wow..." Then he blinks and shakes his head. "Sorry, I did not mean to be rude." Humans, Mytrite, and Nekojin are the most common. *It blinks at Carter* Rude? Why does this 'Realm' place have one-way gates? How is it no-one can leave? - I didn't mean to stare. * Groo shrugs, in a wierd manner. Wierd, as it seems almost like someone from your world would shrug, but the timing is a bit different. This place is like a black hole, almost. A depression in space and time, and bends normal pathways through the universe to itself. Oh, since I seem to be staying here a while, is there some sort of official immigration procedure I must observe? *he looks quite pale, as if he's almost terrified, but he seems to be hiding it well* (Bah, you haven't met the real locals yet. :P) * Livle pipes up. "Immigration procedure? We of the welcoming commitee greet newcomers here, ease their tranisition into the Realm, and help them find others like them. Steps one and two have been completed, so now, all that awaits is visiting Temple." Temple? *brightens for a moment, then calms a bit* To what god? Temple is in the center of the Realm, a gathering point for the varities of people who come here. If there is others like you, you can find them there. * Livle blinks. "Not to a diety. But it is also called other names." I doubt it... I do not believe anyone else from my planet has ever fallen through a black hole - certainly not one being used for the Demon Gate Project. The center of the Realm? Is this a flat world, then? Or is it underground? Central continent on a water planet. * Livle clucks to itself. Or himself. You think its a he. "Are you famishing?" Hungry. Not famishing. * Carter blinks. "Actually, yes. How long was I out?" *clutches his stomach as it growls surprisingly loudly on command* ^^; If I may impose upon you, have you anything I could eat? * Livle glances at a clock on the wall. "49 minutes. Error degree of 2 minutes, 17 seconds." ...and I probably expended a lot of energy replenishing after the transit... no wonder I'm hungry. It was almost dinner time when...it happened. * Groo puts it's hand thourgh the fridge door, and withdraws a bowl of something. It practically drops it on the table, waving it's hand, and looking at it as if it was a live snake. * Carter goes over and looks at it, examining it for nutritional content. Is something wrong, Mr. Groo? .... Merioch left his cooking here. * Livle grimaces. "Human food. Fit for human, I think." Who? Oh, do human foods disgust your races? * The bowl looks kind of like spaghetti. And smells like it. * Carter tries the spaghetti. No, he's just a bad cook. * It tastes like bleached noodles with watered down spaghetti sauce. =p Um, do you have any salt? Sodium Chloride, and perhaps ammonia? Or iron shavings? Or perhaps any charcoal? I need more carbon, too. * Livle and Groo both blink at Carter. * Groo turns to Livle. "You're the one who said it was a human." * Carter seems almost ashamed to be asking for more, but he also has almost completed the bowl. "And, is there any more?" * Livle blanches, eyeing the almost empty bowl. Hold on.... *It looks pale, glancing back at the bowl every so often, while rummaging through the cabinets. * Carter finishes the last few bites, and looks at the empty bowl dissapointedly, then notices Livle looking around. "Thanks." He seems most relieved. Where do you come from? And what is this Demons Gate? Well... The Demon Gate project was an attempt to create and control wormholes, for interstellar travel. I sort of fibbed when I said I was from Earth. I've actually never been there - I've lived my whole life on the stations orbiting it. Sorry. *looks ashamed of himself* * Groo frowns, and shifts to a vibrantly pulsing blue. "Earth is close enough. Are you advanced enough to know which version?" ...Version? Which version in the multiverse. There are many versions of each single planet and civilization. There's more than one? Alternate universes had been hypothesized, but no one really considered it seriously... Wow... So, this isn't even in the same dimension as where I came from. @_@ How advanced is this place, technologically? And, if alternate universes are possible, are there actually ones with real magic? * Groo hisses a little, it's color rapidly changing to several shades, in a striped pattern. "Magic... I don't like magic." Oh, I'm sorry. *holds his hands up placatingly* May I ask why not? * Livle plunks down some stuff. There's vehicle fuel, some canned food, and an iron fork. Magic... itches. Itches strongly. * Groo seems to calm down. "But, to answer your questions. Technology isn't at any set level. People here bring their knowledge with them, but don't always have the resources to implement it." * Carter looks at the three hungrilly. He opens the canned food, and tears up the lid into tiny pieces, dropping them on top. He sniffs the motor oil, and eyes it uncertainly, before shrugging and adding a little bit to the concoction. He then devouers it all in 1.5 minutes, leaving only the fork (slightly bitten off at the ends) and the non-lid portions of the can, and most of the motor fuel. "Thanks. That really helped." Well, some variation of human I've not yet seen. *looks back to Groo* Oh. That's interesting, about the tech, I mean. *looks back at Livle* Um... yeah. Probably. Magic is real. The Lords of Light use it with frighteneing strength here. Lords of Light? Are they the masters of this world? *seems almost to be on familiar ground* The Lords of Shadow and Lords of Light. *it pauses* They rule, in peace, becuase they cannot beat each other. Oh. *snickers a bit* That actually does sound familiar. Though rather dangerous, if there is not one side who is the stronger... Wrong, wrong! They have agreed to peace, not a stalemate. Who are the Lords of Shadow, and the Lords of Light? Oh, that is much better, then. As long as they are trustworthy. And, if the Lords of Light are magical, what are the Lords of Shadow? * Groo hisses. "Lords of Shadow were here first. Freaks of nature, even in their own dimension, they were a band of space pirates." *seems to stiffen at the words 'freaks of nature', but calms down again quite quickly* Space...pirates? *fights back laughter* Are they still ... evil? They came and destroyed and wrought havoc on the fragile semblance of a community we had at the time. Yessss.... Evil. Evil in check. What is the nature of their power? Destructive. Garos rules them with an iron fist. Ridler has't been hurt yet, and can slice anything in twain. Fenfir wields advanced bioweapons of great strength. Clay can destroy your very soul.... * Groo shudders. Oh, my. There's pamphlets at Temple. And there's rumors, too. Try not to get this old veteran worked up.... And only the Lords of Light can match them? How is Clay's power not magical? (MAD science!) Clay fights with his soul. Oh. Chi, he called it. ( Chiiiii! ) And the Lords of Light? They actually do use magic? * Livle sets a hand on Groo's shoulder. "Now, now. That was in the past. Let it go, for now. Relax. I will explain it to Carter." * Livle turns to Carter. "Yes, they use magic. Each in a different way, and all were outcasts in their own world for doing so." Oh. * Groo shimmers, then fades out. *to Groo* I'm sorry for bringing up painful memories. *when Groo vanishes* Um... how long ago did all this happen, anyway? Are these Lords immortal? * Livle frowns. "Hardly. One was but a babe when they arrived, and is now a young adult. By human standards, anyways." Oh. So this is fairly recent history. How long have people been...arriving here? Since as far as I can remember. *He closes his eyes, clucking softly* At least 1300 years. o.o Possibly longer. Racial memory only goes back so far. Wow...and I thought that 150 years plus was an impressive life expectancy... (That guy has *got* to have a feature for that long of a lifespan.) ( Actually, assuming it doesn't come up in game, there's no reason to have any particular restriction on lifespan ) There was a lot of vicious fighting when the second set of Lords came. Groo was caught in some of it. His version of the story is longer, and more sorrowful, but it is his to tell. I see. I am sorry. I did not mean to pry. As for you? What do you intend to do? There is not a way back, and you might find other of your kind at Temple. If you desire, I can tell you more of the Lords, or you can go there and learn more of them. * Carter blinks, and the faint shimmer that almost appeared in his eyes vanishes, though he seems just a touch more formal. "It would be most efficeint if you told me on the way, I think. Though, if it is alright with you, I would like to find someplace to dry my clothes...or acquire new ones better suited to this environment, if 3 pieces of gold, 1 silver, and ten copper would be enough for a single outfit." Currency...? I cannot. Cannot what? *seems confused* I cannot accept currency for services I have freely offered to give. Oh. I did not mean to offend. I just did not wish to impinge on thy- er, your generosity any more than I already had... You can stay here until you are ready, and I will help you get whatever you may need. It is part of my responsibilities of being one of the Welcoming Commitee. * Carter nods gratefully, and bows very formally. "I thank you, then, Mr. Livle. If there is a dryer around here, and an umbrella, I will dry out my clothes and use the umbrella, and we can get going, so I am out of thy hair. If it is acceptable to thee, I would appreciate any information about the Realm tho- you wish to share on the journey. I will attempt to answer any questions you may have, likewise." If your desire, when you are ready, I will escort you there. * Livle nods, and points to a room off somewhere. "There are garments and garment realted utilities in there." * Carter bows. "I thank you." He goes into the indicated room, closes any door that might be there, strips down to his one-piece undergarment, throws the cloth boots, the jacket, and the loose pants into the dryer, and manages to turn it on after a little experimentation. He then selects a sturdy-looking cloak to wear over them when they're done drying. * After a few minutes thought, he grimaces, and picks out a sturdy pair of boots and a more substantial shirt and pants, as well. When the dryer is finished, he comes out with his old clothes bundled up. "Shall we go, Mr. Livle?" * Livle nods. I thank you again, sir. *bows, looking embarrassed* * Livle bends down, his 4 knees bending outwards, to a lower head level than Carter. "There is no need to bow at me." Oh, it's a polite thing where I come from. Is it rude here? * Livle blinks. "No, not rude. Just unnessacary. Displays of rank are not common here, where nearly all of us have been uprooted from where we were." *laughs* It is not a display of rank, but of gratitude. At least not in this instance. But, point taken. I thank you yet again. I have much to learn. *blinks again, removing that tell-tale shimmer from his eyes once more* Shall we be off, then? Yes, lets. *looks for an umbrella* * Livle dosen't bother, as he steps outside, the water rolling off of his fur like it would a birds feathers. *Assuming he finds one, Carter opens it just outside as he follows the Mytrite. His feet are just about an inch above the ground, so his boots don't get muddy again. * Livle stares at the monolith for a long moment, then glances away. "Another victim of the tracked gate." "Tracked Gate?" Why does that monolith only have a visual spectral pattern? * Livle points at it. There's two S shaped curves ebmedded into it. ( if you load the page, it's the first one. ) Ah. * Livle hrms. "It's probably something to do with it's nullifying properties." Anything that touches it is destroyed, including most forms of scanners. * Carter studies it for a few moments. "Intersting. I'll have to study it more, eventually. I guess I should be grateful I didn't touch it, then." *takes a deep breath, and releases it* "Shall we go then?" * Livle nods. "Yes. Let us go." * Carter follows Livle.