Logging #BESM to 'logs\#BESM.Aniverse.log'
The_Guild	When we last left our intrepid adventurer, she was standing in Central TransLoc, ready to have a conversation with the voices in her head!
Alice	First she is looking for somewhere peaceful and comfortable to sit and relax. ~Can I please have a 3d dimensional labelled map of the Guild.~
The_Guild	~It flashes before your eyes for a second, then fades into your subconscious.~ You know where you could go now, for peace and quiet. There are several study rooms scattered across Shar Torin, and there's always the library.
Alice	Any gardens or arboretum's? Alice hasn't seen plantlife in a while.
The_Guild	Yes. You want to head for one?
Alice	Sure.
The_Guild	Shar Torin feels oddly like a place you grew up in, except that you don't recognize the decor. Your feet know where to go, but nothing looks familiar. When you reach the doors and exit out onto the balcony above the gardens, however, you know you've reached the right place. A wide flight of stairs brings you to the ground, and you are surrounded by hundreds of unfamiliar flora.
Alice	I take a few minutes to enjoy the scenery before I head for somewhere comfortable and lie down.
The_Guild	Despite the number of people in the garden, you do manage to find a small grassy rise beneath a smooth, narrow, slenderbranched tree with green leaves edged in silver. The grass is soft, almost feathery.
Alice	I lie down, enjoying the unfamiliar sensations of grass along my neck. I close my eyes and let my mind wander... ~I would like some basic information on psionics and telepathy~
The_Guild	~Psionics are powers of the mind. Telepathy deals with the powers of the mind dealing with the mind, Kinetics deals with the powers of the mind dealing with the physical world, Clair deals with the powers of the mind dealing with perception.~
Alice	~I would like to learn telepathy. Is this possible?~
The_Guild	~Like any other skill, telepathy can be learned to varying degrees depending upon the susceptibility of the pupil.~
Alice	~please examine me for telepathic potential.~
The_Guild	~You are eligible for telepathic training.~
Alice	~To what degree.~
The_Guild	~Degree is a function of length of time spent studying.~
Alice	~Can I get a time frame for my estimated progression given my expected workload?~
The_Guild	~With a full time study schedule, you could attain a moderate level of telepathic ability in eight to ten years.~
Alice	To herself, "Hmmm.... unacceptable." ~What techniques or devices exist to accelerate the process. Are there.... "hardware" telepathic devices I could use?~
The_Guild	~Technological devices do exist to enhance latent telepathic ability.~
Alice	~Do I have access to them?~
The_Guild	~There are various techniques to artificially stimulate telepathic ability, but they are not 100% effective and carry the risks of side effects. As a Traveller, you will have access to any enhancements you deem necessary for your survival.~
Alice	~I would like a list of all known telepathic enhancements, their side effects, all clinical studies relating to them and current telepathic research in the field.~
The_Guild	~Your mind floods with information. Trials, filters, symbiotes, technology, techniques, hypotheses and experiments, all with side effects ranging from a runny nose and itchy eyes to mutation to madness to death... and a few terms that you're unfamiliar with that seem to indicate some sort of after-death fate.~
Alice	"Okay....." Alice starts hunting through for likely candidates, querying on all unknown words.
The_Guild	There are technology trials that seem to be promising, except for the age requirement of 300+ years... Symbiote research seems to be buzzing about a new psychic symbiote called a Rauka that was recently discovered and now being tested, though many results were still inconclusive.
Alice	Okay, Alice gathers up all present information on Raukas as well as information on their current researchers.
The_Guild	The Raukas are fairly new, so fairly unknown. They mainly join with monkeys native to their land, but there is something odd about their Realm which makes it difficult for them to join with others. There are a number of Shargat assigned to the research. Information past names isn't available.
Alice	"Well, before I can make any conclusive decisions, I'm going to need to learn more about the exact work." ~Who should I report to to learn more about my work?~
The_Guild	[Small change, by the way. Emissaries do actually watch over several dimensions.]
Alice	[noted]
The_Guild	~Your Emissary is Kol Mnba.~
Alice	~Guild protocol is to meet in person? or via telepathy?~
The_Guild	~In person. A meeting can be arranged through the Thinkers.~
Alice	~Okay, please schedule a meeting for me at the earliest oppertunity.~
The_Guild	~Kol Mnba is available to meet you at your earliest convenience.~
Alice	~Okay, where should I meet him?~
The_Guild	~His office is located in Phase Two.~ You realize you know where to find it.
Alice	Okay, I get up and head for the office.
The_Guild	You find yourself in a hallway with lush patterned carpeting and stately wood-panelled walls. The door before you has a small plaque which reads "Kol Mnba, Emissary."
Alice	Alice is trying to decide between searching for information on Kol Mnba before she enters and showing she knows how to prepare or winging it and showing she can improvize. She decides on winging it. Obviously they know she can prepare. Alice knocks.
The_Guild	"Come in."
Alice walks in
The_Guild	The room is much like the office through which you'd first entered The Guild: bookcases, desk, chairs are all the same sort of thing. Only this room is immaculately clean, the books lining the shelves look like they've never been opened, and the floor is as neat as anything.
Alice	[anyone there?]
The_Guild	[Yeah, just a sec. :) ] A large figure fills the chair behind the desk. Dressed in an immaculate lime green suit and wearing a delicate pince nez, the wide footballer shoulders and massive hands seem almost out of place. Not quite as out of place as the leathery wings which are folded up around the chair, nor the draconian face upon which the glasses are perched.
Alice	[What is the turn around time on queries to the thinkers?]
The_Guild	A single sheet of paper holds Kol Mnba's attention, eyes deep set into bony eye ridges flickering back and forth. One of the massive hands motions to a chair across the desk. "Have a seat. I'll be with you in a moment." [Near instantaneous]
Alice	I take a seat and wait patiently
The_Guild	The draconian figure continues to read, his eyes skimming the page quickly. When he reaches the bottom though, he goes back to the top and starts over again. He reads that single page over and over and over. Five minutes, ten minutes pass. Other than for the flickering of his eyes he does not move. Twenty minutes pass.
Alice	Alice takes the extra time to continue her internal processing of the mathematics she gleaned earlier, examining the data on the Rauka. Her eyes are unfocussed as she gazes ahead. [Can I see what he is reading through the paper?]
The_Guild	Thirty minutes later, and Kol Mnba finally shifts in his seat. But when he settles again, nothing has changed. Only his eyes move. The paper remains motionless before him. Forty-five minutes. [No.] Fifty minutes. Fifty-five minutes.
Alice	... [Have I finish my processing yet?]
The_Guild	[Processing what?]
Alice	[the mathematics and Rauka information.]
The_Guild	[Mathematics of what?]
Alice	[The math I got from the Thinkers when I first joined with them. I still hadn't got around to interpreting it yet.]
The_Guild	[Oh, yeah. You're doing well, nearly done. Most of the rest has faded, but you've got most of it processed.]
Alice	...
The_Guild	[And there wasn't a lot of Rauka information, so yeah, that's done.] Over an hour goes by. The draconic Emissary shifts slightly once more, sighs quietly, scratches the base of a horn, and settles into his chair for more intent staring at the page.
Alice	I stand up and speak, my voice level, showing neither excitement nor anger. "Thank you the meeting, I found it most informative. I am glad to know that other here play games in much that same way I do. As a test of patience I will happily stay here all day as I can continue to learn. As a test of my civility, I understand why you are doing this and appreciate ..." someone who does not try and veil their intentions. As a test of my ability to control a situation, I am now intending on doing so. What are my duties here?"
The_Guild	The eyes flicker away from the page, looking up at you. Then, he puts the paper down on the desk, a grid of letters with several of them already circled. "First, you can help me find the word 'deciduous' on here."
Alice	[Is it there?]
The_Guild	[No]
Alice	[synonyms, backwards, anything much like it?] [encrypted, coded]
The_Guild	[Nope. Deciduous isn't on the list of words at the bottom of the page, either.]
Alice	"It isn't there in any way I can see. Why are you looking for it?"
The_Guild	"Because it's the next word on the list."
Alice	[Okay, can I detect anything in patterns in the words, alternate meanings for deciduous (apart from refering to either plants or animal which lose bits). Can I see where he is looking to try and determine why he thinks it is the next words? [is it anywhere else in the room?]
The_Guild	[Staring at the page for a few minutes you notice that, if you take the places of certain letters and change them into numbers, add the numbers together and do a few more calculations, that you do get 'deciduous'.]
Alice	[What is the likelyhood this is randomly occuring?]
The_Guild	[Applying the same formula to the big grid of letters, you actually do find deciduous. Three times.]
Alice	[Are any of the other circled sequences using a similar algorithm?]
The_Guild	[No]
Alice	"It is possible to find Deciduous on this if you use this technique. *explain where I found it* Given the layout, the likelyhood that this is a random occurance is *give reasonable estimation of the randomness*. Is that what you wanted?"
The_Guild	The draconian Emissary looks at the paper, looks at the bottom where the list of words are. "Hmph." Crumpling up the paper, he tosses it beneath his desk, then extends his hand to you. "I am Kol Mnba."
Alice	Takes the hand, "I am Alice Whitehouse, it is a pleasure."
The_Guild	His grip is as firm as you would expect. "So Miss Whitehouse, welcome to The Guild. What can I do for you?"
Alice	"I am interested in learning exactly what my duties will be. I am currently explore personal improvement possibilities and I don't want to do anything which will conflict with my work."
The_Guild	"You are going to be a Traveller. You will be going into newly discovered dimensions and exploring them, gauging their technology, magic and psionic levels and reporting back on a regular basis. If things go well, you may establish contact to blend in with a society, learn it from the inside."
Alice	"So the key specifications to be versitile and not be detected?"
The_Guild	"In a nutshell, yes."
Alice	"Very well. Currently I am planning on getting treatments to enhance my body. I have seen that you have such treatments. Also, I am considering ways of gaining from psionic talents. Currently that isn't looking particularly promising, apart from a new strain of symbiant research."
The_Guild	"The Rauka? Hmm. I'll introduce you to Temond, he's in charge of that project. Were you looking for technological enhancement, or biological?"
Alice	"Biological probably since it is less likely to be detected. Unless there a driving reason to use a technological."
The_Guild	Kol shakes his head. "The end limits are higher for technological enhancement, and maintenance is generally a bit less time consuming."
Alice	"How successful is the technological techniques at being undetectable?"
The_Guild	"Utterly reliable. Non-detection is one of our specialties, whether it's through technology, magic or psionics."
Alice	"Excellent, the technological solution it is then. Now, what is your opinion on the Rauka?"
The_Guild	"The Rauka? There isn't a lot of information on it, yet. At the moment I would say it is a risky prospect. You'd best take it up with Temond."
Alice	"Okay, now how long until I am supposed to be on active duty?"
The_Guild	"You have a couple months to prepare. There is some standard Guild training that you'll go through before you're sent into the field."
Alice	"Good to know. Now how much time will I likely have to prepare for a mission?"
The_Guild	"It will depend. New dimensions are generally discovered fairly rapidly, so you may get a week, you may get a day. You may get a couple hours."
Alice	"Okay. Can I request access to a lab and some tools? I have some ideas for equipment that I would like to produce. I can send you more exact specification on what I will need later."
The_Guild	"Of course. I'll set something up for you."
Alice	"Now you know about my history and I'm sure you my psychological profile. Do you have any advice for me?"
The_Guild	"Hmm. No."
Alice	Smile. "Good to know. Any request for funding I should send to you?" "or equipment?"
The_Guild	"Of course. Anything you need you come to me and I'll see what I can do."
Alice	"On the subject of funding, do I have a salary? I must admit to being sketchy on poly dimensional economics."
The_Guild	"Polydimensional economics are very much a take what you need basis. We have more than enough facilities for everybody. Money comes in through our various enterprises throughout populated dimensions. Travellers live fairly comfortable lives, as long as they're within reason." You too! G'night!