The_Guild	When last we left our intrepid Travellers, they were sitting down to a big breakfast for Alice, a liquid breakfast for Do-N, and no breakfast but water for Lopez. And the slight elfin Shargat Otsilliw is there too.
Alice attacks her food with polite voracity.
Lopez Sips very slowly at his water
Alice	"So, I have a few things I need to pick up and some others to do. What are your plans?"
Lopez	"We should Eventually go over our jobs what is expected of us and run some simulations"
Do-N guzzles straight gin, while pulling safety-pins & nails out of her face & ears. "Sure. [To Otsilliw] So, what *is* expected of us right now?"
Otsilliw	"Lopez is correct. We should be organizing our team and getting a feel for what we might expect in the field."
Alice	"Agreed. I am currently trying to locate a piece of equipment for personal use. Once I am done that I should be free."
Lopez	"How long should that take?"
Alice	"I just need to stop my the Quarter Masters. However it will take 12 hours to prep."
Otsilliw	"A Personal Time Fluxer, hmm? Intriguing. Any particular reason?"
Lopez	"hmmm would that interfere with our Training?"
Alice	To Otsilliw: "It seemed like it would offer a useful selection of abilities. I like having time to react." To Lopez "No. I am free now." "Originally I wanted to build one but time doesn't seem to permit it now. I am interested in temporal control."
Otsilliw	"Can feel time slipping through your fingers like so much sand? Heh." Otsilliw sips her tea.
Alice	"In a way yes. There are never enough hours in the day, so I thought I could add a few."
Lopez	"Not sleeping really helps I hihgly advise it "
Alice	"Actually I think I don't need to as much. I haven't slept in about 38 hours and still don't feel any need."
Otsilliw	"It won't matter. In the end, those few hours will make no difference."
Do-N is just sitting back with her feet up, swigging gin from a bottle and dragging on a cigarette.
Alice	"So shall we move to a training room then for practice?"
Lopez	"Do-N I Hope your "habits won't hamper our work."
Do-N	"What habits would those be?"
Lopez	"Do I even need to say?"
Otsilliw	"If you are done eating."
Alice finishes her meal.
Otsilliw	"Then let's go." Otsilliw stands and walks toward the wall of arches.
Lopez gets up and follows
Otsilliw	"Then let's go." Otsilliw stands and walks toward the wall of arches.
Alice grabs from fruit for a bowl, stuffs it in her back and follows.
Lopez Drains Water and follows along
Do-N follows, leaving a pile of bloody bits of metal behind her.
Otsilliw	A short trip through two gateways leads you back into the low halls of the training rooms. Otsilliw enters one of the rooms without hesitation. The hallway has a fairly low ceiling, and both walls and floor are hewn of roughcut grey stone. The lighting is dim, though still bright enough to navigate. The hallway is lined with heavy wooden doors bound in metal.
Lopez	"How very middle ages"
Otsilliw	You step into a small round room, an odd contrast to the primitiveness outside. The floor is of polished blue-grey metal squares and a dome of glass arches overhead, through which you see, quite disconcertingly, a lush green world hanging above you.
Alice	"Very nice."
Lopez	"Interesting"
Do-N	"Meh, it's just a room, as far as I can see."
Otsilliw	~Welcome to Traveller simulations. This exercise will demonstrate the first two stages of Traveller exploration: Black and Grey. The world below you has been generated to offer a challenging balance of observational and insertion skills.~
Do-N	"Are all the holes in my face gonna fuck up my grades? S'not real sly."
The_Guild	~Insertion and blending will be monitored by your Operations Shargat, and will involve complete Translation to local averages.~
Do-N	[To the Thinkers] ~Define 'Translation'~
The_Guild	~Translation: Base recode of personal dimensional rulesets done to prevent rejection of host dimension.~
Lopez	"So not Lingual Translation...More of a ruleset to go by so we don't as you put it get rejected"
Do-N	~Riiight... maybe you want to tell me a bit about these rulesets then?~
Lopez	"With examples pertaining please"
The_Guild	~Linguistic transpositional rulesets are modified to local racial norms.~
Do-N	~You fucking suck at this. You know that, right?~
Lopez	~ Do-N Shut up and listen ~ ~ It means we'll be able to speak the local language ~
Do-N	"No, that ain't what it means. An' if it was, then it's bullshit, because I will."
Lopez	~ Quiet and Listen this may save your ass one day ~
Alice is just sitting and listening quietly.
Do-N	"Not if they don't say something fuckin' comprehendable. [To the Room] So you mean like the local physics and biology and shit like that. We'll be tailored to that."
The_Guild	~Dimensional rulesets are the foundation, building blocks and interior decorating guidelines of a dimension. Base rulesets determine time, space and kao compositions. Intermediate rulesets compose the framework of Awareness interaction within the dimension.~ ~High rulesets consist of semi-physical interactions, physical interactions and pro-physical interactions.~ ~Script rulesets predetermine Awareness paths through the dimension.~
Do-N	"How 'bout next group of people you train, you tell them that first? Rather than that 'we'll match you to the rulesets. Rulesets are what we match you to.' shit... so do all Awereness's have to follow Script rulesets? If so, why?"
The_Guild	~Static rulesets anchor remaining variable entities within the dimension.~ ~Travellers are typically expected to have researched relevant terms by the time they reach this training stage.~
Lopez	~We're on a short timeline~
The_Guild	~Not all Awarenesses follow Script rulesets except where the Script ruleset exists. Not all dimensions contain a Script Ruleset.~ [Dimensional Construction for Dummies: A dimension, like anything else, is built in several stages, or rulesets. Each ruleset is laid over top the previous ones.] [The foundation of a dimension is how big the lot is, and what's on the lot: Space, time and kao, or spiritual energy.] [Then you add the framework of your house: There are no walls, but a suggestion of where you can and cannot go. A dimension with only this level of ruleset is very amorphous, without physical form or any sort of permanence. What an Awareness perceives, is.] [After that comes semi-physical, or rules governing perception and permanence, physical, which is physics, and pro-physical interactions which is the actual permanent physical surroundings.] [Scripted is predestination.] [Static is like a dimension painting. Nothing moves. Everything simply exists in it's place.] [Questions?]
Alice	[Nope, got that.]
Lopez	~Hence the reasoning for using Static and Scripted Dimensions for Traps and holding Facilities One is Predistiny and the other is simply Static~
Do-N	[rolls eyes] "Gosh. Come up with that one all by your lonesome?"
The_Guild	~Precisely. This is the reason your Operations Shargat will never enter the dimension, as they will be able to extract you should you become entangled in Script or State.~
Lopez	~I see~
Do-N is distractedly cleaning her nails with a pocket-knife.
The_Guild	Otsilliw speaks up. "We should start this simulation."
Lopez	"Anytime"
Alice	"I'm ready"
Do-N	"Sure, give 'er."
The_Guild	~The first time entering Black may be disorienting. Black is a state in which you may observe a dimension without entering it. This allows you to determine dimensional rulesets, potential threats and resources, as well as the relative state and position of Awareness within the dimension.~
Do-N	~Cool... sounds kinda like gettin' paralyzed by a body-buzz.~
Alice strokes the back of her neck and wait.
The_Guild	Otsilliw grins. "See you on the flip side." Otsilliw glows for a moment and then vanishes. A moment later, the entire room begins to fade away to black. Soon all you can see is the three of you, lit perfectly plainly, standing in a black void.
Do-N	"Flipside seems pretty fuckin' boring to me."
Lopez	"Hmmm"
The_Guild	You start to float randomly, though it feels like your feet are still planted. Lopez begins to rise upward, while Do-N slowly rotates forward, until she's facing down into the void. ~Black.~
Lopez	"Don't really know how we're supposed to explore like this"
Do-N tries to get control of how she's moving.
The_Guild	~Protected by your Operations Shargat, you now exist between the dimensional framework between rulesets.~
Alice continues to rub at ther back of her neck.
The_Guild	Do-N sinks slowly, still rotating, until she is upside down (or the others are upside down to her - there is no feeling of vertigo accompanying the movement.)
Lopez	"Its very much like Zero Gee Training"
The_Guild	~It is in this state that you are able to explore the inner workings of the dimension in order to understand it's overall design.~ Alice starts to float away. Lopez suddenly hurtles upward, quickly becoming a single point of light to Alice and Do-N, just as they become points of light to him. ~In this state, willpower is of utmost importance. There is no physical basis of control, everything is done through focus of will. Create a ball of light before you.~
Do-N tries.
Lopez Tries
The_Guild	Balls of light appear before Do-N and Lopez. Alice struggles. Finally, a flicker of light grows into a ball before Alice. ~Good. As you gain experience working in Black it will become easier to focus your will to specific tasks. Now, will a window to appear before you. Picture it in as much detail as possible, and project the mental picture into the space before you.~ Do-N begins to glow, a soft nimbus of blue-white light surrounding her.
Lopez Tries to envision a window
The_Guild	~This window will allow you to see into the world, it is a sort of portal between you and the existence outside.~
Lopez has his window
The_Guild	~Unfocus your mind's eye and allow the Black within the window to part, revealing the world outside.~
Lopez tries
Lopez	~how are you guys doing?~
Alice	~I'm having some problems. This is very unnatural to me. I'm trying to get a little assistance.~
Lopez	~Do-N? any problems?~
Do-N	"No probs at all. S'all good at my end," Do-N hisses between big fangs.
The_Guild	Do-N is a boa constrictor, by the way. ~Good. You are looking down on the entirety of this dimension. You can explore it by willing the view to change. Experiment with this.~
Lopez wills window to pan over to mountians
Lopez	~And now I see Dwarves~
Alice 's window is flickering and her eyes darting around.
Lopez	~Do you need help Alice?~
Alice	~No. This I can do. I'm analyzing.~
Do-N	~So, how's it goin' with you guys?~
Lopez	~checking out an underground city you?~
The_Guild	Do-N suddenly blossoms into the form of a gigantic dragon.
Do-N	"Jus' playin' around, really."
Alice	~I've been tracing political and social structures. I'm focussing on their technology right now. I can mirror you what I have worked out if you want.~
Lopez	~sure~
Do-N	~Give 'er, I can dig on some tech.~
Lopez	~How did yuo access that?~
Alice	~Access what?~ Multiple windows appear around around Alice and images flash past.
Lopez	~tracing political and social structures~
Alice	~Looking mostly. Dress, monuments, searching for seats of power, police systems, armies, books, fashion. Then it is a matter of sorting and correlation.~ ~Anyone managed to get sound?~
Do-N	~Yeah.~ [Do-N makes a window near Alice with one of the conversations she was listening to.]
The_Guild	To sum up, you finally determine that the political situation is thus: There are three nations, one of humans, one of elves, one of dwarves. The elves live in the woods, the dwarves in the mountains, and the humans in the hills, plains and coastlands.
Alice is image hunting and passing on summarized info as she finds it.
Lopez	~Who are the most Predominant Species?
The_Guild	The dwarves work in their mines, mining metals and this odd light blue crystal. Their lives revolve around creating weapons and armor, intricate pieces of heavy metal machinery.
Do-N	[Any of them have magic?]
The_Guild	The humans live on the coastlands and plains, farmers mostly, trading grains and meats with the dwarves in exchange for shipments of weapons, armor (both lower grade than what the dwarves keep themselves), metals and the light blue crystal. They are smart, and some are apparently wizards. There is also a Guild of Artificers, who create the magical gadgets you see. The dwarves as a whole did not wield magic, no.
Retrieving #BESM modes...
The_Guild	The elves are in the woods in the central area, trading hunted meat and precious woods with the dwarves for crystal and metal, and some woods for a few of the magical devices. That the humans have. The elves are very magical on their own though, each member being at least as powerful as an initiate wizard of the humans. Each race has a 'capitol city' in which a monarch resides.
Lopez	~What is the Size level of this Realm, on the inside?~
The_Guild	It is obvious that this light blue crystal, 'Manite' as it is called, is the most valuable resource. Small planet sized.
Lopez	~So nothing beyond?~
The_Guild	No.
Lopez	~interesting~
The_Guild	The political situation is strained, mainly because the dwarves control most of the Manite mines (the humans have a few small mines in the hills) and this makes the humans antsy. What is even more foreboding though, is that the elves are hoarding Manite, which they are using to enhance their already formidable magical powers. But the humans have made some great magicotechnical advancements, and have created powerful artifacts that might be able to help them against the elves.
Lopez	~Why are the elves hoarding teh Manite?~
The_Guild	The dwarves seem unconcerned with this, though they too seem to be preparing for war.
Lopez	?
Alice	~We want the Manite. I could be useful for the guild. The elven stockpile and the dwarves are the places to get it, the humans seem the obvious choice for research on it.~
Lopez	~I concur, Otsilliw? Do-N? your thoughts?~
Do-N	~Sure. Still checkin' out the Manite myself.~
The_Guild	Thermographic and x-ray data that Lopez collected on the Manite appear in separate windows for the others.
Lopez	~I'm going to relay the Thermo-graphic and X-ray data on the Manite to all of you, I don't know if it will owrk but *mental Shurg* its worth a shot~ ~any luck?~
Do-N	~I'm seein' what your sendin', but I don't know if it applies.~
Lopez	~i'm not sure if it does but its something useful we can use in the future
Alice	~I've been using natural filters on the windows for the same effect. The don't just sense visually.~
Do-N	~Cool. Never noticed.~
Lopez	~which the chrystals?~
Alice	~How do you mean Lopez?~
Lopez	~sorry the Manite they show up on other scans is what you mean?~
Alice	"Yeah, they are a manifestation of magical potential. Not conventional matter."
Lopez	~this is interesting The alloy seems to be an incandescent version of the original metal, and the crystal in the device takes on the properties of the device. ~ ~and your right the manite isn't conventional matter in the sense we'd know it as, as far as my sensor's can tell its not really there~
The_Guild	[Any more questions?]
Alice	[Not immediately.]
Do-N	[Don't think so.]
Lopez	[Nope]