A dense spherical growth of the jungle lattice occupies most of this hex.
A dense spherical growth of the jungle lattice occupies most of this hex. Within the sphere an enticing, rolling valley can be glimpsed, blanketed in white flowers. It is the crash site of the Parapraxis. The witch Zalvorex once navigated this fine vessel through the treacherous tides of the Oeneiric Sea that connects the dreamworlds, but its once gleaming hull is now cracked, its glorious sail in ruins. The imago core of the vessel's damaged engine is leaking potent nightmares that inhabit the shifting valley landscape. The sphere of jungle lattice that encases the bewitched valley is in fact a magical barrier that Zalvorex erected long ago to keep the nightmares from spilling into the jungle and to protect the vessel from his rival, Bazikop, demonic Prince of the South Wind.
The Imago Core draws its power from the underpsyche of the crew, absorbing their memories and traumas, their fears and libidinal desires, and above all their dreams to power the vessel. Zalvorex lived long with the Parapraxis as her sole pilots, so the Imago Core is a storehouse of the less integrated aspects of their psyche. When the Parapraxis crashed, and the great sail was ruined, the Imago Core was damaged. It began to leak Xenosic Radiation, the more virulent and potent elements bombarding and altering the environment surrounding our ship.
The Valley of Flowers, as Chittering Masons named it, has had much time to change, and develop in strength and character. Confined to a sphere with a diameter of half a mile, it has been concentrated. Like a fine wine in a corked bottle, it has matured, gathering complexity, distilling a world from the patterns of our underpsyche that it projects onto the confined jungle space. Indeed it was a place of impassable peril until only recently, when the stores of the core began to dwindle, presumably decreasing the flow of Xenosic Radiation. But while somewhat less hazardous than before, what grew over decades will not fade for a long while.
Zalvorex informed the party that the Imago Core likely still draws impressions from the underpsyches in its vicinity. Given the constant leakage it will no doubt incorporate contributions from the party's underpsyches (fears, repressed desires, memories, traumas) into the ecology of the Valley rapidly.
What did the party want to ask Zalvorex about the Parapraxis, their vessel?
Chris P. Aleksandr Revzin Eric Boyd Pete Segreti Nick Kuntz Athan Silesia
Aleksandr Revzin "It was the Spherical Cube of Akasha, a space warping device that we recovered from the City of the Fathers."
ReplyDeleteBen L. Does Zalvorex know of any other minions or assets that Bazekop has throughout the White Jungle or beyond that might be vulnerable to a group of enterprising murder hobos, oops I mean problem solvers?
ReplyDeleteHere's the list of what Zalvorex wants from the Parapraxis
ReplyDeleteZalvorex will pay you for the retrieval of the following items, for although they took much out, they also left many useful and pleasant things aboard the Parapraxis, wrongly believing they would be able to return before long to replenish their stores. They wish you to leave everything else intact on the vessel. They understand if you are not able to fetch all of these items, you are to use your judgments, since the Parapraxis is itself the source of the distortion in the valley and is likely to be quite dangerous.
1. Detailed information about the current state of the valley of flowers and the current state of the Parapraxis. The more detail the better. 1000 GP LOCATION: EVERYWHERE
2. They would like you to fetch as much “hulbaba” as you can, a recreational substance kept in a humidor. They show you one of the turquoise humadors. Inside you see an elegant syringe and some little empty vials in elastic bands. 150 GP per humidor LOCATION: CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS
3. They would like you to bring their pillows from their bed, two pairs of slippers and three kimono’s. 100 GP LOCATION: CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS
4. They would like you to bring one of the “detachable spheres” from the “master globe”. 500 GP LOCATION: CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS
5. They would like you to move an oblong floating green stone two squares forward and one plane up. “You will have to confirm the move when prompted”. A favor (no gold) LOCATION: CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS
6. From the ship’s libraries they would like the following texts: The Curved Enigma, Psychoanatomy of the Inner Husks, and Lost Plates of the Sciopic Transfiguration. 200 GP each LOCATION: MID DECK
7. From the ship’s collection of curios, they would like the prismatic labyrinth, a glistening that casts a blacklight rainbow when light is shone on it. 250 GP LOCATION: MID DECK
8. They would like a “divers helm” and a “mesh suit” from the store of Thantophoric equipment. 300 GP LOCATION: MID DECK.
9. The twilight condenser, a purple pyramidal structure. He gives you directions on how to separate it safely from the “flow lines”. 2000 GP. LOCATION: LOWER DECK
10. They would like “shimmer fluid” and “quaking jelly” from the alchemical stores. This is also where you would find any essence of oneiric pudding, should the stores contain it. They should all be labelled. 300 GP LOCATION: LOWER DECK
11. Should Clovis with to undergo surgery, then the party will have to retrieve a series of tools and devices from the operating theater. They give you a list of what would be needed. NO GP: LOCATION LOWER DECK