The Center of The Storm (Location)

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav Nekhala gets up, and walks over to the nearest statue to read the inscription.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
The description of the statue reads as follows, though some parts of it seem to be have fallen off or degraded, so some of it is unreadable:

Here lies forever, The King.
... thus we can conclude that the world is endowed with soul and intelligence, conversing with us in such facets as we converse and live within it. The attempt to separate all existances from one another is barbarism and utterly...

FangTheCat

Fort_Master_Gustav

Orion rises to his feet, looking at his surroundings as he moves around.
"I'm beginning to miss the train."

Fort_Master_Gustav

FangTheCat
Orion doesn't seem to find much more than what was already described beforehand.

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav (btw, I have discord now. my username is the same as my cosmoteer forum name.)

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
eyyy get yo ass here
https://discord.gg/TT4qgc
imma answer it later, I'm doing homework rn

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav Nekhala moves on to the next statue.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
There is another faded description within it:

..it is for them whose pure form reigneth to return to the cave and unmistify the projected lies, for they saw the golden light that bathes and reveals, and they knew both themselves and the truth thereof.

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav _
Nekhala puzzles over this for a while, and as he moves on to the next statue, he wonders how Orion is doing._

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
The last statue has this description, though only now Nekhala realizes that the statues are arranged in some kind of triangular pattern across the pool. The description is faded as well:

...that man is made twice: One in gold and one in mud. And that the gold converses with the truth as it beckons and responds, and that the mud taints the dialogue thereof. Only that of which learns to purify itself can not only live within the world, but make the world live within him. Those that...

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav He walks the path from statue to statue, and wonders aloud,"Are we at the center, or is this another place like the train?" Nekhala walks to the water's edge and gazes down into the pool. he drops a rock in, to see what will happen.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
The rock splashes out like a normal rock would.

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav Nekhala is slightly disappointed that he didn't even get one skip. He then begins wading into the pool.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
The pool and the environment seems to be reacting as they normally would. However, Nekhala can feel as if something is different, perhaps unlocked? There seems to be a missing piece hidden within these messages, something that Nekhala should do.

dodo_bear

Nekhala, acting on a opssible connection between the second and third statues, attempted to wash himself in the pool.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
As Nekhala washes away his alien body, some kind of black matter comes off but in large ammounts. he feels himself dissolve in some way as his body literally melts in the water, though it is a painless effort. He can continue this cleansing or stop if he is afraid of the consequences.

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav Nekhala jumps out of the water, and calls to Orion to investigate this further.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
Looking back into it, Nekhala sees that the water is as crystal clear as when they came. The darkness that was shooting out seems to have dissapeared, perhaps it was an illusion? Nekhala feels no different than before.

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav He steps back into the pool, and then gets out. The same as before. perhaps one has to wait longer for any effect? Nekhala isn't sure if he wants to know, though. The result could easily be as bad as it could be good. Unfortunately, the only way to find out would be to get somebody else to go in. The only other person there, though, is Orion, and Nekhala doesn't want to have anything bad happen. He eventually decides to just go for it, and stays in for a bit longer.

Fort_Master_Gustav

dodo_bear
As nekhala stays in longer, he can feel his body melt, as he looks at his hands, completely darkened with the substance, yet his mind seems to be unwavering. He is likely at the final treshhold again, a last chance to jump out. What is the correct path to take?

dodo_bear

Fort_Master_Gustav Nekhala jumps out of the pool, unsure of whether the path shown by the statues leads to good or bad. Finally, he takes the plunge, and completely immerses himself in the water, determined to wait.