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According to Multiverse Theory, there are an infinite number of universes in which every possibility and reality can, therefor, exist. This means that there is a universe in which an individual is an amalgam of: Ozzy Osbourne, Eddie Van Halen and Moby. In this universe, this individual takes the place of Jon Bon Jovi and goes by the name, Ozzy Van Moby. I do NOT want to, EVER . . . so much as ACCIDENTLY . . . even BRIEFLY . . . come in contact with that universe in ANY way, shape or form . . . EVER!!!😬😕😧

This would make a great Country Western song. An anthem for the times. *Polite huggles*

I'm going to be putting stuff here as I think of it. So there isn't going to be much order to this. Might try sorting/organizing later. Arcabus: general term used for a number of items that are all basically guns designed to fire spell containing ammunition; typically referred to as Mage Shot. Munds is a term used to refer to the ammo before any spells have been added. Munds can be fired from most types of Arcabus for about twice the damage of a heavy crossbow at the same range. In theory any spell can be converted into an Arcabus round. In practice there are any number of spells where doing so would make no sense. **************************************** Enscrolled Blunderbus: while able to function as an Arcabus and fire Mageshot rounds. This item gets it's own entry because it is more generic and basic in its design and purpose. Drop whatever smallish objects you have down the barrel,( rocks, nails, broken glass, ect.) Turn the locking ring, aim and pull the trigger. And whatever you put in there will come flying out at amazing speed. A crossbow bolt will have about half again as much power behind it as it would if fired from a typical heavy crossbow. The Sipow crystals on the stock are usually the power source providing 12 shots on average. Now if you are a spellcaster, one point of Mana per shot. And other power sources can be converted without too much trouble, assuming you know how. **************************************** Skree: a living Biograft weapon resembling a scorpion except the "stinger" is the mouth that it uses to attach to it's host/user. The "head" is the business end of the weapon along with the claws. The Skree can fire in several modes. A web line up to 100 feet of sticky silk like rope able to support up to 1000 pounds. A web/net 10 feet across when it's fully deployed at 100 feet away. It expands in a cone, becoming wider as it travels. Shock claws: The claws of a Skree are able to deliver a Bio-electric jolt similar to that produced by the Shocking Grasp spell or the Psi Abilitie Bio-Curent. Plasma blast: by creating an electrical arc between the claws a Skree can ignite the silk it is firing creating either a stream of burning plasma or a ball of it.

Multiverse theory is a funny thing. In some universe somewhere, there is an entire Earth full of turtles who have a story about rat heroes being raised in a sewer by a human. Or human heroes being raised by a turtle in a world full of rats... I expect that's where I'd find Sny...

I've been replaying Crono Trigger and ran across a thing talking about rebooting and expanding the game. Not sure what they have in mind or how far the idea has gotten. But it inspired me to come up with my own ideas about things I'd like to see done with it. Who knows maybe my ideas will drift through the internet and make their way into the game. And maybe I'll find a winning lottery ticket the next time I go shopping too. Odds are probably about equal. Anyway I'm brainstorming here so things are going to be messy and disorganized. First up Magus. Not too many changes here. Just wanting to see some double techs and maybe a few more triples. As well as adding some singles that match with the abilities of the new characters I'm wanting to add. Next Schala (Magus' sister) In the Steam version you get these Dimensional vortexs after beating the game the first time. I want to have them appear after you get Crono back. And the shades you face be of the three that make it up Death Peak to get him. After completing these dungeons have the gate at the End of Time connect to Time's Eclipse and a 4th Vortex Dungeon where you face the Shade of Crono. After all that you unlock the fight with the Dream Stealer version of Lavos. Beat the outer shell to gain Schala with Lavos running away and having to be chased and locked down in time by multiple teams before you can have the final battle with his other forms. This way you get her early enough to use her and level her up also makes getting the other new characters necessary as you will need 4 teams to corner Lavos for your final battle with his other forms. Schala (finialy talking about her.) Magic type Dream. (Yes, I'm adding several magic types) heavy on protective and healing stuff. Such as blocking MP Buster, Life Shaver, and similar effects, Dream Sheild. Also Revive and Haste effects. Including a Triple with Luca and Marle that gives everyone Haste, Barrier and Sheild. Not sure what attacks, if any, to give her. Next Rex. Building off of the Lost Santaum side quests for the Reptites. After beating the original Boss fight in the monster's lair beyond the dark cave. Unlock a Hidden Laboratory Dungeon where Dalton has been creating monsters. Gives an origin for the Fiends. As to how Dalton is here. He copied Luca's Gate Key and tech from Epoch when he had them during the Blackbird Dungeon part of the game. Rex Race:Reptite. Magic type: Nature. Vine Crush and Spore Cloud. As examples. With a II and III version that targets multiple enemies. Vine Crush: vines spring up doing damage and holding target. Spore Cloud: causes random status effects. Claw Slash, Tail Smack, and Venom Bite; For physical attacks. With Venom Bite causing the Status Effect of Posioned. Wing: Race: Fiend. Magic type: Wind. Another rescue from Dalton's experiments. Basically a birdwoman. Not sure which time I want to put this Dungeon in. Probably Antiquity. Need to look at attacks from flying monsters for ideas for her abilities. Rock and Cyber Will both be from the Future. Rock being a human infused with Lavos traits by Dalton While Cyber will be machine based, possibly a creation of Mother Brian. I want at least one of these new characters to have Drain/Syphon abilities that allow regaining HP/MP by stealing it from the monsters they are fighting. More about the new characters and locations later. Some other ideas Add a food seller/vendor to the Millennial Fair and a few other places in the game. There are a few reasons to do this. The first being to save time later in the game. Hardy lunch, Spiced jerky, Sweet banana, ect. If you already have them you can just give them rather than running back and forth. Also have monsters drop food items. Teleport Toadstool and Phantom Fungus being a couple to use out of combat to get to places you can't otherwise reach. Other food items restore HP/MP and remove status effects. Can be bought/sold at food vendors and some other shops. Yes. Potions, Eithers, Elixirs, ect. Already exists in the game and this is a bit redundant. But it adds a bit of flavor to the game. Food items where the other stuff isn't available. And the Lost Santaum side quests had monsters dropping food, so I'm just building on that. I think that you were originally supposed to gather stuff and take it to the Reptite to get a Lunch for the Nu. Anyway this is just brainstorming notes for now. Someday I might try to make a novel out of the Crono Trigger Ultimate story thread I'm spinning here.

Ah, I see you posted a picture earlier. How silly of me. That answers my question... well, at least 1 of them.

Notes concerning combat abilities They are proficient with most ranged weapons typically held in the hands. They can use smaller ranged weapons; those that can be used one handed, with their tentacles. In close combat they tend to ignore manufactured weapons and rely on the sharp transparent barbs at the end of each tentacle. As each tentacle has a light sensing organ under that hard transparent shell and an independent brain controlling it, these natural weapons are quite formidable in their abilitie to strike critical areas on an opponent. Achieving damage close to twice what one would expect from their dagger like size. Each tentacle gets it's own to hit roll with critical on 18 or better for double their base 1d4+1. And yes that +1 applies to the to hit roll. They get +2 on ranged attacks. 4 optic membranes on the head plus 6 primitive eyes in their tentacles, assuming they aren't using them for other things. It is worth noting that they seem to be netural in alignment inspite of their natural abilities suiting them for spy/assassin work they are equally content working as city watch maning the walls or abord ship in the crowsnest being quiet well suited to such work. Displacons tend to be quiet rare in most places although they seem to be noticeably more common in the new Gith trading cities along with most other engineered races such as the Scorpanocks, Latralo, and various types of 'Deusa kin. I need to check if I've covered the Scorpanocks and 'Deusa types elsewhere and if not get around to doing so at some point.

Notes. Right now I'm just sort of sketching out the main character and related points. So if you want the story without spoilers skip down to chapter 1. Throckmorton was born in the town of Demi. The half-elf son of a half-elf mother. Which means that his father is likely also a half-elf. Although he could be anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 Elf and still have a son who would count as 1/2. Now as to Who exactly his father is... Well, given that his mother is a Tavern Winch; that's a bit of an open question. After all Demi is a Half-elf city. Not to say that there aren't a fair number of Humans, Full Blood Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, and so on living there. With nearly half again that many just passing through. Which is hardly surprising given that Demi is one of the three biggest port cities on the Eastern coast of Estria. The other two, just for the record are: WayMeet to the South. The largest Elf run city in the region that allows other races inside its walls in large numbers. And Ha' Ven to the North. Home to the Adventures Guild. A city with enough racial/species diversity that you Are a Minority, no matter what race you belong to. There are slightly more humans than any other single race but they still only make up 20 to 25 percent of the total population. But enough about the world. We're here to talk about young Throckmorton and his early years. Being the son of a Tavern Winch naturally lead to the learning of the skills associated with the Rogue's trade. And when given a chance by some of the local Bards he discovered that he had rather a bit of talent for that craft as well. Which lead to his attracting the notice of the Dragon SilverFrost who just happened to have stopped in( in human form) for a drink. SilverFrost was impressed by young Throckmorton's talent and gave him a letter of introduction to the Bards Collage at the Adventures Guild in Ha'Ven along with a bit of traveling money. At the Guild young Throckmorton excelled at both music, and Rogue craft. Well, once he was able to find the Rogue's section of the Guild. Being able to find it is, after all, one of the requirements for admittance. Over time he became an Adventurer, joined a party, and after a number of rather routine missions aboveground, he set out on a mission to the Underdark. And that is where our story begins. And as his memory is rather fogged over at first... Well I had planned on just starting in the Morphosis chamber So if you want to be as befuddled as our hero skip to chapter one If you don't think it will matter if you know the high points of his backstory; Well if you're reading this you probably already read the rest of this section anyway. Some points to consider. Throkmorton is a Rogue and a Bard. So what level in each ? I'm thinking 2nd or 3rd for each, making him a 4th to 6th level character overall. So, what spells would he have as a 3rd level Bard ? And can he use any of them after becoming a Kull ? Would he gain psi powers? Just brainstorming here. But if you have any thoughts on any of this feel free to share. Detail about Thuliens, particularly the Illith phase: They do not talk. Telepathic communication definitely. But no spoken communication. The lungs just don't connect to the mouth. Normal Illith having inate psi powers would have no reason to bother with Arcane magic. But someone who was an Arcane spellcaster before becoming a Kull... That is a very interesting question. After thinking about it I believe that the spells they already know would gradually change over to equivalent psi powers/abilities. Singing is something that I believe could be done telepathically. So with some practice a Bard in this condition would be able to regain their abilities. Now preforming publicly as a Kull is something that would be very location dependent obviously. Due to prior knowledge of Arcane magic the advantages/limitations of the Magus class, or at least an equivalent Psi-Magus type class would apply. Slower progress in terms of learning new Powers/Abilities but more powerful/lower costs due to understanding how to manipulate both Order and Chaos. Now someone who was an Eldritch spell caster would probably not be able to convert those spells into Psi equivalents. Taking the Silent Spell feat would probably allow them to use that form of the Eldritch spell. This is of course just speculation, as there aren't enough cases of Eldritch spellcasters becoming Kulls for any reliable information on the subject to be available.

Rested and refreshed the party set off for the Umbrial Archives. The trip was uneventful, inspite of taking most of the "day". Upon reaching the gates of the city they are greeted by a pair of Latralo guards floating in the air just outside the gates. "Halt. State your names and reason for visiting." One of the guards says settling to the ground in front of them. "Hawkeye Ravenhair. We are here to consult with the Supreme Shadow concerning a matter of research. I believe this key and accompanying letter will suffice to bypass the usual bureaucratic process for entry." He said with a bow a flourish as he presented the key and letter. The first guard handed the key to her companion while unfolding the letter. She scanned it quickly while her companion examined the key. The guards exchanged a look and a nod. "Everything appears to be in order." The first said handing back the key and letter. "However, as your letter of introduction doesn't say anything about guests, we will accompany you to the reception chambers." "Unnecessary; but if you wish, I will make no complaint about an honor guard escort." Hawk said putting the key and letter away. The first Latralo takes the lead while the other brings up the rear.

Time isn't easily measured in a place of continual twilight, but after a few hours of steady walking the silhouette of a large city comes into view. " Grayhall Academy and the Umbrial Archives" Hawk announced. "We should probably find a place to make camp and rest. It will probably take most of a day to get there from here." Throkmorton looks at the city in the distance. "It must be huge, if we can see it this well in this light at that distance." "Almost Three square miles." Hawk confirms looking around. "That should do." He adds pointing to an outcrop of stone with thorny bushes growing along the top. Yeriko walks over to the bushes examining them closely "How can they grow here with so little light?" "Good question." Hawk says clearing away debris from their campsite. "I never got around to asking last time I was here. Might be worth looking into this time, seeing as this is a research mission." Yeriko nods putting a few twigs from the bush in her pouch before looking around for possible firewood options. "A fire will be visible for a long way out here." Targon says pulling cooking equipment from his pack. "Most of the natives can see heat. So we're all shining like beacons anyway." Hawk says spreading out his bedrole "a fire will just make it a bit easier for us to see them. Assuming anything bothers to come by for a look." "I'll take a prowl around the perimeter and first watch." Kain says shifting into his panther form and vanishing almost instantly in the dim light. "Not much to watch for out here." Hawk observers "Still, better safe than sorry I suppose." By the time Kain returned Targon had a fire going and stew simmering in a pot above it. Throkmorton notices that he isn't smelling the cooking odors himself he is aware of the reactions happening in the minds of the others as a sort of background awareness. He is also both relieved and slightly disappointed that the food awakens no hunger in him. "The fire and cooking smells carry quite a distance." Kain said taking a seat by the fire. "Thankfully there doesn't seem to be anyone or anything out there to notice." "The city watch can probably see the glow of our fire, but I doubt they will bother sending anyone this far to investigate." Yeriko said helping herself to a bowl of stew. The others nodded filling their bowls in turn. Throkmorton sipped some water as they ate, so as to feel a bit more like a part of the meal. After they were done eating and cleaning up, Kain resumed his panther form for his turn at watch. Throkmorton needing only a short meditation to be fully rested decides to share the watch with him. *"can he hear me thinking?"* Kain wonders. *"Only if I'm making an effort to hear them."* Throkmorton says, *"wasn't trying to hear you specifically just now. Just listening for anything that might be out there."* *"Interesting. Being able to talk to you in cat form could be useful in some situations."* Kain says thoughtfully. *"Keeping the Psi Abilities would be a nice bonus."* Throk says *"What if you can't be changed back?" Kain ask *"There's always Wishs and such."* *"True. But those are not easy to get."* *"So, what will I do, how will I deal with it, if I'm stuck this way for a long time?"* Throkmorton said. *"Been trying not to think about it really. But, you are right. It is a possibility. And I should have some sort of plan in mind, just in case."* *"you don't have to have a full plan just yet. But keeping an eye out for places where you could set up a little greenhouse for your fungi would be a good start."* Kain said Throkmorton nods slowly then goes back to listening with him mind for any stray thoughts in the environment around them. He can feel the dreaming minds of his companions and wonders if he could spy on their dreams if he wanted to, then decides against trying. Maybe ask Yeriko later if she'd be willing to let him try. The "night" passed uneventfuly. And Kain and Throk took a brief meditation break while everyone else had breakfast.

All that's missing is: Momma. Pick-up trucks. Trains. Getting drunk. A dog. ~ David Allen Coe (paraphrased)

Seems just like yesterday you were teaching her to roar.

Latralo (La Tra Lo) Latralo are an engineered race combining trates from both Thuliens and Tritons with a bit of Sliderbeast essence mixed in. These beings were created by the Aqualith probably with some help from the Morlocks It is unclear as to the reason for their creation. While Latralo are effective troops, able to operate in a range of environments, including both underwater and on land. There are several other races both engendered and natural that are at least as effective. Latralo are found in moderate numbers in most Aqualith controlled regions serving as security forces. They are also a fairly common sight in the newer Gith trading post. As to why the Gith have a preference for mercenaries from engendered races is not entirely clear. Although several such races were allies during the Gith Rebellion. Some even being created for that conflict. This does not seem to be the case with the Latralo who seem to have been created fairly recently. The reason for the shift in Gith attitude from isolationist xenophobic to willing to do business with almost anyone, even if it's on a limited basis, is not well known or fully understood. Economic and/or political reasons are generally assumed. There is also the matter of the simple passage of time. Those who lived through the Rebellion will have died off by now even those who were young at the time will be a fading remnant. The Latralo are also the main merchant type involved in trade between the Aqualith and the Thuliens. And seem to be well on their way to becoming the primary source of trade between the Aqualith and most other races. One reason for this far reaching ability with trade is their innate Psi Abilities most notably their telepathic communication skills which allow them to converse with just about any being with enough intelligence to have a language. They also do quite well in dealing with things that don't actually have a language as such. While Latralo appear female they are actually hermaphrodites capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction by way of egg laying. It is unclear if they can cross breed with other egg laying races or not. Latralo also have an innate levitation ability which allows them to swim through air as easily as water. Latralo also have the Sliderbeast bi-location ability and are quite skilled in using it both offensively and defensively.

Powers and abilities While I've mentioned some of their abilities above I think it might be useful to give them a heading and list them all in one place for ease of reference. As noted above the Latralo have Psi Abilities including Telepathic Communication, Levation, and Bilocation. They also have Elemental Manipulation in the form of Airy water and Watery air which they can use in both a helpful or harmful way. Allow me to explain this in a bit more detail as it is a rather odd abilitie. Their Air/Water abilities include making either Element take on properties of the other allowing breathing by those that normally operate in the other environment or denial of breathing if they are dealing with an enemy. Their Levation abilities are also linked to this allowing them to float and swim in air as if in water or move through water in ways normally only possible in air. The movement effect is in the form of a bubble about 10 feet across centered on themselves allowing them to take someone else along for the ride. The breathing effect is typically a bubble around the head of the target and can be projected up to 40 feet away. As long as a clear line of sight can be maintained. Both abilities require some level of concentration to maintain. Latralo are also skilled archers, their four arms allowing extra range, extra fire rate, or multiple targets. Their Bows have Psi-crystals linked to the Crystal Arrowheads allowing for several Psi based effects comparable to those of an Arcane Archer. The full listing of which will have to wait until future study has been completed. Latralo tend to avoid melee combat when possible but if forced into it the hooked pads on their striking tentacles are able to deliver impressive amounts of abrasive damage or crushing damage as needed. While the other tentacles can be used to grapple an opponent. Some individuals have the Bio-Curent abilitie allowing an impressive amount of electric stun damage as well as the abilitie to recharge Tech devices. They are multi dexterous able to use bladed weapons in all four hands or a pair of two handed weapons as needed.

O.K., one of my favorite books is Villains by Necessity written by Eve Forward (READ THIS BOOK - you can get a paperback online for, about, $40 or so, free if you have kindle - I think), or you can go here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/71705/villains-by-necessity-redux which is her Royal Road site and she's rewriting it (slowly) and you can get a small taste of it. ANYWAYS . . . What would YOU do if you were one of the last evil beings in a realm where Good has won and sealed off the source of all evil - no more Evil gods, demons or corruption. Nothing but GOOD. All "bad" people have been given amnesty if they change their ways, "monsters" and evil creatures have all been hunted down and all "evil" kingdoms overthrown. Then there's you. Are you an Evil god or demon that hasn't been found yet? An assassin? Thief? Monster? Or just like kicking puppies? What is YOUR story in this situation?

"Did a job for Jonathan awhile back. Can't talk about it. Discretion was of the upmost importance." "Wait. You did a job for the Supreme Shadow?" Kain says "No. I did a job for Jonathan. It was a private matter between him and someone else with a Title and it was very important that it remained between the two of them and not their respective Realms. Which is way more than I should be saying about it." Hawk said. "Fine. Fine. Keep your secrets. I was just surprised. Not your usual crowd." Kain says "I think that was rather the point." Throkmorton observed dryly. "Anyway, they gave me this little trinket as part of my pay." Hawk says, pulling a couple of items from his backpack. "This is a shadow lantern; fairly common, and quiet useful in my line of work. But it's this little trinket that makes it extra special." He continues attaching a lens of smokey quartz to the front of the lantern. "Now it projects a Portal to the Demiplane of Shadows onto a wall, and boom; instant exit from awkward situations. Or a way to get to Grayhall Academy without having to take a long sea voyage. Bit of a hike through the Plane of Shadows but nothing's perfect." Hawk lights the Shadow Lantern and points it at a nearby wall. "And they gave me one of those magic compass that point to where you're wanting to go." "Anything for measuring the distance?" Yeriko asked. "No." Hawk admitted "But distance isn't exactly a fixed thing in the Shadow Realms anyway." "True." Yeriko admits before stepping through the Portal. The rest of the party follow her lead with Hawk coming last to close the Portal behind them. Off to the left in the distance they can see the glow of protective spells around the Thulien outpost. Thankfully the Compass shows their path is headed away from it. "It's unfortunate that you are the only one who's been there before." Throk says as they set off. "How so ?" Targon ask puzzled. "Distance isn't a fixed thing here." Kain says "The more of us focusing on where we're going the shorter the trip." "Even so, it should only take us a couple of days" Yeriko says calmly

While Shard Scape related this can be tweaked to fit into almost any word that has magic. Which is why it's over here in the Nursery. It's a problem for the heroes to solve or can be just a background type of thing. A Dark Wizard/Warlock Priest has made a Pact with an Unnameable Eldritch Horror from The Far Realms that allows for a very simple way to do magic. Well to make magic items with very little training needed. Now of course there are a few minor downsides to this. But if you don't mind working with Eldritch Magic and becoming the Thrall of an Unnameable Horror from The Far Realms... That's the whole bit with this If you know the Dread Name then you have a Mindseed of the Horror the Name belongs to and every time you use the Name it grows a bit stronger and has a bit more control over you. The system is really simple. First you are taught how to draw the Symbol which is the Name distilled down into a single shape. At the same time you're taught how to say the Name. Not the full Name all at once but one syllable at a time. Then two syllables together and so on. Then when you have mastered that you drawn the Symbol in your own blood carefully speaking the Name so that you finish both at the same time. Thus the Pact is made a bit of your Soul/Mind is drained away and replaced with a bit of the Essence of the thing you just made a Pact with. Now that a bit of its mind is available to you, you gain access to the knowledge of how to draw the Enchanting Circle and which Runes to use for which effect. It's this instant learning that makes the whole thing seem so appealing to those that want power without having to work for it. Now the Being you've made your Pact with isn't really all that Powerful compared to most of the big things out in The Far Realms which is why it want to come to our reality. It has two ways of achieving this. The first is to get someone Powerful enough to open a Portal/Gate and let it in. Most people Powerful enough to do that know enough to understand why doing so would be a very bad idea. Thus option two wherein the Being drips into our reality a bit at a time until it has enough Thralls to open a Portal/Gate as a Group Ritual or possibly to eventually just be here because enough of it is here and all it needs to do is pull itself together and manifest a form. Now if you just hear the Name you get a savings throw at advantage if you don't know it's a name or what it names. If you are being told that it is the Name of their master you still get a save assuming you didn't want to know the Name and/or you know that knowing the Name will bring you under it's sway. You obviously don't get any save if you are learning the Name on purpose. The Name can be used as an attack by Speaking the Name and putting Power behind it the Name will try to invade the minds of everyone who hears it. Now if you don't have enough Eldritch Power stored up for that The Name will drain your Lifeforce to power it's attempt to invade new minds.

The Dread Name is a Mindseed so anyone who knows the Name is drawn to anyone else who has it. And using the Name as a way to do magic causes the Mindseed to grow. It would be an enormous effort to get enough people to learn the Name and activity resist using it to achieve that level of dispersal and I'm not entirely sure what would happen if you did. When someone who knows the Name dies the Mindseed will try to move to a new host. If that isn't possible it will imprint itself onto their remains or a nearby object. If that vessel is destroyed the Mindseed will dissipate. The rate of dissipation will depend on environmental factors and can range from a few days to a few years. Assuming that the Mindseed can't find a new vessel.

The Banal, Everyday Doings of Some Random Dude and . . . Who's That? I'm thinking a couple of people who are constantly on the fringe of monumental happenings, yet completely oblivious to it. They're the people in historic pictures or videos that are always looking the other way or paying total, rapt attention to whatever is absolutely ordinary and trivial, rather than the vastly important and consequential - so-much-so, that they NEVER have even the slightest idea of what they missed. I can't figure out a way to flesh out a story for it, BUT if I could, I'm afraid I'd have to call it an autobiography!

I like this! I'm assuming that, while not as powerful as other entities in the Far Realms, the being is still far too powerful for even a moderate sized group (let alone an individual) to be a vessel with the ability to host enough of its essence for it too simply fully inhabit in toto - thus the need for a portal/gate or a group large enough for it to manifest a form.

Alurins are a group of Demosidhe (and eventually their descendants) who have been transformed from non-corporial beings into corporial ones. This was accomplished by the Gnomish Magus Gwixal with the help of some of his Goldblood students. For context, the Demosidhe in question were of the make alliances group. And were hidden away in Crystals to keep them safe. Which worked for them, but, not so well for those that did the hiding. While it is unknown who they were, or what exactly happened to them. The fact that the stasis spell on the Crystals was beginning the fail is a pretty strong indicator that it was not good. A researcher named Thomas who was working on power transmission technology stumbled onto the basic ideas needed for Gate technology. Which lead to his acquiring some of the Crystals housing the Demosidhe. Which lead to his being possessed by some of them. Don't judge them too hard they were in a rather desperate situation at the time. The presence of Demosidhe caused a pair of dormant Goldbloods to activate. Ok Quick side notes on Goldbloods They were created by "The Gods" (Which Gods exactly is up for debate as no one seems to want to take credit/blame for creating them) When danger is near Goldbloods appear. Or When Goldbloods appear Danger is near. How happy people are to learn that Goldbloods are around really does depend a lot on whether they are already dealing with a problem or not. For some reason people would rather be rescued from a disaster than be told to prepare for one. Go figure 🤔 Anyway the Golden blood has amazing healing properties and a Goldblood who has been properly trained can do amazingly powerful healing magic. They can do some pretty powerful magic just in general, but healing/restoring/creating ect is what the Goldblood Magic is intended for. The Alurins are active Goldbloods because they are living in a wasteland that needs restoring. Just noticed I haven't described what Alurins look like. Sorry about that. I'll get to it with my next edit of this.

Had an idea to (basically) re-mash Grimm's fairy tales creatures with science & nursery tales to find a more interesting "middle ground" between horror and inocence... For example: Unicorn (theme) A tribe of people who "seek the unicorn who gives blessed powers", in the far North. The "unicorn" is a horse infected with a parasitic brain worm, which will infect the human hosts; the effect of this is in 3 stages, stage 1, human grows a small "horn" similar to the unicorn; stage 2, the human manifests permanent mental enhancements, like the ability to always tell if people are telling the truth, strength and weather resistance, night vision, and immunity to poisons, and a severe aversion to anything iron. 3rd stage of infection is a high fever and death, but the tribe have a "ritual" which removes the parasite & kills it before it kills the host human, leaving them with the horn & the powers. Thus being infected by the Unicorn God to gain thier powers becomes a rite of passage into adulthood for every tribe member, and they aren't considered true members until they "receive thier horn". Cockatrice (theme) A lonely orphan girl (teenager) finds a strange egg, & hatches out a creature whose beauty & gaze mesmerizes anyone (except the child) so completely that they will do whatever they're commanded to. The girl is horrified to discover that they can command people to turn to stone, spontaneously catch on fire, turn inside out, etc, and decides to hide the creature, but can't figure out how. They eventually show the creature a mirror and command it to become human (accidentally maybe?), whereupon the creature becomes a teen boy, falls in love with her (the girl) and becomes her protector; since he is human now, he is prevented from ever using his powers on his own. He can only do whatever she commands. And in staying by her side while she uses his powers, she gains fame as a mage & eventually becomes ruler of the kingdom..? Can't think of any more now but I'm sure more will come to mind...

After about twenty minutes of walking Throkmorton is far enough around the cavern to see Yeriko and the others. Namely Kain, Hawk, and Targon. "Woah." Hawk said, "Yeriko told us what happened. But, it's one thing to hear about it and something else to see it first hand." "I know." Throk said, "I haven't looked in a mirror yet. I can feel my face, so I know what I'll see. But I'm not exactly in a hurry to actually see myself looking like this." "At least you are still you in your mind." Yeriko says, "The rest can be dealt with one way or another." "Shopping trip ?" Kain ask indicating the basket. "Snacks for later." Throk said lifting the cover of the basket. Kain and Yeriko peer inside. "Snacks?... Oh; yeah. right." Kain says as realization of the realities of Throkmorton's condition click into place in his mind. The look of confusion then understanding travels quickly around the group. "How long?" Yeriko ask. "About a week each. Three weeks worth. But I'll probably need to find a place to start growing more after about eight." Throk says. Yeriko nods. "It will be time enough. One way or another." "You will want to wear this when we are in most towns." Kain says handing him a hooded cloak. "Shadow Shroud, Deeper Darkness spell woven into the fabric. Popular with vampires and such, but useful for anyone who doesn't want their face seen." He explains. Throkmorton puts the cloak on and pulls the hood up then lowers it again. "Nice. But it blocks out too much light for use down here. Should be fine aboveground during the day. Where's the rest of the group?" "Most of them are meeting up with Grendel in Aracniki to escort the Princess to her new hive." Targon says. "It's going to take some time for me to get used to you looking like that." He adds. "We might not have to." Hawk says thoughtfully. "Melkior might be busy hunting down Tomes with Victor and Seline. But I do have a way for us to go see Anne and Johnathan." "Who ?" Yeriko ask confused. "Appleblack ?!" Throk exclaims " How do you happen to know them?" Yeriko still looks confused. "Jonathan Appleblack and his wife Anne Grayhall, of Grayhall Academy and the Umbrial Archives." Throkmorton explains.

Specimens of the Liminal Lurker type: Gardner, have been obtained and analyzed. The results are disturbing. They seem to be a type of Bio-Zombie, and the early prototype of a new addition to the ranks of the Yun-Xi hordes. Quite probably the newest shock troops although other uses are possible. First let's cover how Bio-Zombies are made and how they function. Once we have this information it becomes easier to understand what they are likely to be used for. There are in fact a few different types of Bio-Zombies, and we will cover each in detail later. But the basic process is the same. A living or newly dead creature/person is placed on a bed of Mimic Moss with will then form a pod around the subject. It is here that the deviations begin. The Mimic Moss will form several additional pods near to the first. Then the transformation/creation process begins. Spores from the Mimic Moss will start replacing the cells of the original creature in the main pod while that same placement is being replicated in the other pods. When the process is finished the central pod will open releasing an F type Bio-Zombie while the other pods will release S type Bio-Zombies. The other type is M type. These are created by adding various Bio-Mantic compounds to the pod at various points in its development. The Gardners seem to be an M type that was then reused as a template for additional S types without need for further modifications. Interestingly the Gardner specimen I have seems to have started with a Gith as its initial template. I should do some more research into what happened to them after their initial rebellion. 🤔 The ZaRak have a process for creating custom mercenaries without fossilizing the template creature. More about that elsewhere and later as it doesn't really pertain to the topic at hand even though the process is quite similar. The Yun-Xi seem to be using the ZeRek method, or something close to it. With no interest in preserving the original subject. Not terribly surprising given that the Yun-Xi and the ZeRek both serve Yuuxath.

The important thing to remember when speculating on the tactical uses of Bio-Zombie troops is that they are part of a system involving the Mimic Moss from which they form. It is also important to remember that Mimic Moss is a type of Chaos Fungus. Specially it is the base from which all the other types arise. With these details in mind it becomes easier to understand that any and all possible Chaos Fungus abilities are potentially available to the Bio-Zombies being deployed. Which can lead to some rather frightening abilities and tactics. There is the mental impact of seeing something that looks like a fallen companion coming at you; not just once but in numbers. Because they are made of Spores any battlefield where fighting continues for more than a few days will become covered in Mimic Moss allowing the Bio-Zombies to use the fallen from both sides as either templates or raw materials for replacement/repair of their troops. Bio-Zombies that are fighting on a field of Mimic Moss gain a healing factor similar to that of Trolls. It is unclear as to how strong this could become if a Troll were used as the base creature. There are, thankfully, practical limitations on how fast something can regenerate. Another ability/tactic available to Bio-Zombies is the use of spore clouds. When seriously damaged a Bio-Zombie can dissolve into a cloud of Spores which can infect anyone nearby who happens to inhale them. This opens the way to several options. First the spores can remain basically dormant with just enough activity to establish a link to the Mimic Moss creating spies who are unaware of being spies. Once enough information has been gathered the Spores can be activated to a mind control level allowing sabotage and assassination activities to be employed. Or the Spores can grow rapidly killing the victim and forming a new patch of Mimic Moss in whatever graveyard is being used for the fallen. There are, of course, counter measures that can be used against these tactics. Healing Spells and Potions can destroy the Spores. And burning the dead prevents them from being used as resources by the enemy. And Fire of any type can destroy both the Bio-Zombies and the Mimic Moss they are spawned from.

Further exploration of the Catacomb levels of the Liminal have revealed that it is not only possible to gain access to the banks of the Styx from here, using the same spells as you would anywhere else. But using such spells here will connect with "abandoned ?" Yun-Xi outposts from the previous war. As to how abandoned these locations really are; we don't know, yet, as the teams making these discoveries were not equipped for operations along the banks of the Styx and chose to return and report. And gear up for further explorations later.

WAIT A MINUTE!!! What is the possibility that I MIGHT find my lost socks and tchotchkes in the Liminal? Not pointing fingers, buuuttt, Yuuxath IS a bit of a ____ . . . just saying.

Basically yes. It is a collection of lost/abandoned/hidden Demi Planes and broken off bits of other Realities that have clumped together. It is quite likely that Yuuxath is responsible for these bits coming together. After all while Yuuxath is a mad god he is not a god of madness but of lost forgotten and hidden things. As well as a god of ambition, given that he is trying to displace both Cronous, the God of Time and Gaia, the Goddess of Nature. And given the methods he is using to accomplish that, the broken off bits that make up the Liminal are mostly due to his efforts. So it makes sense that he would sweep up these bits and use the result as a secret base of operations for his followers.

Is it just me, or does it seem the Liminal may be an abandoned or lost reality, below all others, that parts of the realities above it leaks into - a void or sponge, of sorts, that collects the detritus flaking off of other realities?

It does have entraping and transforming properties. So it is entirely possible that one of the Hearts of the Liminal was an attempt by the Fae to expand or recreate their Realm. After all they came to what is now the Fae Realms from the Far Realms during the Great Migration. And it's not entirely clear what Realm or Realms were used in the creation of the Fae Realms. The main flaw in this idea is that the Liminal is mostly abandoned buildings and such while the Fae tend to favor more woodland/nature environments. Of course the woodlands could be there as a way to keep the Liminal at bay if they started with cities and then abandoned them to get further away from Yuuxath. The fact that Yuuxath and the Yun-Xi are not particularly present in the Liminal is actually a bit odd now that I think about it. I'll have to give that problem some more thought.

Mirror Link: This spell (ritual?) Allows the caster to link Mirrors that would otherwise have no connection so that they can be used for communication and travel by way of the Demiplane of Mirrors. The improved version: Greater Mirror Link, works even if one of the Mirrors is on a lower level of one of the Outer Planes.

Actually, it's a world full of sloths where snail heroes are being raised by a rabbit. Snypiuer is the only human. It's complicated.

I expect I'd resort to possession too, if that was my only way out of a crystal prison... o.O These Demosidhe interest me.

I wrote this a week, or so, after there was a hoax that Ozzy had passed. I wrote it and went to bed and when I woke up, he was gone. I only got to see him once in concert. I did have 2 chances in the early 80's, but both times the concert promoters canceled due to protests - religious reasons and also something about "desecrating" a monument? Gene Simmons summed it up perfectly: BEFORE Ozzy, there was NEVER an Ozzy. It's a loss, not just for his family (the most meaningful and heartbreaking loss), but for everyone. There are a lot of bad stories about him, but I have NEVER heard a bad one about HIM as a human being. Every story about Ozzy, as a person, was that he was the kindest, most loving person you could meet. I've been to a LOT of concerts and EVERY band/musician shouts, "WE/I LOVE YOU!". Even when it sounds genuine, it still sounds like. "BECAUSE YOU LOVE US/ME!" should come next. I swear, when Ozzy shouted, "I LOVE YOU ALL!" he MEANT it - "I love you all", because HE actually loved YOU, each and everyone. Everyone I've ever talked to that has seen him live has said the same thing. With all that being said, I STILL don't feel like he's gone. It's like he's "physically" gone, but "OZZY" isn't. Can't explain it . . . weird. July has NOT been such a great month when it comes to celebrities passing - Connie Frances, Malcolm Jamal Warner, John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne, Terry Gene "Hulk Hogan" Bollea.

*"Be not alarmed."* a voice said in his mind. Throkmorton wasn't sure which of them had spoken, but assumed it was the one in the middle, and focused his attention on that one *"OK ?"* he said/thought. Waiting to see what the fungusmen would do next. *"Your friends have reached the far side of this cavern. We have told them to wait for you there. Before you go to them, we offer you a trade. You have coins ? Yes ?"* Each sentence seemed to be a slightly different voice leaving Throkmorton totally confused as to Who was actually talking. Not that it mattered much. The important part was that they seemed willing to let him go after making some trade. *"Some. What are you offering, and how much do you want?"* he asked *"5 Gold. For one basket of Brain fungus, For when the Hunger comes; One bag of Spawn, for growing your own later; and one Memory Crystal, with instructions on how to grow your own Brian fungus."* They said, showing him each item as they named it. Throkmorton felt a hunger stirring at the sight of the Brian fungus. 5 Gold would leave him with only a few Silver and Copper pieces. But for his freedom and some useful supplies he'd have paid a Platinum if he had too. With the deal made Throkmorton looked into the basket and allowed his Thulien nature to rise. As the Hunger filled his mind his tentacles reached out and wrapped around one of the small brain fungi pulling it quickly to his mouth. Psi-energy flowed through his mind which he directed through his body fueling and restoring it. He returned to normal awareness unsure how much time had passed. No long, he decided; as the fungusmen were still there watching him. *"Much better and safer to meet your friends well sated than still hungry from your transformation."* They said *"If you don't over exert yourself, that should keep you feed for about a week."* "Good to know." he said counting the fungi in the basket. Twelve. Twelve weeks of food. So probably about eight weeks to get back to normal or find a place to start growing his own Brian fungus. *"Stay on the path that follows the wall of the Cavern and you will reach your friends in an hour or so."* The fungusmen said walking past him. Throkmorton hung the handle of the basket over his arm and set off down the path. Once he was out of sight of the Sporanids he stopped and closed his eyes, concentrating on reestablishing his mental link to Yeriko. Her face appeared in his mind almost instantly. A quick mental exchange and it was agreed that they would wait for him where they were. And with that decision made Throkmorton set off at a brisk walk.

He reached the cavern containing the grove without encountering anything more interesting than a few oddly colored outcropings of of rock along the way. The cavern was far larger than he was expecting. The map from the sentry post only noted that a grove of Chaos fungus was there and didn't bother extending beyond that. Understandable given that the Thuliens would have little reason to go there or expect anything to come from there. At least without making rather a lot of noise. Given the size of the cavern there was a good chance that his friends would be reaching the other side of it about now. Throkmorton checked his surroundings and then closed his eyes. Reaching out along the link to Yeriko. The fact that she had been able to maintain it was a good omen for how things were going on her end. Contact came almost immediately. An updated image of the two maps appeared before his mind's eye. "I think we're at the far side of the Chaos fungus cavern" Yeriko said. "I think you're right. Now how do I get to where you are without disturbing these things?" "Very carefully." She replied. "There seems to be a path around the edge of the Grove. If it continues all the way..." "Worth a try. If this isn't just a wild patch, but something that the Sporanids are tending to..." "As long as you stay on the path and don't disturb the fungus, they should have no reason to bother you." "One way to find out." He said opening his eyes and starting off down the path. The Fungus people worked for the Thuliens in the Compound of their own free will. But how loyal they were beyond that; or even how friendly they might be in their own territory... These were things that the Thuliens didn't seem to think about much. For that matter, why did the Sporanids work for the Thuliens ? They didn't seem to be enslaved but they were also not employed. At least his Thulien memories didn't contain anything about paying them or keeping them under control. The Sporanids just worked for the Thuliens and no one bothered questioning it. Throkmorton's musings were interpreted at this point as he came around a bend in the path and found himself face to face with a group of five medium sized Sporanids coming from the other direction.

Quest for the Umbral Archives. Or any other names you want to use here. This is an outline/framework that you can use to build a quest for an RPG group or as a starting point/outline for a story if you want. I might try building a story with this later. Anyway to undertake this Voyage/Quest you will need a few things. Being insane is often listed. Although there is some debate about this actually being a requirement. An individual or group with some reason to make the trip. So, let's take a moment to consider reasons for wanting to go there. Which in turn requires knowing what the place has to offer. Mostly it offers knowledge. Including the knowledge of how to become a Shade. A rather surprising number of sages and scholars have sought this knowledge; for actual use and not just academic coursity; over the ages. Or maybe it's not so surprising if you think about it. Of the various types of undead one might consider becoming Shades are the best suited to the purpose of continuing academic activities free from the distractions of being alive. No need to eat or sleep. No worries about getting sick or dieing of old age before you finish studying your chosen subject. This has inturn lead to the creation of the Umbral Archives. All that research and knowledge has to be stored somewhere. And that somewhere is on the Demiplane of Shadow. Where exactly? Well, that's rather hard to say as things on the plane of Shadows tend to wander around, rather a lot actually. Fortunately there is a way to travel directly to the Umbral Archives. A few different ways actually. If you have the aid of someone who knows the place well and/or has made the trip often. They can lead you there by way of the Plane of Shadows or a Teleport spell. Unfortunately people who know the way and are available to act as guides are extremely hard to find. However there is another option. Apart from just blundering about the Plane of Shadows and hoping. And that option is a ship known as the Shadow. The Shadow is said to make port at the Umbral Archives regularly. However it is not known to make port anywhere else. And finding a captain willing to take you out to meet the Shadow is not exactly easy. The Shadow, the Umbral Archives, anyone who wants to go there, or even talk about it, are all things most people consider to be bad luck. Or rather, talking about it: bad luck, actually seeing the Shadow: BAD LUCK. Although enough money, including the price of Blessings from a Priest and many lucky charms and talismans, can convince some captains to make the trip. Make sure you have a reliable way of determining a person's true intent. As more than half the captains who say that they will take you to the Shadow are going to try to kill you and toss you overboard as soon as you are out of sight of land. One of the other challenges is finding an Orical who can tell you when/where the find the Shadow. I'll cover the details of how to board and travel on the Shadow later.

While I have spoken of the Varna elsewhere I want to take the time to cover them in more detail here and briefly touch on the ChoKa; which I will deal with more fully later. Choka are what Varna tadpoles turn into if not implanted. The Varna, as noted elsewhere, are created from modified Thulian larvae to serve as spies and assassins. That is only partly true now that the Varna are trying to become a free people in their own right. An effort which is likely futile, as will be seen as we look at the different types of Varna a the success rate of the Morphoses process. The success rate for Varna morphosis is basically the same as for Thuliens that are becoming Illith. Which is to say about 25% become Varna. 25% die.(no splits here). Kulls are basically just a failure with the victim gaining knowledge from the Varna. It is unclear if a Kull of this type would be able to leave their former body and/or become a Gree later on as there are no confirmed reports of anyone actually escaping in this state. Shulls are still Shulls. Although it is believed that there are potions that effectively allow a Shull to finish the morphosis process later. So technically a close to 50% success rate because of Shulls of this type being able to finish later. type two Varna are basically type ones after they reach a certain size. The growth process can be slowed by taking certain potions but this tends to have the inconvenient side effect of binding the Varna to its Husk. Type two Varna(hereafter called Gree) can undergo a morphosis process and become a fully adult Thulien (also referred to as an Elder.) Such Adults seem to be no different than ones that took a different life path. although there are some reports that Gree Elders produce eggs that hatch into about equal numbers of regular and Varna tadpoles. It is unclear if the morphosis from Gree to Elder is something that simply happens at some point or if some potion is needed to trigger the process. In interest point to consider in light of rumors that the Varna are seeking to become a separate species. Given that Varna who have reached the Gree stage can create more Varna by way of a morphosis causing injection they could have an independent life cycle. Assuming the Morphosis from Gree to Elder is a triggered rather than a spontaneous event. And even if spontaneous there could be potions that could be used to block it. It is worth noting that Gree are also able to lay eggs which will become Thulien tadpoles. It is unclear if these tadpoles are Varna or regular Thulien tadpoles or a mix. As Choka, Cephalarack, and, Illith are not particularly desirable to the Varna they have no particular reason to lay eggs.

By the Light of the Witch Moon Under Eldritch Skys By Balefire's Glow To Ride the Neither Winds. To Plant the Dragon's Teeth. Title ideas for stories linked to the Finial Days of Horkuna. The basic idea is an Earth like world Magic or maybe Psi Abilities are rare and mistrusted in most places This world has a second Moon. Small with an odd orbit and little effect on the tides and such. Barley visible to most people. But to those who have the Mage/Witch sight a full Witch Moon is as bright as a regular full Moon. Nights when the Witch Moon is full and the regular Moon is Dark are seen as Ill-omened by most. Which becomes a self fulfilling sort of thing. Because a night when honest folks stay home is naturally a night when those up to no good are going to be more active. General outline is one or more Gifted/Cursed as the main character and somewhere along the way they discover something that is a major threat to their world and because of their abilities they are the only ones who can stop it and save the world.

While exploring an abandoned house You find a research lab belonging to someone who has been exploring the Backrooms. Notebooks, Maps, Weapons, Supplies, and Gear for finding your way in, out, and around. The last entry in the main Notebook is dated three weeks ago. What do you do? I've been toying with some ideas as to what the Backrooms could be used for if someone had a way of finding/opening/closing entry/exit points both from the "real" world side and from within the Backrooms themselves. There are Lurkers. But I'm still working out what they are. Where they come from. Why they are there. Ect. Use ideas include hiding, smuggling, making just about anything one could need a reason to keep hidden.

Some notes about the City itself. As noted elsewhere The City of the Shademakers is located in the Plane of Shadows. It's not entirely clear just when, why, how the place got started but the general drift of the story goes something like this. A group of scholars/sages/lore masters ect who were all interested in Shadow Magic, Necromancy and other such related topics worked together to establish a research area free from distractions. Just when they discovered the process enabling the transformation into a Shade is not recorded but it was long ago and over time others learned of the Umbral Archives and came to join the group. Then others came not wishing to become permanent members of the group but wishing to visit and consult with the resident scholars. This created a need for the compound to grow into more of a regular city. For while the Shades don't need to eat or sleep, visitors who were mostly still among the living most definitely did. And anywhere there is a need that can be satisfied for a profit, sooner or later someone is going to start a business satisfying that need. And so all the usual business turned up. There was already some need for transport to and from the Umbral Archives as many of the Scholars needed research materials, add to that the needs of a growing city. This lead to the creation of the Shadow Fleet. There are actually several ships that are all The Shadow. As the ship is believed to be an Ill omen it never makes port as itself but takes on the aperance of some other ship. Quite probably the ship it was before joining the Shadow Fleet. Just how a ship joins the Shadow Fleet is a secret known only to the Captains and the Supreme Shadow. There are likely a few others who have figured it out, But they are not likely to be sharing that information unless they are offered a good reason typically in the form of a rather large amount of treasure or possibly information that is valuable enough. It is worth noting that because it started as a city of scholars, information and research materials are as much a form of money as actual coins and gems. As to the matter of food and lodging it depends on your personal taste and available funds. If you are broke and/or don't care about quality you can find a place about two streets back from the harbor. Or you can try camping in one of the empty warehouses right along the waterfront. If you happen to have some coin to spend and want a good deal try looking about five to six streets back from the docks. This is also the point at which you are most likely to find merchants with goods that are actually worth buying. If you are rich and/or looking for magic items and such you will need to go twenty streets in and get a guard to let you in. The walls and gates here mark the start of the city proper. This is where a city watch actually bothers with patrolling and such. Before this you are in Thieves Guild territory. Not that the Guild doesn't have a presence in the walled parts of the city. But outside the walls they are the ones running things. Inside the walls, they keep a much lower profile.

Upon first sighting the Shadow you will likely see it maneuvering in a way that is only possible with a full crew. Any attempts at communicating from this range will receive no direct response. The ship will however take up station keeping once you have signaled your intention to come alongside or otherwise board. If the ship doesn't do this or disappears, return to port and get a new time/location to try again. Once you are within range to do so, you will see absolutely no one on the Shadow. Magical items, spells, etc that enable seeing invisible beings will probably allow you to see the crew. It is generally considered a bad idea to do this. The Shadow disappearing or sailing away are the most common results. There are some reports of the crew of the Shadow attacking. This is largely unconfirmed, but all such reports agree that this happens only if you are already alongside. As to what the crew of the Shadow look like; I'll cover that a bit later. Never set foot on the deck of the Shadow until you have asked permission to come abroad. You will know if it was granted by nothing happening. There are no reports of the request being denied if you were allowed to come alongside in the first place. There are no confirmed reports of anyone being stupid enough to not ask permission. So what exactly would happen is unknown. The most likely reactions are the Shadow disappearing or the offending individual being tossed over the side. In any event once on board find a spot on the deck that is out of the way of the crew and stay there. Unless you feel like you are being asked to get out of the way, then get out of the way. Do not interfere with the operation of the ship. Do not go below decks. Do not go into the galley. And especially don't sit down and eat when there is a meal on the table. Unless you want to join the crew. More on what happens if you do in a bit. Do not enter the captain's cabin. Some say you can enter if you ask permission and have a good reason for being there. Make sure you have a good supply of food and water. If you follow the rules the trip can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks. When you arrive at the Umbral Archives. Thank the captain and crew for their hospitality, and get off. For those who lack common sense and want to push their luck. Here are the likely results of breaking the rules. You will be attacked by the crew, and the ship itself, if you are holding your onw against the crew. They will either throw you over the side, or kill you and then throw you over the side. Assuming that the ship doesn't just vanish. If you are still in the normal world, pray that there is an island nearby. In any case you are in the ocean, good luck. If you have crossed into the Plane of Shadows, you are stranded there in a random location. Good Luck. Or you have landed in some random Demiplane. You will probably need all the luck you can get. If you fight the captain and somehow manage to win. Whoever landed the killing blow is now Captain of the Shadow. Everyone else in your group is now part of the Crew. Any surviving members of the original Crew are now as loyal to you as they were to the former Captain. And you are now bound to the service of The Supreme Shadow, Lord of the Umbral Archives, and whatever other titles that notable might happen to have. In theory you can take that Title by winning a duel or otherwise conquering the current Supreme Shadow. There are no confirmed reports of anyone ever having managed to do it. The Crew of the Shadow are Shades with the ability to turn invisible and stay that way even when attacking. They are also able to heal themselves as per Vampiric Ring of Regeneration channeled through their weapons. The Captain has the Crews abilities as well as the ability to Animate Object anything that is part of the Shadow as a free action. And is almost always a Magic User of some sort. I might try to work out more exact stats for these guys later.

Mine goes by mood. For some reason, the Smurfs song always comes on my 'radio' when I'm working. Rain sounds are best for quelling such earworms, I've found... At least for me. Feeling very transparent today, for some reason... like a balloon filled with too much air. Stretched almost to popping. And not in a good way. Maybe I need to go find some real rain..

Months with Flo Rida's Low, here. And I don't even know all the lyrics.

*Laughs in acknowledgement of similarity 🤣

The Bel'Vekian jumping turtle is, basically, a frog/turtle hybrid whos' origin is . . . disturbing. As we know, the Bel'Vekians have turned their planet into a giant science experiment in order to create weapons (or whatever may be desired) to sell to the highest bidder. They live in sterile labs that span the entirety of the planet, sealed off from its' atmosphere and protected from whatever survives within its environment. The Bel'Vekians have found that, simply ejecting their failed experiments and waste indiscriminately, can lead to discoveries never contemplated. The Bel'Vekian jumping turtle is the product of this practice. The Nevb Coalition of sector 7.23 of the Direliz Quadrant had commissioned a physical enhancement drug to allow their settlers to survive the higher gravity of several planets they had conquered and depopulated. The Bel'Vekian scientist used testosterone, the adrenal glands and pituitary glands of the giant marsh frogs to create a drug but it was far too powerful, causing grotesque physical changes that were incompatible with sustaining a colony. So, they dumped it. It didn't take long to totally contaminate the giant marsh frog population, leading to larger, more aggressive offspring. It was so devastating, within three generations, not only were all members of the species larger and more aggressive, not one female was produced. This is where it gets disturbing. The last generation of the giant marsh frog; larger, more aggressive, filled with testosterone and no . . . outlet, descended upon a large population of marsh turtles, eliminating all the males and . . . violating the females in an uncontrollable frenzy. It lasted, non-stop for days, until the last giant marsh frog expired from exhaustion. Like I said . . . disturbing. With all the contaminates in the environment, it was actually quite easy for cross species breeding to occur. Thus, we now have the Bel'Vekian jumping turtle. This unexpected outcome has also led to the creation of the Bel'Vekian: Monitor Sloth, Spider Worm, Tarantula Hamster and the surprisingly cuddly Centipede Wombat - among others. ** All animal names used are of the closest Earth animal equivalent of the actual Bel'Vekian species in appearance, in order to be able to visualize the subject **

....Methinks you procrastinated on posting anything Perhaps I will as well... All procrastination is best done jointly

At least 2 at this point, possibly 3. I maay use this world to do stories of other characters, instead of the same family always? At this point I only have the 2nd one sorta-kinda-plotted out, so it's nothing finite yet 😂 Thank you so much for your interest--and I'd love to sign a book or a few, for you. And anyone else on here who wants to identify. This site is still the ORIGINAL place this story came from!

Thanks for the info., just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be a problem with the Hello Kitty magnet stuck to the ricasso of my enchanted sword, Doris Nether Bane - Devourer of Demon Spleens. And, you know, just for NEXT time, it'd be helpful to some of us if you LEAD with the advice on protecting and securing your mind and dreams against evil and forgotten beings using them to enter our world . . . you know, for NEXT time. Now . . . kind of busy . . . have a bit of a . . . situation . . . let you know how it goes . . . maybe.😐

Chapter One. The pain faded. He lay there for a time savoring its absence. Once he was reasonably sure that it wasn't going to return any time soon he dared to open his eyes. No pain. That was good. But there wasn't much to see either. Blank stone ceiling in a dimly lit room. He sat up. Still no pain. And not much of an improvement on the view. Small, dim room, carved out of stone with a shallow pool of water beside him and some sort of table and cupboard arrangement against the wall; and a door. That was it. No source of light. Yet he could see, dimly to be sure, But how ? No windows. Nothing giving off light. And things were clearly no brighter near the door. The room should be pitch black, yet he could see well enough. This was not something he could do before. Before? The word echoed loudly in his mind. Fragments of memory flooded his mind and faded away before he could grasp them. Memories that felt right mixed with ones that could not possibly belong. He tried to reach for them, any of them, even the "wrong" ones. It was like trying to grasp fog. He kept trying anyway. And finally he was able to grab one. Just a fragment of time. Walking down some dimly lit hallway. Torch held high, for better light. Then Pain. And darkness. So, he'd been ambushed, knocked out, captured. And brought here? Where was here? Who? Why? The fog in his mind swirled and churned. And then he knew. Thulians. His blood ran cold at the thought. He was clever and now that he was thinking in abstract ideas and not trying for personal memories knowledge was flowing much more quickly and freely in his mind. Which was good; except he did not like the answers he was getting. Why Thulians took people. The fact that he could now see in the dark. His clouded memories. Not good. But the fact that he saw it as bad. Didn't just accept it as how things should be... Maybe there was hope. Dreading what he would find but needing to know. He closed his eyes and started exploring his body by touch. It took only moments for his exploration to confirm what he had expected to find. Bald head and face tentacles. Yep, he was a Kull. An Illith to look at but with his original mind mostly intact and a few bits of information that he had not known before. The most important bits were what would happen to him if his kull nature were discovered. Death. And the fact that the morphosis chamber was on the edge of the compound. For practical reasons. And that it would be a few hours yet before anyone would be by to check on how things were going. On the table were his belongings and in the cupboard was a set of robes. And his regular clothes. After some thought about the matter he put on the robes and packed as much of his other possessions as would fit into his pack while still being able to hide it under the robes. His knifes he could strap in their usual places. His sword had to be hung on his back in a way that mostly hid it under the robes. There was no way to draw it like that. But stealth not sword work was his only real chance of escaping.