RQG 148 - Jumble Sale!

## Summary

The party heal themselves after the fight with the giant pipe organ and explore the domed room. They see that the brain in the orb is infected with blue veins, and find blueprints showing the facility continues a long way down below them, and stumble upon Shoin's diary.

Zolf knows the MOST, Azu has checked out but finds something interesting, Hamid tries to figure out what Skraak is doing, and Cel might have finally found answers.

## Synopsis

The party is in Shoin's underwater lair in the large domed room standing over the remains of the giant pipe organ machine they destroyed. They quickly dispatch the remaining blobs and then take the time to explore the room.

Cel excitedly searches through the remains of the giant pipe organ to determine whether there are any valuable bits. However, Hamid's dragon breath has pretty much left most of it in an unsalvageable state. The notable exception is the brain orb, which appears completely intact, although very sooty. The bulb is very large, similar in height to Cel's torso, but the brain inside is normal-sized.

Hamid asks whether everyone is okay, and Azu says no. He asks her what she needs, but she counters by asking who else is injured. Zolf asks whether Cel is injured, and they stumble over. Hamid asks Skraak whether they are okay, and Skraak runs over and tugs at Azu's armour, and then hold out the health potion that Hamid gave them earlier. Zolf tells them they shouldn't use it, and offers to heal everyone. Skraak pulls a face at Zolf. Zolf channels positive energy and heals everyone (17 HP). Azu asks if anyone needs more healing, and both Zolf and Cel say they could use some more. Hamid stops being invisible. Azu asks Zolf to come over to her and she heals him by using lay on hands (18 HP), and does the same for Cel (14 HP).

Hamid goes over to investigate the organ console, which is still intact even though the machine pulled itself out from it. The two cylinders on either side are still intact, although they are now half full. Hamid investigates the columns, wondering if they are similar to the ones that were part of Mr. Ceiling, but the colour of the liquid is different (lurid green) compared to those in Paris.

Cel moves the brain orb around and tries to communicate, using different languages to ask whether Shoin is in there. The brain in the orb has a couple of electrodes attached to it, running to some type of apparatus built into the orb, functioning like a dock to plug into the rest of the machinery at the bottom. Zolf says that this seems very much like Mr. Ceiling tech while he looks over to Hamid, and Hamid agrees. The rest briefly inform Cel about who Mr. Ceiling is.

As they study the brain, they notice that one of the hemispheres is riddled with blue veins. Azu wonders if they should take it back to Wilde, but Zolf thinks they should get rid of it as soon as possible. Hamid disagrees, thinking they should find out more about it, considering that as long as it is inside the container it should be safe. Zolf asks if anyone can investigate it without breaking the orb. Cel looks at it.

Cel realizes the orb is pretty self-contained, there isn't much that would fit inside of it, and it won't be walking away because it doesn't have space for any big, elaborate surprises. They think they could probably rig it up to connect to other machinery, but that they should probably be very careful with that because they cannot predict what would happen and what type of control the brain could gain if hooked up to something.

Zolf tells the rest they do not know how the infection spreads. He says that people 'go in' and come out wrong, but that they do not yet understand how this happens. Hamid says that he found a bunch of paperwork that could maybe help, and that he didn't have time to go through it all yet, and there might be more. Most of the paperwork was in English, although large parts of it were in Japanese too, as well as some French and a bit of Czech. Hamid tells the rest that some of it seemed to relate back to the work by François Henri and even Liliana's research on the power source.

Zolf asks Hamid if he still has the notebook from Other London and whether he still has the message with the squid ink. Hamid gives him the notebook, and Zolf studies it to see if any of the handwriting looks similar to the one on the paperwork, and discovers it is probably the same hand. However, the writing on the more recent documents has seen a fundamental shift in the way they are written, more erratic with more spelling errors. The ink also seems similar. Cel takes a look and determines that it is indeed the same ink.

Cel takes a look at the notebook and seems to understand most of it, although not all. They are reading a piece of correspondence between François Henri and Shoin. It appears to be 3 years old, and it talks about major breakthroughs in terms of the fluidic systems and how Henri's help has been instrumental. Some of it isn't about alchemy, but talks about how the research is 'taking big leaps in terms of semiotic transference', how the 'semantic systems are coming along', that the 'organic growth methods are the way to move forwards', and that 'in terms of distributed synthesis, the organic model is far superior' and that 'semiotic transference is at 86%' and that they think they will not only be able to establish 'the transfer', but probably also 'duplicate it'.

Cel explains all this to Zolf and Hamid, and Hamid listens intently. Azu, meanwhile, is pretty checked out of the conversation. Zolf sees all of the information as a confirmation that this is tied to the Mr. Ceiling stuff in Paris. Hamid notices that a lot of Francois' research focused on the outside in, taking things that were spread out and bringing them into one place. The correspondence, on the other hand, seems to be talking about taking things from one place and spreading it out.

**BREAK**

Hamid says that a bunch of the paperwork was about the circulatory system, and that the infection shows up in people's veins. Azu realizes that the circulation system Hamid is talking about is way too big, that the scales are all wrong, and that there is too much circulation to even fit inside ten people. Additionally, she notices that the brain inside the orb only has blue veins on the left hemisphere, which she knows is more for logic thinking in contrast to the right side which is more for creativity. She also notices that the corpus callosum between the two hemispheres seems to be damaged. Furthermore, the blue seems to have come from the outside in, instead of the inside out.

She explains that the volume of the circulatory system in the paperwork is too much for a normal person, and Zolf wonders if it would be enough for a giant squid, and Cel wonders if it was enough for the giant machine they just fought. However, the machine contains no organics. Hamid asks that if the circulatory system would be in a human-shaped body, how big it would be. Azu thinks by volume, it would be about the size of a redwood tree. But the circulation itself doesn't look right, it's more like someone took a giant and smashed him into a pancake without messing up the circulatory system, and spreading it out as wide as they could. It looks more like an enormous fungus.

Hamid wonders if everyone else also thinks that the brain inside the orb is Shoin. Cel takes this as an opportunity to explain how much Shoin seemed to be talking to himself when he spoke to them during their explorations, repeatedly saying 'shut up' to himself or someone else. Zolf has never heard of something like this tied to the blue veins infection. Usually there are three stages; 1) someone is their normal non-veiny self, 2) the sneaky pre-veiny stage, or 3) people are veiny and no longer the person they were before. What happened to Shoin is something he doesn't have a reference for.

Zolf wonders if Shoin was experimenting, or whether this all was a preventative to stop the infection, or whether he was just mucking about, or whether he actually invented the blue veins infection. Cel wonders whether the infection happened before the brain was taken outside of the body, or after. Zolf thinks they should take the orb with them, and that Cel can potentially make some sort of speaker apparatus so they can communicate with it.

Azu wonders if they should search the room, and although Zolf agrees, he wants to leave as soon as possible before they get attacked by the giant squid. This triggers Hamid to wonder whether the squid was being controlled by Shoin or not, and he asks Cel for help with figuring out what else the console was connected to and controlling. Cel explains the alchemical attributes of the pipe organ for making potions. Hamid wonders if it can also control the squid, so Cel looks where the other output pipe from the console is connecting to.

Cel can tell that some of the liquid in the containers was used for activating the giant robot, functioning as some kind of catalyst for reactions. However, part of the liquid has been siphoned off elsewhere not inside this room, leading downwards further into the facility. Cel explains this to the rest, brainstorming that the catalyst can work similarly to a battery. They also point out that the rest of the liquid goes down, and Zolf says that they need to go down as well then.

There is a sudden mechanical noise, and when everyone looks around to see what it is, they see that one the chairs that is furthest from the head of the table has had clamping arms come out of the side of it and has straightened out. It appears to be in a position to slide into a hole at the bottom of it, as if it could deposit a person. Skraak crawls out from underneath the table, and Hamid compliments them on their good work. Skraak says it goes down, and Hamid tells them they might have to explore that way soon.

Cel thinks that Shoin plugged into the console could control everything. Hamid wonders if they can control it as well, because Shoin must have been giving orders to people around the base, and that there are still kobolds who are trapped and enslaved inside the base. Zolf says that they will get back to the base after they finish with this, and that Hamid should stay on target because the kobolds aren't important right now. Hamid thinks they could issue an order and fake being Shoin, telling the others at the base to stop drugging the kobolds. Zolf tells him to go work on that while he and Azu look at the corpse.

The corpse has been there a while, and they fail to find a cause of death because it exploded. However, the corpse was desiccated and probably sat in that position for quite a long time, and they also see that it is subcutaneously riddled with the dried remnants of blue veins. Zolf tells everyone to get away from it, and to wrap up things quickly in the room so they can get away from the remains.

Cel suggests for Hamid to cast some light down the chute to see what is down it. Skraak shakes their head and disappears underneath the table, and both Cel and Hamid worriedly ask if they are okay. They can hear sounds of things breaking, and Azu goes and looks underneath the table.

In the mean time, Hamid helps Cel figure out the console by using his knowledge from the Mr. Ceiling facility and pointing out things while Cel investigates it. Cel discovers that Hamid is probably right and that the console connected Shoin with the rest of the facility, and they reckon that they could jury-rig it to impersonate Shoin's voice over the speakers. They think they could probably create a little microphone.

Zolf doesn't think it would be a lot of use just to control the speakers, and Hamid wonders if they could perhaps turn things off from here. Cel reckons that they could probably turn most of the facility off, but that they don't have a lot of accuracy in knowing what they would turn off. Zolf and Hamid agree that it is too dangerous to mess around with.

Azu sees that Skraak seems to be happily working on something underneath the table. She asks them what they are doing, but Skraak doesn't speak English. Azu taps on the table to get their attention, and Skraak repeats the rhythm back to her. Azu circles the table to get eye contact with Skraak, and gives them a thumbs up. Skraak winks, and continues working. Cel asks Skraak whether they are available for an internship, and Skraak throws a cog at them.

Hamid asks what Skraak is doing, and they reply they are fixing something. Hamid asks what they are fixing, and Skraak answers table. Hamid asks what about the table, and Skraak says there's 'too much table'. Hamid relays this to the rest of the party. There is sudden noise of grinding mechanisms and a seemingly hidden iris mechanism in the middle of the table opens, and a juddery platform slides into place, and the sides of the table judder downwards to form steps. Skraak climbs out from underneath the table.

Hamid compliments Skraak, and then tells the rest they should probably do another quick sweep of the study area, the kitchen and the bedroom. Zolf agrees to take a quick look just in case, and goes over to the kitchen. The kitchen is fully stocked, with lots of cans stacked up to the ceiling, although most of it is spoiled because it's been left for a while. Zolf takes a bunch of cans that aren't yet spoiled for rations.

Azu goes over to the bedroom. The bedroom is a mess, but it is really hard to tell how long it has been left because there is no dust in this room. Apparently it was climate controlled and hermetically sealed. She does notice a book on the bedside table, which has a bookmark three quarters of the way through. Azu picks it up and sees that it is a Harrison Cambell novel, one of the early ones, and it is in Japanese. She does not recognize this one specifically. It has a flamboyant, swashbuckler-y cover, almost in a pirate style.

Azu shows it to Zolf, and he recognizes it as *In the Eye of Your Love*. It is a rarer printing released in Japan. It is one of his earlier works and is known as one of the lesser Cambells, where he had not yet found his way into the romance angle, and instead focused too much on high adventure. It did very well in Japan, but did not do well in Western Europe. The book is at least 6 years old.

Hamid goes to finish exploring the study and finds more paperwork to do with the complex itself, and with the pipe organ which definitely appears to be the nerve centre of this place. He briefly shows it to Cel and then stuffs it in his bag of holding for later. Among the blueprints he sees that they are currently standing on top of an active geothermal vent, that the complex extends a long way down into the sea floor, and appears to have large amounts of livestock storage underneath this room. There are also significant tunnel systems attached to this place, appearing natural formations.

Lastly, Hamid also finds a diary, written in very neat, almost calligraphy-like, Japanese. Hamid excitedly shows the diary to Cel to help him read it. Cel takes it, saying they always wondered whether Shoin was into them.

## Quotes

**Ben**: "Wait, Azu's just broken through the fourth wall? Kill - kill him for us, Azu! Only you can save yourself this way!"
**Alex**: "Are you kidding me? If Azu broke through the wall, Azu would take me aside and go 'Listen. I know - I know you're playing the big man, but is everything okay?" and I'd be like "HUG ME AZU! Hug me! I need the hug. No one's given me hugs."
―Episode introduction.

"I'm going to give you the bad news first: Dragonhemoth 'look at my dragon breath!' has pretty much rendered the thing into a paste."
―**Alex**

**Hamid**: "Is - is everyone - is everyone okay?"
**Azu**: "No."
**Zolf**: "I think - I think, well.... alive."
―The aftermath of the battle.

**Ben**: "Everyone gets 17 hitpoints back."
**Alex**: "Including Skraak!"
**Ben**: "Yes."
**Alex**: "Nice!"
**Ben**: "Unless Skraak is undead, at which point I kill Skraak."
**Alex**: "...Skraak leaves the room for an unexplained reason!"
―Zolf heals the party.

**Alex**: "We have decided to level between sessions, because let's be honest-"
**Lyida**: "Takes ages!"
**Alex**: "- you've earned it. However, I'm going to be a little bit mushy about-"
**Bryn**: "Pretty sure we're basically level 10 by now..."
**Alex**: "Oooohhh... I can take 'em away. Negative energy is a thing, Bryn. It hasn't been for you, but it will be."
**Lydia**: "I know, I see it in this room!"
―The party levels up.

**Alex**: "Did I say there were brains in those vats? I don't think so."
**Ben**: "Well, there's a brain in an orb! ... There's a brorb!"
**Alex**: "Brorbs and brats are not the same thing!"
**Ben**: "...I don't like what I started."
―A callback to Mr. Ceiling.

**Zolf**: "Yeah, hang on a minute, this is some - this is some Mr. Ceiling stuff."
**Hamid**: "It does look a bit like that. I found some-"
**Cel**: "... Is my English failing me here?"
**Everyone else, simultaneously**: "No."
―The party stumbles upon a brain in a ball.

"So the tricky thing is, in-game, working out how much of this Cel could explain before Zolf found it too boring."
―**Lydia**

**Ben**: "I also have knowledge arcana!"
**Lydia**: "I also have knowledge arcana..."
**Alex, whispering**: "I'm trying to distribute the knowledges, Ben."
**Ben**: "NO! I want all of the rolls! No sharing... it-it's Ben time!"
―It's Ben time.

"You might have a good heal check, but I'm still better at healing than you are, so you know..."
―**Ben, to Helen**

**Alex**: "Like, he's talking about circulation, but like the scales are all wrong. Like, that's more circulation than you can fit in a person. Or even like, 10 people."
**Ben**: "You know mate, your problem right there is you've got too much blood."
―The team reads over some paperwork.

**Alex**: "Information for Zolf, just, for free. Like, you know -"
**Ben**: "Oh, *thanks!* Am I allowed?"
―The party investigates the paperwork.

**Cel**: "It's like, ehh.... have you heard of 3D printing?"
**Hamid**: "...What?"
**Cel**: "It's - it's very - so you tell a, you try and tell a-"
**Hamid**: "3D as in three dimensions?"
**Cel**: "Yes, so it happens -"
**Hamid**: "What do you mean by... print- printing? Like, like, where you're producing the-"
**Cel**: "You tell a coral where to grow, and very slowly it forms a shape."
**Hamid**: "You mean like... ooh.... eh, yes!"
**Zolf**: "Like sculpting?"
**Cel**: "Yeah...!"
**Hamid**: "But like, printing is like how they make books! You know, the printing press. And then... 3D is..."
**Cel**: "You do that, over and over and over and over again."
**Hamid**: "And just build up layers -- that sorta makes sense! Yeah!"
**Cel**: "Mostly I do it, by telling small microorganisms where to go."
**Hamid**: "That sounds really cool!"
**Cel**: "But I think you could mash up just about anything, and then push it dow-- you could do it with wood, you could do it with hair, you could do it with snow, although that wouldn't last for a long -- I-- I tried, I made a very very nice thing last winter at the ice sculpting contest."
**Hamid**: "Cool!"
**Cel**: "Yeah!"
―

**Alex**: "I mean, this is you looking at a UFO, as a plumber, going 'Yeah, I reckon I figured this out'"
**Lydia**: "Yeah, but Cel *would*."
―Cel tries to decipher the paperwork.

**Cel**: "So my thought is that the... borb - like the word, by the way - when it was connected to like the borbitronics-"
**Alex**: "...We are the borb, you will be assimilated."
―Cel examines the brain in the orb.

**Zolf**: "So what you're saying is, you're gonna hook yourself into the PA system?"
**Cel**: "I'll make a little microphone. I'm not going to plug it into my brain. That would take a little more... prep work. Probably. Just cause, my - my brain is quite useful!"
**Hamid**: "Your brain is probably quite good where it is to be honest, Cel."
**Cel**: "I've thought about moving it..."
―Cel shares ideas for how they can communicate with the brorb.

**Alex**: "You reckon you could probably turn most of the place off from here -"
**Lydia**: "It's a UNIX system!"
―[add context]

**Cel**: "Skraak, I eh - are you - are you available for an internship any time - I - I just really appreciate your can-do attitude!"
**Skraak**: (*throws a cog*)
**Cel**: "It's a *paid* internship."
―Cel gives Skraak an order.

"More than a one word answer would be *amazing*, given we are in the middle of an evil lair!"
―**Zolf**

**Alex**: "In fact, can I now - can I - I'd like to now add a skill to your sheet, please -"
**Ben**: "Harrison Cambell novels?"
**Alex**: "Knowledge Harrison Cambell. You have a flat +10 modifier."
―Zolf is the president of the Harrison Cambell fan club.

**Hamid**: "Oh, Cel! Cel! Cel! I can't read this, but -"
**Cel**: "Hi buddy!"
**Hamid**: "- Oh my god! I think it might be Shoin's *diary!*"
**Cel**: "Oh, oh my gosh! I always wondered if he was into me."
―They find Shoin's diary.
## Dice rolls and Mechanics

* Cel Perception check to search the machine's remains: 17
* Perception check on the brain: Natural 20 (29; Zolf), 28 (Cel), 21 (Azu), 27 (Hamid)
* Cel Knowledge (engineering) on the brain orb: 14
* Zolf Linguistics check to recognize the handwriting in the notebook: 12
* Cel Craft (alchemy) check on the paperwork: 27
* Zolf Knowledge (religion) check on the correspondence: Natural 1
* Hamid Knowledge (arcana) on the correspondence: 18
* Azu Heal check on the paperwork: 29
* Cel Knowledge (engineering) check on the pipe organ output pipe: 22
* Azu and Zolf Heal checks on the corpse: 20 (Azu), 13 (Zolf)
* Cel Knowledge (engineering) on the console (assisted by Hamid +2): 31
* Zolf Perception check on the kitchen: 25
* Azu Perception check on the bedroom: 23
* Hamid Perception check on the study: 29