February 21st:

Snarg of Wildpaw wrote:"It could just be something that Fiernaceal needs to open; just like the front door."

"If that's the case, it might have to wait," Rory replied. "There's no telling what kind of trouble Aphus is having, and she'd rather get to fixing that instead. If she needs to be the one to open it, then she'd need to be there to help explore what's inside."

Zeiss:
"I'm thinking about Osteth myself. Nice mountain retreat, far from everything. What about you?" She grins faintly. "Of course, I can't let you stay with me but I figured you might enjoy some company as we... depart."

"... So you will not stay in Holtburg. I see. I will have to stay in Aluvia, to take care of the mess around here. And while I am sure I will enjoy your company... When did you plan to weave that tattoo for me?"

Fierneceal takes a deep breath. "Okay. I don't know really much about Tuskers or, well, anything except what you guys have told me but I get the feeling we really need to approaching this cautiously. Also," she points around, "the Quarry's empty, which means the Tumideon emptied it out just for us so we could teleport." She pauses purposefully.

Right on queue the straw creature wavily comes into view. "Correct. Requirement: Intended specific destination, island somewhat large, need specifics. Cautionary, Portalspace transition is intensely unsettling for meatlings, will involve unpleasantness."

"What kind of unpleasantness? Are we looking at some form of nausea? Are there any long term side-affects we should know about?"

"Emptied out? You just told them to leave? Also, don't you have a live map of the island?" Snarg asks the Tumideon. "Can't we just look at that and see where it'd be safe to go near the Scion buildings and do that? I'm assuming we know what to look for, right?" He pauses and looks worriedly at Fiernaceal. "You do know what we're supposed to be looking for ... right?"

Kolson Wezrae wrote:"What kind of unpleasantness? Are we looking at some form of nausea? Are there any long term side-affects we should know about?"

"I'll gladly offer you some pipe weed if your steadiness fails you" He chuckles a little "After I've had the first puff of course"

"Of course man, of course," Kolson smiles and pats Sethos on the shoulder.

"Just get us there. Whatever it is, this 'meatling' can take it," Rory quipped in a dismissive reply, then added ponderously, "somewhere least populated and least dangerous...with the least threats...closest to the island's sanctuary."

"That is the goal, right?" he asked, fishing for a second opinion from the Scion.

"And preferably not submerged in anything, some of us aren't strong swimmers"

Back before the hour had passed.

"No... information... you mean you can't confirm that he ended up where he was sent to or you have no further information on what happened after his delivery was confirmed?"

"No details available on Fire Ley Line Island as of this time. Further support; unlikely due to recent developments. Translation, act of kindness, not obligation." A pause. "Meatling of specifications present has never interacted with Portalspace prior, unknown resultants."

"Oh! Really? It can't be that different from the other two types of transporting I've done ... I hope."

"No need for caution provided exposure is brief. If party is ready, portal can be created now, provided destination."

"Uh, alright. I think I'm ready...? I mean... yeah, I'm ready when you guys are."

"What are our options for teleportation? We need more information before we can decide. We've never been there before, remember?"

after the group has reconvened (Z declined having her soul tied to the door btw I changed my mind Z wouldn't have had it done)

*Z is sitting reclined in the grass just as you left her with one change, her cowl is down and her eyes are open brows furrowed.*

"Most likely points of entry: Directly into central hub, north tip, or south tip."

"I take it large amounts of Tuskers congregate in the central hub?"

"Before we do that, there is one more thing." Rory put on a glove and pulled out the twisted materia, and showed it to the machine. "This is materia that was...extensively 'warped'. I tried to absorb it, and...well, best try not to do that yourself. Dangerous, and pretty horrifying. Can you have a look and tell us anything about it?"

The creature looks at Rory for a good, long moment. "Will exchange information for object." It reaches out a bundle of straw where its hand should be.

Rory hesitated. He didn't think that the Tumideon would ask for it, and was worried about the group consensus on just giving it up. Then he recalled how it did them a favor by gathering up the Tusker transformation proximity mines. As he stared at the orb, he felt a mental force, pushing his hand and it toward himself. Then the memory of the "souls" and the horrid and massive mix of emotion contained within came back to him, compelling him to hand it over. Finally, Rory held it out, loosening his grip so the Tumideon could take it with ease.

The straw that makes up the outer arm of the Tumideon coils around it like several dozen small snakes, and pulls it back, resting it somewhere inside it's 'body' you can't see. "Item is partially-soul-infused Materia that was improperly de-slotted from soul-state from previous host-body," it says rather matter of factly.

"To what purpose?" Rory asked. "I'm going to guess that Scion technology was involved with the removal, but in what way does infusing souls into it make it better? Can you tell what kind of souls were used?"

The Tumideon stares at Rory for a moment. "Misunderstanding. Removal, unintentional side-effect. Link still established, hypothetical."