Glimpse Into What Once Was

[fractales]

Type: Video
Sender ID: fractales(Professor Turo)
To: General
Subject: Nilatast Finding
Warnings: TBA

Hello everyone- pardon the bit of a mess.

[Papers strewn about, along with a few tools in view, as Turo picked up his shellphone with excitement there in his voice. Setting it down on somethin out of view as he was moving and turning out lights in an office after pushing his desk out of the way.]

As others may have been, perhaps still are, working on various pieces of technology recovered from down so deep, there was an item I discovered in Nilatast that I have finally gotten working! To a small degree, at least— I have only been able to recover one thing on it, but...

[There was an item that was the size of a jewelry box, covered in stars and constellations formed in colored enamel and shined up jewels, that Turo had picked up and was sitting down in the middle of the space he had cleared. Pressing a 'button' at the top.

It sparked to life as suddenly a still image was projected above the box; full of living color and capturing a moment of laughter and fun. The light having warmth and even those creatures outside of such large windows seemed to sparkle. Looking as if everything could be touched—]

Look at this! [Almost looked as if Turo was there, moving to sort of sit by the picture box.] I was able to retrieve the data for this image, I might have found what worked as a photo album, but the item itself came from within one of the ruined buildings down there.

They lived there, played in that city.

[Of course there weren't just human children there, smiling faces all. This was something either a parent or some child that had also been there in the moment wanted to treasure even after the day was over.]

Just a small view into what once was, I suppose.

Comments

Video; un: beshackled

[beshackled]

'Tis a fine image.

[Although it is still very alien to him. Children playing together... Did they have fun? They seem to have been happy...]

Did you chance to get a glimpse of any of the murals down there?

Video

[fractales]

I have some hopes I may be able to retrieve others, but if not it is quite the example of a peaceful life.

[A few lights back on after, but the image still there with just a few flickerings.]

I did, and if not for certain conditions I could have spent quite a bit of time studying them.

[telepathicignorance]

(...Does he know? A part of them really hopes not.)

Think they had riftfarers back then, too?

Voice

[fractales]

No, especially given that it is a much more recent phenomenon. Five years.

This was from before the flood, I imagine.

[telepathicignorance]

Wait, what? I thought it was longer. Haven't riftfarers been a huge influence on things?

[fractales]

Just long enough for locals to be used to Riftfarers appearing, and some rather annoyed by it, and five years is the low end.

[telepathicignorance]

Huh.

(That's a lot better than what they were thinking. Have they been a fool all this time?)

[fractales]

Mm, what influence we have had seems to be more in line with what once was. Theories I've had are proving to be more correct than not.

[Wasn't just the photographic 'box' he had brought back up with him, after all.]

[telepathicignorance]

You mean the technology we bring?

I know there was some exploring going on. I ...wasn't doing well.

(Their breath quickens a little at the memory, but fortunately this isn't in person and Turo isn't there to see that flash of panic.)

video; un: baymaxing

[baymaxing]

That's so cool, though. I mean. I'm more into technology. Robots. The future. But I dunno, there's something pretty awesome about finding something like that.

[Makes him wonder. What others might find of his home eventually. The closest he can think of was the earthquakes, and even then, that was so long ago before he was born. Hiro does grin, though, seeing the huge windows and the sea creatures swimming by like that. Like living in an aquarium.]

Almost reminds me of the aquariums back home. Except this is like, way bigger, obviously. Where they actually lived...

[beshackled]

'Tis difficult, between pressurization concerns, the miasma, and those already affected by it. I also understand there are traps of a sort there...

[He'd been more focused on observing rather than storming and prizing objects from the place. Thus the dangers he had personally encountered had more to do with the denizens of that place rather than thr systems put in place to safeguard the city.]

I mean to go back down there soon. Did anything in particular spark your interest?

[fractales]

Indeed. At the very least with the knowledge of what is there, those who are going back have far more time to prepare and know what is needed.

[The box was lifted up, turned off; it really was something that stood out, sleek and compact compared to most tech that existed. The colors were of various blues and purples with those glittering stones acting as stars that shaped a few constellations.

Turo had worked hard in his cleaning and restoration of it.]

As do I, as I have theorized for quite a while that technology levels here had once been more than what is currently had. All of it did, if I am to be honest—vague of an answer as that can be.

[fractales]

Yes and no. Ever since the island with the Abyss I have theorized that technology here may have been more than what some brought here know. Perhaps in a different shape, not quite looking it, but that city is more advanced than anything else here—even if in ruin.

Truthfully, I only was there during the tail end as I was... resting, still.

[Reason he had plucked up what he could -felt there was no danger in taking- to see what he could fix up or simply examine.]

I hope you are faring better, all the same.

Video

[fractales]

This is a hint that this worlds past was something most could see of an advanced future here. Once, before the floods that left this world to what we have seen, had far more when it comes to technology.

[A small gesture as he was standing there within the picture, the size of the figures in it compared to him the only reason he could be picked out instantly.]

Right? Perhaps this was a family den, room enough for all sorts of gatherings. They even had robots—would you like to see the one I brought back up along with this device? I managed to repair it as well.

[telepathicignorance]

I think your video makes that clear.

What about you? Are you doing alright after ...everything?

(Notably, they don't comment on their own condition.)

[beshackled]

This place has ever left me the impression that it is more than what it pretends to be...

[Head tipping back, he recalls his first moments upon the Paladins' ship.]

Truly, more advanced technology does not surprise me much. That it is more honestly displayed there is the more peculiar detail.

[fractales]

[There was a head tilt, and a slight frown-]

You must be a highly mistrustful, suspicious sort of person. You believe that a people living after something that nearly ended them to be purposefully hiding things?

[fractales]

It is hard not to share something like this, and I know I will be seeing if there are other images to be recovered.

As well as I can be, considering. Yes.

[telepathicignorance]

(They should ask for their ring back... but they really don't want to tell him what happened.)

Good.

No one's giving you a hard time?

[beshackled]

Nay, not the people. This place. There is something amiss with this place.

I have been altered.

[fractales]

I take it you are one of those that had certain.. abilities and/or items that you no longer have ease of access to? As if something was shut off?

[The shellphone was coming right along to a bookshelf, already searching along spines as Turo spoke.]

This world, more or less, not quite connecting as where the world you come from would.

[fractales]

So far, no- er, aside from reminding me of when I needed to be restful but that is the sort of 'hard time' called for.

Also why I was able to take that trip down once a way was established between Liansa down below and Paradise Island.

[beshackled]

Yes, that. But more than that. The abilities that do not rely on external sources, too, have been tampered with. And my size. I cannot shake the feeling that the ground is so much closer.

Everything else is smaller, too... but it's uncanny. Like I'm walking amongst rows of dollhouses, shrunk to fit.

...Mind you, I don't assume the reasons to be malevolent. Chief Hythlodaeus and I share in the hypothesis that the restriction of some abilities may be for the overall safety of those here.

But.. you see where I might get the impression that things here are more than what they appear to be, do you not? Between this, and how I and others have arrived and taken our first steps in this place?

[fractales]

The magic of this world does what it can to keep some hold and sort of fold you into magics and other energies that may not rightly exist the same way as where you are from. I do agree it likely is for some form of safety, even if not wholly intentional and is simply what happens when one is pulled into this world.

[A book was plucked down off the shelf, balanced on an arm as he flipped pages with that same hand, walking still wit the shellphone.]

This has been an occurrence for five or so years in this world, supposedly due to magic let loose and going unchecked due to the source being lost. It is information that is very available, and those on the ship that you were on could tell you as such.

I actually have a copy of a book that holds some other stories of it as well, if you are interested. Some information is scattered, or various parts that do not appear to line up due to missing pieces.

I have been here for around two years, give or take a month or so.

[beshackled]

I do recall a tale similar to what you've mentioned being spoken when I first found myself here... about something that was lost potentially malfunctioning. But I am very much interested in these tales of yours. I wish to know more of this place. What it is. Why it is the way it is.

And the same for that lost civilization below. What happened to it, and why? Are there still people there, hidden somewhere? Where did they go? What became of them?

I have so many questions...