Submergences (Lars Bregan, X’ral)

[Grognardsw]

“We do not know, but there are others who may,” said one of the two weirdly suited men as the other one checked on the two other wounded men.

“This man is dead!” he reported.

The two men conferred privately.

”What does your brother look like? Is he a mutie? When did he come around here?”

Meanwhile, the concealed X’ral Future Temporal Fugued another middle-aged version of himself.
(X’ral Future 2) They both looked expectantly at X’ral Present.

There were now four X’rals, including the Present.

[Grognardsw]

[jemmus]

X'ral Present says, Yes, he is also a mutant. He was a big man, with chainmail armor, a sword and a bow. How could find out if others of your people may know of him? He looks over to X'ral Future to see if he has any insights into this situation. Perhaps he was on this same thread of time in the past?

Sorry, I lost track of the days...!

[Grognardsw]

“We would check with our monitors to see if the mutie came here!” responded the human. X’ral wasn’t sure what a monitor was; perhaps another person who tracked visitors in the subterranean kingdom?

X’ral Future looked at his Present self.

“They want you to go in. There are many you’s?”

[jemmus]

We are four now, X'ral Present murmurs to X'ral Future. I don't believe it wise to summon more. Two of us were brought not by me-- who is native to this time-- but by X'rals who are not native to this time. Summoned us summoning other us. It is a chain that could possibly go on infinitely. How would that fit into the Law of the Universe? Living, finite, mortal creatures creating a situation of infinity? As if they were Grandfather himself?

He says to the humans, We would like to know what the monitors may know. May we enter, and keep our weapons? On our bodies, and not carried in our hands? I promise to you that we mean no harm.

Charisma 17 roll, in case it's needed or helps. [1d20]=5

[Grognardsw]

From their hiding place behind the rocks, X’ral Future nodded at his Present self’s words. “Yes, we may tangle the skien of fate beyond repair with ourselves,” he said.

“We cannot allow you to enter with weapons, since you killed one of ours,” answered the human. He seemed stubborn on the point.

“I could go in,” whispered middle-aged X’ral Future, who was closest in appearance to the Present X’ral. Close enough to fool the unsophisticated humans? “I draw them in, and you infiltrate after.”

The Elder X'ral raised an eyebrow. "Have you lost Lars?"

[jemmus]

X'ral Present replies, Yes, he went out hunting and never returned to the village. A human man and boy fleeing the Stone Faced Men said they met him not far from here.

He answers the middle-aged X-ral Future, Yes, let's try that.

[Grognardsw]

The Elder X'ral hesitated before responding. "It was a long time ago. I never found him. The trail went cold underground. Perhaps you will do better."

X'ral Present could only hope that there were indeed different Fates that the time paths brought one in the journey of life.

The middle-aged X'ral dropped his equipment for X'ral Present, then took the energy net gun. He and X'ral Past stepped out with their hands raised, approached, handed over their weapons, and dissappeared with the two humans into the rocky hillside. The concealed door closed.

X'ral Present was left with his elder version.

Reminder, the Temporally Displaced X'rals stay around for 1d4 hours (which I roll for privately.)

[jemmus]

The elder X'ral's words were not encouraging to X'ral Present. But perhaps that self had traveled a different pathway in time. He says to the X'rals going in, Be careful and don't take any risks. Stay alive and go back to your own time when it is time.

Right, that's one reason X'ral present agreed to the plan. Even if the humans imprison the Time X'rals, eventually they'll leave this time (disappear) and go back to their own times. If I understand your explanation correctly.

[Grognardsw]

The Elder X’ral picked up an extra musket rifle one of the others had left.

“What next?” he asked X’ral Present.

[jemmus]

I think we should wait for our other selves to return. While staying on guard for attack. But I think we have a little time. He fills his pipe bowl and offers it to the elder X'ral for the first smoke.

[Grognardsw]

X’ral Present and Future waited for their temporal counterparts to return from the underground. The two mutant shamans shared a pipe and compared their lives. (Questions?)

“I should not say too much, otherwise I could influence your actions and change the course of my life,” said X’ral Future. “I stayed true to my values, at some cost, but in the end it was right. I see that now because with age comes wisdom.”

An hour passed, then another. X’ral Future faded away back to his own time.

X’ral was left alone as the third hour approached. He knew his other selves had probably disappeared by this point. Had the humans imprisoned or killed them? If so, their sacrifice allowed X’ral to escape the predicament he had been in.

The mutant shaman looked at the backpack the other young X’ral Past had left before going underground. Rations, marbles, an electric torch, and a folded tanned hide skin marked “to me now.”

X’ral unfolded the skin to find a crudely written note: “There secret trap door east ten paces, south 20, east 10 more, where three stones triangle.”

X’ral puzzled over this. A hidden entrance different from the door, which was under watch by the shining eyes. Could his young Past self, having lived through this already and found the alternative entrance, remembered it when he was older and written a note?

X’ral’s head spun. Temporal travel was confusing, especially when the travelers called forth more time echoes of themselves. Who lived through what, who knew what?

[Grognardsw]

[jemmus]

X'ral considered the implications of the note. Should he also leave notes in his pack about significant things and events, for possible use by future selves? He took the rations, marbles, electric torch, and hide, as well as all of the weapons. He armed himself with the net thrower, and slung or stowed the others. He carefully followed the directions written on the skin. Finding the secret trap door, he said a prayer to the Creator and tried to slowly and quietly pull it open.

Rifle [1d20]=9 Damage [8d6]=31
Sorry for the delay, a lot going on in RL and PBP too.

[Grognardsw]

I guess it didn’t come through in the note. The trap door being secret meant it was not guarded, or known, compared to the surveilled concealed door. Knowing that, you can edit actions if you want.

[jemmus]

Thanks, revised it.

[Grognardsw]

X'ral found himself in a dark large tunnel. He snapped on the flashlight and saw two metal rails running down the middle of the tunnel. It ran east-west behind and in front of him. The tunnel was clearly abandoned and there were no signs of activity. There were many cobwebs strewn about the ceiling and in corners.

[Grognardsw]

[jemmus]

X'ral carries the energy net thrower in one hand and the electric torch in the other. He carefully proceeds down the tunnel.

[Grognardsw]

X'ral could tell the tunnel was abandoned, showing no signs of use by humans. There were some telltale marks of rodents or natural subterranean wildlife. Had his older self discovered this forgotten passage into the "underground kingdom?" If so...

The mutant shaman walked for 10, 20, 30 minutes before he came upon a split in the passage - right, left, or continue straight?