Myst: Relinked Relinquished IC

[Rakmakallan]

Meanas
Sun is rising over the barren meadows of Meanas banishing the shadows from a a small town and a loose collection of outhouses and tents, poorly stitched together out of patches of leather and whatever sort of textile, one could lay their hands on such an Age, where herds would rely on constant migrations and crops would be entirely dependent on the scarce rainfall. Here, in the outskirts of a town of miners or the more fortunate peddlers of metal or natural gas, gather those that children would be best off avoiding; the scum of the earth, vagabonds, rogues, smugglers, drunkards, or even some nameless rapscallions and caricatures ever glancing over their shoulders as if weary of some dissonance in the winds and wastes.

Nada
Meanas, Nada's tent
A tunnel...and then...darkness...and a machine with glass cannisters set in the granite deep in the bowels of some mountain...and a book with a moving image of some unknown island...and...sunlight? Someone calling your name? Something is wrong here...
It seems implausible. Well, it actually is. The voice becomes more persistent. You open your eyes and groggily look to the right to see a head poking through the entrance, bald and scraggly bearded. He seems unfazed by his obvious indiscretion and keeps calling still: "Ma'am, I am looking for miss Nada, is that you?"


Trenarios
Meanas, encampment north perimeter
Well, this has not been the best of week. A conviction, a scrappy escape, and now this. This...filthy collection of crooks and bandits. But at least a shift from high treason and death row in your hometown to a theft charge in this little part of hell is not such horrible progress. And yesterday night, things started looking up again, there was this red-haired woman, wearing the strangest pair of goggles apparently carved out of some rare crystal. She had mentioned something about a job, one that could turn a pretty profit and not too shady in its dealings, at least not enough for the law to give a darn. What was her name again? Curse the drinks... At least you vaguely remember the directions to her tent.


Gadar
A towering building topped with a glass dome and surrounded with orchards, and beyond still a sea, endless and swarming with all sorts of fish and their winged predators. Obviously, Gadar had been intended as a place of study and reminiscence of wisdom past, and the Great Library, the crowning jewel for the Guild of Legislators. The adobe of scholars and the most ancient and dignified of D'ni families. Yet it has been over three centuries since any of this last mattered. Three centuries since the Guild had any sway and its name any value within the confines of the island and the Library's walls. Three centuries since word last arrived from Releeshan. And the memory of that time embedded and slumbering within the yellowish records, the non-functional devices, the very foundations of the Library. Truly forgetfulness and ennui were the worst enemies of the few hundred descendants of the Guild members, endlessly poring over the dusty tomes in that unlikely habitat.

Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens (The hall under the glass dome)
Of course it had to be rain. That accursed sound keeps getting on your nerves, night after night in this endless autumn. And worst of all, the clouds kept hiding the stars, this last hope that escape was a feasible option. But, there was a note slipped under your door in the basements urging you to come here under cover of darkness, with words that rekindled some hope "I have discovered a way out. The way Dakrenn followed."
Dakrenn...that scoundrel great-uncle. He was always considered as the family's embarrassment, or so your parents had always said; and he has mysteriously disappeared more than a century ago, before you were even born. Not that such disappearances were uncommon. Many opted to take their chances at sea or would fling themselves from the cliff side never to be seen again.
And now a whisper was barely audible from the shadows as a shadowy figure took form.
"Have you come alone?"

[Sunfall]

Meanas, Nada's tent

"What the hell, man! You don't wake people up like that," the woman growls, squinting down the barrel of the gun she has fluently pulled out from under her pillow and leveled on the intruder, even before her eyes were fully open. The click of a raised hammer underscores her disgruntled statement quite nicely.

She tries to shake the remnants of that crazy dream. Books with moving images... Yeah right. That would earn her a fortune alright...

"What do you want with 'Miss Nada'?" The muzzle of the gun does not waver, its black maw staring the man right in the face.

[gunnar11]

Maenas, Trenarios' Tent

Trenarios did not move. He thought he had heard something, something heavier than a bird, moving outside. He slowly rose, moving as slowly as possible, and rapidly climbed the tree nearby. He then threw a rock just behind the tent were Nada was, hitting the tent on the side. He hoped, this way, Nada would know he was watching, as always.
Trenarios then proceeded to acustom his eyes to his environement, and looked around to see if he could spot anyone close to the tents.


Do I have to roll a stealth or something?

[Inglenook]

Gadar, the Fissure's Lens

Gareth reached into his robes and casually fingered the hilt of his dagger. He had no illusions about the dangers of the Library, its territorial clans and the occasional wandering madman. Living in the basement—dank and mostly abandoned—had allowed him to avoid most encounters with such folk. But there had been times that his blade had seen use.

"Perhaps," Gareth replied cautiously to the voice in the darkness. He peered intently at the shape, trying to determine who (or what) it was.

Awareness roll if applicable?

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, Nada's tent
The man's eyes widen as an expression of utter horror cross his whitening face, while he answers in a stutter.
"I-I'm s-s-s-sorry ma'am. I d-d-d-didn't mean to intrude. I was sent by m-m-m-m-mister Al-kardan to d-deliver a letter. He s-said it's ab-b-bout the job. T-t-the chamber that had been uncovered at the mining site.
This is kind of a relief. Al-kardan might be the worst of crooks, a smuggler of artefacts, a double-crosser and who knows what else under the sun, but you have to admit that when a profitable job shows up, he will be the first to take notice, and if offered a paltry amount from the earnings, ensure safe passage and success.
The man slowly reaches for his pocket pulling out a folded sheet of paper and offering it to you with trembling hands. Meanwhile, someone appears to have thrown a small rock at the side of your tent, though nothing is visible.


Trenarios
Meanas, outside Nada's tent
You notice the torso and legs of a man who has apparently stuck his head through the opening of the tent, speaking in the stuttering voice of someone whose life is under immediate threat. Judging from Nada's shout a few moments before, the poor fellow must have incurred the wrath of someone to be reckoned with, and she probably is aware of your rock. However, it's quite unlikely, if not impossible that any of the two has taken notice of you. The surrounding area also seems empty. Who in their right minds would roam around in plain sight so early in the morning, and if they had shady dealings, they would make sure to lay low.


Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens
You squint your eyes trying to make out the characteristics of the man in the shadows, yet save for a vague silhouette, nothing is visible. Then again, your eyes might be deceiving you. However, the man takes a short step forward and his tall figure is now visible, concealed by a hooded cloak with a curly beard poking its way outwards.
There's only one man this stinky beard could belong to; among a few hundred people, he was one of the few who never paid grooming much attention. Some time ago, someone had told you that you were second cousins. Bah, nonsense, you a relative of this riff raff. The one and only Rovan, who would burn books during the winter and occasionally steal provisions. It is a wonder how he had not been caught yet.
"I have no time to play games, Gareth" he says. "What I have to show you, is meant for you alone. I would not trust anyone else with such knowledge."

[Sunfall]

Meanas, Nada's tent

Nada sighs and relaxes just a bit, letting the pistol sink down. With her free hand, she takes the paper the messenger is offering with trembling hands.
"OK, then", she grumbles. "Just don't go around barging into peoples' tents like an ax murderer next time."

She motions him with the gun barrel to leave. Nada has heard the rock pelting against her tent. Good to know the kid's on his feet.
As soon as the messenger has left the tent, she stifles a yawn and puts the gun into its holster, hanging at the tent post. When the old man is out of earshot, she calls out: "It's alright, you can come in."

Nada contemplates the letter, wondering what that old badger Al-kardan might have stumbled upon now. It's usually well worth the while. She opens the grubby paper and reads what he has written. When Trenarios comes into the tent, she hands him the paper.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a job."

[gunnar11]

Maenas, Outside Nada's Tent

It were barely some minutes waiting, when the person standing inside Nada's tent got out. Nada hadn't cried for help, nor made any sound, and the man didn't reek of blood or anything, so Trenarios assumed nothing bad had become her.
After a few minutes his premonitions got approved by Nada stepping outside her tent and calling out to him: "It's alright, you can come in" Trenarios saw Nada entering her tent again, and he silently chuckled to himself. He liked people not being able to perceive him; it was his forte.

He jumped down from the branch he was sitting on and entered the tent after having knocked on 'the door' of it. "Always be a gentleman" he reminded himself. Inside he found Nada, reading some kind of paper. He looked around in the tent, inspecting the mysterious artifacts she had collected over the course of time, untill she was done reading.

Maenas, Nada's Tent

"Looks like we've got ourselves a job." she said, handing the paper to Trenarios. He read it, and a smile showed up on his face. He didn't know if it would be easy -it almost never was- but he was excited to be on the move again. "Alright, Lady. We will be going tomorrow, then? For now I'd like to get some sleep."

He returned to his own tent, excusing himself from Nada, and took a good night's sleep.


May Trenarios know what was actually written in the letter?

[Rakmakallan]

The man bows clumsily before turning around and taking to his heels.
Taking a sleep? The sun has barely just risen.


Al-Kardan's letter
My dearest Nada,
I apologise in advance for any discomfort my "messenger" might have caused you and please rest assured that with the exception of his clumsiness he is a perfectly fine fellow. Although I have to admit that you might not even want to read even a word after our last escapade (about which I assure you yet again, it was none of my responsibility that the kamruth almost bit off your left arm), I am also confident that this time I have stumbled upon a literal treasure trove.

Two days ago, an associate of mine confided in me that during the drilling works for mine expansion, the slaves came to an area that had apparently suffered from a cave-in at some point in the past. When the debris was cleared, a stone door slab was revealed bearing letters in an unknown language, which you and I, being more educated about the history of this place, would promptly recognise as D'ni. At the moment, the issue is being discussed among the viziers of Pasha Hadi, current exploiter of the mining region, and a little bird told me that they have been unable to open the slab and now intend to blow it to smithereens. Since we know how adept you are at, let us say, gaining access, I have secured for you safe and undisturbed entry to the mines tonight, 4 hours before dawn, for about 1 hour. Afterwards the guard shifts will resume as normal. Make your way in, grab hold of whatever valuables you can find and make yourself scarce. I will contact you via the same source tomorrow afternoon to divide the spoils. Remember that our usual 60:40 agreement applies.

May the Lantern-bearers watch your step.

Al-kardan

Timeskip to the next night, a few hours before Al-kardan's marked time.
If you have made any preparations, mark them in your next post

[Inglenook]

Gadar, the Fissure's Lens

"Oh. You." Gareth sniffed disdainfully and put away his dagger; Rovan may have been a foul-smelling little thief, but he wasn't dangerous that Gareth knew of. "Tell me, then: Why have you dragged me out of my cellar in the dead of night? And why the note slipped shyly under my door like a blushing girl would do? Did you call me here to confess your undying love, Rovan?"

Gareth's voice swelled with mocking apology. "I'm terribly flattered, but you're just too … aromatic for me." He clutched his chest dramatically. "Alas, our love can never be!"

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens
Rovan pulls his hood back to revealed a mane of dusty curly hair and an annoyed scowl on his face.
"Please, spare me the irony. I took whatever precautions I had to, and only because this is an issue best known by as few people as possible. Once you have heard me you will realise its importance and what an upheaval it would raise among the denizens of the library."
He reaches into the wide sleeves of his cloak, pulling out a small leather-bound book, with some unintelligible inscription on the cover. His expressions changes into a smug crooked grin.
"Some of us possess secrets most would covet. Such as...the way Dakrenn followed. I trust you have at least read about Ages and linking books."

Knowledge (D'ni history): Linking books are books with linking panels that can be used to create secondary links to Ages. D'ni society preferred to use them instead of descriptive books as use over a prolonged period of time could damage the book. They were also much smaller than descriptive books which made them more portable, and multiple linking books could exist for one descriptive book. When changes were made to a descriptive book, its linking books would shift to link to the altered Age, and upon the destruction of a descriptive book, its linking books ceased to work.
The Great Library itself is a Guild Age, and even though most, if not all linking books to it have been destroyed, hence the fact that no one has entered the age in the last centuries, apparently the descriptive book lies intact somewhere.

[Inglenook]

Gadar, the Fissure's Lens

It was as though Gareth had been slapped; the show of derisive melodrama vanished in an instant, replaced with a very real emotion: surprise. It lasted only a moment before he composed himself, reverting to his usual expression of annoyed indifference.

"Of course I know of Ages and linking books. Not all of us are illiterate savages like the family clans," Gareth snapped. He licked his lips, however—the only indication of his true interest in the book held in Rovan's hand. I must be very careful here. Very careful indeed.

He leveled an accusatory finger at the bearded man, his voice quiet and tired. "I've searched. Searched the stacks for years and years. I've inspected thousands of records, and read the Maker knows how many tedious protocols. There's nothing, no records of any shelved linking books. They're all missing or destroyed, otherwise we'd have all gotten off this godforsaken rock long ago. So please, Rovan, enlighten me: How did you come by your so-called linking book, if that's what I'm to believe it is?"

[Sunfall]

Meanas, Nada's tent

A smile plays around Nada's lips as she reads Al-Kardan's letter. The old fox surely knows how to treat a lady. The offer, however, sounds promising. An undisturbed vault... And with her and Tren's knack for doors, one hour will be quite sufficient. If this shapes up as it's promising to, Al-Kardan will have well earned his 40 percent.

"Had a rough night?", she calls after Trenarios leaving the tent. "Again? Kid, you need to learn how to know when the party stops. Don't be late."

She then proceeds to burn the letter and decides to use the day for gathering some innocuous information about this digging site.

Nada will wander about the camp and see what she can find out about the new mine. Who's digging it, who knows what has been found, if anyone else might have taken notice, etc. She'll use her charm to do it delicately, though, feigning casual disinterest, talking much more about other matters as to have her own interest not be taken notice of.

She returns after nightfall, packing her gear as she always does for undertakings like this. Nada is used to traveling light. She'll then go to the mine entrance and lie low, waiting for Trenarios to give her one of his customary signs that he's nearby. She just hopes he won't be late...

[gunnar11]

Maenas, Mine Entrance

Trenarios stood low, completely hidden in shadows. He had been standing there for almost an hour now, trying to detect any person nearby who may be spying on him, Nada or the mine. Preparation was everything, is the first thing Trenarios learned of his lonely crimes. If you managed to know a building from the inside out, and the people that were guarding you from it, theoretically, nothing could go wrong. The only time when that happened was the time that the place had a counterspy, to prey on him while he preyed on their treasure...

Nada had come, finally. He still hadn't forgotten what she'd said before he went to sleep: "Again? Kid, you need to learn how to know when the party stops. Don't be late."
It wasn't his fault that there was an afterparty!

Or an after-afterparty!
He just liked chatting up some nice people and get invited to drink coffee at their house!

Trenarios cupped his hands and let out a small deep whistle, like an owl-sound as to let Nada know he was there. She would recognize the sound. He then waited for her to go in the cave before following in himself.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, Mine Entrance
Negotiate roll to gather information, Lie roll to avoid any suspicion.
You manage to learn from a band of drunkard miners and taskmasters that the gate was discovered while following clues for a possible deposit of explosive gases. That specific section of the mines is currently under the financial control of Pasha Hadi, old prospector, rumoured warmonger and afficionado of ancient artefacts, known to have an immense collection of salvaged D'ni items.

You did not cause any suspicion during your enquiries.

A few moments after you approach the mine entrance, semi-confident that your maps should be able to guide to the excavation site, you hear a bird call from behind a small pile of rubble. That definitely seems wrong, birds in this area, but when you see Trenarios emerging from behind, any concerns are proven unnecessary. The mine is dimly lit by lanterns every few tens of meters and no guards are in sight.

Nada & Trenarios
Meanas, D'ni Gate
After a few minutes of sneaking in the lantern light, attempting to lay as silent and low as possible, you come upon a newly excavated region of the mine, marked by walls of a silvery-white ore and debris lining both sides of the tunnel. Blocking the tunnel, is a stone door slab, and on its top four cylindrical stone chamber, each bearing a protrusion resembling a lever. There seems to be a writing in some foreign language on the side of the door.
Please tell what you wish to examine or manipulate every time, so that I can give clues for the puzzle according to your Practices and Talents


Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens
Rovan's grin grew toothier and wider, clear proof that he is genuinely amused by your reaction.
"Apparently you did not search well enough, or not in the right places. Then again, Dakrenn might have just been very careful in covering his tracks. You should know how tricky using unknown linking books can be."
Knowledge (D'ni history): There had been cases of people getting lost while linking due to books with missing pages, or times in the past when trap books, identical to normal linking books had been used extensively
"If it is any consolation, I have been looking for a way out myself for almost twenty years. Two decades, trying to restore broken machinery, scouring the coastline for any "hidden niches", going over the records time and again. Lemme tell you, these things now are good for little more than tinder. It was an accidental discovery really. You wouldn't really believe, he would actually place the book back in the shelves, did you? The book was right here, in this very room, or very close by in a sense. Do you think what you see above you is the stars, the night sky of this Age? Well, it is partly, but it's much more. The name of this place, though we do not realise it, is quite literal. What you see above you, is the Star Fissure, and I seriously doubt its existence here is intentional. The rift is still small, large enough to hide a book inconspicuously, but the fact remains that this Age is dying."

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada isn't really surprised at Pasha Hadi's involvement, though it might make things a bit... complicated. They had butted heads a few times before over some precious trinkets, and by no means had their last encounter ended amiably...

Ah well, hopefully (and if Al-Kardan stays true to his word) they'll be out before he's ever the wiser. Maybe they can even close the vault up again, making it look as it it had been empty all along. Nada suppresses a slight grin imagining Hadi's face when they blast it open.

She turns her attention to the door, taking notice of the levers and their exact dispositions.

Just to clarify: The Gate's a stone slab with four cylinders just lined up on top of it like, say, soup cans for marksman practice? With levers sticking out of each one them? Do I have the right picture in my head?

So, some questions:

Which position are the levers in? E.g. straight up? Or leaning towards us? Or any other noteworthy position?
Are there visible gears or pipes leading away from them?
Is there a lock to be seen on the door's sides, where it fuses with the surrounding rock?



She then looks at the inscription on the side, taking some time to puzzle through the strange language she has never heard spoken.

Nada can read D'ni: so what's written there?

"So, what do you think?", she softly asks Trenarios, squinting at the minuscule cryptic letters in the flickering light of the lantern.

[Sunfall]

((Double post because of new info in the OC thread...))

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada runs her gloved fingertips around the cylinders and eyes the levers. "I'm guessing those in the right constellation will open the door", she quietly remarks to Trenarios, asking his opinion.

She squints at the inscription, murmuring the words as she translates them: "Where once we walked... there's always a way home... That sounds intriguing..." There could be a whole D'ni city behind here for all she knows. Now that would be great, but surely not as manageable profit-wise as, say, an artifact. Still... Nada feels a stab of excitement about probably seeing more of this world that up until now only gave away centuries-old glimpses.

Just then, the child-like scrawl on the side catches her eye. "Hey, what's this? That doesn't belong to the rest... Sirrus... It's all just gas... What the hell does that mean!?" Nada frowns, her hand resting on the scribbles. "Probably something with gas pressure? Hmmm... Well, guess we'd hear that as soon as we depress a lever. If it still works, that is."

She straightens back up and grins at Tren. "So, kid - wanna see how many possible positions these levers have got?"

[gunnar11]

Maenas, D'ni Gate

"Hmm" was the only thing Trenarios could manage to say in these circumstances. He still kept inspecting the levers and their workings without touching anything. The info Nada gave him wasn't that useful either, only the gas mattered.

"I guess we'll have to move them." he mentions to Nada. He then does a quick calculus in his head and continues: "If we assume that these levers can only be on the top position and the lower position we have 16 different possibilities to open this door. 1 is already shown, so 15 remain."

"Still, we have to proceed cautiously, because it could be a trap. What if we-" he fastly shuts his mouth. He got all caught up in this adventure and was blabbering too much. Talking is dangerous, he had taught himself, and although he trusted Nada the most of all people, he still didn't fully trust her.

He moved in to move the last lever.

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios & Nada
Meanas, D'ni gate
As you pull the first lever from the right just one notch, it locks in position, though it's apparent it could move further down. Then there is a sound of a mechanism sliding somewhere between the first and second cylinder and the sound of something being sucked in from the former and into the latter with a loud thud.

[Inglenook]

Gadar, The Fissure's Lens

"The Star Fissure …" Gareth said, trailing off. He stared up at the dome above him, and the darkness of the sky beyond. Could it be that Rovan was telling the truth?

"I must confess, I'm not terribly well-read on the phenomenon," Gareth admitted. "Can a Star Fissure be used to … pass beyond?" His eyes then narrowed in suspicion. "And more importantly, Rovan: Why are you telling me any of this?"

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens
Maybe it could be true... A minuscule rift just under the dome; you'd have to see it to believe it. Then again, Rovan seems to possess a genuine linking book and he now shrugs at your question.
"Maybe. The Fissure is not the Void. There might be shortcuts between Ages through it, or by linking books having been forgotten in its expanses. Then again, I would not risk wandering off blindly and the rift that has opened here is still too small. Won't probably be even noticed for a few more years. The reason I am trying to explain all this is that I need your co-operation. You are one of the few, if any, people I trust in this hellhole and the only one I could rely on at this moment. See, I need to get out of here as much as you do, and though I suspect Dakrenn made it through by means of this book, I am not so desperate enough so as to risk it. What if a page is torn? What if the Age is under destruction or inhabitable? What if there is no way further or back? "
He flashes a sly smile and continues,
"However, judging by your reactions so far, you would be desperate enough to try, and inform me of safe ground, whether by returning yourself, or by finding any abandoned crystal viewer, like the one kept in the basements."

[Inglenook]

Gadar, The Fissure's Lens

"So you want me to be your guinea pig, then? And as for the crystal viewers, I have no idea how to operate them, nor what they even do. Hypothetically speaking, if I were to do this, how would I use a viewer to communicate with you from a different Age?"

Gareth peered at the book in Rovan's hands. "Is the book even powered? Can you see anything in the book-window?"

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"Did you hear that?", Nada asks excitedly. "It still works!" She eyes the mechanism, trying to gauge what kind of machine it could be.

Could the Prodigy practice help me with this?

"Hmmm, I wonder...", she muses, in turn pulling the second lever from the right down a notch. If nothing happens, she will give it another notch, putting it to one position lower than the first.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate
Yep, it applies as a mechanism from "a different technological level", if you notice, when you manipulate things, I might give you more info than to Trenarios.
*Pulling the second lever to first position*
A mechanism can be heard sliding back into place between the first and second cylinders, but this time there is no flow. Apparently, you just closed what Trenarios previously opened.

*Pulling the second lever to second position*
This time two mechanisms slide, between the first and second and between the second and third cylinders. The flow can be heard going both ways, this time half as loud as before.

Trenarios
Play by Ear practice: What was in the cylinders got split. One of the variables here is definitely quantity, but so far there has only been flow to and fro cylinders directly connected in line. Probably, if they were not, the flow would lose some speed.


Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens
He makes a mocking gesture of pretended embarassment.
"Gosh, does this offend you? I thought you wanted a way out, and now that I'm offering you one, you are focusing on details. Worst case, you end up at an Age in its death throes and get spat out to the Fissure. This will happen if you stay here for some more, remember?
Now, about the crystal viewer. They used to be tools for viewing other Ages. At some point before the attempt at Restoration, they were improved to such an extent that they could be used to communicate between Ages, and they were installed in various locations. The one in the Library was abandoned after all communication with Releeshan ceased. They are very easy to use, though if you feel so ill-at-ease, I suppose I could write down some rudimentary instructions.

And lastly...since you asked, let me demonstrate the book."
He points the book forward, the words "The Tide" scribbled on its leather cover, and opens it. Through pages, a moving image is finally visible, of an rocky island with wooden homesteads, forests and a lighthouse, under a clear blue sky. And further still, the sea, perhaps with many more islands out of sight. The image finally stabilises on a cobblestone with the base of a statue visible in the distance.
"So, is it time for a heartfelt farewell?"

[gunnar11]

Maenas, D'ni Gate

"Did you hear that?" Trenarios mentions to Nada, hearing the flow in the cylinders change. The flow however, seems to have diminished in comparison to the first one. Furthermore, between the second and the third a path has been established, but the first is cut of from them. "The objective here is to connect all containers, I think. The second and the third are now connected, but hte flow is much slower than when the first and the second were connected, which, by the way are cut off from each other now." Trenarios mentions. His hand is now sliding between the levers and thinking hard about how this mechanism works.

Assuming the first one is the initial, big container, they needed to get the gas to the fourth one, and the third and second were now connected.

"How about..." Trenarios ponders and immediatly executes: He pulls the first lever farther down. He stops at every step and listens on which of the spots the first conatiner connects with the second one, finally leaving it at the (seemingly) best spot.

[Inglenook]

Gadar, the Fissure's Lens

Gareth couldn't breathe. It's real. By God, it's real. For as long as he could remember he had been searching, searching for a way out, and now the object of his pursuit was only a few feet away.

In the hands of an ass.

"Instructions shouldn't be necessary, if it's as simple as you say," Gareth said, his eyes never leaving the tiny image of the island and lighthouse. Such colors—the sky was a dream-blast of blue, so unlike the rain-swollen grey skies of Gadar.

His voice dropped to a whisper. "It looks … safe, doesn't it? Stable?" He thought briefly of his room in the basement of the Library. There was nothing there he needed; what few important belongings he owned, he always carried with him. And more to the point: there was nothing in Gadar for him now, except perhaps a terrifying death as the Age crumbled to dust and fell into the growing Fissure.

Rovan was right: it wasn't a choice at all.

"I'll do it," Gareth heard himself say as if from far away. "Is there anything else I should know before I … before I go?"

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Meanas, D'ni gate
The first one was closed at Nada's first pull and reopened at the second one. Content is split equally between first and third, and the paths 1-2 and 2-3 are open.
As you slide the lever down, there doesn't seem to be an intermediate position. However, as soon as you slow down at the second position, the sounds start anew. Sliding between the first and second (closing), and somewhere in the back, a new fainter sliding between the first and third cylinders, and the the flow. The entire content of the first cylinder moving to the third, but it's too faint, even for the lessened quantity, as if the flow is taking an indirect, slower route.

Gareth
Gadar, The Fissure's Lens
"I think it is. At the time of the Restoration, the Tide was visited again at times, even by a few surface-dwellers. There hasn't been any indication that it was decaying at that time. Leave it up to the Grower's father to write a stable Age. Anyhow, this is no matter."
It seems as if a saddened look clouds his face for a second.
"I know what you think, that I'm a scoundrel and a vagabond. Be assured that as soon as I confirm the passage is safe, I will give the book to the rest of the Library, move them all out safely. Then again, I wonder why Dakrenn did not give any life signs.

Never mind. There's nothing else you need to know right now. Just leave, and...well...keep in touch?"
He laughs a hoarse laughter at his own joke as he extends the open book towards you.

[Inglenook]

Gadar, The Fissure's Lens

Gareth felt his dislike of Rovan lessen … but only a tiny bit.

Here goes nothing, he thought, and with trembling fingers reached out to touch the book-window.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada gives a delighted little laugh as Trenarios pulls the first lever farther down. These parts always are her favorites. Well, not counting pay-off, that is. :smallamused:

"You closed the passage between 1 and 2, but seem to have diverted it all to 3! There's pipes beyond that wall!" She thinks for a moment, then pulls out a piece of paper. She jots down the positions that they have tried so far with the effect they seem to have.

0000 - all closed
0001 - 1 to 2 > all gas in 2
0011 - all closed > all gas in 2
0021 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3 > gas half in 1, half in 3
0022 - 1 to 3, 2 to 3 > all gas in 3

((Rakmakallan: Is that about right?))

"So these are all the positions that we've tried up until now", she muses. "And the third cylinder now holds all of the gas, right? Should we divert it into the fourth and see what happens? Or do you want to try and open all the valves up? I'm guessing that this would entail putting them all into consecutive positions. 1 in the first, 2 in the second, 3 in the third, 4 in the fourth. Assuming there are more possible positions, though. Let's see that first, shall we?"

She gingerly takes the first lever to see how many possible positions there are in full. Or is it already on its lowest position and can't go further? Time to find out.

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Promenade
No sooner had you touched the book that the world around you faded away in an instant with a sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDVjLt_QHL8
And again, in an eyeblink your surroundings materialised again from nothingness. A cobblestone path, one end disappearing over a short hill among cottages, and the other leading towards towards a square, with a statue visible in the distance. For some reason, you have a weird feeling, that at the moment you touched the book there was not only Rovan examining you with a curious look, but also another set of eyes. Or it could just be some residual byproduct from linking. Never mind for now...
There is a commotion rising from the square ahead, shouts, and scared screams of women. Someone calling for a doctor. What a perfect moment to arrive in an unfamiliar Age.


Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate
Yes, this seems correct
With a first pull, the first lever ends up in a lower third position and three mechanisms slide into place, between first and second, first and third, first and fourth, but without flow this time. This would mean that 1 to 4 and 1 to 2 are now open, while 1 to 3 closed, and all the gas is in the third cylinder. But it seems there is one more position, because, as you pull the lever further down, there is a sliding between 1 to 4 and 1 to 2, while the lever raises itself to its original position. Probably the fourth position is some sort of reset mechanism.

[Sunfall]

Meanas D'ni Gate

"Would you look at that", Nada murmurs and resumes scribbling furiously.

0000 - all closed > all gas in 1
0001 - 1 to 2 > all gas in 2
0011 - all closed > all gas in 2
0021 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3 > gas half in 1, half in 3
0022 - 1 to 3, 2 to 3 > all gas in 3
0023 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 1 to 4 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0024 - 2 to 3, resets to 0020 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0020 - 2 to 3 > all gas in 3 (no flow)



"So it seems that in case of 1, every consecutive position opens the valves to a cylinder further away. And up until now, only lower cylinders can link to higher ones. So, do we divert all gas to the left or do we open all the valves, see what happens? I think, all to the left would be easier to try, though..."

She points to the third lever (second from the left). "If we put that in position 3, it should open a valve to the last cylinder. If I'm right, that is. Wanna try?"

[gunnar11]

Maenas, D'ni Gate

"No way this system could be this easy..." Trenarios says, putting his hand on the vaults. He decides to go with Nada's plan and put's the third lever (from the right) in the third position.

If that fails to make the mechanism move, he'll put the first lever from the left on the 3rd position, then second lever from the left to the 0'th position, the first lever from the right onto the second position and finally the second lever from the left onto the third position again:

0321
3321
3021
3022
3322

"To get the air flowing in all of them."

[Rakmakallan]

Meanas, D'ni Gate
Nada & Trenarios
I went with Trenarios' impulsive action in this case. Positions were 0020 when you started.
Third lever to third position: The path between second and third closes, whereas the ones between third and fourth and third and first open. The gas is the third cylinder flows in both ways, and this time the effect is much clearer that in the indirect path from third to first resulted in a slower and weaker flow.

The mechanism moved. Shall I describe the rest of the actions' results too?

Nada [exclusive]
Use technology (pre-restoration): You get the roll because of Prodigy. You get a hunch that the fourth lever might have a fifth position.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Assuming that Trenarios stopped moving the third lever when the gas went through. Also changed the post slightly because of the added information of where the gas went with a specific lever adjustment.


Nada keeps writing her numbers. She hums thoughtfully. "So it does go both ways... And did you hear the mechanism between 2 and 3 close just now? But there was no gas flowing between them these last few times we moved something. So the valves obviously allow the gas only to flow in one direction at a time. What a marvelous machine! All these years, and it's still hermetically sealed! I wonder what a valve like that alone would be worth..."


0000 - all closed > all gas in 1
0001 - 1 to 2 > all gas in 2
0011 - all closed > all gas in 2

0021 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3 > gas half in 1, half in 3
0022 - 1 to 3, 2 to 3 > all gas in 3
0023 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 1 to 4 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0024 - 2 to 3, resets to 0020 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0020 - 2 to 3 > all gas in 3 (no flow)

0320 - 1 to 3, 3 to 4 > gas half in 1, half in 4

((@Rakmakallan: better?))

"I have an idea. Look at the fourth lever, the one on the far left. I think it has one more notch to go than the others. What if we filled the fourth cylinder entirely with gas and then tried the additional setting? It might just divert the gas to where we need it to open this door..."

She clicks her pencil against her teeth, thinking. "So.. there's gas in 1 and 4 right now. We'd need to see what levers will send the rest of it to 4... Or no, we'd probably have to put 4 in third position first so nothing else will be opened when we want to send it out... Is that right?" She looks at her scribbles, frowning.

[gunnar11]

Right, Trenarios says while pulling the second lever from the right untill it reaches a position where the gas flows to the fourth container.

So we need to get everything flowing to the fourth container, and then move that one onto the fifth mode, right?

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Meanas, D'ni gate
Second lever to third position (0330): 1 to 2 opens, 2 to 3 opens, 2 to 4 opens. Flow from 1 to 2, and 4 to 2. 4 to 2 is slower. Entire gas content is in 2.
Second lever to fourth position (0340): 1 to 2 closes, 2 to 3 closes, 2 to 4 closes. No flow. Lever resets to initial position. Entire gas content in 2.
Manipulating the second lever under current circumstances did not move any gas to the fourth cylinder.
Final positions: 0300, 1 to 3 open, 3 to 4 open, all gas in 2

Sorry for the short answer, but it's kind of entirely technical now. If you were intending a different action, pm me so I can fix it.

Sunfall: Yes, much better.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Promenade

Had anyone told Gareth this morning that he'd find a way to leave Gadar behind, he'd have called them mad.

It worked. It actually worked. He felt his thin body through his robe, making sure everything was in proper order. No misplaced organs or limbs: a good sign.

It all felt very surreal. He blinked up at the blazing blue of the sky, no clouds to be seen. He had expected to relish in the sunlight and lack of rain, but something about the depth of the sky left him strangely unnerved. The vast emptiness of it, like a mouth that could swallow him up at any moment. And he'd fall up forever and ever, nothing to stop stop him, nothing to slow him down …

He shuddered. He was just creeped out by the feeling of traveling through the Linking Book, that was all. What had that been about, that strange feeling of being watched?

There were more pressing matters, though. Such as 'Where am I?' He had no idea whether the inhabitants of this Age were peaceful or hostile, but it seemed that either way along the path he went he would be encountering them soon. And who knew what dangers the forest might hold?

Gareth set along the path toward the square.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"I think so", Nada answers and watches Trenarios working the lever, as always taking the positions and effects down. Then she begins to strike out and alter some of her notes, thus reversing the direction of the valves according to the flow.

0000 - all closed > all gas in 1
0001 - 1 to 2 > all gas in 2
0011 - all closed > all gas in 2

0021 - 2 to 1, 2 to 3 > gas half in 1, half in 3
0022 - 1 to 3, 2 to 3 > all gas in 3
0023 - 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 1 to 4 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0024 - 2 to 3, resets to 0020 > all gas in 3 (no flow)
0020 - 2 to 3 > all gas in 3 (no flow)

0320 - 3 to 1, 3 to 4 > gas half in 1, half in 4
0330 - 1 to 2, 3 to 1 (no flow here), 3 to 2 (no flow here), 4 to 2, 3 to 4 (no flow here)> all gas in 2
0340 - 3 to 1, 3 to 4, resets to 0300 > all gas in 2
0300 - 3 to 1, 3 to 4 (no flow)> all gas in 2


"Kid, I think I've got it now!" she murmurs, not quite able to conceal her excitement. She looks at the remaining oil in her lamp, gauging how much time has passed since they have arrived. It can't be too much... Plenty of time. "Just let me see one more thing before we do this..."

She pulls the third lever down the last notch, thus resetting it and closing the remaining valves. Then she slowly and deliberately pulls down the fourth lever to 1000, 2000 and 3000, always noting the consequences. (If all the gas happens to go from 2 to 4 in the process, she'll stop.)

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
After a few hundred meters, the path opens up into a square of hewn cobblestone, surrounded by cottages of expert woodwork and stone masonry, Judging from the signs, most, if not all of them are shops. However, the most prominent feature of the area, is a statue, probably of volcanic stone, some 5 meter tall, and quite imposing on its smooth pedestal, of a middle-aged man bearded, wearing round spectacles and a formal-looking waistcoat, his hand on the shoulder of a teenage girl in an old-fashioned dress, her hair tied in a long braid. Both carry books in their other hands.
Rolls for Awareness and Knowledge: D'ni history
You notice a brass plaque on the pedestal, though it's unintelligible at this distance. Also, the girl...she seems quite familiar, as if you've seen her face somewhere in some historical book but cannot really make a connection any more.
There are paths leading away from the square in various directions, and a breeze carrying the salty smell of sea. The commotion is rising, as more people appear running towards the crowd, all poised in a circle around some sight, seemingly most interesting. At a glance, it seems that there is a person lying on the ground, white-haired, bearded and motionless.


Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate
0000: all paths closed, no flow, all gas in 2
1000: 1 to 4 open, no flow, all gas in 2
2000: 1 to 4 closes, 2 to 4 opens, all gas in 4
Yep, you've nailed the concept so far.

[Sunfall]

Nada grins triumphantly and lets go of the lever as soon as all the gas has flowed into the fourth cylinder. "Yes, I thought so - the levers position corresponds with the cylinder that it will connect to! Pulling more than one lever makes a combined effect. So, what do you think? Position four or five? I'd say four is our ticket, and five resets..."

She looks expectantly at Trenarios.

[gunnar11]

"You're... unexpectedly smart..." he says, while pulling the lever down to the fourth position. If that doesn't work, he'll try again, but on the fifth position instead of the fourth.

"You, my lady, are full of mysteries" Trenarios says, kissing Nada's hand gently while doing so.

[Rakmakallan]

[B]Nada & Trenarios[/B
Meanas, D'ni Gate
As soon as the lever hits the fourth position, something entirely new happens, there is a rumble of larger mechanism from somewhere within the mine walls, as if stone grinding on stone, then the familiar sliding between the fourth cylinder and the left wall and the gas flowing into the rock. For a moment it seems as if the gate is going to open, and truly it rises a few inches above the ground, then as suddenly drops down again with a loud thud and the gas flows back to cylinder 4, all mechanisms closing. It seems this is indeed the way to open the gate, but some adjustments are needed. Perhaps more power to the gas flow.

[Sunfall]

Meanas D'ni Gate

"Why, thank you, kind sir!", Nada smiles as they watch the mechanism do its work. But her good spirits evaporate the very instant the door slams shut again.

"Aw, come on", she groans and once more consults her notes. "So the principle's sound, but the gas needs more pressure? But how?" She realigns the levers in her head, frowning.

"So the flow gets weaker the longer its way is. But we can't just shorten the way, as we're out of levers in that direction. The only thing I can think of would be to open all the other valves in the direction of 4 to maybe give it a little push... But is that even possible when the other containers are empty?"

Just to be sure, she pulls down the fourth lever one more notch (to 5000), expecting it to simply reset.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate
As expected, the lever hits position 5 and reverts to its initial position, all paths closing and gas remaining in cylinder 4. It would seem so far that the pressure decreases when the gas follows and indirect path, though it only seems to the last paths opened. Maybe if there was a way to stack direct paths, it would build up enough pressure.

[gunnar11]

Maenas, D'ni Gate

Trenarios watches as the gate opens...
And closes.
Nada is mumbling some things, but Tren isn't listening anymore. He's got the answer, or at least, he thinks so.
We just have to create a direct path, from the first valve to the second- and he pulls down the first lever to the third position (0003),
the second to the third- and he pulls down the second lever to the second position.(0023)

And finally he says, while pulling the third lever to the third position we unlock the door, pulling the fourth lever onto the fourth position. (4323)

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Start: 0000, all closed, all gas in 4
0003: 1 to 2 opens, 1 to 3 opens, 1 to 4 opens, flow to 1
0023: 1 to 2 closes, 2 to 3 opens, no flow (1-3,2-3,1-4)
0323: 1 to 3 closes, 2 to 3 closes, 3 to 4 opens, no flow (1-4, 3-4)
4323: 4 to Wall opens, very slow flow through 1 to 4 and into the wall. The gate does not even budge. Gas returns to cylinder 4, 4 to wall closes.

How did you even come up with this sequence? I thought the puzzle was terribly easy.

[Sunfall]

Meanas D'ni Gate

Frowning, Nada watches Tren do his sequences. "Wait, I don't think that's-", she starts, but interrupts herself as soon as the flow goes through and it's evident that nothing will happen.

"OK", she says instead and gives Trenarios a wink. "My turn. We've still got plenty of time to figure this out..."

She glances at her notes one more time and resets all the levers, leaving the gas in 4 for the moment (0000).

"You're right, you know. I think if we put it in 1..." She pulls the first lever down, just as Tren did earlier (0003). "...and then open the rest of the valves to make a direct passageway, it should gain enough momentum to open the door. My guess is that the trick is to do it backwards, so the gas will find its way unobstructed from the beginning."


She resets the first lever with the gas remaining in cylinder 1 (0000).
Then she puts the fourth lever into position 4, opening the valve that goes into the rock. (4000)

"Well, I'm not quite sure about the interference this one will create when I combine the levers, but on a hunch, I'd say..."


She moves first the third lever (4300) and then the second lever (4320) to their respective positions.
If the gas is still in 1 after this, she'll take deep breath and pull the first lever to its (hopefully) final position (4321).

Crossing fingers... :smallbiggrin:

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
0000-reset:All closed, gas in 4.
0003: 1-2 open, 1-3 open, 1-4 open, flow to 1
reset: all closed, gas in 1
4000: 4 to wall opens, no flow. 4 to wall closes.
Seems there should be open paths for the gas to traverse before going into the wall.
4300: 1 to 3 open, 2 to 3 open, 3 to 4 open, flow to 3. (1-3, 2-3, 3.4)
4320: 1 to 2 opens, 2 to 3 closes, no flow. (1-2, 3-4)
4321: 1 to 2 closes, no flow. (3-4, gas in 3)

So, in case you haven't inferred it by now, the principle is: Whatever you paths the position manipulates, they open if they are closed and close if open. Flow occurs when a gas-containing cylinder has a path opened, but only to the paths opened during the last manipulation. eg if there was gas in 1 an 1-2 was open already, setting the third to position 1, would only move gas through 1-3, not the already open 1-2. Fourth lever fourth position is the "flush", if there's any sort of pathway to 4, it sucks the gas in and then into the wall.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"Nope, that wasn't it either", Nada says dejectedly, already twigging after pulling the third lever that it won't work that way. She diverts all gas back to cylinder 1, then resetting the levers to 0000.

But if everything else is closed, lever positions just count through the cylinders, right? Like position 1 on lever 1 opens to 2, position 2 on lever 1 opens to 3 and so on? That was as much as I twigged. Just hadn't quite figured out what happens if you pull more than one...

So the moment you manipulate more than one lever, the scheme of open valves inverts? :smallconfused: *goes back to checking the schematics*

Yeah, I'll need to think about this some more.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

Gareth made his way over to the commotion to get a better idea of what was wrong with the man on the ground. He cautiously stood near the outskirts of the crowd, worried about how the inhabitants of this Age might react to a stranger from afar.

The clothes don't help, he thought, glancing irritatedly down at his dirty red robes.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada takes some time puzzling through her notes, now and then looking up at the levers, counting them and mouthing words. Finally, she raises her eyebrows when she realizes her mistake.

"Ooooh", she says, shaking her head in amazement. "Of course! We never moved the levers that were already in position, so it must be the new combinations that closed the paths..." She turns to Trenarios who looks just as clueless as she has a moment ago, and starts to explain.

"I see it now! Every position past the first one influences not only one, but more valves! Valves that have already been open, close if influenced again. See, position 1 on the first lever manipulates valve 1-2. Position 2 on lever one manipulates valves 1-2 AND 1-3. As 1-2 is already open, it closes if you pull from position 1 to 2. That's why it looks at first like every position influences only one corresponding valve." She looks at him expectantly, waiting a moment for him to follow her. Then she continues.

"So position 3 on lever one manipulates 1-2 AND 1-3 AND 1-4, opening paths that were closed and closing paths that were open. And it's the same for all the other levers. Now, the goal, as you've already pointed out, is to establish a smooth flow from cylinder one to four and then out. But four will close if there is no flow to begin with, so we can't open that one right away. Same with cylinder one, if we want to open all the valves, we cannot have the gas there. We must put it in four before we open the last valves. Though I've no idea where to put it at the start. Let's leave it in one for now, as this is the default position anyway."

"So our goal must be to open all consecutive valves 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, THEN moving the gas into the first cylinder and while it flows though, open the path into the wall. We need to have the entire path set up beforehand and be careful to open only only the paths necessary, no side ones. Those would only slow it down again."

She claps her hands and looks at Tren. "So now it's only a matter of finding the right sequence of lever pulls. And we'll probably have to pull some more than once. Savvy?"

Hope I got it right this time, Rakmakallan... Gunnar, did that explanation work for you?

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square (Western side)
A few heads turn as you approach the crowd, examining you from top to bottom, before returning to their excited chatter, as if they have seen their fair share of strangers. Strangely you can understand most of it, though it appears to be some different dialect. You manage to catch some random phrases from the ruckus:
"...he doesn't have any family...take care of..."
"What a pity...him all my life."
"Did...how old he was..."
"...kind to everyone...to himself in the lighthouse."
"It...time of the month...pick up provisions."
And as you approach the man lying on the ground, several more people from the crowd turn around to examine you, though more importantly, the man's face comes clearly into view.
Though, you have seen but portraits of his at a younger age, you can't help but recognise with absolute certainty, your great-uncle Dakrenn, and he is not breathing.


Nada
Yep, path set up, gas in cylinder 1, then 4th lever to position 4.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

Gareth blinked. He hadn't been sure what he'd expected to find in this Age, but … it certainly hadn't been this.

He felt little pity for the dead man lying on the cobblestones, despite the murmurings of the people around him. If what Rovan said were true—and it appeared to be—then Dakrenn had left hundreds of people to rot in Gadar while he flourished here in an Age of sunshine and beauty.

"Pardon," Gareth said to a person standing next to him in the crowd, "but could you tell me a little about this man?"

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
The one who answers your question is a middle-aged woman, somewhere during the second century of her lifetime, or whatever the equivalent is in this age, dressed in a blue and wearing an apron, blackened and charred around the corners, indicating she is some sort of baker. She looks you in scrutiny for a few seconds before answering.
"Ye're not from around here, are you now, youngster? I suggest you lose that filthy robe or people will start asking awkward questions. Comes with the island life, not many visitors appear that we don't see getting off a ship.

Anyway, this is the keeper of our lighthouse, I remember him from the time I was a young lass, when he appeared one day in the island, just like you. He was really battered and in a bad shape, but seemed awfully delighted, nearly hysterical; we thought he was insane. Strange how he hasn't aged almost one bit. Long-lived fellow, if there ever was one, but I guess it was his time after all.

And you, where did you come from, youngster?"
At this closer distance, you can notice that Dakrenn is still, even dead, clinging to a small leather satchel.


Nada & Trenarios
Still stuck? If so, you can tell me to start dropping more hints.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

"I'm from … the same place Dakrenn was," Gareth said quietly. "This man was my great-uncle."

Gareth knelt beside the corpse and reached between the stiffening fingers, pulling at the leather satchel.

[gunnar11]

Trenn ponders.
Time still is ticking, though, and he would have to move fast if he wanted to accomplish their goal before the guard came back.

"Come on, Nada, we have to be fast!" he tells her, and begins moving the levers again.
He checks if every lever is in the starting position, and if not, resets them.
Then he pulls on the second lever, changing it to the second position, he waits and listens to the flow of the gas before continuing. Then he pulls on the fourth lever, bringing it to the third position

0000
0020
3020


I think I've got it, but I just want to be sure. What happens now?

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
The lady looks at you sheepishly for a second, not understanding the implications.
"Well, my condolences, young man. He was a good person, from the little I knew him..."

Your fingers close around the satchel and by its weight it feels almost empty. But at that moment, a few strong-armed men from the crowd start shouting at you.
"Hey, you! What do you think you are doing?'

"What are you trying to pull with old man Dak's belongings, thief?"

"Have you no respect for the dead? This man should be attended by medics and buried."

Then, a few seem to shove through the crowd trying to reach you with threatening dispositions.


Trennarios
Meanas, D'ni Gate
0020: 1-2 opens, 2-3 opens, gas to 2
3020: 1-4 opens, 2-4 opens, 3-4 opens, gas to 4


Warning, spoiler contains part of the solution
You've been warned. It can be solved from the current position.
It takes 5 more moves, exclusively in lever 4. My original solution, starting from 0000, takes 8 moves

you'll have to move through 1020 twice to send gas back to 1 and then close the pathway.

[Inglenook]

The Tide, Central Square

"Dakrenn was my great-uncle!" Gareth spat, rounding on the approaching men. The stresses of the last hour—laying eyes on the book he'd been searching for for years, leaving the prison that was Gadar, this new Age with its disconcerting blue sky, the new people (more than he'd ever seen in his life), and now finding Dakrenn dead—collided. And when Gareth was stressed, he grew rather waspish.

"I arrived today only to find my own long-lost flesh-and-blood dead. So pardon me, but yes, I will inspect whatever he was holding when he died—" Gareth jerked the satchel from Dakrenn's hand and thrust it into the air so all could see, "—if it bears a clue as to the manner of his death or where he was all these years." He waved his finger angrily at the dissenters. "Unless one of you would like to tell me how he came to be lying dead in the middle of the town square, hm?"

He rolled his eyes as he opened the satchel. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll put it right back in his hand after I see what's inside. I'm sure he'll make great use of it."

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

"Gods, kid, I think you've got it!", Nada exclaims excitedly as Trenarios pulls his two levers. She, too, has been glancing nervously at the remaining oil in her lantern, gauging how much time has gone by while they were thinking.

"Now all four of them are open and you just need to put all the gas into the first cylinder again so it can pick up speed..."

She looks expectantly at Tren, not wanting to steal his thunder.

[Rakmakallan]

Gareth
The Tide, Central Square
Negotiate roll
At the first hint of blame for Dakrenn's death, the self-righteous bullies stop dead in their tracks, exchanging confused looks, while whispers start among the crowd.
"Let the child mourn his relative. We've intruded enough in a family matter."
"Who is even this stranger? There haven't been any ships in weeks. Where did he come from?"
"Bah...too much fuss for an old man. It was his time anyway. Let the fellow do whatever he wishes with the corpse."

You manage to take a brief look into the satchel before getting distracted by the noise around you. At a glance, it seems to be half-empty, save for some sheets of paper, a poorly bound book, a brass compass, a chunk of half-eaten bread and some coins in probably the local currency.

You notice a venerable man, clad in all black robes, so hunched that his beard almost touches the ground approaching from your right and raising his arms and his abrupt unspoken command, the crowd falls silent. Then, he addresses them in a stentorian voice, completely unfitting to his frail appearance.
"Stop your bickering, and for once show some dignity. Where is your hospitality to weary travellers? Have you lost all respect for the departed and the mourning? The Maker always sees, and by his ways should we conduct, our homes and arms ever open. Attempting to assault this grieving man. Shame thricefold upon you, your families, and your homes. What would your ancestors thinks if they could see you now? Go about with your businesses, and leave Dakrenn's body to the care of the medics. Or was he not one of us for as long as most of you can remember?"
No sooner have a few moments passed that the crowd disperses, people going about their business for the day. The old man turns to you, giving you the telltale gesture to be quiet for a moment.
"I am not exactly sure who you are, young man, or where you came from, but for sure you are one of them; the ones who helped this island centuries ago.", he says pointing at the statue, and with this reminder the vague memory suddenly clicks in place, for you recognise the figures as Atrus and his daughter, Yeesha the Grower, those that guided the D'ni to Releeshan 600 years ago and restored their civilisation, though how their likeness came to be here escapes you.
"Now, now. Don't lose this satchel and follow me."
He pulls your sleeve hobbling towards the other side of the square and to the harbour. As you pass in front of the statue, an inscription comes in sight:
"For our saviours, Atrus and Yeesha.
Death only lurks within.
One never truly dies while hope survives."

How ironic...

[Sunfall]

Meanas, D'ni Gate

Nada gives a delighted laugh as Trenarios gives a polite little bow and steps out of the way to grant her the honor of opening the door. "Well, don't mind if I do", she says, sauntering past him and grasping the fourth lever.

She moves it four times, always waiting in between until the effect takes place. Her leather jacket (it might be a bit tight around the shoulders) groans under the strain of her pushing the lever up a few times instead of down.

2020
1020
0020
1020

Then, if all has gone according to plan (all direct passageways from 1 to 4 are open and all the gas is in cylinder one), she renews her grip on the lever and casts one last look at her companion. "Ready?", she asks with a twinkle in her eye.

Then she pulls her last lever.

4020

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, D'ni Gate/Workshop
open: 1-2, 2-3, 1-4, 2-4, 3-4, gas in 4
2020: 1-4 closes, 2-4 closes
1020: 1-4 opens, gas to 1
0020: no change
1020: 1-4 closes
4020: trigger

With the last positioning of the lever, a deafening gas flow starts from cylinder 1, increasing in intensity as it moves through the system and into the wall, reverberating throughout the mine and almost simultaneously with the telltale grinding of stone against stone, the stone gateway is pulled up to reveal -despite any hopes and expectations- a circular room, no more than 60 feet in diameter, with now empty bookshelves carved into the walls, what appears to be as abandoned rusty pieces of various contraptions on the ground, and on the far end of the room, a barely visible staircase helically winding around a perfectly polished granite column, before disappearing into some area above.
You notice a few rolled-up blueprints and a few crumbling torn pages lying on one of the shelves, as well as a few lanterns scattered around, but there is no way they would have sufficed to light this place properly; there might have been some other way.

[Sunfall]

Meanas, Behind the D'ni Gate

"Yes!", Nada cries and gives an excited little jump as the door finally slides open. "We've got it! Good work, kid!" She gives Trenarios a hearty slap on the back before grabbing her lamp and shining it into the growing crack.

Cautiously she steps into the circular room, holding her lantern high. A fleeting expression of disappointment falls over her features, but in a second her confident air of business and fascination is back. "Well, that's quite par for a thousands of years old D'ni enclosure, don't you think?" She takes a look at the bookshelves. Shame that there don't seem to be any books left…

She beckons to Trenarios as she crouches down. "Before we try the stairs, let's first check down here if anything is worth taking…", she offers and takes a close look at the broken contraptions, the blueprints and the book pages. Some of this stuff is bound to bring some money...

"I wonder how they read in here", she muses. "Those lanterns wouldn't have given off enough light. Hmmm… Mirrors maybe? I've heard of caves illuminated by intricate systems of mirrors that would reflect the sunlight… Or maybe something else, something to do with D'ni technology?"

[gunnar11]

Maenas, Behind D'ni Gate
"Shush, keep it down!" Tren urges Nada. He is as excited, if not more, about the discovery, but having a loud outburst could give them away. He follows her, the torch lighting the path to the ancient library.

"There has to be some kind of system. It's a library after all." He tries to get patterns, coding or some sort of index on where the books are now. Maybe they've been lend out? Maybe bought?
Meanwhile, he also looks for ways to light the library. More light makes easier searching.

He wonders about the books, about the wisdom they contain, and the knowledge to gain. But he hasn't got time, nor does Nada. They have to search fast, and precise. He looks around for a torch, to cover more ground with the two separated.

"Lets go"

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, Workshop
Machinery: The contraptions on the floor appear to be intermediate parts of various pieces of machinery, probably 3 or 4; one with cylinders and tubes, possibly a first draft for the mechanism of the door, one with glass chambers that could house some kind of specimen or even volatile materials, one bearing dials around a complicated electric circuit that could be connected to something, and finally a multitude of other parts too small or sparse to be determined without some sort of instruction manual.

Blueprints: These contain the design drawings for two pieces of machinery. One is the system of tubes responsible for the opening and closing of the door. It includes 4 interconnected cylinders and a "stabilizer" attached to each to hold the flow of gas steady and a fifth lever somewhere inside the room to close the door A hastily scribbled note reads "The stabilizer plan was successful. If the gas were to divide every time, there would be nowhere near enough power to hold the slab."
The second design is entitled "Volatile material incubator" and seems to be used for mixing gases and liquids in precise quantities. A second scribbled note here reads: "HCmedenite and HC1 too unstable when mixed, any ratio above 3:1 is prone to explosion"

Torn pages: Many of the pages are too yellowed and crumbly to read, but seem to be technical plans and a short essay on the geology of the region. There is also a diary excerpt reading:
"Leebro 13, 9451.
This will be my last journal entry on Meanas. I have brought Sirrus along, since he has become quite accustomed to the functions of gases on this Age and I believe it to be an important part of his education. Although I feel my educational Ages might be of crucial help to introducing both him and Achenar to the Art, he demonstrates a remarkable talent, but without the appropriate strengths of character. One one hand he managed to discover on his own the different conductive properties of crystals growing naturally on Meanas and suggest what I've been thinking for a while about using them to amplify a signal from another Age, but on the other he was unruly and borderline savage whenever he visited the Everdunes. On these grounds I might have to postpone his education until his early adulthood at least. With my current equipment, I lack the ability to penetrate the avalanche rocks that accumulated over the years blocking off this linking site, used I've been led to believe as an office by the local overseer before the explosion caused by the One D'ni. There is no reason not to think the Age is inhabited, and precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the site and its contents.

-Atrus"

The rest of the papers are charcoal drawings in the hand of a child, of a long-haired woman, a bearded man holding a toddler on his shoulders, and a kid at around the age of 10. They are all signed "Sirrus". In one, however, someone has added more recently two more figures, a girl in her early teens and an old woman with flowing hair.



Trenarios
Meanas, Workshop
There doesn't seem to be any patternt in the books, other perhaps that they might have been removed in great haste. As you walk to the back you notice a line of crystalline material on the wall, ending up from both side in a switch in the back of the room, right next to the granite column, and notice 2 lanterns on the ground in decent condition, if covered with a thick layer of dust. As you approach the column, at a quick glance you get the nagging suspicion that it is, at least in part, hollow.

You both rolled a 10 in Awareness

[gunnar11]

Trenarios
Maenas, Workshop
Trenarios carefully inspects the crystal figures on the wall, and following them all the way to the levers. He decides to lighten the two lanterns, calling out to Nada: "Nada, over here! I've found some lanterns!" letting one stand on the ground for her to pick up. Not waiting for her to pick up the lantern, he moves towards the lever, to pull it down.
"Maybe this is some kind of light-system" he murmurs to himself.

If nothing necessary of immediate action happens, he goes to the column, to inspect its hollowness.

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Meanas, Workshop
The lanterns light up in a dim, yet comforting light that reaches to the corners of the room. Then, as you flip the switch, a spark momentarily lights up in the circuits and the crystalline lining illuminates in a bluish-white glow, making the entire room perfectly visible and continuing to the room upstairs. When you inspect the column more closely, you realise there is indeed a hollow compartment somewhere, but no visible opening or way to open it.

[Sunfall]

Nada
Meanas, Workshop

Puzzling over her finds, Nada barely looks up when Trenarios lights the lanterns. She discards the tubes, as they're probably too big and too fragile to take along. She takes a moment for looking at the door prototype, playing with the little levers, watching, smiling, as the tiny valves open and close. The electronic circuit with the dials, however, she will take along if it fits into her bag.

Then she takes a look at the blueprints, stuffing them into her bag, too. Then she finds the page from the diary, reading it all with a little frown. "Sirrus...", she murmurs. "Wasn't that the name at the door?" She carefully folds the page and pockets it, looking in turn at the drawings. The one with the later addition intrigues her.

It's that moment Trenarios pulls the lever, lighting up the crystals across the room. Finally, Nada looks up, a look of fascination lighting up her face. "Wow..", she breathes. "So that's how they lit up this place. Impressive! And it's still all working!" Her gaze follows the light up the winding stairs, while she pockets the drawing she was holding. She looks over to Tren who is still inspecting the pillar.

"You got something interesting there? Holler if you need me, kid, alright? I think I'm gonna take a look upstairs..." She gets up, almost tripping over the lantern he put down earlier. "Oh, and thanks for the lantern!" She notices that her own lantern is still burning, too. Well, they won't need to waste the fuel for now. She extinguishes both lanterns, putting them away for later use.

With a few light steps, Nada is on the narrow staircase, squinting upstairs as she cautiously proceeds upwards.

[gunnar11]

Nada:

I had actually one of the lanterns in my hand, so unless you want to pull it out of my hand, I suggest just putting out 1 lantern xD


Trenarios
Maenas, D'ni workshop
The place was bright, and the intriguing crystals were lighting up the place. Those crystals, however interesting they were, hadn't to be touched, else the power could go out, leaving everything in the dark. Trenarios decided his lantern was of no use, and blew it out. He stored it in his backpack for later use.

He then proceeded to look for more documents. The pillar had to wait. Nada raced by him, murmurring things like 'thanks' and 'upstairs', oh well, too much of an enthousiast sometimes. He himself took a run around the library, careful to find anything Nada had missed. Knowledge was power, and power was money, so missing anything could be missing money.

Anyway. After searching for some papers, stashing away the ones he needed, Trenarios decides to go follow Nada. With her recklessness she could already have fallen into a trap, or missed the reason why the pillar was hollow, or something. Trenn goes up the stairs, still ticking against the pillar to see if there's more to the hollow post.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, Laboratory
At the top of the stairs, lies a spacious rooms, almost twice the size of the workshop downstairs, which appears to have been some sort of laboratory, judging the jumble of stained glassware in various sizes and shapes on one side. On the other, the decor appears frugal at best in comparison; a simple wooden desk with a drawer and a shelf bearing a dozen books or so with titles such as "Meanas journal: Underground biota", "Gas chemistry", "On the external character of minerals", "On the external character of minerals: A treatise of materials across Ages", "Histoire Naturelle", "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica". Some of them would seem terribly heavy to haul along for large distances.
To the back of the room, through a stone arch door, another room can be seen, containing a bed or two. From that angle, not much more can be discerned however.

The most striking feature of the chamber lies on top of the cylinder around which the stairwell coils; a glass enclosure opening to the rest of the room and housing a control panel, dusty with age.


Trenarios
Meanas, Workshop
During your second scouring of the room, you notice another eye-catching contraption beneath the circuit Nada had uncovered. This one seems to have been designed with the intention of being connected to something larger, but now it consists of a spinning miniature pedestal bearing cases, and a small bluish crystal in one of them. The space above it is lined with some unknown whitish material and the one below it could probably house a light source.

On your way upstairs, it would seem that there may be more hollow spaces inside the pillar, but the one that you felt before, about 20 inches in all dimensions is the largest and closest to the wall.

[At the top, same description as Nada]

[Sunfall]

Nada
Meanas, Laboratory

"Look at that baby", Nada breathes, stopping for a moment and admiring the control center. Then she turns away, scanning the rest of the room. The glassware she discards immediately, steering instead towards the desk.

"Shame", she mutters, looking at all those nice books, knowing that they'll never be able to take them all. She tries the drawer. Is it locked?

[gunnar11]

Trenarios
Maenas, Laboratory
Trenn watches Nada, and decides he's better off looking inside the bedroom than this lab. He mentions to her: "There's a hollow space in the pillar next to the staircase, gonna check it out later"
And disappears into the bedroom. He searches it.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, Laboratory
It takes some tugging but finally the rusty sliders give in and the drawer opens in a heavy puff of dust. Inside lies a notebook with moss green covers and as if it were a bookmark, under the cover a photo of a bearded man wearing spectacles and a cardigan, with his left arm around the waist of a beautiful raven-haired woman and a child, barely a toddler at their side sporting a rather botched attempt at a bowl cut. They are standing at a balcony against what appears to be a gigantic cog or gear sunken in the ground and behind them an endless expanse of water (could that be the so-called "sea"?). It is strange, but you have the fleeting impression that you have seen that place before, maybe in a dream. Behind the photo, in blotched ink is written "Good luck. Remember us and come home soon. C. & S."
The ink has run at places as if drops had fallen on it. A quick skim through the notebook reveals it to be a combination of diary and technical guide, covering subjects such as "history of Meanas", "gasworks and explosives", "precautions". The entries stop abruptly at a point detailing how "Sirrus" has become awfully careless with "HCmedenite" and is prone to trigger a cave-in if left unchecked on this "Age". The nameless author states having left a "linking book" behind with the aim of returning some day to conduct additional experiments on a "crystal viewer", but apparently he never did.


Trenarios
Meanas, Bedroom
Here must have been the smallest room in the entire complex, circular some 6 feet in radius and featuring two bunk beds across each other. Though the beds are made and covered in luxurious cloths, they are covered with a thick layer of dust and dirt. Though a careless eye would miss them, there are two quite interesting items here. One is a note on crumbling paper on the bottom of one of the bunks. It reads:
"March 8, 2013 (what's with the date? The year looks as if it was 8000 years ago, but the rest implies it's a different calendar)
Dear Dr. Watson,
I left this note on the linking point to Meanas, since I could not be here myself. I had to urgently link back to Releeshan, having been informed that my father is in poor health. I have discovered much of the research he conducted here and I would conclude that it would be much too dangerous, if discovered by your kind. Thus, I must ask of you that, in spite of any problems the DRC is facing from outsiders or limited funds, you must cease the plan to restore this Age. I intend to meet with you next week in K'veer as we have planned. May the Maker watch you over.

-Yeesha"
It is impossible to tell whether that "Dr. Watson" ever discovered the note.
You find the second item accidentally after noticing a glint on the floor with the corner of your eye. It is a small satchel tied up and the edge of a silvery clip protruding from it. Upon closer inspection it bears a masterful engraving of a tree with countless branches and an inscription in the same type of characters seen on the stone slab outside. Untying the satchel reveals some sort of cracked bluish precious stone fashioned in a perfect sphere. You receive a sense of seeing through someone's mind when you touch it.
Another perfect 10 awareness roll for Tren

[Sunfall]

Nada
Meanas, Laboratory

"OK", she answers as Trenn tells her about the column, shooting a curious glance into the feature's direction. Then she proceeds to immerse herself into the journal. "Ages", she mutters, looking to the book entitled "On the external character of minerals: A treatise of materials across Ages". She had assumed that Ages meant time periods, but now she isn't so sure anymore. Linking book. Crystal viewer. What is this, time travel?

She pockets the journal for later inspection, taking the photo out. It resonates with a strange sort of familiarity. "Hey, kid", she says, holding the picture aloft and stepping into the bedroom. "Look at this! Isn't it strange? All this water... Hey, what have you got there?"

[gunnar11]

Trenn
Maenas, Sleeping Chambers

"I really don't know." he mentions to Nada, as she enters the room. The bluish crystal, breathing with life, is one of the stranges artifacts he had ever discovered. Trenarios wondered if it was to be placed into the weird system of crystals downstairs, or something in the laboratory itself.

"Say Nada- he mentioned -do you know what this is, or what to do with it?" and he throws the Dr. Watson book to her. He waits until she starts to read it, and then (without her noticing) tries to touch her with the blue crystal while still holding it in his hand. Maybe he could see inside her mind?

[Rakmakallan]

Trenarios
Meanas, Sleeping Chambers
[Assuming Nada reads the note]
You are sure she did not notice the stone touching her hand, but you feel nothing from her. Then, a few moments after it leaves her skin, a sequence of images plays behind your eyes as you blink:
A young girl with shoulder-length braid prancing along a courtyard of hewn stone under clear blue skies, then the same girl as a teenager on a sandy outcropping on the verge of a body of water looking at the bearded man from the photo, then as a middle-aged woman dressed in rags into the selfsame room where you are standing, so close that she could be facing you at this moment; she looks weary and worried and the leather satchel slips from her belt.
Still it is all fuzzy, as if looked upon through a dim and stained lens. Could these be someone's (the girl's?) memories?

[Sunfall]

Nada
Meanas, Sleeping Chambers

Frowning, Nada reads the note the young man has tossed her. She doesn't notice the crystal in his hand. Finally, she looks up, worried. "What does that mean, 'restore this Age'? What's wrong with it? The diary speaks of cave-ins and explosives..." She shows Trenarios the little book she found in the drawer. "I don't like this at all, kid..."

She stares at the off date of the note. 8000 years? A different calendar? This doesn't sound like time travel any more, she thinks. It sounds like Ages were worlds. Lots of worlds with a different name for every one. And strange names they are. Releeshan. K'veer. But what's wrong with this one, then? What's wrong with Meanas?

[gunnar11]

Trenarios
Meanas, Sleeping Chambers

That was weird. What happened? These memories... Who could they be from?

Here, catch! Tren mentions to Nada while throwing the crystal to her. He wants to know what she sees, what she notices.
Do you see the same girl as I do, or something else? he asks.
This crystal surely is magic.

[Rakmakallan]

Nada
Meanas, Sleeping Chambers
[assuming she catches the cracked bluish stone]
Using Prodigy for a roll of Use Technology (Serenia) with two marks. Roll of 9. Total of 14.
You catch a glint in the blue stone as you catch it and it rolls in your palm, then a vague sequence of images plays in your head: A middle-aged woman in rags standing on the edge of a cliff above a desert, arguing with two gentlemen dressed in bizarre formal attire, certainly not like any you've ever seen in Meanas. They talk for a few moments and then she turns away and leaves weeping. Then, the same woman in the laboratory chamber reading perusing the books with a look of distress and hastily scribbling a note which she leaves in the bedroom. She produces a book from somewhere within a deep pocket, opens it, touches one of the pages and promptly disappears along with it.

That was certainly nothing you'd have expected. Actually, the pebble sports a crack beneath its surface. Maybe this could affect its function, whatever that is, even though you haven't encountered that sort of technology (or sorcery?) before.