Doomsworld Fates

[Maharg67]

Post #11

[One][2.2][10]

Those energies had not gone down as further than the most shallow of the Shaztec underground levels though they had reached all of the settlement, of Anklelusdeep, including the basement levels, tunnels running between them and small chambers linked with that network but not to any surface buildings.

Information had come with the Giftcube cubemechanism as it was dotted, internally, with 20 almost vertical bodycapsules. They were not SVR, super virtual reality, deepsleep, healing or even status bodycapsules but were projectioner ones that also had other functions. They were added to the original 10 projectioner bodycapsules of the TMDHB.

Shimmy had gotten into one and, a short time later, had gotten out of it having been gifted with information on Anklelusdeep and its history. The name had come from a mistranslation, and misunderstanding, of an ancient Shaztec sign found on the surface. The human settlers had mistaken it for a name but it had been a warning for all to stay away from the area. Perhaps they would have been alerted but the previous redness, of the warning symbols, had been eroded away by centuries of weather.

The settlement had been built using partly reused building materials from surface ruins of Shaztec structures. Some, later, basement chambers were actually Shaztec spaces that had been much repaired, and otherwise changed, before taking on their new functions. For over one, and a half, centuries the settlement had survived before the fatal day it had all ended. That had been only days before the Sh13 had arrived there but was also the reason why they had been sent there by their GPMBT.

Then came former shadowghosts of paleghosts being palelings and paletasms. They were soon followed by former shadowbeasts of palebeasts; these were palefangers, paleclawers, palespiners and palespitters. There were also some former shadowbeasts of squat shadownoid humanoid build that were now palenoids. The same mixture had arrived into the TMDO but with one quite surprising extra entity being formerly of the shadowkind.

Last of all came former Shadowcultists, including a few of those whom the Sh13 had killed as drugged attackers or who had been poisoned. There were also others who came from elsewhere in that the celestial flash, of energies, had reached.  At least half, of flash impacted Shadowcultists, had not 'returned'. With them came some cultist kept animals of dogs, big cats, monkeycats and smaller vermin hunting cats along with some birds.

There was much work, for the Seekaservers, to carry out.

Edited Wednesday at 07:03 AM by Maharg67
To show that this story has been edited from the start.

[Maharg67]

Post #12

Edited Wednesday at 11:36 AM by Maharg67
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[Maharg67]

Post #13

Note: Post #5 used to hold the notes now shifted to Post #12; now Post #5 has a new story post that is outside the the normal story ark but which you may fall useful.

[One][3.1][11]

What with all the newcomers there, in the TMDO, of palekind and former Shadowcultists plus a few others, it was fairly crowded now and a little hectic. The Paleista, formerly a Shadowista, was swirling whirling around Shimmy who was sitting cross legged on the floor. Pale smokey it was with rainbow-yellow-white streaks like forked lightening. Shimmy was reading it a story about how it, now named Palewistifunis, was having a wonderful adventure in a lovely, wonderful, land. Palekind of paleghosts, and palebeasts, were asleep inside Palewistifunis. With them were dogs, cats and other domestic animals.

Sandros, formerly a fairly low ranking Shadowcultmaster, sat in his new pale coloured hoodrobe and on a chair at a big, round, table. "The deeper into the Shaztec ruins one gets, the stranger and more dangerous they get. The site was no typical templecity or templefort or other type of Shaztec temple focused settlement and yet it had elements of both of those plus more. I did not get to go lower than the first level, of the Shaztec Site, my task being to help keep that level secure and also to keep check on the surface settlement. We were never meant to know much, being of lower ranks and castes. There were a few Shadowmasters along with Shadowpawns of varied types including Shadowcult warriors, guards, artisans, clerks, priests, monks, nuns, caretakers, artists, scribes, archivists and a few more of the general type. We had no slaves or zombies; there is a common misconception that the Shadowcult employs slaves, and zombies, but we do neither as doing either has proven to be more problematic than useful to our activities, our goals, what ever they happen to be."

He went on speaking. "Dark whispers got to us, from below, of Shadowcultists having to fight strange attackers such as Shaztec zombies, skelties, and what seemed to be possessed, reanimated, Shaztec corpses that were not zombies but surprisingly normal looking, by Shaztec standards. Other creatures were spoken off, very quietly, as in living beasts of amazing physical abilities. Add to that burning bright skull creatures, scampering giant spiders and white furred, big eyed, humanoids, then you start to see just how crazy matters were getting down there."

In a great, grassy, alcove where a few animals of livestock type and carefully screened off, small, crops. There were small numbers of horses, a bull, three cows and five goats there along with chickens in a coop, some ducks and other birds in treetops of a grove of trees.

He shrugged. "We were thinking of getting out of their, Shadowcult Pledge or not, which was when the celestial flash incident took place."

Shanka spoke from where he sat at the table. "You were tested and, clearly, you passed but I have the impression that not many of your people did."

Sandros shrugged. "Not surprising, really, considering how malignant those ones were but quite typical as Shadowcultists. I have some items that could assist you to get more easily, and safely, to the levels below where the celestial flash incident did not seem to reach; I do not know how I know that but have the strong sense that it is correct."

He passed over a couple of moderate sized, basic maps, a scraggy looking notebook, a keyring with five old fashioned looking keys and an odd device of red crystal embedded into a bronze disk; that last turned out to be another kind of key.

Edited Wednesday at 07:02 AM by Maharg67
To show that this story has been edited from the start.

[Maharg67]

Post #14

[One][3.2][12]

The decision was made to transship all the newcomers, to the TMDO to the TMDHB, except a few plants, smaller fauna and some fungi as in mushrooms. It was done carefully, being proven easier between the two transdimensional sites.

News came, to the Sh13 in the TMDO, that a second Sh13 had materialised, in the TMDHB, being of different individuals and names. So it was that the Sh13, based in the TMDHB, became the Sh13A1 and that in the TMDO became Sh13A2 while the newly arrived one, in the TMDHB, took on the title of Sh13B1. It soon became clear that it had been sent to become more Seekaservers to work in the transmultidimensional homebase so as to deal with all of the newcomers.

Ceeetiopsi was only happy to go when convinced that there would be Sh13A1 there who were actually also Sh13A2. Palekind went as did former Shadowcultists plus wildlife of flora, fauna and fungi. Five transshipments were sent and with them went equipment, supplies, and other non living items.

The Sh13A2 prepared to leave the TMDO, that would then dematerialise to go into a kind of parking, and waiting, state. When they did go they did so with the five items that Sandros had given them; that is two maps, a notebook, a keyring of five keys and an exotic device that was probably of Shaztec in design and make.

They departed with a TMDI largely full of general equipment and supplies but also some carefully selected other items. They were very cautious, in mood, were hoping for the best while being prepared for the worst.

Then they were back in the chamber where they had helped free Ceeetiopsi  and were carefully moving on.

Edited Wednesday at 07:01 AM by Maharg67
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[Maharg67]

Post #15

[One][4.1][13]

Sh13A2 went through a largely rejuvenated, fixed up, level where any remaining Shaztech evil had been cleansed away including the worst of their physical structures and features. They met more palekind, in small groups, and transshipped them to the TMDHB. They did the same with a few items that they found.

In a large chamber, full of odd bone off white machinery, they began to have doubts about the story of the original inhabitants of Anklelusdeep. Statues, of the same odd bone like material, were there but they showed humanoid figures altogether too well known to the Sh13A2.

Shozin, the man shaped android, spoke in a very human manner. "Doppelshifters or doppelformers but not any wild doppelgangers."

Original doppelgangers were too wild, unstable, to be utilised by even the living gods. From the doppelgangers, and other sources, they had created new type doppelkind. Doppelshifters were deceptive shapeshifters often used as infiltrators. Doppelformers were born and then, at a very young age, permanently changed to become a variety of doppelformits. The bone like substance was extruded from exotic doppelkind biotechnologies. Inside curious cubicles they found Shaztec artefacts including stone tablets of jagged looking hieroglyphics. Everything there had seemingly been renewed by the celestial flash incident.

Doppelgangers, and developments from them, were known as doppelkind but those doppelkind that were removed, from doppelgangers, were generally known as doppelfolk.

Sharry shook her head. "Seems the celestials wanted us to find this place, after they made it as good as new. Looking like they were doing research on what they could find of the Shaztecs here. Where they trying to find the CEEET that was trapped here?"

Shanka spoke. "The settlers could have been genuine humans as doppelfollowers." Doppelfollowers were non doppelkind who served them in exchange for payments of varied kinds. "Such would have an easier time fooling outsiders than even doppelshifters would." He meant that the doppelshifters had some exotic weaknesses, as all doppelkind did, that could expose them as to their true nature.

There were some metal, wooden and even stone fixtures and fittings there for the doppelfolk did not just use the bone substance to work with. There were big, fairly clumsy looking, brass-glass microscopes on heavy metal benches.

The doppelman man stepped into view in a robetunic of silken blues and greens. He was rather angular with smooth, hairless, off white boneskin. "Welcome, in the name of the Goddessgods. We came here as archeologists, though with protection, at the behest of the Goddessgods Ordershood but we did not do so alone. XARISA Agents came with us being of the Xenofiles Archival Research Investigative Security Agency based in far of Centropolis the famous, infamous, megacity of a thousand domes. They were humans, semimans, demimans and submans along with a few others. Perhaps they, and others of my kind, have been brought back by the celestials. As you probably know, I am a doppelformit that was born a doppelformer before our bioscientists decided my permanent shape as a male doppelman."

The doppelman gave an oddly sharp shrug. "That we were just an archeological expedition was what I knew. At times I suspected that was just a secondary cover story in case the first one failed. My name is Dashisdandis."

Edited Wednesday at 07:00 AM by Maharg67
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[Maharg67]

Post #16

[One][4.2][14]

Sharry struck at Dashisdandis who flew backwards, through the air, to smash off a wall. With a shimmering he became a distorted doppellator, a savage type of doppelkind but not doppelfolk. Such were so dangerous they were known to hunt after doppelgangers, who worked in packs or 'doppelgangs', trying to eat any strays.

The creature cried out in pain, shock and anger but then sprang away from the wall right at Sharry. Now it bore long claws, spikes and fangs. It moved with great speed and strength. Sharry smashed the doppellator back against the wall.

He groaned as he slid down the wall, holding up both claw equipped hands in surrender. "You move so very fast I could not see you do so and that is saying much. I was testing you to see if  you were shadowmimics come up from below as some have to tried to trick us. We doppellators have a well deserved bad reputation but some of us have been trying to become more civilised. Oh, some clarification of myths is necessary; we only attack doppelgangers to reduce their numbers when they begin to do too much harm and even their leaders welcome it as they find it easier to control their followers if they are in smaller numbers."

Sharry smiled. "We know that to be true already! How many of you have been 'returned' by the celestial flash? Oh, what is your name!"

He stood up, with a soft groan of pain, "Dashisdandis is really my name." He shimmered and now looked like a more human like doppelman once more. "It is easier to use a knife and fork, in this shape, so eating lunch is more efficient."

Shanka spoke. "Have you tested us, enough, now?"

Dashisdandis laughed sharply, but at low volume and he groaned softly. "Yes, more than enough! The only doppelkind here, in this immediate area, are a very few doppelmans, doppelnoids and doppellators. When the shadowkind attacked, in mass, we fought a rearguard action along with both remoterobots and remotedroids. The others retreated to a more secure area whose location we, here, do not know for security reasons. Please, come and meet the others."

Edited Wednesday at 01:36 PM by Maharg67
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[Maharg67]

Post #17

[One][4.3][15]

Changed doppelkind were sharing food, and drink, with palefolk of many types. The paleghosts fed on their own kind of sustenance. There were remotedroids, and remoterobots, carrying out tasks or recharging in special bays. There was a large supercomputer mainframe linked with 'dumb terminals' used to interface directly with the supercomputer mainframe. There were independent DTCs, desktop computers, they were used for different reasons and, for cybersecurity reasons, kept isolated from the mainframe. There was some interesting, other, tech there being modular cubehuts, a row of old fashioned looking pinball game machines, and an open common area as used by those there to rest often while consuming substances.

The real oddity was the short, mildly plump, red skinned man wearing what was like a late 19th Century business outfit of the OldEarth England. That is a short tophat, a coat, a vest, trousers and shoes. All were black except for the white vest. They knew of him, had vague memories of meeting him, as the LittleFatesManif who was doing an odd little tap dancing routine while holding a black walking cane in his right hand.

Then he stopped and bowed to the newcomers. "Greetings Sh13A2 Seekaplayers. You will quickly enough remember my wonderful presence, and personality as it is a side product of my true nature that those I meet me tend to forget me afterwards, to different degrees. Iself serves the fates but they also take Iself along with them and have done so to bring me to Doomsworld. Firstly, though, Iself invites you to share in the food, drink and pristine water that Iself has provided for all those that wish to consume them."

Shanda said. "Are you here to meet us?"

The LittleFatesManif smiled very richly as if sharing some kind of joke with the Sh13A2. "Iself was drawn, Iself has some 'gits' to pass onto you, and now you have come to be with Iself, so Iself supposes that Iself is here to meet you as the fates have dictated."

Sharry nodded, with a slightly wary smile. "We will enjoy the repast that you have provided, that is we five living ones amongst the Sh13A2."

The LittleFatesManif made an annoying giggle. "What of the metaphysical one and the phasephysical three amongst you?"

Shizar, the woman android, responded. "Like we androids, and the robots, we have our own ways of being so served. At types special serums for we androids and charging up. For the robots just charging up. For the phasephysicals there are special formulas of energies. The metaphysical one has herhisits needs met otherwise."

So it was that the humans fed, and drank, while the other Sh13A2 members, except the metaphysical Shisha, rested down to save on energy expenditure. The LittleFatesManif, who was but one of many as almost one, sat at a table with the five humans and materialised food, and drink, on the tabletop with a soft sparkling shimmer. The only that that he imbibed was foamy greenish fluid from a large, elaborately decorated, golden, tankard full of the stuff.

The LittleFatesManif grinsmiled. "Five pinball game machines for all five of you Seekaplayer humans to play at the very same time; you will find it a most interesting, and rewarding, experience."

Edited Wednesday at 01:18 PM by Maharg67
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[Maharg67]

Post #18

[One][4.4][16]

Deepsensing that it was they needed to do, the five played the five pinball machines at the very same time. The machines acted as if one mechanism, quickly growing much more difficult to play as they adjusted to the abilities of those Seekaqusters. They slipped into a quiet, meditational mode, as they fought one pinball after another trying to get past each of their four flippers, bouncers and drop holes. The machines looked old fashioned but were very intricate as electromechanical devices. Prize tickets slipped out in long strips of attached ones that reached down to the floor to loop there. The first lot were copper coloured, then came silvery ones, followed by golden tickets and then, last of all, three odd coloured ones; these were black, red and purple.

The LittleFatesManif  giggled with glee and then bowed in an over done fashion before he spoke loudly. "Prepare to gain one's wondrous prize!"

He shimmered and changed; now his gear was stained, torn and his body was filthy. His walking stick had clearly broken in half and was crudely repaired with masking tape at its center. "Iself am truly the LittleFoolsManif and Iself has tricked you. The food-drink, that you consumed, poisoned you to weaken you. The false pinball machines drew energy from you. Prepare for defeat."

Sharry shook her head. "Did you really think your shallow illusions fooled us? We consumed nothing and did not truly play the pinball machines."

The illusion, concealing the truth of that chamber, and its contents, was broken. The entities there were wrapped in glistening webbing but everything else was as it had been except that the pinball machines were standard, electromechanical, ones. There was only one table that had been the one that the five Sh13A2 humans had sat at. There was only one table and now its tabletop was bare of items.

The LittleFoolsManif scowled deeply and then vanished in a puff of rancid smelling smoke.

The real LittleFatesManif materialised with a soft sparkling shimmer. "Very well done! The LittleFoolsManif will be punished for his lack of wisdom, and common sense, yet again. Yes, you were being tested but not by Iself. The LittleFoolsManif was easily manipulated to carry out that role but the prize tickets are real, being truly earned by your outwitting of the LittleFoolsManif. There are other items that Iself will pass over to you in the form of a Questcube."

Edited Wednesday at 01:38 PM by Maharg67
To show that this story has been edited from the start.

[Maharg67]

Post #19

[One][4.5][17]

They had really played the pinball game machines, though they had projected counter illusions about consuming substances at the one real table, so now the five humans threw sparkling, glowing, blades at the supposed LittleFatesManif. The figure screamed out in shock, in agony and rage as the blades 'thunked' into herhisits body.

The appearance altered, with a sharp sparkling effect, and then it was changed with the coat being a painfully garish pattern, the hat sprouting a madness of thorny flowers, the pants being sparkly metallic silver, the shoes having long points that curled back into a loop and the vest was like fish scales being metallic copper.

The appearance shifted again and then what was there was a figure that could not quite be fully focused on, that could be painfully disorienting to look upon. This one was nothing to do with any of the LittleCelestialManifs who in truth were all female-male-neuter-other in nature. No it was of the Celestial Shadow, of deepest malignance and deceptive manipulation though only of the lowest tier of such monstrous beings of a shadowmorpher.

They, the androids, and robots, scorched the shadowmorpher with UVLGs. With its major strength, and weapon, swept away as deception, the creature fled away by going downwards through the floor.

Once it was gone all those lifeforms, and other items, in that chamber were transshifted to the TMDHB. That included Dashisdandis who had frozen as still as he had entered that chamber.

Sharry looked around at the largely bare chamber. "That shadowmorpher made the usual mistake of such kind. It got overly clever with its plotting. It had pretended to be an aspect, of the LittleFatesManif, then one of the LittleFoolsManif  before returning to be the LittleFatesManif  and finally back to the LittleFoolsManif. It had made the mistake of not realising that we Sh13A2 humans had actually played the pinball machines though I later lied about not doing so; the real LittleFoolsMan would have known I was lying. Question is, how did it know about our makeup as in physical, phasephysical and metaphysical? That it did so is of concern as that is supposed to be one of our secrets."

They returned to the TMDO for a break, to discuss matters and to send a report to the TMDHB.

Edited Wednesday at 01:13 PM by Maharg67
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[Maharg67]

Post #20

Edited Thursday at 03:53 AM by Maharg67
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