Xorus (prime)/Scholarship/Broken Land/The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 8 (log)

This is from the eighth annual Ki-lin hunt on 11/19/5122, run by Beacon Hall and Twilight and Brigatta or the Faendryl Enclave. This one interprets the Broken Land as having an internally consistent "weird ecology" and geology with a closed water cycle. This is directly based on the descriptions of the creatures and the room painting. It briefly mentions interpreting it as a nightmare dimension analog of the Lysierian Hills, but does not elaborate much on that premise.

[Twilight Hall, Grounds]
The tall shadowy-grey walls of this fine fieldstone house are carved with intricate runic markings.  The lush green lawn is home to several varieties of plants and flowers which border the walls, and young saplings cast long shadows in the moonlight.   You also see the Tocher disk, the Truelie disk, the skull-shaped Irval disk, a stack of owl-carved cases, a massive steel portcullis, a multi-hued marble arch, a rune-carved silver bell, an ornate and heavy solid oak door, the Twilight Hall sentry, a heavy bronze plaque and some glowing twilight blue crescents.
Also here: Fromer, Vorena, Chancellor Astru, Meril, Ambassador Vaikhen, Oxhammer, Hall Guardian Fyrentennimar, Busybody Riverman, Olivvia, Airini, Tibs, Missoni, Jebo, High Lord Nazarr, Purveyor Rolfard, Great Lady Truelie, Tocher, Irval
Obvious paths: out

Rolfard recites raspily:

    "Lets begin with a nice piece from Xorus"

Xorus nods.

Xorus says, "Good evening."

Xorus says, "In the past I have spoken on some of the history of the Broken Land and its strangeness as an other realm."

Xorus says, "Indeed. There is an argument to be made that it is an esoteric parallel dimension."

Xorus says, "In essence a nightmare 'dark mirror' of what exists in the Lysierian Hills."

Xorus says, "But tonight I will talk instead about its weird ecology."

Xorus says, "The terrain of the Broken Land is a blasted wasteland, and the magru have devoured the flesh of its warm furry animals."

Vaikhen frowns.

Xorus says, "There is an internal logic to the relationship of this terrain and its otherworldly inhabitants."

Xorus says, "First, we may notice the high sheer cliffs, which arc over a great span."

Xorus says, "When rising high up into the Dark Shrine, we find the jagged boulder strewn mountains rise up, out across the horizon."

Xorus says, "The essence of this is a huge sinkhole, a cenotaph, in a huge limestone plateau."

Xorus says, "Its center is a sea of boiling mud, highly caustic sludge, known as a mudpot."

Xorus says, "The malodorous stench of sulfur suffuses the plain, rising from the underlying volcanism, which sprays upward with abnormally huge mud geysers."

Fromer looks thoughtfully at Xorus.

Xorus says, "The vapors in the region often sting the eyes, owing to the presence of sulfuric acid in the sea of mud."

Xorus says, "The corrosive mud dissolves the surrounding limestone, which gives it various colors."

Xorus says, "There are then two remarkable processes that happen. The first is that the vapor freezes at height, coating the surrounding mountains in ice and snow."

Xorus says, "This erodes the mountains with frost cracking, which then break off boulders, which roll off the curved cliff into a circular debris field."

Xorus says, "Beyond this range of celestial pulverization, there is a forest of huge crystal spires, which are wildly growing crystal formations."

Xorus says, "These grow in weird analog to a natural forest, feeding upon the vapors of the air."

Xorus says, "The sulfur vapors and its trace matter of limestone forms them as gypsum."

Xorus says, "Interestingly, the grottoes have their own huge gypsum crystals, which you might expect from long submersion in volcanically heated water."

Xorus says, "This might sound plausible at first. There are other formations, such as huge cave pearls, as we might see in karsts."

Xorus says, "However, these tunnels are themselves artificial, having been carved out by the magru with sulfuric acid."

Xorus says, "The 'cave pearls' are much more literal. Magru absorb matter they cannot dissolve, such as gems, which gradually become coated with limestone inside the magru."

Xorus says, "They then leave these in piles, much like eggs, in depressions where you might ordinarily find cave pearls more naturally."

Xorus says, "Where the water falls too fast for stalactites to form, where the tunnels are closest to the boiling sea."

Xorus says, "These could perhaps be magru 'eggs', but the blobs more likely reproduce by budding and splitting."

Xorus says, "That is, once they have absorbed enough flesh, and otherwise in silence become dormant."

Vaikhen's face turns slightly pale.

Xorus says, "When the magru pass through these tunnels and caverns, they leave behind a thin layer of slime, which is organic from the flesh they have devoured."

Xorus says, "Upon this grows 'moon milk' and glowing fungus, kinds which withstand the caustic acid of the magru."

Jebo heartily says, "Appetizing."

Vaikhen gulps.

Irval gags.

Xorus says, "Fungus is the only kind of 'flora' there, except for moss and lichen."

Rolfard raspily says, "Makes for fun tunnel slip and slides."

Meril nods slightly.

Xorus says, "This in turn provides a source of food for insects, such as beetles, which likely themselves would glow if brought into pitch darkness."

Xorus says, "The fog beetles would begin as glow worms in the grotto and leave the tunnels for the plain as they become bigger."

Xorus says, "These are gargantuan 'bombardier beetles', which eject forward a caustic spray from their rear."

Tibs starts chortling.
Fyrentennimar takes a drink from his creamy dwarven grog.
Vaikhen gags.
Lahanna giggles.
The sentry adjusts the set of her cap with an air of dignity.
Riverman scratches at his mustache.

Xorus says, "Their characteristic toxic green 'fog' likely comes from long consumption of the toxic fungus."

Missoni glances away.
Oxhammer coughs.

Vaikhen quietly says, "M-maybe ... maybe we shouldn't go, after all."

Xorus says, "However, when grown the beetles are carnivorous, and feed upon the hooded figures."

Xorus says, "Who themselves are reincarnated with energy from the power draining dome."

Xorus says, "One might imagine the dome as the 'sun' powering the life cycle."

Xorus says, "It may even exacerbate the volcanism, because of the essence disturbance, which in turn causes the whole localized water cycle of that region."

Xorus says, "One interesting point of these giant beetles is the misshapen stub of their chitinous tails. As though they were imitating scorpions."

Xorus says, "This is a defensive adaptation, to be sure, but it is not so obvious it is from scorpions."

Xorus says, "In the dark grotto there are small lizards, which hide in moss bushes, and evade predation by running across and diving into the cavern stream."

Xorus says, "This is a very narrow stream, carving out what is known as a 'flute', formed from the water cycle of the sea of mud and ice melt."

Xorus says, "These lizards are much like rainbow skinks. Their tails form a variety of radiant colors."

Xorus says, "This attracts predators to the tail instead of torso, which blends more into the grey background, and these tails will self-amputate."

Xorus says, "As such these lizard-like toad things grow gargantuan into the myklian. Which themselves, as a rule, have amputated tails."

Xorus says, "In their place grow chitinous stubs, replacement pseudo-tails, which glow and shift up the color spectrum."

Xorus says, "Whether this is due to age, or power, or depends on the amount of background heat, requires more study."

Xorus says, "But instead of cartilage stubs, the myklian have 'tails' made of chitin."

Xorus says, "This is the same substance as the carapace of the fog beetles, which makes them immune to the caustic mud geysers, and likewise it is richly found in the cavern fungus."

Xorus says, "Thus the myklian tails ultimately come from the glowing fungus of the dark grotto, and they have a cycle of tail mimicry with the fog beetles."

Xorus says, "Myklian may begin as cold blooded. But the grown ones often walk on two legs, as though they were warm blooded."

Xorus says, "They are essentially immune to cold, seeming to actively absorb heat and some elements."

Xorus says, "They were named 'chilling claws' in Iruaric, or kiska raax, flaring cold from the claws, weirdly parallel to the fire cats of the Lysierian Hills."

Xorus says, "Similarly, the dark vorteces ball themselves to minimize their exposure to light, but absorb it and radiant heat."

Xorus says, "When they wander too far into the huge cavern, it is too bright near the prismatic crystal monoliths, which causes them to dissipate until they are destroyed."

Xorus says, "The hazy tenebrous orbs they leave behind may become the seeds of the magru 'cave pearls' as they are similar in diameter."

Xorus says, "Much more artificially, the foul black fluid that the vruul hibernate within is made by cultists, from these same local substances."

Xorus says, "The sweet smelling moss and fungus of the cavern is added to the sour caustic black ichor of the magru."

Xorus says, "The cultists pour this from urns onto sacrificed bodies, which then slowly transform into leather in their crypt. Eventually they are submerged in urns and transform into weak vruul."

Xorus says, "These ceramic urns are placed in the loud echoing amphitheater between the tunnels and huge cavern."

Xorus says, "The magru are drawn by vibrations, and their tunnels are much like spider webs, except for acoustics. They are weirdly and unnaturally silent in places."

Xorus says, "Thus, the magru are intentionally drawn to this echo chamber, which is clearly artificial. Where the urns act as acoustic jars with distinct pitches."

Xorus says, "Very much like the ones used in churches, with their high ceilings for reflecting sound."

Xorus says, "In this way the urns are filled with the magru ichor, milking them, or otherwsie acting as eldritch honeycombs for the cultists."

Xorus says, "There is likely a weird symbiotic relationship between the vorteces and vruul as well."

Irval says, "Scary bee's."

Xorus says, "They both hate the light, and absorb power, having complementary immunities."

Xorus says, "Vorteces may essentially act as a source of power for the vruul."

Xorus says, "Uthex has exploited the underground water flow for the hydraulic mechanism of his hidden stairway."

Xorus says, "This is remarkable, as the monastery in the Lysierian Hills does as well, with underground water wheels."

Xorus says, "The monastery is thought to have been founded after Uthex's death. But one wonders what might have been present from earlier times."

Xorus concludes, "Regardless, Uthex conducted his experiments on these creatures, with their weird and unnatural 'life' cycles."

(applause)


Questions and Answers:

Vaikhen raises his hand.

Vaikhen sheepishly asks, "May I ask a quick question?"

Xorus nods to Vaikhen.

Speaking curiously to Xorus, Vaikhen asks, "Do you know to whom the dark shrine is dedicated?"

Vaikhen says, "The one in the mountainous region."

Xorus says, "It is a Marluvian shrine, there is a huge statue of him. Or rather an idol of an older representation of him."

Vaikhen exclaims, "Oh!  I see!"

Vorena gives a short little hum of surprise.

Vaikhen says, "I didn't ... I didn't recognize the statue."

Xorus says, "It resembles an enormous vruul. Though I think, more accurately, it is literally an enormous vruul."

Rolfard raspily asks, "That's the one with the tentacles right?"

Xorus says, "The shrine around it is smashed with great force, and vruul hibernate for long periods of time."

Xorus says, "They are essentially leathery statues. Gargoyle like."

Vaikhen exclaims, "I fought them briefly, but couldn't determine much about the shrine.  Thank you for your insight!"

Xorus says, "Marlu's common avatar has tentacles. But this is a representation where he resembles the vruul."

Xorus says, "The shrine is filled with tall stone jars, which have vruul hibernating within them."

Vaikhen blinks.
Vorena ponders.

Vaikhen worriedly asks, "T-that's what was in the jars?"

Vaikhen shudders.

Xorus nods.

Xorus says, "Thalior used to call the vruul 'pickles'."

Vaikhen raises his voice in merry laughter.
Missoni flashes a quick grin.
Truelie's face turns slightly pale.
Lahanna gags.
Nazarr appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Missoni takes a drink from her huckleberry champagne.

Jebo heartily says, "Betcha not sweet ones."
Jebo nods.
Vaikhen's face turns slightly pale.

Nazarr says, "Pickles. I'm going to remember that one."

Xorus wryly says, "The cavern moss for it has a sweet fetid odor. So there is a sweet smell to it."

Oxhammer drools.

Rolfard raspily says, "Pickles...which means vruul start out as cool little pickles."

Rolfard raspily asks, "Err cucumumbers?"

Vorena grins at Rolfard.
Astru giggles.

Xorus says, "Writhing and screaming in agony as they are tortured to death. Much like cucumbers."

Vaikhen grins from ear to ear.
Vaikhen blinks.
Riverman chuckles.
Vaikhen's face turns slightly pale.

Rolfard nods sagely to Xorus.

Rolfard raspily says, "Precisely why I left my previous work environment."

Vaikhen haltingly says, "Ah y-yes.  J-just like c-cucumbers."

Vorena takes a drink from her red Faendryl wine.
Vorena shifts her eyes to Vaikhen.

Speaking to his Twilight Reserve, Vaikhen says, "I will need more of you."

References

This lecture is the eighth part in a series about the Broken Lands and its surrounding context:

• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 1 (log): Uthex Kathiasas, Hooded Figures, The Broken Lands
• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 2 (log): The Entities of the Broken Lands
• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 3 (log): Shadow Valley, Castle Anwyn, Red Forest
• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 4 (log): Bandur Etrevion and the Graveyard
• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 5 (log):
• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 6 (log):
• The Broken Lands and ki-lin: Part 7 (log):