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01: Outside Barrier Report!
Good morning, everyone!
A few weeks ago, Somnus, Noctis, and I were granted permission to explore northward beyond the walls and barrier. Please see the attached files as to what we've discovered:
[ 1. A video of the outside, recorded on their communicator. Beyond the barrier, as most may have already seen from previous recordings, is a wasteland with a thick, caustic atmosphere. Visibility is low, but not terrible. The video is mostly the three of them traveling along with their NPC guide, Calda. The video cuts to various segments of their travels, some of which show either Noctis or Somnus warping ahead or above to keep surveillance, although it might be difficult to determine which one is which from far away in their exosuits and helmets. Another clip appears to be taken some distance from the barrier, zooming outward towards the wastes. Northward, it a eroded road extends out; in the distance, a shadow of what appears to be mountains loom.
2. An aerial map of the northern region just beyond the wall, composited from a series of photos taken at the same altitude. It shows a few decrepit, eroded buildings and roads, as if the city had extended well beyond where the barrier stands today. No craters mark the terrain, although some buildings might appear to be as if something knocked or crashed into them. The grooves surrounding the norther portion of the wall can also be spotted from this view.
3. A video of a skeletal behemoth with a flower growing outside of its skull...being totally demolished by a joint attack from Somnus and Noctis, fighting together in tandem. The monster ends up crumpling to the ground, spilling out an oily black substance between its cracking, dismanteling ribcage. Go them!
To find out more about these discoveries, continue reading below: ]
While visibility was low, we were able to travel out as far as our guide would permit us.
Some of us might recall the virtual reality "Memories of the Sun" program, in which participants were allowed to ascend a sacred mountain called Fractured Hill. This landmark was said to be north of the city. The VR did not have any indication of the city when looking soutward upon the summit for Havenwell; however, looking out northward beyond the barrier in reality, there appears to be a mountain range in the distance.
We've discovered that deep grooves track inward towards the walls, and these grooves apparently surround the entirety of the city's wall. Together with the evidence of buildings and roads beyond the current barrier, we suspect that these markings might indicate that the wall was originally at a greater radius from the citycenter, encompassing more area than what it does today. For whatever reason, it's been scaled back from its original position.
We entered some of the more stable-appearing towers and buildings, looking for artifacts and anything that appeared to be electronics, or metalwares. Unfortunately, most of what we've discovered was too fragile to return with us. Almost everything disintegrated whenever we attempted to hold them.
The skeletal creature we encountered was dead; however, the flower atop of its skull, the poinsettia, was, and still is, alive. The roots shrivel when the flower is severed from the skeleton, which breaks apart without the network that integrates it. This creature also produced a caustic, concentrated dark substance. This substance may contain toxin which produces the same illness-like symptoms many of us may have experienced near the breach of the barrier.
On a similarly related note, Besithia was able to lend me a few samples of the gigarachnids' black fluid found within their bodies, which I was able to analyze. This fluid is mostly their blood, which seems to be a darker color to begin with, but under further scrutiny, it appears to contain a toxin. This toxin appears to have mutated the arachnids. Similarly, when exposed to this toxin, it produces symptoms that mimic an inflammatory response: malaise, cough, chills, and fever.
I believe that the sickness that one feels when being exposed to the outside environment is not produced by an infectious, living organism, but by the very same toxin found in these creatures. This toxin is carried in the atmosphere, which explains that mere exposure to the outside atmosphere is enough to inflict an adverse reaction that mimics an illness. This "illness" cannot be fully cured by medicine or magic, or at least not by any I'm yet aware of. For those of you who are new to this world, the current treatment we have for these symptoms is through physical touch, and this works to alleviate the illness in as little as a few minutes of contact.
Noctis and I will be available to answer any questions regarding the expedition, the samples gathered, or the process for petitioning an expedition beyond the barrier and what preparations to take.
A few weeks ago, Somnus, Noctis, and I were granted permission to explore northward beyond the walls and barrier. Please see the attached files as to what we've discovered:
[ 1. A video of the outside, recorded on their communicator. Beyond the barrier, as most may have already seen from previous recordings, is a wasteland with a thick, caustic atmosphere. Visibility is low, but not terrible. The video is mostly the three of them traveling along with their NPC guide, Calda. The video cuts to various segments of their travels, some of which show either Noctis or Somnus warping ahead or above to keep surveillance, although it might be difficult to determine which one is which from far away in their exosuits and helmets. Another clip appears to be taken some distance from the barrier, zooming outward towards the wastes. Northward, it a eroded road extends out; in the distance, a shadow of what appears to be mountains loom.
2. An aerial map of the northern region just beyond the wall, composited from a series of photos taken at the same altitude. It shows a few decrepit, eroded buildings and roads, as if the city had extended well beyond where the barrier stands today. No craters mark the terrain, although some buildings might appear to be as if something knocked or crashed into them. The grooves surrounding the norther portion of the wall can also be spotted from this view.
3. A video of a skeletal behemoth with a flower growing outside of its skull...being totally demolished by a joint attack from Somnus and Noctis, fighting together in tandem. The monster ends up crumpling to the ground, spilling out an oily black substance between its cracking, dismanteling ribcage. Go them!
To find out more about these discoveries, continue reading below: ]
While visibility was low, we were able to travel out as far as our guide would permit us.
Some of us might recall the virtual reality "Memories of the Sun" program, in which participants were allowed to ascend a sacred mountain called Fractured Hill. This landmark was said to be north of the city. The VR did not have any indication of the city when looking soutward upon the summit for Havenwell; however, looking out northward beyond the barrier in reality, there appears to be a mountain range in the distance.
We've discovered that deep grooves track inward towards the walls, and these grooves apparently surround the entirety of the city's wall. Together with the evidence of buildings and roads beyond the current barrier, we suspect that these markings might indicate that the wall was originally at a greater radius from the citycenter, encompassing more area than what it does today. For whatever reason, it's been scaled back from its original position.
We entered some of the more stable-appearing towers and buildings, looking for artifacts and anything that appeared to be electronics, or metalwares. Unfortunately, most of what we've discovered was too fragile to return with us. Almost everything disintegrated whenever we attempted to hold them.
The skeletal creature we encountered was dead; however, the flower atop of its skull, the poinsettia, was, and still is, alive. The roots shrivel when the flower is severed from the skeleton, which breaks apart without the network that integrates it. This creature also produced a caustic, concentrated dark substance. This substance may contain toxin which produces the same illness-like symptoms many of us may have experienced near the breach of the barrier.
On a similarly related note, Besithia was able to lend me a few samples of the gigarachnids' black fluid found within their bodies, which I was able to analyze. This fluid is mostly their blood, which seems to be a darker color to begin with, but under further scrutiny, it appears to contain a toxin. This toxin appears to have mutated the arachnids. Similarly, when exposed to this toxin, it produces symptoms that mimic an inflammatory response: malaise, cough, chills, and fever.
I believe that the sickness that one feels when being exposed to the outside environment is not produced by an infectious, living organism, but by the very same toxin found in these creatures. This toxin is carried in the atmosphere, which explains that mere exposure to the outside atmosphere is enough to inflict an adverse reaction that mimics an illness. This "illness" cannot be fully cured by medicine or magic, or at least not by any I'm yet aware of. For those of you who are new to this world, the current treatment we have for these symptoms is through physical touch, and this works to alleviate the illness in as little as a few minutes of contact.
Noctis and I will be available to answer any questions regarding the expedition, the samples gathered, or the process for petitioning an expedition beyond the barrier and what preparations to take.
no subject
These are the earth and air samples she has gathered for him. ]
no subject
Excellent. I believe a centrifuge will be the first piece of equipment on my list to obtain, though I will need instrumentation for spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis, electrochemical analysis, among other things.
[After he was handed the samples, he held one up in front of his eyes, examining it closely. A spark of life twinkled there. Yet, as he thought about it, he had some doubts.]
This is a bit outside of my field... I have always worked more on machines and magiteknology, a certainly needed to know a thing or two about biology. I have some experience with archaeological digs, but we should perhaps keep our eyes open for other scientists. Geologists, chemists, microbiologists. People who focused their expertise more on dealing with soil.
I will keep these safe and work on obtaining the equipment. I can also analyze it, should I need to be relied on for that. However, now may be the time to start forming an association of scientists. One man cannot be an expert in all things, and I must admit that I would be doing this as more of an educated hobbyist rather than one who concentrated his studies on this.
[It wasn't so much a lack of confidence. He did believe, provided the equipment, he could analyze it. But one had to take into account the importance of the situation and the little they had to work with. Missing something could be catastrophic.]
no subject
In any case, she is surprised that Verstael would suggest forming a community. He has always struck her as working alone, so this is pleasant enough news to make her smile. ]
A good idea.... and, ah, I currently do work in the labs under the locals. While I'm aware that they have devices for spectroscopy and PCR, for example, I'm still only an assistant to them and do not have access to it. [ Also, she wouldn't steal them. But, might as well let Verstael know that the equipment does exist for him to obtain, right? ]
But, ah, [ She hesitates. ] ....let me tell you something about the soil and toxin first, before you decide to do anything
no subject
[So far as they knew, anyway. With a flick of his hand he gestured for her to continue. He was listening.]
no subject
But that can come last. Thus, she begins. First thing first: ] The soil is.... sterile. There are no signs of life, not even diatoms or bacteria within the soil. Aside from the toxin, there is little else that is significant about it, not even traces of ore or filings.
no subject
Strange, considering other forms of life have survived, in some form, outside. It is usually the microscopic that are the most persistent.
no subject
I've analyzed it many times over, but... [ Hm. It still is worth for him to check it, too, just in case she missed something, or he has some means to analyze it that are beyond her own. With a sigh, she shakes her head. ] I have not been able to find anything remotely of interest within the soil. Besides traces of the toxin that makes us all ill.
no subject
Or, it may be that the toxin also destroys bacteria and other microorganisms.
[Which was kind of worrying, considering the importance of these things. People could not survive without them.]
Perhaps that is why we become ill. Our bodies need such things to function. When one is on antibiotics, it has negative side effects.
no subject
[ As for his bacteria theory... She appears to consider his theory, then shakes her head, deciding to offer two counterpoints: ] Ah... I'm not so sure. Even should all the bacteria be systemically eradicated by the toxin within us, it would take time of one to experience the effects. The atmosphere outside the barrier effects us almost immediately.
[ A pause. ] And, there are those here whose bodies are not human, and possibly do not house bacteria within themselves to begin with. [ Case in point: herself. ] Yet, they're still effected by the toxin as anyone else.