002 Jenghe/Regina (1810) C799663–9 [056/1085]

[Tiglath]

Sigrún is (unfortunately?) greatly enthused by the idea of Karcsi's "spirit journey". "Já, we will make a baðstofa! No fire - just turn up the heat on the sauna and keep the steam and heat in. Fortunately I am experienced in very quickly finding interesting drugs in Medical facilities". She fishes in a pouch for her Nurse patch and fixes it on the velcro of her shipsuit "Since I am in charge I hope my assistant is a very well behaved "apoteker"

Zaki fixes Sigrun in a fierce glare - which is mostly ruined by the affection in her eyes and the smile lurking at the corners of her mouth. "I know how to make sedatives, too, Nurse."

An excited Sigrún perks up and beams at Zaki "Ohhhh, and so, when Karcsi is back from the Spirit World we can play Tranq Tag!"

She frowns "Unless he is inhabited by a void demon from Rán's realm of course... that would be... troublesome...".

[joertexas]

An excited Sigrún perks up and beams at Zaki "Ohhhh, and so, when Karcsi is back from the Spirit World we can play Tranq Tag!"
She frowns "Unless he is inhabited by a void demon from Rán's realm of course... that would be... troublesome...".

Zaki rolls her eyes and addresses Karcsi. "I will be glad to help you."

[ateno]

Karcsi smiles at the interchange.

"The fire does not have to be big, just a little smoky, and the air system should be able to handle it. I will pay for a new filter on Regina."

Karcsi

[trawets]

Fire on a ship isn't a good idea. If we have to I'll keep a watch on it with an extinguisher ready. Doug seems nervous about a fire on the ship.

[helvorn]

Fire on a ship isn't a good idea. If we have to I'll keep a watch on it with an extinguisher ready. Doug seems nervous about a fire on the ship.

"Given that everything aboard a starship is aggressively designed to avoid flammability of fire is not only a bad idea but might be hard to sustain. We'll figure it out even if we have to burn our clothing or the cedarwood in the sauna." Donovan goes over and clasps Karsci on the shoulder. "I will chat your ears off if that's what it takes. You can count on me being there with you the whole time. Is there any point at which we should try to pull you out of the trance with stimulants or a bucket of cold water? What are the signs of spirit attack?"

[ateno]

\"I will chat your ears off if that's what it takes. You can count on me being there with you the whole time. Is there any point at which we should try to pull you out of the trance with stimulants or a bucket of cold water? What are the signs of spirit attack?"

"Honestly, I don't know, this is just memories of my tribe and what happened. It was mostly done in secret. I think that you just have to be there to watch and provide occasional chatter so my spirit knows where my body is. There is a fable of a shaman who's body was taken over by a spirit:

Its called 'Watcher and the Hollow Bones'
Long ago, before fire let itself be leashed in the sky-boxes that sail the star rivers, there lived a shaman of the Grey Sky Tribe named Tarl the Hollow. He was called Hollow because he emptied himself for the spirits — fasting on bitter roots, drinking only snowmelt, and then taking the fire-tears of the red dreamleaf to walk the Spirit Path.
As his body slept curled beside the hearth, his spirit strode far: through wind-snarled canyons, across dreamwater, and into the lands where ancestors weep stone tears. Watching over his still form sat Eris, his apprentice — a young watcher sworn to guard the gate of flesh while the spirit walked free.
But on the second sun of the dream, another shaman named Vek, bitter and power-hungry, cast his own soul into the Spirit Path. Finding Tarl’s body unguarded by soul, he whispered venom into it — and stepped in.
Tarl's eyes opened with the wrong hung.
Eris saw the twist. The body moved like Tarl, but the breath was wrong, the scent foul. They had been taught what to do.
From a pouch of soot, hair, and memory tokens, Eris began to shadow weave — not with thread, but with gesture and chant. They whispered Tarl’s true stories into the fiber: the song he hummed when carving bone flutes, the laugh he gave only after fire dances, the prayer he spoke before sleep.
These shadows, cast by memory, were spun into a net of identity — a weave of spirit-shape.
Eris placed the weave across Tarl’s chest. The body flinched. Vek, inside, choked on unfamiliarity. The stolen body began to convulse, to sweat, to weep without reason.
Then the weave moved — not outward, but inward. The flesh remembered who it belonged to. The weave, carrying Tarl’s self, was hurled like a beacon into the spirit world.
Far away, Tarl saw the net spiraling through the void, glittering with truth. He reached for it — and remembered.
With a howl that split sky and bone, Tarl returned to himself. The false soul of Vek was torn away, caught in the net and flung screaming into shadow.
Tarl awoke. Fire once more gave heat.


Pause.

"So what do you think from that, you can tell my stories, I can make a bag of items from the fable?"

Karcsi

P.S. Story and ideas by me, filling in the edges and story flow by AI

[Tiglath]

Sigrún says confidently "While Donovan prepares to guard your body lest some draugr slip into it while you travel Zaki and I will ready your dream potion".

An excited Sigrún perks up and beams at Zaki "Ohhhh, and so, when Karcsi is back from the Spirit World we can play Tranq Tag!"
She frowns "Unless he is inhabited by a void demon from Rán's realm of course... that would be... troublesome...".

Zaki rolls her eyes and addresses Karcsi. "I will be glad to help you."

She gives Zaki a triumphal grin as the set off towards the Med Bay declaring "Allt er gott" then adds with a sly chuckle "Annnd you have to do what I say as I am Apoteker in Chief! Now, it's half a hibernation drug and two of "the little shiny red ones" please, Assistant Apoteker - I don't know what they are called. Then you always have to break into the locked cupboard to find the white liquid drops and the pain killer. Then we add just a taste of Stim... but it's not wasted because you can save the rest for when you wake up! Oh and mead to mix it up in... Óðins skegg - we need a drinking horn! Wait, you have those little paper "horns"... I will mark the proper rune on it... Framt!"

(OOC: Oh, this is proper scienceing alchemy!
Trans service:
That’s good.
By Odin’s beard!
Smooth / Groovy).

[joertexas]

She gives Zaki a triumphal grin as the set off towards the Med Bay declaring "Allt er gott" then adds with a sly chuckle "Annnd you have to do what I say as I am Apoteker in Chief! Now, it's half a hibernation drug and two of "the little shiny red ones" please, Assistant Apoteker - I don't know what they are called. Then you always have to break into the locked cupboard to find the white liquid drops and the pain killer. Then we add just a taste of Stim... but it's not wasted because you can save the rest for when you wake up! Oh and mead to mix it up in... Óðins skegg - we need a drinking horn! Wait, you have those little paper "horns"... I will mark the proper rune on it... Framt!"

Zaki goes along with her - and she checks exactly what the mad nurse intends to dispense.

[ateno]

Karcsi goes on with the ritual, he prepares a bag and only eats plant like matter for today.

The next day is only water them after morning of the third day he will start a small fire and take the hallucination mixture and lays next to the fire with his watcher.

Karcsi

[helvorn]

Karcsi goes on with the ritual, he prepares a bag and only eats plant like matter for today.

The next day is only water them after morning of the third day he will start a small fire and take the hallucination mixture and lays next to the fire with his watcher.

Karcsi

Donovan listeners to Karcsi's story and nods in approval. "That is exactly what I was looking for Karcsi. I will be by your side as companion and guardian." He is very attentive as the ritual proceeds. Donovan will tell stories he heard at home of a monster named Grendel and the hero Beowulf who slays the monster and Grendel's equally horrific mother. There is more to the tale and Donovan talks as well about his experiences traveling between the stars. He spoke of ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion and the glory of the ejecta C beams from the poles of the Tannhauser Gate black hole.

[Tiglath]

Karcsi goes on with the ritual, he prepares a bag and only eats plant like matter for today.

The next day is only water them after morning of the third day he will start a small fire and take the hallucination mixture and lays next to the fire with his watcher.

Donovan listeners to Karcsi's story and nods in approval. "That is exactly what I was looking for Karcsi. I will be by your side as companion and guardian." He is very attentive as the ritual proceeds. Donovan will tell stories he heard at home of a monster named Grendel and the hero Beowulf who slays the monster and Grendel's equally horrific mother. There is more to the tale and Donovan talks as well about his experiences traveling between the stars. He spoke of ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion and the glory of the ejecta C beams from the poles of the Tannhauser Gate black hole.

Sigrún listens to the stories with an almost childlike reverence - the whole ritual of storytelling seemingly rooted deep in her Swordy psyche. As Donovan concludes she says bleakly "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain" then upbeat she adds "That is why we must bring ourselves to the interest of the gods - for they will remember".

(OOC: Oh, and what a speech! )

She gives Zaki a triumphal grin as the set off towards the Med Bay declaring "Allt er gott" then adds with a sly chuckle "Annnd you have to do what I say as I am Apoteker in Chief! Now, it's half a hibernation drug and two of "the little shiny red ones" please, Assistant Apoteker - I don't know what they are called. Then you always have to break into the locked cupboard to find the white liquid drops and the pain killer. Then we add just a taste of Stim... but it's not wasted because you can save the rest for when you wake up! Oh and mead to mix it up in... Óðins skegg - we need a drinking horn! Wait, you have those little paper "horns"... I will mark the proper rune on it... Framt!"

Zaki goes along with her - and she checks exactly what the mad nurse intends to dispense.

To Zaki's professional horror Sigrún seems to be dispensing by limited knowledge but mostly instinct and where that and knowledge fails - colour!

She manages to produce a hallucinogenic cocktail laced with tranquilizers and hibernation drug (equivalent to "chemical low berth"). Her one diversion from her "mental recipe" (although Zaki believes there are strong elements of "Pick 'n Mix"!) is to discard the dissociative anesthetic she deliberately sought out muttering to herself "No... this is for after the "wolf time" - not spirit travel. He needs to bring his memories back with him".

[joertexas]

To Zaki's professional horror Sigrún seems to be dispensing by limited knowledge but mostly instinct and where that and knowledge fails - colour!

She manages to produce a hallucinogenic cocktail laced with tranquilizers and hibernation drug (equivalent to "chemical low berth"). Her one diversion from her "mental recipe" (although Zaki believes there are strong elements of "Pick 'n Mix"!) is to discard the dissociative anesthetic she deliberately sought out muttering to herself "No... this is for after the "wolf time" - not spirit travel. He needs to bring his memories back with him".

Zaki accesses the medical database through her HUD and runs an analysis of the madwoman's concoction. (Presuming the result isn't debilitating or outright fatal...) "You are both certifiably insane, you know. I will be close by with the counter to all of this."

[helvorn]

Donovan listeners to Karcsi's story and nods in approval. "That is exactly what I was looking for Karcsi. I will be by your side as companion and guardian." He is very attentive as the ritual proceeds. Donovan will tell stories he heard at home of a monster named Grendel and the hero Beowulf who slays the monster and Grendel's equally horrific mother. There is more to the tale and Donovan talks as well about his experiences traveling between the stars. He spoke of ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion and the glory of the ejecta C beams from the poles of the Tannhauser Gate black hole.

Sigrún listens to the stories with an almost childlike reverence - the whole ritual of storytelling seemingly rooted deep in her Swordy psyche. As Donovan concludes she says bleakly "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain" then upbeat she adds "That is why we must bring ourselves to the interest of the gods - for they will remember".

(OOC: Oh, and what a speech! ;) :) 8-) )

Donovan sighed and looked at Sigrun. "But the Skalds remember as well. But most important we pass down our tales from father to son and mother to daughter. The family is more reliable and less fickle than the gods. They would be the first to agree with me."

[Tiglath]

Donovan sighed and looked at Sigrun. "But the Skalds remember as well. But most important we pass down our tales from father to son and mother to daughter. The family is more reliable and less fickle than the gods. They would be the first to agree with me."

Sigrún does not disagree but replies "True but it is the curse of men that they forget when there is so much to remember and a Skald will sing the name of whoever's prize money weighs heaviest in his purse. The only way to be sure of memory is to enter the All Father's feast hall and there to recount your own tales every night!"

[Eris]

OOC: Having heard from Terry, but not Trawets, here's my edit. Seated in the "circle" around the fire are Karsci, Donovan, Sigrun, Flighty and Zaki. Doug thinking this is mostly hoo-ha has remained in Engineering wjere he is running some diagnostics on the ship's systems.

Deep in the middle of whatever Jump Space is a group of humans sit around a small fire blazing in a large metal bowl. Three to observe, one to attempt to take a journey to the Spirit World looking for answers.

Donovan's speech slurs and fades in Karsci's ears. His vision distorts and he must close his eyes, the sounds around him fade to silence... as his third eye opens to a scene of swirling colors and shapes that twist and turn all around him. He is a leaf blowing around in a swirling wind unable to find any purchase or hold. It is not unpleasant, but it is not helpful to him either.

Slowly he becomes aware of a steady hum cutting through the uniform white noise. The steady, unwavering, hum draws Karsci's attention and his presence turns toward it. It's there! A point of white in a swirling maelstrom of all the colors of the universe, a steady place to hold...a solid chain. The presence of Karsci Filep reaches out and grasps!

The chain hums, throbs, the tone shifts and Karsci's presence slides along the thread that stretches out from his point to....elsewhere!

---
Donovan talks quietly, "But the Skalds remember as well. But most important we pass down our tales from father to son and mother to daughter. The family is more reliable and less fickle than the gods. They would be the first to agree with me."


Sigrún does not disagree but replies "True but it is the curse of men that they forget when there is so much to remember and a Skald will sing the name of whoever's prize money weighs heaviest in his purse. The only way to be sure of memory is to enter the All Father's feast hall and there to recount your own tales every night!"

Zaki watching with a worried look on her face sees Karsci close his eyes and go rigid. The monitors she has on him show his heartbeat has slowed to 36 beats per minute, his blood pressure is 40/80 and his respiration is at 12 per minute. His body temperature is going down, now at only 34 c. EEG readings show Karsci's brain is producing very high levels of theta waves, it looks like some form of REM, but without the actual rapid eye movement.

---
Karsci's journey along the thread continues. Looking around he notes with some concern that the origin of the point of light he grasped appears to be travelling along with him and for a second he wonders if he can get back to where he was when this started then...

Then he is distracted as he sees things! He sees his family around a fire singing. He sees he and his friends hunting down the great wooly Garu on the plains of home with spears and atlatls. He sees him leaving home and all manner of scenes from his life up to now. He is no longer worried, he is still himself.

He feels detached from it all, an observer, not a participant...and he knows why. It is the point of light that is observing he is just the conduit through which his life is being replayed. Behind him the point of light has changed, it is now a shard of some glowing...something. Something he can't put a name to, or even really fathom, just a piece of something that is using him to return to its home. He's along for the ride, it seems.
---
Donovan and Sigrun notice that Karsci is gone. His body remains, but they can actually feel that he, his essence, his presence, is gone. Zaki, can feel it too, but she is more concerned about Karsci's falling autonomous functions. She has seen this happen before in patients who slowly faded away to death. If Karsci doesn't stabilize...she hates to think about that!

A pause for those outside the dream to take an action if they wish, and for ateno to chip in anything he wishes from Karsci. Just keep in mind that Karsci is holding that chain and must not let go and at this point he is mostly just a conduit as the shard observes his past life.

[terrymixon]

Flighty will be there.

[Tiglath]

Sigrún prods Karsci with a "medical finger" and, having sagely poked, determines "Ah, he is travelling through the Spirit World now. He walks between the realms". She carefully removes her "Nurse" tag, pockets it and takes up her goblet of mead.

She then fetches Karsci's spear and presses it into his unconscious hand "Just in case".

She asks Zaki "Do you think he'd like some mead?"

She rattles the container bearing the remnant collection of clipped and crushed tablets and "spares" from the creation of Karsci's "Spirit Path" concoction stating "I'll keep this to hand in case I need to go and fetch my spear brother".

[joertexas]

Zaki watching with a worried look on her face sees Karsci close his eyes and go rigid. The monitors she has on him show his heartbeat has slowed to 36 beats per minute, his blood pressure is 40/80 and his respiration is at 12 per minute. His body temperature is going down, now at only 34 c. EEG readings show Karsci's brain is producing very high levels of theta waves, it looks like some form of REM, but without the actual rapid eye movement.

Zaki watches the monitors while recording the session for future reference, and running constant diagnostics through her HUD. Her crash bag lies next to her, and she unconsciously places her hand on it.

[Eris]

Zaki watches the monitors while recording the session for future reference, and running constant diagnostics through her HUD. Her crash bag lies next to her, and she unconsciously places her hand on it.

Her fears are partially relieved when the readings on her instruments stop falling. Karcsi's appears to have stabilized. All of his bodily functions are running at a very low level, except his brain. Karcsi's brain is throwing electromagnetic pulses to beat the band! Mostly theta waves, but with sporadic flashes of both alpha and beta waves flying across his brain like lightning!
---
An internal alarm goes off in Engineering making Doug look up immediately from the tablet he is working on. First life support, no! Then the jump bubble, no, that's solid, too!

Frowning he scans the boards and then sees green lights flashing on the Sensor Controls, not red! Sensors should be blank during Jump, they are left on to help determine exit time as they will begin to show dim patches of activity shortly before the ship comes back out of Jump...as the veil (or whatever it is) thins between normal and jump space. So, the controls show red lights on them, but 3 days into jump those screens should be blanker than blank! And those lights should be redder than red!

Unconsciously, Doug starts to hum to himself, "I have become comfortably numb."
---
Karcsi still grasps the thread, the chain, as it thrums and vibrates and he begins to see shapes in the whirling swirling colors around him as he and the shard behind him continue to move through this place. He feels pleasantly...um...numb.

Attempting to concentrate, just a little, Karcsi thinks the shapes he is seeing are shards like the one behind him, no, in front of him. It's in front of him now and pulling him and his chain along through a white space with the shards scattered about and oh, oh, so many black pin pricks of um...not light?

"Oh, I see?" thinks Karcsi, "I see Biboonkeonini! And those are the Seven Sisters. It's the stars, it's the negative of the stars!"

He begins to hear whispers....no, not whispers because the hum and thrumming of the thread is in his ears, but still he begins to hear voices speaking fear, loneliness, desire coming from all around him. It's the shards! They are lost and want to go home!

From somewhere deep in Karcsi's ancestral memories an image forms of large dogs running beside him. Karcsi, still holding the chain, is standing, yes, Standing! He's standing on a kelkka, a sled, sliding through clean packed snow with kaksi poroa pulling it and several hunting susia loping along beside him. Kotiin is just ahead, he can see the circle of tents in the far distance...the forests, the mountains, the clean clear air. Warmth, comfort from the long, long cold beckon him home. Home to family, to completion.

Home! The shard is taking him home to the Luomisen Henget, where all things began and everything was created!

---
Those seated in a circle around the now only flickering embers see Karcsi take a deep breath. It is the first sign of him even breathing in it must be an hour or more. His mouth moves into a smile. Your conversations have waned over the hour and your limbs feel cramped and numb from sitting on the hard steel floor for so long. Sigrun and Donovan recognize that something is happening inside Karcsi's head now, but neither are Shaman so they really can't put it into words. Of course, neither really understand what is happening. They haven't been where Karcsi is now.

Zaki sees the increase in respiration and heartbeat, the rise in blood pressure, and the shift in brainwave patterns from mostly theta to mostly alpha now. Karcsi is in a deep meditative state now. His mind is alert and active, but he is still by all appearances still unconscious.
---

OOC: Time to pause again to let all of you interact. If trawets doesn't have Doug call Flighty over the comms, then I'll say that he gets the alert from his pocket comm about the sensors, but I'd rather have that be player interaction.

[trawets]

Doug can't believe what he is seeing on the boards. Captain, we've got a problem here. I'm seeing green lights on the sensor controls when I should be seeing red at this point of the jump. Checking sensors which should be blank might be a good idea.