Chapter 1: Smoke on the Horizon

[archangel.arcanis]

I have no intent of speaking any of this to anyone outside this group. If I am to be a weapon I'd rather prefer it be on the side of humanity. If I can see these and possibly their world I will try to warn you, all of you, if I do notice them.

[bhu]

"Yes; assuming we do get back to Philadelphia alive and tell them what we now know, what are we supposed to do about it? If these things could destroy the whole of the English fleet, I can imagine there is scarce little we can do to manage them. Either way, we should start back immediately... but to what avail, I do not know..."

"We don't know whats come through.  If it's as mortal as we are this isn't so much a problem.  We find out what it takes to make peace with it if we can, or kill it if we cant.  That's what our job is.  First contact.  We might have gotten lucky and the implosion will simply have destroyed the area.  Might have."

[bhu]

I have no intent of speaking any of this to anyone outside this group. If I am to be a weapon I'd rather prefer it be on the side of humanity. If I can see these and possibly their world I will try to warn you, all of you, if I do notice them.

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions so the saying goes.  You will find life very much difficult from now on Mr. Martin, and you may not be human at the end of it.  Take great care.  Now then, who will be staying watch tonight?"

[PipTheBlue]

Will stands up. His face red with very pronounced vein on his left temple. "One more thing before we call it a day Jones. Did you have anything to do with this?"

[bhu]

Will stands up. His face red with very pronounced vein on his left temple. "One more thing before we call it a day Jones. Did you have anything to do with this?"

"If by 'this' you mean your past or present encounters, then no, I haven't."

[PipTheBlue]

"Then how do you know all this? In fact, how did Washington and Franklin gain this knowledge? We must have someone on our side who's been beyond such a portal."

[bhu]

"Then how do you know all this? In fact, how did Washington and Franklin gain this knowledge? We must have someone on our side who's been beyond such a portal."

"I know what I know because I have been taught by those who came before me.  It's been almost several hundred years since the first Roanoke colony after all.  I have been present when others demonstrated the calling up of doorways, and I have seen what happens when they fail.  But no, none of us has been through and truly come back.  Instead of magic think of this as a different form of science, one whose practical use involves making the universe around you do your bidding by force of will.  It has rules we don't understand yet.  To open a door you need the directions for where its going.  If I simply try doing it from written instructions I could be opening one anywhere, even between worlds.  The door will adapt you to whatever place you will arrive at, but once that happens there's no going home.  You need the proper instructions to go back because they will contain the knowledge to adapt you again to your old home.  But the ones who go outside...they're at the mercy of the enemy, and molded to it's purpose.  They can cross from the outside to their old home only with absolute difficulty, and all but the most experienced manifest as insubstantial phantoms.  But that doesn't make them any less dangerous.  I myself avoid using what the others still insist on referring to as magic because they haven't found a better term.  It corrupts.  It's use is meant for beings far different than ourselves and we use a weak, imperfect version of it.  A pale shadow of what it truly is.  But consistent use changes you.  It makes you less human.  Less able to identify with us, easier to identify with the enemy.  It is for that reason you shouldn't ever completely trust the others.  Men before Franklin thought they knew enough to control what they were using, and they were put down by their students, who were later put down by their students.  I hope to break that chain, and prevent a repeating of the usual cycle."

[bhu]

"Now, which of us is taking watch?"

[PipTheBlue]

"I shall take first. Given the circumstances, I feel it's not wise to take two watches."

[bhu]

"I will take the second.  Which of us wishes the third?"

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"I've no problem with taking the third watch..."

[bhu]

"I've no problem with taking the third watch..."

"Then let us sleep for now, and you can think on what I've said so far.  And remember if there are incidents in the night, wake me.  Don't deal with it yourself."

Spot, Listen rolls from those taking a watch.

[PipTheBlue]

Listen: 21
Spot: 16

[bhu]

Listen: 21
Spot: 16

First watch is odd but nothing truly horrible happens.  A few times you think you see animals in the distance, but nothing that seems out of place.

Constable Jones appears to have an uneventful watch as well and awakens Constable Dresden on time for his watch.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Listen: 23
Spot: 23

Huh, thank you IC! Way to go with excellence and consistency!

[bhu]

Listen: 23
Spot: 23

Huh, thank you IC! Way to go with excellence and consistency!

The night seems fairly uneventful.  You do see quite a few animals though.  All of them heading away from the direction you came.

[bhu]

The travel to Philadelphia seems uneventful for the most part.

"The partner of the Indian who was looking for Mr. Martin may still be about, or may have fled if he's realized whats happened in New York.  We need to be on the lookout for anyone unusual.  Also, lets keep that book a little secret between us until we can find some way of translating it.  We need to be sure what it is.  If it comes down to someone possibly discovering it to taking it, burn it before they can.  Last chance for questions gentlemen.  We don't have long before we reach the city."

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"I can work on translation; it shouldn't take me too long to figure out the major grammatical differences between German, English, and Dutch, and with the library I can get any sources available without the slightest suspicion.

And you mean the partner of the murdered man? How do we know his partner wasn't killed too?"

[bhu]

"Given the description of them I'm thinking his partner might not be entirely human.  Once we report it might be a good idea to interview the local Indian tribes."