Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers investigating the possible ruins of Level A Inc:
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Sonny Helianthus: a sentient sunflower artifact examiner with Restorationist ties.
Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout looking for trouble
Sneaky Pete: a mutated weasel scout. Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.
Lathar Bracken: a pure-strain human from River Bend. He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters. Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.
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Watching Sneaky Pete and Lathar run away from the Dome of the Ancients, possibly part of Level A, Inc, Sonny turned to pop his head back through the open window of the Dome. It could see the giant jaguar head floating in the air, preparing for attack, but then it made an audible yelp and vanished. Multiple entities could be heard scrambling in the dark.
"Hi, I'm back!"
Sonny could hear, in his head, "Go away! Go Away! Nothing to see here."
"I am looking for someone else."
"They're not here! Go away!"
Sonny bellowed down the thirty feet to the floor beneath the dome, "You don't even know who we're looking for."
"Doesn't matter, there's nobody here but us."
A second voice entered Sonny's mind, "Don't tell him there's more than one of us. Tell him there's lot of us.... oh crap, he can hear."
"Don't worry, I figure that out already."
Lathar and Pete were almost back near the river when their compulsion to run abated. Both were quite winded as they made their way back up to the hill.
Back at the dome, the hidden cat people kept insisting to Sonny that the group go away.
"Go away, there's nothing here..."
"Can we talk? We're looking for..."
"Nope, nope, nope, you're going to eat us."
"I'm a plant!"
The second voice chimed in, "Stop speaking with the talking plant, he will eat us."
Pete finally reached Sonny, half speaking into the down, half gesturing like he was talking to himself.
He peered down and yelled, "You guys hungry?"
A single weak voice responded, "Yes"
The weasel chucked some ration down towards what could be an excellent hiding spot.
A single cat, with yellow-golden fur with black strips and a handful of dots, emerged from the clutter, sniffed the food, and brought it back to their spot.
"Just keep that vile plant away. He worships the vengeful sun god."
Sonny was perplexed "I do?"
Pete continued, "Have you seen anyone in your travels?
"No, silly, that's why we like it here, no one else?"
"Here, have some more food, have you seen anything for Level A Linc?"
"Sounds like a horrible place, do vile plants live there?"
"No, I don't think so. Are there any other rooms down there."
"There are stairs, but we have been visited them, nothing has come up ."
Pete got little more out of the cats, Lyonne and Puma. Pete provided a bit more rations to them, which they somehow levitated to their hiding spot. He bid them adieu and advised they scour the grounds
After an hour, Pete found a much smaller dome around a group of trees. Digging it out from a thick covering of dirt, Pete put his hands on the glass... and fell straight through.
As the dust cleared, Pete cleaned himself up to find himself on a large table, staring up at his friends to gathered around the collapsed window. The room's circular walls had different windows from the dome, but their apparent views were snow-capped mountains.
The ones still above had a better view. The weasel landed on a dark wood table the could fit numerous weasels on it, with a dozen fancy chairs surrounding it.
Lathar tied a rope off and descended to check on Pete. It appeared the weasel had land on a machine on top of the large table. The machine had a series of button and knobs. The only other objects of note were a series of three doors on the far side from the wall.
Once the room was secured, the other came down, and Sonny began examining the machine. Turning some knobs and flipping random switches, the fake windows with snowy mountains turned to blackness.
Lathar moved around the table to get a better look, but the machine began to spark. The black walls turned with and "LEVEL A INC." spinning around the circular walls.
Lathar was satisfied, "There, we're here!"
The words continue to spin around the round a good half-dozen times before stopping at the wall opposite the three doors. The words eventually faded out of the view, with a symbol of a triangle with an eye inside of it fading in to replace it.
A mysteious voice boomed from the non-existent corners of the room. "Please do not damage the equipment, we are unsure when the Splurbombs will return."
Sonny didn't miss a beat, "What's a splurbomb?"
"The splurbombs do all the facility maintenance and repairs."
"What is your purpose?"
"I am the great intelligence of the Level A Inc"
"Awesome, we have so many questions, but have you seen any recent travelers."
"Of course, I see all...."
"Has there been a winged snake man here recently?"
"Processing, processing.... there needs to be additional splurbombs before processing may be completed."
"What is the process of splurbomb?"
"Splurbombing is went we avante the drellech. Once those processes are complete, I may complete your request."
"Is there anywhere we can assist with the aid in that process?"
"Now that you mention it," and with that, a number of new noises could be heard throughout the room.
The group heard a whirring sound by each chair, and the backside of each headrest open up and a compartment is revealed. Inside each one was a single, sealed envelope. Somehow, with puff of air, the envelopes flew out of the compartment and towards the party members.
Sonny picked up his envelope. Inside was a letter with "Level A Inc" as a header,
I, Sonny Helianthus do hereby accept a lifetime post at the Level A, Inc as faculty/staff. for Panaschalante. I immediately resign all other paid positions in favor of this one. In return, my every need and desire within these walls shall be granted. I swear to uphold the principles of preservation and management of the assets of the Level A, Inc.Pete''s letter was identical, although the position of Splurbomb appeared to be offered.
Sonny addressed the computer, "So all great seeing eye."
"I am just a computer, not some stylized deity."
"Point taken, but I don't believe we want to work here forever. Is there a shorter term?"
"But we need good employees to help with the facility."
"But we don't know what the facility does for the scant moments we've been here."
Lathar's letter provided him a lifetime security position. He was intrigued.
"Do I get a weapon?"
Coming out of the compartment of each chair was a writing implement.
Lathar continued, "Can I see my office before I sign? If I'm going to live here forever can I see where I'm going."
"One moment, processing."
Pete agreed, "When you're splurbombing, you need to know where you're going."
"I'm sorry, you currently to not possess the card clearance to see facilities... still processing previous requests."
Lathar nonchalantly walked over the first door. and found an closet with an odd box the size of a human hand with random buttons and small switches, some rectangular keycards, and a couple curiosities. Upon further review, one item was a writing implement like the ones that came out of the chairs. Another item was a medallion, 3-inches across, with a large industrial chain. The letters "XII" were proudly displayed on the medallion.
While Sonny was pre-occupied with the items, Lathar walked over to the far door, and found a completely empty closet.
Pete moved over to the center door and a large piece of Living Metal floating in the doorway.
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