World Walker (Multicross Quest)

[X] Do something with that medical data
-[X] See what you can utilize for yourself to gain a better advantage overall

You decide to do an in-depth review of the data those Governance people gave you. For a moment you fear the format will the unrecognisable for some obscure reason but those concerns are allayed when the files show up in the PC.

It gives you a fairly comprehensive overview of medical advancements over the next two decades. A lot of technical data for medical breakthroughs and better practices between 2003 to 2020. It gets pretty hazy after that, which you assume is for more difficult to replicate treatments with current day tech than any nefarious reason.

You notice several things of note. Cures and more effective treatments for several forms of cancer. That vaccine for HPV looks nice, so too does the cure for Hepatitis C. New classes of antibiotics to deal with upcoming resistances and a plethora of other drugs. Items like the bionic ear or bionic eye and other medical machines. Things that seem super sci-fi like gene therapy or artificial organs.

This is all great info to have, but you're still not sure how to use it. Metatron's suggestion to ignore it and keep exploring new worlds to get it repaired was unhelpful.

[X] Try to dig up more info on your mother's family.
-[X] Look through your mothers things to see what you can find out

You go through your mother's things looking for any clues about your origins. What you find is annoyingly unhelpful, just old nick knacks lying about. The closest you find is some stuff from her time in America. The most relevant being newspaper clippings around gang killings.

Curious, you dig further into the dusty storage room. There are some pictures of your mother with some other people. This includes a certain blonde haired woman who shows up several times.

Unfortunately, the trail goes cold after that. It seems your mother was not one to leave signs of her past behind.

What are you doing? Asks Metatron, your father's onetime device as you shift another worn box.

Trying to find out more about my mother's people.

Oh them. I can answer some questions about them.

Really? You resorted to all this pointless searching in dusty, cobwebbed places, why didn't you just ask the device in the first place? Why did it not tell you earlier? You don't bother asking since the answer would probably be something stupid like building character.

You grit your teeth, what do you know about my maternal family?

They call themselves the Clan. A collection of several dozen family groupings ranging from low hundreds to low thousands. They are mainly based in America so you should not worry too much about them. They were very primitive in culture and thinking, your family on the other side is much better.

You ignore the paternal praise, I read that she ran away from them.

They sent some people after your mother… eloped. The tone with which it spoke the last word was very flat.

What happened?

I killed them.

It seems inordinately proud of itself.

Really?

Well your father did, wielding me.

I thought you weren't working by then?

I wasn't, so I had to get creative.

What follows is a long, very descriptive story involving a warehouse, Styrofoam, nails, some kind of acid and creative use of energy needles.

You puke twice.

So, you made up the plan and had him carry it out? you ask after making sure the last of the bile is gone.

Yes. I recommend you gain more proficiency in magic and gain a few followers before subjugating them.

"Why would I want to do that?" you speak aloud in your surprise.

I suppose you're perfectly okay with a giant drug cartel funnelling billions of dollars of contraband into America.

Okay said that way… it still sounds like some Illuminati conspiracy. Surely there is some middle ground?

There is not, the Clan operates in a hierarchical structure that would be easy to knock over with sufficient force. From what I understand, any type of peaceful contact will result in them trying to incorporate you back into the family structure. Likely through a marriage.

Yuck, okay you are going to smack some faces in once you get Metatron repaired.

What's the threat?

Minimal. Once I am fixed.

Is that truly the case?

Yes Alice, local small arms is the extent of their capabilities. Nothing a proper barrier jacket cannot handle.

You can't help but sigh in weariness.

I can gain more information with an active trawl through official systems. I know the general area they were located though nothing recent.

[X] Spend money
-[X] Buy some small gold coins(might be useful in trading in some/most worlds)
-[X] Buy some small silver coins

Once again you try to buy some coins made of precious metals.

This time you opt for going to various pawnshops around the city.

You first buy some expensive clothes to throw off suspicion.

With that you set out to buy some coins. A few proprietors still give you sceptical looks, but you think the story of being an idle rich kid works. Hey, that term would actually apply to you now!

You find some limited degree of success. Some were fakes, others weren't. No skin off your nose.

Between stores you idly scan some newspaper headlines sitting out.

Prominent fast food chain goes into receivership.

Huh, what a coincidence.

You eventually run out of luck when one shopkeeper tells you to wait, and then comes back with a scary policeman in tow. He asks you some questions on why you're buying gold and silver coins.

You don't think he buys your story and warns you against a life of crime. You say that you haven't committed any crimes. You leave to go on your way but the mean copper says he'll keep an eye on you. As if.


[] World walk to the other worlds on Metatron's list
[] Have Metatron actively trawl for more info about your mother's family
[] Ask Metatron questions about your mother's family
-[] Write-in
[] Learn more of the Belkan language
[] Learn more Linker Core magic theory.
[] Do something with that medical data
-[] Write-in
[] Spend money
-[] Write-in

Gold and silver coins added to inventory.

[X] World walk to the other worlds on Metatron's list
-[X] Just scout with your full exploration loadout and bail out at the first sign of trouble
--[X] Once you see a human, hide and world warp back to buy similar clothing to the natives of the new world then continue exploration.

You decide to check out the rest of the diagrams and do some experimenting on the side. You are decked out in the exploration gear and are ready to bolt at any signs of trouble.

Over the next several days you steadily cross each possibility off. You discover that you can do up to four consecutive world walks in relatively quick succession. Doing so leaves you extremely sick for the rest of the day and Metatron warns you of possible long-term health risks. The device grumbles about getting a proper lab to experiment on you. This you pretend not to hear.

Most of the new knotwork diagrams yield nothing apart from an occasional headache. In a couple of cases it results in a new world. These are unpromising and empty, with no apparent sign of civilisation. Apparently empty dimensions like this are decent for resources and not much else according to Metatron.

You cross the last one off and are ready to call it a day when Metatron hits you up. It wants to try the same diagrams except on different worlds. You are unsure if this works and it would add another leg to your journey, increasing complexity.

You try the idea out on that medieval world your ancestors originated from and start from the top of the list. The ones that didn't do anything before still don't. One of the two that worked before send you to a new world, which your device confirms is different. The other gives you a familiar headache – for which painkillers are used.

Metatron suggests there is something inaccessible on the other side like an ice sheet or sea. One of the ones that gave you a headache before actually work this time.

The helpful suggestion opens up a bunch of new combinations, and Metatron tells you it's still thinking up more.

You studiously avoid the one that led to commieland back on your home dimension. Just to be safe.

Metatron notes that some of these dimensions have a different world template, meaning you're not just going to an identical earth. You can't tell yourself, but you take its word for it.

You continue to experiment.

[X] Learn more Linker Core magic theory.

In the frequent downtime between world walks – you only manage a few daily – you learn more magic theory.

More weird, strange maths you've never seen before. You wonder if you could recruit mathematicians but are told they would need sufficiently powerful linker cores. Which apparently no one here has.

The only reason you have one is due to your father. Your linker core abilities would only be rated A by the TSAB, two ranks below him. You should work on improving that.

You learn that using high end spells often need build up. This requires saturating the environment with the residual magic of many lesser spells being cast. So, you can't end a fight by casting one big spell.

You also find out that without a barrier jacket or isolation barrier in place – both of which you can't cast – such high end spells would likely vaporise you. Great.




You are working your way down the list again when you discover another world.

Only this one appears to have some signs human habitation. Fairly advanced signs to boot. You spend several minutes surveying the scene.

You can see some kind of aircraft very high in the air. There are wooden fences and a rural road far in the distance.

We're in luck, ho ho ho.

You realise to your shock that Metatron is laughing. You have never seen it do that.

It sounds like a demented mall Santa.

I recognise this world from its version of the network. We are back in recognised dimensional space, good work Alice.

Thanks? Where are we?

This world is called Cordamar, it is sparsely populated with limited advanced knowledge. One of the backwater worlds in the hinterland parts of the old empire, it was ignored by the successor states after it fell.

What do we do now?

Cordamar was an Unadministered world last I heard, and it still appears so. There is not much of value here, so you need to travel elsewhere to repair me.

How will I travel? How will I communicate?

You will have to find a dimensional gate on this world or seek passage on a dimensional ship. As for language I believe these people speak a derivative of antebellum Belkan, you should be able to understand each other. You have been practising your Belkan right?

You mumble something.

Right?

Well I got busy and learning magic was more important-

Right?

Okay, you know I haven't! You finally lose your patience and snap back.

Well you'll have to make do, I guess.

And how am I going to pay for this? For anything?

I have an idea.

Well let's hear it, smart guy.

You need to beg for a while and have someone take pity on you. Invent a sob story and some goody two shoes is sure to pick you up.

Your ideas are sometimes really stupid.

Thats just asking to be taken advantage of, in your opinion.

I'm open to taking proposals.

Can't you just steal from money like you did on Earth?

No.

Why not?

Because of advanced technology reasons you wouldn't understand.

Try me.

These people do not have electronic banking.

Hah, that wasn't so difficult.

You are welcome to engage in banditry my dear.

What's your overall plan here? You try to move the conversation to more productive ground.

We need to get off-world. There are caches and secret bank accounts still left over from the last time your father and I were in this part of dimensional space. Then we can focus on more important things.

But they are not here.

Correct.

You sigh.

Your skills in deduction appear to be improving.

You sigh again.

[] Interdimensional adventure
-[] Do that begging thing
-[] Try to hitch a ride somewhere
-[] Keep walking
-[] Write-in

[] Go back home
-[] Learn more of the Belkan language
-[] Learn more Linker Core magic theory.
-[] Visit some of your old friends
-[] Write-in