J&L: Emissary of the Eldritch (10)

HGJ: "Where the devil are we?"

PGL: "I have no earthly idea, Henry. But then again, that is rather the point, I suppose. Wherever we are, it's not Earth."

HGJ: "This is no time for levity George! Those ichthyological invaders took poor Howie to this foul realm. I mean, look at it all... We're stood on this obsidian outcrop, surrounded by a sea of soupy slime. Bubbling away like the Devil's cauldron."

PGL: "Not to mention the sky! A haunting expanse of viridian gloom. Almost beautiful, in a bleak sort of way."

HGJ: "More like unsettling, if you ask me. The portal which brought us here has vanished, so where do we go now?"

PGL: "An excellent question, but one whose answer is elusive. There's a sort of structure over there, some kind of rocky protrusion. It's the only notable landmark I can spy, but dashed if I know how to get there."

HGJ: "I don't particularly fancy swimming that distance. Not in this odious ooze."

Guide: "Then perhaps a guide can assist."

HGJ: "What the blazes?!"

PGL: "Who are you and what do you want?  Speak plainly, we're in no mood for games."

Guide: "Both of you, please, be calm. I am here to help. I know you seek the boy, and I know there is still time to save him. Him, and the world at large."

HGJ: "How do you know? Eh? And how can we be sure you're trustworthy? For all we know, you could be in league with the frogmen. You could be behind all of this!"

PGL: "It is convenient to find another human in this evil place, especially one who claims to have such answers."

Guide: "Gentlemen. I understand your reticence, but we have little time to act if we are to prevail."

HGJ: "Then I suggest you explain quickly."

Guide: "Very well. I am a traveller, and a wanderer. I walk between worlds, inhabiting the spaces between, prowling the cracks and the voids woven among realities. I dance across the dimensions, observing and studying. There are a myriad of realms beyond the understanding of most men. Creatures and domains dreamed only by the most visionary of minds. To the humble flea, a dog is the entire universe. It cannot comprehend the expanse beyond its world."

PGL: "How very poetic. So, why do you appear human? Some disguise to put us at ease?"

Guide: "I am as human as you are."

HGJ: "Nonsense. How does a human travel as you claim to?"

Guide: "How did you come to be here? You found a gateway. In your case the gateway was tangible. Physical. You were transported here. It is an experience I long for, as I am only able to wander the realms in my dreams."

PGL: "You claim to be some kind of spirit walker?"

Guide: "I use astral projection to decouple my mind from my body, and let my essence drift on the tidal forces of the universe. It is an acquired talent, one practiced by several exotic monastic groups. Most practitioners barely manage an out of body experience, but I've always had a certain affinity with the wider world. I've always seen things differently to others, after all."

PGL: "I would find this a hard story to stomach, where it not for the fact that we've crossed paths with others who have demonstrated a similar talent. But it's still rather a coincidence that you've found us, here, now. And you happen to know about us."

Guide: "Something to which I have a valid explanation. But one I cannot share. Not yet. Not while things remain in flux."

HGJ: "Well, if you can't explain yourself to us, maybe you could explain who Valgthoth is, and why the child is so important."

Guide: "Very well, but I must remain brief. This is the heart of the dimension where the entity known as Valgthoth resides. Now, he has a reputation as an evil spirit, a force of malevolent destruction bent on invading our realm and annihilating all things. This is both factually incorrect, and rather a selfish line of thought. Valgthoth is a being beyond our understanding, he exists on a scale far in excess of our ability to rationalize. We are all of us insignificant insects to him, barely worthy of notice. To call him evil is to call a hurricane angry."

PGL: "So, he's more of an anthropomorphic force of nature than a living being?"

Guide: "Still a simplification, but about as accurate as we can be, yes. Consider him the embodiment of chaotic entropy. A universal law, the inescapable end state of all things."

HGJ: "But what about the cults? The insidious incantations and repulsive rites?  If Valgthoth is beyond humanity, why would he care for such token pageantry?"

Guide: "Another excellent question. The answer is energy. By themselves, the rituals are meaningless. But through iteration, and faith, the actions have been imbued with a certain energy. Powered by belief, a sort of potential energy. And sometimes, rarely, these actions are inherently powerful, by utter random chance. Certain energies when released, can tug at the stands of the higher dimensions. Cutting a single thread can cause the entire cloth to unravel. This energy, these ripples resonate across the cosmos, where creatures like Valgthoth can feed on the raw power."

HGJ: "This is a bit beyond me, I'm afraid. I'm not following."

PGL: "I think what our mysterious guide is attempting to explain, in simple terms, is that the cult's meddling is only serving to draw Valgthoth's attention to our otherwise unremarkable world, which will result in untold chaos. In much the same way unsafe blasting in a mine can bring about a cave-in, or earthquakes."

HGJ: "How are we supposed to stop an earthquake?"

Guide: "You can start by preventing the misguided Professor Fenchurch from doing any more damage. Allow me to clear the way."

HGJ: "My word! You made those rocks rise up out of the sea, with nothing more than a hand gesture."

Guide: "The perks of being attuned to this reality. I can call upon the unique forces of this dimension with ease. But don't go trying anything yourselves, it takes years of practice, and runs the risk of inviting other spirits into your forms."

PGL: "I wouldn't dream of it! I don't like messing with things I don't understand."

HGJ: "Magic is best left on the stage, in my view. In the hands of the professionals. And entirely in the purview of trickery and theatrics."

Guide: "I must say, you're both taking all of this very well. I've seen this kind of knowledge tear men's minds apart."

PGL: "We've seen our fair share of extraordinary phenomena in our time. Though I suspect in this case, our lack of full comprehension of our surroundings is keeping us from such raving madness."

Guide: "Indeed. Now, let us move onward. The boy does not have much time remaining. Run!"