Be Warned.

[Cybermancer]

Good day all.

I do not expect that many of you will believe what I have to tell you. Even here, I suspect there are limits to what people can expect to accept on faith. The worst of it is that I cannot offer one shred of evidence. All of our recording equipment degraded horribly during the course of the expedition. Only that which was transmitted to Robyn prior to losing contact has been preserved but it has little bearing on the message I must relate. Even those recordings could well be clever forgeries. Although the budget required to produce them with special effects would be huge, on the par with a blockbuster movie.

The best way to begin seems to be with a confession. I’m not from your world. No, I’m not a little green man or an alien. Still, I have never stepped foot on your version of earth. I was born and raised on a parallel world to yours. There are many similarities and a few striking differences. I live in a world of Heroes where the potential for the paranormal seems to be Unlimited.

My communications with these boards started out as a mistake. I was experimenting with ways to use temporal and dimensional technologies to expand the capacities of my computers while taking up less room. As a side effect of these experiments, I learned I could actually gain access to the Internet of a whole other world, yours.

By now, most of you have no doubt tuned me out and branded me a lunatic, a fraud or else someone trying to mock you all. This is not the case although I cannot prove it. Still, this is nothing compared to what I have yet to say.

When we first started to learn that there was some, apparently large scale conflict going on between two large, supernatural forces, it was determined that we should attempt to find out just how large scale things really were. My colleagues and I have, through the course of our adventures discovered other worlds to be real. One to which we find ourselves returning is a medieval world where magic is commonly practiced.

It is to here that we set out on our expedition. There were difficulties of course. Dimensional travel is never easy and there are many unexplored variables at this point. We had to send through a gateway device first, to ensure that we would be able to return home when the mission was over. Then we had to cross over and establish a base camp. To complicate things, was the time dilation. While my world is in synch with yours, time moves at a different rate in this medieval world. For every hour that passes by here, a day passes by there. So I have been gone approximately 500 days, from my perspective.

Then of course there was the language barrier. Humans are the dominant species on the planet but there are other intelligent races as well. All have different languages and dialects. Even among the humans, we came across four distinct languages (although they may have had a common root language dating back thousands of years). Dr. James, Chrysalis and Jinx were all instrumental in communicating with the locals until we could program our language translators.

We learned that this world had a long history of demonic and devilish activity (all they called them deevil’s). Our first major lead took us to a pair of simply massive volcanoes. While there were many giants and creatures of fantasy present, there was no evidence of what we were looking for.

Locals assured us that we would find what we seek in a place called the land of the damned. They also implored us not to go, insisting it was suicide. But go we did.

First, we had to pass a massive range of mountains. That was the easy part. Up until this point, we suffered no casualties and still had most of our equipment when we made it to the other side.

Then things started to go really, really bad. First was the wastelands infested with the undead. This is where we began to lose some of our colleagues. It was a non-stop battle to get to the other side of this region.

Where we wound up was no better. A thick and twisted forest awaited us. Within this savage land, tribes of were beast’s waged war against each other as well as the diminutive faerie folk that also called the land theirs. In the middle of it all was a strange kingdom of elves. It was here that we found our first respite as well as allies.

A group of local heroes had arrived a week ahead of us and were recovering from their misadventures. They too had suffered casualties although more from the outlying woodlands than from the dead lands. Amazingly, they were determined to continue to explore this desolate land. They called themselves the Black Riders though not for their deeds but for their manner of dress. They agreed to join forces with us. Corenthian, their mage, and Dr. James spent much time comparing notes and exchanging ideas.

A larger force now, we set out again. Eventually we came to the area of the great rift. A massive canal carved into the land, it is what we had been seeking. Two forces vie for control of this area. One side is from a dimension called Hades and they call themselves demons. The other side is from a dimension called Dyval and they call themselves Deevils. Why they fight when they seem so similar is beyond me. Perhaps that is the nature of evil.

Apparently the war being waged here had gone on for tens of thousands of years. Worse, it was just one battleground of a much larger conflict. Our worst fears had been realized. Or so we thought.

Now came the problem of going home. It was not as easy as we had hoped it was going to be. The fact that we all found ourselves drawn into the fight didn’t help things. In the course of our interactions, two magical weapons of mass destruction were unleashed and massive casualties were suffered on both sides. Only to be quickly replaced by eager new arrivals.

An opportunity to escape home did present itself, however. One of the reasons the Black Riders had come to this land was to confront a nemesis in Hades who had been making their lives difficult for some time. They had slain him once in the world but they could only be sure his existence was ended was by going directly to Hades and finishing the job. Apparently Hades is some sort of dimensional nexus with doors to many worlds. It is through one of those doors they hoped to escape. It was the means that we sought our escape as well.

So bowing to madness, we descended into the great rift to find a portal to hell.

We found it.

Or rather, one of many.

Together we plunged through. Things did not improve much on the other side. Again we were in a constant battle as invaders in an alien world. The world itself was hostile to our existence.

One thing we observed throughout our travels is that the entire world seemed to be on a war footing. I am not exaggerating when I said that I saw millions of demonic soldiers being formed into military units.

But we did manage to make it through and even helped our allies achieve their goal. The cost was high however, as two thirds of our original expedition had perished by this point.

Escape did come our way, however. Using magic, we were able to infiltrate an invasion force that we had good reason to believe was headed to our very own world. Along the way, we were separated from the Black Riders and their fate is unknown to us.

With some finesse, we managed to be assigned as the scout team to the world about to be invaded. Once on the other side, we slew those that had come with us and then closed the portal behind us.

It was only then that we learned that we were finally home again.

I feel ten years older.

So I end this story with a warning.

This conflict I observed is expanding. It’s come to my world and others already. Right now, it’s still in the shadows of my world and we’re going to do what we can to keep it there. That alone is likely to take up all our resources so there isn’t much we can offer you in the way of help.

There is no guarantee that it will come to your world, but if it does, there are some things to watch for.

First, be aware of increased cult activity. These creatures are masters of using minions to do their biddings for them. They will be in the shadows, pulling the strings from afar.

Look for shadowy figures trying to recruit people for a war against a great evil. This could be a ploy by either faction.

There may be a general upswing in paranormal activity as ‘local’ supernatural beings either try to enlist or try to resist. Then again, there may be a huge downswing as ‘local’ entities are enlisted or go underground.

This is the stage we’re at in my world.

I don’t want to think what will happen if there’s an all out invasion by either or both sides. I’m tormented by nightmares of the war at the great rift. I will do anything it takes to keep that from happening here. And if it gets me a labeled a madman, I will do whatever I can to warn others of the danger.

Perhaps they will never bring the conflict to you. Perhaps they feel too weak in your world to take he war there. Maybe they'll run out of resources before they get to you. Heck, perhaps I am a mad man who is prone to ranting.

But dare you take that risk?

[Technocrat]

Hmmm.

I try to be open minded but this try's even me. I won't say I don't beleive you but I have to confess I've taken what's been said here with a healthy dose of salt.

Because, lets face it, the story has built in reasons why you can't or won't give evidence to back up your claims. And while you've seemed rational in your other posts its quite possible that you have some form of schizophrenia where you're mostly lucid and then have bouts of... well, delusions.

Not to mention that this could simply be a ploy to spread paranoia and distrust.

Would you mind sending me some of the data you did manage to retrieve?

[Michael T]

Cybermancer please PM me, I think I know where you were... I just need to ask some questions and then I will know if I am guessing correctly.

Michael T.

[Shadowstalker]

As one who has walked the paths between worlds, I know that some of what you say is very true.
I will be on watch.

[Cybermancer]

Well, it seems that some people are willing to take my warning to heart. That's a good thing.

[Ron Caliburn]

Sounds like something from Victor Lazlo's worst ngihtmares.

[Cybermancer]

My dear Mr. Caliburn,

This was something out of anyone's worst nightmares.

And for me, at least, it's not over.

[Ron Caliburn]

Several years ago, I was given a vision by an associate fo mine. A vision of a world in which the fabric between realities had been torn apart and all sorts of monsters and demons spilled into a world helpless to defend itself.

With the vision I was given a task, somthing to do with Washington. Something that my save us from this. The whats or the whys I have no clue about, but with the strange things going on in the city lately and then this war your talking about.

I'm starting to wonder.

[Technocrat]

Thank you for the data, Cyber.

I'm going over it now and what he's said is correct. If this footage is a fraud, then it's an expensive fraud.

[Cybermancer]

Mr. Caliburn,

It's not an easy burden, is it? To have the fate of the world placed upon your shoulders?

I'm sure Victor Lazlo felt it. I know I have felt (and am feeling) it. So I understand where you're coming from.

The links between time, space and the dimensions are complicated and even I do not fully understand them. A portal that seems to lead to the past may lead to another world and a portal that seems to lead to another world may lead to the past.

So this vision of yours may well be connected in some way to war I've seen. Washington would be a good place to start for anyone looking to grab power in your world. What your role in stopping catastrophe might be, I cannot guess. Hopefully you'll know what to do when the time comes.

There isn't much more than morale support that I can offer you, Mr. Caliburn. I can offer you some information and advice. But anything substantial... I'd just as soon not create too big a hole for someone to follow me through. I may have put your world in enough risk as it is.

Let me know if there is anything I can do.

Technocrat,

You're welcome.

[A. Pendragon]

Cant say I believe you. In fact I wont say I believe you, but I will keep an eye out.

[Grace]

I'm coco for Cocoa Puffs!

Really. I know there are things out there that I can't explain and all. But an all out war between the powers of darkness and its headed this way?

Might just as well run around screaming, "The sky is falling!"

And whatever happened to the war between good and evil? Or did evil finally run out of good and now it's turning on itself?

This guy's a whack job who should take his medicine.

[Cybermancer]

Oh no.

The contract killer doesn't beleive me. Maybe if I paid him, he'd change his mind.

[Cybermancer]

We've been back to recover our gear from the base camps.

Most of it is safely back in my world.

But the weapons lockers were broken into. Numerous weapons from vibro-blades to slug throwers to energy weapons were stolen. Some explosives as well.

Dammit. What are people with a tech level of the 1500's going to do with that stuff?

Oh well. At least they'll eventually run out of ammo.

[DarKnyht]

Nemesis, the best description I've heard of true evil is that it is a blind force of mindless chaos and madness. My experience is that those that work for true evil seek the destruction of everything. There is no logic or rationale to it. Only when everything ceases to exist will they be satisfied. The irony being that if that force that is true evil succeeds in it's goals then it will also succeed in destroying itself.

[GhostSpider]

Evil doesn't get along with other evil. Just take a look at the short lived alliance J.Dork built up here.

[A. Pendragon]

Evil just wants the stones to keep from activating the Fifth Element!

[Shadowstalker]

Pendragon that is not helping, but it is funny.

[DarKnyht]

Evil just wants the stones to keep from activating the Fifth Element!

Completely off-topic, but man it has been a long time since I have seen or even heard a reference to that movie.

But then, it is nice to have someone remind us not to be too serious every once in a while.

[Chen Lung]

Cybermancer, and anyone else willing to heed a warning.

I believe my earlier post is intimately related to this one.

Please do not disregard or trivialize either.

[Cowardly_Leon]

I have to admit that your story feels too Tolkienesque to be believed but... yeah. I can easily see evil not wanting to share, or even play nicely.

I've seen too much and had it breathing down my neck far too often to dismiss things as easily as the average person. And yes... I think I've seen cases that indicate a pecking order with some of those things, or at least a food chain. I don't want to imagine that kind of freakiness getting organised in a Two Towers kind of way.

[Lord Shakar]

SInce I have first hand knowledge of the multiple Realities. I have encountered Pieces of this War at times.

There are Multiple War fronts. It seems, that there is a War betweem good and Evil as well as the War between Evils.

[biggie]

i'm too new to really have sway in topic here,

but i have never heard anything like this,if you could,would you send a private message,telling me more about this world you come from...

i'm intrigued...
and i may have a few questions...

[Lord Shakar]

Are you referring to me Biggie.

[biggie]

not directly,but yes,

i'm trying to get a grasp on things,
me life is a little chaotic,

my friends and family tell me some things are real and others are all in my head,

and honestly,i'm tired of them making me seem crazy,
i just want help in understanding the worlds around me,
and get involved in any way i can...

any assistance would be greatly appreciated...

[Reckoner]

PM me. You're not as crazy as others might think, I might be able to offer some perspective.