Dimensional Travel Made Easy

Your guide to surviving divine domains, hellscapes, and alternate realities since 25XX!

[drargus]

Introduction

Hello there fellow traveler! You can call me Dr. Tom Argus. If you are seeing this blog, you are in one of the realities that has access to a website I was told to use by a relative of mine, I believe it is called Tumblr.

While I have been able to assist travelers in their journeys across the infinite planes of reality by creating copies of a physical book known as the Atlas, there is only so much a physical copy can do. For example, it cannot suddenly gain new notations when I find a new strategy for dealing with one of the many, many horrors (although I have been working on a solution to that with T. H. Inker...) lurking in the shadows.

Thus, this blog will serve as a digital archive for the chapters that I have written for the Atlas, and as a way for me to quickly inform travelers if there have been any important discoveries that can help them make it to their destinations.

I hope to help you, fellow traveler. Chronicler knows how much I suffered when I first began my journey.

Safe travels, and remember to drink some water.

Until next time

Dr. Argus

[drargus]

If you ever think that your currency system is weird, no it isn't

[drargus]

The Augur

The Writers.

Mysterious figures that appear in dreams. (And in the asks of this blog now, apparently).

The Augur is one of them.

The one I see the most often.

They have many forms, but the one that I am most familiar with is the feminine figure wearing a dress, a shawl, and a veil, with the four eyes floating around their head.

They used to just look like a mass of fog or thunderclouds, with the eyes. Back when I first saw them.

I think, over time, as I came to understand them, they began to become more comprehensible. I began to grasp what they were.

But they are still unknowable, some vast being that has to filter my perception of them through dreams, likely to prevent a full descent into madness.

They like this form. But occasionally, I will see them perching on the head of The Architect as a barn owl, or dancing around The Artist as a raven, or weaving through the many hands of The Articulator as a ferret, or laying across the shoulders of a Writer I have yet to fully see as an otter.

They like to play around with the confines of shape and form. Use any pronoun they see fit, take on any role they please.

They like to observe, to stand back and see how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. They like to watch all of reality, the flow of time and space, with an all-seeing gaze.

I think they have a direct connection to Jen, that they are where his powers come from. It would make sense.

I... I have the eeriest feeling that they are something even the Divines must answer to.

Dr. Argus

[drargus]

Orpheus and Eurydice

I... I suppose if I had to choose a mythological figure to identify with, I would choose Orpheus.

I am a musician, that has been a part of my identity since I was a child. And my guitar is my greatest weapon, the tool that allows me to use the power that created everything however I need to.

I think I could make a Divine cry, if I tried.

And I wander, searching for my other half, my muse, my husband.

But at the same time, I am Eurydice.

Stolen from the world I used to inhabit by forces beyond my control, doomed to wait until I am found.

To be forever changed by forces beyond my understanding.

I don't know if I'll ever see him again. But I refuse to give up. Even if I have to sing the same song again and again and again.

I promised that I would be with him, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until Mother Death decides we should part.

I think it is June, back home. A beautiful month.

We were married in June, on the solstice.

We swore that our love would last as long as the stars keep shining. Would look up at them and sing and dance and admire the light.

The skies are dark here. There are no stars for me to admire, to sing and dance under.

So I cling to the glow-in-the-dark stars I purchased from Monroe's, and I strum my guitar, and I stare into my campfire. I try and trick myself into believing that the sparks are stars, and that he's just grabbing sticks to roast marshmallows on.

It helps, I think.

To keep going, to keep trying, it’s a love song.

It's my love song, for you, Abbott.

[voidthing]

happy month, fellow slurs.

[orphic-mysteries]

If it keeps you from killing yourself it's not stupid. This applies to anything btw.

[brb-on-a-quest]

Bestie. How dare you leave “do not mock the life preserver…” in the tags.

@onewingedsparrow

[insomniac-arrest]

Taylor Tomlinson, Look At You (2022) Netflix special

[drargus]

Star Sailors

There are ghosts, spirits, gods, who wander the world, that are of a particular nature.

They have sailed the stars, embraced the expanse of space, felt the pull of gravity lessen.

They were mortal, once. Mortals who left their planets, their moons, the cradle of their worlds to explore the unknown.

Some returned, some remained. But something about the experience stuck with them. Over time, they became something more.

Or at least, that is what the stories say. And stories have power.

I call them Star Sailors.

They guide, guard, and follow those who travel the stars. Are worshipped and admired and loved, for all they did for us.

Whether that be advancing the science that brought us to the stars, or by giving their lives to save a station. They are honored, remembered, prayed to.

One such prayer contains these words:

“Laika, protect and guide my path through stars and the dark. Light the path of this lone traveler and grant them peace if they're to join you.”

More than one spacer has a story about seeing a dog who guided them towards the right path. Or of a ghost ship that saved them from pirates.

Hail to the Star Sailors, who remind us that while space is wide, and good friends are too few, we are never alone in the darkness.

That is all for now, safe travels, and remember to say thank you to our Star Sailors.

Dr. Argus

[lowkeyluminary]

REBLOG IF YOU HAVE AN RP BLOG I CAN SPAM WITH ASKS

perferably WITH the blog but you guys do you

[drargus]

The Green Ladies

Born near the beginning of the universe (multiverse, Panverse, whatever you want to call it), they are/were the representatives of various concepts that soothe mortal and immortal minds alike.

They are/were the children of the great goddess Pandora. And the counterparts to the Grey Lords.

The oldest was Change.

The second oldest was Empathy.

The third oldest was Balance.

The middle is Healing.

The third youngest was Truth.

The second youngest was Sanctity.

The youngest is Hope.

Five of them are dead, their power consumed by their twins. The two that remain exist in the shadows.

Healing is known as Aashlaain. She occasionally chooses mortal champions to grace the world with her power.

Hope is known Bettane. She has carved out an oasis somewhere in the Grey & Green that is safe from all danger and harm.

The absence of their presence can be felt. Despair is not uncommon here. The melodies of the world are no longer harmonious. Sadly, this is a problem I don't know how to fix.

I think that is enough of an explanation for right now.

Safe travels, and remember to take a break.

Until next time

Dr. Argus

[drargus]

The Messenger

A handy tip, one can receive mail while wandering dimensions!

This is because of the existence of The Messenger (also known as: The Courier, The Principal Postman, The Herald of the In-Between). The name he told me to call him was Maatthew, but I strongly suspect that his real name is far more complicated.

He is one determined man. Very devoted to completing deliveries, no matter what he might have to face.

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" is an idea that started with him.

Which is strange to think about, considering that he generally looks younger than me. Then again, time works in mysterious ways here, he was probably running packages around before Earth could sustain life.

He's trustworthy, and as long as you don't violate his rules and regulations for shipping, you'll be fine.

Seriously, don't do anything that violates his rules.

He is a well-connected man.

[drargus]

There's only so many times you can have mystery jerky, rehydrated rations, and assorted candy before you start to go a little insane

Maybe I should invest in a cookbook or something

I do have that portable stove

Maybe Neal will give me her elf-safe Meli-Meli recipe

[drargus]

The Lady In White & The Horseman

Occasionally while partaking in cross-dimensional travel (particularly through the Grey & Green), two entities will appear.

I've only ever come across them separately, but I have reason to believe they are related.

One is a lady clad entirely in white, who is accompanied by two figures wearing grey robes and armor. Her name is Simone, but some also call her: The Merciful, She of the Seven Days, The Voice of the Beyond, The Final Judge, or simply, The Lady In White.

She only speaks the truth, it is like it is holy to her. She never takes kindly to liars, something about having heard the same false stories again and again. She also has some connection to the flow of time. I only ever came across her right before I encountered things that nearly killed me. I strongly suspect that she was sent to delay me.

The other is an armored man on the back of a jet black horse, who is also accompanied by two figures wearing grey robes and armor. His name is Graves, but some also call him: The Ruthless, He of the Twenty Nights, The Hand of Annihilation, The Last Justice, or simply, The Horseman.

He too, only speaks the truth, and seems to have a way of forcing those around him to do the same. He also has connections to the flow of time, as I only ever came across him right before seeing things that... changed me. I think he was there to prepare me for the worst. I did only start seeing him after my encounter with the Lord of Ravage... perhaps he is protecting me, in a way.

I have reasons to believe that both are tied to the Chronicler (Divine of the past). They are uniquely powerful in a way that I've only seen with one other entity, one who has made his connections with that god clear.

I wonder what it says about me, that I've had run-ins with more than one of the Chronicler's Masks.

But for now, stay safe, and remember that lying to beings when they offer you mercy is a bad idea.

Dr. Argus

[drargus]

Monroe's

While travelling dimensions, you might stumble across a department store called Monroe's.

Monroe's happens to be linked to the Grey & Green, and thus does not function like a normal store. The further you go in, the stranger the things you will find. (The front of the store typically will shift to have things from whatever dimension one is in, while the "back" will have things from other dimensions).

It is of an infinite size, but a benevolent nature. You won't really get lost within it, nor will you have to deal with any hostile beings.

It contains everything one might need. Food, tools, vehicles, spell components, copies of the Atlas, ect.

You're lost in another world and need a way home? Try Monroe's. If anything, the employees will have you wait there, phone me, and then I can help you get to where you need to be.

If you're nice, that is.

If not, they are allowed to fight at every location, and the family that runs the store does not take kindly to anyone that treats employees poorly.

I don't really pity what happened to the last person that decided to insult the cashier, they had it coming.

The other strange thing you might notice is that there seems to only be one employee in the entire store. I assure you there are more, and the one that you are seeing is just particularly dedicated. They are known as Peep, function entirely on the odd snack and caffeinated beverage, and casually break time so they can stay on shift longer. (Peep is a wonderful person, and is the reason why I am on this site in the first place).

That is it for right now.

Safe travels, and remember to be nice to retail workers.

Dr. Argus

[drargus]

One of the issues they never talk about when dimension travelling is how to handle when you get a craving for a food that is only produced in one dimension that you can't easily get back to

[drargus]

While I am not the best artist, I thought it would be helpful if I showcased one of the self-portraits I drew a while ago.

The guitar was a gift from an old friend, and my outfit is something I cobbled together from hand-me-downs and presents. It is crafted to combat the coldness of the Grey & Green, as it has no sun. The biker boots are purely practical, considering most of my travelling is done on the back of a modified Ural motorcycle.

[drargus]

The Seer In The Castle

Occasionally, I reference someone by the name of Jen.

Jen is a human who was pulled into the Grey & Green by an entity known simply as "J" or "Jayne Doe". Jen is from the same universe I am from, just from the year 1996.

He is very much a flower child, a true hippie through and through. Unfortunately for him, one of the joints he smoked back in the... 70s or 80s... was laced with an herb that has benign qualities for most species, but for humans...

Well, he is called a Seer for a reason.

Jen is capable of seeing anywhere, at anytime, in any dimension. He can focus this ability through various means (tarot cards, cleromancy, lithomancy, tasseomancy, you name a method, he has probably attempted it at least once). But... it isn't exactly pleasant. He loses track of reality, he forgets who he is, where he is, what has happened...

Luckily, exposure to the Grey & Green has actually allowed him to gain greater control of his abilities. It has given him greater freedom than most mortals typically get living here, as he knows what places to avoid or who to trust.

It also helps that he is one of the residents of the Castle-On-The-Edge, one of the territories the Grey Lords avoid. In part because most of the people living there are not very Grey Lord or other malicious entity friendly. (It is honestly astounding how many warriors are there, and how many of those warriors are legends in their own right).

He is good at befriending people as well, since he is a genuinely kind-hearted man who is always willing to lend a hand.

If you are wandering the Grey & Green, you are likely to run into him at one point or another. Just keep your eyes peeled for a 6'8 beanpole clothed in a riot of colors and patterns whose smile feels like a sun has chosen to bless you. (His smiles are a wonderful thing, since the Grey & Green has no sun).

Try to be nice to the people who are travelling with him though, because you will either have to deal with some form of enraged warrior or a Grey Lord if you upset them. Neither option is good. Neither option is good.

He likes rocks, and plants. He might give you something in return for information on areas where he can find some.

For now, safe travels, and remember that all you need is love.

Dr. Argus

[drargus]

Tom! Buddy! I have no clue if I should be speaking to you my dear pal but I just wanted to warn you about a ah... threat who will both be new to the Grey & Green, and, due to temporal shenanigans, a threat who has also been there for awhile! They're ehe... totally not my fault in any meaning of the word... promise... keep an eye out and a pen ready!

Hello there, old friend!

Thank you for the warning, even if it does set of my fight or flight responses.

Of course there will be some temporal shenanigans, of course...

Is this the kind of threat that requires backup from the cowboys, or the kind that means that I'm about to be lectured by T. H. Inker again?

My pen is at the ready!

[fox0war]

This one is ah... not perse a servant, but certainly associated with the ilk of En, so I'd most definitely suggest being careful, but thankfully I do not believe you will need cowboys or Inker! They're for sure one who will like to... toy with you, but realistically they don't like prey who refuse to give in so it will likely stay at simple toying as long as you keep your wits about you, which you are very good at doing, dear Doctor Argus! Nostalgia is a dangerous thing with this one, so keep looking forward to the future and never lose focus on the present.

[drargus]

The ilk of the Lord of Apathy... I will be wary, last time I faced anything related to him, the only reason I escaped relatively unscathed was because of Jen.

Good to know that I shouldn't need back-up, last I checked the cowboys went on a vacation (young love, how adorable) and Inker was... well he's off doing something.

Oh, another one of those... I would ask that they go find a new plaything, but better me than any unwary fellow travelers. Thank you for the compliment! Inker would not agree with you in the slightest, so that brings me some minor joy.

I should ask someone to travel with Jen, with the way his visions have been drifting of late, he might need someone to prevent him from falling into a trap. Perhaps Victor, he might enjoy getting away from the tower for a little bit.

I shall do my best to focus on the road ahead.