Clockwork Road

The Clockwork Road is a path between dimensions that only opens for sentient mechanical beings like myself. Only mechanical beings with a soul seem to be able to use the doorways that can access the Road. The portals seem to manifest in engine rooms, janitor closets, and vehicle hangars; places where my kind tend to congregate. I have traveled along the cogs and through the gears myself many times.

Instructor and I have visited hundreds of different worlds at this point. Whenever things get too hairy for even good ol' Sarge, I can count on Instructor to lead us out of it! If I had a copper for every apocalypse we escaped by the hair on my... neck. Well... I'd be rich!

The Clockwork Road appears as a vast network of cogs, gears, and pistons that span the multiverse. The machinery is constantly in motion and mysterious drones constantly maintain and repair the mechanisms. Sages theorize that the Clockwork Road is not merely a package, but the very machinery that actually powers the multiverse itself.

Only mechanical beings with a soul can hold open the doorways in and out of the "main" reality. The doorways remain inaccessible to the drones non-sentient machines that inhabit the road.

The drones, though non-hostile at first, tolerate the presence of "meat" sentients for a limited time. Those that stay on the road attract the attention of more and more hostile and powerful drones the longer they stay.

Soulforged, robots, cyborgs, warforged, and androids seem to be able to stay on the Road for as long as they like.

Type
Wormhole

Cover image: Bifrost Header by Chris L - Midjourney

Comments

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Sep 24, 2024 12:48 by Marc Zipper

What a cool way to travel the multiverse and the requirements for accessing it

Let's have fun creating the impossible, building new worlds, and all types of possibilities. Valcin
Sep 24, 2024 13:14 by Chris L

Thank you! This was a lot of fun!


Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.

Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!

Sep 29, 2024 17:38 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

His neck, eh?   This is a fun concept. I'm glad the Instructor has access to it to help them get out of scary situations! As long as the drones tolerate meat long enough, it seems like a good way to escape a crisis.

Emy x
Explore Etrea
Sep 29, 2024 20:18 by Chris L

Yes! Neck! This was a fun one that came into my head whole cloth when I was thinking through the prompt.


Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.

Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!

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