All-Minds-Burn

All-Minds-Burn is a crawler gang in the city of Bassuras in Marquet. They are generally perceived as being constantly high on drugs. It can also refer to the being that inhabits the cellar of the group's palace.

The crawler gang

Ashton Greymoore described the gang as "just running around" and believed they were all constantly high. When the party passed two of its members who simply stared straight ahead without acknowledging the approaching strangers, Ashton explained that everyone was "doing their own thing on a very fundamental level, and was a little out of it, somewhere else" and "fucking crazy". The substance consumed by the members creates a sense of connection and family among them, similar to a hive mind.

Their headquarters, though called the "Palace of the All-Minds-Burn", was not grandiose, although it had large arches, a green glass-like dome, a number of towers, and crumbled partially-surrounding walls. The central building's windows were stained, and the front entrance was a simple open archway. The darkened interior was permeated by a musty, sweet, pervasive odor, that appeared to be the same substance that had stained the windows. Steps rose onto multiple platforms holding scattered tables, chairs, beds, and cots. When Ashton's group visited, there were about a dozen figures present conversing, drinking, playing cards, or unconscious. At their entry, the figures all together at once shifted in their direction.

The All-Minds-Burn Being

The source of the groups' psychic powers is kept below their headquarters: a pulsing mass of yellow and green organic matter with black striations. Skeletal remains are held within it, and there is a faint glow just beneath its surface. It is about 15 to 20 feet high.

The being produces the drug-like substance that the members consume, and keeps within its own body the remains of the deceased, as well as fragments of their essences. Justi Pross introduced it as "The All-Minds-Burn", saying "This is us, or what brings us together."

History

All-Minds-Burn had been operating in Bassuras "for as long as Ashton could remember". The entity that personified their organization had existed in the area for centuries.

Ashton visited the Palace of the All-Minds-Burn seeking aid against Paragon's Call, despite his reservations about the group. Inside the Palace, they were greeted by a member who, at their request, communicated their presence telepathically to Justi Pross.

Ashton told Justi that he was seeking their help for old time's sake, and Justi told Ashton that All-Minds-Burn could help hide Armand Treshi if they succeeded in capturing him. She suggested they challenge Paragon's Call to The Run. All-Minds-Burn could help them cheat if they did.

When Imogen tried to push into Justi's mind, she was met with a fuzz, like underwater thoughts. When she went deeper, she encountered loud, buzzing, all-consuming static and had to pull back, her nose bleeding. She realized they were some form of hive mind controlled from below.

When they left Imogen told the others about the hive mind, but Ashton ascribed it to the "interesting chemicals" the members are known to take, saying they were all high as kites.

After the apogee solstice Ashton and Imogen visited the All-Minds-Burn again. Justi led them to the entity connected to their psychic community, the source of their powers, which had requested to meet with them. The being examined Imogen's memories, with her permission, and was fascinated by what it saw of the arid wastes of the red moon Ruidus. After an honest conversation (with Justi voicing her side at times), the being and all the minds that were part of All-Minds-Burn agreed to ally with Bells Hells, and in exchange, Ashton would take the Brood Pit with them in order to seed it on Ruidus if they ever visited it. They eventually did as promised, and the Brood Pit was embraced by the local myceit community, expanding with it and forming a new, combined entity.