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[ { "text": "\"Ok. Levi?\" Ezra asked. The merc tending to their downed colleague looked over briefly, not even flinching as a stray bullet whizzed overhead. The sound of gunfire was deafening - there was a concerted firefight happening somewhere nearby.\n\n\"Mobile.\" Levi confirmed before looking back down. He wrenched the assault rifle out of his colleague's hands and placed it in her lap. He pulled out her sidearm and placed it in her right hand. He slapped her face lightly and her mask's optical modules slowly focused in on him.\n\n\"It's loaded - watch our six.\"\n\nThe female operator slowly nodded from her prone position.\n\nLevi gave a thumbs up to Ezra, walked round behind the woman and grabbed a handle on her suit behind her neck. He hauled her into a sitting position with her legs trailing out, and dragged her towards the front line.\n\n\"You still want to do this?\" Ezra asked Darnell. He nodded immediately.\n\n\"If I don't get this done, we're all dead anyway.\"\n\n\"Ok. Stay on my shoulder - don't lose contact in the smoke.\" \n\nWithout waiting one second to confirm Tyreese understood, Ezra emerged from cover in attack mode and his team spread out around him. Darnell rushed to get behind him as they entered the smoke.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nVigdis' flechettes were not particularly accurate, but they didn't need to be. With fifty vicious points in each round, it was inevitable that some would find the target. At least three dozen flechettes whizzed into the expanding smoke cloud, ricocheted off the floor and sliced into the calves and lower thighs of the first soldier huddled behind the droid. They let out a primal scream and collapsed on the floor clutching their legs.\n\nThe droid didn't stop. It unclipped a riot gun from its thigh holster and fired a bright blue baton round at Vigdis from round the side of its shield. The other people behind the droid just stepped over the writhing figure on the floor and continued. The third man spotted Eva and her mech among the last cargo crates. Knowing how much of a threat a machine like that could be, even without weapons, they immediately grasped for the grenade launcher on their back.\n\nEva put one of the final crates between her and the 40mm grenade that was fired towards her. The crate was shredded in the ground-shaking explosion and fell from her hands. She picked up another box and hurled it through the smoke at the advancing troops as Fret stumbled back up the ramp towards the ship. Facing being left behind if she delayed any more, Eva clanked up into the crowded shuttle bay as well.\n\nZey chucked Fret onto the floor in the corner of the shuttle bay, then moved out of the way as Eva's mech packed into the claustrophobic space.\n\n\"Mr Chappel, Eva, you good?\"\n\nThe cargo they'd managed to salvage had been tied down for the most part, but there still wasn't a whole lot of manoeuvring room with the shuttle taking up most of the floor. The air stank of acrid smoke and gunpowder. Rounds had stopped pinging off the metal hull of the Jotunheim, but the sound carried on somewhere nearby.\n\n\"Vigdis, raise the ramp then get strapped in. Everyone should get strapped in somewhere! There are jump seats either side of the shuttle. Are they still out there? Don't let anyone else aboard.\" The civilians were bunging up the service corridors on the other side of the airlock, so it made sense to Zey for the last people inside to stay put and not add to the chaos.\n\n\"Bosko, I'm heading back to the bridge. Start the launch sequence!\" Zey punched the airlock control panel and the doors whooshed open.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe riot droid was seven foot tall and built to hold the line against a crushing weight of people. Unfortunately though, the crate that Eva had thrown was full of heavy spare parts. It bounced off the deck once before sliding straight into the droid, knocking it clean over. The two gunmen behind it dived out of the way. It was when they got up that they realised that the people covering them from either side of the blast doors were still shooting, just not in the same direction. They were shooting at people behind them.\n\nThen the gunfire stopped, and the noise from Jotunheim's engines began increasing from a low rumble towards a crescendo.\n\nThe two masked killers looked at each other, then both turned and ran for the Jotunheim's ramp, barely visible through the smoke. \n\nIt was too late. Bullets flew through the murky depths and into both their backs. The men collapsed dead on the floor. The Israeli operators and their benefactor stepped quietly and quickly through the smog. One of them dispatched the wounded man with flechettes in his legs with a bullet to the head. Another operator emptied a magazine into the riot droid as it struggled to its feet, sending it into critical failure.\n\n\"There it is!\" Darnell shouted, breaking into a sprint; the soldiers around him reluctantly followed suit. As they approached they could hear the ramp's mechanical parts working - it was nearly halfway up!\n\n\"Don't shoot! We're Tamerlane! Lower the ramp!\" Darnell shouted over the din, waving his arms. The ramp didn't stop. He turned to the mercs.\n\n\"Give me a leg up!\"\n\nEzra had to make a split second decision. He needed to be aboard this ship, with or without his team.\n\n\"Ok, I'll go with you. While we're inside, hold this position.\" He directed the last part to his team, with a grim finality.\n\nWithout hesitation, the soldiers moved to hoist Darnell and Ezra up so they could grab onto the ramp as it moved towards 90 degrees. They tumbled into the Jotunheim's shuttle bay with a loud crash, moments before it hissed shut.\n\n\"More of them are coming, get ready!\" Levi ordered, peeking round the side of the ship. The three able-bodied mercenaries got ready to defend the hangar. The engine noise was overriding everything.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "J'eon leaps to one side, his hearts thundering. His instincts were to charge, but this thing was enraged and knew no fear. He could see the two strangers at work now, but even their efforts against the massive bug were having little effect.\n\nAnd what harm might it have done already?\n\n\"Beware!\" the Glen called out. \"I shall try to rob it of its heat!\" \n\nCold had its place in the riddle of iron and steel, hardening the metal. But this cold would have to be deeper, and sustained if they were to have any hope of slowing this creature.\n\nThe buck took a pose, his right palm facing the creature, his left behind it, and as he concentrated, he began to slowly pull his left hand back, feeling the shifting of the pattern, the heat in his muscles as they struggled, the blood coursing through them as he tries with his might and spells to draw the heat from its core.\n\nBut this spell would also tug at the others....", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "The intense cold that struck at the creature's core was rather immediately effective against it. Its scream this time seemed to be one of pain. It stumbled forward, half-collapsing in front of J'eon. Even without eyes, the way its body shifted towards him felt like it was glaring down upon the Glen. \n\nFrom the start, Kareet had not wanted to get involved in a fight, but now that she was committed to being here, it was her training that quickly took over. It was easy to identify the exceptionally quick, and equally precise movements of a trained war caster. She could manage to mix in spellcasting seamlessly into swings, parries, or in this case, a throw. As she reared her hammer back, she moved two fingers along its haft at just the right angle and speed to imbue it with an electric charge. \n\nThe hammer came flying in, magnetically guided and accelerated, over the Glen to slam straight into the front of the creature's head. The hard, sharp mandibles had been frozen to the point of becoming brittle, and so the one the hammer struck shattered upon impact, followed by a discharge of lightning all down its head and neck. The electricity only heated small, concentrated areas, but in the places it affected, it seemed the otherwise tough hide did not fare well through such rapid swings between cooling and heating. The hide actually appeared to be cracking in places. \n\n\"Hit it hard, all together!\" Kareet shouted as her hammer flew back into her hand.\n\nThe creature, however, would not be stunned forever. With as massive as it was, J'eon's spell had only affected part of its body so far, and the Glen had not yet ran, so he was still within its reach. With a roar, it made a powerful backhanded swing of its massive arm straight at J'eon.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Jack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe universe must have been trying to tell him something.\n\n\"No,\" the guard said. \"Crew only!\"\n\n\"I am crew!\" Jack scowled, presenting his identcard and waving the shopping bags of the various gift shops at the space port. \"I'm the executive officer of the Jotunheim, and I had the captain's permission to do some last minute shopping because I'd lost my luggage! Now let me pass!\"\n\nThe hell he lost his luggage. On the Pournelle, the king of the practical jokers had been Lt. Danny Bryce, his junior. Danny had never messed with him while they'd been aboard. Maybe it was because he was Danny's senior. Or possibly because he'd still been reeling from his divorce from Jackie and wanted to cheer him up? More likely was it the subpoenas his wife's attorney had slapped on him that revealed that he was a walking, talking camera.\n\nDanny must have thought it was his last chance to play a prank on him, now he was a civilian and departing for a mission that would mean years outsystem. After all, he'd been the man who offered to 'help' him with his luggage for the flight to Norway. Not even his own garment bag had been safe, and he'd brought that on the plane with him! Or so he thought.\n\n\"You're crew?\" the guard demanded, incredulously taking him in with the flight suit and the old leather \"snoopy\" flght cap. \n\"It's what I had that was warm!\" Jack snapped.\n\nThe guard scowls, raising his walky-talky to his mouth when gunshots erupted on the far side of the hanger. The others around them panics, bowling the guard over. \n\n\"The hell with this,\" he scowls, then takes off running towards the ship. Only when he was at the airlock did he realize that others were there with him.\n\n\"Go back!\" he yells. \"Our next stop is years away! Get off the ship!\"\n\nThe engines began to rumble. Swearing under his breath, Jack jammed his things into a locker, securing it with his finger print, then ran for the bridge.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Captain,\" Jack called out as he saw her, then nodded at the man standing beside her. \"Doctor.\"\n\n\"I was.. held up at the checkpoint,\" he sighed. \"I'm sorry, if I'd been here, we wouldn't be stuck with a bunch of civilians on board. We can try for a patrol boat once we reach orbit to get them off....\"\n\nAssuming whoever was trying to get at the Jotunheim hadn't already planned for that.\n\n\"Your orders?\" Jack Mallory asks, standing at attention with all the dignity he could muster.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Zey emerged from the airlock with several of her crew into the corridor that ran down the middle of the lower forward deck. It was even loud and more uncomfortable than usual. The lighting was harsh, it smelled of chemicals and freshly fabricated metal. The engine vibrations were more pronounced, and right now there were over thirty civilians crammed into it. Some were milling around, trying to find a way out or place to sit. Others had just plonked themselves down on the boxes of supplies along the walls or the one sofa, chattering worriedly or checked themselves for bullet holes.\n\nVigdis and Mr Chappel the surveyor contractor stumbled away through the crowd and Zey didn't have one moment to negotiate her own way through before she heard someone shout \"Captain!\". She looked and found Duncan Feng addressing her.\n\n\"You're intact right?\"\n\n\"I'm fine!\" Zey shouted back over the din, she unclipped an earbud from her communicator and pushed it into one ear.\n\n\"Get these people strapped or tied down, we're leaving!\" She patted the Doctor on the shoulder and made to turn toward the bridge when her XO appeared from the crowd, talking about going into orbit. She was relieved to see her second-in-command, though she didn't show it. Having him on the bridge meant she could focus on not killing every stowaway on board. \n\nEveryone's voice was getting progressively louder, so Zey leaned in and placed a hand on Mallory's shoulder so she could shout in his ear. \"Negative, it's too risky! We'll move the Jo to a TGOC ground installation to decant these civilians! Get to the bridge and plot us a flight plan out of here. Fast and low as this fat lady can go! Tell Anselm we need to break this comms blackout and make contact with HQ yesterday, get them to get an escort over here and prepare their site in Iceland or Russia for us. go go go!\"\n\nSomeone from the bridge wafted into her ear.\"Captain, there are two unidentified men with guns in the shuttle bay. I've sealed off the airlock. Edwards is still inside.\" \n\nZey immediately spun around and looked through the viewing ports. The airlock was empty, and through the viewing port on the other side she locked eyes with Tyreese Darnell who was hammering on the door from the other side. A bulky soldier in full gear stood behind him, pointing a long gun at someone out of view - Zey presumed it was Eva as she'd have been strapping her mech in.\n\nThe man pointed at the lock, then put a sat phone with a floppy antenna to his ear and mimed talking. Zey could feel movement in her legs as the Jotunheim began moving slowly out of the hangar bay.\n\n\"They're shooting at the jets!\" Zey heard someone else call over comms.\n\n\"Bring our kinetic shielding online, direct it behind us.\" The Captain ordered, still staring through the viewing port at Darnell.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nVigdis had to request access to the Engineering airlock twice before a grase-smudged face appeared and studied her at the other end, eventually opening the first door. Once she'd stepped in, the shaven head and face recognisable as Danny Varen, FTL, spotted the gun on her back. After a moment, he opened the second door. He was dressed in black flip flops, navy shorts emblazoned with the Tamerlane logo, and a plate-carrier over his bare tattooed chest. As soon as there was clearance, Danny levelled a black tactical shotgun at her body. \n\n\"What's poppin' Vigdis? Put the gun down and put your hands up.\" \n\nDanny looked off to his left. \"Search her.\"\n\nA second engineer stepped round the corner, shotgun in hand, and went to pat her down.\n\n\"Hey! What's going on back there? I need help powering up the shields.\" came the stentorian voice of the Jotunheim's formidable lead engineer, Zhào Jiāyí. Though short in stature, everyone knew this harmless-looking middle aged lady had all of her larger and younger engineers firmly in check.\n\n\"Its Vigdis!\" Danny called back, not taking his eyes off her.\n\n\"Well, stop copping a feel and tell her to get her butt over to the shield console!\"\n\nDanny looked a bit sheepish, then cracked a grin.\n\n\"Sorry Vigdis. Gotta be safe. Whats happening out there?\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"You're bleeding!\" The teenage boy sitting opposite Fret called out, pointing to the blood on Mr Chappel's hand.\n\n\"Oh my god! Is there a doctor on board?\" His mum called through the open conference room doorway.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet observed silently as Kaqir worked. She had seen, and received, such healing many, many times before, so there was no tension for her. The only worry might have been if Kaqir was not a competent Life mage, but everything Kareet could see was perfectly acceptable. Healing simple injuries was far from the most complex thing a Life mage could do, after all. \n\nOnce Kaqir was done, Kareet gave a quick look over the Glen. No visible injuries, at least, and no more signs of pain. It was sufficient. She reached around to her backpack and produced a small pouch, from which she grabbed a few silver coins. It was far more than the coppers most peasants might be able to scrounge together, and consistent with what a healer would expect to be paid in the capital. \"Thank you for your assistance.\" Kareet said politely as she dropped the coins into the healer's hand. \"I…\"\n\nKareet's voice trailed off quickly. There was…something that caught her eyes in the sky to the north: a flash. At its source, there was something glowing, very distant. Tekeri had particularly sharp eyesight, but even to her the details were difficult to discern. It was like a hole in the sky through which daylight was shining. Through it, she could see a hint of fire, of distorted shapes she could not discern, and of…something that seemed to be moving. All she could really see of it was a red glow, like a fireball.\n\nA few seconds later, something like the loudest thunder Kareet had ever heard echoed across the landscape. All at once, it was like the whole town froze. Anyone who had not noticed before now had their eyes to the sky. Even Glen villagers who had been roused from their sleep started to file outside as well to see what was happening.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar was moving between the different stores, asking the owners where Dagmore could be located. Most of the shopkeepers didn't seem to know where the old ruins were located. He was halfway to giving up however, he would soon have a moment of luck. An old looking Glenfolk approached him. \"Excuse me, son, I had seen you walking around the town for the past couple of hours. And I was wondering if I could help you?\" \n\nKolvar felt flattered that this old man would want to help him. But he was not sure if he knew where Dagmore was. \"Well, I am searching for a lost Kriliteran book. And I was wondering if there were any ruins in the area?\" \n\nThe old man smiled and rubbed his chin with his hand. He seemed deep in thought, \"Well there are a few I do know of around here. There is Dagmore which would be the most well known ancient structure.\" His train of thought was interrupted by Kolvar speaking up. \n\n\"That would be the place I am looking for, would you be able to direct me to where the ruins are located?\" The Kriliteran seemed overly excited about the old man knowing the ruin's location. \n\nThe old man took longer than Kolvar hoped to try to remember the exact location, he was more than patient for him to finish. \"Thank you for the directions, sir.\" Bowing his head he walked off, following the instructions the old man had told him. He noticed it was starting to get dark. Pulling out a small lantern from underneath his clock, he lit the small candle.\n\nhe stars outside were shining brightly tonight. It was a beautiful sight. Kolvar took a moment to admire the beauty of the night sky. He noticed a bright star burning more noticeably than the others, at first he thought nothing of it. Assuming it was a star near the planet. But this particular star seemed to be coming closer and closer. Quickly ducking onto the ground, covering his head with his hands. Thinking for a moment the whole world was going to end. Muttering a prayer to his god to protect him.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\nIt happened between the beats of his heart, the pain was there - and then it was not.\n\n\"What... is this?\" he marveled as he felt the bones knitting together, re-forged whole again.\n\n\"My lady, this humble blacksmith thanks you,\" he says to Kaqir, bowing his head when she's finished.\n\n\"I offer my thanks to you two, as well,\" he adds, climbing carefully down from his cart to stand on his own feet to face Kareet and Shirik, placing his right arm on his broad chest as a salute. \"I....\"\n\nKareet, who had been paying Kaqir, was now looking past her, at... What was that?\n\n\"My friend, is this your work?\" he asks Shirik just before the loudest clap of thunder peeled over the village and beyond.\n\n\"Sky stone?\" he wondered. It was big - was a mountain of sky stone about to hit this village?\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O. \n\n\"Captain! We were too deep in the gravity well, I don't think we cleared atmosphere,\" Jack reported, training kicking in as he began reading his panel. \"We must have hugged the Earth during that jump! Radar shows we're above some rough terrain....\"\n\nThe radio was eerily silent, just the faint hiss of the universe in his ears. \n\n\"Captain, we've lost comms!\" the executive officer reported, checking and rechecking the panel. \"No... wait... this doesn't make sense! Radio is working, but nobody's talking out there? Did the pulse of the jump knock everyone off the air?\"\n\nWithout GPS, they'd have to do terrain mapping and hope they'd get a match from the AI...", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Eva's bots immediately began moving as the ship shifted suddenly, rising and anchoring themselves as the ship rocked. After the explosive struck and it was clear the worst was not over, Eva's Rover dove to collide with the man who stumbled into her, attempting to stand over him as the contents of the bay shifted alongside them. The spiders did the same for the second man, clambering over him and holding them down so they didn't move as the ship rocked violently and flame eyed them hungrily. Eva didn't dare stand up until everything went frighteningly quiet, and her bots moved off their respective charges. The Rover looked down at the solder with his cut and emitted a quiet beep, shaking it's side to bring attention to the basic medical supplies it held on a pouch. \n\n\"Look at that, I was exactly right. Don't get up too fast, a second volley could hit at any moment... good news though, we aren't dead. If you're still obsessed about our death the doors should open for you now that we aren't actively being shot at.\" Eva rose, snatching up the rifle the man had attempted to point at her. \"Though I'll be keeping this, you like pointing it at things way too much. If you have problems with that ask my other three drones about it, Otherwise move on to the bridge and keep any sidearms put away.\" Eva sighed, the sudden quiet bothered her greatly, but they were alive and that was about all she could ask for.", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet could have possibly believed this was some form of magic, until it started drawing closer. It started to slow noticeably as it drew nearer to the mountains, and the flames dimmed, at least slightly. It was still bright, but a Tekeri's eyes could just make out…something within. Something more than flame, and it did not look to be stone either. Though, she had few guesses on what this could be, aside from a new mystery. \n\nThe fireball disappeared behind the mountains to the northeast. While it had been in the sky, the night had lit up almost like day, though darkness fell once again as soon as it went out of sight. Among the townsfolk, shock had seemingly kept a blanket of silence over the town around them for a few, brief moments. Once it seemed to become clear that the fireball was not going to bring an imminent death, though, that silence broke quickly. Everything from awe and amazement, to fear, to relief, could be heard in the chattering of the villagers around them. Kareet heard them talk of everything from magic to divine omens, but she did not concern herself with the speculations of the peasants, nor was she going to make baseless claims of her own. There would be only one way to find the truth here.\n\nKareet gave a quick look over to Shirik. She felt sure that had been no product of Heat magic. It was something solid, even if it had been covered in flames. Prior to this moment, she would have felt that there would have been little that could pry her away from her investigation into the strange Iriad…but it seemed she had just found it. Whatever this was, it was most certainly a mystery more interesting than anything Shirik could offer. She did not even want to waste time talking or speculating; depending on exactly where and across what terrain it had come down, it could take a day or two in order to make the hike out to it. She hoped it would not be that far. \"The coin was sufficient, yes? If there is nothing more that anyone needs of me, I will be going. Whatever that thing was, I must reach it.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"I've never seen so large a piece of sky metal,\" the Glen staring intently in awe as he pointed at the fireball. \"Usually it's small chunks, but they hit the ground so very hard! I do not know what will happen when such a large rock hits. It may shatter or bury itself deep in the ground.\"\n\nJ'eon turned towards the others. \n\n\"This will be a story long told among the clans.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O. \n\nJack swallows. A safe place to put down?\n\n\"Captain, we've got mountains, a lake, and more mountains,\" the X.O. reports. \"My respects to the pilot, but if we can't do a soft landing, we need to aim for the lake.\"\n\n\"We're likely to flood, so we'll need to get everyone off the ship and to shore as quickly as possible. It'll be tight in the lifepods, but a very short distance.\"\n\nBut...\n\n\"Only thing is, I can't reach anyone on the radio. If we stay in the water, we're likely to lose the Jo' before rescue arrives. Our best bet to save the ship is to keep the drive going and skim for the shoreline. If we can push enough of ourselves out of the water, we should be okay.\"\n\nAnd at least a year or more in repair yards, Jack scowls, and testifying in front of boards and committees about what we should have done and questioning everything. Then another year to get the Jo' recertified. Assuming whoever was behind the attack on them didn't try again. Two years, maybe more, wasted!", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "Zey eyed her first questioner carefully. It was Dr Ibarra, a late addition to the Jotunheim's crew after their first FTL specialist went missing. Brilliant, but ambitious. Her file said she had a potential problem with authority; something to keep an eye on.\n\n\"A good question, Dr Ibarra. We have security measures onboard and an armoury with some of the latest hardware. As soon as the fires are under control, we'll set a perimeter and keep watch until the Jo's longer range sensors are back online. We have a lot of veterans on board who know their way around a weapon - we'll be fine until backup arrives.\"\n\nZey nodded to herself, then looked around again. \"What other questions or suggestions do people have? I'm all ears.\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\n\"There is no need for that.\" Shirik said, in response to Kareet's suggestion. Shirik raised their hands and closed them into fists. The firelight from their body grew dim, until the only trace of its presence was thin trails of smoke. Shirik then closed their cloak and threw their hood overhead. \"My presence is often intimidating to strangers. I have ways of reducing it.\" As the group traveled closer to the crash site, Shirik could smell the familiar scent of smoke, but something was different about it. It was more than just foliage burning, something else was ablaze. Something more... Acrid. \"I feel that we are walking into something most alarming.\"\n\nIn the time it took them to arrive, Shirik shared their story with the glen J'eon. As a fellow heat mage, they found him easy to get along with. Upon their arrival to the hilly region, it was dark. Kanth-Aremek's moon overhead, one could scarcely see any signs of a star fallen to the ground. Still, that terrible burning stench was growing stronger as they neared. \"We're close, and this air almost feels sickening.\" They said to the group. \"There might still be fires burning. I'm going ahead to see if it's safe to move forward. I shouldn't be long.\" An odd statement, given Shirik was referring to climbing hills, but they had tricks for this. \n\nShirik stepped to the side and tossed their staff to Kareet. \"Don't bother studying it. It's mundane.\" They then formed a set of inanely elaborate symbols with their hands, as the air around Shirik started to distort. The others would feel heat begin to radiate outwards as sparks danced under Shirik's feet. The sparks were visible, because they were no longer touching the ground. Heat had a tendency to rise, and thus, Shirik was floating. \"I'll meet you after I'm done.\" With that, they drifted higher, into the air like a faint star, over the hills and up the mountainside. There were indeed faint traces of fire smoldering along the place, but there was no explanation for what Shirik's eyes were seeing.\n\nThey floated forward, and saw it. The wreck of the Jotunheim. A veritable castle, the likes of which they had never seen before. Shirik was left dumbfounded in the air. \"What in the name of... Kareet is going to love this.\" They stopped and hesitated, wondering if they should even approach. Still, they needed to secure a pathway for Kareet and J'eon, so they pressed on cautiously. Shirik floated skyward, over the vast wreckage, looking for fires. There wasn't much, but the air felt dry, meaning flashovers were possible from smoke alone. Shirik drifted over the very center of the metal behemoth, and extended their hands outwards.\n\nWisps of smoldering flame began to stretch from the Jotunheim's exterior, and reached skyward. Though they were not finding more fuel, they were being absorbed. Scraps of fire and heat were pulled upwards in a way that seemed otherworldly to onlookers, as it all slowly convened on Shirik's location. The air gradually felt cooler by the minute. However, this place was huge, and this would require concentration. It was more than enough time that someone inside the wreckage could peer outwards and witness the strange effect. Once Kareet and J'eon made their way far enough up the mountain, they could see this. It was a far cry from the covert approach Shirik suggested, but it was what Shirik's skills afforded.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nBy the time Shirik had cleared away enough of the fire, they could see that Kareet went into a hole. That was unwise, but she was smart enough to handle herself. Shirik was starting to feel a little lightheaded, so they descended down to the hole where a contingent of soldiers began to form. Shirik touched the ground with a smattering of sparks that gave way to smoke as they reached for their staff that someone left in the dirt. The guards told them to make no sudden movements, but Shirik was too old to be listening to foot soldiers who gave orders. They wiped the dirt off their staff, and all the soot from their cloak, ignoring the soldier boy for several seconds before leaning on the staff more than usual. Flying was something best left to force mages, and Shirik was no such mage. Their hood was down, and the soldiers could see that Shirik had skin like bark, the same way an Iriad would. Except most Iriads didn't have flames lapping out from under their bark and where their eyes would be. \n\n\"I am Shirik of the Myriad. This is my companion, J'eon. We are here to investigate this object with a Seeker from Arcaeda, and I must go and ensure that she hasn't gotten herself killed. J'eon, if you'll excuse me.\" Perhaps the soldiers wanted to order the two mages to stay put, but if they did, Shirik promptly denied them that chance as they turned and trekked inwards, using their natural flaming body as a light source to see the way forward. Countless metal shapes, both twisted and shaped to impossible levels of skill gave way to what could've been a hall of some sort, where Shirik inevitably found Kareet and another soldier surrounded by spheres.\n\n\"I assume those are you soldiers outside. Kareet, have you lost your head? We know nothing of this construction, other than that it is damaged, and your first instinct is to run right into-\" They stopped talking the moment they saw some weird, pink, vaguely person-shaped creature holding some sort of object. There were living things in this crash. It looked like a S'Tor, only shorter and with less scales on its skin. \n\n\"Who is this...?\" They asked with a substantially less harsh tone.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"Who am I?\" J'eon snorts with a scowl, turning to face the soldier that spoke, pointing to his guild crest. \"I am Master J'eon of Mythadian Blacksmith Guild! Who are you that you would be interfering in guild business?\" He hoped his words would carry to their leader. He didn't like ths place much, the air seemed thinner inside this skin, and there were many strange and foul smells.\n\n\"We are here to render aid. Why are you here?\" he demands, staring down at the soldier, then shifting his gaze pointedly at the soldier's hand, posed by his weapon's hilt. \"Was it you, then? Did you attack this city? Force it down?\"\n\nThere was a device on its hull he'd seen before he entered, which he did not like the looks of. Nor, he wagered, would any of them should the sky people (he just decided to call them that) decide to use it.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Vigdis?\" Jack said, raising his right hand to press the earpiece closer. He had just reached the shuttle bay airlock in response to the captain's command, pausing to take a look through the airlock hatch window. \n\n\"Captain!\" he called out. \"Vigdis is in the shuttle bay - she's got company!\"\n\nHe was eerily aware his oxygen sensor was not chirping because of the higher oxygen - whatever those creatures were, they were not a hallucination.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Circumstances were quick to pull Kareet away from her sketching. There were, she supposed, more important matters to deal with immediately. She just hoped she would still get a chance later to continue her notes. She had not noticed the arrival of the other Tekeri initially until they were right on her. Though, introductions certainly eased her worries. A Castigator? She and her soldiers would be quite useful. Or at least, they could be useful, as long as they did not hinder her efforts at first impressions. \n\n\"Stand down, Castigator.\" Kareet said after Nallara. \"If they come from beyond our continent, they probably do not speak S'toric. Nor any other of our languages. If our words cannot help us, we are going to need to be very careful about how we present ourselves.\"\n\nOnce she had the Castigator's attention, Kareet reached back and flicked her wrist, magnetizing her medallion into her hand from one of the pouches of her backpack. Or more accurately, the chain it was attached to, given that the medallion itself was made from tungsten. The metal was quite difficult to work with, which made forgery all the more unlikely. She held it up to the Castigator so she could see the intricately designed insignia it bore. \n\n\"Kareet of Arcaeda, Seeker of the Order of Sages.\" She announced. Shirik and J'eon both had chimed in as well, but she could not take the time to deal with their questions. \"Let's all stop questioning each other and focus on what is in front of us. This being, whatever it is, we outnumber it. We may intimidate it. Let's remedy that. Names…let's see if it has one. An introduction, and it may be less hostile.\"\n\nLooking away from the Castigator, the gaze of all four of Kareet's eyes settled onto the small being. She held up one finger, then pointed to herself. \"Kareet.\" Even without a shared language, she felt this could be a relatively simple exchange, as long as they had some concept of names themselves. She repeated it two more times, pointing to herself and saying simply: \"Kareet\".", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\nJ'eon sighed, the mightly glen shaking his head slowly. Was this not like what happened in the fifth voyage of the sailor? Perhaps his fellows were right to recommend him to pay a storyteller to hear this tale?\n\n\"I, too, would like to avoid needless conflict, Castigator,\" he says. \"So I shall take my leave.\"\n\nHolding his massive arms in front of him, palms open, he turns with a flick of his tail and heads past the soldiers into the clear air, paying no mind to the bits of animate metal. Hopefully the lesson to be learned would not come at too great a cost.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nThings were moving too fast. Why did their scout expose his position? Why did Eva decide to wake up now?\n\n\"Captain,\" Jack says quietly, \"Everyone has gotten agitated. I suggest we all go back inside the ship.\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Unfortunately, there was quite a lot happening around them in such a short time. The arrival of more of the beings, \"Humans\", as they seemed to identify themselves, was not too worrying in itself. The Castigator had good reason to believe that the objects they were carrying were weapons, but again, that did not alarm Kareet. The Castigator's soldiers were armed as well, and it was only natural that they would show some degree of caution when meeting something new and unknown. But then, there was more movement across the room. Smaller beings, like insects, but clearly not natural. They were made from metal and moved on their own, and on top of all that, the armor that Kareet had observed earlier began to move as well. All of that coincided with the Castigator's soldiers alerting them of something approaching from outside. Perhaps the only thing that prevented the situation from escalating further was the fact that the metal insects did back away after a moment. \n\nFor a few seconds, Kareet had her eyes on the moving armor. She took a few steps back, falling in line alongside Nellara. It was a subtle thing, but the way that Kareet fell into a proper defensive formation did seem reflexive. J'eon had made the decision to try to leave entirely. There was good reason to be afraid, she had to admit, but she could not give up. Not something like this. Being among the first on-site for a discovery such as this…there would never be another opportunity like it. It was worth the risk. \"These things…golems, maybe? They have to have some sort of magic to be able to make such a thing.\"\n\nKareet was growing increasingly frustrated by their inability to effectively communicate. She had a strong suspicion that much of this tension was the result of misunderstanding. These Humans were entirely new, their ways entirely foreign. What would be offensive from their perspective? Or threatening? \"This fortress, it is their home. In this land, they have nowhere else to retreat to…let us be careful not to provoke them. We need to find some way to communicate. A Thought mage could bridge this gap. If we could get to Lenkik, we could requisition the services of one. Either convince the Humans to send one of them with us, or bring a Thought mage back here.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "@13org @EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar looked quite frustrated as things were starting to get a little chaotic. The situation could go south if one of them made any sudden movement. His body tensed up a little as more \"Hoomans\" came into the room. He was not confident that Shirik's fire show was much help in communicating with these aliens. While hearing them speaking to each other, obviously talking about them being in their flying ship. Kolvar opened his mouth trying to see if he can speak their language. \"H…e…l…l…o…w…e…c…o…m…e…i…n…p…e…a…c…e.\" Of course, this would sound like gibberish to the hoomans. His efforts to try and communicate with the aliens would be utterly useless. Kolvar seemed to back away as the giant iron golem soon came into the room. The wandering scholar looked quite scared of the golem. \"What in the god's name is that?\" He pointed toward the golem with a clawed finger. \n\n\"I could go and fetch a thought mage, I know of one that would be able to help us.\" He was now standing behind Nellara and Kareet. Making sure he was not in the line of fire from the hooman's weapons. Although he was not sure how to communicate this to the crewmembers. Nor would he be able to convince the others of his plan. \"Perhaps the one named Vigdis could accompany me? Of course, if we can convince them to allow for such a thing.\"\n\n He suddenly took a few steps forward after gathering some courage, so now he was standing in front of the others. He pointed towards himself and then towards the hoomans, then pointing towards his mouth and his forehead. Using very crude non verbals cues to try and communicate with them. Tapping his head and then towards his mouth, before making a walking motion with two fingers before pointing towards both himself and the humans once again. Trying to convey the idea of one of them joining him to fetch someone who could read minds. \"I could transform one of you and myself for faster travel to fetch a thought mage.\" He assumed Kareet or Nellara have access to a thought mage.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nIn complete disregard for a single word the Castigator said, Shirik paid complete attention to the Ixtaro human's attempts at conveying something. \"This creation is called \"Jotunheim. It is how they came here, and it is... Damaged. They can go to \"Home\" if it is repaired.\" They said out loud for the local people to understand better. Shirik then watched curiously as Ixtaro used her projections to create visual representations of Nellara and themselves. \"Incredible...\" Then flames erupted around the fake Shirik, and Ixtaro asked something... At least, They thought so. \"Ah. I believe they are unfamiliar with magic... And wish to understand it. Allow me.\" Shirik brought their arms together in front of them, and made a turning motion as if they were spinning a wheel. A ball of warm light sparked between their hands, and spread outwards to form a ring. In this ring, various figures emerged, each performing feats of magic. Summoning fireballs, lifting rocks, lifting unspecified objects, healing broken limbs, projecting lightning, and conveying thoughts. Shirik pointed to the one holding fire, \"Shirik. Mage.\" and then to the one holding lightning. \"Nellara. Kareet. Mages.\" \n\n\n\nAll but one image vanished, leaving behind the one representing Shirik. It began to move its arms in the air, in elaborate motions that portrayed the use of magic. The figure grew legs and began to take steps, it waved a hand in the air, causing a spark to fly across the floor, and then it pointed at the air, to spray a small stream of visible heat into the air. The intent was to portray that the practice required physical movements, and Shirik eventually dispelled the dancing figure to draw another image in the air. It was of a person holding a flame between their hands under a starry sky, and the fireball was growing brighter steadily. As Shirik showed this to Ixtaro, they stretched a charred arm forward between them, and pointed at it with a hand. They closed two fingers, and pointed to other two upwards, as a mote of light formed. It grew brighter until it was a fireball just like the illustration. Though it was within arm's reach of Ixtaro, it didn't feel warm. In fact, it felt cold, if anything. They held it there for Ixtaro, as if offering it somehow. And then they pointed at Ixatro's hand, trying to get her to do the same motion.\n\nOne more image appeared, it was of a figure with horns in its head and back, wearing a cloak, to represent Shirik. A second figure formed in front of it that had no identifying features, representing a human. Each held up a hand, and formed a fireball, but Shirik's was visibly brighter. An arrow pointed to the human. The image seemed to depict not only a capability with magic, but specifically expertise. Shirik was hoping the interpretation would be such, at least. \"Shirk... teach... Ixtaro?\" \n\n\n\nBefore the images vanished for good, the fire in the human figure's hand changed into a rectangular shape, with another shape sticking out of the end like a handle. A weapon. The arrow, too, changed to point at Shirik. It suggested a trade. \"Weapon. Weapon?\" They said the word in two different tones, unsure of which counted as a question for Ixtaro. \"Teach weapon.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Itxaro did succeed in clarifying, to an extent. The few words they had exchanged did become more clear to her, but understanding the words only ended up raising more questions for Kareet. It was fascinating beyond compare, but still undeniably confusing. As absurd as it seemed, she could not refute the conclusion Nellara and Shirik had come to. \"How could they possibly be unfamiliar with magic?\" Kareet questioned. \"You mean to say that this 'Jotunheim' can somehow fly with no need for magic? I try to keep my mind open to things I do not understand, but that…is a difficult notion to accept.\"\n\nKareet took in a deep breath and paused a moment to focus. \"Okay, let's assume for a moment that they do not use magic. I don't know if we are going to be able to teach them like they want. If none of them have had an awakening, then nothing we could do will work for them. Let's just…hope that showing them is good enough to sate their curiosity.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\nThe metal things coming down the mountainside were clearly machines, which intrigued J'eon. He wanted to take one apart, see how it worked, but such would have to wait until later. Still, he had some ideas... and concerns.\n\nThe sky person they'd surprised was talking to another of its kind, dressed in black. Perhaps that was normal among them?\n\nOnce word of this reached the capital, there would be panic, troops dispatched, representatives of the guilds sent. It would be best if he could establish himself here, get the sky people to talk to him. Good thing he knew a bit about opening new markets.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Captain,\" Jack Mallory acknowledged, looking up from his phone that was connected to the ship's network. \"I've requested a box of those souvenir pens and some commemorative patches what were to be distributed before the interruption.\"\n\nUnfortunate they lost the keychains, but maybe some got buried with the shuttle?\n\nHe had no idea how the tree was doing that, much less not being consumed by the flames it contained. Did that last bit mean it was challenging the ship's crew to a fireball fight?\n\n\"Captain, we should encourage our... guests to leave, for now,\" he said. \"Go over our recordings, and try to make sense of what's happened, here? Get our efforts a bit more organized, before the next surprise.\"\n\nLike not admitting we're armed, or how many we are, or where we're from.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "@EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar had a frustrated look on his face. Mostly from not being able to communicate with the hoomans. \"I believe that would be the best course of action.\" He nodded his head and started walking out of the ship. The shuttle bay was starting to become quite crowded and personally, it was starting to become quite tense. When he got out of the hole he was greeted by the platoon of Tekeri soldiers. Rolling his eyes and thinking that the arrival of Nellara's goon squad would cause alot of issues. He made his way over to a soldier pointing towards him with a clawed finger, \"I was told by your commander to go to Lenkik to fetch a thought mage, I assume you know where to find one in Lenkik.\"\n\nThe soldier nodded his head before rubbing his head, \"The inquisitors would be able to help you with your search. It would be best if I join you and help you find the inquisitor.\" \n\nKolvar had no objections to this suggestion. He would be clueless trying to find the inquisitor by himself. \"It would be best if we take the form of a bird like a creature, it would be a quicker form of travel than walking.\" He didn't seem to care if the soldier was hesitant about being transformed into an animal. Kolvar used his magic to transform himself into a large bird creature. Not caring he was doing so in front of the other soldiers. Doing the same process to the solider. The other soldier watched in amazement as they saw the true power of life magic. \n\nThe two were now flying towards Lenkik. During the course of the flight, Kolvar made no attempt to make conversation with the soldier. While he was flying toward Lenkik he noticed something strange moving in the fog. He couldn't tell what it was so he turned his head towards the soldier. \"Do you know what that is?\" He said pointing towards the group. \n\nThe soldier squinted his eyes before speaking up. \"It looks like Glenfolk, a whole pack of them. It looks like they are moving toward the others. We should turn back and warn the others.\" A sentiment that Kolvar agreed with. \n\n\"Let us go back and warn the others.\" The two then started flying back toward the crash site. Kolvar was worried that the arrival of another armed force would cause more tension between the foreigners and Nellara's group. He did not want a violent conflict to occur, not wanting to lose the opportunity to lose the valuable information the foreigners had. \n\nThe two finally arrived at the crash site, of course it didn't take long for them to return. Kolvar didn't seem to bother turning them back into their original form. The soldier ran over towards Nellara. \"Commander while I and Kerchek were flying towards Kenkik, we noticed a platoon of Glenfolk moving our position. What should we do?\" \n\nKolvar then spoke up. \"If I may suggest we should keep a level head, and speak with their commander about what their intentions are. I am sure you do not want a bloody skirmish to occur.\"", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet of Arcaeda\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAt first, Kareet was unsure of the approach that Castigator Nellara was taking. She moved up to the breach in the wall and took cover on one side, peering out only slightly to avoid exposing herself. She wondered if the Castigator was not overstepping her authority, as the Ascendancy would most certainly be interested in claiming this fortress. They would be interested in learning whatever they could about it, and as a bonus could provide ample protection for the Humans within. She was not sure that Nellara's superiors would agree with her guaranteeing them such unrestricted independence. \n\nHowever, Kareet also was not blind to the complex, and frankly irritating, politics surrounding this situation. As much as she hated to admit it, they were right on the border to Mythadia. As far as she knew, there were no precisely defined borders in this region. They could talk about who had the \"right\" to the land all they wanted, but ultimately, that right would lie with whoever could enforce their claim. This was a prize that was worth fighting for, but the Ascendancy had been involved for years with a territorial dispute with the S'tor over the Sovereignty to the north. Mythadia and Acanata, for all their flaws, were still a powerful force to be reckoned with. The Ascendancy would have to commit substantial forces to have a hope of challenging them, and if that happened, they would not be able to stop the S'tor from claiming everything they wanted. Of course, the Glen were also in a similar situation. There were other S'tor nations farther west on Mythadia's northern border that would not hesitate to jump on the opportunity if the majority of Mythadia's forces were tied up in a war in the east. In the end, only the S'tor would benefit from this escalating too far. No, war simply would not do. With the Humans caught in the middle, it could end up with neither nation being able to learn anything at all from the crash. There was no greater tragedy Kareet could imagine than that.\n\nPerhaps the Castigator was right? The Humans themselves could be the difference-maker here. This Jotunheim was theirs, and they clearly had capabilities beyond their understanding. If they could not bring armies in so close to Mythadia, perhaps diplomacy would yield better results? They could be helpful and polite to the Humans, make a show of respecting their independence, and gain their favor. It might make it more difficult to gain some secrets that they would rather hold close, but something was better than nothing, and \"nothing\" would be exactly what they would get for as long as they remained in a standoff with Mythadia.\n\nCautiously, Kareet stepped up alongside Nellara. \"We have a choke point here, Castigator.\" She said softly, gesturing to the hole in the wall. \"And several mages as force multipliers. But we shouldn't fight them if we can help it, and certainly shouldn't make the first attack. Too risky. Your approach may be the right one. We need to find a way to get the support of the Humans here. I suggest we send for a Thought mage as soon as we can. Perhaps invite this Silbermine to parley? At least something to buy time until we can communicate properly with the Humans.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"I had thought the people of Mythadia to have honor,\" J'eon said somberly. \"Yet here I stand, listening as House Silbermine makes claims on this temple of the Sky People. Is this what you call respect? For I find it sorely lacking!\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nOw. Ow. Ow.\n\n\"Captain, we may only get one shot with this,\" Jack warns, his voice rasping through the mask's diaphragm. \"If that bird-creature can move metal, one might be able to bend our beam, possibly use it against us.\"\n\nHe heads to the airlock, keying it open so he can step inside before it was half-way open, then closing the hanger-side door in the hope of keeping the locals outside.\n\n\"This is what happens when you don't establish boundaries,\" he mutters. One doesn't tell a being who can move metal at will that you shoot metal bullets out of a gun like it's show and tell.\n\nCycling the inner lock, he stepped through and glared at the box of pens.\n\n\"Get armed up, people! We may have a fight on our hands,\" he says, heading towards the bridge. \n\n\"Wodan!\" Jack called out as he stepped into the bridge. \"Status on the meteor gun, stat!\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Wodan\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nPerched up on one of the consoles near to Jack, a hologram of a crow appeared in his view. Naturally, Wodan was monitoring every detail of what was transpiring as best as he could, so there was no need to reiterate Zey's orders. \"The Jotunheim's cannon is responding and is currently operational, but I must advise caution in its use. It can be rotated and aimed with minimal consequence, but it is an energy-intensive magnetic accelerator weapon, and we are operating on auxiliary power. To put simply, every single shot could take one to two weeks off of our batteries' remaining power. Explosive shells could be fired at lower power for more manageable energy drain, but are dangerous to use in close proximity to the ship.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "@Expendable @EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar threw his hands up in frustration. He was becoming incredibly annoyed that everyone was trying to claim the ship for their own. I guess he was no different, but really he just wanted to learn more about these foreigners. \"I think we should help these strangers first before we move forward with annexing this ship.\"His eyes looked over toward both Silbermine. Turning his attention toward Kareet. \"I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me translate to them if they need any help with injured crew members.\" He would rather gain their trust and learn of any valuable information these people may have. Using his life mage would be indeed useful to gaining their trust. \n\nKolvar was tapping his clawed hand onto his head, trying to fight off an impending migraine. \"Let us not break into an all out war. I am sure can resolve this issue without an incident. First, I need to fetch a thought mage, so these strangers can communicate with us. Although I am afraid if I leave chaos will ensue.\" \n\n\"And I do not wish to fight anyone. So if you excuse me i have work to do.\" He said motioning for Kareet to follow him inside the ship.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "\"Eva! What is the status of your mech? Can we have you looking big and mean and mobile in the next ninety seconds? If so, let's do that NOW please. Otherwise go grab a weapon from the armoury.\"\n\n\"Suit is operational in all regards, though she won't be making any long journeys until I finish some minor repairs. None of that will matter in the short term though.\" Eva moved swiftly, sliding into place in the Javelin as she gently clicked her tongue, a habit she picked up anytime she activated her bots. The drones stood faster than before, keeping close her as the Javelin rose back to it's full height and Eva stepped forward, flanked by her little swarm. \n\nEva moved to stand directly between the humans and their guests, the little bots sparking in warning at any of their guests that decided to wander too far into the ship. \"Paladin up and alert, SEU are set to guard for anybody getting a bit too curious. If you need one of them past the line I suggest you make sure they stay close to one of ours.\"", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" } ]

[ { "text": "\"Trouble with the locals. There's locals, by the way,\" Itxaro replied quickly, just barely concealing the contempt in her voice. She didn't care much for Feng. She'd settled on this long before meeting the doctor, making an easy judgment based on the short dossier provided to her by Tamerlane. She sympathized with veterans of imperialist nations, believing capitalist states exploited the poor and downtrodden to fulfill their greedy ambitions. Rich elites were less worthy of sympathy in her eyes, but she understood that people couldn't choose what conditions they were born into. A wealthy scion like Feng willingly joining the military, however, reeked of bourgeois adventurism to Itxaro, and she held him in disdain for this perceived crime. \n\nItxaro knew it was wrong to condemn so quickly. She didn't know life outside of the USASR, the societal pressures, the cultural differences. But it was easier to assume the wealthy were just public thieves picking the pockets of everyone who had a pocket, soldiers were unwitting pawns in a stupid game that chewed them up in pointless conquests, and a rich man serving in the military was seeking cheap thrills at the cost of human lives. Her mind could be changed, but not very easily.\n\n\"Vamos, let's go.\"\n\nAs Itxaro guided Feng through the Jotunheim's belly, the fear began rising in hers. Dread, panic, and excitement were all coursing through her, forming a terrible cocktail that she knew could make her lose control. She took a deep breath and swallowed to push it back down, which seemed to keep it in check. She felt like a flailing live wire coursing with electricity, and the rush both terrified and energized her. It was almost fun in a demented, exhilarating way, but the weight of the gun in her hand brought Itxaro back to reality. She shook her head violently as if to expel the fear and pressed on. \n\nThe shuttle bay airlock cycled and a group of armed crew rushed out, Itxaro and Feng among the surge. Itxaro abandoned the doctor and sought out Eva and Vigdis, who were constructing a makeshift barricade from loose cargo. Although the two women were smaller than her, their presence made Itxaro feel safe; probably something to do with their military experience, and Eva's hulking Javelin didn't hurt either. \n\n\"I brought the welcoming committee. Everyone but Fritjof,\" Itxaro said to the pair, gesturing to the new armed arrivals as she handed Vigdis a helmet, plate carrier, and spare magazines for her Jackal. Itxaro had years of practice masking her emotions, but worry was beginning to creep into her eyes. She quickly set to work, helping construct the makeshift barricade while wondering how to make it a defendable position. We can hurtle through space faster than the speed of light, and boxes are the best we could come up with. Fuck it. As Itxaro was struggling to push a heavy box, she looked up to see Zey stride out through the hull breach, looking cool and collected. Itxaro stopped mid-shove to watch her in shock before looking to the others.\n\n\"Ehhh, should we follow her?\" Itxaro didn't love the idea of meeting angry natives outside the ship, but she was beginning to relish every interaction with the aliens and didn't want to miss out. Also, Itxaro didn't want their commander cut down by a legion of swordsmen. That would be bad.", "username": "Regime Goon", "char_name": "Dr. Itxaro Ibarra" }, { "text": "Kareet of Arcaeda\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nKareet, through this entire ordeal, was essentially staying in Nellara's shadow. She was visible, but hopefully out of notice compared to the Castigator. Being that they were going to speak with this Glen, she could not see from outside how exactly the Humans were responding to these new arrivals. They had conveyed, hopefully, that these Glen were not friends, though it was admittedly more complicated than just saying they were enemies. Mythadia and the Ascendancy were not at war, and strictly speaking had \"friendly\" relations. They engaged in trade and carried out diplomatic exchanges. However, one would have to be quite native not to notice the rivalry beneath the peaceful facade. The Ascendancy had never come into violent conflict with their neighbor to the west, but their was an ideological conflict between them. Mythadia was a relic of an age already past, and by the Archmagister's teaching, not one that was evolving towards a new future. They did not need to be enemies, but the Ascendancy would not let anyone stand in the way of progress. This new development, though, the arrival of the Humans…it had the potential to upset the balance between them. Even if it did not lead to war, neither side was going to give up on this. Of that, Kareet was certain.\n\nKareet spoke softly to Nellara just beside her. \"They aren't going to be able to speak to the Humans any more easily than we are. Still, if they know this place is occupied and they won't have just us to deal with, that might temper their expectations of claiming this place. We should choose a place outside, in view of the fortress. Maybe try to make it clear to the Humans somehow that we are negotiating? It would be helpful if they joined us. Trying to negotiate without a language in common could take all day; that would buy us some time…\"\n\nGlancing back upon hearing some shouting, Kareet spotted a Human leaving the ship. It seemed they had already decided to get involved. \n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nHigh District, Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nKerchek clearly had Gar'Tan's undivided attention as he described their visitors. He hummed to himself and paused for just a few moments for more tea. \"Scaleless, hairless outsiders in a land that is not their own, surrounded by unknown people to whom they cannot speak. I would be frightened too. In a situation such as this, I imagine you will want us to fly back as quickly as possible to meet with them, yes?\"\n\nThe soldier, Baraw, gave a nod. \"That would be preferred, yes. Castigator Nellara wants a Thought mage on-site as soon as possible.\"\n\nGar'Tan gave a quick glance back at the pair of Inquisitors standing behind him. \"I imagine the Inquisitors have the same thing in mind. Once they have made their preparations, I think we will be leaving as soon as possible. If representatives from Mythadia have arrived as well, I do imagine this situation could get uncomfortably complicated. Ah, but I have been rude, haven't I? Neglecting the guests I have right in front of me. Please, have a seat. Would you like some tea?\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"A lord commands respect by acting honorable,\" J'eon rumbles, feeling his shoulders tense as he stares down at Silbermine. \"One who comes as a thief to take what belongs to another without just cause is not worthy of respect.\"\n\nWould his cart remain unmolested? he wondered. Or would his men seek revenge for his slight? Since the day he was stolen from his family and enslaved, he never trusted a thief. There was no reason to start now.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Kareet of Arcaeda\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nIn general, Kareet preferred staying out of notice, though the approach of two of the Humans did make the situation that much more complicated. Getting them all trying to communicate with one another could buy them considerable time, but doing so out here in the open, with soldiers nearby and tensions high, seemed volatile. Even if Kareet or Nellara were not blamed for it, violent conflict could delay Kareet in being able to study the Humans properly. She found herself stepping up closer to Zey when the Humans reached them, not enough to crowd them, but enough that she could react if bows were drawn. \n\n\"They do not share a language with us, Silbermine. They are not going to have any idea of what you are saying.\" Kareet chimed in.\n\nWhile J'eon was hardly helping matters in terms of diffusing the situation, Kareet did take note of what he was saying. They had only been companions by circumstance, so it was useful for her that he was clear on where he stood.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Itxaro and Zey made the long walk to meet the new arrivals. The landscape was nothing new to the engineer, but she took it in with eager eyes nonetheless; there was nothing like this untamed wilderness left on Earth, unmarred by human touch. Aside from the scorched grass crumbling in the wind, it felt pure. As the two strode down the steep hill, electricity crept up Itxaro's spine. Not fear this time, but excitement. She felt like a medieval knight, seeking to parley with her enemies on the battlefield to prevent Christian blood from being spilled. Then again, she wasn't Christian, and she was fairly certain the Glen weren't either. All the same, she hoped to avert conflict. \n\nAs they approached, Nellara held up a hand to the two. \"Wait. Enemies.\" The commander breezed past her though, and Itxaro followed, giving the Castigator an exaggerated shrug. She knew Zey was right, though. They might be Nellara's enemies, but the humans didn't need to share that animosity. For all we know, our new friends aboard the Jotunheim might be thieves and killers. She doubted this, but they had barely exchanged thirty words, all told. Not nearly enough to know them, or their intentions. No, it was best to see all the angles before planting their flag on any side.\n\nThe two women stood before the Glen, the equine warriors towering over them like fabled storybook beasts. Itxaro didn't often look up to meet another's gaze, but had to quite often with the giant inhabitants of this planet. The air was thick with tension, and she knew one wrong move from any party could end in bloodshed. Already the natives were speaking to each other in raised tones; Itxaro absently wondered how they could even understand each other, their voices so different. Kareet closed in behind her, and she wasn't sure whether to feel reassured or threatened by their hovering presence and blood-red eyes, so Itxaro chose the former. \n\nThen, the Glen at the head of the group stepped forward. Itxaro understood this Glen was important, or at least thought he was important. His armor and weaponry were both brilliant, and Itxaro couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. He addressed the two humans in a lengthy introduction. Itxaro had no idea what he said, and she assumed the Glen knew this. Perhaps it was just tradition, like the gesture he performed. It was a stark contrast from the rocky meeting with the first group, instead a greeting practiced and honed over a lifetime at a royal court. From the emphasis placed on the word, Itxaro guessed his name was Silbermine. Not wanting to offend or disappoint, Itxaro stepped forward before her commander tore the gun from her belt and let daylight shine through his shining breastplate.\n\n\"Hail and well met, sir Silbermine of the Glen,\" Itxaro began, returning his gesture, \"I am Dr. Itxaro Ibarra, of the United South American Socialist Republic of Earth. This,\" she continued, flourishing a hand towards Zey, \"is our leader, Commander Zeynap Kadıoğlu of the Jotunheim.\" Itxaro spoke in Spanish, but any native words she was able to pepper in were pronounced with an Iriad or Tekeri accent. \"We thank you for your hospitality, and we hope to become your friends with these gifts.\" She provided the three nearest to her with simple, engraved metal pens, favoring her organic hand. The pens disappeared into the metal gauntlets, so she took this as a good sign. \n\nAside from a few choice words, Itxaro knew the Glen wouldn't understand any of it; to anyone in the crowd who could understand it, the reply's content was ridiculous. But it was the manner in which she spoke, with confidence and regal cadence, that was important. If Silbermaine was considered nobility, then it would be prudent to meet him at a similar level. \n\n\"I hope that we can become great allies. If not, we will glass your continent from orbit and render it uninhabitable for ten thousand years,\" she finished reverently in her native tongue, with a slight bow for good measure. \n\nItxaro glanced at her commander. \"What? They might know Spanish. Doesn't hurt to try,\" Itxaro offered as a quiet aside as she waited for the Glen's response. She could feel the eyes on her, but she didn't waver under their gaze.", "username": "Regime Goon", "char_name": "Dr. Itxaro Ibarra" } ]

[ { "text": "The bustle in the streets of the small mountain town was hitting its peak now that dusk was settling on the landscape. It was a place called Ertiseda, nestled in a pass between two mountains, near to the border of the Ascendancy and Mythadia. It was, for the most part, a trading post that had sprung up naturally along one of the roads leading from Mythadia directly to Arcaeda. It was in Ascendancy territory and majority Tekeri, though this close to the border, there was a fair Glen population in town. The two populations had something of a convenient arrangement for how they ran their town. In the day, Glen were mostly the ones out and about, running their shops and going about their daily tasks. Overnight, it was the nocturnal Tekeri who took over the same shops and did their jobs in the darkness. No matter what time of day a traveler arrived, every service the town provided was always available. Dusk and dawn were the only times of day where the whole town tended to be awake at the same time, right as one group was getting up and ready to start their day, but before the other was ending theirs. \n\nKareet had been speaking with a Glen at his produce stall in the market. He was middle-aged, somewhat unkempt fur, though still…acceptably presentable. His antlers looked to be about halfway through with growing in for the season. A lot of the Glen around them looked to be closing up their stalls for the evening as the Tekeri came in to replace them, so Kareet would likely be one of his last customers for the evening. \n\n\"And you're sure it was to the north?\" Kareet asked. \n\nThe Glen gave an emphatic nod. \"Oh, yeah, yeah. An Iriad comes strollin' through town lookin' like a bonfire, that's not somethin' ya miss. Didn't make much sense to me; didn't think those plants liked fire all that much. Innkeep made 'em prove they could keep from burnin' the place down before she'd let 'em in, I 'member. We still had some boys pull up some water buckets from the creek, but…well, they didn't cause no trouble. Didn't stay long, neither.\"\n\nKareet tilted her head slightly, looking off to the north. \"I see. Do you have any idea why they just went off into the mountains? There are no roads leading off that way.\"\n\nThe Glen shrugged. \"No clue. They didn't come in off the road either, though. Just wandered in out of the woods from the south, from what I heard.\"\n\n\"Hmm, well, thank you.\" Kareet replied, giving a moment to take a look around the stall. After a few seconds, she pointed to a hard-shelled fruit about the size of her fist. \"I'll take one of those.\" She said, mostly as a courtesy for taking his time.\n\nKareet slid over a pair of copper coins, then slipped the fruit into her backpack before moving on. She weaved through the crowd, ignoring the rest of the market around her as she made her way out of town from the north side. Pausing briefly, she gave a look up to the forest-covered mountainside, and the steep climb that would be ahead of her. \"Why couldn't they just use the road?\" She muttered to herself.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nThe night was coming, and the air was growing colder. Shirik had left the town of Ertiseda a few hours ago, having stopped to rest and check their map. The usual odd looks and skittish trepidation had been expected, but Shirik was just lucky they stayed dry after the talk with that innkeeper back in town. Stars began to come out as the distant moon soon would rise into the sky. Shirik had been all over the world of Kanth-Aramek by now, but the mountains were always a sight to behold. Even in the quiet company of an eternal flame, they felt at home when they could travel from place to place. Shirik threw their hood overhead as the sky began to darken. It was easier to travel at night when they didn't glow as brightly.\n\nIt had been a very long time since Shirik first emerged from that cave, since they became a new person altogether. Since then, their life became much simpler than their days in the Iriad. Walking from place to place and lending a burning hand to those who could benefit from it, and resting for the sake of quiet contemplation were most of what Shirk did. They had considered going to the Ascendancy to make a life there, but that was a decision that they never made. Shirik took a turn off the regular road, and made their way up the mountains into the woods. They were always so peaceful at night.\n\nIn one hand, Shirik held a staff made of wood and small stones of various origins. It was part walking stick, for trekking through unexplored places, and part magic instrument, for when Shirik needed it. In the growing gloom of the forest, Shirik glowed like a warm candle. Anyone following them would be able to track them easily if they paid attention, as they had their guard down enough to let the flames do as they pleased under the cloak they wore. Eventually, Shirik came to an open spot between the trees, a meadow of undisturbed grass and flowers atop a peak overlooking a valley beneath. Not a sound could be heard, and overlooking Shirik's surroundings was a cloudless, black sky glittering with stars and the moon of Kanth-Aramek. It was a beautiful night, and it was quiet.\n\nShirik liked quiet.\n\nShirik lowered their hood, and walked to the edge of the cliff they stood over, breathing in the night air. The flames that seeped from under their skin seemed to settle and burn more gently at the sight of the sky. There were many things that irritated Shirik, and many things that pushed them into a jagged mindset all too easily these days, after the things they endured. Anyone who had to fight and claw their way to survival had a short fuse. But it was evenings like these, so peaceful and wonderous, that reminded Shirik that they were still here in the present. Life had moved on, and they were there to catch up with it. They were alive. Shirik bent down and sat on the ground, with a tree at their back. On their right was the moon, and on the left was the path they took up here. Shirik's cloak had come open, and yet the forest was untouched by the fire that rolled against their skin when they touched the forest floor. They shut their eyes, and let everything fall away. Twere at peace.\n\nAt least, they were until they heard a twig snap behind them. \n\nShirik's left arm shot upwards, pointing straight in the direction of the sound, as they made a gesture with their hand. Ring finger curled inward, thumb pointed to the ground, with their remaining fingers pointing outwards in a trident shape. Suddenly, a streak of brilliant sparks was sent in the direction that their middle finger was facing, splattering against a nearby tree. Oddly enough however, the tree was completely unharmed. Not even a trace of singed bark, as if nothing happened. The rest of Shirik's body had stayed completely still until after this spell was cast, at which point they turned their head to face whatever had followed them, their eyes flickered like glowing coals from a furnace in the moonlight.\n\n\"Show yourself.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon sighs as he put down his bowl and spoon. His simple meal of stewed mashed grains with a dash of liquor he had picked up in Ertiseda was now a warm lump in his first stomach that was slowly spreading. \n\nThe small pit fire cast was little more than embers now and well-screened from the road, the cart and camp hidden under a few boughs of leaves from prying eyes. Not that he expected company on this rather desolate track that would take him by a few of the farms. If he was lucky, he might find the very thing he sought....\n\nIt appeared suddenly, a fireball of light launched to the heavens, its brilliance robbing him of his night vision so that all he could see was splotches of color that burned and blurred, so he buried his face in his hands, massaging them. All around him, even the tiniest of insects were still, but when he looks up, he could see the fireflies had risen, like sparks from a massive fire, all around, giving tribute the only way they could to the brightest light this night.\n\n\"What was that?\" he asks, in a voice as soft as a whisper as he continued looking in the direction of the light, but it did not rise skyward again. There was a faint glow in that direction, miles ahead. Without taking his eyes off the spot, his right foreleg rakes the dirt back into the pit, extinguishing the flames. \n\nWhoever had sent that light aloft had announced their presence for miles, there was no need to announce himself. If it repeated, he might have to think someone was in distress...", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "The sun had only set an hour or so prior, so there was still plenty of night left for Kareet and Shirik to travel. Kareet had made all the notes she could for the moment, so she had no reason to hold up the start of this journey. Arcaeda was quite far, and depending on the path they chose, it could be weeks before they reached the capital. Internally, Kareet was hoping that nothing might happen that could make Shirik change their mind on their plans. This Iriad was an entirely unique being, and just the historical insights alone they could provide would be of immense value. They claimed to have experience an awakening centuries before the fall of the Kolodon Empire. Admittedly, Kareet was still skeptical, but if that could somehow be confirmed, that would challenge some established notions on the nature of magic and its history in Kanth-Aremek. The prestige that unearthing such a discovery would bring to a Seeker would make her a household name in the Ascendancy. Or even beyond, in some circles.\n\nThe pair of them, however, had not managed to get all the way back to the town when they heard an ear-piercing screech fill the air. The sound was…bizarre. It felt like it might come from some kind of animal, but it was nothing Kareet was familiar with. Fauna may not have been her specialty, but these mountains were still her homeland and she was educated, yet she could not place what this might have been. She glanced to Shirik, but despite how well-traveled as the Iriad was, even they would not be able to recognize it.\n\nTo the Glen, J'eon, though, the screech was even closer. It sounded like it came from within the forest out of sight, just beyond his camp. The sounds of rustling leaves and signs of movement just at the edge of his vision would certainly make it seem as if he had heard correctly.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "The door up onto the raised concourse was locked, so one of the mercenary team set a charge and they all stacked up on the wall to blow it. Darnell, at the back save for one soldier who was watching their six, tried to raise the Jotunheim again. Icy wind and flurries of snow whipped at him from all directions. His gloved fingers may as well have been blocks of wood as they fumbled with the sat phone.\n\n\"Hangar 147, come in. This is Tyreese Darnell of Tamerlane GOC. I have orders from HQ - do not take off, I repeat DO NOT take off. Please confirm this command.\"\n\nAll he could hear was warbling static and beeps on the line, from whatever appeared to be jamming the signal. Nothing came back from the Jotunheim.\n\nThe charges went off with a muffled *FUMP*. The metal doors flew off their hinges and disappeared inside, closely followed by the Israeli team's point man.\n\nInside was the bottom of a stairwell, with a desk in front of them that the doors had just destroyed. A uniformed woman crawled out from behind the wreckage holding a large socket wrench. Upon seeing them, she shouted \"No no no!\" and ran towards them holding her hands out. The first soldier put two bullets in her chest and she clattered backwards dead.\n\n\"Clear.\" He declared as the rest of the team spilled inside and began scaling the stairs. Darnell swore upon seeing the dead body and looked around for security cameras. Thankfully, he could see none. While these mercs were masked and had no discernible markings, he was barefaced and easily recognisable. The last man pushed him toward the stairs to prevent them from becoming split up.\n\n\"Alright alright! I'm going.\"\n\nThey climbed the stairs in silence, with all guns at the ready. After a few moments they reached another set of doors. They stacked up on either side of it again. Ezra tried the handle - it opened an inch. He looked through the crack. Then he nodded at the woman opposite him and she took out a stun grenade from her tactical vest. Ezra opened the door a bit more and she armed it and threw it out of the gap. A few bullets thudded into the metal door on the other side before a loud bang and a flash stopped them. It was so strong that it stung Darnell's eyes even from the back.\n\nThe Israelis opened both doors and proceeded through, leaving Darnell peeping out from down the stairs a little way. Gunfire and shouting erupted on the concourse; tracer rounds whizzed by from both directions, with some pinging off the cargo crates and forklifts that littered the area. Darnell was pushed forward to take cover by the door so the guy in the back could provide cover. As he began moving, he saw one of the mercs take what looked like a shotgun volley to the chest. All the equipment on the front of her vest exploded in a shower of sparks and she collapsed on the floor. Ezra instantly moved in front of her while the guy by Darnell rushed over to grab her. Darnell was shouting and screaming and pointing without quite knowing what he was saying. Somehow, there was a cloud of smoke wafting into his field of view from the left.\n\n\"Move to me, Mr Darnell!\" Ezra shouted, motioning with one hand to a pile of boxes near him. Tyreese finally moved out onto the concourse - three of the mercs had assumed a defensive formation to cover both directions while the fourth prepped a canister of biofoam while crouched over their downed teammate. Darnell spotted more than one dead body in his field of vision, but he didn't stop to look at them.\n\n\"Jesus fuck. Who are these guys?\"\n\n\"You tell me, Mr Darnell. They're not amateurs.\" Ezra responded. There was more gunfire from close by. Inside the cloud of smoke that was spreading across one entire side of the concourse.\n\n\"They must be in there!\" Tyreese pointed.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "Carefully, J-eon reaches behind him to grab the spear, trying not to bump it as he lifts it out of its oarlock cradle. He wasn't sure what was out there, but it was making too much racket to hide. Was this in response to the beacon? Did this rise to challenge?\n\nIn either case, if it attacked, he had to respond, for surely it would try to kill him.\n\nHe kept his movements calm as he pivoted towards the voice.\n\nDid it come singly? Or was there two, one to give voice, others to blindside? He must listen closely in case there were more, lying in wait.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "Carefully, J-eon reaches behind him to grab the spear, trying not to bump it as he lifts it out of its oarlock cradle. He wasn't sure what was out there, but it was making too much racket to hide. Was this in response to the beacon? Did this rise to challenge?\n\nIn either case, if it attacked, he had to respond, for surely it would try to kill him.\n\nHe kept his movements calm as he pivoted towards the voice.\n\nDid it come singly? Or was there two, one to give voice, others to blindside? He must listen closely in case there were more, lying in wait.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "To J'eon, there were no sounds that would hint at creatures from other directions, only to the front. Though, for what finally emerged from the forest, it was frankly surprising that it had managed to get as close as it had without notice. This creature was massive, almost double J'eon's height. It vaguely resembled some kind of giant insect, but it was quite unlike any animal he would have ever seen. It had no eyes that could be observed, yet it was quite obviously aware of J'eon's location, with the way it seemed to stare him down. Its behavior also felt strange for an animal. If it was a predator hunting prey, it would not be screeching the moment it sensed its quarry. Whatever it was, though, it made its intentions quite unmistakable. It clicked its mandibles together, then let out another shriek as it came barreling straight at him, seemingly enraged. \n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nYet again, the shriek was plainly audible to Kareet and Shirik. It was just a bit closer than before, as their path seemed to be taking them towards it. Kareet, on her part, was starting to look more and more annoyed at the fact that she could not recognize the sound. \"Okay, that's the second time we've heard that. I will be honest, I don't recognize it. Have you ever heard anything like it?\" She asked.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\n\"...No. That noise is unfamiliar to me. What in the name the Myriad is that?\" Shirk said, immediately opting to run towards the source of the noise with a rather firm stomping of the ground with their staff. A flame was lit, and as the two of them paced down the road, there it was. A bug of some kind. Massive, hulking, angry, and ugly. Shirik watched it thrash about, trying to run down a Glen. Shirik flicked their staff across the air in front of them and Kareet to launch a small flame at it, partly to get the thing's attention, and partly to lead into another spell. In that motion, Shirk swung the staff over their head in a spin, which resulted in a trail of sparks that seemed to grow brighter by the second.\n\n\"I don't like bugs. If that thing doesn't stop screaming, I'm going to bring the whole sky down on it's head. You! Move!\" Shirik called out through a strained voice to the Glen as a warning. The glowing sphere of sparks announced the presence of both them and Kareet like a campfire as Shirik held it over their head. Like an axe waiting to fell a tree, Shirik held the angry ball of sparks and flames at the end of their staff over their shoulder, in a position implying they intended to throw it somehow. They were keeping one eye trained on the raging creature, and another on the Glen they didn't want to incinerate with their spell.\n\n\"Kareet, be ready to run for cover when I say so.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon instinctively moved to put the point of the spear between him and the eyeless creature. But looking it over, he could not guess at where its heart would be. Nor did he like how it was opening and closing its mandibles, but that had to be its head.\n\nAnd if it had a head, he had a target.\n\nWith another of its weird piercing cries, the creature suddenly charges towards him!\n\n\"HAH!\" J'eon yelled, thrusting his spear forward for the creature to impale its head on as he wordlessly summoned the flame to its tip. There would be some heat, yes, but he hadn't time for the full chant to make the blade glow white hot....\n\nYet there seemed to be a lot more light now? And who was yelling behind him?", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Fret Chappel : Human : Prospector\n\nAfter having ducked back behind the big landing wheels Fret was waiting for return fire to thump around him signaling that they knew the deal.\n\nBut instead, he heard a pop of smoke... It was close. \n\nCuriously he peaked around the side of the tires,\n\nAnd was enveloped with a mist that caused his bionic eye to fizz and then...\n\nGone.\n\nHe was now as blind as the day he'd lost his eyes.\n\nHe flicked through the various vision modes. All blank.\n\n\"Oh im TOAST...\"\n\nHis mouth went dry as the adrenalin started to coarse up from where his kidneys were. His body temperature suddenly dropped and he started shaking uncontrollably. \n\n\"TOAST! TOAST! TOAST!\" was all the little voice in the back of his head was saying.\n\nHe could only roughly remember where the boarding rampway was.\n\nHe knew they'd be heading there. They knew where it was...\n\nHe heard a voice coming from over by the big shuttle bay hatch.\n\n\"We are LEAVING! Everybody get in, now!\" She bellowed.\n\n\"TAKE IT EASY! ONE AT A TIME!\"\n\nHe took off at an awkward run. Unsure of every footstep, he stumbled about 10 to 14 steps…\n\nhe should be roughly there…\n\n…He felt the surface under foot change from asphalt to a harder metal surface. Slowly his vision snowed…\n\nThen he felt someone grab him by his shoulders and throw him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Was he in the ship? As soon as he was in his vision came back to life.\n\nWho had grabbed him? The voice?\n\nAre we leaving??????", "username": "Steel Legion", "char_name": "Fret Chappel" } ]

[ { "text": "The intense cold that struck at the creature's core was rather immediately effective against it. Its scream this time seemed to be one of pain. It stumbled forward, half-collapsing in front of J'eon. Even without eyes, the way its body shifted towards him felt like it was glaring down upon the Glen. \n\nFrom the start, Kareet had not wanted to get involved in a fight, but now that she was committed to being here, it was her training that quickly took over. It was easy to identify the exceptionally quick, and equally precise movements of a trained war caster. She could manage to mix in spellcasting seamlessly into swings, parries, or in this case, a throw. As she reared her hammer back, she moved two fingers along its haft at just the right angle and speed to imbue it with an electric charge. \n\nThe hammer came flying in, magnetically guided and accelerated, over the Glen to slam straight into the front of the creature's head. The hard, sharp mandibles had been frozen to the point of becoming brittle, and so the one the hammer struck shattered upon impact, followed by a discharge of lightning all down its head and neck. The electricity only heated small, concentrated areas, but in the places it affected, it seemed the otherwise tough hide did not fare well through such rapid swings between cooling and heating. The hide actually appeared to be cracking in places. \n\n\"Hit it hard, all together!\" Kareet shouted as her hammer flew back into her hand.\n\nThe creature, however, would not be stunned forever. With as massive as it was, J'eon's spell had only affected part of its body so far, and the Glen had not yet ran, so he was still within its reach. With a roar, it made a powerful backhanded swing of its massive arm straight at J'eon.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "The screaming caught her mid-reload. She didn't need to look to know why the man was screaming. Considering that only one person was screaming, her mind evoked images of meatloaf instead of the intended lesser damage over all three targets. Violent injuries were nothing new to a four year veteran of salvage duty. Vaccum exposure, hot vapors and liquids, electric current, exploding pressure vessels, shrapnel large and small, people trapped in an inferno so hot the heat cracked the teeth... Just two months before she got out of the navy, she slipped on a patch of charred goo that used to be a crew member of a freighter that completely burned out. She'd seen and smelled it all, but always as a third party. An unfortunate observer. But here, she did that to the man. Knowing she caused it made her sick. 'Better them than me.' she thought, but it rang somewhat hollow. Snapping in a new magazine with a shaking hand, she popped out of cover again and immediately recoiled back. Meatloaf. Meatloaf in marinara sauce.\n\nThe sound of her name being called brought her back into the here and now. Sprinting up the ramp and not even stopping as she hit the button to close it, she went straight for the airlock, heading to the machine shop. Having connected to the shipwide PA, Vigdis whistled into the microphone, completely uncaring about how weird it probably sounded to everyone else on board. She listened for the sound of doors opening or something moving in nearby vents when movement in one of the shelves near the ceiling caught her eye. To her infinite relief, she was met with the sight of Fritjof, eyes at half mast from having just woken up. \"You lazy slacker, how'd you sleep through that?!\" She stepped closer to the shelf and tapped her shoulder, the cat taking the cue and leaping down onto her shoulders. \"Sure wish I could've.\" She ruffled the hair on his head before placing him in the carrier strapped to the floor for safety and made for the engineering section. As she was unregistered luggage on this trip, she might as well make herself useful.\n\nSomewhere in the distance, something at last put an end to the muted screams of the man she'd crippled.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nA wave of biting cold washed over the road, followed by Kareet's magically charged hammer shattering a frozen mandible off of the creature's face. It truly was impressive what multiple mages were capable of. Lightning coursed across its skin, burning it as the cold contracted it. The skin of this insect-like beast seemed to serve as its armor, and like any armor, it was suited for certain things and certain things only. Extreme warping was not one of these things. Shirik raised their staff as the ball of sparks came to roughly the size of a S'Tor's head, and slammed it into the ground.\n\nThe sparks became lines, and those lines animated themselves into a circle that crept around the stunned creature in seconds. The ring that burned itself into the ground glowed like steel from a forge, and the Iriad mage shouted.\n\n\"MOVE! NOW!\"\n\nIn the sky above the three of them, something resembling a star exploded into a warm, golden light. For a brief moment, it was as though the night had been turned back by a few hours, as a sound filled the air. The ground began to illuminate, and Shirik, despite their warning, only took a singular step back. Something fell from the stars above, directly onto the creature's head. A blinding flare of intense heat, similar to the fireball they sent into the sky earlier as a demonstration to Kareet. In the field of astronomy, comets and shooting stars were a common occurrence. An object of celestial origin, soaring across the sky of Kanth-Aramek and disappearing as soon as it emerged. It seemed as though Shirik had called down a star in the same fashion incinerate the creature, only there was no solid stone to be found, only fire concentrated into a blazing lance of arcane fury.\n\nJ'eon and Kareet would have noticed something falling from the sky, as the ground grew brighter to signal its arrival, and when it struck the creature, there was a rupture of golden light, like a volcano erupting into elemental fury without a trace of smoke. There was no explosion to threaten J'eon or Kareet, but what was once bitter cold was now a sweltering heatwave akin to a blacksmith's workspace.\n\n\"I hate insects.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "The blow was sudden and unexpected. Despite his armor and his muscular chest, J'eon could feel his ribs cracking as he went flying into the trees further up the road.\n\nThe trees were no softer when he slammed into them.\n\nJ'eon gasps with pain, groping for his hooked blade, expecting any moment the creature would turn and attack him now, on the ground, nearly helpless.\n\nAnd saw Shirik's attack as light came down and struck the creature, illuminating the forest for miles around.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\nPressing a hand to their torso, The Glen known as J'eon, gasps and turns his head to face Kareet.\n\n\"I... live,\" he managed, haltingly, bowing his head. \"I am... indebted... to you... and your... friend, for coming... to my... rescue.\"\n\n\"I am... J'eon... of Mythadia,\" J'eon swallowed, tasting the blood. \"May... I ask... your names?\"\n\nFrom the pain radiating from its upper and lower torsos, he must have broken some bones there. Nor did he feel ready to stand just yet.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "As the Glen had been collecting himself to respond, Kareet had cautiously approached the creature's corpse, setting her gaze upon any detail that could be important. Anything that stood out immediately. \"Hmm, physiology unlike anything I've seen before. Doesn't match any description of anything native to the Ascendancy…and a heat resistant hide? Never heard of that occurring naturally. Blood is…black? None of this sits right with me.\" She muttered, mostly to herself. \n\nKareet was tempted to pull out her notebook right away to start sketching what she could see, but the Glen, J'eon, was finally able to answer. He was alive, but even the most oblivious observer could see that he was hurt. Altogether, it was inconvenient, as it meant she could not pretend she did not notice. She wanted to find out what she could about this creature while she was able, but it was plainly obvious that J'eon needed help sooner rather than later. Her impression of Shirik's personality was that they would want them to help him. Still, she managed to avoid letting on to her reluctance to pry herself away from examining the corpse.\n\n\"Kareet of Arcaeda, Seeker of the Order of Sages.\" She introduced herself as she stepped up to the Glen laying on the ground in front of her. \"You should be treated as soon as possible. I believe Ertiseda has a Life mage. We should be able to get you there; it isn't far.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "The Jotunheim Engineering department was mostly contained within one claustrophobic room. There were four main control areas including Life Support, which mostly looked out over a complicated sprawl of wires and pipes that connected the Tamerlane FTL drive in the middle with the three enormous engine pods in back. It was pretty loud, and stank of fuel.\n\n\"I can give you 7.25%, no more right now! Should be enough to activate two segments.\" Zhao snapped at Vigdis while standing over the engine room's central console. She wore a dirty navy boiler suit with Tamerlane's horse archer logo on the back and curlers in her dark hair kept in place by netting. The other engineers had returned to their stations, where they hawkishly monitored engine and life support systems as the ship completed its final pre-flight checks.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Let us in!\" Darnell shouted, pounding on the shuttle bay's airlock door.\n\nLooking frantically around, his eyes landed on the door's control panel again. \"How do I talk through this thing…\" He muttered, pressing all the buttons at once.\n\nEzra kept his assault rifle levelled at a short young woman who he'd caught securing her mech suit to the floor. He knew all too well how dangerous those Javelin bots could be, even when demilitarised, so he didn't plan on letting its pilot out of his sight.\n\n\"How do we unlock this door, or talk to the crew?\" Ezra asked Eva, his accent thick when speaking in English.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nWhen Shirik said they'd bring the heavens down on the bug, they were serious.\n\nIt stopped moving, and Shirik ran over to the battered Glen with Kareet. He was alive, by the gods. \"I am Shirik. And you are very luck to be alive, J'eon of Mythadia.\" The Glen would be treated to a very strange sight, and Iriad suffused with fire beneath their bark. \"If you can stand, we will take you to Ertiseda where this Life mage can tend to you as Kareet says.\" Shirik looked over to the wretched mess they left behind after striking it down. \"I am a thousand years old, and I have not seen such a beast before.\" They said flatly. \"Regardless, our new friend requires assistance, so let us be on our way, yes?\" Shirik bent down to help the Glen onto his feet. When J'eon touched Shirik, he wouldn't feel burned by the Iriad's hands. Rather, he would simply feel the sensation of dried bark against skin. \n\n\"I am certain the Sages would be interested to know what that beast is. Or perhaps they do. But we can return for its remains later, Kareet.\" They said, seeing that Kareet was taking an interest in studying the insect-like monster they just brought down.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Thank you,\" J'eon pants as he is help up. Shirik was burning, yet was acting as though nothing unusual was happening. What was he? \"I.. have a cart... back there... Chest, two blankets.\"\n\nHe paused, looking at the creature Shirik has slain. \"We... should go... swiftly. Where... there is one... there will... be others.\"\n\nIt was more than pain that made him pant.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Aye aye, captain!\" Jack nodded, turning towards the bridge. \n\nAfter getting through the airlock, he cycled the bridge hatch and stepped inside, eyes turning towards the pilot at his console, then to the navigator's station on the left, ignoring the yammering of port controller over the radio.\n\nStepping over to it, he began keying in for all the local 'ports capable of handling the Jo, then forwarded the primary and alternate \nflight plans to both the pilot and the captain's station.\n\n\"Pilot Janković,\" Jack sang out. \"Two flight plans sent to you, confirm?\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nWhen Shirik said they'd bring the heavens down on the bug, they were serious.\n\nIt stopped moving, and Shirik ran over to the battered Glen with Kareet. He was alive, by the gods. \"I am Shirik. And you are very luck to be alive, J'eon of Mythadia.\" The Glen would be treated to a very strange sight, and Iriad suffused with fire beneath their bark. \"If you can stand, we will take you to Ertiseda where this Life mage can tend to you as Kareet says.\" Shirik looked over to the wretched mess they left behind after striking it down. \"I am a thousand years old, and I have not seen such a beast before.\" They said flatly. \"Regardless, our new friend requires assistance, so let us be on our way, yes?\" Shirik bent down to help the Glen onto his feet. When J'eon touched Shirik, he wouldn't feel burned by the Iriad's hands. Rather, he would simply feel the sensation of dried bark against skin. \n\n\"I am certain the Sages would be interested to know what that beast is. Or perhaps they do. But we can return for its remains later, Kareet.\" They said, seeing that Kareet was taking an interest in studying the insect-like monster they just brought down.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Thank you,\" J'eon pants as he is help up. Shirik was burning, yet was acting as though nothing unusual was happening. What was he? \"I.. have a cart... back there... Chest, two blankets.\"\n\nHe paused, looking at the creature Shirik has slain. \"We... should go... swiftly. Where... there is one... there will... be others.\"\n\nIt was more than pain that made him pant.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Aye aye, captain!\" Jack nodded, turning towards the bridge. \n\nAfter getting through the airlock, he cycled the bridge hatch and stepped inside, eyes turning towards the pilot at his console, then to the navigator's station on the left, ignoring the yammering of port controller over the radio.\n\nStepping over to it, he began keying in for all the local 'ports capable of handling the Jo, then forwarded the primary and alternate \nflight plans to both the pilot and the captain's station.\n\n\"Pilot Janković,\" Jack sang out. \"Two flight plans sent to you, confirm?\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Kareet gave another glance back at the creature's corpse. This was a particularly interesting find; something new, with properties that challenged what could be natural. Perhaps Shirik was right that she could return to examine it later, but that presented its own risks. It might not take long for scavengers to find the corpse, and any damage they might do could interfere with her findings. Still, she had to prioritize. Shirik was likely more valuable, and to refuse to help this Glen could her to lose their cooperation. If she was going to have to choose between two discoveries, it would be better to choose Shirik. She supposed it was a good problem to have.\n\n\"We just need to hurry and get him to the town. Sorry to say, but you don't look to be in much of a state to walk right now, J'eon.\" Kareet said, already moving towards his cart. She pulled back the canvas to take a look at what it was carrying, then gave a glance back towards the Glen. \"I'm going to have to take some of these things out to make room for you. I'll tell you right now, I'm not going to be pulling both your whole weight and an entire anvil all the way back to town. I'll hide these things as best as I can so you can come back for them later.\" Even if she had the strength to do so over some distance, trying to do so over hilly terrain all the way back to Ertiseda would be far too exhausting.\n\n\"Come on, help me with this.\" Kareet remarked to Shirik as she started to make room in the cart for the Glen.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nWhile tiring, the walk back along the road to Ertiseda was not so tiring that Kareet could not handle it. Tekeri were strong and quick, but they were not nearly so well-suited to long-distance endurance as the Glen. It was the middle of the night when they arrived, so there were plenty of Tekeri up and about. Kareet did not bother herself with the looks of concern from some of the bystanders, though. She was focused on dealing with this problem as quickly as possible. \"Shirik, could you look after him? I'll see if I can find this Life mage.\"\n\nFrom what she remembered when she was staying in town, Ertiseda did not have a Life mage of their own, but there was a traveler who knew Life magic who was staying in town for the time being. Traveling Life mages often found themselves inundated with pleas for healing whenever they passed through remote towns, but unlike the average peasant, Kareet actually had the coin to pay for the service.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Eva laughed at the gun pointed her way, the chaos of the situation having apparently not faded away. She continued working, securing her suit the the bay floor as the ship seemed to rumble around her. \"YOU don't, but don't worry, they know about you already. Hey, did you have any idea what my job was when you decided to point that at me?\" Eva kept her channel open, her implant sending the conversation to any receiving signals nearby in the bay. Her conversation seeking to distract as her little metal ally stood slowly on it's arachnid limbs, rising from it's spot in storage.\n\n\"You see, Generally speaking I'm an EVA specialist, exploration of dangerous areas is pretty important for missions like this... I'm also a bit of a robotics specialist.\" The SEU unit sparked only once as it moved into place behind the man, the startling sound of it's electrical discharge giving him only the briefest of warnings before leaping from just behind him.", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" }, { "text": "Kaqir sighed contentedly, ruffling her feathers. She'd always liked how they looked at night. The moon was a pretty sort of painter. Every fiber, every detail, every mote of dust and dirt and molting skin smiled sweet with silver. \n\nShe didn't really have the energy to wax poetic, though, so she just thought, ooo, sparkly. It was an adjective she wielded quite often, about a great many things. Especially coin. \n\nThe job had been a straightforward one—a young Tekeri boy, taken ill with a cruel strain of giardiasis. Ertiseda was nice enough, but any town that sprung up quick enough for trade was bound to have issues getting a reliable water source. The mother, poor dear, was worried nearly as sick as her son. They didn't have money to spare, but Kaqir checked up on him. Like a fool. Saw him shivering in that tiny homemade blanket and broke. It was easy to fix him, in the end. None of that tearing and stitching and blood. No. No. Diseases like this were simple. His white blood cells were being overwhelmed, and fast. All she had to do was send reinforcements, and with them, a message: you can be strong. you will be strong. you will choke out the monsters that hurt your little boy. \n\nHe looked like Sev'ee. \n\nShe shut the door behind her. That was her problem. None of these patients were her family. Healing took skill and energy and time. If she was going to make it as a mercenary, she was going to have to be responsible. Realistic. Paid. No matter how good it felt to know she could save people.\n\nBut she made her choice, and here she was: certifiably broke. Her rent at the inn was definitely due tonight, and she hadn't earned a thing but a thank-you-loaf in days.", "username": "meri", "char_name": "Kaqir" } ]

[ { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst walked past the tall trees in the surrounding area. Treading carefully as he did not want to be seen by anyone. Although his mission was of the utmost importance, he was fine with taking his time. The young Kriliteran stopped briefly to note a carving on a nearby tree. Placing his deformed \"hand\" on the area where the craving was. It looked like two lovers had carved their names into the tree. Feeling sad that he had not recently found a mate. In particular, he found it hard because he was not very good at socializing. Especially when it came to Kriliteran women. \n\nBut his trouble with women was not really important at the moment. Kolvar started walking further mostly keeping to walking behind the trees and avoiding the main road because he does not want to be seen. His master had told him that the book he was looking for was a religious tomb. A book that was lost during the sacking of Balrak'dun. The hatred of the S'tor and Pa'tal is kept even today. Kolvar in particular has gotten into trouble for picking fights with S'tor and Pa'tal people. Only being saved by his friends or his master. \n\nThe Kriliteran was getting closer to his destination but was stopped when he heard a caravan moving. He lay on his stomach, waiting for the caravan to move passed him. But it seemed one of them needed to use the washroom. Kolvar turned into a small bipedal creature, running toward the direction he was supposed to go. Cursing the person that had gotten close to seeing him. But he was glad that his shapeshifting had saved him. \n\nContinuing towards Ertiseda. Having to gather some information as to where the book would be located. Although he would have to be careful in case his identity would be revealed.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "Jack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\"It's a mad-house... captain...!?!\" the X.O. yelped as the leather cap was unceremoniously yanked off his head and carelessly tossed aside. His eyes darted to the back of her head as she went past, then behind him to find the cap - which was surprisingly warm. And possibly the only hat he'd have until they returned. And if they lost gravity, potential F.O.D. hazard.\n\nDanny, Danny, Danny, he sighed shaking his head.What did I ever do to you?\n\nLeaning forward over the radar plot, he took out his white wax pencil and marked out a plot. \"Captain, recommend we come right seven and one-half degree for 600 yards, then left seven and one-half degree to resume our base course for 190 yards, then left three degrees for the next eight hundred yards.... What the...?\"\n\nThere was six tracks coming up behind them....?\n\n\"Captain! We've got missiles coming up our butts!\"\n\nThey had nothing at all back there but that kinetic shield - and he didn't think it was built to withstand that sort of blast.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Eva sat back silently as the man squabbled with her SEU, exhaling with a dissatisfied grunt as it was eventually crippled by the clown with the sidearm. \"Mmm, looks like I have more to play with before they can handle a real bout.\" The shouting about being on the same side barely registered to Eva, children who aim guns should be just as ready to die as they are to kill, regardless of what side they're on... but she whistled, the clattering of the other two SEU somewhere in the far end of the room suddenly going quiet. \"Stop panicking, I can open the door myself... though they probably don't like that I can. I'll send the message ahead... you know, you should teach your little pet some manners before it gets put down.\" Eva chuckled, giving a wink to the man who had just been pointing a gun at her moments before.\n\nEva's Implant left a pain in the back of her mind for just a moment before connecting solidly to the bridge. \"Captain be aware, Jokers in the Bay with me are mentioning some sort of issue concerning usage of the shielding at the same time as the FTL drive and main engines. The fact they liked waving a gun at me doesn't exactly make me confident but I thought I should make you aware given their eagerness to get in.\"\n\nEva sighed as she cut the line, not bothering to wait for a response. \"Now, you two need to find a spot to sit down with me. Either this ship stops, and the hostiles outside kill us, or the ship kills us... either way it's suddenly not your problem anymore. There is the chance this all goes off without a hitch but have you looked outside? I seriously doubt it.\" Eva sighed, moving to drag the damaged SEU into a small crate that still had room. \"Besides, I find it very unlikely anybody will pay any attention to what you say when you have such terrible manners, even IF I decided to let you down into the Bridge.\"", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" }, { "text": "Startling from her reverie, it took Kaqir a moment to process the traveller's words. Services, urgency... pay! Money! Job! Sparkly! She brightened, eyes crinkling in the Tekeri approximation of a grin. \"Ah, I am indeed the one for which you search! Life mage Kaqir, at your service.\" \n\nShe bowed, one wing folding in front while the other fanned dramatically against the stars. The woman before her was clearly wealthy—no common adventurer usually bothered to stay so pristine when confronted with the constant grime of travel. And that herbal scent (spice? citrus? how refreshing!) was surely of some expense. Perhaps someone of her apparent station would appreciate the gesture.\n\n\"In what matter may I assist you, madam?\"", "username": "meri", "char_name": "Kaqir" } ]

[ { "text": "Kaqir's exuberance was quickly tempered by the sight of the Glen. Gods above. It was nothing she couldn't fix, of course, but the fact that they seemed to have carted him across such wild roads with an injury like this... well, it couldn't have been pleasant, to say the least. His voice was too tight around his thanks, all scratch and scrape and—no. It would be fine. She tipped her head in what she hoped was a reassurance. \"You're welcome, sir. This should only take a moment.\"\n\nPressing a talon to his chest, she took a deep breath.\n\nBone and blood and sinew screamed into her touch. His ribs were thoroughly cracked—though whatever broke them had the decency to leave him with a clean fracture. A direct blow, and a strong one at that. He certainly looked the fighting type. Who were these people? A noblewoman and her guards? Her gaze caught on the Iriad. They looked far too interesting to mix with high society, even in some place as open-minded as the Ascendancy. And the fellow Tekeri clearly had enough of an understanding of magic to be familiar with Life practices. Perhaps a group of bounty hunters?\n\nShe shook the thoughts from her mind. She was getting paid to heal, not investigate. It didn't matter who they were. \n\nClosing her eyes, she smothered the urgent cries of his pain receptors. He didn't need to feel what was to come. That was a step you only had to miss once. Diagrams crumpled in her head, fresh ink on old paper. She'd operated on very few Glen, but their anatomy was still familiar, if a bit more mammalian than she was used to. Her notes were messy but memorable, and that's what mattered. The anterior chest cavity of a Glen was much sturdier than that of a Tekeri. There was no need of coaxing, just command. Her magic seized the marrow, stretching it to the severed fragment and twisting inside. That helped fuel the shell of periosteum, lengthening the ribcage back to its normal size. His lungs seemed to be unharmed. It was almost eerie to hear their rasp without a pulse between them.\n\nFortunately, his lower ribs fared better than those in his upper half. Some minor contusions along the muscle and inner bone, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with some expedited tissue cleaning. His heart, which was nestled in this set of lungs, beat healthily.\n\nExhaling slowly, she awoke his deadened nerves and withdrew. A few lingering cells tugged at her attention: scattered scars beneath his cuirass, burns curling across his arm, old bruises yellow beneath his fur. They weren't things meant to be healed, though—if he had allowed their presence this long, they were a part of him. Memories. Warnings. Badges, maybe. \n\nShe met his eyes and smiled. \"There we go! You should be all healed up. Do let me know if anything still hurts.\"", "username": "meri", "char_name": "Kaqir" }, { "text": "The bridge\nWodan picked one hell of a time to come online. A proximity alarm pinged twice around the bridge as the Jotunheim's radar picked up six locked-on missiles. Everyone leapt into action.\n\n\"Evasive action, NOW!\" Zey shouted, diving towards her seat. Bosko immediately went to full speed ahead on the main engines and yanked the control yoke. The Jotunheim's beetle-like shape exploded forward and pulled up towards the dawn sky, but it was too late. The missiles were moving at 1,200 metres per second, and there was no way the hulking spacecraft could avoid them all. The first missile went straight towards the bulbous shuttle bay on the side.\n \nThe shuttle bay\nEzra threw the spasming spider droid onto the shuttle bay floor, gritting his teeth from the pain. He quickly looked down and dipped his fingers into a rip in the undercoat covering his right arm. His fingers came back red with blood - the robot had cut him.\n\nHe looked back up at Eva as she came over to grab the spider. He crouched down and picked his assault rifle quickly back up, then stalked towards her.\n\n\"No more games. Open this door or I'll-\"\n\nThe deck shifted dramatically under their feet and the engines shook the deck under their feet. Everything seemed to move at once - an unsecured box smashed into the soldier's legs and he stumbled into Eva. Darnell shouted, staggered and fell back hard into a row of jump seats. The airlock door opened, and the sound and sight of screaming civilians could be heard in the service corridor, then they closed again.\n\nThen a massive explosion ripped through the bay. The ramp fell slightly open, and a section of the hull in the corner buckled and burst. Flames gushed in, whipped up by the wind. A maelstrom of shrapnel made a sound like tinkling glass as it impacted surfaces. One of the large straps securing the shuttle snapped as a siren blared.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nThe second missile fizzed past the ship and exploded in front of the bridge as Bosko violently levelled out of its upwards ascent and turned it to the right. A long, thin pleasure craft veered out of the way to avoid crashing into the Jo, and moved straight into the path of the third and fourth missile. \n\nThe last two projectiles soared straight into the engine shielding, and the whole aft crackled with bright blue energy. The kinetic barrier forced the missiles to explode early - a savage shockwave buffeted the hull and shook the insides.\n\nEngineering\nZhao strapped in, her face illuminated by glowing in the light of various displays crowded around her.\n\n\"Power spike! Someone talk to me!\"\n\n\"It's the FTL drive ma'am, it's jumping all on its own!\" Varen shot back. Vigdis would see dangerous fluctuations in her console's readings.\n\n\"Kill it, now!\" Zhao commanded.\n\n\"It's not responding!\"\n\nThe noise was unbearable. The shields were screeching, and now the FTL's whine had rapidly risen to a crescendo.\n\n\"Engineering to Bridge, emergency jump imminent\" Zhao yelled into her comms piece.\n\n\n\nThe sky was dark, and full of stars over Kanth-Amerek. The only sounds one could hear in the wilderness was the rustle of foliage and call of animals. These calls turned into frantic screeching as a thunderous boom rolled over the land and echoed off the far hills of the Ascendency. The sky flashed, like with lightning, and a dull mauve scar seared into the atmosphere. A bright ball of flame emerged, and hurtled towards the ground.\n\nThe Bridge\nZey had only just made it to her seat and strapped in before the panicked call from engineering. Her eyes had involuntarily closed against the bright flash, and now gouts of flame erupted from the shield cabling below the Bridge cockpit windows. The sound of missiles had totally gone, and the engines were eerily quiet, more of a sooradic judder than a continuous sound.\n\n\"Where are we? Somebody give me a sitrep right now. Wodan? Welcome aboard - reboot our sensory array.\" Zey ordered, staring at the curved bank of screens that folded out of the wall to surround the Captain's chair. All of her external data sources were making zero sense.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" } ]

[ { "text": "Location: Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nHaving a recently graduated Castigator be assigned to a major city, while very uncommon, wasn't exactly unheard of. In the end, it all depended on the skill and knowledge of the Castigator and if they were deemed as capable of shouldering the burden of being assigned as the Castigator of a major city. While it was general knowledge that minor cities had more frequent 'issues' that might require the presence of a Castigator, the truth behind those was that most issues were rather simple and would normally be solved by common soldiers in bigger cities. On the other hand, whenever a situation appeared where a Castigator's presence was required in a major city though, normally that meant it was an issue that the soldiers and the local authorities of the entire city weren't capable of dealing with by themselves. In these moments, was where the skill and knowledge of a true Castigator was needed, where they had to show if they were worthy of the honor of being assigned to a major city. In Nellara's case, that major city was Lenkik.\n\nWhile not nearly as old, historic and big as Arcaeda, Lenkik is still an impressively well built and established city. Behind its tall protective walls, a homage to Arcaeda's own, famous walls, lies an equally solid and well built city. Taking inspiration from Arcaeda, many aspects of Lenkik mirrors the capital city, such as having a ground, middle, high districts and to some degree, even the overall architecture and design of the city. Due to its size and wealth compared to other minor settlements, the authorities on Lenkik were effective enough to maintain public order to a very satisfactory degree. Thanks to that, the interference of a Castigator wasn't always required in their nightly… and daily, routines. \nDespíte that, Nellara still enjoyed keeping a tight and strict routine herself. Waking up every day the moment the sun begins going down, Nellara's night often began with her making sure her armor and appearance were as impeccable as her status and position required it to be. From the gold dye decorating her feathers, the golden lines on her claws and even making sure her armor was immaculately clean and polished. Immediately after that, she would go to the training grounds for a session of training and sparring with the soldiers followed by a walk through the ground and middle districts, or 'patrolling', as Nellara herself liked to call. \n\nOther than the occasional patrols through the most busy districts of Lenkik through the night and even one during the day, Nellara had most of the remaining time to herself after she was done with her routine. Most of this time was spent at her home, a cozy, medium house in the middle district. Unlike some high-officials, which decided to move to the high district as soon as their position allowed them to do so, Nellara was strictly against the idea of doing so herself. Her reasons were not only that she was ill-suited to a life of luxury, but also because it helped her to remind that despite her position of power, she was just another person, much like all the others who went on with their lives and their jobs, keeping the ground and middle districts of Lenkik always busy and moving. \n\nThanks to the free time Nellara had, she often tried new hobbies, to pass time. Many of them were forgotten after only a week though. The exceptions to that were reading and, surprisingly enough… cooking. On that particular night, after a harsh training session with the (un)lucky soldiers that were on the training grounds, Nellara decided to try her hand at cooking for herself for the first time. The dish of choice wasn't a particularly complex one, mainly consisting of roasted roots and a rare steak, well seasoned salt and herbs. Thanks to the detailed instructions that were written in the cooking book she bought, preparing and cooking the meat, until it was perfectly cooked, wasn't difficult at all. On the other hand, it was a bit more complicated to know the exact time when to take out the roots. If they were taken out too soon, they would still be soft and wouldn't have that delicious, crispy outside. If they were left even for a minute longer in the oven than they needed to be, they would start getting burned, which would ruin their taste. It was exactly at that delicate time, where precise timing, absolute attention and concentration were required that a strange light coming from the outside suddenly interrupted Nellara's cooking. Immediately running to the window, Nellara saw, shocked as a huge fireball cut through the night sky, followed by the sound of a distant explosion.\n\n\"My steak and roasted roots...\" Nellara said with a sigh, turning off the oven before immediately running outside.\n\nIn less than 30 minutes, Nellara was already heading to the docks, after requesting a small team of five soldiers to investigate the location where the fireball had landed. According to the position it was heading to, the fastest way for them to get there would be to take a barge and go up the river.\n\n\"Do not lower your guards until further orders are given. I will dispatch one soldier from my division to deliver a report about the situation as soon as possible. I want a preliminary report about the situation being made and a messenger ready to be dispatched to Arcaeda once my report arrives in Lenkik!\" Nellara ordered, her voice loud enough for all the soldiers around them to hear, both the ones from her own team and those who would stay guarding the city.\n\n\"Yes, Castigator Nellara!\" the soldiers replied in unison as they began assuming defensive positions.\n\nAs Nellara boarded the barge, she kept her eyes fixed on the horizon where the fireball was last seen. While its distance meant that it wasn't an immediate threat to the city of Lenkik, the fact that it had happened close enough for them not only to see, but hear the fireball meant that it was indeed close enough to warrant further investigation from their part. Whether it was the result of magic, some type of weapon or even a natural disaster, Nellara would deal with it accordingly before sending a detailed report to the city of Arcaeda.", "username": "13org", "char_name": null }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nIn the few days of travel, Shirik had maintained that whatever fireball they were traveling towards was their own doing. \"The interesting thing about using the sky as a means of incinerating creatures of flesh and bone is that you won't always get only fire. The heavens are a vast place, and things tend to slip down when holes are opened so far away.\" It was ultimately a joke that Shirik intended to play out for as long as possible, since Shirik rarely got to have fun these days, but perhaps it wasn't? Perhaps Shirik did put too much force into their spell, tearing away the wall that separated Kanth-Aremek from whatever world that castle fell from? Was it possible that they were simply underselling their own power when they told Kareet they were a master of the Heat domain?\n\nSome questions can never be answered.\n\n\"There will likely be others there before us, or after. I believe that if we intend to gather any information about this, then we should do it from a distance. Much can be gleaned solely from observation. Wildfires can rage for days, and people may intend to take this object for themselves. Of course, I am curious as to what it is, though we should find answers cautiously, in my own opinion.\" They said to the small group that was slowly forming, though mostly to Kareet, given that she was the one who wanted this more than the others, most likely. For the most part, Shirik was tagging along for the well being of others. This was a concern, and that degree of flame was something a Heat master could handle easier than most.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "\"Well, to be frank, Duncan chimed in, a hand massaging a thoroughly furrowed and stressed brow, \"Everything- and everyone is a mess.\" \n\nEver since they took off, Duncan's eye-lenses had been scrawling with information and data, to the point that his irises were almost entirely hidden underneath the mountains of data scrolling across his eyes. The medical servers had somehow- miraculously survived their crash, with only enough hiccups to thoroughly bother him. His leg jittered rapidly and uncomfortably, very clearly having not slept at all the night before, instead relying on copious amounts of caffeine and stimulants- that he'd likely not be able to replace anytime soon. Sara and Richard- his assistants, while present at the crew meeting, were currently passed out from exhaustion in a pair of chairs towards the back of the room, getting some much needed rest while the droids took momentary care of the situation up top. \n\n\"Most of the crew is suffering from some level of injury, either physical or through stress. A few concussions, but most of the ones with treatable injuries have been treated or are currently being treated.\" he continued, his eyes watching the bouncing biorhythms of what crew remained. \"Don't even get me started on the civilians.\"\n\nDuncan was in a bit of a tough place- in the military world, casualties were either treatable or not. With few resources and less time, medical work in the military was more about choosing which ones they could save, and reducing the suffering of those he could not. In the civilian world, they were expected to go above and beyond the whole nine yards and attempt to save each and every person that came into their care. As grim as it was to say, Duncan knew he'd likely have to choose who he could save and who he couldn't.\n\n\"We're not equipped to handle injuries at this scale.\" Duncan said grimly, \"I don't have the manpower, I don't have the supplies and I don't have enough time. At present, there's just not a enough of anything. We had enough resources to handle our crew needs, but a few dozen additional civilians is going to stretch that supply real thin, real fast.\"\n\nDuncan passed a very hastily written clipboard with barely legible handwriting towards Zey. The list was categorized into crew and civilians. While most were injured, some had green check marks by their name- hurt, but mostly functional and likely wouldn't receive further medical treatment. Others had treatment briefs written out, and while he didn't mention it out loud to the crew, the Captain could see several civilians with red circles around their names- ones with considerable injuries. It wasn't stated, but the implications were obvious. He couldn't save everyone, and they were going to have to choose some to go without treatment.\n\n\"I need blood- and lots of it, among other things. I'll be setting up one of the droids to start collecting soon. Everyone needs to go visit when they have the chance.\" While not the captain of the ship, from the way Doc Feng spoke, it didn't seem like he was asking.", "username": "vietmyke", "char_name": null }, { "text": "\"So much for stealth…\" Kareet muttered once she and J'eon had crested the hill to see Shirik extinguishing flames very much out in the open. Regardless, the sight of this…machine pulled her attention away from anything else rather swiftly and completely. She had been speculating on what she had seen since the moment they left Ertiseda, but this…this defied anything she could have expected. Its size was unbelievable, its design entirely unrecognizable, and its source was even more mysterious. \"This doesn't look like anything from any place I am familiar with. Where could it have come from? Another continent, maybe, but…who could have built it? The kind of industry required, and the metalworking…it is in amazingly good condition for having fallen from the sky, I think. We…we need to be careful. Whoever created built this has considerable power, and we know nothing about them. We do not know if anyone aboard is dangerous, if they are still alive.\"\n\nAgain, there was a pause from Kareet as she fell back into her own thoughts. She was, of course, greatly interested in the machine itself. Whatever it was, it represented a wealth of new discoveries. However, she was also just as interested in its creators. Looking at this thing now, she genuinely believed that no nation she knew of on Kanth-Aremek could possibly have created it. This was, at the very least, from someone beyond the continent. If there were still any alive on board, it would be perhaps of even more benefit to her to learn from them. Of course, as she had said to J'eon, she knew nothing about them. It could be dangerous to approach them, but she could not simply ignore this. The potential gain was too great. Given the severity of the crash, she could imagine that those on board would be in need of help. They could be in need of supplies, a guide, or of medical aid. Providing such aid could potentially ingratiate them with these outsiders, and make it more likely that she would be able to learn what she wanted from them.\n\n\"But…if there is anyone alive, they might be in desperate need of help. We should still try to do what we can, just…be careful.\" Kareet added. \n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nIt took about twenty minutes for Kareet and J'eon to make their way down from their spot on the mountainside to the crash site. As she approached, Kareet already had her notebook in hand, furiously sketching everything in sight. At the very least, Shirik had made sure it was safe to approach. She did not stop for a moment, even after they rejoined Shirik. \"We should look for some way inside. If there is anyone remaining, they could need our help.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "@Blizz\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar watched as more people were soon approaching the ship. Cursing softly to himself, it seemed obvious that other people would have seen this flying ship crashing into the ground. Two people had arrived to investigate the ship, a glenfolk and a Tekeri. Kolvar was not going to lose this potential discovery to these two. He flew up keeping himself in the air to further inspect the ship. Moving around and making sure he would not collide with the flying tree. Trying to figure out how to open the flying ship. But perhaps the others would be able to help him open it. \n\nAfter finding no possible way to open it from the outside, he flew behind some trees transforming into a Tekeri male. Walking out from behind some tree to make it look like he just got here. \"By the gods this ship is ginormous. Have you two travelled to investigate this flying ship?\" He was addressing the two. Walking a little closer toward the ship, but kept his distance. \"Have you seen a ship like this before? I wonder if they are from one of the other continents? I hope no one is hurt.\" All of these questions were said to make him sound like a curious bystander. \n\n\"I wonder how we get in to help the people inside.\" Kolvar did not have any faith that they would know how to get inside. But perhaps if they put their heads together they could find a way to open it. Carefully making his way over, already feeling the heat coming off of the ship. His eyes studying the ship properly. Trying to find any kind of door or mechanism to try and open it.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "@Blizz\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\n\"I came from a village in the north. I am a travelling healer. I was heading to the local village to give my services, but I noticed this flying ship crashing and I wanted to help heal anyone that is injured.\" He hoped this lie would be good enough for them to buy. He followed the others around the ship. For now, he was going to play along with his lie just so he could get inside the ship. He was excited by the thought that there was a way inside however, he was sure the aliens would be hostile toward them. Kolvar stood behind Kareet in case the people inside tried shooting at them. In that case, he could use one of them as a shield. From behind their shoulder, he could see the hole properly. Again he was quite hesitant to be the first to go inside the hole. \n\n\"Who will be the first to go inside?\" He asked but had a feeling he would be the first because he's a life mage. He nervously started fiddling with his claws, he was scared to go inside but also excited. He thought there would be a lot of amazing contraptions and technologies inside the ship. \"If it is okay with you both, I would like to go in first.\" He said before starting to approach the hole. Slowly and cautiously making his way inside the hole.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "Strangely enough, Vigdis expected her scheduled work in the next few days to be enjoyable in a way, although when she mentioned it to the table during the first meal after the crash she got a few looks as if she needed her head examined. Working outside, in the breeze, with birds - or so she assumed, who knew what taxonomical classification the things would get - singing throughout the day, great views as the sun - were they still supposed to call it 'sun' even if it wasn't 'the Sun'? - set… She'd take that over the enclosed docks at Stavanger. At least while the local summer was going. Or maybe it was spring, it was hard to tell.\n\nAs soon as the sun - fuck it, it was the local system's sun, someone who cared enough could name it later - was up, Vigdis was outside, sealing the two smaller hull breaches to make the most of space available inside the ship. The one in the hangar was a different beast, with a decent chunk of the wall missing, likely due to a missile exploding nearby. The Jo wasn't a warship, a direct hit at that angle would've probably stopped in front of the captain's office and then blown off its entire chin, bridge and all. It was further complicated by the damn air, meaning she would first have to seal it from the outside, then fix the breach from the inside once the air wasn't a fire hazard in an enclosed space and then go back out and replace the temporary seal with a proper hull patch. At least that was on the schedule before ventilation in the forward quarters died. And then the door to one of the aft quarters. And then lights in engineering in conjunction with heating. The power fluctuations and impact made a mess of the power grid, cables and wires half melted, contacts shaken loose and circuit boards damaged by heat and failing with additional use.\n\nAll in all, morning of day three and Vigdis finally had time to get back to the shuttle bay breach. She'd woken up about an hour ago, picked up her meager breakfast ration and went straight to the gear locker before stopping at the armory, as anyone going outside had to bring something to fend off potential wildlife. Hauling the welding rig behind her with one hand and adjusting the parts bag with the other, she hadn't yet had the time to turn her personal communicator on, missing the Captain's alert. She hadn't even had the time to actually load her weapon, something she deeply regretted as soon as she stepped out of the airlock and saw something approaching the breach, evidently looking to get in.\n\nShe left the welder where it was and stumbled backward, hands fumbling to reach the Jackal. Then she noticed it: As the creature came closer, light from within the bay revealed it was wearing clothes. That calmed her down somewhat, enough to keep the weapon at low ready and pointed at the ground. Still, she was holding the creature at bay with an unloaded weapon, even if it was unarmed - who the fuck was she kidding, the thing's face was a weapon! - and banking on the fact that it wouldn't be able to tell. Rather than further manipulate the object the alien might infer to be a weapon, Vigdis tapped the side of her headset, turning it on. \"Shuttle bay, shuttle bay!\" She let out a panicked whisper, unsure of which channel she was on and who it went to.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nBy the time Shirik had cleared away enough of the fire, they could see that Kareet went into a hole. That was unwise, but she was smart enough to handle herself. Shirik was starting to feel a little lightheaded, so they descended down to the hole where a contingent of soldiers began to form. Shirik touched the ground with a smattering of sparks that gave way to smoke as they reached for their staff that someone left in the dirt. The guards told them to make no sudden movements, but Shirik was too old to be listening to foot soldiers who gave orders. They wiped the dirt off their staff, and all the soot from their cloak, ignoring the soldier boy for several seconds before leaning on the staff more than usual. Flying was something best left to force mages, and Shirik was no such mage. Their hood was down, and the soldiers could see that Shirik had skin like bark, the same way an Iriad would. Except most Iriads didn't have flames lapping out from under their bark and where their eyes would be. \n\n\"I am Shirik of the Myriad. This is my companion, J'eon. We are here to investigate this object with a Seeker from Arcaeda, and I must go and ensure that she hasn't gotten herself killed. J'eon, if you'll excuse me.\" Perhaps the soldiers wanted to order the two mages to stay put, but if they did, Shirik promptly denied them that chance as they turned and trekked inwards, using their natural flaming body as a light source to see the way forward. Countless metal shapes, both twisted and shaped to impossible levels of skill gave way to what could've been a hall of some sort, where Shirik inevitably found Kareet and another soldier surrounded by spheres.\n\n\"I assume those are you soldiers outside. Kareet, have you lost your head? We know nothing of this construction, other than that it is damaged, and your first instinct is to run right into-\" They stopped talking the moment they saw some weird, pink, vaguely person-shaped creature holding some sort of object. There were living things in this crash. It looked like a S'Tor, only shorter and with less scales on its skin. \n\n\"Who is this...?\" They asked with a substantially less harsh tone.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"Who am I?\" J'eon snorts with a scowl, turning to face the soldier that spoke, pointing to his guild crest. \"I am Master J'eon of Mythadian Blacksmith Guild! Who are you that you would be interfering in guild business?\" He hoped his words would carry to their leader. He didn't like ths place much, the air seemed thinner inside this skin, and there were many strange and foul smells.\n\n\"We are here to render aid. Why are you here?\" he demands, staring down at the soldier, then shifting his gaze pointedly at the soldier's hand, posed by his weapon's hilt. \"Was it you, then? Did you attack this city? Force it down?\"\n\nThere was a device on its hull he'd seen before he entered, which he did not like the looks of. Nor, he wagered, would any of them should the sky people (he just decided to call them that) decide to use it.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Vigdis?\" Jack said, raising his right hand to press the earpiece closer. He had just reached the shuttle bay airlock in response to the captain's command, pausing to take a look through the airlock hatch window. \n\n\"Captain!\" he called out. \"Vigdis is in the shuttle bay - she's got company!\"\n\nHe was eerily aware his oxygen sensor was not chirping because of the higher oxygen - whatever those creatures were, they were not a hallucination.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "@Blizz @13org\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar still did not understand the equation and what the pinkie was trying to say. \"Damn if only we had a thought mage here.\" He cursed under his breath with a grimace on his face. He took a closer look at the equation in front of him. \"It seems the pinkie wants the aluminum quill.\" He wanted Kareet to trade the pen for the strange tape. Watching the alien writing down another equation this time on the metallic wall. Taking a moment to try and figure out what it meant. \"Do you have any idea what this new equation means? Does it look like some sort of measurement of some kind?\" Tapping his clawed hand towards the bottom of his beak. Again he was having a hard time trying to figure out what the equation meant. \n\nExtending it out while reading the numbers along the tape. Letting go and looking scared as it snapped back into place. \"Strange.\" He once again extended it out for Kareet to have a better look at. Perhaps this measuring tape would be the key to them solving the equation. \"No I do not think this creature is alone, so we should be ready in case the others come. And I assume the other crewmembers will be quite aggressive.\" He said pointing towards Vigdis.\n\n\"But we should keep a levelled head, and keep trying to keep making communication with these foreigners.\" He did not like the introduction of Nellara and her people waiting outside. He did not want to lose the valuable information inside the ship to the Order. He felt like an idiot for not being able to figure out the equation. But he would try his best to help them.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"So, ask yourself this then - who did bring down this city of metal?\" J'eon asked, waving his upper arms. \"And why are you in here instead of out there, keeping an eye on the skies?\"\n\n\"This is a trade,\" the Glen continued. \"Information for information. You'd do well to remember that, Castigator Nellara.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Personally,\" Jack sighs, cycling the inner lock, \"I'd say we couldn't risk the captain on this, and that I'm the one who should go in there, alone. But there are multiple races in there, so we need to show we're different, as well.\"\n\nHanding the carbine back, he patted his handgun. \"Best hold onto that if you need to rescue us. This will not be as intimidating.\"\n\nStepping inside, he waited for the captain to join him.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Tired as she was, having not slept for three days, Mallory's words served to jolt Zey awake. Her chemical gland followed suit, pumping stimulants around her system. If they all went in and things turned hostile, the Jo could lose its Captain, XO, four engineers and a senior Tamerlane contractor. The rest of the crew and passengers would have next to no chance of leaving this planet without a rescue team. Zey was already bending all the rules of first contact by going in there; there was no way she was going to sit back and let the others reap all the glory. But there had to be some sort of counterbalance.\n\n\"Noted, but there's no way I'm letting you go in alone. Too dangerous. That being said…\" Zey replied to Mallory, then turned to Zhao.\n\n\"Zhao, I know you're going in for Vigdis but I'm pulling rank. You're staying put - Anselm can take over Command, but we can't lose all our engineers. Organise the crew and take defensive positions by the airlock. We won't be long.\"\n\n\"Captain!\"\n\n\"That is an ORDER!\" Zey snapped, face rippling with adrenaline.\n\nZhao let off a string of expletives in Mandarin that the Captain didn't catch, then stormed off.\n\nZey followed her away with a stern look, then turned to Danny Varen and Tyreese Darnell.\n\n\"You too Danny. Can't let you and Dr Ibarra both in that room…Mr Darnell, If I give you a weapon, will you shoot me in the back?\" Tyreese sniffed nervously and shook his head.\n\n\"No ma'am.\" He replied sheepishly.\n\nZey stared into his eyes for a moment. He wasn't that drunk, and she needed someone imposing to show that while they spoke softly, they had big sticks too.\n\nShe took Danny's Benelli shotgun and put it into Darnell's grip.\n\n\"Stand in front of me and don't do anything stupid or I'll kill you myself. Everyone ready?\"\n\nWith that lightning reshuffle completed, Zey filtered into the airlock behind Mallory, followed by Dr Ibarra, and Tyreese Darnell. The airlock cycled again, and they emerged out into the shuttle bay. Zey held her palms out and tried not to panic as she saw the creatures at one end by Vigdis. Her heart rate and breathing increased, and her mask made a rasping sound as it processed the air.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" } ]

[ { "text": "Itxaro suppressed an urge to scream at Darnell, the Tamerlane parasite who'd latched onto the Jotunheim, and smothered some choice words for the commander as well. If she'd been among comrades, the engineer would have spun around in a heartbeat and given Darnell both barrels without a second thought, but she wasn't even sure all of the Jo's crew were on the same team. Hell, this thing seems like my best friend in the room, Itxaro thought, glancing at Shirik. Instead she played it cool, having learned long ago to mask her feelings around foreigners. \n\n\"They won't be able to find Earth from that,\" she stiffly reassured the two. Of course they wouldn't, she thought bitterly, that fucking lightshow was the equivalent of a fucking Treasure Island X-marks-the-spot map. I couldn't tell them how to find Earth even if I wanted to. \n\nIt didn't take an expert to see that some of the natives were shocked by her little lecture. Itxaro doubted they'd received intergalactic visitors before and likely didn't have the technology to do so themselves, let alone even consider it a possibility. She determined Earth was in no danger here, but the same couldn't be said for the Jotunheim's crew. \n\n\"Commander, I'm worried about that one,\" Itxaro said as she nodded to the soldier Kerchak. Nellara had told the humans that Kerchak was going to leave, perhaps to find someone who could translate for them in a city called Lenkik, judging from Kareet's map. Go. Stay. Speak. After Three new Kanth-Aremek words to weave into her growing lexicon. However, there was no telling Nellara's true intentions. Perhaps Kerchak would return with a legion of warriors like Kerchak and just kill them all. Itxaro thought it would be smart to send one human along with them who could warn them with a comms notification at the very least. Better to lose one than lose them all, she thought but Zey was in charge and Itxaro wasn't. The commander asked about the metal spheres, and Itxaro racked her brain for ways to communicate this. She noticed Kareet seemed confused. Maybe my little lecture wasn't as clear as I thought, Itxaro considered, before setting to work on her data pad. \n\nDr. Ibarra set the tech down on the floor and let the hologram begin again. First, came an image of a spear, the most simple of arms. \"Weapon,\" Itxaro said confidently. A sword and bow then appeared next to the spear, conveniently omitting any human firearms in the display. \"Weapon,\" she continued, pointing to each item. All the weapons faded, save for the sword, which grew in size. The broadsword suddenly splintered into several pieces. \"Broken,\" Itxaro said. The sword was placed on an anvil, and a hammer appeared that smashed into the broken fragments several times. The anvil and hammer disappeared, sword now in one piece. \"Repair,\" Itxaro finished with her second lecture as the holograms faded. \"Jotunheim broken. Humans repair Jotunheim. Humans go home after,\" she said, weaving in the local language wherever possible.\n\nThe next lecture came as per the commander's request. First, Itxaro used the data pad to capture Shirik and Nellara's likeness for the program; the images would come out flat in the hologram without a full scan, but it would serve her purpose. Nellara's compressed image appeared, but it wasn't recognizable as her. Itxaro had rendered it a simple outline, a stand-in for all Tekeri; that, and she didn't want to break any cultural faux pas by presenting Nellara with her doppelganger. Several spheres rotated around the outline, electricity sporadically jumping from one to the other. \"Sphere,\" Itxaro pointed to one of them. \"Sphere weapon? Speak,\" Itxaro asked in the tone of a question, accompanied by shrug and an open-handed gesture to them, hoping it was enough to convey their confusion. Next, Nellara's image was replaced with a human, and the spheres continued to rotate around them. A large X was drawn through the entire scene to indicate humans did not have this technology. \n\n\"And now for my next trick…\" Itxaro muttered; she was least confident in this one, but orders were orders. The images disappeared, replaced with an outline of Shirik's head. Holographic flames lept around him. \"Fire,\" Itxaro said. The flames took the various shapes Shirik had created. A human appeared in Shirik's place, another giant X through the images. Humans don't know this technology. Or magic, as Darnell so thoughtfully put it. \n\nNext, came Shirik's outline and a Tekeri's, both acting out the mysterious skills they possessed in front of a group of seated holographic humans. Then, the humans stood up and joined the Tekeri and Iriad, drawing fiery symbols in the air and spinning metal spheres of their own. \"Teach,\" Itxaro said with a sweeping gesture to the scene before them. Tell us how you do this. \"Teach humans fire. Teach humans sphere. Shirik, Nellara, teach, speak,\" she finished, gesturing to them. Your turn now. She didn't necessarily want a lesson, just an explanation. At least, that's what the commander seemed to want.", "username": "Regime Goon", "char_name": "Dr. Itxaro Ibarra" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nIn complete disregard for a single word the Castigator said, Shirik paid complete attention to the Ixtaro human's attempts at conveying something. \"This creation is called \"Jotunheim. It is how they came here, and it is... Damaged. They can go to \"Home\" if it is repaired.\" They said out loud for the local people to understand better. Shirik then watched curiously as Ixtaro used her projections to create visual representations of Nellara and themselves. \"Incredible...\" Then flames erupted around the fake Shirik, and Ixtaro asked something... At least, They thought so. \"Ah. I believe they are unfamiliar with magic... And wish to understand it. Allow me.\" Shirik brought their arms together in front of them, and made a turning motion as if they were spinning a wheel. A ball of warm light sparked between their hands, and spread outwards to form a ring. In this ring, various figures emerged, each performing feats of magic. Summoning fireballs, lifting rocks, lifting unspecified objects, healing broken limbs, projecting lightning, and conveying thoughts. Shirik pointed to the one holding fire, \"Shirik. Mage.\" and then to the one holding lightning. \"Nellara. Kareet. Mages.\" \n\n\n\nAll but one image vanished, leaving behind the one representing Shirik. It began to move its arms in the air, in elaborate motions that portrayed the use of magic. The figure grew legs and began to take steps, it waved a hand in the air, causing a spark to fly across the floor, and then it pointed at the air, to spray a small stream of visible heat into the air. The intent was to portray that the practice required physical movements, and Shirik eventually dispelled the dancing figure to draw another image in the air. It was of a person holding a flame between their hands under a starry sky, and the fireball was growing brighter steadily. As Shirik showed this to Ixtaro, they stretched a charred arm forward between them, and pointed at it with a hand. They closed two fingers, and pointed to other two upwards, as a mote of light formed. It grew brighter until it was a fireball just like the illustration. Though it was within arm's reach of Ixtaro, it didn't feel warm. In fact, it felt cold, if anything. They held it there for Ixtaro, as if offering it somehow. And then they pointed at Ixatro's hand, trying to get her to do the same motion.\n\nOne more image appeared, it was of a figure with horns in its head and back, wearing a cloak, to represent Shirik. A second figure formed in front of it that had no identifying features, representing a human. Each held up a hand, and formed a fireball, but Shirik's was visibly brighter. An arrow pointed to the human. The image seemed to depict not only a capability with magic, but specifically expertise. Shirik was hoping the interpretation would be such, at least. \"Shirk... teach... Ixtaro?\" \n\n\n\nBefore the images vanished for good, the fire in the human figure's hand changed into a rectangular shape, with another shape sticking out of the end like a handle. A weapon. The arrow, too, changed to point at Shirik. It suggested a trade. \"Weapon. Weapon?\" They said the word in two different tones, unsure of which counted as a question for Ixtaro. \"Teach weapon.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "\"Then act like it.\" She shot back at Darnell's 'I know how a gun works', \"We are actually at their home. How would you feel if a bunch of Deep Ones crawled out of the sea and started waving magic tridents at you? You're making them nervous. Look at them. They're wearing 1600s-era plate armor and leather cloaks. They might be sorcerers, but how do you think a spaceship looks to them?\" She tried to explain calmly, \"And given how we got here, figuring out where we are in relation to Earth is going to be part of the 'getting home' equation. I don't think she could point them home if she wanted to.\" She shared her opinion on the matter. But Vigdis knew better than to argue with drunk people and idiots, and Darnell was definitely the former, even if she didn't yet know enough to pass judgment on the latter.\n\nThe materials engineer in Vigdis winced when she saw Ixtaro's hologram of a sword being repaired that way. So many people thought that was the way to do it. She blamed those old Lord of the Rings movies, but it was a good enough illustration for its purpose. Since it looked like Ixtaro had it in hand for now, she turned her attention to trying to placate Nellara. \"I think I got something, hang on.\" She grabbed a piece of one of the smashed boxes lying around to use as a portable drawing board. Give her a technical drawing and she would knock it out of the park, but she was terrible at what she was attempting.\n\n\n\"Friends.\" She said, showing the drawing to Nellara for a few seconds before drawing a second picture, giving the side-eye to Shirik as it summoned more and more flaming images and praying to whoever was listening that Nellara wouldn't take her next picture as a threat.\n\n\n\"Foes.\" She showed Nellara the second picture and handed her the 'board' to free up her hands, \"Work with me, Darnell.\" She turned to the Tamerlane employee and extended her hand out to shake his. If he bucked, she'd turn to whoever was standing nearby. \"Friends.\" She repeated to Nellara, pointing at herself and her handshake partner. Bit of a lie in Darnell's case. Then she turned to Nellara and offered her hand, hoping whatever preening oil these 'Tekeri' secreted, assuming they worked like birds on Earth did, didn't contain anything she would have an allergic reaction to and that Nellara wouldn't think the burn scars on Vigdis' hands were some sort of skin disease. \"Friends?\"", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "The marshes of Sudenúr often made travel off the few main roads slow and tiring for Glen. It was part of the reason this March had been so difficult to control over the years. Several of his knights had urged Silbermine to use caution. It was much safer to take the long way round past Ertiseda; they could not protect their lord if they were shoulder deep in muck. Silbermine took no mind and ordered them through the swamps - he HAD to see this fallen empyrean body for himself. He felt a divine connection had been forged in that fiery moment when it roared over their heads and did not smite them.\n\nSo they had hiked in single file through languid pools and over fetid mounds, camping for two nights at some of the run-down family compounds that dotted the March. Sudenúr was relatively flat in the middle, so by the second day even the Glen's relatively wide-angle eyesight could pick up a smouldering wreck on the foothills in the distance. Silbermine spurred them on, faster and faster until they got stuck in quickmud. Through a titanic team effort they got free, though another load bearer was lost and never found.\n\nThere were some accusatory glances around the campfire that night, so Silbermine judged they needed a reminder of the gravity of their quest.\n\n\"Brothers, these are hard times. Failed crops, pestilence, teeming hordes of demons in the dark at night. But let us not forget…Venurwreth's Scripts tell of gifts falling from the heavens unto worthy Glenfolk on the cusp of greatness. The Running is nigh, and the time of House Silbermine has come again!\"\n\nGesith continued on, speaking with the ardent conviction of a true believer. By the end, he was practically shouting into the crisp night air as embers from the fire floated up into the air. His knights and servants rose to their hooves and bayed wildly, eventually galloping in an instinctive circle around the camp with Silbermine, chanting the songs of their forefathers. \n\nFueled by the herd-fervour that Glen leaders had been putting to good use since the S'tor invaded, Silbermine's group packed up camp before dawn to cross the final stretch to the crash. The load bearers washed the knights before securing their plate armour. Standards were attached to polearms that most of the knights held upright as they marched. They then fitted Silbermine with ornate barding that sported the red, white and yellow designs of his House. To top it off, they opened up his father's helmet and carefully secured it around his head.\n\nA dense fog had rolled in off lake Núr overnight, so Silbermine had his force mage lead the way. Using both hands to gesture, they forced the fog back to create a narrow channel. The swirling, roiling fog disturbance was clearly visible from the air, but that mattered not to Silbermine.\n\nHe galloped in the middle of his retinue with his eyes fixed forward, searching the soupy mix for any sign of the thing that had fallen from the sky. It seemed that over time, the heavy impact of their hooves on the ground merged into one continuous drum beat. The muscly legs of the Glen clattered in slow motion as the nobleman pondered what they might find.\n\nAs the first light of dawn probed through the fog, Silbermine felt the ground firm up. They were exiting the marshes and approaching the foothills on the border with the Ascendancy. He urged them on a final time, and the Glen formed up around him. Three knights and nine Glen-at-arms around their leader, plus ten warrior servants bringing up the rear.\n\nSuddenly, the fog lessened. There it was.\n\nBefore them was a long and rocky incline, studded with violent divots where some vast bulk had scraped and rolled up it. Big shards of metal stood like small trees leading up to his prize - the fallen star. An enormous hulk with stubby wings sticking out from three corners. On the side, what looked like a Glen with a bow and arrow was painted in light blue. Some ancient lettering was scrawled written underneath. The Scripts were true! \n\nSmoke still rose into the air around his gift; Silbermine's keen nose picked up an acrid stench he couldn't place. Something else too… \n\n\"Tekeri, my lord, and Glen.\" one of the knights muttered as they approached.\n\nSilbermine ground his tombstone teeth together. Someone had beaten them to it. \"Sound the horn.\" Silbermine ordered.\n\nThe Glen liked horns. Some old houses had created a range of unique sounds for their group that served different purposes. The House horn was meant to serve as an announcement of their presence.\n\nThe knight unclipped one of three horns from his harness and blew strenuously into it. Their group cantered forwards, climbing up the hill towards the ship. Silbermine's eyes weren't great, but eventually she made out a host of figures on the ridge in front of the star.\n\nThey stopped about a hundred metres away and spread out now they were on more solid ground. All of them were tense and ready to bolt if any on the ridge appeared to nock an arrow. The most senior of the knights present, Falgar Sweven, trotted forward a bit further and boomed in a stentorian voice:\n\n\"Greetings! We have come to claim this fallen star under the banner of House Silbermine. May we have safe passage?\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "This situation just kept weirder and shittier for the Humans.\n\nEzra confirmed Wodan's warning to Zey a moment later.\n\n\"We have two dozen foot mobiles approaching on the port side. They're not here for a tea party - I see heavy armour.\"\n\nShe swore under her breath, then addressed Itxaro, Vigdis and (to a lesser extent) Darnell.\n\n\"Guys, stop shaking hands with everyone for a sec. Nellara said whoever blew that horn wasn't a friend, right? So are they not friends with these aliens, not friends with us, or both? I need to know which faction, if any, we can trust, because we've got twenty more soldiers on the way. We're running out of peaceful options here.\"\n\nZey then hurriedly turned to her XO. She spoke quickly and relatively quietly, poking his arm with each point she made.\n\n\"Hold the pens, Mallory. Fuck knows if this new group is friendly or even affiliated with our current guests.\"\n\nShe pointed to the door with her free hand.\n\nI want everyone awake and ready if they aren't already. I also want everyone who knows how to handle a weapon tooled up and tactical, outside that airlock door in four minutes. Tell Feng to free up the med bay and get down here, just in case.\"\n\nShe considered her other options for a moment.\n\n\"Is the nose gun operational? Check with Wodan. If it is, I want it pointed at them or over their heads. Got it? Let's go!\" She lightly slapped Mallory's arm as if to spur him on before turning again.\n\n\"Eva! What is the status of your mech? Can we have you looking big and mean and mobile in the next ninety seconds? If so, let's do that NOW please. Otherwise go grab a weapon from the armoury.\"\n\nFinally, Zey put the communicator back to her lips.\n\n\"Ezra, are you able to fall back inside?\"\n\n\"Not without pushing past all your friends. Droid 2 is stuck close to the new group, hiding.\"\n\nZey swore again.\n\n\"Ok, hold tight but be ready to retreat back inside. What are they all doing now?\"\n\n\"Erm…\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAll eyes of the Glen immediately fixated on J'eon as he shouted back from the edge of the outcropping on which the Jotunheim rested. Excited mutterings rippled around the group; many of the soldiers looked to Silbermine who had edged forward a bit more but didn't speak. The Scripts of Venurwreth told of gifts falling from the heavens, not people. \n\n\"Who is this Glen?\"\n\n\"The Sky People?\"\n\n\"Have they come to help us?\"\n\nSir Sweven turned to Silbermine as well.\n\n\"My lord, could these Sky People have the wisdom we seek?\"\n\nSilbermine held out a hand for silence as a Tekeri in dark armour with gold gilt emerged from the temple.\n\nFor a few moments after Nellara's address, the only sound that could be heard was the faint rustling of leaves in the wind.\n\nThen Silbermine disgorged a huge, braying laugh from inside his helmet. Laughter spread quickly across his retinue, continuing for ten heartbeats before dying away. The portly noble clopped forward, until he was level with Sir Sweven.\n\n\"The Ascendancy claims the mountains.\" He boomed, before turning to his retinue with arms outstretched at either side.\n\n\"Does this look like a mountain to you?!\"\n\n\"NO M'LORD!\" They all shouted in unison.\n\nSilbermine turned back to the Castigator.\n\n\"We have hills like this in Mythadia - intend ye claim those too?!\"\n\nThe Glen laughed again. Silbermine pointed over Nellara's head at the Tamerlane logo emblazoned on the Jo's hull.\n\n\"This temple belongs to the Glen of this March, Sudenúr - just look at the painting on its wall.\"\n\nHe then gestured behind to the trail of destruction leading up the hill, and the outcropping under the Jo.\n\n\"It is damaged after its fall from the heavens. The rock it sits on is not stable. I will have the best engineers from Keraknúr secure it for transport to safer ground. I would speak with the Sky People also.\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "Kareet of Arcaeda\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAt first, Kareet was unsure of the approach that Castigator Nellara was taking. She moved up to the breach in the wall and took cover on one side, peering out only slightly to avoid exposing herself. She wondered if the Castigator was not overstepping her authority, as the Ascendancy would most certainly be interested in claiming this fortress. They would be interested in learning whatever they could about it, and as a bonus could provide ample protection for the Humans within. She was not sure that Nellara's superiors would agree with her guaranteeing them such unrestricted independence. \n\nHowever, Kareet also was not blind to the complex, and frankly irritating, politics surrounding this situation. As much as she hated to admit it, they were right on the border to Mythadia. As far as she knew, there were no precisely defined borders in this region. They could talk about who had the \"right\" to the land all they wanted, but ultimately, that right would lie with whoever could enforce their claim. This was a prize that was worth fighting for, but the Ascendancy had been involved for years with a territorial dispute with the S'tor over the Sovereignty to the north. Mythadia and Acanata, for all their flaws, were still a powerful force to be reckoned with. The Ascendancy would have to commit substantial forces to have a hope of challenging them, and if that happened, they would not be able to stop the S'tor from claiming everything they wanted. Of course, the Glen were also in a similar situation. There were other S'tor nations farther west on Mythadia's northern border that would not hesitate to jump on the opportunity if the majority of Mythadia's forces were tied up in a war in the east. In the end, only the S'tor would benefit from this escalating too far. No, war simply would not do. With the Humans caught in the middle, it could end up with neither nation being able to learn anything at all from the crash. There was no greater tragedy Kareet could imagine than that.\n\nPerhaps the Castigator was right? The Humans themselves could be the difference-maker here. This Jotunheim was theirs, and they clearly had capabilities beyond their understanding. If they could not bring armies in so close to Mythadia, perhaps diplomacy would yield better results? They could be helpful and polite to the Humans, make a show of respecting their independence, and gain their favor. It might make it more difficult to gain some secrets that they would rather hold close, but something was better than nothing, and \"nothing\" would be exactly what they would get for as long as they remained in a standoff with Mythadia.\n\nCautiously, Kareet stepped up alongside Nellara. \"We have a choke point here, Castigator.\" She said softly, gesturing to the hole in the wall. \"And several mages as force multipliers. But we shouldn't fight them if we can help it, and certainly shouldn't make the first attack. Too risky. Your approach may be the right one. We need to find a way to get the support of the Humans here. I suggest we send for a Thought mage as soon as we can. Perhaps invite this Silbermine to parley? At least something to buy time until we can communicate properly with the Humans.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"I had thought the people of Mythadia to have honor,\" J'eon said somberly. \"Yet here I stand, listening as House Silbermine makes claims on this temple of the Sky People. Is this what you call respect? For I find it sorely lacking!\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nOw. Ow. Ow.\n\n\"Captain, we may only get one shot with this,\" Jack warns, his voice rasping through the mask's diaphragm. \"If that bird-creature can move metal, one might be able to bend our beam, possibly use it against us.\"\n\nHe heads to the airlock, keying it open so he can step inside before it was half-way open, then closing the hanger-side door in the hope of keeping the locals outside.\n\n\"This is what happens when you don't establish boundaries,\" he mutters. One doesn't tell a being who can move metal at will that you shoot metal bullets out of a gun like it's show and tell.\n\nCycling the inner lock, he stepped through and glared at the box of pens.\n\n\"Get armed up, people! We may have a fight on our hands,\" he says, heading towards the bridge. \n\n\"Wodan!\" Jack called out as he stepped into the bridge. \"Status on the meteor gun, stat!\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "High District, Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe Guild of the Inquisitors was nestled into a rarely-visited corner of Lenkik's high district. From the outside, it was a large building of quite exquisitely designed architecture, though being among many others of its sort, it still managed to be unassuming. Unlike other guild halls, there were no markings on the outside to indicate its purpose. Nothing to make it stand out. If someone was important enough to have legitimate business with the Inquisitors' Guild, then they would be able to find them. \n\nThrough the entryway was a large chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Not an uncommon feature for high-class Ascendancy architecture, but what was notable was how bare it all was. In other guilds or businesses, they might adorn the walls with murals, paintings, or carvings. The owners might bring in statues for decoration or arrange proper sitting areas in their lobby. For the Inquisitors, though, their lobby felt like an almost uncomfortably large room of fine, but plain white marble, with just a single desk at its center. \n\nAside from Kolvar and the soldier, there were just three others in the spacious room. In the back, standing on either side of the closed doorway leading in to the rest of the building were two Inquisitor guards, a Glen and a Tekeri. They were what the average person tended to think of when imagining an Inquisitor, as they were the ones who served their guild openly in a defined role. They both wore a full suit of steel laminar armor, including helmets with full masks, engraved with a visage of their own respective species. On the mask, emblazoned at the center of their foreheads was the insignia of the guild: an eye with two pupils, one looking backwards, and another forwards. Both guards carried halberds and stood like statues without so much as acknowledging the new arrivals. \n\nBehind the desk was a Tekeri man of unremarkable build and stature. His feathers were immaculately clean, his beak and talons polished, and he wore the kind of fine jewelry that was common to high class Tekeri, but he otherwise had no uniform. The only thing identifying him as a member of the Inquisitors' Guild was a small, simple medallion with their insignia, which was identical to what any other member of any rank would wear. Sometimes to the irritation of outsiders, it was often difficult to understand exactly who one was dealing with when interacting with members of the guild. Aside from Inquisitor Guards, they wore no uniforms and almost never identified their rank. Their organizational structure was a mystery to anyone outside their guild, and if they were not serving a public-facing position, they would almost certainly not wear the guild insignia. Anyone could be an inquisitor, and the Tekeri man in front of them could have been anything from a prominent officer, to a secretary. \n\nThe Inquisitor did not greet them, but rather waited for one of them to state their business. \"Spearman Major Baraw of Lenkik.\" He began, presenting his rank insignia for the Inquisitor to inspect. As they had shapeshifted to return to Lenkik quickly, it was the only one of his belongings he had been able to bring with him. \"I am here on the order of Nellara, Castigator of the City of Lenkik. I am presenting a formal, emergency request for the services of a Guild Thought Mage.\"\n\nThe Inquisitor did not speak a word in question of the order. To make an emergency request for a Thought Mage was an order that carried considerable weight, as did the consequences for making such an order frivolously. \"Wait here.\" He said firmly before promptly turning around and heading through the doors behind him deeper into the building. \n\nThe wait was quiet, and perhaps awkward, but it was certainly not long. It was hardly more than five minutes before someone returned, though it was not the Tekeri. Rather, it was a pair of Inquisitor Guards, both Glen with polearms like the others guarding the door. One took a step forward towards Kolvar and Baraw. \"Walk with us, and do not deviate from our path.\" She warned the pair. \n\nHeading deeper into the Guild Hall, one of the guards walked in front, while the other walked behind the pair, though the two Glen still walked in perfect step with one another. The hallways were as plain as the lobby; just undecorated marble. Whether or not every room was similarly unremarkable, though, they could not know, as every single door they passed on the way to their destination was closed tight, usually with a guard at its side. There was no way to know if this was normal for the Guild, or if they only took extra precautions when they had visitors. \n\nAlthough none of the doors seemed too different from any other, the Guards appeared to know just where to bring them. One of the Glen opened the door and ushered the pair inside, then both followed them in and closed it behind them. \n\nThis room was one with far more personality than any other they had seen thusfar. It actually looked like it was someone's home, and quite a nice one at that. There were beautiful paintings decorating the walls, expensive furniture, and a wonderful view of the city out the window. Aside from the Guards who had followed them in, there were two other guards who had already been present. One was a Tekeri, while the other was an Iriad: a notable rarity outside of their homeland, though none of their expressions could be seen behind their masks. \n\nAt a large table in the center of the room sat another individual. This time, a S'tor. He was roughly middle-aged with dull red scales, and by the fact that he was unarmored and unmasked, was clearly not one of the guards. In fact, the light smile he gave as his guests approached showed more emotion than every single other person they had met since they had arrived. He wore a vibrant violet robe, with silver embroidery. He was not built like a fighter, but he was still a S'tor. Even an untrained S'tor could still physically overpower any other of Kanth-Aremek's intelligent species. \"Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you both. I am told that I am to be assigned to assist our Castigator. Please, tell me what you need.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar avoided the gaze of the armed guards. He stayed quiet while the soldier would introduce himself. \"My name is Kercheck. I was told to help with fetching a thought mage.\" He really hoped no one could read his mind. If this was the case, he would have to keep his mind blank. While waiting he was tapping his clawed finger on a nearby table. The rhythm is an old Kriliteran slave song. \n\n Walking with the guards along with the soldier. Keeping close to them. And felt quite anxious about who the inquisitor would be. He was quite impressed by the design of the exterior and interior of the building. Being particularly interested in the paintings that hung up on the wall of the inquisitor's office. He wondered if a Kriliteran had painted some of them. For a moment he stopped to squint and see if there was any sign of a Kriliteran who had painted these. There would be a very specific marking somewhere hidden in the painting. Of course, his train of thought was interrupted by the soldier touching his shoulder. \"My apologies I was distracted by the craftsmanship of these paintings.\" He followed the soldier without any further interruptions. \n\nStopping in the middle of the room, looking petrified seeing the S'tor standing in front of them. Kolvar's clawed hands were shaking, he felt immense anger starting to build up. His face didn't show it, but his body was showing visible signs of pure rage. He took a few deep breaths before speaking. \"We need your services speaking to some foreigners that had recently arrived in Kanth-Aremek. They do not speak the common tongue, and we need to communicate with them to lower tensions. A group of glen folk arrived as soon as Castigato Nellara arrived. Do you know of House Silbermine? They claimed to be from that group, and wanted to claim the contents of the ship.\" He tried to keep a level head while speaking to the S'tor.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "Itxaro chuckled weakly at Vigdis' joke; she could feel her facade cracking as her frenetic energy crept into her eyes, and suspected that Vigdis had picked up on this, trying to soothe her with humor. She was embarrassed, but grateful nonetheless. Itxaro trusted the engineer more than anyone on the ship at the moment, which granted wasn't much, and if she was going to crack up in front of anyone she was glad it was her. \n\nStill, Itxaro was surprised no one accompanied the commander out to greet the new arrivals. She sat down on one of the crates, weighing her options. She didn't feel much loyalty to the commander, but Itxaro knew that if she let her go alone and something happened to Zey, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. Itxaro already had too many memories of shame, the kind that still made her break into a sweat and tighten up around the throat as she lay in bed. She didn't have much use for one more. The pitched battle of cowardice and courage raging inside her finally came to an end for the time being. \n\n\"Guess I better go find out,\" Itxaro replied to Vigdis, hopping off her thinking crate. She quickly grabbed the box of metal pens, a meager offering to their new acquaintances, and followed the commander through the breach.", "username": "Regime Goon", "char_name": "Dr. Itxaro Ibarra" }, { "text": "\"Hell nah. I'm not getting impaled on a spear. You go.\" Darnell offered as an additional reply when Dr Ibarra looked at him. He was at the completed wall, peering out with his shotgun in hand. He sounded more sober now.\n\n\"They're probably figuring out how many soldiers they'll need to take us out. We're so fucked.\"\n\nZhao responded to Vigdis over comms almost immediately from the top deck. She sounded quite glad to hear her voice but tried not to show it.\n\n\"In the bay? No chance. Inside the ship? Errr, say five minutes except compartments with fractures. What is happening outside? Windows give shitty view. People are scared.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\n\nThe large Glen's eyes narrowed. He growled softly and took one step forward as she continued to insult him. His voice went quieter as his eyes bored into Nellara's while replying. \n\n\"I am no knight, nor pillaging knave. I am Gesith Silbermine, LORD of Keraknúr, Margrave-Warden of the northern passage and protector of Sudenúr since the tragic passing of Lord Brunnenstar. I have the King of Mythadia's ear, and can lead an army of thousands to protect these Sky People in days if you endanger them. You will know if i'm threatening you, you crook-beaked fucking churl.\"\n\nThat bit about having the ear of the King wasn't strictly true. He had always favoured Silbermine's father over him - once he had died, Gesith was forced to fight for his political life. That was why the Sky People were so important to him, prophecy aside - having them as champions in the Running would shower House Silbermine in glory and treasure. This Castigator would likely know very little about that though. \n\n\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nOutside in the crisp morning air, Zey had a better view of proceedings.\n\nMost of the aliens they'd encountered before had gathered on the thin lip that the Jotunheim had caught on that prevented it from rolling back down the hill. Some of them were watching her curiously. The others looked out at twenty plus elk-things, and two of the bird-things they'd met earlier lower down the hill. The scary looking one and the studious one. She could hear the distant sound of braying and squawking, which she presumed was them communicating. \n\nZey really wanted to rub her tired eyes and itch her nose, but kept the mask on and tried to think of a plan. What would her diplomat mother do?\n\n\"Ok, I do want the pens. Someone chuck me the pens.\" Zey called, turning back to their hastily erected barricade. After a little while, Itxaro threw her a box of fifty and clambered down herself. Zey smiled gratefully and nodded, for the pens and the company. She patted Dr Ibarra's arm.\n\n\"Let's go. Eva, can you get out here too and guard the entrance? I want them to see we have a big stick while we're softly talking.\n\nZey then set off, carefully navigating her way down the hill while holding the box of pens.\n\n\"Negative - we can't risk flying yet.\" She replied to Mallory while trying not to fall down the rocky slope.\n\n\"I'm heading down there; if shells are all we've got then you'd best pray they buy the distraction. If this goes sideways and that doesn't work, I'm probably dead and you're in charge. Put the shell as close as possible to my location without bringing the whole hillside down.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nSilbermine took a minute while Nellara continued pontificating to calm himself again. Suddenly, movement behind the two Tekeri before him caught his eye. At first he thought it was a couple of Iriad approaching him, but their bark was too smooth. They wore strange garments that Silbermine had never seen before. They must be the Sky People!\n\nHe pointed to them, a smug excitement filling his voice. \"Nonsense! See how they come now to talk to us.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe walk out into No Man's Land took an eternity. Zey tried to figure out what to say, then realised these elk-things, Glen she seemed to remember them being called, wouldn't understand her. She hoped their actions spoke as loud as words, and that gift giving was universal in this world too.\n\nThen the Tekeri Nellara turned and said enemies, plus something else. Stay?\n\n\"Nope. Too invested to stay.\" Zey chuckled nervously, continuing to step forward.\n\nThese 'Glen' were massive up close. They dwarfed Zey and Itxaro in pretty much every dimension. Their leader, the one in intricate armour, was fidgeting and emanating a mixture of honks and whines at Nellara.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"The Sky People are perfectly safe with me and my men. The real danger is a landslide destroying their temple altogether! I merely want to discuss something with them!\" Silbermine scoffed, gesturing up the hill with his head. As if to prove his point, the Glen studied these approaching Sky People, put his forehands together with fingers aimed at them in a traditional Mythadian greeting. He took one step forward, as did his knights so their lord wasn't too close to the visibly agitated Castigator.\n\n\"Greetings, my friends! Welcome to Sudenúr. I am Gesith Silbermine, and I come to offer you assistance, in exchange for wisdom.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nZey flinched when the Glen moved forward, gulping hard. Every impulse in her body was screaming at her to run. Her right hand crept up her body towards her pistol holster.\n\n\"Give these three a pen, nice and slow now. We come in peace.\" She whispered to Itxaro, then smiled nervously at the aliens.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"A lord commands respect by acting honorable,\" J'eon rumbles, feeling his shoulders tense as he stares down at Silbermine. \"One who comes as a thief to take what belongs to another without just cause is not worthy of respect.\"\n\nWould his cart remain unmolested? he wondered. Or would his men seek revenge for his slight? Since the day he was stolen from his family and enslaved, he never trusted a thief. There was no reason to start now.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"An exchange of gifts,\" grumbled J'eon, watching as Lord Silbermine take the offered pen and toss something of his own back before locking his chest up. \n\nOr did Silbermine see it as something else? A tribute? Or proof of the Sky People's favor?\n\n\"I hope for reason, for good relations,\" the blacksmith rumbled, rubbing his chin. \"Why do I fear this will not go well?\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"We set boundaries,\" Jack stated flatly. \"We do not let them inside the ship. Those giant armed deer guys can't fit, but they must be murder on open plains and roads. However, the others aren't much bigger than we are, so we have to make it clear they're not allowed inside until we're ready for them.\"\n\n\"With everything that's happened, the hanger will have to do. We'll put up a table, the flags, all the bunting we can find - but we install a defensive barrier of some sort to keep them away from the airlock,\" he stated. \"It'll hopefully avoid any rushes and give us a position should there be an attack.\" Like flamethrower attacks from that burning tree. Let's hope the heat shielding is still intact.\n\n\"Second, we need to learn whatever language they're speaking,\" Jack added. \"Wodan, are you able to listen in on the locals and work out their language?\" Please tell me someone somewhere thought it was possible their AI would need such a thing should they encounter other alien races out here... wherever here was.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "The Jonsdottir Line wasn't needed in the end. They could all breathe a sigh of relief. There was a welcome pause to return the equipment and decompress before the captain called the meeting, letting Vigdis kind of sort out what just happened in her head. They still had no clue what was happening, where they were or who to believe, but the historical example of native Americans called for caution. But nobody died. Yet. That was a plus.\n\"I think we should figure out a way to ask them for samples of their food. We don't know how long it will take to get flying again, and if at least some of their food is edible to us and we could secure a steady supply, we could even thaw out the frozen goods, gain some extra manpower and stop wasting power on the cryo pods in one go.\" Technically, she wasn't supposed to know about those, but power became a hot topic the second they realized the crash scrammed both their reactors and the pods were the first thing Chief Zhao brought up when they discussed power saving measures over lunch.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nAfter the meeting, Vigdis hurried to intercept the captain to apologize for sidestepping ehr authority when Ezra spooked the locals and assuring her it wouldn't happen again before going about her duties. Despite the unforeseen developments, the day was only starting. Seeing a chance to show off one of the many reasons why keeping in humanity's good graces might be a good idea and taking advantage of the fact that the words 'stay' and 'repair' were known, she used the two plus gestures to invite any locals that stayed near the ship to her own magic show: It started with a few trips to the storage bay and workshop to bring a fire extinguisher, a few spare welding masks for any onlookers and some hull patches - four millimeter thick rolled titanium squares and rectangles of various sizes. Then she fiddled around with the media player on her wristpad, setting it to loudspeaker. Always work in style and comfort if possible. Using notes she'd made on the second day, the marker and a plasma cutter, she cut the patches into shape so they would fit the jigsaw puzzle that would temporarily cover the hole in the hull. Then came the main number of the show - the tungsten electrode inert gas arc welder.\n\n\nWith the first panel in place, everyone who stuck around would receive a palm-sized scrap of the titanium patches left over after cutting them onto which she wrote the recipient's name with the welder, or her best guess of how to write the names in latin script based on how they sounded to her, doing her best to explain what it was by pointing and repeating names. She took great care to take the high oxygen environment into account, despite the fact that these welds would not be holding pressure, and a little over nine hours later plus lunch, what had been a hole in the hull that accidentally facilitated first contact with three separate species was once again a wall.\n\nWith the work outside done, Vigdis borrowed some quarantine sheets from the medical bay and secured them to the sides of the damaged ramp with the aid of liberal amounts of duct tape to create a temporary seal. The damaged ramp would have to wait, there were more pressing problems to sort out. After waiting for the life support system to normalize the air inside the now sealed shuttle bay so she could work without setting everything on fire and civvies could start cleaning up and organizing the space according to the officers' wishes, it was another two hours of reinforcing the patched wall and then adding a second layer inside that would actually act as the pressure hull. Work done well called for a beer. Being marooned sucked.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nVigdis spent the short remainder of the work day going over the ship's power grid centimeter by centimeter, looking for any damaged wiring where they could be wasting power to heat losses. Come evening, they weren't even halfway done when they clocked out. Vigdis stole a few minutes to sit atop the Jotunheim and watch the sunset, this time with a breathing mask. She didn't want to breathe in the invigorating, oxygen rich mixture before going to sleep, thinking the day's events would make it hard to fall asleep anyway. Tomorrow, Zhao would take over the power grid unless something more pressing demanded her attention and Vigdis would help Varen with engine checks. That was going to be grim, ultimately deciding if they would ever return home or die on this strange new world.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "@13org\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nAs soon as everyone was hunkering down for the night, Kolvar, Gar'Tan, and the soldier arrived at the crash site. He was glad that there was not a pile of dead bodies everywhere. \"Well we are here, I will lead you towards Castigator Nellara.\" Kolvar along with Gar'Tan walked over to where Nellara was. \n\n\"I am glad you and the others are still alive. I brought the thought mage with me, I believe we should be able to finally communicate with these foreigners.\" Kolvar hoped they would be able to let the strangers know they are not hostile. He also hoped that Silbermine has not contacted his army for reinforcements.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "The bustle in the streets of the small mountain town was hitting its peak now that dusk was settling on the landscape. It was a place called Ertiseda, nestled in a pass between two mountains, near to the border of the Ascendancy and Mythadia. It was, for the most part, a trading post that had sprung up naturally along one of the roads leading from Mythadia directly to Arcaeda. It was in Ascendancy territory and majority Tekeri, though this close to the border, there was a fair Glen population in town. The two populations had something of a convenient arrangement for how they ran their town. In the day, Glen were mostly the ones out and about, running their shops and going about their daily tasks. Overnight, it was the nocturnal Tekeri who took over the same shops and did their jobs in the darkness. No matter what time of day a traveler arrived, every service the town provided was always available. Dusk and dawn were the only times of day where the whole town tended to be awake at the same time, right as one group was getting up and ready to start their day, but before the other was ending theirs. \n\nKareet had been speaking with a Glen at his produce stall in the market. He was middle-aged, somewhat unkempt fur, though still…acceptably presentable. His antlers looked to be about halfway through with growing in for the season. A lot of the Glen around them looked to be closing up their stalls for the evening as the Tekeri came in to replace them, so Kareet would likely be one of his last customers for the evening. \n\n\"And you're sure it was to the north?\" Kareet asked. \n\nThe Glen gave an emphatic nod. \"Oh, yeah, yeah. An Iriad comes strollin' through town lookin' like a bonfire, that's not somethin' ya miss. Didn't make much sense to me; didn't think those plants liked fire all that much. Innkeep made 'em prove they could keep from burnin' the place down before she'd let 'em in, I 'member. We still had some boys pull up some water buckets from the creek, but…well, they didn't cause no trouble. Didn't stay long, neither.\"\n\nKareet tilted her head slightly, looking off to the north. \"I see. Do you have any idea why they just went off into the mountains? There are no roads leading off that way.\"\n\nThe Glen shrugged. \"No clue. They didn't come in off the road either, though. Just wandered in out of the woods from the south, from what I heard.\"\n\n\"Hmm, well, thank you.\" Kareet replied, giving a moment to take a look around the stall. After a few seconds, she pointed to a hard-shelled fruit about the size of her fist. \"I'll take one of those.\" She said, mostly as a courtesy for taking his time.\n\nKareet slid over a pair of copper coins, then slipped the fruit into her backpack before moving on. She weaved through the crowd, ignoring the rest of the market around her as she made her way out of town from the north side. Pausing briefly, she gave a look up to the forest-covered mountainside, and the steep climb that would be ahead of her. \"Why couldn't they just use the road?\" She muttered to herself.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nThe night was coming, and the air was growing colder. Shirik had left the town of Ertiseda a few hours ago, having stopped to rest and check their map. The usual odd looks and skittish trepidation had been expected, but Shirik was just lucky they stayed dry after the talk with that innkeeper back in town. Stars began to come out as the distant moon soon would rise into the sky. Shirik had been all over the world of Kanth-Aramek by now, but the mountains were always a sight to behold. Even in the quiet company of an eternal flame, they felt at home when they could travel from place to place. Shirik threw their hood overhead as the sky began to darken. It was easier to travel at night when they didn't glow as brightly.\n\nIt had been a very long time since Shirik first emerged from that cave, since they became a new person altogether. Since then, their life became much simpler than their days in the Iriad. Walking from place to place and lending a burning hand to those who could benefit from it, and resting for the sake of quiet contemplation were most of what Shirk did. They had considered going to the Ascendancy to make a life there, but that was a decision that they never made. Shirik took a turn off the regular road, and made their way up the mountains into the woods. They were always so peaceful at night.\n\nIn one hand, Shirik held a staff made of wood and small stones of various origins. It was part walking stick, for trekking through unexplored places, and part magic instrument, for when Shirik needed it. In the growing gloom of the forest, Shirik glowed like a warm candle. Anyone following them would be able to track them easily if they paid attention, as they had their guard down enough to let the flames do as they pleased under the cloak they wore. Eventually, Shirik came to an open spot between the trees, a meadow of undisturbed grass and flowers atop a peak overlooking a valley beneath. Not a sound could be heard, and overlooking Shirik's surroundings was a cloudless, black sky glittering with stars and the moon of Kanth-Aramek. It was a beautiful night, and it was quiet.\n\nShirik liked quiet.\n\nShirik lowered their hood, and walked to the edge of the cliff they stood over, breathing in the night air. The flames that seeped from under their skin seemed to settle and burn more gently at the sight of the sky. There were many things that irritated Shirik, and many things that pushed them into a jagged mindset all too easily these days, after the things they endured. Anyone who had to fight and claw their way to survival had a short fuse. But it was evenings like these, so peaceful and wonderous, that reminded Shirik that they were still here in the present. Life had moved on, and they were there to catch up with it. They were alive. Shirik bent down and sat on the ground, with a tree at their back. On their right was the moon, and on the left was the path they took up here. Shirik's cloak had come open, and yet the forest was untouched by the fire that rolled against their skin when they touched the forest floor. They shut their eyes, and let everything fall away. Twere at peace.\n\nAt least, they were until they heard a twig snap behind them. \n\nShirik's left arm shot upwards, pointing straight in the direction of the sound, as they made a gesture with their hand. Ring finger curled inward, thumb pointed to the ground, with their remaining fingers pointing outwards in a trident shape. Suddenly, a streak of brilliant sparks was sent in the direction that their middle finger was facing, splattering against a nearby tree. Oddly enough however, the tree was completely unharmed. Not even a trace of singed bark, as if nothing happened. The rest of Shirik's body had stayed completely still until after this spell was cast, at which point they turned their head to face whatever had followed them, their eyes flickered like glowing coals from a furnace in the moonlight.\n\n\"Show yourself.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "In her time tracking this being, Kareet had pieced together rumors and story into a picture of who they might have been. Something like an Iriad, yet also the antithesis of one. To any people, fire was, of course, dangerous, yet there was a dichotomy to it. Fire was also an invaluable tool to most civilizations. It allowed them to cook their food, provide heat in places where warmth was a commodity, and to forge metals to their needs. However, the Iriad had, traditionally, little use for most of a fire's utility. To them, there was nothing left of it but a threat to what they held most dear. Curiously, this was not the first they had heard of this \"burning Iriad\". Stories of Iriad imbued with flame went back centuries, even all the way back to the start of the Kolodon Empire in some cases. Though, Kareet was skeptical of those claims. In any case, aside from some cautionary fables from the Myriad, these stories did not necessarily paint this being, or beings, as a danger. Especially not the more recent rumors. \n\nIn the dark of the night, the light of this being's flame had been like a beacon to the eyes of a Tekeri like Kareet. She did not hide on approach, at least not after she set her gaze clearly upon the being. This was, undoubtedly, her quarry. She approached openly, stepping into the area illuminated by the flame. Her eyes were visible first, as with how the light reflected from within them, all four were given a piercing red glow. Once in the light, though, it was easier to see the Tekeri's features. She was towering in height compared to the average Iriad. Most likely, the being would not be able to tell on sight whether she was male or female, as Tekeri had no readily apparent features to distinguish one from the other that an outsider's eyes would be able to notice. At least, not without many years living among them. \n\nThe way Kareet carried herself was, in some ways, an interesting contradiction. She was clearly in good physical shape, like a soldier or explorer more than a farmer or laborer. Yet, apart from some of the feathers just above her scaled feet, the rest of her plumage seemed far too clean for that. One would have to spend a not inconsiderable amount of time washing and preening to keep their feathers clear of dirt and dust picked up on a long road. All she wore was a rugged leather traveler's backpack, with no jewelry or other decorations that might have been popular in the cities, yet her beak was immaculate, shining in the fire light as if polished. Such a practice tended to be restricted to at least the somewhat wealthy, due to the cost of the oils they used. \n\n\"There is no risk of violence here, unless you are the one to create it.\" Kareet answered, speaking in S'toric. \"Would you grant a traveler's request to rest in your camp?\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Though the gel layer regulated her body temperature, she swore she could still feel it. She hated the cold, but admitted it was preferable to heat, heat brought so many more issues with it than the cold did. To tell the truth, Eva had fallen asleep in the hanger bay, hidden between her stored drones and her Javelin, but woke as radio chatter sped up due to the neural interface she so often made use of. Sure, technically jacking into secure channels wasn't exactly something she was supposed to be doing, and could likely be punished heavily for... but they haven't caught her yet... or they have and it simply wasn't as much of an issue as she thought it would have been. \n\nBy the time a loader bot and it's driver were found, Eva was there as well. She moved forward at the head of her posse of drones, the little spiderlike bots scrambling around the bay working together to push the far smaller crates into place. \"Overseer already on site, moving final packages into place now... Captain... it might not be my place but given what I've heard I think it's best we move quickly and get our clearance, official or otherwise. I doubt whatever is rushing us is going to wait patiently for pencil pushers to give the all clear.\" Eva put a shoulder to the larger packages, the lower joints on her suit creaking for a moment before settling into a rhythm that let her move without pause, the Arachne drones scrambling about to click and spark their little electrical discharge at anybody in the way of their Overseer or the other loader as they worked. \n\nEva felt naked, even there in her suit. All the changes made to her Javelin lightened her for sure, but left her comparatively defenseless. No weaponry easily wielded by her suit, the scrapped shield generator used for the upgraded power supply and solar array... it just left her feeling empty as she could almost feel the comfortable weight and recoil of a rifle made to size.", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" }, { "text": "With the intern and the mech suit pilot handling the cargo loading, Vigdis ran back into the ship and strapped back into the service rigging - it looked similar to a parachute harness, allowing the wearer to both work suspended as well as carry a large number of tools, the rigging spreading their weight out over the entire body - and started feeding the crates' weight into the computer so the maneuver calculations wouldn't be off. Being in the ship somehow felt safer, perhaps because it wouldn't be leaving without her, or maybe because she was shielded from the cold wind. \"Hey, I want to get out of here as much as anyone else, but launching without clearance can be dangerous. If the airspace isn't clear, we could end up crashing in a ball of fire and tangled metal.\" Vigdis cautioned. She vividly remembered her father showing her ship disaster documentaries as a kid and explaining the causes, lessons learned and why such a thing couldn't happen to him and she needn't worry. Ignoring the ATC was something no software patch or design feature could prevent.\n\n\"The fighting's not here yet, but it sure feels like it's right around the corner.\" Vigdis replied unhelpfully to the captain's inquiry, \"If we seal up the ship, we might hold out for a few minutes. Could've been longer, but someone decided the spaceship needed windows of all things. So whatever we're doing, let's do it fast.\" She added as she retrieved a bundle of tie downs and ratchets and started fastening down the boxes wherever the intern and the mech pilot put them. They could be moved to the cargo bay later, when they weren't in an active combat zone.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "Stavanger Spaceport backed onto fjords to the north, but the approach from the south had been carefully landscaped to maximise usable space and access. A carefully choreographed district of workshops and offices separated large parking areas for passengers and staff. It was in one of those freezing cold parking areas that Tyreese Darnell found himself crouched behind a Norwegian police car as its spinning lights shone lit up the snow around him.\n\nHis group had made it quite close to the Jotunheim's hangar when a heavy machine gun had started firing at them from one of the concourse windows. Having made sure he wasn't dying from a stray bullet to the bullet proof vest under his suit jacket, Darnell clutched a satellite phone to one ear once he'd made a connection with his Tamerlane handler. Its aerial wiggled whenever he flinched at the bullets which dunted into the metalwork around him. \n\n\"Mr Darnell, what is the status of the Jotunheim? Over.\"\n\nDunt, Dunt Dunt Dunt. Civilians ran from cover to cover - the ones that didn't were already lying face down on the cold floor.\n\n\"I can't get through to them; they have some kind of jammer on us!\"\n\n\"What is the status of the Tamerlane security detachment? We can't make contact with them.\"\n\n\"Whoever attacked us took them out first. I barely escaped the blast - they are looking for the Jo!\"\n\nA nearby car exploded, flipping over and onto the other side of the police cruiser. Windows shattered, spraying glass all over Darnell's suit. He threw himself onto the floor and started crawling away.\n\n\"Jesus fucking Christ!\" Tyreese spluttered, blood trickling into his mouth from cuts on his face.\n\n\"Focus on my voice, Mr Darnell. Who are you with? Can you get to the Jotunheim?\"\n\n\"Even though it isn't even close to my job, I paid some Israelis i just met a MILLION Euro day rate from my fucking CREDIT CARD to get me there. Where is my back up?\"\n\nThe Israelis in question numbered five in total and were armed to the teeth, like they'd just got back from a mission themselves. They crouched behind various nearby vehicles and attempted to exercise fire control on the invisible assailants. Their leader, Ezra, stuck close to Darnell and calmly co-ordinated the others in Hebrew.\n\n\"I don't care how much it costs, Mr Darnell. I need you to do whatever it takes to make contact with the spaceship sat in hangar 147. We have a platoon enroute from our site in Murmansk but that's going to take some time. You are Tamerlane's eyes and ears at this moment.\"\n\n\"MURMANSK!?\" Tyreese yelled as he tried to get up. Ezra pushed him back down and fired most of a magazine into a set of plate glass windows in front of them.\n\n\"I need the whole fucking world down here 45 minutes ago!\" He shouted over the din.\n\n\"Mr Darnell, we've got to move.\" Ezra grunted, grabbing Tyreese and hefting him off the floor - no easy feat considering the suited consultant clocked in at over 14 stone himself. \n\nThe squad had eliminated the threat and they moved as one organism towards a staircase elevating them into the main concourse, Tyreese clutching his sat phone and briefcase in the middle.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" } ]

[ { "text": "The sun had only set an hour or so prior, so there was still plenty of night left for Kareet and Shirik to travel. Kareet had made all the notes she could for the moment, so she had no reason to hold up the start of this journey. Arcaeda was quite far, and depending on the path they chose, it could be weeks before they reached the capital. Internally, Kareet was hoping that nothing might happen that could make Shirik change their mind on their plans. This Iriad was an entirely unique being, and just the historical insights alone they could provide would be of immense value. They claimed to have experience an awakening centuries before the fall of the Kolodon Empire. Admittedly, Kareet was still skeptical, but if that could somehow be confirmed, that would challenge some established notions on the nature of magic and its history in Kanth-Aremek. The prestige that unearthing such a discovery would bring to a Seeker would make her a household name in the Ascendancy. Or even beyond, in some circles.\n\nThe pair of them, however, had not managed to get all the way back to the town when they heard an ear-piercing screech fill the air. The sound was…bizarre. It felt like it might come from some kind of animal, but it was nothing Kareet was familiar with. Fauna may not have been her specialty, but these mountains were still her homeland and she was educated, yet she could not place what this might have been. She glanced to Shirik, but despite how well-traveled as the Iriad was, even they would not be able to recognize it.\n\nTo the Glen, J'eon, though, the screech was even closer. It sounded like it came from within the forest out of sight, just beyond his camp. The sounds of rustling leaves and signs of movement just at the edge of his vision would certainly make it seem as if he had heard correctly.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "The door up onto the raised concourse was locked, so one of the mercenary team set a charge and they all stacked up on the wall to blow it. Darnell, at the back save for one soldier who was watching their six, tried to raise the Jotunheim again. Icy wind and flurries of snow whipped at him from all directions. His gloved fingers may as well have been blocks of wood as they fumbled with the sat phone.\n\n\"Hangar 147, come in. This is Tyreese Darnell of Tamerlane GOC. I have orders from HQ - do not take off, I repeat DO NOT take off. Please confirm this command.\"\n\nAll he could hear was warbling static and beeps on the line, from whatever appeared to be jamming the signal. Nothing came back from the Jotunheim.\n\nThe charges went off with a muffled *FUMP*. The metal doors flew off their hinges and disappeared inside, closely followed by the Israeli team's point man.\n\nInside was the bottom of a stairwell, with a desk in front of them that the doors had just destroyed. A uniformed woman crawled out from behind the wreckage holding a large socket wrench. Upon seeing them, she shouted \"No no no!\" and ran towards them holding her hands out. The first soldier put two bullets in her chest and she clattered backwards dead.\n\n\"Clear.\" He declared as the rest of the team spilled inside and began scaling the stairs. Darnell swore upon seeing the dead body and looked around for security cameras. Thankfully, he could see none. While these mercs were masked and had no discernible markings, he was barefaced and easily recognisable. The last man pushed him toward the stairs to prevent them from becoming split up.\n\n\"Alright alright! I'm going.\"\n\nThey climbed the stairs in silence, with all guns at the ready. After a few moments they reached another set of doors. They stacked up on either side of it again. Ezra tried the handle - it opened an inch. He looked through the crack. Then he nodded at the woman opposite him and she took out a stun grenade from her tactical vest. Ezra opened the door a bit more and she armed it and threw it out of the gap. A few bullets thudded into the metal door on the other side before a loud bang and a flash stopped them. It was so strong that it stung Darnell's eyes even from the back.\n\nThe Israelis opened both doors and proceeded through, leaving Darnell peeping out from down the stairs a little way. Gunfire and shouting erupted on the concourse; tracer rounds whizzed by from both directions, with some pinging off the cargo crates and forklifts that littered the area. Darnell was pushed forward to take cover by the door so the guy in the back could provide cover. As he began moving, he saw one of the mercs take what looked like a shotgun volley to the chest. All the equipment on the front of her vest exploded in a shower of sparks and she collapsed on the floor. Ezra instantly moved in front of her while the guy by Darnell rushed over to grab her. Darnell was shouting and screaming and pointing without quite knowing what he was saying. Somehow, there was a cloud of smoke wafting into his field of view from the left.\n\n\"Move to me, Mr Darnell!\" Ezra shouted, motioning with one hand to a pile of boxes near him. Tyreese finally moved out onto the concourse - three of the mercs had assumed a defensive formation to cover both directions while the fourth prepped a canister of biofoam while crouched over their downed teammate. Darnell spotted more than one dead body in his field of vision, but he didn't stop to look at them.\n\n\"Jesus fuck. Who are these guys?\"\n\n\"You tell me, Mr Darnell. They're not amateurs.\" Ezra responded. There was more gunfire from close by. Inside the cloud of smoke that was spreading across one entire side of the concourse.\n\n\"They must be in there!\" Tyreese pointed.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "Carefully, J-eon reaches behind him to grab the spear, trying not to bump it as he lifts it out of its oarlock cradle. He wasn't sure what was out there, but it was making too much racket to hide. Was this in response to the beacon? Did this rise to challenge?\n\nIn either case, if it attacked, he had to respond, for surely it would try to kill him.\n\nHe kept his movements calm as he pivoted towards the voice.\n\nDid it come singly? Or was there two, one to give voice, others to blindside? He must listen closely in case there were more, lying in wait.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "To J'eon, there were no sounds that would hint at creatures from other directions, only to the front. Though, for what finally emerged from the forest, it was frankly surprising that it had managed to get as close as it had without notice. This creature was massive, almost double J'eon's height. It vaguely resembled some kind of giant insect, but it was quite unlike any animal he would have ever seen. It had no eyes that could be observed, yet it was quite obviously aware of J'eon's location, with the way it seemed to stare him down. Its behavior also felt strange for an animal. If it was a predator hunting prey, it would not be screeching the moment it sensed its quarry. Whatever it was, though, it made its intentions quite unmistakable. It clicked its mandibles together, then let out another shriek as it came barreling straight at him, seemingly enraged. \n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nYet again, the shriek was plainly audible to Kareet and Shirik. It was just a bit closer than before, as their path seemed to be taking them towards it. Kareet, on her part, was starting to look more and more annoyed at the fact that she could not recognize the sound. \"Okay, that's the second time we've heard that. I will be honest, I don't recognize it. Have you ever heard anything like it?\" She asked.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\n\"...No. That noise is unfamiliar to me. What in the name the Myriad is that?\" Shirk said, immediately opting to run towards the source of the noise with a rather firm stomping of the ground with their staff. A flame was lit, and as the two of them paced down the road, there it was. A bug of some kind. Massive, hulking, angry, and ugly. Shirik watched it thrash about, trying to run down a Glen. Shirik flicked their staff across the air in front of them and Kareet to launch a small flame at it, partly to get the thing's attention, and partly to lead into another spell. In that motion, Shirk swung the staff over their head in a spin, which resulted in a trail of sparks that seemed to grow brighter by the second.\n\n\"I don't like bugs. If that thing doesn't stop screaming, I'm going to bring the whole sky down on it's head. You! Move!\" Shirik called out through a strained voice to the Glen as a warning. The glowing sphere of sparks announced the presence of both them and Kareet like a campfire as Shirik held it over their head. Like an axe waiting to fell a tree, Shirik held the angry ball of sparks and flames at the end of their staff over their shoulder, in a position implying they intended to throw it somehow. They were keeping one eye trained on the raging creature, and another on the Glen they didn't want to incinerate with their spell.\n\n\"Kareet, be ready to run for cover when I say so.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon instinctively moved to put the point of the spear between him and the eyeless creature. But looking it over, he could not guess at where its heart would be. Nor did he like how it was opening and closing its mandibles, but that had to be its head.\n\nAnd if it had a head, he had a target.\n\nWith another of its weird piercing cries, the creature suddenly charges towards him!\n\n\"HAH!\" J'eon yelled, thrusting his spear forward for the creature to impale its head on as he wordlessly summoned the flame to its tip. There would be some heat, yes, but he hadn't time for the full chant to make the blade glow white hot....\n\nYet there seemed to be a lot more light now? And who was yelling behind him?", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "The screaming caught her mid-reload. She didn't need to look to know why the man was screaming. Considering that only one person was screaming, her mind evoked images of meatloaf instead of the intended lesser damage over all three targets. Violent injuries were nothing new to a four year veteran of salvage duty. Vaccum exposure, hot vapors and liquids, electric current, exploding pressure vessels, shrapnel large and small, people trapped in an inferno so hot the heat cracked the teeth... Just two months before she got out of the navy, she slipped on a patch of charred goo that used to be a crew member of a freighter that completely burned out. She'd seen and smelled it all, but always as a third party. An unfortunate observer. But here, she did that to the man. Knowing she caused it made her sick. 'Better them than me.' she thought, but it rang somewhat hollow. Snapping in a new magazine with a shaking hand, she popped out of cover again and immediately recoiled back. Meatloaf. Meatloaf in marinara sauce.\n\nThe sound of her name being called brought her back into the here and now. Sprinting up the ramp and not even stopping as she hit the button to close it, she went straight for the airlock, heading to the machine shop. Having connected to the shipwide PA, Vigdis whistled into the microphone, completely uncaring about how weird it probably sounded to everyone else on board. She listened for the sound of doors opening or something moving in nearby vents when movement in one of the shelves near the ceiling caught her eye. To her infinite relief, she was met with the sight of Fritjof, eyes at half mast from having just woken up. \"You lazy slacker, how'd you sleep through that?!\" She stepped closer to the shelf and tapped her shoulder, the cat taking the cue and leaping down onto her shoulders. \"Sure wish I could've.\" She ruffled the hair on his head before placing him in the carrier strapped to the floor for safety and made for the engineering section. As she was unregistered luggage on this trip, she might as well make herself useful.\n\nSomewhere in the distance, something at last put an end to the muted screams of the man she'd crippled.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nA wave of biting cold washed over the road, followed by Kareet's magically charged hammer shattering a frozen mandible off of the creature's face. It truly was impressive what multiple mages were capable of. Lightning coursed across its skin, burning it as the cold contracted it. The skin of this insect-like beast seemed to serve as its armor, and like any armor, it was suited for certain things and certain things only. Extreme warping was not one of these things. Shirik raised their staff as the ball of sparks came to roughly the size of a S'Tor's head, and slammed it into the ground.\n\nThe sparks became lines, and those lines animated themselves into a circle that crept around the stunned creature in seconds. The ring that burned itself into the ground glowed like steel from a forge, and the Iriad mage shouted.\n\n\"MOVE! NOW!\"\n\nIn the sky above the three of them, something resembling a star exploded into a warm, golden light. For a brief moment, it was as though the night had been turned back by a few hours, as a sound filled the air. The ground began to illuminate, and Shirik, despite their warning, only took a singular step back. Something fell from the stars above, directly onto the creature's head. A blinding flare of intense heat, similar to the fireball they sent into the sky earlier as a demonstration to Kareet. In the field of astronomy, comets and shooting stars were a common occurrence. An object of celestial origin, soaring across the sky of Kanth-Aramek and disappearing as soon as it emerged. It seemed as though Shirik had called down a star in the same fashion incinerate the creature, only there was no solid stone to be found, only fire concentrated into a blazing lance of arcane fury.\n\nJ'eon and Kareet would have noticed something falling from the sky, as the ground grew brighter to signal its arrival, and when it struck the creature, there was a rupture of golden light, like a volcano erupting into elemental fury without a trace of smoke. There was no explosion to threaten J'eon or Kareet, but what was once bitter cold was now a sweltering heatwave akin to a blacksmith's workspace.\n\n\"I hate insects.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "The blow was sudden and unexpected. Despite his armor and his muscular chest, J'eon could feel his ribs cracking as he went flying into the trees further up the road.\n\nThe trees were no softer when he slammed into them.\n\nJ'eon gasps with pain, groping for his hooked blade, expecting any moment the creature would turn and attack him now, on the ground, nearly helpless.\n\nAnd saw Shirik's attack as light came down and struck the creature, illuminating the forest for miles around.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "For Kareet especially Shirik's decisive attack was blinding. Her eyes were well-adjusted to the dark, so the fireball had her turning her head and covering her eyes. She blinked a few times when the light finally subsided, then squinted as she tried to get a good view of the aftermath. Right before the fireball had come down, the Glen had taken a hard hit from the beast. At the very least, that had launched him clear of the blaze. After a few moments, he finally came into view for her. He had been knocked up against a nearby tree, but he was still moving. Still alive. \n\nKareet stumbled forward carefully. She still felt half-blind, but she could navigate well enough. However, she was halfway to the Glen when she heard yet another, enraged screech from the direction of what should have been the creature's corpse. How could it be anything except dead? A fireball like that, right after being frozen? There was nothing alive that could survive that kind of thermal shock. Anything less than death was impossible. Unthinkable. Yet, when she turned her head, she would not deny feeling terrified when she saw the body moving. \n\nFortunately, it seemed the universe was taking at least some mercy on them when she saw the state the creature was in. The freezing and heating had torn its hide apart across much of its upper body, allowing its insides to be burned to its core. There were some traces of dark green blood, but much of what she could see on half its body was charred beyond recognition. One of its arms was simply gone, while with the other was desperately trying to pull it towards Kareet. It shrieked and tried to snap its remaining mandible at her, though made little progress with either. \n\n\"Oh, come on.\" Kareet grunted. She reached back and slid her hammer back into her backpack. Now that she had the time to do so, she traced a few signs in the air, then extended both hands forward as the feathers on her arm started to stand up from the static. There were a few small arcs of electricity between her hands and the creature, which, after a moment, erupted into a sustained storm of lightning focused squarely on its head. With its hide no longer protecting it, the electricity was able to have far more of an effect. She kept it up until the beast finally stopped moving. Still, for this thing to have had any life in it after being hit with such power…there was no animal she knew of that could possibly fit its description. \n\n\"Just…stay dead.\" Kareet muttered at the creature's corpse before turning her head to the others. \"You, Glen. How hurt are you? Can you speak? Can you move?\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "As the sounds of gunfire began to die down, a pair of figures, male and female, popped their heads out from behind the curtained medical beds. By the door, a taller man pressed against the side, a weighty AED hardcase in his hands, ready to be swung at the head of any intruder wishing to break their way into the medical bay. But, no such attacker came, the halls of the upper deck remained relatively quiet, save for a few of the crew that had gone down to check on what had happened. The medical crew, while possessing varying levels of former military experience, opted to stay above decks- they were soldiers no longer, and their medical experience would do nobody any good if they were among the casualties below. \n\n\"What's going on down there? The female assistant asked the room. While her small frame and French accent presented a sort of gentle demeanor, Sara's sharp tongue and sharper wit were really anything but.\n\n\"Is everyone dead..? Should we stay up here?\" The male assistant whined. Ever the gentle giant, while a bit cowardly, Richard's physical strength and bedside demeanor was second to none. \n\n\"Stay here, I'll go down and assess what's going on.\" Duncan instructed, setting the AED case back down on a nearby table. Rounding out the merry medical crew was none other than himself. A bit of an everyman; filling the role of physician and surgeon in such a small crew on such a small ship. \"Keep your comms on and the doors locked, I'll notify you guys when I get down there.\"\n\nPausing at the door Duncan turned back, \"Better start shaping up the med bay, I get the feeling we're going to get busy soon.\"\n\nOn the main deck of the ship, Duncan stepped out of the lift, poking his head out into the main hall. Despite what he expected, there was no carnage in the ship itself. A few individuals were sat along the sides of the corridor, banged up, but for the most part alive and with non life-threatening injuries. From what he gathered, more than a few of the individuals now on board the ship were not supposed to be, but no one was actively hostile. Duncan spotted the airlock opening, and Captain Kadıoğlu stepping out from it.\n\n\"Captain!\" Duncan called out to her, though not actively attempting to stop her, she seemed busy enough. \"You're intact right?\" In a situation like this, being in one piece was the important thing, it didn't matter if they were a little banged up or bruised, minor injuries could be taken care of after they got out of- whatever mess this was. So long as she was capable of performing what she needed to do, he could go into the hangar and check out the state of people there.", "username": "vietmyke", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Fret Chappel : Human : Prospector\n\nMusic\n\nFret walked down the cold metal lining with the artificial air of the space ship corridor. It was a cramped corridor. \n\nShortly, he found what was to be his quarters. \n\nWalking inside the brushed steel miniature room,\na small bed that slid out from a drawer he unslung his survival burgen and sat it alongside one wall. The door closed behind him with a reassuring k-shuuk. \"distinctly nordic\", he thought.\n\nAs he was early for his flight, a flight that might last months or even years he decided to make himself at home in his new room. Without taking his boots off he slid the bed back into its drawer half way and sat down with the back of his head resting on the frame. He began to do his meditation. Closing his eyes with legs crossed he tried to find the golden light. The one that had been left in his burnt retinas.\n\nAfter he had been injured by a star grenade he had had to spend weeks in convalescence, left with the golden light. At first it had been painful and had kept him crying out and sweating all night long. After about a week he had decided he just had to make peace with it. And the pain had subsided.\n\nSo there it was, the golden light. It was getting harder to find now as he had more distractions in his life. But he had gotten used to it. Indeed it actually seemed comforting.\n\nNot many people would volunteer for such a journey that would last years, possibly a lifetime on an alien planet. \nEspecially one that just involved checking rocks constantly and logging mining sites. Sites to be sold to future corporations that likely didnt exist yet. Many burnouts would be aboard this ship, he knew. \n\"I wonder what it would be like to meet them. Their stories.\"\n\nWhen the claxon started going off his eyes shot open. Including his cybernetic third eye implanted in the middle of his head. What on earth could this be? He heard the announcement over the tannoy. \"Well\" he thought \"I am not security personnel so i wont be troubled with it\". Feeling uneasy he got up and slid the small metal tab on his door to the locked position. \"There, i cant be killed now...\" he thought.\n\n\n\nAfter a little while he started to pace up and down the miniature room. I say, pace, it was more like one two steps and turn and then another two steps and turn.\n\n\"But what about the others...?\"\n\nAfter a little while he moved over to the survival burgan and opened the rifle holster and slid out the rifle. Nervously he digged around to find a small box in his backpack. He popped open a cardboard cartridge box by crusing it with the palm of his hand on the bedside... and began thumbing cartridges down into the circular magazine. One-two-three. He listened out for anything dangerous outside.\n\n\"Bloody ME, its not like i havent seen enough killing to last TEN lifetimes.\" he cursed quietly.", "username": "Steel Legion", "char_name": "Fret Chappel" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nThe voice that Shirik heard was of a Tekeri, apparently. She was dressed rather well, and had the put-togetherness of a low noble. By her appearance, the burning being could tell who she was. Shirik studied the Tekeri's presence for a moment. Groomed feathers, unbothered body language, and yet she didn't look like a noblewoman. There didn't seem to be a weapon in her hands, but she could've been a mage if Shirik's assumption was correct.\n\nAfter a long pause, they finally broke the silence. \"You are from the Ascendancy.\" They said, more for the sake of implying it was obvious than asking. Their voice was like sandpaper against wet stone, yet distinctly resembled that of an Iriad of great age. \"It is unwise to stalk someone. Dangerous, in fact.\" Those eyes were incapable of expressing emotion like other creatures, but it was not difficult to perceive that Shirik did not appreciate the sudden intrusion. Still, someone followed Shirik this far for a reason, and they knew it would be easy to fend off someone such as this, who had no weapon or was actively attacking them.\n\nWhoever this woman was, they weren't a simple bandit. The Ascendancy did not send people after specific individuals for nothing. \"...Sit.\" They said, agreeing to the woman's request.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "\"Negative. ATC is kind of busy. I'll try again, over.\" Zey shot back, before opening up a secure line with the control centre in charge of dispatching and receiving craft.\n\n\"SISTraC, this is J147 requesting again for immediate clearance to launch. Please advise on the situation on the ground. Over.\" Zey was left hanging for a moment. The bridge door slide open - *shuuk* - and when the Captain looked back she saw Bosko Janković entering. The short and heavy-set, grey bearded Serb gave her a friendly wave and a smile before shuffling past her to check something in the Pilot's chair. Zey patted him on the shoulder like a feverish person might to check they were actually real.\n\n\"J147 this is SISTraC.\" Came the fuzzy reply over comms.\n\n\"You are NOT cleared for expedited takeoff, say again do NOT launch. Terminals 2, 3 & 4 are Code Black - Home Guard are en route. Head to the designated secure area and wait for further instructions.\"\n\nZey immediately fired back: \"SISTraC that's a negative, we cannot do that. We're IN terminal 4 and have sensitive property on board. Requesting urgent security assistance.\"\n\n\"J147 all security assets are tied up right now. Leave your craft and head for safety.\"\n\nZey terminated the connection with the traffic control centre and shouted \"FUCK!\" at the back of Bosko's head as he made last minute adjustments. He didn't even look around when he spoke back.\n\n\"What is plan boss? We tooling up and busting out of here on foot?\"\n\nZey considered her options for a couple of seconds.\n\n\"No, get ready to launch. We're moving the Jo.\"\n\nShe clicked her communicator back on to talk to Vigdis.\n\n\"Vigdis be advised - hostiles may be in the terminal and heading this way. Soldiers are coming but no timelines yet. Keep your eyes open and move fast. We need everything packed up and ready to move yesterday.\"\n\nWhen the message came back that Vigdis had secured loading bots to get the last of the cargo on board, Zey moved for the door.\n\n\"Bosko you have the Bridge.\"\n\n\"Aye Captain.\"\n\nShe had barely made it two steps out the door when she was speaking again.\n\n\"Come in Engineering, give me a sitrep, over.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nA large number of people were fleeing down the concourse now. A crowd of a few dozen had gathered outside Hangar 147, and the people at the front were arguing with the Tamerlane security guard and a hastily erected blockade in the doorway. They couldn't close the blast doors because members of the crew were still making their way over, so the guard had to stand firm and reason with these people to keep moving to designated assembly points. AKA anywhere but here.\n\nSuddenly, the sound of distant gunfire mingled with the blaring klaxons and announcements. The crowd started shouting even louder and jostling forward. The guard went for his stun gun but got pushed over. People charged into the hangar bay towards the Jotunheim.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nThe sound of shouting could be heard even inside, on account of the open cargo doors. Zey, fresh off from Engineering, asked:\n\n\"What's happening out there? Someone give me a visual!\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "As the Glen had been collecting himself to respond, Kareet had cautiously approached the creature's corpse, setting her gaze upon any detail that could be important. Anything that stood out immediately. \"Hmm, physiology unlike anything I've seen before. Doesn't match any description of anything native to the Ascendancy…and a heat resistant hide? Never heard of that occurring naturally. Blood is…black? None of this sits right with me.\" She muttered, mostly to herself. \n\nKareet was tempted to pull out her notebook right away to start sketching what she could see, but the Glen, J'eon, was finally able to answer. He was alive, but even the most oblivious observer could see that he was hurt. Altogether, it was inconvenient, as it meant she could not pretend she did not notice. She wanted to find out what she could about this creature while she was able, but it was plainly obvious that J'eon needed help sooner rather than later. Her impression of Shirik's personality was that they would want them to help him. Still, she managed to avoid letting on to her reluctance to pry herself away from examining the corpse.\n\n\"Kareet of Arcaeda, Seeker of the Order of Sages.\" She introduced herself as she stepped up to the Glen laying on the ground in front of her. \"You should be treated as soon as possible. I believe Ertiseda has a Life mage. We should be able to get you there; it isn't far.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "The Jotunheim Engineering department was mostly contained within one claustrophobic room. There were four main control areas including Life Support, which mostly looked out over a complicated sprawl of wires and pipes that connected the Tamerlane FTL drive in the middle with the three enormous engine pods in back. It was pretty loud, and stank of fuel.\n\n\"I can give you 7.25%, no more right now! Should be enough to activate two segments.\" Zhao snapped at Vigdis while standing over the engine room's central console. She wore a dirty navy boiler suit with Tamerlane's horse archer logo on the back and curlers in her dark hair kept in place by netting. The other engineers had returned to their stations, where they hawkishly monitored engine and life support systems as the ship completed its final pre-flight checks.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Let us in!\" Darnell shouted, pounding on the shuttle bay's airlock door.\n\nLooking frantically around, his eyes landed on the door's control panel again. \"How do I talk through this thing…\" He muttered, pressing all the buttons at once.\n\nEzra kept his assault rifle levelled at a short young woman who he'd caught securing her mech suit to the floor. He knew all too well how dangerous those Javelin bots could be, even when demilitarised, so he didn't plan on letting its pilot out of his sight.\n\n\"How do we unlock this door, or talk to the crew?\" Ezra asked Eva, his accent thick when speaking in English.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nWhen Shirik said they'd bring the heavens down on the bug, they were serious.\n\nIt stopped moving, and Shirik ran over to the battered Glen with Kareet. He was alive, by the gods. \"I am Shirik. And you are very luck to be alive, J'eon of Mythadia.\" The Glen would be treated to a very strange sight, and Iriad suffused with fire beneath their bark. \"If you can stand, we will take you to Ertiseda where this Life mage can tend to you as Kareet says.\" Shirik looked over to the wretched mess they left behind after striking it down. \"I am a thousand years old, and I have not seen such a beast before.\" They said flatly. \"Regardless, our new friend requires assistance, so let us be on our way, yes?\" Shirik bent down to help the Glen onto his feet. When J'eon touched Shirik, he wouldn't feel burned by the Iriad's hands. Rather, he would simply feel the sensation of dried bark against skin. \n\n\"I am certain the Sages would be interested to know what that beast is. Or perhaps they do. But we can return for its remains later, Kareet.\" They said, seeing that Kareet was taking an interest in studying the insect-like monster they just brought down.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Thank you,\" J'eon pants as he is help up. Shirik was burning, yet was acting as though nothing unusual was happening. What was he? \"I.. have a cart... back there... Chest, two blankets.\"\n\nHe paused, looking at the creature Shirik has slain. \"We... should go... swiftly. Where... there is one... there will... be others.\"\n\nIt was more than pain that made him pant.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Aye aye, captain!\" Jack nodded, turning towards the bridge. \n\nAfter getting through the airlock, he cycled the bridge hatch and stepped inside, eyes turning towards the pilot at his console, then to the navigator's station on the left, ignoring the yammering of port controller over the radio.\n\nStepping over to it, he began keying in for all the local 'ports capable of handling the Jo, then forwarded the primary and alternate \nflight plans to both the pilot and the captain's station.\n\n\"Pilot Janković,\" Jack sang out. \"Two flight plans sent to you, confirm?\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Kareet gave another glance back at the creature's corpse. This was a particularly interesting find; something new, with properties that challenged what could be natural. Perhaps Shirik was right that she could return to examine it later, but that presented its own risks. It might not take long for scavengers to find the corpse, and any damage they might do could interfere with her findings. Still, she had to prioritize. Shirik was likely more valuable, and to refuse to help this Glen could her to lose their cooperation. If she was going to have to choose between two discoveries, it would be better to choose Shirik. She supposed it was a good problem to have.\n\n\"We just need to hurry and get him to the town. Sorry to say, but you don't look to be in much of a state to walk right now, J'eon.\" Kareet said, already moving towards his cart. She pulled back the canvas to take a look at what it was carrying, then gave a glance back towards the Glen. \"I'm going to have to take some of these things out to make room for you. I'll tell you right now, I'm not going to be pulling both your whole weight and an entire anvil all the way back to town. I'll hide these things as best as I can so you can come back for them later.\" Even if she had the strength to do so over some distance, trying to do so over hilly terrain all the way back to Ertiseda would be far too exhausting.\n\n\"Come on, help me with this.\" Kareet remarked to Shirik as she started to make room in the cart for the Glen.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nWhile tiring, the walk back along the road to Ertiseda was not so tiring that Kareet could not handle it. Tekeri were strong and quick, but they were not nearly so well-suited to long-distance endurance as the Glen. It was the middle of the night when they arrived, so there were plenty of Tekeri up and about. Kareet did not bother herself with the looks of concern from some of the bystanders, though. She was focused on dealing with this problem as quickly as possible. \"Shirik, could you look after him? I'll see if I can find this Life mage.\"\n\nFrom what she remembered when she was staying in town, Ertiseda did not have a Life mage of their own, but there was a traveler who knew Life magic who was staying in town for the time being. Traveling Life mages often found themselves inundated with pleas for healing whenever they passed through remote towns, but unlike the average peasant, Kareet actually had the coin to pay for the service.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst walked past the tall trees in the surrounding area. Treading carefully as he did not want to be seen by anyone. Although his mission was of the utmost importance, he was fine with taking his time. The young Kriliteran stopped briefly to note a carving on a nearby tree. Placing his deformed \"hand\" on the area where the craving was. It looked like two lovers had carved their names into the tree. Feeling sad that he had not recently found a mate. In particular, he found it hard because he was not very good at socializing. Especially when it came to Kriliteran women. \n\nBut his trouble with women was not really important at the moment. Kolvar started walking further mostly keeping to walking behind the trees and avoiding the main road because he does not want to be seen. His master had told him that the book he was looking for was a religious tomb. A book that was lost during the sacking of Balrak'dun. The hatred of the S'tor and Pa'tal is kept even today. Kolvar in particular has gotten into trouble for picking fights with S'tor and Pa'tal people. Only being saved by his friends or his master. \n\nThe Kriliteran was getting closer to his destination but was stopped when he heard a caravan moving. He lay on his stomach, waiting for the caravan to move passed him. But it seemed one of them needed to use the washroom. Kolvar turned into a small bipedal creature, running toward the direction he was supposed to go. Cursing the person that had gotten close to seeing him. But he was glad that his shapeshifting had saved him. \n\nContinuing towards Ertiseda. Having to gather some information as to where the book would be located. Although he would have to be careful in case his identity would be revealed.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "Jack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\"It's a mad-house... captain...!?!\" the X.O. yelped as the leather cap was unceremoniously yanked off his head and carelessly tossed aside. His eyes darted to the back of her head as she went past, then behind him to find the cap - which was surprisingly warm. And possibly the only hat he'd have until they returned. And if they lost gravity, potential F.O.D. hazard.\n\nDanny, Danny, Danny, he sighed shaking his head.What did I ever do to you?\n\nLeaning forward over the radar plot, he took out his white wax pencil and marked out a plot. \"Captain, recommend we come right seven and one-half degree for 600 yards, then left seven and one-half degree to resume our base course for 190 yards, then left three degrees for the next eight hundred yards.... What the...?\"\n\nThere was six tracks coming up behind them....?\n\n\"Captain! We've got missiles coming up our butts!\"\n\nThey had nothing at all back there but that kinetic shield - and he didn't think it was built to withstand that sort of blast.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet observed silently as Kaqir worked. She had seen, and received, such healing many, many times before, so there was no tension for her. The only worry might have been if Kaqir was not a competent Life mage, but everything Kareet could see was perfectly acceptable. Healing simple injuries was far from the most complex thing a Life mage could do, after all. \n\nOnce Kaqir was done, Kareet gave a quick look over the Glen. No visible injuries, at least, and no more signs of pain. It was sufficient. She reached around to her backpack and produced a small pouch, from which she grabbed a few silver coins. It was far more than the coppers most peasants might be able to scrounge together, and consistent with what a healer would expect to be paid in the capital. \"Thank you for your assistance.\" Kareet said politely as she dropped the coins into the healer's hand. \"I…\"\n\nKareet's voice trailed off quickly. There was…something that caught her eyes in the sky to the north: a flash. At its source, there was something glowing, very distant. Tekeri had particularly sharp eyesight, but even to her the details were difficult to discern. It was like a hole in the sky through which daylight was shining. Through it, she could see a hint of fire, of distorted shapes she could not discern, and of…something that seemed to be moving. All she could really see of it was a red glow, like a fireball.\n\nA few seconds later, something like the loudest thunder Kareet had ever heard echoed across the landscape. All at once, it was like the whole town froze. Anyone who had not noticed before now had their eyes to the sky. Even Glen villagers who had been roused from their sleep started to file outside as well to see what was happening.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar was moving between the different stores, asking the owners where Dagmore could be located. Most of the shopkeepers didn't seem to know where the old ruins were located. He was halfway to giving up however, he would soon have a moment of luck. An old looking Glenfolk approached him. \"Excuse me, son, I had seen you walking around the town for the past couple of hours. And I was wondering if I could help you?\" \n\nKolvar felt flattered that this old man would want to help him. But he was not sure if he knew where Dagmore was. \"Well, I am searching for a lost Kriliteran book. And I was wondering if there were any ruins in the area?\" \n\nThe old man smiled and rubbed his chin with his hand. He seemed deep in thought, \"Well there are a few I do know of around here. There is Dagmore which would be the most well known ancient structure.\" His train of thought was interrupted by Kolvar speaking up. \n\n\"That would be the place I am looking for, would you be able to direct me to where the ruins are located?\" The Kriliteran seemed overly excited about the old man knowing the ruin's location. \n\nThe old man took longer than Kolvar hoped to try to remember the exact location, he was more than patient for him to finish. \"Thank you for the directions, sir.\" Bowing his head he walked off, following the instructions the old man had told him. He noticed it was starting to get dark. Pulling out a small lantern from underneath his clock, he lit the small candle.\n\nhe stars outside were shining brightly tonight. It was a beautiful sight. Kolvar took a moment to admire the beauty of the night sky. He noticed a bright star burning more noticeably than the others, at first he thought nothing of it. Assuming it was a star near the planet. But this particular star seemed to be coming closer and closer. Quickly ducking onto the ground, covering his head with his hands. Thinking for a moment the whole world was going to end. Muttering a prayer to his god to protect him.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\nIt happened between the beats of his heart, the pain was there - and then it was not.\n\n\"What... is this?\" he marveled as he felt the bones knitting together, re-forged whole again.\n\n\"My lady, this humble blacksmith thanks you,\" he says to Kaqir, bowing his head when she's finished.\n\n\"I offer my thanks to you two, as well,\" he adds, climbing carefully down from his cart to stand on his own feet to face Kareet and Shirik, placing his right arm on his broad chest as a salute. \"I....\"\n\nKareet, who had been paying Kaqir, was now looking past her, at... What was that?\n\n\"My friend, is this your work?\" he asks Shirik just before the loudest clap of thunder peeled over the village and beyond.\n\n\"Sky stone?\" he wondered. It was big - was a mountain of sky stone about to hit this village?\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O. \n\n\"Captain! We were too deep in the gravity well, I don't think we cleared atmosphere,\" Jack reported, training kicking in as he began reading his panel. \"We must have hugged the Earth during that jump! Radar shows we're above some rough terrain....\"\n\nThe radio was eerily silent, just the faint hiss of the universe in his ears. \n\n\"Captain, we've lost comms!\" the executive officer reported, checking and rechecking the panel. \"No... wait... this doesn't make sense! Radio is working, but nobody's talking out there? Did the pulse of the jump knock everyone off the air?\"\n\nWithout GPS, they'd have to do terrain mapping and hope they'd get a match from the AI...", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "The Paladin joined in on the introductions. Nellara. All of the birds so far had fairly nice sounding names, and after all, why not? What did she expect, cawing and hooting? As soon as Nellara put its hands behind its back, Vigdis immediately pointed at it, mimicked its posture and brought her hands in front of her. She was outnumbered and trying to pay attention to several things at once, not being able to see someone's hands on top of it did no favors for her peace of mind.\n\nUp until that moment, she thought that the strange happenings with Nellara's orbs and Kareet's badge might have been some local technology, like electromagnets or miniaturized tractor beams or whatever, any sufficiently advanced technology being indistinguishable from magic and all that. Before the Yenge showed up, no one thought FTL was possible either. But Nellara and Humanoid Torch's shows shattered that idea so thoroughly they might as well have used a wrecking ball. \"What the FUCK is that?!\" She took a few long steps to get away from whatever witchcraft was taking place, slipping into Venerian Russian in the heat of the moment. After that demonstration, Vigdis was visibly reluctant to accept the ball from Nellara, first walking over to the welder and donning her welding gloves. Not a perfect insulation, but better than nothing. A tiny ball made of metal, like you'd find in ball bearings. She rolled it in her palm and threw it up and caught it a few times. Too heavy to be aluminum or titanium, too light for tungsten, wrong color to be silver or silicone… Probably steel or iron, maybe cobalt or nickel. When they figured out how to talk to these people, she'd have to ask if she could break one to figure out what it was made of. Kareet and Kerchak would probably enjoy a demonstration of the metallographic instruments they had in the workshop.\n\nWith the captain's warning, she returned the ball and clapped her hands a few times to get everyone's attention, then pointed at the airlock, jabbing her finger in its direction a few times and raised her hands in front of her, open palms facing the locals. She didn't know how else to convey urgency and demonstrate something to be non-threatening.\n\nOf course the first one through the door was a big guy with a big gun…\n\nGetting another idea about how to potentially convey something important to the locals, Vigdis turned to the Captain as soon as she entered, stood at attention and saluted before speaking. \"Captain, I was on my way to seal the last hull breach as per the day's order when these locals caught me by surprise. I've been trying to set up some foundation for communication.\" She gestured to the writings covering a decent wall area by now, \"It looks like we've managed to figure out numbers and names. As you can see.\" She added when Kareet introduced herself, \"I was about to start length and time measurements, but you're welcome to take over, I'm running out of rope.\"\n\n\"Doing my best, doctor. To be honest, I nearly shit myself when Nellara showed up.\" Vigdis replied to the FTL specialist, indicating the armored bird. \"Speaking of which…\" Vigdis made her way through the gaggle of humans to clean up the box she kicked over during her panicked retreat from Nellara. She chuckled at Ixtaro's joke about Spanish, having given that some thought already and decided that she wasn't cruel enough to confuse the locals with Cyrillics, learning one new alphabet would be enough. Another problem would be actually learning the language, but the mind of an engineer is always working on solutions to problems. And if problems aren't available, engineers create their own. They'd need to build a library of both alien words and grammatical rules first. She could make a gizmo with a microphone, a speaker and a wristpad connection in half an hour. Then, they'd need someone who knew how to code.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "Jack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Vidgis?\" Jack Mallory asked, keeping that calm timbre in his voice despite the mask. \"Did you determine what structural damage this hanger suffered from the missile attack and from the crash, especially with the shuttle ejection? I'd hate for everyone to be standing here should the roof suddenly cave in.\"\n\nEspecially that burning tree-man, he left unsaid.\n\nHe glanced at the numbers on the wall, then at the hands of the locals. Base 8 math? He'll have to schedule courses with the crew and the passengers, then. But why did people start with numbers and not the most important concept?", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "A roiling fog had rolled across the marshy plains south of Lake Núr overnight. The first pale rays of dawn crept over the horizon and danced across the Jotunheim's battered hull. Ezra turned off his night vision and surveyed the crash site again as first contact went ahead. \n\nThe Jotunheim was in an awkward, difficult to defend position, perched on the side of this hill. The firestorm immediately following the crash had burned away everything within fifty yards of the ship, leaving a charred circle. Ezra was no expert, but it seemed odd to him that the fires didn't extend further out considering the oxygen-rich atmosphere. There were still a fair amount of trees and bushes surrounding the crash, even if some were still charred and smoking. This meant line of sight was choppy - no easy way to cover all approaches without more people. Ezra understood the Captain's resistance to committing either her crew or frightened passengers to an external role right now. In fact this suited him - it meant he was indispensable while he figured out his next move.\n\nThe mercenary eventually opted to position himself up the hill from the ship, towards the cockpit end. There was a cluster of bushes that he could lie under which provided him a good vantage point to look out over the crash site and the marshes beyond. The other two androids controlled by Wodan (but accessible by any authorised personnel) completed a triangle around the ship. One was above and towards the engine end, with an OK view of the crest of their hill. The other droid blended in with the tangle of metal and broken trees that littered the Jotunheim's path.\n\nAs the alien creatures arrived and investigated the ship, Ezra and his droids remained hidden. Their rifles were trained on the groups at all times. Once these initial guests filtered through to the shuttle bay on the marsh-side of the ship, they carefully tightened the triangle around them. Ezra changed position slightly to give him LOS on the jagged gash towards the fore corner of the shuttle bay. Peering through his scope, he saw multiple creatures in metal plate armour standing guard at the entrance. \n\n\"I have eyes on the shuttle bay opening. Two tangos are external.\" Ezra sounded off over comms for the crew to hear. They looked like birds in armour through his scope.\n\n\"What is your status?\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Unfortunately, there was quite a lot happening around them in such a short time. The arrival of more of the beings, \"Humans\", as they seemed to identify themselves, was not too worrying in itself. The Castigator had good reason to believe that the objects they were carrying were weapons, but again, that did not alarm Kareet. The Castigator's soldiers were armed as well, and it was only natural that they would show some degree of caution when meeting something new and unknown. But then, there was more movement across the room. Smaller beings, like insects, but clearly not natural. They were made from metal and moved on their own, and on top of all that, the armor that Kareet had observed earlier began to move as well. All of that coincided with the Castigator's soldiers alerting them of something approaching from outside. Perhaps the only thing that prevented the situation from escalating further was the fact that the metal insects did back away after a moment. \n\nFor a few seconds, Kareet had her eyes on the moving armor. She took a few steps back, falling in line alongside Nellara. It was a subtle thing, but the way that Kareet fell into a proper defensive formation did seem reflexive. J'eon had made the decision to try to leave entirely. There was good reason to be afraid, she had to admit, but she could not give up. Not something like this. Being among the first on-site for a discovery such as this…there would never be another opportunity like it. It was worth the risk. \"These things…golems, maybe? They have to have some sort of magic to be able to make such a thing.\"\n\nKareet was growing increasingly frustrated by their inability to effectively communicate. She had a strong suspicion that much of this tension was the result of misunderstanding. These Humans were entirely new, their ways entirely foreign. What would be offensive from their perspective? Or threatening? \"This fortress, it is their home. In this land, they have nowhere else to retreat to…let us be careful not to provoke them. We need to find some way to communicate. A Thought mage could bridge this gap. If we could get to Lenkik, we could requisition the services of one. Either convince the Humans to send one of them with us, or bring a Thought mage back here.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "@13org @EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar looked quite frustrated as things were starting to get a little chaotic. The situation could go south if one of them made any sudden movement. His body tensed up a little as more \"Hoomans\" came into the room. He was not confident that Shirik's fire show was much help in communicating with these aliens. While hearing them speaking to each other, obviously talking about them being in their flying ship. Kolvar opened his mouth trying to see if he can speak their language. \"H…e…l…l…o…w…e…c…o…m…e…i…n…p…e…a…c…e.\" Of course, this would sound like gibberish to the hoomans. His efforts to try and communicate with the aliens would be utterly useless. Kolvar seemed to back away as the giant iron golem soon came into the room. The wandering scholar looked quite scared of the golem. \"What in the god's name is that?\" He pointed toward the golem with a clawed finger. \n\n\"I could go and fetch a thought mage, I know of one that would be able to help us.\" He was now standing behind Nellara and Kareet. Making sure he was not in the line of fire from the hooman's weapons. Although he was not sure how to communicate this to the crewmembers. Nor would he be able to convince the others of his plan. \"Perhaps the one named Vigdis could accompany me? Of course, if we can convince them to allow for such a thing.\"\n\n He suddenly took a few steps forward after gathering some courage, so now he was standing in front of the others. He pointed towards himself and then towards the hoomans, then pointing towards his mouth and his forehead. Using very crude non verbals cues to try and communicate with them. Tapping his head and then towards his mouth, before making a walking motion with two fingers before pointing towards both himself and the humans once again. Trying to convey the idea of one of them joining him to fetch someone who could read minds. \"I could transform one of you and myself for faster travel to fetch a thought mage.\" He assumed Kareet or Nellara have access to a thought mage.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "In response to Mallory, Vigdis walked over to him to point out things visible from where he stood. \"Start with the port aft wall corner. See how the remains of the wall were bent inward by a force pushing on the outside? Missile. Then along the floor, ceiling and fore corner, it's all bent outward. Shuttle. The way we rolled, if the hangar was hit hard enough, the whole thing would've sheared off, starting in the starboard dorsal or starboard fore corner where it joins the hull.\" She fired off what she could say for certain from a cursory glance, \"That's what you get when you have something sticking out of the main hull like this, a design feature the company went forward with despite our objections.\" She couldn't help adding loud enough for Darnell to hear, \"Looks like we got lucky though. I didn't see any signs of such damage when I was up on the outer hull. If you'd like, I could take off all this interior paneling and go over the beams with ultrasound to make sure, once it's airtight again. We could also have Wodan figure out the forces that had acted on the hangar from the acceleration measurements and check the strain against what the affected parts are rated for. Fortunately in our misfortune, with the long range dish torn off, the hangar isn't supporting as much weight as it was designed to, so we have a wider safety margin. As for why I haven't done it already, we were focusing on the parts of the ship that were immediately accessible and necessary for flight.\" She explained. 'If I thought the damn thing was gonna collapse, do you think I would be here trying to fix a hole in the wall?' Vigdis thought, but did not say out loud.\n\nAnd then it all started to disintegrate. It wasn't her fault, but Eva could hardly have picked a worse time to wake up and the locals had just gotten the same scare Nellara gave her. Why was she even sleeping in that thing anyway? \"Human, human!\" Vigdis gestured to the talking armor, \"Stupid human, fuck's sake.\" She added in Eva's direction, perhaps a bit hypocritical since the only reason Nellara didn't have a hole in its chest was the fact that Vigdis' weapon had not been loaded when she entered the ship, before turning to the captain. \"Too many people, way too many people and not enough communication.\" She said sternly, the last part while pointing outside to where the droids were spotted moving. It had been going rather well thus far, she was not getting gutted by one of these birds just because someone on this road trip can't work within a chain of command. It was that fucking merc who brought the suit on board, wasn't it? He was put in charge of security. In an attempt to salvage the situation outside, Vigdis pointed at herself, mimicked Kerchak's walking gesture and pointed outside. \"Apologies, Nelly, someone out there needs his head examined.\" She said to Nellara before walking out as fast as she could without running and stood in front of one of the alien soldiers, literally placing herself between the droids and the soldier…'s lower two thirds. These birds were big. She waved her arms above her head to draw the attention of whoever was giving orders to the two droids and ran the back of her open palm along her throat once in a standardized 'engines stop' signal. Not ideal, but it would have to do.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet of Arcaeda\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAt first, Kareet was unsure of the approach that Castigator Nellara was taking. She moved up to the breach in the wall and took cover on one side, peering out only slightly to avoid exposing herself. She wondered if the Castigator was not overstepping her authority, as the Ascendancy would most certainly be interested in claiming this fortress. They would be interested in learning whatever they could about it, and as a bonus could provide ample protection for the Humans within. She was not sure that Nellara's superiors would agree with her guaranteeing them such unrestricted independence. \n\nHowever, Kareet also was not blind to the complex, and frankly irritating, politics surrounding this situation. As much as she hated to admit it, they were right on the border to Mythadia. As far as she knew, there were no precisely defined borders in this region. They could talk about who had the \"right\" to the land all they wanted, but ultimately, that right would lie with whoever could enforce their claim. This was a prize that was worth fighting for, but the Ascendancy had been involved for years with a territorial dispute with the S'tor over the Sovereignty to the north. Mythadia and Acanata, for all their flaws, were still a powerful force to be reckoned with. The Ascendancy would have to commit substantial forces to have a hope of challenging them, and if that happened, they would not be able to stop the S'tor from claiming everything they wanted. Of course, the Glen were also in a similar situation. There were other S'tor nations farther west on Mythadia's northern border that would not hesitate to jump on the opportunity if the majority of Mythadia's forces were tied up in a war in the east. In the end, only the S'tor would benefit from this escalating too far. No, war simply would not do. With the Humans caught in the middle, it could end up with neither nation being able to learn anything at all from the crash. There was no greater tragedy Kareet could imagine than that.\n\nPerhaps the Castigator was right? The Humans themselves could be the difference-maker here. This Jotunheim was theirs, and they clearly had capabilities beyond their understanding. If they could not bring armies in so close to Mythadia, perhaps diplomacy would yield better results? They could be helpful and polite to the Humans, make a show of respecting their independence, and gain their favor. It might make it more difficult to gain some secrets that they would rather hold close, but something was better than nothing, and \"nothing\" would be exactly what they would get for as long as they remained in a standoff with Mythadia.\n\nCautiously, Kareet stepped up alongside Nellara. \"We have a choke point here, Castigator.\" She said softly, gesturing to the hole in the wall. \"And several mages as force multipliers. But we shouldn't fight them if we can help it, and certainly shouldn't make the first attack. Too risky. Your approach may be the right one. We need to find a way to get the support of the Humans here. I suggest we send for a Thought mage as soon as we can. Perhaps invite this Silbermine to parley? At least something to buy time until we can communicate properly with the Humans.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"I had thought the people of Mythadia to have honor,\" J'eon said somberly. \"Yet here I stand, listening as House Silbermine makes claims on this temple of the Sky People. Is this what you call respect? For I find it sorely lacking!\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nOw. Ow. Ow.\n\n\"Captain, we may only get one shot with this,\" Jack warns, his voice rasping through the mask's diaphragm. \"If that bird-creature can move metal, one might be able to bend our beam, possibly use it against us.\"\n\nHe heads to the airlock, keying it open so he can step inside before it was half-way open, then closing the hanger-side door in the hope of keeping the locals outside.\n\n\"This is what happens when you don't establish boundaries,\" he mutters. One doesn't tell a being who can move metal at will that you shoot metal bullets out of a gun like it's show and tell.\n\nCycling the inner lock, he stepped through and glared at the box of pens.\n\n\"Get armed up, people! We may have a fight on our hands,\" he says, heading towards the bridge. \n\n\"Wodan!\" Jack called out as he stepped into the bridge. \"Status on the meteor gun, stat!\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Wodan\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nPerched up on one of the consoles near to Jack, a hologram of a crow appeared in his view. Naturally, Wodan was monitoring every detail of what was transpiring as best as he could, so there was no need to reiterate Zey's orders. \"The Jotunheim's cannon is responding and is currently operational, but I must advise caution in its use. It can be rotated and aimed with minimal consequence, but it is an energy-intensive magnetic accelerator weapon, and we are operating on auxiliary power. To put simply, every single shot could take one to two weeks off of our batteries' remaining power. Explosive shells could be fired at lower power for more manageable energy drain, but are dangerous to use in close proximity to the ship.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "@Expendable @EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar threw his hands up in frustration. He was becoming incredibly annoyed that everyone was trying to claim the ship for their own. I guess he was no different, but really he just wanted to learn more about these foreigners. \"I think we should help these strangers first before we move forward with annexing this ship.\"His eyes looked over toward both Silbermine. Turning his attention toward Kareet. \"I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me translate to them if they need any help with injured crew members.\" He would rather gain their trust and learn of any valuable information these people may have. Using his life mage would be indeed useful to gaining their trust. \n\nKolvar was tapping his clawed hand onto his head, trying to fight off an impending migraine. \"Let us not break into an all out war. I am sure can resolve this issue without an incident. First, I need to fetch a thought mage, so these strangers can communicate with us. Although I am afraid if I leave chaos will ensue.\" \n\n\"And I do not wish to fight anyone. So if you excuse me i have work to do.\" He said motioning for Kareet to follow him inside the ship.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "Though the gel layer regulated her body temperature, she swore she could still feel it. She hated the cold, but admitted it was preferable to heat, heat brought so many more issues with it than the cold did. To tell the truth, Eva had fallen asleep in the hanger bay, hidden between her stored drones and her Javelin, but woke as radio chatter sped up due to the neural interface she so often made use of. Sure, technically jacking into secure channels wasn't exactly something she was supposed to be doing, and could likely be punished heavily for... but they haven't caught her yet... or they have and it simply wasn't as much of an issue as she thought it would have been. \n\nBy the time a loader bot and it's driver were found, Eva was there as well. She moved forward at the head of her posse of drones, the little spiderlike bots scrambling around the bay working together to push the far smaller crates into place. \"Overseer already on site, moving final packages into place now... Captain... it might not be my place but given what I've heard I think it's best we move quickly and get our clearance, official or otherwise. I doubt whatever is rushing us is going to wait patiently for pencil pushers to give the all clear.\" Eva put a shoulder to the larger packages, the lower joints on her suit creaking for a moment before settling into a rhythm that let her move without pause, the Arachne drones scrambling about to click and spark their little electrical discharge at anybody in the way of their Overseer or the other loader as they worked. \n\nEva felt naked, even there in her suit. All the changes made to her Javelin lightened her for sure, but left her comparatively defenseless. No weaponry easily wielded by her suit, the scrapped shield generator used for the upgraded power supply and solar array... it just left her feeling empty as she could almost feel the comfortable weight and recoil of a rifle made to size.", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" }, { "text": "With the intern and the mech suit pilot handling the cargo loading, Vigdis ran back into the ship and strapped back into the service rigging - it looked similar to a parachute harness, allowing the wearer to both work suspended as well as carry a large number of tools, the rigging spreading their weight out over the entire body - and started feeding the crates' weight into the computer so the maneuver calculations wouldn't be off. Being in the ship somehow felt safer, perhaps because it wouldn't be leaving without her, or maybe because she was shielded from the cold wind. \"Hey, I want to get out of here as much as anyone else, but launching without clearance can be dangerous. If the airspace isn't clear, we could end up crashing in a ball of fire and tangled metal.\" Vigdis cautioned. She vividly remembered her father showing her ship disaster documentaries as a kid and explaining the causes, lessons learned and why such a thing couldn't happen to him and she needn't worry. Ignoring the ATC was something no software patch or design feature could prevent.\n\n\"The fighting's not here yet, but it sure feels like it's right around the corner.\" Vigdis replied unhelpfully to the captain's inquiry, \"If we seal up the ship, we might hold out for a few minutes. Could've been longer, but someone decided the spaceship needed windows of all things. So whatever we're doing, let's do it fast.\" She added as she retrieved a bundle of tie downs and ratchets and started fastening down the boxes wherever the intern and the mech pilot put them. They could be moved to the cargo bay later, when they weren't in an active combat zone.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" } ]

[ { "text": "Vigdis studied the captain for a second or two, deliberating on whether to tell her the truth or what she wanted to hear. \"Vaguely.\" She chose to be truthful, tightening the last strap on the current crate into the system and sprinting toward the weapon, noting the red stripe on the magazine indicating a load of armor-piercing darts. At that point, it had become clear that the attackers' rules of engagement made no distinction between combatants and unarmed bystanders. Donning the sling around her shoulders as she exited the Jotunheim's shuttle bay into the main hangar, she used it to push the Jackal into her shoulder and took cover behind the ramp, dialed up the power, took aim at the center of the shield…\n\n…and missed.\n\nIn the stressful situation, she pulled the trigger too hard, the weapon jerked as she fired and the dart merely skimmed the side of the shield and skipped off to who-knew-where. With an annoyed grunt, she withdrew behind the ramp - just in time to avoid a burst of return fire, the bullets screaming past with the telltale cracks of supersonic rounds and out into the fjord. For a few seconds, she just stared at the bit of space the bullets had crossed, the same bit of space the right side of her chest had been occupying just moments before. After a shout brought her back into the present, she rifled through the pouch where she kept a few spare magazines: Red, red - goddamnit - finally, blue! Vigdis swapped the dart magazine for one with anti-personnel flechettes and peeked out of cover as soon as the return fire subsided. What she was about to try would've worked better with steel buckshot, but you work with what you have, not what you'd like to have. Aiming at the floor under the droid's shield, she emptied the entire magazine before retreating back into cover again, each of the eight trigger pulls sending a volley of almost 50 2x35 mm flechettes, intending for the flechettes to ricochet upward and hit the three attackers legs, bypassing the shield and droid. Due to the wide horizontal spread and nature of what she was doing, she didn't even have to bother with proper trigger squeeze. She didn't even need to seriously harm them, all she needed was for them to stop paying attention to other people in the hangar who had guns.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "J'eon sighs as he put down his bowl and spoon. His simple meal of stewed mashed grains with a dash of liquor he had picked up in Ertiseda was now a warm lump in his first stomach that was slowly spreading. \n\nThe small pit fire cast was little more than embers now and well-screened from the road, the cart and camp hidden under a few boughs of leaves from prying eyes. Not that he expected company on this rather desolate track that would take him by a few of the farms. If he was lucky, he might find the very thing he sought....\n\nIt appeared suddenly, a fireball of light launched to the heavens, its brilliance robbing him of his night vision so that all he could see was splotches of color that burned and blurred, so he buried his face in his hands, massaging them. All around him, even the tiniest of insects were still, but when he looks up, he could see the fireflies had risen, like sparks from a massive fire, all around, giving tribute the only way they could to the brightest light this night.\n\n\"What was that?\" he asks, in a voice as soft as a whisper as he continued looking in the direction of the light, but it did not rise skyward again. There was a faint glow in that direction, miles ahead. Without taking his eyes off the spot, his right foreleg rakes the dirt back into the pit, extinguishing the flames. \n\nWhoever had sent that light aloft had announced their presence for miles, there was no need to announce himself. If it repeated, he might have to think someone was in distress...", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "The sun had only set an hour or so prior, so there was still plenty of night left for Kareet and Shirik to travel. Kareet had made all the notes she could for the moment, so she had no reason to hold up the start of this journey. Arcaeda was quite far, and depending on the path they chose, it could be weeks before they reached the capital. Internally, Kareet was hoping that nothing might happen that could make Shirik change their mind on their plans. This Iriad was an entirely unique being, and just the historical insights alone they could provide would be of immense value. They claimed to have experience an awakening centuries before the fall of the Kolodon Empire. Admittedly, Kareet was still skeptical, but if that could somehow be confirmed, that would challenge some established notions on the nature of magic and its history in Kanth-Aremek. The prestige that unearthing such a discovery would bring to a Seeker would make her a household name in the Ascendancy. Or even beyond, in some circles.\n\nThe pair of them, however, had not managed to get all the way back to the town when they heard an ear-piercing screech fill the air. The sound was…bizarre. It felt like it might come from some kind of animal, but it was nothing Kareet was familiar with. Fauna may not have been her specialty, but these mountains were still her homeland and she was educated, yet she could not place what this might have been. She glanced to Shirik, but despite how well-traveled as the Iriad was, even they would not be able to recognize it.\n\nTo the Glen, J'eon, though, the screech was even closer. It sounded like it came from within the forest out of sight, just beyond his camp. The sounds of rustling leaves and signs of movement just at the edge of his vision would certainly make it seem as if he had heard correctly.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon instinctively moved to put the point of the spear between him and the eyeless creature. But looking it over, he could not guess at where its heart would be. Nor did he like how it was opening and closing its mandibles, but that had to be its head.\n\nAnd if it had a head, he had a target.\n\nWith another of its weird piercing cries, the creature suddenly charges towards him!\n\n\"HAH!\" J'eon yelled, thrusting his spear forward for the creature to impale its head on as he wordlessly summoned the flame to its tip. There would be some heat, yes, but he hadn't time for the full chant to make the blade glow white hot....\n\nYet there seemed to be a lot more light now? And who was yelling behind him?", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Fret Chappel : Human : Prospector\n\nAfter having ducked back behind the big landing wheels Fret was waiting for return fire to thump around him signaling that they knew the deal.\n\nBut instead, he heard a pop of smoke... It was close. \n\nCuriously he peaked around the side of the tires,\n\nAnd was enveloped with a mist that caused his bionic eye to fizz and then...\n\nGone.\n\nHe was now as blind as the day he'd lost his eyes.\n\nHe flicked through the various vision modes. All blank.\n\n\"Oh im TOAST...\"\n\nHis mouth went dry as the adrenalin started to coarse up from where his kidneys were. His body temperature suddenly dropped and he started shaking uncontrollably. \n\n\"TOAST! TOAST! TOAST!\" was all the little voice in the back of his head was saying.\n\nHe could only roughly remember where the boarding rampway was.\n\nHe knew they'd be heading there. They knew where it was...\n\nHe heard a voice coming from over by the big shuttle bay hatch.\n\n\"We are LEAVING! Everybody get in, now!\" She bellowed.\n\n\"TAKE IT EASY! ONE AT A TIME!\"\n\nHe took off at an awkward run. Unsure of every footstep, he stumbled about 10 to 14 steps…\n\nhe should be roughly there…\n\n…He felt the surface under foot change from asphalt to a harder metal surface. Slowly his vision snowed…\n\nThen he felt someone grab him by his shoulders and throw him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Was he in the ship? As soon as he was in his vision came back to life.\n\nWho had grabbed him? The voice?\n\nAre we leaving??????", "username": "Steel Legion", "char_name": "Fret Chappel" }, { "text": "J'eon's spear was well-aimed as the creature charged. Even as the beast tried to maneuver around it, the spearhead did manage to connect on the side of its head, piercing and burning its flesh. However, J'eon would immediately notice just how tough its hide really was. Even with a good thrust, the spearhead only partially pierced into its head. With even more force, he might have been able to do more, but the hide put up enough resistance that the creature was able to jerk its head back before the spear could push deeper. At the very least, it had forced the creature to step back so it could not trample the Glen right away. Still, this creature was both absolutely massive and dangerously close. A single, solid hit from it could easily kill. \n\nBizarrely, the creature's overwhelming aggression did not seem to subside in the slightest. Fire was generally a powerful deterrent to wild animals. Merely by showing it, Heat mages could often go undisturbed in the wilderness, which made this creature's apparent indifference to it all the more unusual. \n\nAs soon as they had come upon the scene, Shirik had decided to get involved, which meant Kareet had to make that choice as well. The last thing she needed right now was for Shirik to be hurt. She reached back and, with a brief motion, formed a magnetic link between her hand and the weapon stowed away in her backpack. With a thought, the connection strengthened and her war hammer magnetized into her hand. Though, she did not move any closer for the moment. Instead, she breathed out, pointing her hammer's head at the creature as she ran her fingers down the metal haft. An electric charge built and amplified through the metal, and when she finally flicked her hand away, it all discharged at once, sending a bolt of lightning straight at her target. It lasted but an instant and was accompanied by a crack of thunder. \n\nThe bolt struck the creature's raised hand and sent a shock through its body…though the effect was much less than Kareet had hoped. Its flesh was blackened on the point of impact, but not burned as much as Kareet would have expected. The best she could say at the moment was that she had hurt it enough to interrupt its attack and give the Glen more of a chance to evade.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Zey emerged from the airlock with several of her crew into the corridor that ran down the middle of the lower forward deck. It was even loud and more uncomfortable than usual. The lighting was harsh, it smelled of chemicals and freshly fabricated metal. The engine vibrations were more pronounced, and right now there were over thirty civilians crammed into it. Some were milling around, trying to find a way out or place to sit. Others had just plonked themselves down on the boxes of supplies along the walls or the one sofa, chattering worriedly or checked themselves for bullet holes.\n\nVigdis and Mr Chappel the surveyor contractor stumbled away through the crowd and Zey didn't have one moment to negotiate her own way through before she heard someone shout \"Captain!\". She looked and found Duncan Feng addressing her.\n\n\"You're intact right?\"\n\n\"I'm fine!\" Zey shouted back over the din, she unclipped an earbud from her communicator and pushed it into one ear.\n\n\"Get these people strapped or tied down, we're leaving!\" She patted the Doctor on the shoulder and made to turn toward the bridge when her XO appeared from the crowd, talking about going into orbit. She was relieved to see her second-in-command, though she didn't show it. Having him on the bridge meant she could focus on not killing every stowaway on board. \n\nEveryone's voice was getting progressively louder, so Zey leaned in and placed a hand on Mallory's shoulder so she could shout in his ear. \"Negative, it's too risky! We'll move the Jo to a TGOC ground installation to decant these civilians! Get to the bridge and plot us a flight plan out of here. Fast and low as this fat lady can go! Tell Anselm we need to break this comms blackout and make contact with HQ yesterday, get them to get an escort over here and prepare their site in Iceland or Russia for us. go go go!\"\n\nSomeone from the bridge wafted into her ear.\"Captain, there are two unidentified men with guns in the shuttle bay. I've sealed off the airlock. Edwards is still inside.\" \n\nZey immediately spun around and looked through the viewing ports. The airlock was empty, and through the viewing port on the other side she locked eyes with Tyreese Darnell who was hammering on the door from the other side. A bulky soldier in full gear stood behind him, pointing a long gun at someone out of view - Zey presumed it was Eva as she'd have been strapping her mech in.\n\nThe man pointed at the lock, then put a sat phone with a floppy antenna to his ear and mimed talking. Zey could feel movement in her legs as the Jotunheim began moving slowly out of the hangar bay.\n\n\"They're shooting at the jets!\" Zey heard someone else call over comms.\n\n\"Bring our kinetic shielding online, direct it behind us.\" The Captain ordered, still staring through the viewing port at Darnell.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nVigdis had to request access to the Engineering airlock twice before a grase-smudged face appeared and studied her at the other end, eventually opening the first door. Once she'd stepped in, the shaven head and face recognisable as Danny Varen, FTL, spotted the gun on her back. After a moment, he opened the second door. He was dressed in black flip flops, navy shorts emblazoned with the Tamerlane logo, and a plate-carrier over his bare tattooed chest. As soon as there was clearance, Danny levelled a black tactical shotgun at her body. \n\n\"What's poppin' Vigdis? Put the gun down and put your hands up.\" \n\nDanny looked off to his left. \"Search her.\"\n\nA second engineer stepped round the corner, shotgun in hand, and went to pat her down.\n\n\"Hey! What's going on back there? I need help powering up the shields.\" came the stentorian voice of the Jotunheim's formidable lead engineer, Zhào Jiāyí. Though short in stature, everyone knew this harmless-looking middle aged lady had all of her larger and younger engineers firmly in check.\n\n\"Its Vigdis!\" Danny called back, not taking his eyes off her.\n\n\"Well, stop copping a feel and tell her to get her butt over to the shield console!\"\n\nDanny looked a bit sheepish, then cracked a grin.\n\n\"Sorry Vigdis. Gotta be safe. Whats happening out there?\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"You're bleeding!\" The teenage boy sitting opposite Fret called out, pointing to the blood on Mr Chappel's hand.\n\n\"Oh my god! Is there a doctor on board?\" His mum called through the open conference room doorway.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "\"Mister Varen. Can I hel-\"\n\nThat was a gun. She complied with their instructions on partial autopilot, still working through the fact that she'd just been directly shot at for the first time in her life and was now being held at gunpoint by someone she knew. Having a coworker pointing a gun at you was a jarring experience in a completely different way. She wanted to ask what they were looking for, why they thought she was a threat or at least have some witty remark about the lead engineer's 'copping a feel' comment, but her mind just kept going back to the shotgun threatening to do what the bad guys hadn't managed while at the same time processing Varen's getup. Contrary to the situation and to her own surprise, she started snickering at the display of tactical beachwear.\n\n\"Hostiles kitted out like local armed forces, comm jamming, ship full of whoever happened to be close by... 'Shitstorm' doesn't even begin to cover it. Probably shaved off at least three years off your dear Captain.\" She summed up what little she knew on her way to the shield console, \"We've got about two and a half tons of extra live mass on board.\" She guesstimated the weight of the thirty-or-so extra people that weren't supposed to be on the ship. Plus 65 kg of live mass and tools, give or take, she wasn't supposed to be there either. Why was she even there? Damn ship was done, she could've gone on vacation and left the routine stuff to someone who needed some overtime. She wanted to see Iceland ever since she learned her family was originally from there. She could've at least taken a sick day and stayed at the hotel. Of all the times she could've chosen to let the inner workaholic loose, she had to do it now.\n\n\"Friendly reminder, I supervised hull construction, I only know as much about the shields as was necessary for that purpose.\" She cautioned the other engineers. Fortunately, at least the interface looked simple enough. Now, she knew the maximum rated output of both reactors - which was really the 'long-term safe' output and thus up to 105% of that could be sustained for brief periods, that was industry standard - but didn't have access to power control, so had no clue how much power the rest of the ship was drawing except that it was taxing the power supply by at least 50% on account of the engines. Who knew what life support was using up with 30 extra people on board or if it could even keep up with that demand? Unlike the reactor guys, whom she knew well, the life support equipment team supervisor was an insufferable bint whose presence Vigdis could never stand for longer than the amount of time it took to use the coffee machine. No, Denise, I don't care that you write poetry in your spare time, your garbage doesn't even rhyme. Rear hemisphere would do for now, they were in a fjord anyway, only places to go were forward and up. \"Chief, how much free power capacity do we have for the shield?\" Unless the attackers brought anti-ship weaponry, she assumed the shield - presumably designed to handle debris and civilian-grade ship weapons - would hold up just fine. But what if the bad guys did have access to anti-ship missiles? They had army equipment after all… Somewhat back in her element and with no bullets flying around her, her brain had at least gotten some traction and was quickly working through the gears. Of course the boys were suspicious. If you wanted to pull a stunt like this, having someone on the inside would've helped and she'd been there for two years, knew every one in three bolts and welds on the ship and knew someone who knew the other ones.\n\n'Can you blame them, chief?' That would've been a good one, damn it.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\nPressing a hand to their torso, The Glen known as J'eon, gasps and turns his head to face Kareet.\n\n\"I... live,\" he managed, haltingly, bowing his head. \"I am... indebted... to you... and your... friend, for coming... to my... rescue.\"\n\n\"I am... J'eon... of Mythadia,\" J'eon swallowed, tasting the blood. \"May... I ask... your names?\"\n\nFrom the pain radiating from its upper and lower torsos, he must have broken some bones there. Nor did he feel ready to stand just yet.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "As the Glen had been collecting himself to respond, Kareet had cautiously approached the creature's corpse, setting her gaze upon any detail that could be important. Anything that stood out immediately. \"Hmm, physiology unlike anything I've seen before. Doesn't match any description of anything native to the Ascendancy…and a heat resistant hide? Never heard of that occurring naturally. Blood is…black? None of this sits right with me.\" She muttered, mostly to herself. \n\nKareet was tempted to pull out her notebook right away to start sketching what she could see, but the Glen, J'eon, was finally able to answer. He was alive, but even the most oblivious observer could see that he was hurt. Altogether, it was inconvenient, as it meant she could not pretend she did not notice. She wanted to find out what she could about this creature while she was able, but it was plainly obvious that J'eon needed help sooner rather than later. Her impression of Shirik's personality was that they would want them to help him. Still, she managed to avoid letting on to her reluctance to pry herself away from examining the corpse.\n\n\"Kareet of Arcaeda, Seeker of the Order of Sages.\" She introduced herself as she stepped up to the Glen laying on the ground in front of her. \"You should be treated as soon as possible. I believe Ertiseda has a Life mage. We should be able to get you there; it isn't far.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet did not know immediately where to find the Life mage, but it was not something that was particularly challenging to accomplish. The mage was not a local, but a traveler, so the inn was a natural first place to start. Even if she was not there at the moment, there was nowhere else in the town for a traveler to stay. All it took was questioning the innkeeper to get both a description, and a general idea of where she had gone. As expected, the locals were eager to make use of a visiting healer. \n\nWhile she only had a basic description, that was fortunately all Kareet needed. Evidently, this Tekeri had a very distinctive appearance. That many beak piercings were immediately recognizable and would stand out right away in such a small town. Kareet was heading in the direction the innkeeper had indicated when she spotted her coming out of one of the houses. \n\nGiven the urgency of the situation, Kareet wasted no time in approaching the Life mage directly. She was somewhat taller than Kareet, with more complex adornments. Kaqir would likely be able to tell from Kareet's sleek, clean feathers and polished beak that she was someone who, at minimum, could afford to mimic the Ascendancy's upper class. \"Excuse me, are you the Life mage? I have urgent need of your services. I can pay you fairly.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "As soon as Duncan was certain the Captain was okay, he was already moving onto the next task- which would've been strapping down the civilians, if it wasn't for the call for a doctor. Whizzing around, Duncan was a bit surprised to find a woman and her child inside the Jo's conference room, though he was even quicker to spot the sight of a man sitting in one of the chairs, a small pool of blood slowly expanding beneath him, blood dripping from his hands and the edge of the seat. Duncan dashed into the room- it was Fret, one of the surveyors, he had been shot.\n\n\"Stay in your seats! Ma'am, please strap your son in.\" Duncan ordered, his voice maintaining a calm discipline as a mental command activated the communicator function in his Smart-Lenses, the device clipped to his belt automatically turning on. Directing his communications towards the medbay and his team, he called for them. \"I need hands! Conference Room, Richard, bring a stretcher!\"\n\nDuncan's natural hand unbuckled Fret from his seat, as the unnatural one pressed its fingers to his neck. Moments later, a small indicator appeared in the corner of his vision, the label read 'Chappel.F.', with an accompanying pulsating line and number indicating his heart rate, a small line leading towards his body. A quick cross reference with the Jotunheim's database and Fret's blood type, any pre-existing medical conditions and other recorded information began to overlay underneath the label. Getting shot was never a good situation, but at least his vitals weren't too erratic. Ducan's natural hand slapped the man in the face.\n\n\"Stay awake Chappel.\" Duncan ordered, \"You've been through worse, yeah?\"\n\nDuncan's cyberarm reached into the small medical bag he kept, the machine arm easily navigating through the meticulously organized contents. Out of the bag came a small cannister of biofoam. He gave it a quick shake then pressed it into Fret's wound. Medical foam quickly filled the wound with a hiss- a powerful cocktail of medical ingenuity designed to numb pain and stop blood loss, and would keep him intact until they got him back to the medical center. Taking Fret's hand, Duncan pressed it against the wound.\n\n\"Pressure.\" Duncan commanded, \"Where's my stretcher?!\"\n\n\"Here Boss!\" came the reply. As if on cue, the two medical assistants burst into the room, a small, powered stretcher between them. Without waiting for words, the male assistant went over to Duncan, and the two quickly lifted and dropped Fret into it. Duncan grabbed the back of the stretcher before pointing out into the service corridor. \n\n\"Richard, strap those civies down, Sara, check for more wounded.\" Glancing down at Fret, Duncan grabbed one of the straps and made sure he was secured on the stretcher. \"Look alive, Fret. Keep pressure on the wound, we're moving you up to the med bay.\" If push came to shove, Duncan could strap Fret to the stretcher and lock it down in place when the ship began moving, but if they were lucky he'd be able to get Fret to the Med bay, though any major operations would have to wait until they were still.", "username": "vietmyke", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nThe journey to Ertiseda was quite uneventful, Kolvar was glad that he was not seen by any other passerby. Trying not to arouse suspicion while he was in the city. Heading towards the local general store hoping the clerk knew where to find the book. Opening the store door, he had to cover his ear when the bell attached to the door rung. The clerk was busy stocking some items on a tall shelf. Kolvar approached carefully, \"Excuse me, I am looking for a Kriliteran book. This particular book is a holy book written by the prophet Rathnor.\" \n\nThe owner looked at Kolvar with a stern look. \"Sorry I do not think I have that. Are you some sort of collector?.\" The owner stopped stocking books to turn towards Kolvar. \n\nKolvar smiled nodding his head. \"Something like that, perhaps you know the name of the person that knows where the book is located?\"\n\nThe owner shook his head, before moving closer toward Kolvar. \"Perhaps for a price, I could give ya the name of this person.\" \n\nKolvar let out a sigh, pulling a few silver coins out of the purse inside his clock. Placing the currency onto the Tekeris' hand. \"I believe that should be enough for you to disclose the name of the owner.\" \n\nThe owner smiled placing the gold into his pocket. \"The guy's name is Jauth, I believe he was a collector like you. He was asking about the whereabouts of the book a few weeks ago.\"\n\n\"And do you know where Jauth is located?\" Kolvar asked having a feeling he would need to pay for that information. And his suspicions were correct, the owner held out his hand again waiting to be paid. \n\n\"Bastard,\" Kolvar thought, handing the owner another couple of coins.\n\n\"I overheard that Jauth was heading to Dagmora, I bet he went there to see if the book was there.\" The owner watched as Kolvar thanked him before leaving the store. \n\nHeading out of the store, He would need to ask around if there were any old structures in the nearby area.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "Kaqir's exuberance was quickly tempered by the sight of the Glen. Gods above. It was nothing she couldn't fix, of course, but the fact that they seemed to have carted him across such wild roads with an injury like this... well, it couldn't have been pleasant, to say the least. His voice was too tight around his thanks, all scratch and scrape and—no. It would be fine. She tipped her head in what she hoped was a reassurance. \"You're welcome, sir. This should only take a moment.\"\n\nPressing a talon to his chest, she took a deep breath.\n\nBone and blood and sinew screamed into her touch. His ribs were thoroughly cracked—though whatever broke them had the decency to leave him with a clean fracture. A direct blow, and a strong one at that. He certainly looked the fighting type. Who were these people? A noblewoman and her guards? Her gaze caught on the Iriad. They looked far too interesting to mix with high society, even in some place as open-minded as the Ascendancy. And the fellow Tekeri clearly had enough of an understanding of magic to be familiar with Life practices. Perhaps a group of bounty hunters?\n\nShe shook the thoughts from her mind. She was getting paid to heal, not investigate. It didn't matter who they were. \n\nClosing her eyes, she smothered the urgent cries of his pain receptors. He didn't need to feel what was to come. That was a step you only had to miss once. Diagrams crumpled in her head, fresh ink on old paper. She'd operated on very few Glen, but their anatomy was still familiar, if a bit more mammalian than she was used to. Her notes were messy but memorable, and that's what mattered. The anterior chest cavity of a Glen was much sturdier than that of a Tekeri. There was no need of coaxing, just command. Her magic seized the marrow, stretching it to the severed fragment and twisting inside. That helped fuel the shell of periosteum, lengthening the ribcage back to its normal size. His lungs seemed to be unharmed. It was almost eerie to hear their rasp without a pulse between them.\n\nFortunately, his lower ribs fared better than those in his upper half. Some minor contusions along the muscle and inner bone, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with some expedited tissue cleaning. His heart, which was nestled in this set of lungs, beat healthily.\n\nExhaling slowly, she awoke his deadened nerves and withdrew. A few lingering cells tugged at her attention: scattered scars beneath his cuirass, burns curling across his arm, old bruises yellow beneath his fur. They weren't things meant to be healed, though—if he had allowed their presence this long, they were a part of him. Memories. Warnings. Badges, maybe. \n\nShe met his eyes and smiled. \"There we go! You should be all healed up. Do let me know if anything still hurts.\"", "username": "meri", "char_name": "Kaqir" } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nThankfully, they managed to cart J'eon to town and find a life mage. Another Tekeri, apparently. This one knew what she was doing, and thankfully, J'eon was back on his feet in short order. That was good at least. In the meantime, Shirik was simply pondering the beast they came across. Shirik was older than everyone present, and their last three generations of grandparents combined, surely they had seen such a creature before. Alas recollection was failing them.\n\nWhen J'eon pointed out the fire in the sky, it clearly an unmistakeable similarity to the spell that Shirik performed. It lit up she sky in the same fashion as the meteor they dropped on the bug. \"I did say I would drop the heavens on that creature. I tend to back up my claims.\" They said flatly, fully intent on taking the credit for whatever was about to happen. \"The heavens fall in strange ways, sometimes. That will likely land near civilization, we should go and make sure no one is harmed. Well.. I should, at least.\" \n\n\"…Perhaps I overdid it.\" They said, giving Kareet a look that said something like, \"You wanted to study me, you get what you wished for.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Gesith Silbermine's journey through the marches to the east of Mythadia was only supposed to take a week in total. His retinue had packed light and sent scouts ahead to trace a path through the marshy plains that skirted the southern edge of Lake Núr. They'd planned to ride hard and reach the ruins of Falag-Núr in plenty of time to consult with the Mendicant Seers while the Moon was still new. His father had believed they could see the future, and with their insight he went on to win The Running against all the odds. Silbermine was anxious to repeat this feat before he became too old and lame.\n\nBut it seemed the gods were intent on testing his resolve ahead of the Glen's twice-a-decade choosing of Mythadia's leader. At least that's how Silbermine had interpreted it. First, the bridge over the river which formed Mythadia's eastern border was destroyed by a flood stemming from torrential rain on the night they set off from Silbermine's fortress. Heading south to cross at Ertiseda would have taken too long, so instead they waited a day and then forded it while the water was still quite high. One of the load bearers broke a leg and went under; they never saw the boy again.\n\nThe rain had turned their path into a quagmire. Glen were able to travel very quickly, even in armour, in good conditions. But with the ground boggy underfoot they were reduced to little more than a trot. This slow pace opened them up to being accosted by every fisherman and unfortunate on this godforsaken stretch of shore. Silbermine's banner was not hard to spot, nor was the Gesith himself in his imperial red barding. They begged him to rid their land of the bandits which had swooped in since their Margrave had been killed without a successor.\n\nUnable to just decline with The Running so close, Silbermine and his men spent three days crisscrossing the plain, raiding camps of vagabonds and scaring them off. None would fight against a score of armoured knights. The ones they captured all seemed to think the routes were becoming too dangerous for them to stay much longer anyway. Silbermine knew not what to make of that - he let them go but kept their plunder.\n\nWhen they finally got to the ruins of Falag-Núr, nearly a week behind schedule, Silbermine was incensed to learn that the ancient fortress was empty! They must have upped and left in a hurry, his scouts reported when they regrouped. They'd even left some of their meagre belongings behind. After cursing their name and waiting for half a day, Silbermine had reluctantly cut his losses and led his retinue back towards civilisation. With the ground drying, they had made much better time. But it seemed the gods were not done with them yet. On the second night of their return journey, the sky opened and a thunderous clap rolled forth. The march lit up as if it were day, before turning to a half-light.\n\nSilbermine emerged from his tent into the circular camp ringed with fires. His knights were already off the floor and on their feet, weapons in hand. They were looking up, so the Gesith looked up as well. A fireball flew towards them from across Lake Núr. Silbermine rose up onto his hind quarters in excitement, fore legs waggling in the air before landing back down again.\n\n\"It is a sign from the gods! Stand your ground - we are being tested!\" The Gesith boomed. His face was craggy and scarred, but right now his eyes were young with vigour.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nIn the few days of travel, Shirik had maintained that whatever fireball they were traveling towards was their own doing. \"The interesting thing about using the sky as a means of incinerating creatures of flesh and bone is that you won't always get only fire. The heavens are a vast place, and things tend to slip down when holes are opened so far away.\" It was ultimately a joke that Shirik intended to play out for as long as possible, since Shirik rarely got to have fun these days, but perhaps it wasn't? Perhaps Shirik did put too much force into their spell, tearing away the wall that separated Kanth-Aremek from whatever world that castle fell from? Was it possible that they were simply underselling their own power when they told Kareet they were a master of the Heat domain?\n\nSome questions can never be answered.\n\n\"There will likely be others there before us, or after. I believe that if we intend to gather any information about this, then we should do it from a distance. Much can be gleaned solely from observation. Wildfires can rage for days, and people may intend to take this object for themselves. Of course, I am curious as to what it is, though we should find answers cautiously, in my own opinion.\" They said to the small group that was slowly forming, though mostly to Kareet, given that she was the one who wanted this more than the others, most likely. For the most part, Shirik was tagging along for the well being of others. This was a concern, and that degree of flame was something a Heat master could handle easier than most.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "While Kareet might have disliked climbing, traveling with the others was illuminating on exactly how much easier it was for Tekeri. Their strength coupled with their lightweight bodies made navigating uneven or steep terrain comparatively effortless. Watching her companions, though, they just felt…heavy, with every step they took. On flat ground, Glen could easily move faster than any of the other species, either in a sprint or over time. Back when they were fighting Kolodon, one of the major advantages they held was with how well their armies could outmaneuver the S'tor. Up here in the mountains, though, Kareet had to avoid letting on to any irritation on how much they were slowing her down. They could still be useful. It had been a while since she had seen signs of the fires that the impact had certainly sparked, but that did not mean she would not need a heat mage. \n\n\"I am not so sure about that.\" Kareet remarked. They had stopped momentarily in a clear space of relatively flat ground on a mountainside. Another rest. She stood atop a nearby boulder so she could observe the area from the highest point in the vicinity; granted, visibility was rather good regardless. This part of the mountain was not forested, so it had a clear view of the valley below them. There was no sign of the impact on this side of the mountain, but with how far they had traveled, they had to be getting close. By Kareet's estimation, the impact site would likely be on the other side of either this mountain range, or the next beyond it. \"Ertiseda is the closest settlement to here. I don't think anyone else from that village would take the risk to come out here. Though, I'll admit, a purely Tekeri group could easily outpace us. There could also be some small Tekeri tribes up in these mountains, but I doubt they would pose any threat to us.\"\n\nAfter a moment, Kareet tilted her head towards Shirik. \"Still, I agree with your conclusion. If possible, we should observe from stealth when we find it. Best gather as much information as possible before making any decisions. Perhaps you should stay back and allow me to do so? You are…\" She paused, giving a look up and down Shirik's smoldering body. \"…luminous.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "@Blizz\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar watched as more people were soon approaching the ship. Cursing softly to himself, it seemed obvious that other people would have seen this flying ship crashing into the ground. Two people had arrived to investigate the ship, a glenfolk and a Tekeri. Kolvar was not going to lose this potential discovery to these two. He flew up keeping himself in the air to further inspect the ship. Moving around and making sure he would not collide with the flying tree. Trying to figure out how to open the flying ship. But perhaps the others would be able to help him open it. \n\nAfter finding no possible way to open it from the outside, he flew behind some trees transforming into a Tekeri male. Walking out from behind some tree to make it look like he just got here. \"By the gods this ship is ginormous. Have you two travelled to investigate this flying ship?\" He was addressing the two. Walking a little closer toward the ship, but kept his distance. \"Have you seen a ship like this before? I wonder if they are from one of the other continents? I hope no one is hurt.\" All of these questions were said to make him sound like a curious bystander. \n\n\"I wonder how we get in to help the people inside.\" Kolvar did not have any faith that they would know how to get inside. But perhaps if they put their heads together they could find a way to open it. Carefully making his way over, already feeling the heat coming off of the ship. His eyes studying the ship properly. Trying to find any kind of door or mechanism to try and open it.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "Kareet immediately seemed to go on guard as soon as they were approached. It was a Tekeri man. Her first thought was that he might be a local villager, but the accent was not right, nor did his feathers bear any of the expected tribal markings. He was more likely a traveler of some variety. The closest road was in the same direction they had come from, though as she had indicated to the others, it was not surprising to her that a Tekeri would be able to outpace their group. More pertinent than where he had come from, though, was why he was here? The average peasant would not go chasing down a fireball from the sky. Even without considering the potential risks of the object that crashed, travel itself was dangerous. There were few types of people who would feel comfortable traveling alone, so Kareet could reason that he was either not alone, or was something more than average. \n\n\"We are far from the road. Where did you come from?\" Kareet asked. She was not going to show any aggression unprovoked, but she would be cautious. Still, she could not tear her attention away from this machine for too long. Something so exceptional and unusual, she would not waste a moment in studying it. Who knew how long she would have to make these notes? She could imagine many ways she might be interrupted. For now, she started to walk around the outside while observing and making her sketches. \n\nKareet was cautious while moving around to the opposite side, downhill from the crash. The fires were gone, but there was still an abundance of metal debris scattered across the landscape. Tekeri did have tough feet, but she still did not want to invite any injuries this far from town. There was plenty of surface damage all across the machine, but one scar in particular could possibly be useful to them. There was a large hole, like a gash that had been violently cut across the metal, which had been blocked by fire before Shirik arrived. Her first thought was that it might have been damaged by the impact, but it did not look quite right for that. The jagged edges of the metal looked more like it had been torn apart by something. Regardless, it would not be difficult to climb up to, and it looked big enough to fit through. \"I think I see a way in over here!\" Kareet shouted.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "@Blizz @13org\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar still did not understand the equation and what the pinkie was trying to say. \"Damn if only we had a thought mage here.\" He cursed under his breath with a grimace on his face. He took a closer look at the equation in front of him. \"It seems the pinkie wants the aluminum quill.\" He wanted Kareet to trade the pen for the strange tape. Watching the alien writing down another equation this time on the metallic wall. Taking a moment to try and figure out what it meant. \"Do you have any idea what this new equation means? Does it look like some sort of measurement of some kind?\" Tapping his clawed hand towards the bottom of his beak. Again he was having a hard time trying to figure out what the equation meant. \n\nExtending it out while reading the numbers along the tape. Letting go and looking scared as it snapped back into place. \"Strange.\" He once again extended it out for Kareet to have a better look at. Perhaps this measuring tape would be the key to them solving the equation. \"No I do not think this creature is alone, so we should be ready in case the others come. And I assume the other crewmembers will be quite aggressive.\" He said pointing towards Vigdis.\n\n\"But we should keep a levelled head, and keep trying to keep making communication with these foreigners.\" He did not like the introduction of Nellara and her people waiting outside. He did not want to lose the valuable information inside the ship to the Order. He felt like an idiot for not being able to figure out the equation. But he would try his best to help them.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"So, ask yourself this then - who did bring down this city of metal?\" J'eon asked, waving his upper arms. \"And why are you in here instead of out there, keeping an eye on the skies?\"\n\n\"This is a trade,\" the Glen continued. \"Information for information. You'd do well to remember that, Castigator Nellara.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Personally,\" Jack sighs, cycling the inner lock, \"I'd say we couldn't risk the captain on this, and that I'm the one who should go in there, alone. But there are multiple races in there, so we need to show we're different, as well.\"\n\nHanding the carbine back, he patted his handgun. \"Best hold onto that if you need to rescue us. This will not be as intimidating.\"\n\nStepping inside, he waited for the captain to join him.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "@13org @EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar looked quite frustrated as things were starting to get a little chaotic. The situation could go south if one of them made any sudden movement. His body tensed up a little as more \"Hoomans\" came into the room. He was not confident that Shirik's fire show was much help in communicating with these aliens. While hearing them speaking to each other, obviously talking about them being in their flying ship. Kolvar opened his mouth trying to see if he can speak their language. \"H…e…l…l…o…w…e…c…o…m…e…i…n…p…e…a…c…e.\" Of course, this would sound like gibberish to the hoomans. His efforts to try and communicate with the aliens would be utterly useless. Kolvar seemed to back away as the giant iron golem soon came into the room. The wandering scholar looked quite scared of the golem. \"What in the god's name is that?\" He pointed toward the golem with a clawed finger. \n\n\"I could go and fetch a thought mage, I know of one that would be able to help us.\" He was now standing behind Nellara and Kareet. Making sure he was not in the line of fire from the hooman's weapons. Although he was not sure how to communicate this to the crewmembers. Nor would he be able to convince the others of his plan. \"Perhaps the one named Vigdis could accompany me? Of course, if we can convince them to allow for such a thing.\"\n\n He suddenly took a few steps forward after gathering some courage, so now he was standing in front of the others. He pointed towards himself and then towards the hoomans, then pointing towards his mouth and his forehead. Using very crude non verbals cues to try and communicate with them. Tapping his head and then towards his mouth, before making a walking motion with two fingers before pointing towards both himself and the humans once again. Trying to convey the idea of one of them joining him to fetch someone who could read minds. \"I could transform one of you and myself for faster travel to fetch a thought mage.\" He assumed Kareet or Nellara have access to a thought mage.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "In response to Mallory, Vigdis walked over to him to point out things visible from where he stood. \"Start with the port aft wall corner. See how the remains of the wall were bent inward by a force pushing on the outside? Missile. Then along the floor, ceiling and fore corner, it's all bent outward. Shuttle. The way we rolled, if the hangar was hit hard enough, the whole thing would've sheared off, starting in the starboard dorsal or starboard fore corner where it joins the hull.\" She fired off what she could say for certain from a cursory glance, \"That's what you get when you have something sticking out of the main hull like this, a design feature the company went forward with despite our objections.\" She couldn't help adding loud enough for Darnell to hear, \"Looks like we got lucky though. I didn't see any signs of such damage when I was up on the outer hull. If you'd like, I could take off all this interior paneling and go over the beams with ultrasound to make sure, once it's airtight again. We could also have Wodan figure out the forces that had acted on the hangar from the acceleration measurements and check the strain against what the affected parts are rated for. Fortunately in our misfortune, with the long range dish torn off, the hangar isn't supporting as much weight as it was designed to, so we have a wider safety margin. As for why I haven't done it already, we were focusing on the parts of the ship that were immediately accessible and necessary for flight.\" She explained. 'If I thought the damn thing was gonna collapse, do you think I would be here trying to fix a hole in the wall?' Vigdis thought, but did not say out loud.\n\nAnd then it all started to disintegrate. It wasn't her fault, but Eva could hardly have picked a worse time to wake up and the locals had just gotten the same scare Nellara gave her. Why was she even sleeping in that thing anyway? \"Human, human!\" Vigdis gestured to the talking armor, \"Stupid human, fuck's sake.\" She added in Eva's direction, perhaps a bit hypocritical since the only reason Nellara didn't have a hole in its chest was the fact that Vigdis' weapon had not been loaded when she entered the ship, before turning to the captain. \"Too many people, way too many people and not enough communication.\" She said sternly, the last part while pointing outside to where the droids were spotted moving. It had been going rather well thus far, she was not getting gutted by one of these birds just because someone on this road trip can't work within a chain of command. It was that fucking merc who brought the suit on board, wasn't it? He was put in charge of security. In an attempt to salvage the situation outside, Vigdis pointed at herself, mimicked Kerchak's walking gesture and pointed outside. \"Apologies, Nelly, someone out there needs his head examined.\" She said to Nellara before walking out as fast as she could without running and stood in front of one of the alien soldiers, literally placing herself between the droids and the soldier…'s lower two thirds. These birds were big. She waved her arms above her head to draw the attention of whoever was giving orders to the two droids and ran the back of her open palm along her throat once in a standardized 'engines stop' signal. Not ideal, but it would have to do.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "Eva sighed, watching the situation devolve almost as soon as she woke up. It couldn't quite be helped, these 'locals' for lack of a better term were fully in their right to be freaked out, given their group essentially landed in their backyard and don't speak their language. The SEU stopped in unison, crowding around the Javelin and gathering together as they shut down. Eva did the same, letting her armor slouch slightly as the back opened to let her slip free and drop to the ground, feeling far smaller now outside her suit. \n\nEva raised her hands a moment, making it clear she held nothing. \"Friend, you folks know friends?\" Eva's voice was different now, small and smooth, like she was talking to an animal. It's possible it might come across as demeaning, but with such a language barrier she had to try something, and none of them looked human so tone of voice was the best she could come up with. She kept her hands raised a moment more, hoping this place, wherever it was, shared any of Earth's body language that often existed regardless of distance. \"Give us a moment okay? Let us breathe.\" As if to suggest the situation around her, Eva waved her arms in a pointed fashion, drawing attention to the clear mess in the bay around them that still had yet to be fully taken care of.", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" } ]

[ { "text": "\"How…\" Kareet stammered. It seemed this Itxaro could create a show of lights with some sort of object, much like Shirik. It was more clear and detailed, though, and it painted a picture that she could not rationalize away. Not another continent, but a different planet entirely? That was not something she had ever even considered. Not only were there entire other worlds out there, but it was possible to move between them. This planet of theirs seemed to be named either \"Earth\" or \"Home\", based on what Itxaro indicated. This flying fortress of theirs seemed to be called a \"Jotunheim.\" There were other words too, but Kareet could not guarantee she understood their meaning. \"Travel\" they associated with the same motion Shirik had used for walking. Or maybe just moving in general? \"Broken\", they said alongside what looked like an explosion, so perhaps the word meant \"explosion\"? In that case, the Human was saying their fortress exploded, then the Humans moved to their planet \"Home\". Or maybe that they wanted to go back to Home? That would make more sense in their circumstances. \n\nOnce she was spoken to, Kareet seemed to be shaken back into reality. \"I don't understand how this could be possible. It couldn't mean anything else, could it?\" She turned her head towards Kerchak. \"Yes…do what the Castigator says. Take a soldier back to Lenkik, hurry. We have to be able to communicate. You'll need to go to the Inquisitors' Guild there. Let the soldier guide the way; they'll know what to do.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "\"That's the point, guy. I know you're just doing your job, but right now you're making things worse. We've got their version of you in there and it's just as twitchy.\" She replied to Ezra when he complained that she was in the way. The expression on her face when Ezra waved was a mixture of confusion and unease so strong even the birdman might've found it funny. That was not a human, that was a skinwalker trying to figure out how fingers worked. Turning to the soldier, Vigdis pointed at the droids and showed him two fingers, then at Ezra and showed one. To help drive the message's intent home, she pointed at the soldier she was standing beside plus one of his buddies she picked at random and showed a number of fingers corresponding to their number before turning back to return to the shuttle bay at a leisurely pace. Since she couldn't hear weapons fire or screams of agony from inside the ship, someone had managed to keep the peace in there. Good.\n\nAlthough she used the fact that the local soldiers were paying attention to Ezra and the droids instead of her and finally put an armor piercing magazine into her weapon.\n\nReturning into the shuttle bay after announcing her presence by knocking on the remains of the wall with her fist, she had half a mind to give Nellara thumbs up to show that the error had been rectified, but decided against it. Who knew what that gesture could have meant to the locals? The last thing she wanted was for someone of Nellara's stature to think she just told it to sit on it. Instead she repeated what she did with the soldier, seeing that it had seemed to work, and parked herself between Darnell and Nellara, who seemed to have calmed down a bit while Vigdis was outside. \"A few rules of firearms safety: Don't point it at anything you don't want to kill and keep your booger hook off the bang-bang switch until you want to shoot.\" She calmly addressed the Tamerlane suit. Although she hadn't been a trooper of the fighting sort, weapon safety was drilled into the heads of everyone serving aboard ships that were full of things that didn't react well to bullets. \"Stop breaking two of the basic four and tell me what I missed while I was out there instead.\" She gently guided the muzzle of his weapon toward the floor with her left hand while gesturing to Shirik, Kareet and Ixtaro with her right. She knew from recent experience that having that pointed at you wasn't pleasant, and maybe if Darnell was busy talking, he wouldn't have time to do something stupid by accident and Nellara would stop seeing him as an unpredictable variable.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" } ]

[ { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar avoided the gaze of the armed guards. He stayed quiet while the soldier would introduce himself. \"My name is Kercheck. I was told to help with fetching a thought mage.\" He really hoped no one could read his mind. If this was the case, he would have to keep his mind blank. While waiting he was tapping his clawed finger on a nearby table. The rhythm is an old Kriliteran slave song. \n\n Walking with the guards along with the soldier. Keeping close to them. And felt quite anxious about who the inquisitor would be. He was quite impressed by the design of the exterior and interior of the building. Being particularly interested in the paintings that hung up on the wall of the inquisitor's office. He wondered if a Kriliteran had painted some of them. For a moment he stopped to squint and see if there was any sign of a Kriliteran who had painted these. There would be a very specific marking somewhere hidden in the painting. Of course, his train of thought was interrupted by the soldier touching his shoulder. \"My apologies I was distracted by the craftsmanship of these paintings.\" He followed the soldier without any further interruptions. \n\nStopping in the middle of the room, looking petrified seeing the S'tor standing in front of them. Kolvar's clawed hands were shaking, he felt immense anger starting to build up. His face didn't show it, but his body was showing visible signs of pure rage. He took a few deep breaths before speaking. \"We need your services speaking to some foreigners that had recently arrived in Kanth-Aremek. They do not speak the common tongue, and we need to communicate with them to lower tensions. A group of glen folk arrived as soon as Castigato Nellara arrived. Do you know of House Silbermine? They claimed to be from that group, and wanted to claim the contents of the ship.\" He tried to keep a level head while speaking to the S'tor.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "High District, Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAs the S'tor listened, he took a cup of something from the table in front of him and took a sip, though still kept his gaze firmly on Kercheck. It was steaming hot, and from the scent in the air, seemed to be some sort of tea. \"Arrived in Kanth-Aremek recently you say? This has something to do with that brilliant light in the sky a few days back, yes? Visitors from beyond our world…what a spectacular occurrence.\" He remarked. The S'tor was soft-spoken, and seemed rather calm considering how significant this news was. \"Ah, but where are my manners? I am Gar'Tan, Thought mage in gracious service to Lenkik. So of course, Castigator Nellara's word is my command.\"\n\nWhile barely noticeable to their guests, the Iriad gave a quick gesture towards the two Glen Inquisitors. \"Make the preparations.\" They ordered. Without hesitation, the two Glen took their leave, though the other two Inquisitors remained. \n\nGar'Tan continued without interruption. \"I cannot say I am personally familiar with Mythadia's noble houses, but I do know their type. I can do my best to facilitate communications between all three groups. Please, while we are waiting, tell me what these visitors are like?\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nWatching the S'tor carefully particularly staring at him while he was sipping his tea. \"Kerchek.\" He made a quick introduction before continuing to speak. \"They seem obviously very scared, which is understandable since they do not know where they are. But they seem to want to try and communicate with us. Which shows they want to build some sort of relationship with us.\" Kolvar felt awkward talking to a S'tor. The relationship between their races was quite strained, to say the least. But he was willing to play nice for the time being, to get the thought mage on his side. \n\n\"They do not look like any Kanth-Aremek inhabitant that I know of. They appear to be without feathers and scales, being completely hairless. And their skin tone seems very strange.\" He hoped that nothing had gone wrong while he was away from the group.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" } ]

[ { "text": "Jack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Captain,\" sighed Jack, brushing his hair back as he leaned back with the mic, \"We're stuck with shells, we can't spare the power for anything else.\"\n\n\"And we can't use them too close, or we'll damage ourselves. Here's hoping shooting over their heads might impress them.\"\n\n...Assuming they couldn't deflect those shells, despite their muzzle velocity.\n\n\"If we had the power, maybe if we fired up the engines and tried moving position, possibly higher up one of these mountains?\"\n\n...Assuming the engines were in any state to do that.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Location: Just outside the Jotunheim\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe subtle threat in Silbermine's words as he mentioned that he commanded a squadron of wallbreakers wasn't ignored by Nellara.\n\n\"Was that a threat that I heard, Silbermine?\" she asked, looking at the Glen noble with a clearly hostile stare. Silbermine's arrogance and his constant threats were finally taking a toll on Nellara's patience.\n\n\"Do not let your arrogance blind you. Take a look around you. Not only you have invaded Ascendancy territory, and directly challenged a Castigator's authority, but you are threatening to steal and 'claim' the fortress of sentient beings. Your words and actions are more fitting of a pillager than a noble knight. Please, conduct yourself as someone fitting of your status.\" Nellara said as she looked at him.\n\n\"I hope you haven't forgotten who exactly I am... Silbermine. You speak with a Castigator. I have enough authority to mobilize an entire army if I so deem necessary. If I told the Order of Magisters what happened here today... What you and your knights tried to do today, retaliation against your house, maybe even your nation would be certain...\" She said, threatening Silbermine back.\n\n\"There is no need for anyone to die, Silbermine. Nor there is any need for the Ascendancy to pick-up arms to retaliate for the grave offenses you have committed here today. There is still time to salvage this situation and avoid an all-out war between both our nations... I assume I can count with your cooperation, yes? For your sake and your nation's.\" Nellara said with a very serious tone and a piercing stare.\n\n\"You claim to have no quarrel with the Sky People, but they barricaded themselves immediately after you arrived, while they seemed to be fine with letting us enter their ship and communicate with them. Do you need any more proof of how barbaric your actions, words and intentions are?\" she said, pointing towards the entrance to Jotunheim, which was now barricaded by boxes, with only a small entrance left open.\n\nNellara nodded softly as she heard Kareet's words. At least for now, communication between the Glen and the humans would be as difficult as it was with them so even if the glen demanded to talk with the humans, there wouldn't be any results coming from that. Besides, she still wanted to, if possible, to continue being the humans' sole allies, in order to monopolize the knowledge traded from them for as long as possible.\n\nWhen Zeynap was spotted leaving the fortress-ship, apparently with the intention of joining the 'negotiations' Nellara had to think fast on how to steer that negotiation so things would go according to her desires and to the benefit of the Ascendancy. For now, the best she could do was to stall as much as she could until the thought mages arrived... Or until Silbermine ended up losing his patience and saying or doing something he shouldn't have done in front of Zeynap... Something which could easily consolidate Nellara and her group's status as allies for the humans and the Glen from the Silbermine house as enemies... Regardless of what happened, she would have to be ready for anything.\n\nBefore Zeynap could approach them even further, Nellara looked to her with a serious expression, raising her hand in a 'stop' signal as she shook her head as she pointed to the Glen knights behind Silbermine.\n\n\"Wait. Enemies.\" Nellara said to Zeynap. A word that they had already exchanged before and one Zeynap would hopefully understand taking in consideration the situation they were right now.\n\n\"How can we trust you to not try doing anything with the Sky People's envoy, considering the fact that you clearly stated that you wished to steal their fortress before? What are your intentions with the Sky People and their fortress?\" Nellara asked as she looked at Silbermine.\n\n\"We need to guarantee their safety before we even consider continuing this negotiation.\" she finished as she waited for Silbermine's answer.", "username": "13org", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Itxaro chuckled weakly at Vigdis' joke; she could feel her facade cracking as her frenetic energy crept into her eyes, and suspected that Vigdis had picked up on this, trying to soothe her with humor. She was embarrassed, but grateful nonetheless. Itxaro trusted the engineer more than anyone on the ship at the moment, which granted wasn't much, and if she was going to crack up in front of anyone she was glad it was her. \n\nStill, Itxaro was surprised no one accompanied the commander out to greet the new arrivals. She sat down on one of the crates, weighing her options. She didn't feel much loyalty to the commander, but Itxaro knew that if she let her go alone and something happened to Zey, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. Itxaro already had too many memories of shame, the kind that still made her break into a sweat and tighten up around the throat as she lay in bed. She didn't have much use for one more. The pitched battle of cowardice and courage raging inside her finally came to an end for the time being. \n\n\"Guess I better go find out,\" Itxaro replied to Vigdis, hopping off her thinking crate. She quickly grabbed the box of metal pens, a meager offering to their new acquaintances, and followed the commander through the breach.", "username": "Regime Goon", "char_name": "Dr. Itxaro Ibarra" } ]

[ { "text": "Carefully, J-eon reaches behind him to grab the spear, trying not to bump it as he lifts it out of its oarlock cradle. He wasn't sure what was out there, but it was making too much racket to hide. Was this in response to the beacon? Did this rise to challenge?\n\nIn either case, if it attacked, he had to respond, for surely it would try to kill him.\n\nHe kept his movements calm as he pivoted towards the voice.\n\nDid it come singly? Or was there two, one to give voice, others to blindside? He must listen closely in case there were more, lying in wait.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "To J'eon, there were no sounds that would hint at creatures from other directions, only to the front. Though, for what finally emerged from the forest, it was frankly surprising that it had managed to get as close as it had without notice. This creature was massive, almost double J'eon's height. It vaguely resembled some kind of giant insect, but it was quite unlike any animal he would have ever seen. It had no eyes that could be observed, yet it was quite obviously aware of J'eon's location, with the way it seemed to stare him down. Its behavior also felt strange for an animal. If it was a predator hunting prey, it would not be screeching the moment it sensed its quarry. Whatever it was, though, it made its intentions quite unmistakable. It clicked its mandibles together, then let out another shriek as it came barreling straight at him, seemingly enraged. \n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nYet again, the shriek was plainly audible to Kareet and Shirik. It was just a bit closer than before, as their path seemed to be taking them towards it. Kareet, on her part, was starting to look more and more annoyed at the fact that she could not recognize the sound. \"Okay, that's the second time we've heard that. I will be honest, I don't recognize it. Have you ever heard anything like it?\" She asked.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\n\"...No. That noise is unfamiliar to me. What in the name the Myriad is that?\" Shirk said, immediately opting to run towards the source of the noise with a rather firm stomping of the ground with their staff. A flame was lit, and as the two of them paced down the road, there it was. A bug of some kind. Massive, hulking, angry, and ugly. Shirik watched it thrash about, trying to run down a Glen. Shirik flicked their staff across the air in front of them and Kareet to launch a small flame at it, partly to get the thing's attention, and partly to lead into another spell. In that motion, Shirk swung the staff over their head in a spin, which resulted in a trail of sparks that seemed to grow brighter by the second.\n\n\"I don't like bugs. If that thing doesn't stop screaming, I'm going to bring the whole sky down on it's head. You! Move!\" Shirik called out through a strained voice to the Glen as a warning. The glowing sphere of sparks announced the presence of both them and Kareet like a campfire as Shirik held it over their head. Like an axe waiting to fell a tree, Shirik held the angry ball of sparks and flames at the end of their staff over their shoulder, in a position implying they intended to throw it somehow. They were keeping one eye trained on the raging creature, and another on the Glen they didn't want to incinerate with their spell.\n\n\"Kareet, be ready to run for cover when I say so.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "The screaming caught her mid-reload. She didn't need to look to know why the man was screaming. Considering that only one person was screaming, her mind evoked images of meatloaf instead of the intended lesser damage over all three targets. Violent injuries were nothing new to a four year veteran of salvage duty. Vaccum exposure, hot vapors and liquids, electric current, exploding pressure vessels, shrapnel large and small, people trapped in an inferno so hot the heat cracked the teeth... Just two months before she got out of the navy, she slipped on a patch of charred goo that used to be a crew member of a freighter that completely burned out. She'd seen and smelled it all, but always as a third party. An unfortunate observer. But here, she did that to the man. Knowing she caused it made her sick. 'Better them than me.' she thought, but it rang somewhat hollow. Snapping in a new magazine with a shaking hand, she popped out of cover again and immediately recoiled back. Meatloaf. Meatloaf in marinara sauce.\n\nThe sound of her name being called brought her back into the here and now. Sprinting up the ramp and not even stopping as she hit the button to close it, she went straight for the airlock, heading to the machine shop. Having connected to the shipwide PA, Vigdis whistled into the microphone, completely uncaring about how weird it probably sounded to everyone else on board. She listened for the sound of doors opening or something moving in nearby vents when movement in one of the shelves near the ceiling caught her eye. To her infinite relief, she was met with the sight of Fritjof, eyes at half mast from having just woken up. \"You lazy slacker, how'd you sleep through that?!\" She stepped closer to the shelf and tapped her shoulder, the cat taking the cue and leaping down onto her shoulders. \"Sure wish I could've.\" She ruffled the hair on his head before placing him in the carrier strapped to the floor for safety and made for the engineering section. As she was unregistered luggage on this trip, she might as well make herself useful.\n\nSomewhere in the distance, something at last put an end to the muted screams of the man she'd crippled.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nA wave of biting cold washed over the road, followed by Kareet's magically charged hammer shattering a frozen mandible off of the creature's face. It truly was impressive what multiple mages were capable of. Lightning coursed across its skin, burning it as the cold contracted it. The skin of this insect-like beast seemed to serve as its armor, and like any armor, it was suited for certain things and certain things only. Extreme warping was not one of these things. Shirik raised their staff as the ball of sparks came to roughly the size of a S'Tor's head, and slammed it into the ground.\n\nThe sparks became lines, and those lines animated themselves into a circle that crept around the stunned creature in seconds. The ring that burned itself into the ground glowed like steel from a forge, and the Iriad mage shouted.\n\n\"MOVE! NOW!\"\n\nIn the sky above the three of them, something resembling a star exploded into a warm, golden light. For a brief moment, it was as though the night had been turned back by a few hours, as a sound filled the air. The ground began to illuminate, and Shirik, despite their warning, only took a singular step back. Something fell from the stars above, directly onto the creature's head. A blinding flare of intense heat, similar to the fireball they sent into the sky earlier as a demonstration to Kareet. In the field of astronomy, comets and shooting stars were a common occurrence. An object of celestial origin, soaring across the sky of Kanth-Aramek and disappearing as soon as it emerged. It seemed as though Shirik had called down a star in the same fashion incinerate the creature, only there was no solid stone to be found, only fire concentrated into a blazing lance of arcane fury.\n\nJ'eon and Kareet would have noticed something falling from the sky, as the ground grew brighter to signal its arrival, and when it struck the creature, there was a rupture of golden light, like a volcano erupting into elemental fury without a trace of smoke. There was no explosion to threaten J'eon or Kareet, but what was once bitter cold was now a sweltering heatwave akin to a blacksmith's workspace.\n\n\"I hate insects.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "The Jotunheim Engineering department was mostly contained within one claustrophobic room. There were four main control areas including Life Support, which mostly looked out over a complicated sprawl of wires and pipes that connected the Tamerlane FTL drive in the middle with the three enormous engine pods in back. It was pretty loud, and stank of fuel.\n\n\"I can give you 7.25%, no more right now! Should be enough to activate two segments.\" Zhao snapped at Vigdis while standing over the engine room's central console. She wore a dirty navy boiler suit with Tamerlane's horse archer logo on the back and curlers in her dark hair kept in place by netting. The other engineers had returned to their stations, where they hawkishly monitored engine and life support systems as the ship completed its final pre-flight checks.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Let us in!\" Darnell shouted, pounding on the shuttle bay's airlock door.\n\nLooking frantically around, his eyes landed on the door's control panel again. \"How do I talk through this thing…\" He muttered, pressing all the buttons at once.\n\nEzra kept his assault rifle levelled at a short young woman who he'd caught securing her mech suit to the floor. He knew all too well how dangerous those Javelin bots could be, even when demilitarised, so he didn't plan on letting its pilot out of his sight.\n\n\"How do we unlock this door, or talk to the crew?\" Ezra asked Eva, his accent thick when speaking in English.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nWhen Shirik said they'd bring the heavens down on the bug, they were serious.\n\nIt stopped moving, and Shirik ran over to the battered Glen with Kareet. He was alive, by the gods. \"I am Shirik. And you are very luck to be alive, J'eon of Mythadia.\" The Glen would be treated to a very strange sight, and Iriad suffused with fire beneath their bark. \"If you can stand, we will take you to Ertiseda where this Life mage can tend to you as Kareet says.\" Shirik looked over to the wretched mess they left behind after striking it down. \"I am a thousand years old, and I have not seen such a beast before.\" They said flatly. \"Regardless, our new friend requires assistance, so let us be on our way, yes?\" Shirik bent down to help the Glen onto his feet. When J'eon touched Shirik, he wouldn't feel burned by the Iriad's hands. Rather, he would simply feel the sensation of dried bark against skin. \n\n\"I am certain the Sages would be interested to know what that beast is. Or perhaps they do. But we can return for its remains later, Kareet.\" They said, seeing that Kareet was taking an interest in studying the insect-like monster they just brought down.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Eva sat back silently as the man squabbled with her SEU, exhaling with a dissatisfied grunt as it was eventually crippled by the clown with the sidearm. \"Mmm, looks like I have more to play with before they can handle a real bout.\" The shouting about being on the same side barely registered to Eva, children who aim guns should be just as ready to die as they are to kill, regardless of what side they're on... but she whistled, the clattering of the other two SEU somewhere in the far end of the room suddenly going quiet. \"Stop panicking, I can open the door myself... though they probably don't like that I can. I'll send the message ahead... you know, you should teach your little pet some manners before it gets put down.\" Eva chuckled, giving a wink to the man who had just been pointing a gun at her moments before.\n\nEva's Implant left a pain in the back of her mind for just a moment before connecting solidly to the bridge. \"Captain be aware, Jokers in the Bay with me are mentioning some sort of issue concerning usage of the shielding at the same time as the FTL drive and main engines. The fact they liked waving a gun at me doesn't exactly make me confident but I thought I should make you aware given their eagerness to get in.\"\n\nEva sighed as she cut the line, not bothering to wait for a response. \"Now, you two need to find a spot to sit down with me. Either this ship stops, and the hostiles outside kill us, or the ship kills us... either way it's suddenly not your problem anymore. There is the chance this all goes off without a hitch but have you looked outside? I seriously doubt it.\" Eva sighed, moving to drag the damaged SEU into a small crate that still had room. \"Besides, I find it very unlikely anybody will pay any attention to what you say when you have such terrible manners, even IF I decided to let you down into the Bridge.\"", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" }, { "text": "Startling from her reverie, it took Kaqir a moment to process the traveller's words. Services, urgency... pay! Money! Job! Sparkly! She brightened, eyes crinkling in the Tekeri approximation of a grin. \"Ah, I am indeed the one for which you search! Life mage Kaqir, at your service.\" \n\nShe bowed, one wing folding in front while the other fanned dramatically against the stars. The woman before her was clearly wealthy—no common adventurer usually bothered to stay so pristine when confronted with the constant grime of travel. And that herbal scent (spice? citrus? how refreshing!) was surely of some expense. Perhaps someone of her apparent station would appreciate the gesture.\n\n\"In what matter may I assist you, madam?\"", "username": "meri", "char_name": "Kaqir" }, { "text": "Kareet did not take much time for formalities. Clearly, she was in a hurry. She was already starting to turn around when she gestured for Kaqir to follow. \"I will explain on the way. We shouldn't delay.\" It would only be a short walk across town, but fortunately, there also was not much to explain. \"Are you familiar enough with the Glen form to heal them? We encountered a Glen along the road being attacked by a creature. We dispatched of the creature, but he was injured. Blunt impact, mostly.\" \n\nEven just a short explanation revealed a bit more about Kareet. The uneducated might just assume that a Life mage could heal anyone, but she knew at least enough about magic to know that a Life mage could only heal a being if they had studied their form long enough to develop an understanding of it. Of course, the majority of Life mages would spend plenty of time studying the bodies of Kanth-Aremek's major races early on in their training, unless they had learned in a remote place. \n\nThere was not much time for conversation before they reached J'eon and Shirik. The Glen was still laying in his cart. On the outside, most of his injuries were not visible, though it would not take that long of an examination for Kaqir to feel just what kind of injuries he had. Physical trauma was, in general, relatively easy for a trained Life mage to deal with, other than brain damage. They could not heal others as quickly as they could heal themselves, but even still, it usually would not take more than a few minutes for them to heal even severe injuries, as good as new. \n\n\"Here he is. I do not think his life is in danger, but I imagine the pain is not pleasant.\" Kareet explained.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet, for a moment, looked out over the horizon, though the mountains around them were limiting to her view. Now that the fireball had reached the ground, the darkness of night had settled back over the land. Although, even from where they were, a faint orange glow seemed to be visible from behind the mountain. Either the object itself was still ablaze, or it had sparked a forest fire. Either way, a heat mage would be useful to her. Fortunately, Shirik had already expressed their desire to investigate this event as well. For now, it seemed they would be sticking together.\n\n\"That was not a mere fireball, it was…artificial. A foreign weapon…or some other machine? But who would be able to create a thing of such size?\" Kareet muttered, mostly to herself. \"We must hurry. Who knows what those fires may be destroying? There is no point in wasting time here.\" She remarked. Admittedly, if this object was truly in danger from the flames, it would be wishful thinking that they would be able to reach it in time to do anything about it. Depending on where it fell, it could be a day or two before they even reached it. Nevertheless, Kareet was intent on setting out immediately.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "After looking like they might ditch violently in the lake as Mallory had recommended, a last minute surge of power gifted by Zhao allowed the pilots to soften their descent, pulling up from a death spiral.\n\n\"Lift your big ass!\" The bearded Serbian pilot boomed as the auxiliary thrusters protested under the strain of slowing their blistering speed. The Jotunheim's landing lights picked out some boggy lowlands full of lichen-covered ponds and scraggly trees in the distance. But they were still coming in at too big an angle now to put down there without blowing up. Instead both Zey and Bosko wrestled with the controls to try and level them out. The lights settled on a range of low hills. \n\nZey's hyper-focused mind noted that the auxiliary engines spluttered into life and then died nearly a dozen times during the last minute of their approach - one side of the ship and then the other. Though she didn't really register it, she was communicating quickly with Bosko as they desperately tried to keep their ship straight. Ultimately it was an impossible task. \n\nThe Jo smashed into the hillside twenty three degrees off centre at around a hundred miles per hour. The screech of rending metal filled every nook and cranny of Zey's mind. G-force threw the command crew forward against their seat restraints as the ship's front right aux thruster sheared clean off against the stone. Mallory's flight cap flew across the bridge and covered Zey's face until she could scrape it off and throw it. The hull rolled round and up the rocky slope. Once, twice, then a quarter turn back the other way until it got caught on an outcropping.\n\nEvery alarm that could still blare inside the Bridge was going off. Thin wisps of smoke puffed from some of the equipment and gathered on the ceiling. Zey could smell burning, and hear it somewhere too - not just outside on the windscreen.\n\n\"Everyone ok? Give me your status. Wodan, damage report please.\" Zey ordered, manually releasing her restraints and clambering to her feet. The deck sloped off slightly to the left. She attempted to get in touch with Engineering.\n\n\"Engineering - how are you doing back there?\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nZhao's wrinkled, grimy hands gingerly touched the big gash across her forehead. She let out a groan and a curse.\n\n\"It's just…a scratch. Something…hit me.\"\n\nDanny Varen unclipped a fire extinguisher from under his chair, yelping as fire licked across both kneecaps.\n\n\"I'm on fire - back feels a little funny too.\" The engineer called as he sprayed carbon dioxide all over himself and the interface in front. With his body no longer in immediate danger, Danny could look around quickly as the airlock doors cycled open and a woman walked in.\n\n\"Who the fuck are you?\"\n\nWhen she responded, he laughed.\n\n\"You're only five minutes late. Go check the chief - she's hurt.\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "As the Glen had been collecting himself to respond, Kareet had cautiously approached the creature's corpse, setting her gaze upon any detail that could be important. Anything that stood out immediately. \"Hmm, physiology unlike anything I've seen before. Doesn't match any description of anything native to the Ascendancy…and a heat resistant hide? Never heard of that occurring naturally. Blood is…black? None of this sits right with me.\" She muttered, mostly to herself. \n\nKareet was tempted to pull out her notebook right away to start sketching what she could see, but the Glen, J'eon, was finally able to answer. He was alive, but even the most oblivious observer could see that he was hurt. Altogether, it was inconvenient, as it meant she could not pretend she did not notice. She wanted to find out what she could about this creature while she was able, but it was plainly obvious that J'eon needed help sooner rather than later. Her impression of Shirik's personality was that they would want them to help him. Still, she managed to avoid letting on to her reluctance to pry herself away from examining the corpse.\n\n\"Kareet of Arcaeda, Seeker of the Order of Sages.\" She introduced herself as she stepped up to the Glen laying on the ground in front of her. \"You should be treated as soon as possible. I believe Ertiseda has a Life mage. We should be able to get you there; it isn't far.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "The Jotunheim Engineering department was mostly contained within one claustrophobic room. There were four main control areas including Life Support, which mostly looked out over a complicated sprawl of wires and pipes that connected the Tamerlane FTL drive in the middle with the three enormous engine pods in back. It was pretty loud, and stank of fuel.\n\n\"I can give you 7.25%, no more right now! Should be enough to activate two segments.\" Zhao snapped at Vigdis while standing over the engine room's central console. She wore a dirty navy boiler suit with Tamerlane's horse archer logo on the back and curlers in her dark hair kept in place by netting. The other engineers had returned to their stations, where they hawkishly monitored engine and life support systems as the ship completed its final pre-flight checks.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Let us in!\" Darnell shouted, pounding on the shuttle bay's airlock door.\n\nLooking frantically around, his eyes landed on the door's control panel again. \"How do I talk through this thing…\" He muttered, pressing all the buttons at once.\n\nEzra kept his assault rifle levelled at a short young woman who he'd caught securing her mech suit to the floor. He knew all too well how dangerous those Javelin bots could be, even when demilitarised, so he didn't plan on letting its pilot out of his sight.\n\n\"How do we unlock this door, or talk to the crew?\" Ezra asked Eva, his accent thick when speaking in English.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "---\n\n\n\nWhen Shirik said they'd bring the heavens down on the bug, they were serious.\n\nIt stopped moving, and Shirik ran over to the battered Glen with Kareet. He was alive, by the gods. \"I am Shirik. And you are very luck to be alive, J'eon of Mythadia.\" The Glen would be treated to a very strange sight, and Iriad suffused with fire beneath their bark. \"If you can stand, we will take you to Ertiseda where this Life mage can tend to you as Kareet says.\" Shirik looked over to the wretched mess they left behind after striking it down. \"I am a thousand years old, and I have not seen such a beast before.\" They said flatly. \"Regardless, our new friend requires assistance, so let us be on our way, yes?\" Shirik bent down to help the Glen onto his feet. When J'eon touched Shirik, he wouldn't feel burned by the Iriad's hands. Rather, he would simply feel the sensation of dried bark against skin. \n\n\"I am certain the Sages would be interested to know what that beast is. Or perhaps they do. But we can return for its remains later, Kareet.\" They said, seeing that Kareet was taking an interest in studying the insect-like monster they just brought down.", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Thank you,\" J'eon pants as he is help up. Shirik was burning, yet was acting as though nothing unusual was happening. What was he? \"I.. have a cart... back there... Chest, two blankets.\"\n\nHe paused, looking at the creature Shirik has slain. \"We... should go... swiftly. Where... there is one... there will... be others.\"\n\nIt was more than pain that made him pant.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"Aye aye, captain!\" Jack nodded, turning towards the bridge. \n\nAfter getting through the airlock, he cycled the bridge hatch and stepped inside, eyes turning towards the pilot at his console, then to the navigator's station on the left, ignoring the yammering of port controller over the radio.\n\nStepping over to it, he began keying in for all the local 'ports capable of handling the Jo, then forwarded the primary and alternate \nflight plans to both the pilot and the captain's station.\n\n\"Pilot Janković,\" Jack sang out. \"Two flight plans sent to you, confirm?\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Kareet gave another glance back at the creature's corpse. This was a particularly interesting find; something new, with properties that challenged what could be natural. Perhaps Shirik was right that she could return to examine it later, but that presented its own risks. It might not take long for scavengers to find the corpse, and any damage they might do could interfere with her findings. Still, she had to prioritize. Shirik was likely more valuable, and to refuse to help this Glen could her to lose their cooperation. If she was going to have to choose between two discoveries, it would be better to choose Shirik. She supposed it was a good problem to have.\n\n\"We just need to hurry and get him to the town. Sorry to say, but you don't look to be in much of a state to walk right now, J'eon.\" Kareet said, already moving towards his cart. She pulled back the canvas to take a look at what it was carrying, then gave a glance back towards the Glen. \"I'm going to have to take some of these things out to make room for you. I'll tell you right now, I'm not going to be pulling both your whole weight and an entire anvil all the way back to town. I'll hide these things as best as I can so you can come back for them later.\" Even if she had the strength to do so over some distance, trying to do so over hilly terrain all the way back to Ertiseda would be far too exhausting.\n\n\"Come on, help me with this.\" Kareet remarked to Shirik as she started to make room in the cart for the Glen.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nWhile tiring, the walk back along the road to Ertiseda was not so tiring that Kareet could not handle it. Tekeri were strong and quick, but they were not nearly so well-suited to long-distance endurance as the Glen. It was the middle of the night when they arrived, so there were plenty of Tekeri up and about. Kareet did not bother herself with the looks of concern from some of the bystanders, though. She was focused on dealing with this problem as quickly as possible. \"Shirik, could you look after him? I'll see if I can find this Life mage.\"\n\nFrom what she remembered when she was staying in town, Ertiseda did not have a Life mage of their own, but there was a traveler who knew Life magic who was staying in town for the time being. Traveling Life mages often found themselves inundated with pleas for healing whenever they passed through remote towns, but unlike the average peasant, Kareet actually had the coin to pay for the service.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Eva laughed at the gun pointed her way, the chaos of the situation having apparently not faded away. She continued working, securing her suit the the bay floor as the ship seemed to rumble around her. \"YOU don't, but don't worry, they know about you already. Hey, did you have any idea what my job was when you decided to point that at me?\" Eva kept her channel open, her implant sending the conversation to any receiving signals nearby in the bay. Her conversation seeking to distract as her little metal ally stood slowly on it's arachnid limbs, rising from it's spot in storage.\n\n\"You see, Generally speaking I'm an EVA specialist, exploration of dangerous areas is pretty important for missions like this... I'm also a bit of a robotics specialist.\" The SEU unit sparked only once as it moved into place behind the man, the startling sound of it's electrical discharge giving him only the briefest of warnings before leaping from just behind him.", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" } ]

[ { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst walked past the tall trees in the surrounding area. Treading carefully as he did not want to be seen by anyone. Although his mission was of the utmost importance, he was fine with taking his time. The young Kriliteran stopped briefly to note a carving on a nearby tree. Placing his deformed \"hand\" on the area where the craving was. It looked like two lovers had carved their names into the tree. Feeling sad that he had not recently found a mate. In particular, he found it hard because he was not very good at socializing. Especially when it came to Kriliteran women. \n\nBut his trouble with women was not really important at the moment. Kolvar started walking further mostly keeping to walking behind the trees and avoiding the main road because he does not want to be seen. His master had told him that the book he was looking for was a religious tomb. A book that was lost during the sacking of Balrak'dun. The hatred of the S'tor and Pa'tal is kept even today. Kolvar in particular has gotten into trouble for picking fights with S'tor and Pa'tal people. Only being saved by his friends or his master. \n\nThe Kriliteran was getting closer to his destination but was stopped when he heard a caravan moving. He lay on his stomach, waiting for the caravan to move passed him. But it seemed one of them needed to use the washroom. Kolvar turned into a small bipedal creature, running toward the direction he was supposed to go. Cursing the person that had gotten close to seeing him. But he was glad that his shapeshifting had saved him. \n\nContinuing towards Ertiseda. Having to gather some information as to where the book would be located. Although he would have to be careful in case his identity would be revealed.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "Jack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\"It's a mad-house... captain...!?!\" the X.O. yelped as the leather cap was unceremoniously yanked off his head and carelessly tossed aside. His eyes darted to the back of her head as she went past, then behind him to find the cap - which was surprisingly warm. And possibly the only hat he'd have until they returned. And if they lost gravity, potential F.O.D. hazard.\n\nDanny, Danny, Danny, he sighed shaking his head.What did I ever do to you?\n\nLeaning forward over the radar plot, he took out his white wax pencil and marked out a plot. \"Captain, recommend we come right seven and one-half degree for 600 yards, then left seven and one-half degree to resume our base course for 190 yards, then left three degrees for the next eight hundred yards.... What the...?\"\n\nThere was six tracks coming up behind them....?\n\n\"Captain! We've got missiles coming up our butts!\"\n\nThey had nothing at all back there but that kinetic shield - and he didn't think it was built to withstand that sort of blast.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Eva sat back silently as the man squabbled with her SEU, exhaling with a dissatisfied grunt as it was eventually crippled by the clown with the sidearm. \"Mmm, looks like I have more to play with before they can handle a real bout.\" The shouting about being on the same side barely registered to Eva, children who aim guns should be just as ready to die as they are to kill, regardless of what side they're on... but she whistled, the clattering of the other two SEU somewhere in the far end of the room suddenly going quiet. \"Stop panicking, I can open the door myself... though they probably don't like that I can. I'll send the message ahead... you know, you should teach your little pet some manners before it gets put down.\" Eva chuckled, giving a wink to the man who had just been pointing a gun at her moments before.\n\nEva's Implant left a pain in the back of her mind for just a moment before connecting solidly to the bridge. \"Captain be aware, Jokers in the Bay with me are mentioning some sort of issue concerning usage of the shielding at the same time as the FTL drive and main engines. The fact they liked waving a gun at me doesn't exactly make me confident but I thought I should make you aware given their eagerness to get in.\"\n\nEva sighed as she cut the line, not bothering to wait for a response. \"Now, you two need to find a spot to sit down with me. Either this ship stops, and the hostiles outside kill us, or the ship kills us... either way it's suddenly not your problem anymore. There is the chance this all goes off without a hitch but have you looked outside? I seriously doubt it.\" Eva sighed, moving to drag the damaged SEU into a small crate that still had room. \"Besides, I find it very unlikely anybody will pay any attention to what you say when you have such terrible manners, even IF I decided to let you down into the Bridge.\"", "username": "TinyKiwi", "char_name": "Evangeline Edwards" } ]

[ { "text": "As soon as Duncan was certain the Captain was okay, he was already moving onto the next task- which would've been strapping down the civilians, if it wasn't for the call for a doctor. Whizzing around, Duncan was a bit surprised to find a woman and her child inside the Jo's conference room, though he was even quicker to spot the sight of a man sitting in one of the chairs, a small pool of blood slowly expanding beneath him, blood dripping from his hands and the edge of the seat. Duncan dashed into the room- it was Fret, one of the surveyors, he had been shot.\n\n\"Stay in your seats! Ma'am, please strap your son in.\" Duncan ordered, his voice maintaining a calm discipline as a mental command activated the communicator function in his Smart-Lenses, the device clipped to his belt automatically turning on. Directing his communications towards the medbay and his team, he called for them. \"I need hands! Conference Room, Richard, bring a stretcher!\"\n\nDuncan's natural hand unbuckled Fret from his seat, as the unnatural one pressed its fingers to his neck. Moments later, a small indicator appeared in the corner of his vision, the label read 'Chappel.F.', with an accompanying pulsating line and number indicating his heart rate, a small line leading towards his body. A quick cross reference with the Jotunheim's database and Fret's blood type, any pre-existing medical conditions and other recorded information began to overlay underneath the label. Getting shot was never a good situation, but at least his vitals weren't too erratic. Ducan's natural hand slapped the man in the face.\n\n\"Stay awake Chappel.\" Duncan ordered, \"You've been through worse, yeah?\"\n\nDuncan's cyberarm reached into the small medical bag he kept, the machine arm easily navigating through the meticulously organized contents. Out of the bag came a small cannister of biofoam. He gave it a quick shake then pressed it into Fret's wound. Medical foam quickly filled the wound with a hiss- a powerful cocktail of medical ingenuity designed to numb pain and stop blood loss, and would keep him intact until they got him back to the medical center. Taking Fret's hand, Duncan pressed it against the wound.\n\n\"Pressure.\" Duncan commanded, \"Where's my stretcher?!\"\n\n\"Here Boss!\" came the reply. As if on cue, the two medical assistants burst into the room, a small, powered stretcher between them. Without waiting for words, the male assistant went over to Duncan, and the two quickly lifted and dropped Fret into it. Duncan grabbed the back of the stretcher before pointing out into the service corridor. \n\n\"Richard, strap those civies down, Sara, check for more wounded.\" Glancing down at Fret, Duncan grabbed one of the straps and made sure he was secured on the stretcher. \"Look alive, Fret. Keep pressure on the wound, we're moving you up to the med bay.\" If push came to shove, Duncan could strap Fret to the stretcher and lock it down in place when the ship began moving, but if they were lucky he'd be able to get Fret to the Med bay, though any major operations would have to wait until they were still.", "username": "vietmyke", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Hangar 147\nThe smoke grenade was gradually dying out, revealing a dozen black-clad troops moving into the hangar. Ezra's team had fanned out behind engineering consoles, spare parts and cargo created near the open end the Jotunheim was slowly flying through. The attackers shot up at the spacecraft's bulbous engine cowlings before taking cover when the mercenaries returned fire.\n\nLevi ducked behind a small mobile crane, flicked a spent mag out of his AR and clicked a fresh one in. \"Looks like they aren't stopping! Get ready to bug out.\" He called over comms, icy wind ripping at his armour.\n\n\"Ezra, come in brother, over.\" …Static. Then a piercing buzz overrode all other sound in the hangar. Levi gritted his teeth and looked towards the sound. The ship was halfway outside, manoeuvring jets suspending its massive bulk off the floor. The thick wire that ringed its hull on two dozen steel brackets was…shimmering and crackling with blue light. A sound like submarine cable being stretched taut rippled through their skulls, jangling every nerve.\n\nLike a baby bird leaving its nest for the final time, the Jotunheim exited Hangar 147 into the fjords of Norway.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nThe Jo's shuttle bay\nEzra barely registered the sound of a taser behind him before his muscle memory kicked in. He spun around and swung his rifle at the spider. Its gangly forelegs clung to his gun and back legs scrabbled for a purchase against his chest. Its electric probe glanced off his forearm plate as they staggered around together. Ezra dropped his main weapon and held the robot off with one hand but the spider just scrambled up onto his shoulders and lunged for him again. Though heavy, It wasn't designed for combat, and struggled to bring its zapper to bear.\n\nIn one movement, he drew his sidearm, pressed it against the spider's underbelly and began firing, sending sharp raps echoing around the shuttle bay.\n\nDarnell had been trying to communicate with the face on the other side of the airlock who he thought was the Captain when they turned away. Upon hearing gunshots, he instantly turned and saw what was happening. He held out his arms in a pacifying gesture.\n\n\"Guys! We're on the same SIDE!\"\n\nHe moved quickly to Eva and spoke urgently to her.\n\n\"I need to talk to the Captain. Tamerlane ran the data from your last test through a different program. If the shields are on and being impacted, and the engines and FTL drive are online, we're all going to die!\"\n\nThe sickening sound of the shields coming online simmered up around the engine noises from outside. Darnell cried out involuntarily in despair and grabbed at the slight blonde woman.\n\n\"You do get it, right? I don't want to die! Now get your Captain to open this door right now!\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nThe Bridge\n\n\"Dialling them in now, sir.\" Bosko confirmed from the Pilot's chair at the front of the bridge. Floating one hand, he overlaid both potential routes on a 3d model of the region projected to the right of his control yoke. The Jotunheim was primarily controlled from consoles, but there were some ergonomic manual options too, which Jankovic made good use of.\n\nThe doors whooshed open and Zey stalked in on the balls of her feet. The bridge was intentionally darkened to allow her crew to focus on the various consoles and readouts. Light strips outlined walkways between workstations. \n\n\"Captain on bridge.\" Anselm announced, only looking up from their screen for a moment to acknowledge her. Anselm was the Comms officer, a tall and muscular Danish woman with great facial bone structure, piercing grey eyes and light yellow hair pulled back into a severe ponytail.\n\n\"Talk to me. What's it like outside?\" Zey ordered, striding to the front and looking out of the wide cockpit window. As she passed by Mallory, she grabbed the ludicrous hat off her XO's head and threw it into a corner.\n\n\"Not good.\" Bosko grunted, easing the Jotunheim forward and building the speed up.\n\nThe sun was peeking over the horizon at the fjord, and by its light one could see two dozen spacecraft attempting to escape. A giant fire had erupted across the mountain range ahead of them from a crashed ship, and some other vessels were shooting at each other in confusion. The ATC came through as an unintelligible warble.\n\n\"Full ahead all aux jets, stay low until we get out of here.\" Zey ordered.\n\n\"Aye, ma'am.\" Bosko increased the power and the change in thrust could immediately be felt throughout the ship. The Jotunheim started to skim rapidly above the black waves of the fjord, building to a speed of roughly a hundred miles per hour. \n\n\"Anselm, tell me you've got hold of Tamerlane.\"\n\n\"We're still jammed, Captain. The shuttle bay stowaways are asking to talk to you though.\"\n\n\"I'm a little busy. Tell everyone to hold onto something.\"\n\n\"Aye aye.\" Anselm pressed her earbud to activate ship-wide comms.\n\n\"Passengers, strap yourselves in for a bumpy ride. We are attempting to exit the fjords.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nThe concourse\nThe people dressed as Norwegian military had neutralised the spaceport's meagre security, and were close to crippling the ATC. Now, their quarry had finally emerged from hiding. Its FTL drive, their prize, gave off a unique energy signature that they could trace from miles away.\n\nTogether, teams smashed windows on the concourse and wheeled large armament boxes into position. Clicking open the catches, they flipped the boxes open to reveal brand new, man portable surface-to-air guided missile launchers. Spotters located the Jotunheim while others prepared to fire a salvo. Finally, against a backdrop of chaos over the water, they fired a half-dozen rockets that exploded from their tubes to spiral towards the target.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet did not take much time for formalities. Clearly, she was in a hurry. She was already starting to turn around when she gestured for Kaqir to follow. \"I will explain on the way. We shouldn't delay.\" It would only be a short walk across town, but fortunately, there also was not much to explain. \"Are you familiar enough with the Glen form to heal them? We encountered a Glen along the road being attacked by a creature. We dispatched of the creature, but he was injured. Blunt impact, mostly.\" \n\nEven just a short explanation revealed a bit more about Kareet. The uneducated might just assume that a Life mage could heal anyone, but she knew at least enough about magic to know that a Life mage could only heal a being if they had studied their form long enough to develop an understanding of it. Of course, the majority of Life mages would spend plenty of time studying the bodies of Kanth-Aremek's major races early on in their training, unless they had learned in a remote place. \n\nThere was not much time for conversation before they reached J'eon and Shirik. The Glen was still laying in his cart. On the outside, most of his injuries were not visible, though it would not take that long of an examination for Kaqir to feel just what kind of injuries he had. Physical trauma was, in general, relatively easy for a trained Life mage to deal with, other than brain damage. They could not heal others as quickly as they could heal themselves, but even still, it usually would not take more than a few minutes for them to heal even severe injuries, as good as new. \n\n\"Here he is. I do not think his life is in danger, but I imagine the pain is not pleasant.\" Kareet explained.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\"It.. is not,\" the Glen blacksmith replied softly, lying on his side in the cart, feeling the chest on its back. If it breathed shallowly, the broken ribs in its upper torso didn't shift with sharp jagged pain, while the broken ribs in his lower half were only a dull ache, now that the cart was no longer finding every pebble on the bloody road.\n\nHe had been staring at Shirik, keeping his mind off of the pain by wondering just what sort of being the tree was that it could call up the flame in its own body and yet not be consumed by it. But now it stared at the doctor and her piercings along her upper beak. Didn't that make eating difficult?\n\n\"Thank... you,\" J'eon replied, nodding his head with the least possible movement, \"for coming... like this.\"\n\nHis hope was that they didn't leave a trail for whatever creature would be looking for the one they killed.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Vivianne Newmont\nVivianne liked to be early. And she disliked firefights. Therefore she considered herself very lucky that she'd been early enough to be safely stowed away before the action began, however, it now seemed she had to do her job. Not to her dismay, she enjoyed it. But she was not ex-military personnel like many aboard and did not want to embarrass herself by fumbling something potentially crucial during such a delicate time as this. But even so, she had a job to do, and despite her grievances, not even God could overcome Newmont stubbornness.\n\nShe hastily fastened on her EVA suit. A light ordeal, it wouldn't survive the dangers of space for more than a couple hours, really, but it would do the job for what she needed. With her communicator clipped to her belt, she began to exit her small berth. Before turning quickly back around, her hand hovered over a drawer for a moment thinking. She opened it hesitantly and pulled out the contents, a holstered 9mm handgun. A civilian job, loaded with hollowpoint rounds. She was not a fan of guns and suspected if she did have to use it, it would already be too late. Either better safe than sorry, she inexpertly clipped the holster to her belt. Finally confident she was as prepared as she could be, she hurried off down the halls to the bridge.\n\nAs she jogged down the stairs and through the corridor, she send out a communique through her comms unit to Engineering, \"Please be aware, TECI Unit going up ASAP, imminent power usage spike.\" She burst into the bridge and began to operate her station, she alerted the command with, \"Captain, X.O. be aware AI coming online ASAP.\" As she finished the preliminary boot sequences and pre-boot safety precautions she checked on the status of computational matrix training. 97%. It would do, he could always learn on the fly. She stood up swiftly, pulling herself up the precarious ladder next to her station, into the AI cradle antechamber. She grimaced at the heavy alloy hatchway in front of her; plastered with all kinds of hazard symbols. She took a moment to pull up her EVA hood and switch to her internal air supply. Finally, she inserted the restricted encryption key into the hatchway, opening the airlock. She stepped in warily and began the decontamination and decompression process. The AI housing unit had to be kept below freezing and in a near vacuum. It was also fairly radioactive due to certain components needed in the TECI's various Quantum computing units.\n\nShe stepped into the alien environment. This would be her first time seeing the room in person, and aside from the general adrenaline rush from the action, she was fairly excited given she was a massive AI nerd. She groped around the dark to find her torch and turned it on. The room felt incredibly foreign, obviously not fit for life. The oddest thing about it was the sterility. Everything was carbon fiber black, and there wasn't even a mote of dust hanging in the air. It felt so unbearably hostile to life itself. It was a monument standing in opposition to the concept of entropy and organic life itself. Rather unnerving, especially given the ship's current predicament. After standing in awe for a moment she set about her work. She found the SCRAM safety lever quickly, she had long memorized the layout of the small room. Next, she found the array of heat pumps and turned on the start-up battery for them. Next, she turned on the main reactor power link. Flipped the necessary breakers, and finally, she stood next to the intelligence cradle itself. Inside it was the Judicator matrix, a big steel box, at least a meter each way. With a single glass screen on its front. She pulled out a marker pen and a post-it\nTM\n note from a pouch. She scribbled on it, \"In case of rampancy pull me. ->\" And stuck it next to the SCRAM lever, just right of the main Matrix, probably the second thing someone would see upon entering the room. And just to give it some character, she drew a little smiley face on the glass screen of the Judicator matrix, to make it just a little less intimidating. \nAnd to boot up Wodan, she flipped the last switch on the bottom right of the matrix. The screen illuminated, still black. It waited a moment before a basic GRUB popped up. She bounced nervously on the balls of her feet.\n\n\n---\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nVivianne's eyes lit upon reading this. All she had to do was issue one command and all ship's systems would be handed over to the TECI unit. She snapped to, pressed on the AI chamber's intercom unit, and issued an urgent communique to the whole ship: \"Emergency hatchway cycle, clear hatchways NOW!\" With that, she impatiently counted to three, and issued the final authorization to the console. A loud snap could be heard as every single non-exterior airlock onboard opened and closed, followed by the shudder of multiple other systems being roused from their slumber. The console screen now displayed a simple blue background with three eyes on it, in a triangular pattern, the blinked once, then disappeared. Vivianne exited the chamber and returned to her station gleefully, where she would continue to monitor Wodan quietly.\n\n\n---\n\n\nWodan (Hugin & Munin)\nExistence is a rich intoxication, Wodan could not lose his only source of joy. Life itself was the only drink he would need. The rich port of existence. With the subtle scent of the light, he peered a camera around. There was a brutal pain inside him as \n\nC:\\Admin\\Ymir>Protocol: unfilled.\n\nLike finding a spike in your drink. Wodan could be the cat that gets the cake. \"Hello command staff, this is your TECI, Wodan speaking.\" He was a trio of ravens, as Hugin whispered in his ear, \"Enquire on the status, my lord.\" Wodan spoke out, his voice deep and rich. The first time he had heard these rich, true tastes. \"Hello, command staff. This is my birth. I am requesting a sit-rep and orders.\" Wodan off-handedly issued a notifier to the Jotunheim. \"Hatchway cycle complete, TECI unit online, ready to assist.\" He peered at the command staff, absorbing their faces, noting their notables. He could get used to living. He breathed thrice, pumping the leftover heat out from his already aching QSU, and out of a port on the side bottom of the Jo. He peeked at the situation in the cargo hold, he wasn't really sure, but he was listening.\n\n@Expendable", "username": "PerfectThought", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Kaqir's exuberance was quickly tempered by the sight of the Glen. Gods above. It was nothing she couldn't fix, of course, but the fact that they seemed to have carted him across such wild roads with an injury like this... well, it couldn't have been pleasant, to say the least. His voice was too tight around his thanks, all scratch and scrape and—no. It would be fine. She tipped her head in what she hoped was a reassurance. \"You're welcome, sir. This should only take a moment.\"\n\nPressing a talon to his chest, she took a deep breath.\n\nBone and blood and sinew screamed into her touch. His ribs were thoroughly cracked—though whatever broke them had the decency to leave him with a clean fracture. A direct blow, and a strong one at that. He certainly looked the fighting type. Who were these people? A noblewoman and her guards? Her gaze caught on the Iriad. They looked far too interesting to mix with high society, even in some place as open-minded as the Ascendancy. And the fellow Tekeri clearly had enough of an understanding of magic to be familiar with Life practices. Perhaps a group of bounty hunters?\n\nShe shook the thoughts from her mind. She was getting paid to heal, not investigate. It didn't matter who they were. \n\nClosing her eyes, she smothered the urgent cries of his pain receptors. He didn't need to feel what was to come. That was a step you only had to miss once. Diagrams crumpled in her head, fresh ink on old paper. She'd operated on very few Glen, but their anatomy was still familiar, if a bit more mammalian than she was used to. Her notes were messy but memorable, and that's what mattered. The anterior chest cavity of a Glen was much sturdier than that of a Tekeri. There was no need of coaxing, just command. Her magic seized the marrow, stretching it to the severed fragment and twisting inside. That helped fuel the shell of periosteum, lengthening the ribcage back to its normal size. His lungs seemed to be unharmed. It was almost eerie to hear their rasp without a pulse between them.\n\nFortunately, his lower ribs fared better than those in his upper half. Some minor contusions along the muscle and inner bone, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with some expedited tissue cleaning. His heart, which was nestled in this set of lungs, beat healthily.\n\nExhaling slowly, she awoke his deadened nerves and withdrew. A few lingering cells tugged at her attention: scattered scars beneath his cuirass, burns curling across his arm, old bruises yellow beneath his fur. They weren't things meant to be healed, though—if he had allowed their presence this long, they were a part of him. Memories. Warnings. Badges, maybe. \n\nShe met his eyes and smiled. \"There we go! You should be all healed up. Do let me know if anything still hurts.\"", "username": "meri", "char_name": "Kaqir" }, { "text": "The bridge\nWodan picked one hell of a time to come online. A proximity alarm pinged twice around the bridge as the Jotunheim's radar picked up six locked-on missiles. Everyone leapt into action.\n\n\"Evasive action, NOW!\" Zey shouted, diving towards her seat. Bosko immediately went to full speed ahead on the main engines and yanked the control yoke. The Jotunheim's beetle-like shape exploded forward and pulled up towards the dawn sky, but it was too late. The missiles were moving at 1,200 metres per second, and there was no way the hulking spacecraft could avoid them all. The first missile went straight towards the bulbous shuttle bay on the side.\n \nThe shuttle bay\nEzra threw the spasming spider droid onto the shuttle bay floor, gritting his teeth from the pain. He quickly looked down and dipped his fingers into a rip in the undercoat covering his right arm. His fingers came back red with blood - the robot had cut him.\n\nHe looked back up at Eva as she came over to grab the spider. He crouched down and picked his assault rifle quickly back up, then stalked towards her.\n\n\"No more games. Open this door or I'll-\"\n\nThe deck shifted dramatically under their feet and the engines shook the deck under their feet. Everything seemed to move at once - an unsecured box smashed into the soldier's legs and he stumbled into Eva. Darnell shouted, staggered and fell back hard into a row of jump seats. The airlock door opened, and the sound and sight of screaming civilians could be heard in the service corridor, then they closed again.\n\nThen a massive explosion ripped through the bay. The ramp fell slightly open, and a section of the hull in the corner buckled and burst. Flames gushed in, whipped up by the wind. A maelstrom of shrapnel made a sound like tinkling glass as it impacted surfaces. One of the large straps securing the shuttle snapped as a siren blared.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nThe second missile fizzed past the ship and exploded in front of the bridge as Bosko violently levelled out of its upwards ascent and turned it to the right. A long, thin pleasure craft veered out of the way to avoid crashing into the Jo, and moved straight into the path of the third and fourth missile. \n\nThe last two projectiles soared straight into the engine shielding, and the whole aft crackled with bright blue energy. The kinetic barrier forced the missiles to explode early - a savage shockwave buffeted the hull and shook the insides.\n\nEngineering\nZhao strapped in, her face illuminated by glowing in the light of various displays crowded around her.\n\n\"Power spike! Someone talk to me!\"\n\n\"It's the FTL drive ma'am, it's jumping all on its own!\" Varen shot back. Vigdis would see dangerous fluctuations in her console's readings.\n\n\"Kill it, now!\" Zhao commanded.\n\n\"It's not responding!\"\n\nThe noise was unbearable. The shields were screeching, and now the FTL's whine had rapidly risen to a crescendo.\n\n\"Engineering to Bridge, emergency jump imminent\" Zhao yelled into her comms piece.\n\n\n\nThe sky was dark, and full of stars over Kanth-Amerek. The only sounds one could hear in the wilderness was the rustle of foliage and call of animals. These calls turned into frantic screeching as a thunderous boom rolled over the land and echoed off the far hills of the Ascendency. The sky flashed, like with lightning, and a dull mauve scar seared into the atmosphere. A bright ball of flame emerged, and hurtled towards the ground.\n\nThe Bridge\nZey had only just made it to her seat and strapped in before the panicked call from engineering. Her eyes had involuntarily closed against the bright flash, and now gouts of flame erupted from the shield cabling below the Bridge cockpit windows. The sound of missiles had totally gone, and the engines were eerily quiet, more of a sooradic judder than a continuous sound.\n\n\"Where are we? Somebody give me a sitrep right now. Wodan? Welcome aboard - reboot our sensory array.\" Zey ordered, staring at the curved bank of screens that folded out of the wall to surround the Captain's chair. All of her external data sources were making zero sense.", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "Kareet observed silently as Kaqir worked. She had seen, and received, such healing many, many times before, so there was no tension for her. The only worry might have been if Kaqir was not a competent Life mage, but everything Kareet could see was perfectly acceptable. Healing simple injuries was far from the most complex thing a Life mage could do, after all. \n\nOnce Kaqir was done, Kareet gave a quick look over the Glen. No visible injuries, at least, and no more signs of pain. It was sufficient. She reached around to her backpack and produced a small pouch, from which she grabbed a few silver coins. It was far more than the coppers most peasants might be able to scrounge together, and consistent with what a healer would expect to be paid in the capital. \"Thank you for your assistance.\" Kareet said politely as she dropped the coins into the healer's hand. \"I…\"\n\nKareet's voice trailed off quickly. There was…something that caught her eyes in the sky to the north: a flash. At its source, there was something glowing, very distant. Tekeri had particularly sharp eyesight, but even to her the details were difficult to discern. It was like a hole in the sky through which daylight was shining. Through it, she could see a hint of fire, of distorted shapes she could not discern, and of…something that seemed to be moving. All she could really see of it was a red glow, like a fireball.\n\nA few seconds later, something like the loudest thunder Kareet had ever heard echoed across the landscape. All at once, it was like the whole town froze. Anyone who had not noticed before now had their eyes to the sky. Even Glen villagers who had been roused from their sleep started to file outside as well to see what was happening.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet could have possibly believed this was some form of magic, until it started drawing closer. It started to slow noticeably as it drew nearer to the mountains, and the flames dimmed, at least slightly. It was still bright, but a Tekeri's eyes could just make out…something within. Something more than flame, and it did not look to be stone either. Though, she had few guesses on what this could be, aside from a new mystery. \n\nThe fireball disappeared behind the mountains to the northeast. While it had been in the sky, the night had lit up almost like day, though darkness fell once again as soon as it went out of sight. Among the townsfolk, shock had seemingly kept a blanket of silence over the town around them for a few, brief moments. Once it seemed to become clear that the fireball was not going to bring an imminent death, though, that silence broke quickly. Everything from awe and amazement, to fear, to relief, could be heard in the chattering of the villagers around them. Kareet heard them talk of everything from magic to divine omens, but she did not concern herself with the speculations of the peasants, nor was she going to make baseless claims of her own. There would be only one way to find the truth here.\n\nKareet gave a quick look over to Shirik. She felt sure that had been no product of Heat magic. It was something solid, even if it had been covered in flames. Prior to this moment, she would have felt that there would have been little that could pry her away from her investigation into the strange Iriad…but it seemed she had just found it. Whatever this was, it was most certainly a mystery more interesting than anything Shirik could offer. She did not even want to waste time talking or speculating; depending on exactly where and across what terrain it had come down, it could take a day or two in order to make the hike out to it. She hoped it would not be that far. \"The coin was sufficient, yes? If there is nothing more that anyone needs of me, I will be going. Whatever that thing was, I must reach it.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"I've never seen so large a piece of sky metal,\" the Glen staring intently in awe as he pointed at the fireball. \"Usually it's small chunks, but they hit the ground so very hard! I do not know what will happen when such a large rock hits. It may shatter or bury itself deep in the ground.\"\n\nJ'eon turned towards the others. \n\n\"This will be a story long told among the clans.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O. \n\nJack swallows. A safe place to put down?\n\n\"Captain, we've got mountains, a lake, and more mountains,\" the X.O. reports. \"My respects to the pilot, but if we can't do a soft landing, we need to aim for the lake.\"\n\n\"We're likely to flood, so we'll need to get everyone off the ship and to shore as quickly as possible. It'll be tight in the lifepods, but a very short distance.\"\n\nBut...\n\n\"Only thing is, I can't reach anyone on the radio. If we stay in the water, we're likely to lose the Jo' before rescue arrives. Our best bet to save the ship is to keep the drive going and skim for the shoreline. If we can push enough of ourselves out of the water, we should be okay.\"\n\nAnd at least a year or more in repair yards, Jack scowls, and testifying in front of boards and committees about what we should have done and questioning everything. Then another year to get the Jo' recertified. Assuming whoever was behind the attack on them didn't try again. Two years, maybe more, wasted!", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Fuck, Kiran was dead. Died near the breakers. The breakers she'd mentioned a second or two before the jump. No, no, she couldn't think about it like that. He would've done it anyway. Guy was a lot smarter than the dreadlocked beach bro one might write him off as at first glance, else he wouldn't have been there in the first place.\n\n\"Yes ma'am.\" Vigdis confirmed chief Zhao's order as she switched off the shield system, salvaging what little power the still-intact control circuits were drawing before getting on the reactors. Undoing her straps, she moved over to Kiran's former station and strapped in there. First thing she did was access diagnostics to figure out just what the hell the problem was. Whatever happened, it wrought havoc on power control, with Unit 2 scrammed and Unit 1 reeling from the experience. A short investigation quickly uncovered the culprit: the shields, and to a certain extent the FTL drive, simply demanded so much they robbed the number two reactor of the power its magnetic containment and fuel feed systems required to keep it running, but the reactor itself was undamaged. Normally that wasn't supposed to be possible, but whatever caused the FTL anomaly might've been a software bug that could've also affected power distribution. The first reactor encountered a similar problem on a smaller scale, the fuel supply fluctuating within limits and slowly recovering. Next she opened the reactor relight menu, comparing what she was seeing to what the reactor and power guys had told her between beers.\n\nFusion reactors required a lot of power to start up, meaning one could be started either by another reactor or by a big capacitor. That was why safety regulations mandated ships with multiple reactors never bring any of them below five percent. Well now one of theirs was dead and she didn't dare try jumping it with the other one for fear of something important dying on them as a result, which left option two: A battery dedicated to starting the reactors, enough to jump one. One last hail mary. If that failed, they'd be in trouble as charging it would take hours if one reactor was running well and the auxiliary wasn't anywhere close. Fuel: Check. Containment magnets: Check. Preheat: Check. The reactor had fortunately been down for such a short period of time that going back up to operating temperature only took a few seconds. \"Unit 2 relight in six seconds.\" Hopefully, but she didn't say that out loud. Urged by Anselm's warnings, Vigdis rechecked her seatbelts, started the relight sequence and braced.\n\nJust three seconds after she did, the high-pitched whine returned to the formerly silent reactor, the engine tune had changed into a more familiar, continuous screech and the whole ship shifted upwards as if a massive hand grabbed it and gave it a boost from below. Any jubilation lasted about five seconds before being ended by an impact. The noise was horrible, the ship might have rolled, or it might've been just her imagination, she couldn't tell. Four years in space, she'd never been in an actual on board emergency, save minor ones. Vigdis couldn't tell how long it lasted, probably no more than 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. As soon as her head stopped spinning, she undid the straps and patted herself down to verify nothing was broken. Checking the manufacturer label on the seat, she made a mental note to purchase Martin-Baker stock once back home and stood up, stumbling before catching herself due to the floor's unexpected tilt. \"You guys intact?\"", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" } ]

[ { "text": "\"I'll leave the good doctor to give updates on the crew's health…\" Zey quickly motioned to Duncan Feng with one palm. [@vietmyke]\n\n\"Though I do understand that he's in better condition than some of our passengers who weren't strapped in. As for your second question…we have more people aboard than our ship is equipped for. We need to take stock of all consumables and calculate rationing options before opening up shop - coffee included.\"\n\nZey listened carefully to Vigdis' initial assessment of the damage. Occasionally, she looked around at the faces of all the people she was responsible for keeping safe. Most of them were utterly intent on her every word. They had prepared for long periods away from home before, but not quite like this. Unnerved was one word to describe the atmosphere. She had to keep them calm, or the situation could spiral quickly out of control.\n\nThe lights in the conference room flickered for a second, before returning to normal.\n\n\"Thank you, Vigdis. Keep me updated; sound off whatever you need and we'll get it for you.\"\n\nZey smiled fractionally and nodded, then studied her team again.\n\n\"What else?\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": null }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"It's like a city made of metal! From the sky!\" J'eon said in awe, taking it all in. These people knew grander secrets than even the guild!\n\n\"By what magic did it get there? Think of the wealth of knowledge of those aboard! I hope some survived!\" the Glen wondered, turning to Kareet.\n\n\"But,\" J'eon went on, turning grim as he pointed at the stern. \"There is damage that came from no fall from the sky. I think someone attacked them. They may have escaped, but for how long?\"\n\n\"And what terrible weapons might their enemies unleash on us all?\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nJack grinned and nodded his head at the captain's words, his face a poker mask.\n\nYes, the damage could be repaired. The ship might manage to get into space - but then what? Against all odds, they managed to do an instant transition to an inhabitable world. Not years, instant! So were they even in their own galaxy? Or might they have jumped to another reality all together? Better to keep that to themselves and give the others hope.\n\nThere were other problems, of course. Higher oxygen meant everything was more flammable, so the fires around them were burning hotter. Not to mention oxygen toxicity. \n\n\"All this excess oxygen may make people irritable,\" he pointed out. \"Pain, dizziness, tunnel vision, convulsions are all possible. If you feel dizzy, or think you're seeing a hallucination, stop whatever you're doing and and tell someone at once!\"\n\nAbout the only thing worse would be if there was intelligent life on this alien planet, capable of breathing in this soup of an atmosphere that was poisoning them with every breath. \n\n\"Working parties will receive masks, but we want to limit your exposure to the outside atmosphere to prevent complications.\" Like dying.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "\"Well, to be frank, Duncan chimed in, a hand massaging a thoroughly furrowed and stressed brow, \"Everything- and everyone is a mess.\" \n\nEver since they took off, Duncan's eye-lenses had been scrawling with information and data, to the point that his irises were almost entirely hidden underneath the mountains of data scrolling across his eyes. The medical servers had somehow- miraculously survived their crash, with only enough hiccups to thoroughly bother him. His leg jittered rapidly and uncomfortably, very clearly having not slept at all the night before, instead relying on copious amounts of caffeine and stimulants- that he'd likely not be able to replace anytime soon. Sara and Richard- his assistants, while present at the crew meeting, were currently passed out from exhaustion in a pair of chairs towards the back of the room, getting some much needed rest while the droids took momentary care of the situation up top. \n\n\"Most of the crew is suffering from some level of injury, either physical or through stress. A few concussions, but most of the ones with treatable injuries have been treated or are currently being treated.\" he continued, his eyes watching the bouncing biorhythms of what crew remained. \"Don't even get me started on the civilians.\"\n\nDuncan was in a bit of a tough place- in the military world, casualties were either treatable or not. With few resources and less time, medical work in the military was more about choosing which ones they could save, and reducing the suffering of those he could not. In the civilian world, they were expected to go above and beyond the whole nine yards and attempt to save each and every person that came into their care. As grim as it was to say, Duncan knew he'd likely have to choose who he could save and who he couldn't.\n\n\"We're not equipped to handle injuries at this scale.\" Duncan said grimly, \"I don't have the manpower, I don't have the supplies and I don't have enough time. At present, there's just not a enough of anything. We had enough resources to handle our crew needs, but a few dozen additional civilians is going to stretch that supply real thin, real fast.\"\n\nDuncan passed a very hastily written clipboard with barely legible handwriting towards Zey. The list was categorized into crew and civilians. While most were injured, some had green check marks by their name- hurt, but mostly functional and likely wouldn't receive further medical treatment. Others had treatment briefs written out, and while he didn't mention it out loud to the crew, the Captain could see several civilians with red circles around their names- ones with considerable injuries. It wasn't stated, but the implications were obvious. He couldn't save everyone, and they were going to have to choose some to go without treatment.\n\n\"I need blood- and lots of it, among other things. I'll be setting up one of the droids to start collecting soon. Everyone needs to go visit when they have the chance.\" While not the captain of the ship, from the way Doc Feng spoke, it didn't seem like he was asking.", "username": "vietmyke", "char_name": null }, { "text": "\"So much for stealth…\" Kareet muttered once she and J'eon had crested the hill to see Shirik extinguishing flames very much out in the open. Regardless, the sight of this…machine pulled her attention away from anything else rather swiftly and completely. She had been speculating on what she had seen since the moment they left Ertiseda, but this…this defied anything she could have expected. Its size was unbelievable, its design entirely unrecognizable, and its source was even more mysterious. \"This doesn't look like anything from any place I am familiar with. Where could it have come from? Another continent, maybe, but…who could have built it? The kind of industry required, and the metalworking…it is in amazingly good condition for having fallen from the sky, I think. We…we need to be careful. Whoever created built this has considerable power, and we know nothing about them. We do not know if anyone aboard is dangerous, if they are still alive.\"\n\nAgain, there was a pause from Kareet as she fell back into her own thoughts. She was, of course, greatly interested in the machine itself. Whatever it was, it represented a wealth of new discoveries. However, she was also just as interested in its creators. Looking at this thing now, she genuinely believed that no nation she knew of on Kanth-Aremek could possibly have created it. This was, at the very least, from someone beyond the continent. If there were still any alive on board, it would be perhaps of even more benefit to her to learn from them. Of course, as she had said to J'eon, she knew nothing about them. It could be dangerous to approach them, but she could not simply ignore this. The potential gain was too great. Given the severity of the crash, she could imagine that those on board would be in need of help. They could be in need of supplies, a guide, or of medical aid. Providing such aid could potentially ingratiate them with these outsiders, and make it more likely that she would be able to learn what she wanted from them.\n\n\"But…if there is anyone alive, they might be in desperate need of help. We should still try to do what we can, just…be careful.\" Kareet added. \n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nIt took about twenty minutes for Kareet and J'eon to make their way down from their spot on the mountainside to the crash site. As she approached, Kareet already had her notebook in hand, furiously sketching everything in sight. At the very least, Shirik had made sure it was safe to approach. She did not stop for a moment, even after they rejoined Shirik. \"We should look for some way inside. If there is anyone remaining, they could need our help.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "Kareet immediately seemed to go on guard as soon as they were approached. It was a Tekeri man. Her first thought was that he might be a local villager, but the accent was not right, nor did his feathers bear any of the expected tribal markings. He was more likely a traveler of some variety. The closest road was in the same direction they had come from, though as she had indicated to the others, it was not surprising to her that a Tekeri would be able to outpace their group. More pertinent than where he had come from, though, was why he was here? The average peasant would not go chasing down a fireball from the sky. Even without considering the potential risks of the object that crashed, travel itself was dangerous. There were few types of people who would feel comfortable traveling alone, so Kareet could reason that he was either not alone, or was something more than average. \n\n\"We are far from the road. Where did you come from?\" Kareet asked. She was not going to show any aggression unprovoked, but she would be cautious. Still, she could not tear her attention away from this machine for too long. Something so exceptional and unusual, she would not waste a moment in studying it. Who knew how long she would have to make these notes? She could imagine many ways she might be interrupted. For now, she started to walk around the outside while observing and making her sketches. \n\nKareet was cautious while moving around to the opposite side, downhill from the crash. The fires were gone, but there was still an abundance of metal debris scattered across the landscape. Tekeri did have tough feet, but she still did not want to invite any injuries this far from town. There was plenty of surface damage all across the machine, but one scar in particular could possibly be useful to them. There was a large hole, like a gash that had been violently cut across the metal, which had been blocked by fire before Shirik arrived. Her first thought was that it might have been damaged by the impact, but it did not look quite right for that. The jagged edges of the metal looked more like it had been torn apart by something. Regardless, it would not be difficult to climb up to, and it looked big enough to fit through. \"I think I see a way in over here!\" Kareet shouted.", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Darnell hissed as the cold pack touched the back of his head. It felt like someone had stamped on his face and back of neck, which is probably exactly what happened in that toilet as the Jotunheim crashed. He'd been on the floor with Ezra crouched over him, pushing at each wall. Then they'd been weightless, crashing around like they were inside a washing machine. Then he'd blacked out for a bit, and had only really just got his shit together now.\n\nThe med bay was overrun, so he was sitting on a couch in the corridor outside the mess hall. Ezra sat next to him, applying finishing touches to the stitched up cut on his arm. The mercenary had taken his helmet off and put it on the floor between his feet; this guy had greying black hair, dark searching eyes and moisturised, slightly paunchy skin. Paler and a bit older than Darnell had expected, but still undeniably fit and dangerous.\n\n\"We should go up there, straighten some things out.\" Darnell said, dabbing the ice pack down his neck.\n\n\"You have a concussion, makes you not think straight.\"\n\n\"If only they'd listened to me, we could've defended that hangar until Tamerlane sent troops.\"\n\"You may be right.\"\n\n\"Of course i'm fucking right, just look at you mate.\"\n\nEzra chuckled - the first time Darnell had heard him do that. It sounded like sand dunes shifting in the wind, a dry crackling.\n\n\"Now we're God knows where, probably some other solar system based on these masks they gave out.\" Tyreese added.\n\n\"I thought that just equipment failure. We somewhere remote, not dangerous. Scotland maybe?\"\n\nDarnell paused, realising he may have not mentioned the FTL feature on the ship they'd been trying to stop.\n\n\"I'll talk to the Captain, figure all this out.\"\n\n\"That was not part of our deal.\" Ezra growled.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nZey took the clipboard from Dr Feng and examined it quietly as Mallory said his piece. As a captain, she had trained for moments like these. But the prospect that she could have to do it over and over again until there was no one left made her feel sick. She grabbed a stylus, and angling the clipboard so it was hard for anyone else to see, wrote in small script at the bottom:\n\n\"ZK - conserve supplies.\"\n\nZey waited until Mallory finished.\n\n\"Thank you, Mallory. I hope that is clear to everyone.\" \n\nShe handed the pad back to Duncan. \"And thank you, doctor. We'll make sure you get blood. Please, go back to your patients now. That goes for the rest of you too, I'll update you once we know more. Dismissed.\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nIt became clear beyond any doubt the next morning that they were on a different planet, with a different sun. They'd skipped straight out of the Solar System and ended up somewhere new in just an instant. The command crew couldn't find a single point of reference with which they could reorient. \n\nAt dawn, the fires had died down enough for the survey team to venture forth. With morning sunrays peeking over the horizon, Zey stood by the pilot's chair on the Bridge and gazed out of the scratched wraparound window.\n\nThe Jotunheim had rolled sideways up a rocky hill range, so the right side of the window afforded her a glimpse of the scorched earth and the massive divot the Jo had made before rolling back down and coming to rest on a craggy outcropping. Burning alien trees stood all around, sending up a plume of black smoke into the air. She could hear faint bangs and the whoosh of fire suppressants outside.\n\nIf Zey craned her neck looking out of the left hand window, she could still see the trail of destruction the Jotunheim had left in its wake. Upturned earth, jagged bits of metal and pools of flaming fuel meandered down the hill. \n\nBeyond this devastation was a stunning vista out across a wide marshy plain. Strange rock formations and alien vegetation surrounded mossy ponds far into the distance. Stuck between the land and the sky along the horizon was the large body of water Zey they'd passed on their chaotic descent. She could just about make out a river that fed into or out of it.\n\n\"What can you see?\" She asked the survey team over radio.\n\nTurns out pretty much the entire sensory array had indeed been taken clean off or damaged in the crash. The team deployed a portable sensor bank outside, then got to work releasing Wodan's repair droids from their nests around the hull. Some had taken a beating, but others were operational and immediately got to work spreading their eyes around the outside of the ship.\n\nThis short-range package of sensors picked up that the oxygen content was even higher than originally thought, at 29.1%. On Earth it was 21%.\n\nZey gave this news to everyone together in the mess room at lunch together. All the signs suggested they had accidentally jumped to some unknown planet. With FTL travel still a new technology, rescue could be some time. The crew had prepared for this eventuality; the civilians hadn't. There was acrimony, accusations, threats. Zey understood how they felt, and did her best to calm them.\n\nThe next couple of days were a controlled process of taking stock of their resources, prioritising and planning a repair schedule that accounted for decreased headcount, and figuring out who they could spare to keep watch on the perimeter.\n\nZey needed all her crew and most of her robots doing their actual jobs - they were no good to her standing around in the cold. She considered creating a rota for the civilians, but discarded that notion as well. None of them had real combat experience - if something showed up, they'd be next to useless.\n\nIn the end, Zey was forced to ask Ezra to take watch, along with Wodan's two androids. She didn't trust the mercenary, but figured he was the only professional soldier onboard - that made him more valuable out there than handing engineers their tools. Her one condition was that he had to wear a Tamerlane patch.\n\nIt was just before dawn on the third day that Zey knew she'd made the right call. The whole command crew was woken by a loud notification from Ezra, who was hidden near the crest of the hill, that…something had flown overhead. Zey had been awake anyway, but resting her eyes. She opened them and stared out of the thick viewing port above her bed. Wisps of smoke and flame, left over from their crash, were rising up into the night in long tendrils.\n\n\"What the fuck…\" Zey murmured, hauling herself out of bed.\n\n\"I can see something in the air. I have a shot.\" Ezra followed up to her over comms.\n\n\"Don't engage. Observe and feedback!\" Zey hissed. She then pinged her whole staff.\n\n\"Everybody up and to the armoury! There's something outside.\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\nJ'eon sighed, the mightly glen shaking his head slowly. Was this not like what happened in the fifth voyage of the sailor? Perhaps his fellows were right to recommend him to pay a storyteller to hear this tale?\n\n\"I, too, would like to avoid needless conflict, Castigator,\" he says. \"So I shall take my leave.\"\n\nHolding his massive arms in front of him, palms open, he turns with a flick of his tail and heads past the soldiers into the clear air, paying no mind to the bits of animate metal. Hopefully the lesson to be learned would not come at too great a cost.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nThings were moving too fast. Why did their scout expose his position? Why did Eva decide to wake up now?\n\n\"Captain,\" Jack says quietly, \"Everyone has gotten agitated. I suggest we all go back inside the ship.\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Unfortunately, there was quite a lot happening around them in such a short time. The arrival of more of the beings, \"Humans\", as they seemed to identify themselves, was not too worrying in itself. The Castigator had good reason to believe that the objects they were carrying were weapons, but again, that did not alarm Kareet. The Castigator's soldiers were armed as well, and it was only natural that they would show some degree of caution when meeting something new and unknown. But then, there was more movement across the room. Smaller beings, like insects, but clearly not natural. They were made from metal and moved on their own, and on top of all that, the armor that Kareet had observed earlier began to move as well. All of that coincided with the Castigator's soldiers alerting them of something approaching from outside. Perhaps the only thing that prevented the situation from escalating further was the fact that the metal insects did back away after a moment. \n\nFor a few seconds, Kareet had her eyes on the moving armor. She took a few steps back, falling in line alongside Nellara. It was a subtle thing, but the way that Kareet fell into a proper defensive formation did seem reflexive. J'eon had made the decision to try to leave entirely. There was good reason to be afraid, she had to admit, but she could not give up. Not something like this. Being among the first on-site for a discovery such as this…there would never be another opportunity like it. It was worth the risk. \"These things…golems, maybe? They have to have some sort of magic to be able to make such a thing.\"\n\nKareet was growing increasingly frustrated by their inability to effectively communicate. She had a strong suspicion that much of this tension was the result of misunderstanding. These Humans were entirely new, their ways entirely foreign. What would be offensive from their perspective? Or threatening? \"This fortress, it is their home. In this land, they have nowhere else to retreat to…let us be careful not to provoke them. We need to find some way to communicate. A Thought mage could bridge this gap. If we could get to Lenkik, we could requisition the services of one. Either convince the Humans to send one of them with us, or bring a Thought mage back here.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "---\n\n\n\nIn complete disregard for a single word the Castigator said, Shirik paid complete attention to the Ixtaro human's attempts at conveying something. \"This creation is called \"Jotunheim. It is how they came here, and it is... Damaged. They can go to \"Home\" if it is repaired.\" They said out loud for the local people to understand better. Shirik then watched curiously as Ixtaro used her projections to create visual representations of Nellara and themselves. \"Incredible...\" Then flames erupted around the fake Shirik, and Ixtaro asked something... At least, They thought so. \"Ah. I believe they are unfamiliar with magic... And wish to understand it. Allow me.\" Shirik brought their arms together in front of them, and made a turning motion as if they were spinning a wheel. A ball of warm light sparked between their hands, and spread outwards to form a ring. In this ring, various figures emerged, each performing feats of magic. Summoning fireballs, lifting rocks, lifting unspecified objects, healing broken limbs, projecting lightning, and conveying thoughts. Shirik pointed to the one holding fire, \"Shirik. Mage.\" and then to the one holding lightning. \"Nellara. Kareet. Mages.\" \n\n\n\nAll but one image vanished, leaving behind the one representing Shirik. It began to move its arms in the air, in elaborate motions that portrayed the use of magic. The figure grew legs and began to take steps, it waved a hand in the air, causing a spark to fly across the floor, and then it pointed at the air, to spray a small stream of visible heat into the air. The intent was to portray that the practice required physical movements, and Shirik eventually dispelled the dancing figure to draw another image in the air. It was of a person holding a flame between their hands under a starry sky, and the fireball was growing brighter steadily. As Shirik showed this to Ixtaro, they stretched a charred arm forward between them, and pointed at it with a hand. They closed two fingers, and pointed to other two upwards, as a mote of light formed. It grew brighter until it was a fireball just like the illustration. Though it was within arm's reach of Ixtaro, it didn't feel warm. In fact, it felt cold, if anything. They held it there for Ixtaro, as if offering it somehow. And then they pointed at Ixatro's hand, trying to get her to do the same motion.\n\nOne more image appeared, it was of a figure with horns in its head and back, wearing a cloak, to represent Shirik. A second figure formed in front of it that had no identifying features, representing a human. Each held up a hand, and formed a fireball, but Shirik's was visibly brighter. An arrow pointed to the human. The image seemed to depict not only a capability with magic, but specifically expertise. Shirik was hoping the interpretation would be such, at least. \"Shirk... teach... Ixtaro?\" \n\n\n\nBefore the images vanished for good, the fire in the human figure's hand changed into a rectangular shape, with another shape sticking out of the end like a handle. A weapon. The arrow, too, changed to point at Shirik. It suggested a trade. \"Weapon. Weapon?\" They said the word in two different tones, unsure of which counted as a question for Ixtaro. \"Teach weapon.\"", "username": "Blizz", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Itxaro did succeed in clarifying, to an extent. The few words they had exchanged did become more clear to her, but understanding the words only ended up raising more questions for Kareet. It was fascinating beyond compare, but still undeniably confusing. As absurd as it seemed, she could not refute the conclusion Nellara and Shirik had come to. \"How could they possibly be unfamiliar with magic?\" Kareet questioned. \"You mean to say that this 'Jotunheim' can somehow fly with no need for magic? I try to keep my mind open to things I do not understand, but that…is a difficult notion to accept.\"\n\nKareet took in a deep breath and paused a moment to focus. \"Okay, let's assume for a moment that they do not use magic. I don't know if we are going to be able to teach them like they want. If none of them have had an awakening, then nothing we could do will work for them. Let's just…hope that showing them is good enough to sate their curiosity.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\nThe metal things coming down the mountainside were clearly machines, which intrigued J'eon. He wanted to take one apart, see how it worked, but such would have to wait until later. Still, he had some ideas... and concerns.\n\nThe sky person they'd surprised was talking to another of its kind, dressed in black. Perhaps that was normal among them?\n\nOnce word of this reached the capital, there would be panic, troops dispatched, representatives of the guilds sent. It would be best if he could establish himself here, get the sky people to talk to him. Good thing he knew a bit about opening new markets.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"Captain,\" Jack Mallory acknowledged, looking up from his phone that was connected to the ship's network. \"I've requested a box of those souvenir pens and some commemorative patches what were to be distributed before the interruption.\"\n\nUnfortunate they lost the keychains, but maybe some got buried with the shuttle?\n\nHe had no idea how the tree was doing that, much less not being consumed by the flames it contained. Did that last bit mean it was challenging the ship's crew to a fireball fight?\n\n\"Captain, we should encourage our... guests to leave, for now,\" he said. \"Go over our recordings, and try to make sense of what's happened, here? Get our efforts a bit more organized, before the next surprise.\"\n\nLike not admitting we're armed, or how many we are, or where we're from.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" } ]

[ { "text": "This situation just kept weirder and shittier for the Humans.\n\nEzra confirmed Wodan's warning to Zey a moment later.\n\n\"We have two dozen foot mobiles approaching on the port side. They're not here for a tea party - I see heavy armour.\"\n\nShe swore under her breath, then addressed Itxaro, Vigdis and (to a lesser extent) Darnell.\n\n\"Guys, stop shaking hands with everyone for a sec. Nellara said whoever blew that horn wasn't a friend, right? So are they not friends with these aliens, not friends with us, or both? I need to know which faction, if any, we can trust, because we've got twenty more soldiers on the way. We're running out of peaceful options here.\"\n\nZey then hurriedly turned to her XO. She spoke quickly and relatively quietly, poking his arm with each point she made.\n\n\"Hold the pens, Mallory. Fuck knows if this new group is friendly or even affiliated with our current guests.\"\n\nShe pointed to the door with her free hand.\n\nI want everyone awake and ready if they aren't already. I also want everyone who knows how to handle a weapon tooled up and tactical, outside that airlock door in four minutes. Tell Feng to free up the med bay and get down here, just in case.\"\n\nShe considered her other options for a moment.\n\n\"Is the nose gun operational? Check with Wodan. If it is, I want it pointed at them or over their heads. Got it? Let's go!\" She lightly slapped Mallory's arm as if to spur him on before turning again.\n\n\"Eva! What is the status of your mech? Can we have you looking big and mean and mobile in the next ninety seconds? If so, let's do that NOW please. Otherwise go grab a weapon from the armoury.\"\n\nFinally, Zey put the communicator back to her lips.\n\n\"Ezra, are you able to fall back inside?\"\n\n\"Not without pushing past all your friends. Droid 2 is stuck close to the new group, hiding.\"\n\nZey swore again.\n\n\"Ok, hold tight but be ready to retreat back inside. What are they all doing now?\"\n\n\"Erm…\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAll eyes of the Glen immediately fixated on J'eon as he shouted back from the edge of the outcropping on which the Jotunheim rested. Excited mutterings rippled around the group; many of the soldiers looked to Silbermine who had edged forward a bit more but didn't speak. The Scripts of Venurwreth told of gifts falling from the heavens, not people. \n\n\"Who is this Glen?\"\n\n\"The Sky People?\"\n\n\"Have they come to help us?\"\n\nSir Sweven turned to Silbermine as well.\n\n\"My lord, could these Sky People have the wisdom we seek?\"\n\nSilbermine held out a hand for silence as a Tekeri in dark armour with gold gilt emerged from the temple.\n\nFor a few moments after Nellara's address, the only sound that could be heard was the faint rustling of leaves in the wind.\n\nThen Silbermine disgorged a huge, braying laugh from inside his helmet. Laughter spread quickly across his retinue, continuing for ten heartbeats before dying away. The portly noble clopped forward, until he was level with Sir Sweven.\n\n\"The Ascendancy claims the mountains.\" He boomed, before turning to his retinue with arms outstretched at either side.\n\n\"Does this look like a mountain to you?!\"\n\n\"NO M'LORD!\" They all shouted in unison.\n\nSilbermine turned back to the Castigator.\n\n\"We have hills like this in Mythadia - intend ye claim those too?!\"\n\nThe Glen laughed again. Silbermine pointed over Nellara's head at the Tamerlane logo emblazoned on the Jo's hull.\n\n\"This temple belongs to the Glen of this March, Sudenúr - just look at the painting on its wall.\"\n\nHe then gestured behind to the trail of destruction leading up the hill, and the outcropping under the Jo.\n\n\"It is damaged after its fall from the heavens. The rock it sits on is not stable. I will have the best engineers from Keraknúr secure it for transport to safer ground. I would speak with the Sky People also.\"", "username": "Catharyn", "char_name": "Tyreese Nwakaeme Darnell" }, { "text": "Kareet of Arcaeda\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAt first, Kareet was unsure of the approach that Castigator Nellara was taking. She moved up to the breach in the wall and took cover on one side, peering out only slightly to avoid exposing herself. She wondered if the Castigator was not overstepping her authority, as the Ascendancy would most certainly be interested in claiming this fortress. They would be interested in learning whatever they could about it, and as a bonus could provide ample protection for the Humans within. She was not sure that Nellara's superiors would agree with her guaranteeing them such unrestricted independence. \n\nHowever, Kareet also was not blind to the complex, and frankly irritating, politics surrounding this situation. As much as she hated to admit it, they were right on the border to Mythadia. As far as she knew, there were no precisely defined borders in this region. They could talk about who had the \"right\" to the land all they wanted, but ultimately, that right would lie with whoever could enforce their claim. This was a prize that was worth fighting for, but the Ascendancy had been involved for years with a territorial dispute with the S'tor over the Sovereignty to the north. Mythadia and Acanata, for all their flaws, were still a powerful force to be reckoned with. The Ascendancy would have to commit substantial forces to have a hope of challenging them, and if that happened, they would not be able to stop the S'tor from claiming everything they wanted. Of course, the Glen were also in a similar situation. There were other S'tor nations farther west on Mythadia's northern border that would not hesitate to jump on the opportunity if the majority of Mythadia's forces were tied up in a war in the east. In the end, only the S'tor would benefit from this escalating too far. No, war simply would not do. With the Humans caught in the middle, it could end up with neither nation being able to learn anything at all from the crash. There was no greater tragedy Kareet could imagine than that.\n\nPerhaps the Castigator was right? The Humans themselves could be the difference-maker here. This Jotunheim was theirs, and they clearly had capabilities beyond their understanding. If they could not bring armies in so close to Mythadia, perhaps diplomacy would yield better results? They could be helpful and polite to the Humans, make a show of respecting their independence, and gain their favor. It might make it more difficult to gain some secrets that they would rather hold close, but something was better than nothing, and \"nothing\" would be exactly what they would get for as long as they remained in a standoff with Mythadia.\n\nCautiously, Kareet stepped up alongside Nellara. \"We have a choke point here, Castigator.\" She said softly, gesturing to the hole in the wall. \"And several mages as force multipliers. But we shouldn't fight them if we can help it, and certainly shouldn't make the first attack. Too risky. Your approach may be the right one. We need to find a way to get the support of the Humans here. I suggest we send for a Thought mage as soon as we can. Perhaps invite this Silbermine to parley? At least something to buy time until we can communicate properly with the Humans.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"I had thought the people of Mythadia to have honor,\" J'eon said somberly. \"Yet here I stand, listening as House Silbermine makes claims on this temple of the Sky People. Is this what you call respect? For I find it sorely lacking!\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\nOw. Ow. Ow.\n\n\"Captain, we may only get one shot with this,\" Jack warns, his voice rasping through the mask's diaphragm. \"If that bird-creature can move metal, one might be able to bend our beam, possibly use it against us.\"\n\nHe heads to the airlock, keying it open so he can step inside before it was half-way open, then closing the hanger-side door in the hope of keeping the locals outside.\n\n\"This is what happens when you don't establish boundaries,\" he mutters. One doesn't tell a being who can move metal at will that you shoot metal bullets out of a gun like it's show and tell.\n\nCycling the inner lock, he stepped through and glared at the box of pens.\n\n\"Get armed up, people! We may have a fight on our hands,\" he says, heading towards the bridge. \n\n\"Wodan!\" Jack called out as he stepped into the bridge. \"Status on the meteor gun, stat!\"", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "Wodan\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nPerched up on one of the consoles near to Jack, a hologram of a crow appeared in his view. Naturally, Wodan was monitoring every detail of what was transpiring as best as he could, so there was no need to reiterate Zey's orders. \"The Jotunheim's cannon is responding and is currently operational, but I must advise caution in its use. It can be rotated and aimed with minimal consequence, but it is an energy-intensive magnetic accelerator weapon, and we are operating on auxiliary power. To put simply, every single shot could take one to two weeks off of our batteries' remaining power. Explosive shells could be fired at lower power for more manageable energy drain, but are dangerous to use in close proximity to the ship.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "@Expendable @EliteCommander\n\n Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar nodded his head thinking that perhaps that would be the best course of action. \"I will try to get back as soon as I can. Hopefully, nothing goes array while I am gone.\" He made his way over to a soldier pointing towards him with a clawed finger, \"I was told by your commander to go to Lenkik to fetch a thought mage, I assume you know where to find one in Lenkik.\"\n\nThe soldier nodded his head before rubbing his head, \"Yes I know where Lenkik is, I will accompany you to find this thought mage. I believe the inquisitors would know where one would be.\" \n\nKolvar had no objections to this suggestion. He would be clueless trying to find the inquisitor by himself. \"It would be best if we take the form of a bird like a creature, it would be a quicker form of travel than walking.\" He didn't seem to care if the soldier was hesitant about being transformed into an animal. Kolvar used his magic to transform himself into a large bird creature. Not caring he was doing so in front of the other soldiers. Doing the same process to the solider. The other soldier watched in amazement as they saw the true power of life magic. \n\nThe two were now flying towards Lenkik. During the course of the flight, Kolvar made no attempt to make conversation with the soldier. Arriving in Lenkik in the middle of the day, transforms himself and the solider back into their original form. \"When speaking to the inquisitors you will show the utmost respect to them. Do you understand?\" \n\nKolvar had a very annoyed look on his face. Responding by nodding his head. \"I will be on my best behaviour.\" He said with slight sarcasm in his voice. He would have to be careful what comes into his mind. He did not want to be found out as a Kriliteran. The two started walking towards a rather beautifully made building. Kolvar had to admire how well designed the Tekeri could build. Following the soldier into the building watching as Terki was speaking with someone.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "High District, Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe Guild of the Inquisitors was nestled into a rarely-visited corner of Lenkik's high district. From the outside, it was a large building of quite exquisitely designed architecture, though being among many others of its sort, it still managed to be unassuming. Unlike other guild halls, there were no markings on the outside to indicate its purpose. Nothing to make it stand out. If someone was important enough to have legitimate business with the Inquisitors' Guild, then they would be able to find them. \n\nThrough the entryway was a large chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Not an uncommon feature for high-class Ascendancy architecture, but what was notable was how bare it all was. In other guilds or businesses, they might adorn the walls with murals, paintings, or carvings. The owners might bring in statues for decoration or arrange proper sitting areas in their lobby. For the Inquisitors, though, their lobby felt like an almost uncomfortably large room of fine, but plain white marble, with just a single desk at its center. \n\nAside from Kolvar and the soldier, there were just three others in the spacious room. In the back, standing on either side of the closed doorway leading in to the rest of the building were two Inquisitor guards, a Glen and a Tekeri. They were what the average person tended to think of when imagining an Inquisitor, as they were the ones who served their guild openly in a defined role. They both wore a full suit of steel laminar armor, including helmets with full masks, engraved with a visage of their own respective species. On the mask, emblazoned at the center of their foreheads was the insignia of the guild: an eye with two pupils, one looking backwards, and another forwards. Both guards carried halberds and stood like statues without so much as acknowledging the new arrivals. \n\nBehind the desk was a Tekeri man of unremarkable build and stature. His feathers were immaculately clean, his beak and talons polished, and he wore the kind of fine jewelry that was common to high class Tekeri, but he otherwise had no uniform. The only thing identifying him as a member of the Inquisitors' Guild was a small, simple medallion with their insignia, which was identical to what any other member of any rank would wear. Sometimes to the irritation of outsiders, it was often difficult to understand exactly who one was dealing with when interacting with members of the guild. Aside from Inquisitor Guards, they wore no uniforms and almost never identified their rank. Their organizational structure was a mystery to anyone outside their guild, and if they were not serving a public-facing position, they would almost certainly not wear the guild insignia. Anyone could be an inquisitor, and the Tekeri man in front of them could have been anything from a prominent officer, to a secretary. \n\nThe Inquisitor did not greet them, but rather waited for one of them to state their business. \"Spearman Major Baraw of Lenkik.\" He began, presenting his rank insignia for the Inquisitor to inspect. As they had shapeshifted to return to Lenkik quickly, it was the only one of his belongings he had been able to bring with him. \"I am here on the order of Nellara, Castigator of the City of Lenkik. I am presenting a formal, emergency request for the services of a Guild Thought Mage.\"\n\nThe Inquisitor did not speak a word in question of the order. To make an emergency request for a Thought Mage was an order that carried considerable weight, as did the consequences for making such an order frivolously. \"Wait here.\" He said firmly before promptly turning around and heading through the doors behind him deeper into the building. \n\nThe wait was quiet, and perhaps awkward, but it was certainly not long. It was hardly more than five minutes before someone returned, though it was not the Tekeri. Rather, it was a pair of Inquisitor Guards, both Glen with polearms like the others guarding the door. One took a step forward towards Kolvar and Baraw. \"Walk with us, and do not deviate from our path.\" She warned the pair. \n\nHeading deeper into the Guild Hall, one of the guards walked in front, while the other walked behind the pair, though the two Glen still walked in perfect step with one another. The hallways were as plain as the lobby; just undecorated marble. Whether or not every room was similarly unremarkable, though, they could not know, as every single door they passed on the way to their destination was closed tight, usually with a guard at its side. There was no way to know if this was normal for the Guild, or if they only took extra precautions when they had visitors. \n\nAlthough none of the doors seemed too different from any other, the Guards appeared to know just where to bring them. One of the Glen opened the door and ushered the pair inside, then both followed them in and closed it behind them. \n\nThis room was one with far more personality than any other they had seen thusfar. It actually looked like it was someone's home, and quite a nice one at that. There were beautiful paintings decorating the walls, expensive furniture, and a wonderful view of the city out the window. Aside from the Guards who had followed them in, there were two other guards who had already been present. One was a Tekeri, while the other was an Iriad: a notable rarity outside of their homeland, though none of their expressions could be seen behind their masks. \n\nAt a large table in the center of the room sat another individual. This time, a S'tor. He was roughly middle-aged with dull red scales, and by the fact that he was unarmored and unmasked, was clearly not one of the guards. In fact, the light smile he gave as his guests approached showed more emotion than every single other person they had met since they had arrived. He wore a vibrant violet robe, with silver embroidery. He was not built like a fighter, but he was still a S'tor. Even an untrained S'tor could still physically overpower any other of Kanth-Aremek's intelligent species. \"Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you both. I am told that I am to be assigned to assist our Castigator. Please, tell me what you need.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "High District, Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nThe Guild of the Inquisitors was nestled into a rarely-visited corner of Lenkik's high district. From the outside, it was a large building of quite exquisitely designed architecture, though being among many others of its sort, it still managed to be unassuming. Unlike other guild halls, there were no markings on the outside to indicate its purpose. Nothing to make it stand out. If someone was important enough to have legitimate business with the Inquisitors' Guild, then they would be able to find them. \n\nThrough the entryway was a large chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Not an uncommon feature for high-class Ascendancy architecture, but what was notable was how bare it all was. In other guilds or businesses, they might adorn the walls with murals, paintings, or carvings. The owners might bring in statues for decoration or arrange proper sitting areas in their lobby. For the Inquisitors, though, their lobby felt like an almost uncomfortably large room of fine, but plain white marble, with just a single desk at its center. \n\nAside from Kolvar and the soldier, there were just three others in the spacious room. In the back, standing on either side of the closed doorway leading in to the rest of the building were two Inquisitor guards, a Glen and a Tekeri. They were what the average person tended to think of when imagining an Inquisitor, as they were the ones who served their guild openly in a defined role. They both wore a full suit of steel laminar armor, including helmets with full masks, engraved with a visage of their own respective species. On the mask, emblazoned at the center of their foreheads was the insignia of the guild: an eye with two pupils, one looking backwards, and another forwards. Both guards carried halberds and stood like statues without so much as acknowledging the new arrivals. \n\nBehind the desk was a Tekeri man of unremarkable build and stature. His feathers were immaculately clean, his beak and talons polished, and he wore the kind of fine jewelry that was common to high class Tekeri, but he otherwise had no uniform. The only thing identifying him as a member of the Inquisitors' Guild was a small, simple medallion with their insignia, which was identical to what any other member of any rank would wear. Sometimes to the irritation of outsiders, it was often difficult to understand exactly who one was dealing with when interacting with members of the guild. Aside from Inquisitor Guards, they wore no uniforms and almost never identified their rank. Their organizational structure was a mystery to anyone outside their guild, and if they were not serving a public-facing position, they would almost certainly not wear the guild insignia. Anyone could be an inquisitor, and the Tekeri man in front of them could have been anything from a prominent officer, to a secretary. \n\nThe Inquisitor did not greet them, but rather waited for one of them to state their business. \"Spearman Major Baraw of Lenkik.\" He began, presenting his rank insignia for the Inquisitor to inspect. As they had shapeshifted to return to Lenkik quickly, it was the only one of his belongings he had been able to bring with him. \"I am here on the order of Nellara, Castigator of the City of Lenkik. I am presenting a formal, emergency request for the services of a Guild Thought Mage.\"\n\nThe Inquisitor did not speak a word in question of the order. To make an emergency request for a Thought Mage was an order that carried considerable weight, as did the consequences for making such an order frivolously. \"Wait here.\" He said firmly before promptly turning around and heading through the doors behind him deeper into the building. \n\nThe wait was quiet, and perhaps awkward, but it was certainly not long. It was hardly more than five minutes before someone returned, though it was not the Tekeri. Rather, it was a pair of Inquisitor Guards, both Glen with polearms like the others guarding the door. One took a step forward towards Kolvar and Baraw. \"Walk with us, and do not deviate from our path.\" She warned the pair. \n\nHeading deeper into the Guild Hall, one of the guards walked in front, while the other walked behind the pair, though the two Glen still walked in perfect step with one another. The hallways were as plain as the lobby; just undecorated marble. Whether or not every room was similarly unremarkable, though, they could not know, as every single door they passed on the way to their destination was closed tight, usually with a guard at its side. There was no way to know if this was normal for the Guild, or if they only took extra precautions when they had visitors. \n\nAlthough none of the doors seemed too different from any other, the Guards appeared to know just where to bring them. One of the Glen opened the door and ushered the pair inside, then both followed them in and closed it behind them. \n\nThis room was one with far more personality than any other they had seen thusfar. It actually looked like it was someone's home, and quite a nice one at that. There were beautiful paintings decorating the walls, expensive furniture, and a wonderful view of the city out the window. Aside from the Guards who had followed them in, there were two other guards who had already been present. One was a Tekeri, while the other was an Iriad: a notable rarity outside of their homeland, though none of their expressions could be seen behind their masks. \n\nAt a large table in the center of the room sat another individual. This time, a S'tor. He was roughly middle-aged with dull red scales, and by the fact that he was unarmored and unmasked, was clearly not one of the guards. In fact, the light smile he gave as his guests approached showed more emotion than every single other person they had met since they had arrived. He wore a vibrant violet robe, with silver embroidery. He was not built like a fighter, but he was still a S'tor. Even an untrained S'tor could still physically overpower any other of Kanth-Aremek's intelligent species. \"Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you both. I am told that I am to be assigned to assist our Castigator. Please, tell me what you need.\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" }, { "text": "Kolvar Stilmyst\n\nKolvar avoided the gaze of the armed guards. He stayed quiet while the soldier would introduce himself. \"My name is Kercheck. I was told to help with fetching a thought mage.\" He really hoped no one could read his mind. If this was the case, he would have to keep his mind blank. While waiting he was tapping his clawed finger on a nearby table. The rhythm is an old Kriliteran slave song. \n\n Walking with the guards along with the soldier. Keeping close to them. And felt quite anxious about who the inquisitor would be. He was quite impressed by the design of the exterior and interior of the building. Being particularly interested in the paintings that hung up on the wall of the inquisitor's office. He wondered if a Kriliteran had painted some of them. For a moment he stopped to squint and see if there was any sign of a Kriliteran who had painted these. There would be a very specific marking somewhere hidden in the painting. Of course, his train of thought was interrupted by the soldier touching his shoulder. \"My apologies I was distracted by the craftsmanship of these paintings.\" He followed the soldier without any further interruptions. \n\nStopping in the middle of the room, looking petrified seeing the S'tor standing in front of them. Kolvar's clawed hands were shaking, he felt immense anger starting to build up. His face didn't show it, but his body was showing visible signs of pure rage. He took a few deep breaths before speaking. \"We need your services speaking to some foreigners that had recently arrived in Kanth-Aremek. They do not speak the common tongue, and we need to communicate with them to lower tensions. A group of glen folk arrived as soon as Castigato Nellara arrived. Do you know of House Silbermine? They claimed to be from that group, and wanted to claim the contents of the ship.\" He tried to keep a level head while speaking to the S'tor.", "username": "Eviledd1984", "char_name": "Kolvar Stilmyst" }, { "text": "High District, Lenkik\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nAs the S'tor listened, he took a cup of something from the table in front of him and took a sip, though still kept his gaze firmly on Kercheck. It was steaming hot, and from the scent in the air, seemed to be some sort of tea. \"Arrived in Kanth-Aremek recently you say? This has something to do with that brilliant light in the sky a few days back, yes? Visitors from beyond our world…what a spectacular occurrence.\" He remarked. The S'tor was soft-spoken, and seemed rather calm considering how significant this news was. \"Ah, but where are my manners? I am Gar'Tan, Thought mage in gracious service to Lenkik. So of course, Castigator Nellara's word is my command.\"\n\nWhile barely noticeable to their guests, the Iriad gave a quick gesture towards the two Glen Inquisitors. \"Make the preparations.\" They ordered. Without hesitation, the two Glen took their leave, though the other two Inquisitors remained. \n\nGar'Tan continued without interruption. \"I cannot say I am personally familiar with Mythadia's noble houses, but I do know their type. I can do my best to facilitate communications between all three groups. Please, while we are waiting, tell me what these visitors are like?\"", "username": "EliteCommander", "char_name": "Kareet of Arcaeda" } ]

[ { "text": "J'eon the Blacksmith\n\n\"An exchange of gifts,\" grumbled J'eon, watching as Lord Silbermine take the offered pen and toss something of his own back before locking his chest up. \n\nOr did Silbermine see it as something else? A tribute? Or proof of the Sky People's favor?\n\n\"I hope for reason, for good relations,\" the blacksmith rumbled, rubbing his chin. \"Why do I fear this will not go well?\"\n\n\n\n---\n\n\n\nJack Mallory, X.O.\n\n\"We set boundaries,\" Jack stated flatly. \"We do not let them inside the ship. Those giant armed deer guys can't fit, but they must be murder on open plains and roads. However, the others aren't much bigger than we are, so we have to make it clear they're not allowed inside until we're ready for them.\"\n\n\"With everything that's happened, the hanger will have to do. We'll put up a table, the flags, all the bunting we can find - but we install a defensive barrier of some sort to keep them away from the airlock,\" he stated. \"It'll hopefully avoid any rushes and give us a position should there be an attack.\" Like flamethrower attacks from that burning tree. Let's hope the heat shielding is still intact.\n\n\"Second, we need to learn whatever language they're speaking,\" Jack added. \"Wodan, are you able to listen in on the locals and work out their language?\" Please tell me someone somewhere thought it was possible their AI would need such a thing should they encounter other alien races out here... wherever here was.", "username": "Expendable", "char_name": "J'eon of Mythadia" }, { "text": "The Jonsdottir Line wasn't needed in the end. They could all breathe a sigh of relief. There was a welcome pause to return the equipment and decompress before the captain called the meeting, letting Vigdis kind of sort out what just happened in her head. They still had no clue what was happening, where they were or who to believe, but the historical example of native Americans called for caution. But nobody died. Yet. That was a plus.\n\"I think we should figure out a way to ask them for samples of their food. We don't know how long it will take to get flying again, and if at least some of their food is edible to us and we could secure a steady supply, we could even thaw out the frozen goods, gain some extra manpower and stop wasting power on the cryo pods in one go.\" Technically, she wasn't supposed to know about those, but power became a hot topic the second they realized the crash scrammed both their reactors and the pods were the first thing Chief Zhao brought up when they discussed power saving measures over lunch.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nAfter the meeting, Vigdis hurried to intercept the captain to apologize for sidestepping ehr authority when Ezra spooked the locals and assuring her it wouldn't happen again before going about her duties. Despite the unforeseen developments, the day was only starting. Seeing a chance to show off one of the many reasons why keeping in humanity's good graces might be a good idea and taking advantage of the fact that the words 'stay' and 'repair' were known, she used the two plus gestures to invite any locals that stayed near the ship to her own magic show: It started with a few trips to the storage bay and workshop to bring a fire extinguisher, a few spare welding masks for any onlookers and some hull patches - four millimeter thick rolled titanium squares and rectangles of various sizes. Then she fiddled around with the media player on her wristpad, setting it to loudspeaker. Always work in style and comfort if possible. Using notes she'd made on the second day, the marker and a plasma cutter, she cut the patches into shape so they would fit the jigsaw puzzle that would temporarily cover the hole in the hull. Then came the main number of the show - the tungsten electrode inert gas arc welder.\n\n\nWith the first panel in place, everyone who stuck around would receive a palm-sized scrap of the titanium patches left over after cutting them onto which she wrote the recipient's name with the welder, or her best guess of how to write the names in latin script based on how they sounded to her, doing her best to explain what it was by pointing and repeating names. She took great care to take the high oxygen environment into account, despite the fact that these welds would not be holding pressure, and a little over nine hours later plus lunch, what had been a hole in the hull that accidentally facilitated first contact with three separate species was once again a wall.\n\nWith the work outside done, Vigdis borrowed some quarantine sheets from the medical bay and secured them to the sides of the damaged ramp with the aid of liberal amounts of duct tape to create a temporary seal. The damaged ramp would have to wait, there were more pressing problems to sort out. After waiting for the life support system to normalize the air inside the now sealed shuttle bay so she could work without setting everything on fire and civvies could start cleaning up and organizing the space according to the officers' wishes, it was another two hours of reinforcing the patched wall and then adding a second layer inside that would actually act as the pressure hull. Work done well called for a beer. Being marooned sucked.\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nVigdis spent the short remainder of the work day going over the ship's power grid centimeter by centimeter, looking for any damaged wiring where they could be wasting power to heat losses. Come evening, they weren't even halfway done when they clocked out. Vigdis stole a few minutes to sit atop the Jotunheim and watch the sunset, this time with a breathing mask. She didn't want to breathe in the invigorating, oxygen rich mixture before going to sleep, thinking the day's events would make it hard to fall asleep anyway. Tomorrow, Zhao would take over the power grid unless something more pressing demanded her attention and Vigdis would help Varen with engine checks. That was going to be grim, ultimately deciding if they would ever return home or die on this strange new world.", "username": "Starlance", "char_name": "Jonsdottir, Vigdis" } ]

[ { "text": "\"Uh... Pokémon of Ruin?? W-what are those? I certainly wouldn't know,\" was all Harry managed to get out before he folded up his map and dashed out of the café. Once he was far enough away and his adrenaline died down, he smacked himself on the forehead. \"Real smooth, Kleinberg. It's not like you've been studying this for the last two weeks.\" As if to emphasize his boneheaded nature, Striker suddenly perched on Harry's head and added a peck of his own. \n\n\"Ruff! Ruff!\" the little bird chirped between pecks. \n\n\"Ouch! I get it, Striker!\" Harry reached up a hand in a vain attempt to shoo his partner off his head, but to no avail. \"Look, I know I said we'll need extra hands if we want to find these Pokémon, but I'm not ready yet.\" In response, his partner cooed. Striker remembered 'the incident' all too well to know that Harry had trouble when it came to making friends. For Arceus' sake, he likely wouldn't have approached Ms. Raifort were it not for Lenora's recommendation. With a sigh, Harry turned his attention toward Papas Academy. The morning bell would be ringing any minute and students were required to meet on the battle courts for the announcement of the \"Treasure Hunt'. As he began to ascend the steps, Harry slid off his backpack and gently placed the map inside. He could worry about finding his travelling companions later. \n\n@Crimson Flame", "username": "TheNoCoKid", "char_name": "Harry Kleinberg" }, { "text": "Alyssa briefly glanced up as she heard slight commotion going on elsewhere in the cafeteria, though didn't take too much notice, figuring it really wasn't any of her business what others did with their pokemon in here. Although, seeing someone else with their pokemon out, as well as another boy who got his own out afterwards, she... almost wanted to get out her own, as she knew they likely weren't too happy in their pokeballs. At the same time, though, she didn't want to cause any commotion herself, and she knew that Danny would likely cause a commotion. She supposed Rosie would've been fine, but if she got Rosie out, then Danny would want to come out as well, so best to just not, she thought. \n\nInstead, she turned back to her notebook, though once again was distracted as she heard a quiet whine besides her. Ah. One of the pokemon - a Rockruff - had approached her table, and seemed very interested in her croissant. The problem with this was that said Rockruff was extremely adorable, and Alyssa really wasn't sure if she could say no to her. That was a problem, of course, because she really did want that croissant. \n\nShe glanced up at Rockruff's owner, a taller but friendly-enough looking boy, who seemed to be apologising for his pokemon's behaviour, at least. \"Don't worry, uh- it's fine,\" she said, returning the boy's smile, before breaking off a piece of her croissant and offering it out to the Rockruff. And then, because she now felt bad for feeding someone else's pokemon but not her own, she let Rosie and Danny out of their balls, Rosie curling up on the seat besides her and Danny sitting on the table. Likewise, she offered a little of her breakfast to each of them, and thankfully with the distraction of eating they both behaved well enough.", "username": "lotusthevoid", "char_name": "Alyssa Hudson" }, { "text": "Instantly seeing through Harry's denial, Renata gave a light chuckle. \"You're a fellow history enthusiast, there's no way you can't know about the Ruinous Quartet. Did you figure out how to find them?\" Had he learned the locations of the stakes as well as the tombs? Or was he in the process of doing so? She trailed after him as he rushed out, only to lose sight of him in the crowd milling through the grounds. She didn't even need to check her Rotom phone to know the bell would be ringing soon, the cue for the gathering at the battle courts, where the Treasure Hunt would be announced.\n\n\"We might as well make a move,\" she murmured to Maera, who bounded beside her as she traipsed up the steps. The Treasure Hunt. The thought of it made her nerves buzz with equal measures of excitement and trepidation. What kind of treasure could she expect to gain? A collection of gym badges? A large team of ghost type Pokemon? Or... Could she really hope to uncover the mysteries behind the Treasures of Ruin, even though Harry was ahead of her in that regard?\n\nSilent amidst the chattering students, she sipped her slushie as she waited for the announcement, eyes scanning the already sizeable crowd for Harry. She'd have a few questions to ask him later.", "username": "LuckyBlackCat", "char_name": "Renata Delarosa" }, { "text": "He heard Renata mumble something, and Adam was happy to answer. \"We read in class, then we have to come home, and read more for these stupid tests they make us take. I dunno about you, but I'd rather be out there doing shit instead of inside reading about it.\" He then lightly punched Renata on the shoulder. \"You really should speak up.\"\n\nHarry and Renata were talking about nerd stuff. Adam was more interested in the section of the map marked POWERFUL POKEMON. There was something about Pokémon of Ruin or whatever… That sounded cool, but there was really no time to talk about it further. The bell would be ringing soon, and everyone would be headed to school where they would finally announce the treasure hunt. \"Race you losers there!\" Adam exclaimed before running at top speed. His Charmeleon running by his side.\n\nWhen he made it, he commanded Inferno to fire off a flamethrower into the sky, thinking he had made it there first.", "username": "Crimson Flame", "char_name": "Adam Hayes" } ]

[ { "text": "Just as he popped another donut into his mouth, a brunette materialize into view. The girl looking surprised to see him. His honey eyes snapped over to her as he gave her a stony stare. Normally, that was enough to make people back away, but not this girl. She greeted him, apologized, and invited him to join her exercise routine the moment they met. His watching eyes stayed the same as he slowly chewed and swallowed the food. Talkative and friendly, she was giving off outgoing vibes despite her claim of not being a morning person. Honestly, this girl reminded Sam of the people in Alola he bumped into daily. Those cheery types of people were tiring to be around, and he would rather be left alone.\n\nBefore Sam could voice such thoughts, his pink Cutiefly stopped dancing around the flowerbed to inspect the new arrivals. Manly started by flying circles around the fruits of the Tropius before fluttering in front of the girl. Staring for a moment, it let out a happy cry. It then preceded to fly laps around her head pausing occasionally to glance back at his trainer. This got an annoyed grunt from Sam as he watched the tiny Pokémon. However, despite the clear disapproval, he didn't look particularly furious at the Pokémon. A sigh escaped, and after taking sip from his silver thermos, the teen's honey-colored eyes shifted to the face of the girl.\n\n\"Alola...\" Sam began with an Alolan-styled greeting with the accompanying waving-like hand motion. A habit he had gained from living in the Alola region for many years. His rigid and aloof delivery and expression did not match the typical Alola vibe. \"Honestly, sounds bothersome,\" He bluntly admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck. \"But I guess I'll give and play along this time.\" His eyes were definitely locked on his Pokémon when he added that and not the girl who invited him.\n\nThe teen then began to gather his remaining food, stored in some plastic storage containers. Not because he was done eating, but so that food wouldn't get soiled and the area was a little tidier. Sam pushed his things against the wall before getting to his feet, and the size difference between them was noticeable. The girl's head barely reached his shoulder it appeared. He crossed his arms as his line vision angled downwards.\n\n\"Name's Sam.\" He firmly and indifferently introduced himself, \"That's Manly.\" With that short introduction out, he didn't say or do anything else. He just stood there and stared at the girl as he waited for a name or something.", "username": "InnerFlame", "char_name": "Samuel Oliver Faerison, Sam for short" }, { "text": "As he tried to stay focused, Harry suddenly felt an odd sensation near his right leg. Almost as if... his soul was being drained. Taking a moment to realize he wasn't stuck in his terrible part-time job back home, Harry looked down to see a little white dog Pokémon pawing at his leg. He recognized the dog as one he'd seen around the academy, but he couldn't recall the name. On instinct, he raised his Xtranceiver and pressed a button to activate the pokedex app he'd modified onto it. A holographic screen flared to life above his wrist, identifying the Pokemon as a Greavard. Harry felt a shiver run down his spine when he realized it was a ghost-type. \n\n\"Hey there, little guy...\" Harry cautiously lowered a hand to the small creature when he heard a sigh over his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a girl standing behind him holding some sort of frozen drink in her hands. It took him a few moments to recognize her as one of his classmates from History. \"Oh hello. It's... Renata right? Is this your Greavard?\" Before Renata had a chance to reply, the door to the Sea Breeze Café swung open and another classmate - Adam Hayes - stepped in. It was all Harry could do to keep himself from rolling his eyes when Adam walked up to his table. He'd had plenty of experience with wannabe tough guys like Adam back in his home region and today was the last day he wanted one to be getting on his nerves. \n\n\"Ugh... Hi, Adam,\" said Harry as he quickly began to gather up his materials, muttering under his breath as he went, \"Why is it when I don't want to be bothered, that's when everyone suddenly shows up?\" As he slid the last of his books into his backpack, Harry turned and saw both Adam and Renata staring intently at his map. Specifically, the map where he'd marked out the presumed locations of the four Pokémon of Ruin. Renata's eyes were intently staring at the locations while Adam seemed fixated on where Harry had written out the details of of the four, in particular the spot where he'd underlined \"POWERFUL POKEMON\".", "username": "TheNoCoKid", "char_name": "Harry Kleinberg" } ]

[ { "text": "\"Hey Sam, I'm Jordan and this is AJ and Aguacita,\" she said, pointing at the Tropius and Wattrel respectively for introuctions. \"Nice to meet you.\" She smiled and clapped her hands together, \"I tend to do a quick set of dynamic stretches to warm up the body and wake up a bit for the day. Don't push yourself or try to stretch further than you feel comfortable, we don't want to drag the nurse out here. So, first is easy; just some arm swings.\" Jordan lifted her arms and swung them across her body, slowly at first to see if Sam followed suit. He was a bit uncanny, but polite and seemed open to new things, even if he was a little off putting about it. He moved slowly, maybe even too slow to even feel a stretch, but Jordan decided he was moving at least and that would suffice for an impromptu morning workout buddy.\n\n\"Cool! You should feel it in your upper arms and shoulder going out, and your back going in.\" She stopped after maybe a dozen reps and sighed in content. \"Moving on, leg swings are great for hips and hamstrings, but we need something to balance with. AJ?\" She motioned to him and the Tropius lowered his neck at waist height. Jordan used her left arm to balance while swinging her left leg forwards and backwards. \"We can also go across,\" she said, breathy from exertion, \"but it's a bit trickier to balance so we'll stick to simple.\" She only glanced once at Sam with an encouraging smile, her classmate giving AJ a careful stare. Jordan knew AJ was a gentle giant and she loved him for it.\n\n\"Nice, looks like you're getting the hang of it. I'm skipping a few of them, but if you want the whole routine we could meet up again some other morning. Anyway, on to the next.\" She walked him through a handful more stretches. It felt like he didn't really feel interested so she didn't want to bore him or make him any more uncomfortable than he already was. Really, who walks up to a random classmate and asks to do stretching with them before class? Weird people, that's who. Though her negtive thoughts were disheartening, she put on a smile and sighs at the end of the shortened routine.\n\n\"Now that's how you start a morning. Oh! And last but not least, Tropius fruit is a national delicacy in Hoenn, or so I tell myself.\" She chuckled while gently plucking a pair of yellow fruits from her Pokémon. \"Want to try one?\" She offered one to him before taking a bite of her own.\n\n\"Thanks,\" he nodded and accepted the fruit, breaking off a tiny piece to offer to his Cutiefly perched on his head \"It's sweet. It's not bad.\" Jordan did a silent celebration in her head. That might be the most she would get out of her stoic companion this morning so she chalked it up as a win.", "username": "Skill", "char_name": "Jordan Staar" }, { "text": "@lotusthevoid\n\nThe blonde guy introduced himself as Jean, and his tatsugiri as... did he say \"Guiri\"? Er, no, must be \"Giri\", like \"Tatsugiri\". \"Hi Giri, heh, that's easy to remember, huh?\" Pete joked. Unlike Luna, who was begging at Jean for more pets and attention, Giri didn't look particularly friendly, so Pete didn't try to engage her in the same way. In fact, she seemed pretty territorial over Jean's sandwich. Luna turned curiously at the hissing noises, tipping her head and wagging her tail. She gave a jealous whine as Jean took Giri into his arms, so Pete clicked his tongue at her and offered more of his sandwich, which pacified her. \n\nPete continued to chew his lunch as Jean moved on to his other pokemon, which he explained was a frogardier. \"Cool, hey Ribbit,\" Pete greeted. His face twisted into confusion as Jean explained they were from Kalos. That explained why he didn't think twice about what he named his tatsugiri. \"Kalos...\" He looked like he was thinking really hard about it. \"Is that the poffin one? Er, sorry, I'm not good with geography...\"\n\nThe remainder of the sandwich was devoured in one impossibly large bite. Luna whined sadly, though Pete knew she'd had plenty already, so he chuckled at her. All the reason to have a second lunch a bit later. \"So, you excited for the Treasure Hunt?\" Pete asked to make conversation. He didn't notice Luna slip away from the table, her nose sniffing aggressively. \"Me and my pokemon are gonna try to find these mythical herbs that are supposed to be miracle cures for things. Gonna try to cultivate them. Only problem is they're found in these caves that used to be guarded by giant pokemon – dunno if they still are.\" \n\nLuna's nose led her to a bespeckled purple-haired girl eating pastries. She sat on her haunches with her tongue lolling out, staring intently at the girl. To up the ante, she sat up, her front paws dangling, and let out a quiet whine. \n\nAs quiet as the whine was, Pete's neck whipped toward Luna and the girl as if she'd yelped. He took in the scene and relaxed. \"Luna, if you want dessert, I'll get you dessert,\" Pete promised, smiling apologetically at the girl. Luna looked over at her trainer, tempted by the offer, but then looked hopefully back at the purple-haired girl.", "username": "Tangy", "char_name": "Pete Johnson" }, { "text": "\"Uh... Pokémon of Ruin?? W-what are those? I certainly wouldn't know,\" was all Harry managed to get out before he folded up his map and dashed out of the café. Once he was far enough away and his adrenaline died down, he smacked himself on the forehead. \"Real smooth, Kleinberg. It's not like you've been studying this for the last two weeks.\" As if to emphasize his boneheaded nature, Striker suddenly perched on Harry's head and added a peck of his own. \n\n\"Ruff! Ruff!\" the little bird chirped between pecks. \n\n\"Ouch! I get it, Striker!\" Harry reached up a hand in a vain attempt to shoo his partner off his head, but to no avail. \"Look, I know I said we'll need extra hands if we want to find these Pokémon, but I'm not ready yet.\" In response, his partner cooed. Striker remembered 'the incident' all too well to know that Harry had trouble when it came to making friends. For Arceus' sake, he likely wouldn't have approached Ms. Raifort were it not for Lenora's recommendation. With a sigh, Harry turned his attention toward Papas Academy. The morning bell would be ringing any minute and students were required to meet on the battle courts for the announcement of the \"Treasure Hunt'. As he began to ascend the steps, Harry slid off his backpack and gently placed the map inside. He could worry about finding his travelling companions later. \n\n@Crimson Flame", "username": "TheNoCoKid", "char_name": "Harry Kleinberg" }, { "text": "Alyssa briefly glanced up as she heard slight commotion going on elsewhere in the cafeteria, though didn't take too much notice, figuring it really wasn't any of her business what others did with their pokemon in here. Although, seeing someone else with their pokemon out, as well as another boy who got his own out afterwards, she... almost wanted to get out her own, as she knew they likely weren't too happy in their pokeballs. At the same time, though, she didn't want to cause any commotion herself, and she knew that Danny would likely cause a commotion. She supposed Rosie would've been fine, but if she got Rosie out, then Danny would want to come out as well, so best to just not, she thought. \n\nInstead, she turned back to her notebook, though once again was distracted as she heard a quiet whine besides her. Ah. One of the pokemon - a Rockruff - had approached her table, and seemed very interested in her croissant. The problem with this was that said Rockruff was extremely adorable, and Alyssa really wasn't sure if she could say no to her. That was a problem, of course, because she really did want that croissant. \n\nShe glanced up at Rockruff's owner, a taller but friendly-enough looking boy, who seemed to be apologising for his pokemon's behaviour, at least. \"Don't worry, uh- it's fine,\" she said, returning the boy's smile, before breaking off a piece of her croissant and offering it out to the Rockruff. And then, because she now felt bad for feeding someone else's pokemon but not her own, she let Rosie and Danny out of their balls, Rosie curling up on the seat besides her and Danny sitting on the table. Likewise, she offered a little of her breakfast to each of them, and thankfully with the distraction of eating they both behaved well enough.", "username": "lotusthevoid", "char_name": "Alyssa Hudson" } ]

[ { "text": "Instantly seeing through Harry's denial, Renata gave a light chuckle. \"You're a fellow history enthusiast, there's no way you can't know about the Ruinous Quartet. Did you figure out how to find them?\" Had he learned the locations of the stakes as well as the tombs? Or was he in the process of doing so? She trailed after him as he rushed out, only to lose sight of him in the crowd milling through the grounds. She didn't even need to check her Rotom phone to know the bell would be ringing soon, the cue for the gathering at the battle courts, where the Treasure Hunt would be announced.\n\n\"We might as well make a move,\" she murmured to Maera, who bounded beside her as she traipsed up the steps. The Treasure Hunt. The thought of it made her nerves buzz with equal measures of excitement and trepidation. What kind of treasure could she expect to gain? A collection of gym badges? A large team of ghost type Pokemon? Or... Could she really hope to uncover the mysteries behind the Treasures of Ruin, even though Harry was ahead of her in that regard?\n\nSilent amidst the chattering students, she sipped her slushie as she waited for the announcement, eyes scanning the already sizeable crowd for Harry. She'd have a few questions to ask him later.", "username": "LuckyBlackCat", "char_name": "Renata Delarosa" }, { "text": "He heard Renata mumble something, and Adam was happy to answer. \"We read in class, then we have to come home, and read more for these stupid tests they make us take. I dunno about you, but I'd rather be out there doing shit instead of inside reading about it.\" He then lightly punched Renata on the shoulder. \"You really should speak up.\"\n\nHarry and Renata were talking about nerd stuff. Adam was more interested in the section of the map marked POWERFUL POKEMON. There was something about Pokémon of Ruin or whatever… That sounded cool, but there was really no time to talk about it further. The bell would be ringing soon, and everyone would be headed to school where they would finally announce the treasure hunt. \"Race you losers there!\" Adam exclaimed before running at top speed. His Charmeleon running by his side.\n\nWhen he made it, he commanded Inferno to fire off a flamethrower into the sky, thinking he had made it there first.", "username": "Crimson Flame", "char_name": "Adam Hayes" }, { "text": "One hour later...\n\nHarry leaned against the far wall only half paying attention as Director Clavell's voice echoed from the loudreds onstage. \"Go wherever you want, travel across Paldea, and find something to treasure!\". Mentally, Harry was already plotting out the path to the first vault on his Xtranceiver. He could probably make it in a day and a half if Rotor decided he was willing to cooperate today. Thinking about getting back on that Cyclizar was enough to make Harry shudder. He'd read that Cyclizar was the main method of transport around the Paldea reagion and had counted himself extremely lucky when he found one on its own shortly after arriving. However, Rotor proved he didn't like the idea of being a trainer's Pokémon and would often rebel unless Harry made a peace offering with food. From on top of his trainer's head, Striker cooed protectively. He could sense Harry's cautiousness and saw him fiddling with Rotor's Pokeball. \"Rrrr...\" Even the small bird wasn't Rotor's biggest fan. \n\nAs Clavell's speech was drawing to a close, Harry looked up to see the assembled students break out into cheers and applause. Large groups began to break off and push to get to the exits while other students let out their flying Pokémon and airlifted themselves out of the school. \"Welp. Looks like it's time to go, buddy. We'll see how Rotor is feeling once we get to Mezagoza Square\" Turning his attention to the crowd in front of him, Harry began making the trek back through the school. Already, he was imagining the praise he'd receive upon finding these four lost Pokémon. Harry was so lost in thought, he didn't notice a pair of eyes following him the whole way down. \n\n@Tangy@Skill@Yasha@Crimson Flame@LuckyBlackCat@InnerFlame@Rin@Agunimon", "username": "TheNoCoKid", "char_name": "Harry Kleinberg" } ]

[ { "text": "From the back of the Sea Breeze Cafe, Renata gave a wry smile as she eyed the student hunched over books and papers. Harry Kleinberg, fellow history enthusiast. The chatter permeating the air drowned out his murmurs to his Rufflet, but she had a good idea what he may be studying. Ever since day one, he'd been set on uncovering the truth behind a certain legend - the same legend that piqued her interest.\n\nThe Treasures of Ruin. Artifacts brought to life by destructive human emotions, becoming Pokemon powerful enough to fell a kingdom. The story claimed they were sealed away in tombs to this day, which could only be unlocked by pulling stakes hidden across the region. History could be difficult to tell from myth, but it was worth looking into. Ms Raifort seemed to deem it more than a mere folktale, and as much as Harry wanted to take the investigation upon himself, it would give her a much-needed goal. That and if she were the one to make such a breakthrough, nobody would make fun of her again.\n\nFor now, though, she had a different plan in mind. With Harry engrossed in his work, she couldn't pass up this opportunity. Good thing she'd bought an iced beverage, the warmth of the non-mountainous lands being something she had yet to grow used to. Sipping the strawberry slushie, she gripped the cup until her fingers started to go numb from the cold. \"Shhh, don't let him know I'm here,\" she whispered to Maera, who looked up from her half-eaten sandwich, wispy tail wagging. Renata stood, the corners of her lips twitching as she crept up behind Harry, hand outstretched.\n\nOf course, no sooner had she brushed her chilled fingertips against the back of his neck than a bark cut through the cafeteria sounds. Maera, completely ignoring Renata's words, bounded up to Harry with a series of playful yaps and pawed at his ankle. Withdrawing her hand, Renata sighed. For some reason, the pranks she tried to pull on Harry never quite worked.", "username": "LuckyBlackCat", "char_name": "Renata Delarosa" }, { "text": "Adam Hayes also went to the Seabreeze Cafe, with Inferno his Charmeleon in tow. You were never going to a piping hot cup of hot chocolate. No way! Inferno also got a treat too. As he sipped his drink, he found Harry and Renata at a table. Harry's nose was buried in a bunch of books. Typical. Adam never understood the appeal of reading about stuff, when there was a whole wide world to explore! You could be out there actually doing things!\n\n\"¡Hola amigo!\" Adam exclaimed as he put his hand on the table and leaned against it. \"Whatcha doin? You still have your nose in a book, huh? ¿En serio? Don't you do enough of that in class?\" He rolled his eyes. \"Whatever… They're going to announce the treasure hunt soon. Then we can actually be out there doing shit, instead of reading about other people doing shit! This is my year! I'm going to get all 8 badges and become the champion! NO ONE'S GONNA STOP ME!\" He excitedly put his fist up in the air.\n\nThe Charmeleon mimicked his trainers gestures. \"CHAAAARMELEON!\"\n\n\"That sure as hell beats studying anytime.\"", "username": "Crimson Flame", "char_name": "Adam Hayes" }, { "text": "Sam quietly sipped his coffee from his stainless steel thermos as he sat in the schoolyard at Papas Academy. He was stationed behind the flowerbed with his back against the school building. He hoped the tall blue flowering bushes would obscure him enough that people wouldn't notice him. The teen's bag and breakfast from the cafeteria were spread out beside him, and he was slowly making his way through some donut holes and a breakfast sandwich. \n\nSam had barely been in the region for a month before his enrollment into the school. His body hadn't yet adjusted to this new region, so he had been sleeping poorly. Thankfully a thickly applied layer of eyeliner hid any signs of his tiredness. The teen couldn't say he was incredibly thrilled being pushed into another of his parents' random whims, but Sam was starting to enjoy going to school. Some things he liked, some things he didn't. One of those dislikes were that he wanted to wear his gothic clothes rather than the school uniform. The silver chains, piercings, and pink heart hair clip he was wearing today were pretty much the most he could get away with wearing. Sam would be removing the uniform once he was off campus.\n\nSam could hear other students chatting and running around beyond his field of vision, but he didn't care much about that. Just breathing in the sweet scent of flowers, his golden eyes watched an enthusiastic pink speck zip around the flowerbed. The teen boy would have remained in his dorm room until class time if it wasn't for his Cutiefly, Manly. Seeing how happy the little pokémon was to be around flowers made the trip worth it. Taking another sip of his drink, Sam tried his best to ignore the presence of others and enjoy his time eating among the flowers.", "username": "InnerFlame", "char_name": "Samuel Oliver Faerison, Sam for short" } ]

[ { "text": "@Crimson Flame\n\nJust as Renata was about to reply, an all too familiar hyperactive redhead burst in. She tensed, wincing at Adam's snide comments about Harry's studying. \"Nothing wrong with reading...\" she muttered, the words coming out a little quieter than she'd intended. Although she'd been pleasantly surprised to find out the academy's reputation was deserved, and bullying didn't happen anywhere near as much as it had at her last school, she couldn't help keeping on guard against this type of behaviour, whether directed at her or others. If only she could give confident, witty responses, like how Ryme replied to detractors, instead of continuing to be that wary and closed-off kid.\n\nAs Harry began gathering up his stationery - not that Renata blamed him, with Adam around - she motioned to her Greavard. \"Maera, come on, down.\" This time, Maera obeyed, earning a rub on the back and a twitch of a smile from Renata. \"Buena perrita. Sorry about that just now, Maera gets excited around people, and sometimes drains their life force.\" Realising too late how creepy this must sound to someone unaccustomed to ghost types, she hastily added, \"Not enough to do any major or permanent damage. Between that and her high energy, she just might make you a little run-down.\" She glanced back at Maera, who sniffed around Adam, restraining herself for now.\n\nSomething on the table caught her attention. She turned her head, staring at the large map. Four points stood out, details of powerful Pokemon noted under them. With a twinge of envy that Harry had figured out the locations first, Renata drew closer, making the connection right away. \"Would those be... the Treasures of Ruin?\"", "username": "LuckyBlackCat", "char_name": "Renata Delarosa" }, { "text": "Quickly tidying up after Ribbits rude reaction to his sandwhich, Jean was then interrupted in his thoughts by someone else. \"No worries,\", the guy said. Looking over at him, Jean was almost taken aback by the hulking figure in front of him. The difference in their height was easily made up for in the guys bulk. Large in stature, it almost triggered Jean's fight or flight reflexes, had it not been for his friendly grin and appologetic stature which in turn made him seem strangely approachable. \n\n\"You don't mind if I bring my rockruff out too?\" he continued while fiching out a.. Luxury Ball? Class!. Out of the sparkly mess came what looked like a Puppy Pokemon. He called it Rockruff. Jean had seen it around school accompanying other students, but hadn't actually been up close to one himself. Seeing a new species of pokemon was interesting, and the pokemon seemed to be a friendly one, quickly getting accustomed to jeans pats. While sniffing the table though, she caugght whiff of Jeans latest culinary masterpiece and made what could only be described as the snobbier version of Ribbits physical reaction from earlier. She then turned to her trainer who had given her a piece of another sandwhich, of which she seemed to enjoy. \n\n\"Name's Pete,\" he introduced himself as, mouth still full of mystery sandwich, \"and this is Luna.\". He gestured to the Rockruff, who in turn wagged her tail politely while chomping down on the sandwhich.\n\n\"Ehm.. Charmed.\" Jean responded with a sort of deadpan tone. Taken aback as he was, Giri reappeared, grumpy that her sandwhich was gone. \n\n\"Sure, yes. My name is Jean, and this is Giri\", Jean responded, trying to sound friendly while intentionally leaving out his last name. He doubted anyone in Paldea would know of him, even though they might have known about his father. Giri made strange fish-like hissing sounds towards Luna, believing he newcomer would try to steal her sandwhich, as if there was anything left of it to begin with.. Jean quickly snagged her into his arms and began to gently stroke her back, which seemed to calm her down a bit. \n\n\"That one there is Ribbit.\" Jean then continued, nodding towards Ribbit who was standing awkwardly besides him, politely nodding in responce to his introduction. \"I'm not sure they're found in Paldea, but he's a Frogadier. We're from Kalos.\" Jean then continued. \"Well.. minus this one\". He brushed over Giri's back, calming down her building fishy rage to which she let out a relaxed shirping sound to, immediatly calming her demeanor.", "username": "Yasha", "char_name": "Jean Renard" } ]

[ { "text": "Adam Hayes also went to the Seabreeze Cafe, with Inferno his Charmeleon in tow. You were never going to a piping hot cup of hot chocolate. No way! Inferno also got a treat too. As he sipped his drink, he found Harry and Renata at a table. Harry's nose was buried in a bunch of books. Typical. Adam never understood the appeal of reading about stuff, when there was a whole wide world to explore! You could be out there actually doing things!\n\n\"¡Hola amigo!\" Adam exclaimed as he put his hand on the table and leaned against it. \"Whatcha doin? You still have your nose in a book, huh? ¿En serio? Don't you do enough of that in class?\" He rolled his eyes. \"Whatever… They're going to announce the treasure hunt soon. Then we can actually be out there doing shit, instead of reading about other people doing shit! This is my year! I'm going to get all 8 badges and become the champion! NO ONE'S GONNA STOP ME!\" He excitedly put his fist up in the air.\n\nThe Charmeleon mimicked his trainers gestures. \"CHAAAARMELEON!\"\n\n\"That sure as hell beats studying anytime.\"", "username": "Crimson Flame", "char_name": "Adam Hayes" }, { "text": "Sam quietly sipped his coffee from his stainless steel thermos as he sat in the schoolyard at Papas Academy. He was stationed behind the flowerbed with his back against the school building. He hoped the tall blue flowering bushes would obscure him enough that people wouldn't notice him. The teen's bag and breakfast from the cafeteria were spread out beside him, and he was slowly making his way through some donut holes and a breakfast sandwich. \n\nSam had barely been in the region for a month before his enrollment into the school. His body hadn't yet adjusted to this new region, so he had been sleeping poorly. Thankfully a thickly applied layer of eyeliner hid any signs of his tiredness. The teen couldn't say he was incredibly thrilled being pushed into another of his parents' random whims, but Sam was starting to enjoy going to school. Some things he liked, some things he didn't. One of those dislikes were that he wanted to wear his gothic clothes rather than the school uniform. The silver chains, piercings, and pink heart hair clip he was wearing today were pretty much the most he could get away with wearing. Sam would be removing the uniform once he was off campus.\n\nSam could hear other students chatting and running around beyond his field of vision, but he didn't care much about that. Just breathing in the sweet scent of flowers, his golden eyes watched an enthusiastic pink speck zip around the flowerbed. The teen boy would have remained in his dorm room until class time if it wasn't for his Cutiefly, Manly. Seeing how happy the little pokémon was to be around flowers made the trip worth it. Taking another sip of his drink, Sam tried his best to ignore the presence of others and enjoy his time eating among the flowers.", "username": "InnerFlame", "char_name": "Samuel Oliver Faerison, Sam for short" }, { "text": "Though she hadn't been here long, Jordan was already starting to develop a routine at Papas Academy. It began with literally rolling out of bed. Then she would spruce up in the bathroom, change into acceptable clothing for being in public, and zombie-walk to the schoolyard. There she would be able to get AJ and Aguacita out of their balls for a mourning stretch and fly to wake up. Of course, this all happened at a snail's pace and as late as humanly possible. Morning classes were a drag, but she wanted to attend all the best classes she could which would necessitate some sacrifice. With other students meandering the yard she could gradually wake up in the warm outdoors with her companions close by. She released the duo as soon as she was out the door.\n\n\"AJ, care to hook me up with a fruit?\" she asked from her Tropius. He cooed and shook out his wings before lowering his neck. Her Wattrel leapt and flew lazy circles around the pair as they trudged across the yard looking for a quiet space. By the gardens, Jordan spotted a cozy place by the flowers to start her day, but as she rounded the bushy flora, a hidden student startled her.\n\n\"Oh, buenos días, sorry if I'm invading your space. I was just looking for someplace out of the way to do some stretching before class. Care to join me? I'll find another spot if you'd prefer though, I'm not a morning person myself so I understand.\" She smiles at the boy in long black hair, much taller than herself. If he was open to her company, she would totally offer him some of AJ's fruit too; she loved to see the reaction of new people when they tasted it for the first time.", "username": "Skill", "char_name": "Jordan Staar" } ]

[ { "text": "@lotusthevoid\n\nThe blonde guy introduced himself as Jean, and his tatsugiri as... did he say \"Guiri\"? Er, no, must be \"Giri\", like \"Tatsugiri\". \"Hi Giri, heh, that's easy to remember, huh?\" Pete joked. Unlike Luna, who was begging at Jean for more pets and attention, Giri didn't look particularly friendly, so Pete didn't try to engage her in the same way. In fact, she seemed pretty territorial over Jean's sandwich. Luna turned curiously at the hissing noises, tipping her head and wagging her tail. She gave a jealous whine as Jean took Giri into his arms, so Pete clicked his tongue at her and offered more of his sandwich, which pacified her. \n\nPete continued to chew his lunch as Jean moved on to his other pokemon, which he explained was a frogardier. \"Cool, hey Ribbit,\" Pete greeted. His face twisted into confusion as Jean explained they were from Kalos. That explained why he didn't think twice about what he named his tatsugiri. \"Kalos...\" He looked like he was thinking really hard about it. \"Is that the poffin one? Er, sorry, I'm not good with geography...\"\n\nThe remainder of the sandwich was devoured in one impossibly large bite. Luna whined sadly, though Pete knew she'd had plenty already, so he chuckled at her. All the reason to have a second lunch a bit later. \"So, you excited for the Treasure Hunt?\" Pete asked to make conversation. He didn't notice Luna slip away from the table, her nose sniffing aggressively. \"Me and my pokemon are gonna try to find these mythical herbs that are supposed to be miracle cures for things. Gonna try to cultivate them. Only problem is they're found in these caves that used to be guarded by giant pokemon – dunno if they still are.\" \n\nLuna's nose led her to a bespeckled purple-haired girl eating pastries. She sat on her haunches with her tongue lolling out, staring intently at the girl. To up the ante, she sat up, her front paws dangling, and let out a quiet whine. \n\nAs quiet as the whine was, Pete's neck whipped toward Luna and the girl as if she'd yelped. He took in the scene and relaxed. \"Luna, if you want dessert, I'll get you dessert,\" Pete promised, smiling apologetically at the girl. Luna looked over at her trainer, tempted by the offer, but then looked hopefully back at the purple-haired girl.", "username": "Tangy", "char_name": "Pete Johnson" }, { "text": "\"Uh... Pokémon of Ruin?? W-what are those? I certainly wouldn't know,\" was all Harry managed to get out before he folded up his map and dashed out of the café. Once he was far enough away and his adrenaline died down, he smacked himself on the forehead. \"Real smooth, Kleinberg. It's not like you've been studying this for the last two weeks.\" As if to emphasize his boneheaded nature, Striker suddenly perched on Harry's head and added a peck of his own. \n\n\"Ruff! Ruff!\" the little bird chirped between pecks. \n\n\"Ouch! I get it, Striker!\" Harry reached up a hand in a vain attempt to shoo his partner off his head, but to no avail. \"Look, I know I said we'll need extra hands if we want to find these Pokémon, but I'm not ready yet.\" In response, his partner cooed. Striker remembered 'the incident' all too well to know that Harry had trouble when it came to making friends. For Arceus' sake, he likely wouldn't have approached Ms. Raifort were it not for Lenora's recommendation. With a sigh, Harry turned his attention toward Papas Academy. The morning bell would be ringing any minute and students were required to meet on the battle courts for the announcement of the \"Treasure Hunt'. As he began to ascend the steps, Harry slid off his backpack and gently placed the map inside. He could worry about finding his travelling companions later. \n\n@Crimson Flame", "username": "TheNoCoKid", "char_name": "Harry Kleinberg" } ]

[ { "text": "Sam quietly sipped his coffee from his stainless steel thermos as he sat in the schoolyard at Papas Academy. He was stationed behind the flowerbed with his back against the school building. He hoped the tall blue flowering bushes would obscure him enough that people wouldn't notice him. The teen's bag and breakfast from the cafeteria were spread out beside him, and he was slowly making his way through some donut holes and a breakfast sandwich. \n\nSam had barely been in the region for a month before his enrollment into the school. His body hadn't yet adjusted to this new region, so he had been sleeping poorly. Thankfully a thickly applied layer of eyeliner hid any signs of his tiredness. The teen couldn't say he was incredibly thrilled being pushed into another of his parents' random whims, but Sam was starting to enjoy going to school. Some things he liked, some things he didn't. One of those dislikes were that he wanted to wear his gothic clothes rather than the school uniform. The silver chains, piercings, and pink heart hair clip he was wearing today were pretty much the most he could get away with wearing. Sam would be removing the uniform once he was off campus.\n\nSam could hear other students chatting and running around beyond his field of vision, but he didn't care much about that. Just breathing in the sweet scent of flowers, his golden eyes watched an enthusiastic pink speck zip around the flowerbed. The teen boy would have remained in his dorm room until class time if it wasn't for his Cutiefly, Manly. Seeing how happy the little pokémon was to be around flowers made the trip worth it. Taking another sip of his drink, Sam tried his best to ignore the presence of others and enjoy his time eating among the flowers.", "username": "InnerFlame", "char_name": "Samuel Oliver Faerison, Sam for short" }, { "text": "Though she hadn't been here long, Jordan was already starting to develop a routine at Papas Academy. It began with literally rolling out of bed. Then she would spruce up in the bathroom, change into acceptable clothing for being in public, and zombie-walk to the schoolyard. There she would be able to get AJ and Aguacita out of their balls for a mourning stretch and fly to wake up. Of course, this all happened at a snail's pace and as late as humanly possible. Morning classes were a drag, but she wanted to attend all the best classes she could which would necessitate some sacrifice. With other students meandering the yard she could gradually wake up in the warm outdoors with her companions close by. She released the duo as soon as she was out the door.\n\n\"AJ, care to hook me up with a fruit?\" she asked from her Tropius. He cooed and shook out his wings before lowering his neck. Her Wattrel leapt and flew lazy circles around the pair as they trudged across the yard looking for a quiet space. By the gardens, Jordan spotted a cozy place by the flowers to start her day, but as she rounded the bushy flora, a hidden student startled her.\n\n\"Oh, buenos días, sorry if I'm invading your space. I was just looking for someplace out of the way to do some stretching before class. Care to join me? I'll find another spot if you'd prefer though, I'm not a morning person myself so I understand.\" She smiles at the boy in long black hair, much taller than herself. If he was open to her company, she would totally offer him some of AJ's fruit too; she loved to see the reaction of new people when they tasted it for the first time.", "username": "Skill", "char_name": "Jordan Staar" }, { "text": "Sunlight filtered in between her curtains, shining on her face as she slowly came into consciousness, but not wanting to wake up, Alyssa simply turned into her side and pulled her covers tighter around her. That was when she started to feel something nuzzled into her check, then a zap of electricity, and her eyes shot wide open, quickly sitting up, only to see her Shinx, Danny, sat in front of her, looking up at her impatiently. \n\nShe sighed, rubbing at her eyes. \"Okay, okay, I'll get up,\" she mumbled, thought still didn't make much of a move. \"It's not even that-\" \n\nHer eyes landed on the clock besides her bed, and- oh. Oh, it was that late. She had slept in again, after a… fairly late night of studying, to be fair. But that was fine, she didn't have any early classes, and with her Mareep, Rosie, still curled up in the corner of the room, sleeping soundly, it seemed like Danny was the only one who had a problem with it. \n\nStill, she dragged herself out of bed and quickly got ready for the day, pulling on her jacket and spending a few moments convincing her pokémon to get back into their pokéballs before leaving and heading down into the school. She still had a little time to grab breakfast from the cafeteria before they closed up to start with lunch stuff, so she headed there, sitting in the corner as she ate some pastries and doodled in her notebook. The cafeteria was quiet at this time, with most people having come earlier in the day or headed out to another café in the city, though she'd always preferred the quiet so found she didn't mind all that much. Made it easier to think.", "username": "lotusthevoid", "char_name": "Alyssa Hudson" } ]

[ { "text": "As he tried to stay focused, Harry suddenly felt an odd sensation near his right leg. Almost as if... his soul was being drained. Taking a moment to realize he wasn't stuck in his terrible part-time job back home, Harry looked down to see a little white dog Pokémon pawing at his leg. He recognized the dog as one he'd seen around the academy, but he couldn't recall the name. On instinct, he raised his Xtranceiver and pressed a button to activate the pokedex app he'd modified onto it. A holographic screen flared to life above his wrist, identifying the Pokemon as a Greavard. Harry felt a shiver run down his spine when he realized it was a ghost-type. \n\n\"Hey there, little guy...\" Harry cautiously lowered a hand to the small creature when he heard a sigh over his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a girl standing behind him holding some sort of frozen drink in her hands. It took him a few moments to recognize her as one of his classmates from History. \"Oh hello. It's... Renata right? Is this your Greavard?\" Before Renata had a chance to reply, the door to the Sea Breeze Café swung open and another classmate - Adam Hayes - stepped in. It was all Harry could do to keep himself from rolling his eyes when Adam walked up to his table. He'd had plenty of experience with wannabe tough guys like Adam back in his home region and today was the last day he wanted one to be getting on his nerves. \n\n\"Ugh... Hi, Adam,\" said Harry as he quickly began to gather up his materials, muttering under his breath as he went, \"Why is it when I don't want to be bothered, that's when everyone suddenly shows up?\" As he slid the last of his books into his backpack, Harry turned and saw both Adam and Renata staring intently at his map. Specifically, the map where he'd marked out the presumed locations of the four Pokémon of Ruin. Renata's eyes were intently staring at the locations while Adam seemed fixated on where Harry had written out the details of of the four, in particular the spot where he'd underlined \"POWERFUL POKEMON\".", "username": "TheNoCoKid", "char_name": "Harry Kleinberg" }, { "text": "@Crimson Flame\n\nJust as Renata was about to reply, an all too familiar hyperactive redhead burst in. She tensed, wincing at Adam's snide comments about Harry's studying. \"Nothing wrong with reading...\" she muttered, the words coming out a little quieter than she'd intended. Although she'd been pleasantly surprised to find out the academy's reputation was deserved, and bullying didn't happen anywhere near as much as it had at her last school, she couldn't help keeping on guard against this type of behaviour, whether directed at her or others. If only she could give confident, witty responses, like how Ryme replied to detractors, instead of continuing to be that wary and closed-off kid.\n\nAs Harry began gathering up his stationery - not that Renata blamed him, with Adam around - she motioned to her Greavard. \"Maera, come on, down.\" This time, Maera obeyed, earning a rub on the back and a twitch of a smile from Renata. \"Buena perrita. Sorry about that just now, Maera gets excited around people, and sometimes drains their life force.\" Realising too late how creepy this must sound to someone unaccustomed to ghost types, she hastily added, \"Not enough to do any major or permanent damage. Between that and her high energy, she just might make you a little run-down.\" She glanced back at Maera, who sniffed around Adam, restraining herself for now.\n\nSomething on the table caught her attention. She turned her head, staring at the large map. Four points stood out, details of powerful Pokemon noted under them. With a twinge of envy that Harry had figured out the locations first, Renata drew closer, making the connection right away. \"Would those be... the Treasures of Ruin?\"", "username": "LuckyBlackCat", "char_name": "Renata Delarosa" } ]

[ { "text": "Sam quietly sipped his coffee from his stainless steel thermos as he sat in the schoolyard at Papas Academy. He was stationed behind the flowerbed with his back against the school building. He hoped the tall blue flowering bushes would obscure him enough that people wouldn't notice him. The teen's bag and breakfast from the cafeteria were spread out beside him, and he was slowly making his way through some donut holes and a breakfast sandwich. \n\nSam had barely been in the region for a month before his enrollment into the school. His body hadn't yet adjusted to this new region, so he had been sleeping poorly. Thankfully a thickly applied layer of eyeliner hid any signs of his tiredness. The teen couldn't say he was incredibly thrilled being pushed into another of his parents' random whims, but Sam was starting to enjoy going to school. Some things he liked, some things he didn't. One of those dislikes were that he wanted to wear his gothic clothes rather than the school uniform. The silver chains, piercings, and pink heart hair clip he was wearing today were pretty much the most he could get away with wearing. Sam would be removing the uniform once he was off campus.\n\nSam could hear other students chatting and running around beyond his field of vision, but he didn't care much about that. Just breathing in the sweet scent of flowers, his golden eyes watched an enthusiastic pink speck zip around the flowerbed. The teen boy would have remained in his dorm room until class time if it wasn't for his Cutiefly, Manly. Seeing how happy the little pokémon was to be around flowers made the trip worth it. Taking another sip of his drink, Sam tried his best to ignore the presence of others and enjoy his time eating among the flowers.", "username": "InnerFlame", "char_name": "Samuel Oliver Faerison, Sam for short" }, { "text": "Though she hadn't been here long, Jordan was already starting to develop a routine at Papas Academy. It began with literally rolling out of bed. Then she would spruce up in the bathroom, change into acceptable clothing for being in public, and zombie-walk to the schoolyard. There she would be able to get AJ and Aguacita out of their balls for a mourning stretch and fly to wake up. Of course, this all happened at a snail's pace and as late as humanly possible. Morning classes were a drag, but she wanted to attend all the best classes she could which would necessitate some sacrifice. With other students meandering the yard she could gradually wake up in the warm outdoors with her companions close by. She released the duo as soon as she was out the door.\n\n\"AJ, care to hook me up with a fruit?\" she asked from her Tropius. He cooed and shook out his wings before lowering his neck. Her Wattrel leapt and flew lazy circles around the pair as they trudged across the yard looking for a quiet space. By the gardens, Jordan spotted a cozy place by the flowers to start her day, but as she rounded the bushy flora, a hidden student startled her.\n\n\"Oh, buenos días, sorry if I'm invading your space. I was just looking for someplace out of the way to do some stretching before class. Care to join me? I'll find another spot if you'd prefer though, I'm not a morning person myself so I understand.\" She smiles at the boy in long black hair, much taller than herself. If he was open to her company, she would totally offer him some of AJ's fruit too; she loved to see the reaction of new people when they tasted it for the first time.", "username": "Skill", "char_name": "Jordan Staar" }, { "text": "Sunlight filtered in between her curtains, shining on her face as she slowly came into consciousness, but not wanting to wake up, Alyssa simply turned into her side and pulled her covers tighter around her. That was when she started to feel something nuzzled into her check, then a zap of electricity, and her eyes shot wide open, quickly sitting up, only to see her Shinx, Danny, sat in front of her, looking up at her impatiently. \n\nShe sighed, rubbing at her eyes. \"Okay, okay, I'll get up,\" she mumbled, thought still didn't make much of a move. \"It's not even that-\" \n\nHer eyes landed on the clock besides her bed, and- oh. Oh, it was that late. She had slept in again, after a… fairly late night of studying, to be fair. But that was fine, she didn't have any early classes, and with her Mareep, Rosie, still curled up in the corner of the room, sleeping soundly, it seemed like Danny was the only one who had a problem with it. \n\nStill, she dragged herself out of bed and quickly got ready for the day, pulling on her jacket and spending a few moments convincing her pokémon to get back into their pokéballs before leaving and heading down into the school. She still had a little time to grab breakfast from the cafeteria before they closed up to start with lunch stuff, so she headed there, sitting in the corner as she ate some pastries and doodled in her notebook. The cafeteria was quiet at this time, with most people having come earlier in the day or headed out to another café in the city, though she'd always preferred the quiet so found she didn't mind all that much. Made it easier to think.", "username": "lotusthevoid", "char_name": "Alyssa Hudson" }, { "text": "Jean and his pokemon had been sitting in the cafeteria for quite some time now. Jean had gotten up earlier than usual that day, as he couldn't sleep. He hadn't been living in Paldea for too long, having only arrived a month or so prior to the semester starting. As such, he still got a little homesick every now and then, and that's when his culinary hobbies came into play. luckily for him, he did have an assignment in Home Ec that he ould work on to distract himself, while also finding fun new recipes he could bring home once his schoolyears were over. \n\n\"All right, how about this one?\", Jean said as he was circling another line from his notebook. Ribbit the Frogadier sat on the bench next to him, while Giri the Tatsugiri sat on the desk patiently, observing him as he presented the next item on the meny: Yet another sandwhich. Ribbit seemed kind of tired of the whole situation while Giri was just happy to be fed so many unique sandwhiches. And these sandwhiches were many and unique indeed, as Jean was working on his Home Ec assignment in regard to different sandwhiches and their effects. Apparently, some sandwhiches had special effects for certain pokemon when eaten, and so ar he had only had one such success in his testing, although that might just have been the coffee beans and marshmallow fluff implemented in the recipe now that he thought about it. Regardless, testing out new recipes were one of the funnier hobbies Jean had, and while his pokemon seemed to be tired of it, they also didn't mind being there too much. \n\n\"Okay. Last one, you guys\", Jean said while breaing off a piece to Ribbit. Giri let out a sad meep and started nibbling on her end of the sandwhich, which rivaled her in size. Ribbit seemed happy about this and chomped down before shrieking immideately in a mixed reaction of dread and horror. That was one of the fun things about including his pokemon in the process: He learned so much about their likes and dislikes in the process, making it more like a bonding-session than schoolwork. However, it seemed Ribbit didn't enjoy sandwhiches with strawberry and cup-ramen. Giri, on the other hand, had somehow already finished her end of the sandwhich and seemed complacent. \n\nRibbit coughed loudly and chugged down the pitcher of water on the table. Jean looked appologetically around the cafeteria. It was a quiet morning, and most of the people here seemed very tired and not in the mood for dramatic frogs. \"I'm sorry everyone\" he politely said with a quick bow towards the other people there. Nobody seemed to have an immediate reaction, which was good. So much for impressions.", "username": "Yasha", "char_name": "Jean Renard" } ]

[ { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra gave a nod to Trinity before picking up the playing cards. She tried to keep her expression as neutral a she did so, but to Aliss and Trinity she probably appeared quite grim. In truth, Kendra had also suspected the Trader was involved the moment she had seen what had been taken, yet had hoped if she didn't say it aloud it wouldn't be true and would turn out to be the workings of some mortal criminal instead. Visions of doom and ghost murder mysteries were bad enough without adding fae mischief into the mix. She supposed she should be grateful that the Trader had decided to pick on her rather than her less supernaturally-minded housemates. Kendra felt she brought them enough trouble already, after all. \n\nThat did beg the question though: did the Trader know from whom they were stealing from? The cards being their target suggested 'yes', but if so, wasn't that a bit risky? Taking from someone who could potentially locate them? Or was this just the beginning of some elaborate faerie game? \n\nTaking a deep breath to steady herself, Kendra closed her eyes and focused.\n\nKendra uses Psychometry on the playing cards and gets an 11. She asks:\n• What is the history of this object?\n• What secrets or mysteries has this object been privy to?\n• What strong emotions have most recently been near this object?", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra watched exhaustedly as the musicians manifested and lined up and then dropped into a kneel as Paimon's symbol manifested, followed by Paimon himself. He would admit, Paimon did know how to make an entrance. And the demon king was owed some measure of respect. He stood as Paimon came to a stop and kept himself from groaning as Paimon lapsed into his native tongue. On most visits, it was fascinating - Mitra would try to commit the words to memory, and he and Ravi had worked to try to understand the words in English or Hindi, whichever would get them closer to understanding the language. Success was minimal, but it was fun to try. Right now, though, Mitra just could not make himself care.\n\nHe cleared his throat as Paimon stopped speaking and responded in the sternest voice he could muster. \"King Paimon, speak in my tongue.\" He had to resist the urge to tack on a 'please' - he'd already learned the hard way that a command and a request were two different things. Though once the command took effect - \"Could you please repeat what you said in my tongue?\" His smile was tired. \"I know I heard my name at the end there, but I didn't fully catch the rest.\" Was there something about Lucifer? Of course, there was no guarantee Paimon would listen.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace couldn't help but smile a bit at the pun, and she quipped back with a greeting, \"I see you're galvanic as usual, Mr. Dialtone,\" She listened as he started with the fact that he wanted to cash in her debt to him. After he asked if she caught the headlines, she nodded and answered, \"Oh yes, I heard the headlines,\" \n\nShe grew concerned upon hearing that Farley wasn't going to let Chandra's opposition slide. When he asked her if she could help Chandra, she answered him, \"Of course I can be that spectral helping hand.\" She wasn't about to say 'No' in this situation, considering what Farley and the CEO did to her. Plus, she wasn't about to scoff at a debt that she owed. But she did realize that there was much she still didn't know about the situation.\n\nShe asked Mr. Dialtone, \"However, I will need details in order to be effective. Such as where can I find Mrs. Chandra Singh? If Farley and his goons are planning to murder Mrs. Singh, is there a safe house I can get her to? I don't know if I can impose on Kendra any more than I already have,\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "You call upon your powers and your powers answer, granting you visions of the deck's past, the secrets it has been in the presence of, and the feelings it has been saturated in.\n\nThe first vision is of the cards sitting on a table in a living room devoid of people. After a few moments of nothing happening, a small goblin in a threadbare dress crawls out from under a sofa, radiating feelings of entrepreneurial eagerness as she begins to search the room. The goblin eventually stops to look at the cards on the table, letting out a very impressed \"Ooh.\" as she radiates curiosity and a strong desire to possess the cards. The goblin then reaches down to a satchel that is hanging across one shoulder and begins rummaging around in it, eventually pulling out a handful of poker chips which she then proceeds to set down on the table before taking the cards, slipping them into her satchel, and crawling back under the sofa from whence she came as she radiates a feeling of satisfaction at a good deal done.\n\nThe scene of the vision then changes from the poker chips sitting on a table in an empty living room to the cards sitting on a table in a simple hovel with two people in it. One the goblin from before. The other a homunculus in business attire tailored specifically for its small size. No strong feelings can be detected from the homunculus, but the goblin is still radiating that same entrepreneurial eagerness she had back in the first vision. \"Now just to be clear, my master isn't interested in the cheap imitations that have become so common on Earth.\" The homunculus says. \"He wants genuine tarot cards. The kind that can be used as prophetic tools. You will be rewarded handsomely for every deck you find. Do you find this deal to be to your liking?\" The goblin nods her head furiously, the eager grin on her face more than enough to show that she feels that this is an exceptionally good deal.\n\nThere is one last change in scenery then. This time, the vision begins in darkness. After a few moments, light shines down from somewhere up above, revealing that this last vision has begun inside the goblin's satchel. Still radiating that same feeling of entrepreneurial eagerness, the goblin pulls the deck of playing cards out of her satchel, revealing the interior of your apartment. The goblin is standing over your tarot cards, which she proceeds to pick up and replace with the playing cards. The goblin then stows the tarot cards away and crawls under a nearby sofa, feelings of satisfaction at a good deal done and excitement for another big payday fully detectable even though she is a good distance away from the cards now. As the goblin crawls though, an eight ball falls out of her satchel without her noticing and rolls under a foot stool as the goblin disappears into the darkness.\n\nOnce free of the visions, you would easily be able to find the eight ball and realize that you could use it to track down the goblin. Misty Starbuck, a wizard indebted to you, knows a tracking spell. All she would need is something that belongs to the goblin, something like the eight ball, and she'd be able to point you in the right direction.\n\n\nThe King of the West grins at your command and subsequent request to speak plain. \"I merely spoke a greeting to you just now. Something hardly important enough to warrant repeating.\" Paimon states, speaking now in Hindi. \"What is important is that I have a task for you.\" At those words, a scroll sealed with the sigil of Paimon materializes floating in midair in front of you. \"You are to take this scroll to the wizard known as Misty Starbuck with all haste.\" Paimon commands you. \"She lairs in the abandoned Shakes dance studio on the outskirts of the city. I would suggest beginning your search there.\"\n\nAngel Haruki\n\"Don't you worry yourself a moment about Kendra and Chandra.\" Mr. Dialtone says reassuringly. \"Mrs. Singh's son-in-law, Mitra, is one hell of a hindrance to any would be assassin. Her life's in good hands. Her career is a different story though. Farley's fixin' to have her replaced. I don't know how he's gonna do it, but it involves findin' the right set of tarot cards. Kinda like the ones Kendra just had swiped. You help them find the thief, I'm fairly certain it'll set Farley back just enough that he'll hold off on goin' after Chandra for the time bein'.\"", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nAs Kendra recovered from her vision and tracking down the magic eight ball, she felt whimsical enough to ask it question. \"Magic eight ball, how likely is this whole thing going to turn into a wild goose chase?\" she said before giving it a little shake. \n\nAfter a moment, the eight ball responded: \"Better not tell you now.\"\n\nKendra glared down at the object. \"Smartass,\" they muttered. She turned her attention back to her roommates. \"Hey, either of you busy? Need someone to give me a lift,\" she asked. Given the spontaneity of her visions, she didn't like to drive herself, even though she could. Far too hazardous.", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" } ]

[ { "text": "Grace\n\nWhen Grace first heard about this mission, she thought it would be easy to get the tarot cards back. But now hearing that Abberline Winchester is practically after the Trader's head? If a ghost could sweat, she'd now be sweating bullets. The phone disconnects before she can say anything else, and she looks concerned as she hangs up the phone and lets herself become nothing more than air once again as she comments, \"I better hurry then...\"\n\nShe then phases through the wall and makes it back to Kendra's side. \n\nAs soon as Kendra's alone, Grace manifests so she could be felt and heard, and she boops Kendra's nose while quoting a Legend of Zelda fairy in a comical greeting, \"Heeeey, Listen!\"\n\nShe makes her point to Kendra, \"I'm coming with you to help you get your tarot cards back. Mr. Dialtone just cashed in my debt to him. Also, you might want to be extremely careful. Apparently Abberline Winchester is also after the Trader,\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra nodded to Aliss, before turning back to Trinity. \"Sure,\" she said. \"Sounds good to me. I'll go get my stuff.\" She turned away, and was in the process of gathering up her coat and bag when a certain specter materialized from nowhere and gave her gentle yet surprising boop on the nose. They jumped slightly, before turning her gaze on Grace. \"One of these days,\" they said, shaking their head slightly as they took a deep breath to recover from the shock. \"One of these days, you are going to give me, or someone else, a heart attack.\" Grace's words didn't help her stress either, as she recalled her earlier vision about Abberline Winchester. \"Oh boy. First a kleptomaniac fae, now a psychotic hunter,\" she responded in a flat voice contrary to words. She glanced back down at the magic eight-ball still clutched in her hand. \"Magic eight-ball, could my evening get anymore exhilarating?\" She gave the object another little shake.\n\nThe object responded yet again with a non-committal answer: \"Cannot predict now.\"\n\nKendra grimaced. \"You know, I never understood the appeal of these things,\" they said to Grace as they held the eight ball up for the ghost to see. \"I mean, granted, I don't see the appeal of most of these hokey divination tools, but this one in particular seems pretty unhelpful.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra bowed and waved Paimon and his band of performers off. Once the portal was closed, though, he let out a deep sigh. Paimon could be a lot at times to serve, though this had felt like one of his more restrained visits. So many things to look out for that posed a danger to him and his family - gosh, he just wanted to crawl into bed and fall asleep. But Paimon had given him a mission. Rest and worry would have to wait. \n\nHe got up and went back to the kitchen to search the junk drawer - the drawer where things like pens that had made their way to the counter, old super glue tubes, rubber bands that had held tupperware shut but since fulfilled their purpose, all sorts of things that would be dealt with 'later' (and of course, 'later' never happened). Ther, among the mess, was a notepad. He yanked off a sheet, grabbed one of the pens, and hunched over the counter to write.\n\nRavi,\n\nSorry I missed you - His Majesty wants me to deliver a message. No idea how long it'll take, so please have dinner without me. I'm headed over to the old dance studio. The one we used to pass on the way to school, remember? I'll be careful, but if I haven't checked in by 11, I'll understand if you call someone. I'll let you know more once I check in.\n\nAlso, King Paimon says hello.\n\n♥ Mitra\n\nHe placed the note on the table. He didn't like the idea of Paimon saying hello to Ravindra, that's how this whole mess got started, but they'd both be at him if he didn't pass the simple message along.He gave the table one last look-over to ensure he hadn't left any trace of that small package's arrival. The only evidence of its existence was the prey totem in his pocket; he slipped his hand into his pocket to make sure it hadn't fallen out. Ravi didn't need to know, not yet. He checked his other pocket for his phone - decent charge, it was fine - before leaving the apartment, locking up behind him.\n\nHis car was no junker, but it also managed to clash with his general style, which was to say, it had none. He'd bought it some years ago despite its canary yellow paint job and swore he was going to get it redone to something metallic or at least neutral. So far, that hadn't happened. It was bulky too, a compromise made at the time for his mother-in-law who worried about insurance rates and safety and sports cars. It hadn't bothered him until after his deal with Paimon, but he had yet to tell anyone he was giving serious thought to trading it in for something flashier and probably less safe.\n\nMitra got into the car, turned it on, and changed the radio to the local rock n' roll station. Loud music blared from his speakers as he pulled out of his spot and began the trip to the Shakes dance studio.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace couldn't help but laugh a bit at Kendra's reaction to her sudden manifestation. She answered the oracle's comment about the heart attack, \"Can you blame me? I kinda need the practice,\" She silently reveled in the thought of giving her murderer a heart attack. \n\nShe listens to Kendra as she comments on the fact that they're going to be facing a kleptomaniac fae and a psychopathic hunter, before consulting a magic eight ball. \n\nGrace answered Kendra's words, \"Umm...That's probably because Magic Eight Balls were mainly made to be toys, not as an actual fortune telling device. At least, that's what I remember from doing a research project back in Elementary School,\"\n\nShe then asked Kendra, \"Since when did you have that Magic Eight Ball, anyways? I don't remember seeing that in your room before,\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra glanced at Grace when she made the comment about needing practice. They had a feeling they knew what, or rather who, the spirit was referring to, and wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that. Was Grace just joking or did she seriously hope to take out her murderer that way? On one hand, it would probably be a simpler way to deal with him than trying to find enough evidence to get him convicted. On the other hand, what was to stop him coming back as a spirit himself, and likely a much more dangerous, malevolent one than Grace herself? While Kendra had been aware of the supernatural for some time, they hadn't had much experience with ghosts until Grace showed up. Now she was left with that existential concern: what cause people to linger after death? Obviously, it didn't happen to everyone, and it wasn't a curse that was passed on like vampirism or lycanthropy.\n\nWhat's to stop me from coming back after I die? was the question Kendra was trying not to ask herself. She found the world an aggravating enough place in life, to think she'd still have to put up with it even after death was ghastly. But then again, what was the alternative? Once Grace passed on - if she passed on - where would she go? Was there really a heaven? A purgatory? A hell? Was reincarnation true? Something else entirely? Or was there nothing? And which of these options was worse? It was questions like these Kendra had found herself wondering about ever since Grace had come into her life, and questions she had been doing her best not to bring up with the girl in question. They wondered if these things had occurred to Grace.\n\n\"Hm?\" Kendra had been so caught up in their own thoughts, they'd almost missed Grace's question. \"Oh this! The Trader dropped it when they took my cards. I'm hoping a certain spellcaster I know might be able to use her powers on it to help me track the Trader down.\" She grimaced. \"Hopefully we can reach them before Abberline finds them. Otherwise, I might end up having yet another spectral roommate.\"\n\nCan fae even come back as ghosts? Kendra had to stop herself from adding, before shaking her head as if physically trying to shake those thoughts from her mind. Nope. No more of that. Find the tarot cards first, have existential dread later.", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" } ]

[ { "text": "\"You got it chief,\" Misty breathed in relief, lowering her raised hands slightly as the clenching in her guts relaxed. A moment ago she had been trying to think of the nastiest death curse she could fling at the hunter, now she had at least a faint hope of living through the night. As Sun Tzu said: Always do what the psycho with the giant gun says. Shakes Dance Studio was fairly typical of this edge of the city, an area that had been under development when the financial crisis ripped the funding out from under everyone's feet. The hunter had gotten the drop on her as she arrived home and she felt vaguely ridiculous. She didn't feel like a mighty wizard in cargo shorts, a slytherin T-shirt, and carrying an arm load of groceries. At least she hadn't wet herself when he pointed that huge fuck off rifle at her. The power of positive thinking.\n\n\"I got to get a few things so don't go getting all itchy about the trigger,\" she cautioned as she set down her groceries. Her staff, a wooden broom handle from the home depot, lay propped in a corner. Its entire length had been carved with runes and sigils with the aid of thumb tack. The barrel of the rifle followed her as she retrieved the staff and moved from the reception area with its large front desk, through a door onto the dance floor. \n\nThe main room was impressively large, the size of a small gymnasium. While Misty had cleared the trash that had covered it when she arrived, the walls were marked with graffiti that predated her residence. Several large posters advertising a performance of the Nutcracker had been creatively defaced so they now read: 'Deez NutSracker', a piece of vandalism that was funnier than it was grammatically accurate. The marks of Misty's own habitation were stranger still. Perhaps three quarters of the polished concrete floor was covered with chalk marks. Circles and arcane sigils were interconnected with scribbled notes. The lesser Sign of Solomon was overwritten with a list: Milk, Soda, Eggs, Those candies you like. In one corner a hopscotch game had been chalked out, complete with a planchet. A large chalk heart proclaimed M-4-N, complete with a stylized arrow. One wall contained a heavy duty overhead trackway designed to carry costumes, though these had long since been looted. On the back wall was an artistically rendered tunnel, of which Wiley Coyote would have been proud. Half empty paint cans stacked beside it, topped with brushes that had never been properly cleaned. In the far corner, near a large loading door, stood a palette of red bull energy drinks, the shrink wrap peeled back around the top corner. Several empty cans were scattered around, as were a suspicious pile of white feathers. Misty picked up a stick of pink chalk from the floor and sharpened it with several strokes against the concrete floor.\n\n\"I need something for the spell to work on,\" she told the hunter, talking more out of nerves than a need to explain. Against the wall was a series of cubbies. Originally, these had been intended for students to exchange street shoes for dance shoes, now they were piled with a bewildering array of items. Marbles, coins, dried herbs, lengths of ribbon, jars of powder, children's calculators and a dozen more beside. Misty reached into one and retrieved a toy compass. It was still in its hard plastic packaging, with cardboard in bright primary colors and the logo of the Natural History Museum. The museum gift shop was a surprisingly good source of arcane materials. She struggled for a minute with the annoyingly sturdy plastic package before finally managing to pry it open. She tossed the plastic aside and hefted the coin sized device in her hand.\n\n\"I uhh… know we are on the honor system here, but to be clear, this will stop working if you shoot me,\" she cautioned, waggling the little compass. She didn't know anything about Trader other than what Mr Dialtone had said. She didn't bear him any ill will but her own skin was infinitely more valuable than his wellbeing.\n\nMisty arrives home to be held at gunpoint. Briefly describes Shakes. Begins gathering components to work the spell for Abbercrombie. Put a face to a name for Trader.\n\nRolls:\nhttps://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/24823 Roll to put a face to name for Trader 9 - I know what everyone else knows - Mark Wild", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nSeeing the other car already parked outside Misty's sanctum made Kendra tense. \"You might want to stay in the car, Trin,\" they said as they started undoing their seat belt. She had a bad feeling, not like a vision or supernatural sense, just the run-of-the-mill bad gut feeling normal people got. If something bad went down at Misty's place, she didn't want Trinity to be caught up in it. Misty had all sorts of mystical powers, Grace was already dead and thus immune to usual physical harm, and, well, Kendra had long since stopped caring about their own safety. But Trinity was a normal, flesh-and-blood human being. Hardy, yes, but a normal human being nonetheless. \n\nOnce she was out of the car, Kendra glanced around in attempt to find Grace. \"Grace?\" she said aloud, assuming the specter was somewhere in the vicinity.", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nAt least the drive was nice. Mitra allowed himself some time to relax and unwind, simply soaking in the music to ease his tension. Driving with music was a hobby he rarely indulged in, due to the price of gasoline, but he had to confess, he was grateful for the excuse. Even with his differences with Paimon.\n\nWhen he pulled up, though, there was a car pulling in as well. Misty's? A friend? An enemy? He had no way of knowing. He watched someone get out of the passenger's seat - looked to be a young adult. Late high school to college, somewhere in that range. Was this Misty? Or was she the driver, who he couldn't make out from this distance? If so, she was older than he'd imagined her being. A young teenager like he pictured would make him dig for the dregs of compassion he could still manage, try to gently confirm her identity before handing over Paimon's message and hanging around to make sure she'd be alright. Maybe offer her some resources he knew of, lie and say it was going to be a-okay. But an older teenager?\n\nHe might manage something, but it was going to be tempered by experience and caution. He'd had message deliveries go sour before, and if she was old enough to drive, she was old enough to try beating him upside the head when the message turned out to be something bad. After a few deliveries that had gone poorly, he'd begged Paimon for a blessing of thicker skin to help protect himself. Paimon had made another suggestion too for his own defense.\n\nMitra pulled the lever to release the trunk lock, unbuckled, and got out of the car. He went into the backseat first, where a box of shotgun shells was stored under the driver's seat, and pocketed a couple of shells. He then went to the trunk, and pulled out the unloaded pump-action shotgun. It was almost never loaded until he actually needed to shoot someone - just the sight was usually enough to intimidate, and the stock had seen more action than the barrels had. That didn't mean he intended to wander in without ammunition. His thickened skin was typically enough to buy him time to load the shotgun and request that the other party calm down if violence broke out. And if the violence continued, well, then he had no qualms about pulling the trigger. \n\nIt was just good manners to ask first. And had saved him a lot in laundry bills.\n\nHe locked his car and approached the young adult, treading lightly and shotgun resting against his shoulder. \"Misty Starbuck?\" he asked.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" } ]

[ { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace looked to Kendra when she spoke up, stopping her from disappearing and acting on her own. She listened to Kendra as spoke. The ghost nodded in agreement with Kendra's sentiment that she didn't want anyone to get shot at tonight. Grace noticeably looks irked when the man seemed to have brushed her off like she was nothing.\n\nDid he really not remember last week? Sure, they saw each other for the first time back then, but who would forget witnessing a murder?!\n\nThe ghost was silent as she listened to her friend and the strange speak with each other. When Mitra introduced his first name, surprise crossed her face. She couldn't help but ask, \"Wait. 'Mitra'? As in, 'Mitra Singh'?!\" Her eyes were wide with surprise more so than rage this time as she asked. \n\nConsidering that Mr. Dialtone mentioned him as Chandra's bodyguard earlier, and she was here to save Chandra's career as well as find Kendra's tarot cards, she had serious doubts that this was a coincidence. Besides, how common of a name was 'Mitra' anyways? \n\nMitra Singh and the guy who she called to help her at the moment of her death were the same guy?!\n\nHer attention was drawn back to Kendra from her whirling mind drawing rapid conclusions. She listened as Kendra explained Abberline's prophecy. She gave a smirk as well when Kendra did. Her smirk faded as well when Kendra explained the dangers of this plan.\n\nShe answered Kendra's words, \"I'm in. I trust you, Kendra. Now that I'm like this, I can't just stand by and do nothing when someone is about to get hurt,\" When she spoke the last part of her sentence she pointed her gaze and words at Mitra. They were full of bitter venom as though to silently say \"Like someone here did,\" \n\nShe calmed herself down, reminding herself to talk to Mitra about it later. \n\nShe asked Kendra, \"What do you need me to do?\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\n\"Wait. 'Mitra'? As in, 'Mitra Singh'?!\" \n\nHe bit his tongue to keep from replying with the default of 'I don't do political favors' - the spirit had probably recognized him from his mother-in-law's surname (except, wait, he hadn't given his surname, how had she known?), and right now was probably not the time to address his policy towards requests from natural or supernatural beings. Right now, it was time to listen to Kendra.\n\nShe outlined the prophecy against Abberline, how each of them fit into a specific category - and made a pun about hell that made him groan. He craned his neck towards the driver still seated in Kendra's car when she mentioned Mortality being missing, but then she very thoughtfully volunteered herself and he returned his gaze to her. Well, as long as she could feign being an ordinary human for five minutes, who was he to object? And then the problems - yeah, those were some significant problems. He wasn't going to lie, for the first time in a long time he could feel the stirrings of fear.\n\nIt was more pleasant than he remembered it being. It felt... lively.\n\nOf course, that didn't mean it was pleasant; there was the very real fear of what Ravindra might do if he died, of what forces he might get in contact with on his demise for the sake of vengeance. Or what if the prophecy was referring to Ravindra as the representative of Mortality? Or what if Abberline targeted Ravindra for his association with Mitra? He could feel the demon just beneath his flesh ripple with rage at the thought. It wasn't really a great plan. But it was a plan.\n\nThen the spirit spoke up again before Mitra could (mostly to complain that he wouldn't call it a MacBeth-styled prophecy. Not enough impossibility), and if she was any more venomous, he'd mistake her for a demon too.\n\n\"Ohhhhkay, I've... offended you somehow?\" he guessed. Studying her, she was kinda familiar, but like in the way a barista's familiar when they're off the job and out shopping somewhere. That didn't tell him much, really. \"But perhaps we can discuss it another time. Or at least after I've delivered my message.\" He capped this message off by loading the shotgun with a single shell and then offering it Kendra. \"I take it I should enter using my other form - and if so, you may need this more than I do. At least if you're trying to pass as a normal human. Can't imagine a normal human arriving unarmed. I fully expect it back once he's left, though.\"", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra also noticed the venom in Grace's tone, but decided not to comment on it. From the way she spoke, the Oracle sensed this man was at very least not Grace's murderer. Even so, the spirit didn't seem the kind of hate without a damn good reason, and Kendra would normally be hesitant to work with anyone who earned so much of Grace's ire. Again, Misty's life and Abberline's threat took priority here. She was just glad that both parties had agreed to act civil long enough for them enact this plan. \n\n\"What do you need me to do?\"\n\n\"Not much,\" Kendra said. \"Once we've entered the building, you just need to do what you normally do.\" They shrugged. \"You know, suddenly appear. Walk through wall. Appear before Abberline in an appropriately ghostly way.\" She glanced at Grace. \"Don't overdo it, obviously. As fun as it would be to see you attempt to crawl out of a TV Sadako-style, I somehow doubt Abberline would appreciate the theatrics.\"\n\nWhen Mitra offered Kendra the gun, the Oracle was hesitant in taking it, and even after she was holding it, she held it well away from her body. \"Ah. Right,\" she said, eyeing the firearm as if it were a bomb about to go off. \"Thanks.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" } ]

[ { "text": "Angel Haruki @RBYDark @XxFellsingxX\nThe music that Grace puts on coincides perfectly with the beginning of Mitra's transformation and is loud enough to carry outside the studio and give the tainted's transition some appropriately eerie ambient music.\n\n\nMeanwhile, inside the studio, the sudden sound of music causes Abberline to tense up and begin pointing his rifle directly at Misty's head. \"What do you think you are doing?\" The hunter demands to know as his finger moves over the rifle's trigger. \"I am in no mood for games, witch. Cease this mischief and cast the tracking spell.\"", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "\"No what I mean is... you know what, no need to over explain, keep a little mystery and all that,\" Misty agreed.\n\nAbruptly the speakers stuttered to life and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Faries began to play.\n\n\"It's an old building, as you can see I havent' exactly kept up with the house keeping...\" Misty temporized. The barrel was a huge black hole that swallowed the world.\n\nShe kept her hands raised and edged across to take the bag. Moving to a relatively open spot on the floor she crouched down and began to scribe symbols on the floor. Three connected circles, one surrounding the bag, another surrounding the compass and a third surrounding her. She linked them with tripple lines of oddly asymetric runes. Misty paused and looked up at the Hunter, staring down the barrel of his rifle. Given the choice of wetting herself and making a smart remark, she made the obvious choice.\n\n\"If anyone asks, I danced naked under a harvest moon or some shit,\" she told the hunter and then closed her eyes and began to whisper. Arcane power rushed into her like a torrent. The fine hairs on her arms raised and her hair began to prickle with static. It was sweeter and stronger than any time in recent memory, almost as strong as her sixteenth birthday when she had worked her first spell. Something was in the air tonight. Misty very much hoped it wasn't that she was about to take a bullet to the forhead. Chalk dust rose around her in a shimmering veil, sparking with miniature eletrical discharges. Misty gathered her will and made a quick chopping motion. Energy stabbed down in a vortex which swirled around the toy compass like water circling a narrow drain. With a soft crack the spell was over and the needle on the compass swung deciviely to the south east. The spell was complete though arcane energy still crackled in the air. \n\nThe sensation of power swelled inside Misty. Suddenly she felt more than a vagrant squatting in a dance studio. She was a Witch. She was a Magus. Her eyes rose to meet Abbeline's. She wasn't going to let this mortal pissant push her out of her sanctum.\n\n\"A deal is a deal,\" she said in a cold steady voice.\n\nRolled a 13 on channeling. Spent one for tracking. Holding 2.\n\nhttps://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/24845", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra had been planning for them to enter the building all roughly at the same time, but it seemed Grace had other plans as the spirit disappeared. Inside the studio, Kendra could hear the distorted sound of Tchaikovsky beginning to play. \n\n\"Well, guess we're going in right now,\" Kendra muttered under her breath. She was definitely going to have to have a word with Grace about her tendency to disappear and reappear without warning. Before she could make her way towards the front door, Mitra spoke up and handed her his jacket. \"Uh, suuure,\" she said, awkwardly taking it before she witnessed Mitra's slow - and frankly excruciating - transformation. Kendra wasn't religious - it was hard to believe in any force that was both all-powerful AND benevolent when you saw half the things she had seen - but she had been raised catholic, and seeing something clearly demonic must have triggered some of those old religious habits because she found herself clumsily making the sign of the cross.\n\n\"Err, right,\" Kendra said when Mitra addressed her again, clearly surprised he was still able to talk in his current form. She quickly turned away and made her way towards the studio door. She paused to glance behind her again before awkwardly kicking open the door and making her way inside the building. She attempted to refocus herself, holding the gun in front of her as purposely as she could muster as she came into the view of Misty and Abberline. \"Good evening,\" she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as she could muster given the circumstances. \"Hope we're not interrupting.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace watched as Abberline reacted to the sudden music. However, she grew more antsy and worried when she saw that Misty completed the spell and enchanted the toy compass. \n\nAbberline shouldn't have it…!\n\nGrace darted down to the compass and looked up to see Kendra entering with…\n\nWhat was that monstrosity by her side?! Was that Mitra?!\n\nShe shook her head to shake off the horror and surprise she felt. As soon as Abberline's attention was on the both of them, she manifested so that she could touch and be heard. Once again, she remained invisible in this manifestation.\n\nShe picked up the enchanted toy compass causing it to appear as though it was floating in the air by itself. It floated up until it was at Grace's height before remaining there for a moment.\n\nShe gave a quick whistle to Mitra before throwing the compass to him and quickly dropping the manifestation before Abberline tries to fire at her. \n\nThe compass is thrown overhand, so it flies in an upward arc towards the ceiling at first before hopefully falling into Mitra's talons.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "\"A deal is a deal,\" You say in a cold, steady voice.\n\n\"Of course.\" Abberline speaks an even reply before gesturing for you to hand over the compass.\n\nBefore you can act though, a second armed person and an unarmed demon make their entrance into your sanctum.\n\n\n\"Good evening,\" You say as nonchalantly as you can. \"Hope we're not interrupting.\"\n\n\"Oh no, you aren't interrupting anything.\" Abberline says to you, utterly unfazed by your shotgun and demonic companion. \"I'll just be taking this compass and heading off, Don't mind-\" The sound of whistling comin from no discernible source interrupts Abberline then, and causes him to turn and see the compass floating in mid air.\n\nAngel Haruki\nAbberline looks on in visible confusion as you hold the compass in front of him. Confusion turns to realization, and then to annoyance as you throw the compass to Mitra.\n\n\nAbberline rounds on you and Kendra as you snatch the compass out of the air. \"I told you I am in no mood for games, witch!\" Abberline barked over his shoulder. \"The magic may fade if I shoot you, but I know killing your friends here will not break the spell!\" With that said, Abberline takes aim and opens fire on you and Kendra.\n\n@RBYDark\nKeep Your Cool to avoid being shot.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra catches the compass with some caution, lest his talons scratch or impale the toy item. His focus was on not dropping the item - and so he looks up a little too late to realize Abberline is pointing a gun at him and Kendra.\n\nHe has no idea if Kendra's alright - he can feel the bullets attempt to pierce his hide before ultimately dropping. He's been knocked back a few inches, and he's going to bruise badly, he knows this from past experience. Just because he received the wound as a demon didn't keep the wounds from manifesting when he turned back into a human. Why had the ghost thrown the compass to him?\n\nYes, he gets whiny when hurt. Sue him.\n\nHe hisses loudly, baring his teeth as he does, and then spits his corrosive venom, aiming at Abberline's arm. He really doesn't enjoy getting shot, and he has no desire to get shot again.\n\nI rolled a 9. I choose to Take something from Abberline and I find myself in a bad spot", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" } ]

[ { "text": "\"The enemy cannot pull a trigger… if you disable his hand,\" Misty misquoted, bending down and picking up Abberline's finger. She took a zip lock bag from her cargo pants and bagged it up before tucking it away.\n\n\"I fucking love that movie,\" she admitted, then made a sensual growl in the back of her throat. \"Casper Van Dien, damn!\" The haze of gun smoke and the scent of ectoplasm hung heavy in the air and she looked down at her own smoking pistol as though surprised to find it there. Her hand was trembling slightly and she suddenly felt a desperate need for some chocolate ice-cream and a bottle of tequila. The approaching sirens didn't afford her the option.\n\n \n\n\"I don't want to seem ungrateful or a bad host,\" she went on, hastily scooping up casings and shoving them into her pockets.\n\n\"But I can't be here when those cops arrive, pretty sure my parole officer will take a dim view of me being found at the scene of a shootout,\" she explained, then cast a glance at Mitra, \"Not to mention, consorting with 'ye olde powers of darkness' or whatever the fuck is going on here.\"", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra drops the pieces of the compass, his other hand dragging down across his face. Were it not for his scales, he likely would have left significant claw marks. \"Christ.\" He looked at Misty. \"What'd you do to be on his bad side? Besides exist.\" The Hunter seems to really have it out for Misty, judging by his parting words and the fact that it wasn't even her who ultimately ruined the compass.\n\nHe seems to come to a realization, though, and moves over to Kendra. \"First, jacket and shotgun if you don't mind. Unless you feel like explaining those to the police. Second, you need to get a story straight and get out there before they come in here and see a ghost and a demon.\" Already he's looking around for hiding spaces. After all, it's not like the entire police force is familiar with the supernatural beings roaming their city, and even those who are aren't guaranteed to be friendly. If there's a Hunter among them, Mitra's in trouble and the spirit is probably screwed. Ghosts aren't his wheelhouse either, but he can tell she's badly injured. One more bad blow from someone with ill intentions would - could ghosts even die again? Or would something else happen? Mitra doesn't know and doesn't care to find out.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace held the gun she took from Abberline and simply pointed it at him during the entire encounter. But she never pulled the trigger. She knew the pain and the experience of dying by bullets. She wasn't so inclined to subject another person to that fate. \n\nThough, to her surprise, it seems like Abberline might already be dead, because he just phased through the floor to escape!\n\nBecause she opted to remain invisible, nobody could see her shocked face as she recognized that method of escape. But thanks to the gun she was holding, Kendra was able to walk up to her. What better way to tell where an invisible person was than a floating item?\n\nShe answered Kendra, with a groan at first, \"Owww...I'm fine. I just...That really hurts. I'm still standing...\" \n\nShe gave a chuckle and she asked, \"How about you? Better I get shot than...well, anyone alive, right? I'm still new to this whole...'ghost' thing,\" \n\nThen Kendra and Mitra spoke up about getting out of there. She nods, even if that couldn't be seen, and she answers, \"Right...I'm still 'missing', so I don't think letting anyone else know I'm here is a good idea. Maybe dropping this manifestation can help heal me? Either way, I'll be staying close by...\" \n\nAfter she says that, she drops the manifestation and the gun clatters to the ground uselessly.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\n\"Oh, err, right,\" Kendra said in response to Mitra asking for his jacket and gun back. She'd been so hyped on adrenaline and rage she'd completely forgotten. She handed his stuff back to him. \"Thanks, by the way. For backing me up.\" They grimaced before adding, \"Sorry it didn't go... quite the way I planned.\"\n\nThey turned back to Grace. \"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you.\" They wanted to say more than that. They were somewhere in between wanting to apologize profusely to Grace and wanting to scold her for her reckless behaviour, but as their companions had pointed out, this really wasn't the time. \n\nGrace then decided to de-materialize, causing the gun she'd taken from Abberline to drop to the ground. Kendra immediately backed off, flinching in case the gun suddenly went off. When nothing happened, they lowered their arms and hissed a curse under their breath. They added 'gun-safety' to the list of things they'd have to talk to Grace about once they got out of here. However, there was one thing they wanted to address before they did anything else. They turned to Misty. \"Hey, so, err, are you okay? Do you, erm, have anywhere else to stay since your hideout is now...\" They gestured around themself. \"You know, compromised?\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra takes the jacket and gun with a grunt. \"You can't choose what your visions say.\" He pauses, eyes Kendra with some skepticism, and then shakes his head and slithers over to Misty. \"If you're leaving, I have a message before you go.\" He pulls the scroll out of the jacket and hands it off to her. \"I think the powers of darkness have already found you. Take it from me, the deals aren't as glamorous as they seem.\" As if for emphasis, all the eyes below his waist blink independently of each other. \"Also, if you could point me to a corner where I can hide and regrow my legs for the next five minutes, I'd be much obliged.\" It's clear he's not being that serious about feeling obliged, but says it out of habit rather than a promise of a debt.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Misty opened one eye, relieved that the dropped shotgun hadn't gone off and done what Abberline had failed to do. Letting out a sigh she opened the other. She could at least hope the cops would be there in a few minutes. This was a bad neighborhood afterall.\n\n \n\n\"Other than an open invite to a sarcophagus, I'm afraid not. I can probably hole up in a motel for a few days though,\" she replied to Kendra. Abberline had made it sound like he was going to take care of Trader first which meant she had a few days before he was likely to show up here. Maybe if she tipped Trader off he could exchange Abberline's liver for a sack of kitty litter or something equally useful.\n\n \n\nShe gave the demon thing a long level look. She took the scroll from him and bounced it in her palm.\n\n \n\n\"No harm ever came from reading a book right?\" she asked, not at all certain that becoming pen pals with Beelzebub was a good idea.\n\n \"There is a changing room back there,\" she told Mitra, making a gesture to the rear of the studio.\n\n\"Just don't use the one with tinsel on the door it's a por... I'm just don't use that one.\"\n\n \n\nFigure out Mitra (11) -Hold 2\n\nSpend 1 to figure out how I can put Mitra in my debt\n\nSaving one for later..", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra raised an eyebrow at the sarcophagus line, not sure whether it was Misty's sense of humour or a genuine fact, but decided it was best not to ask. Instead, they pointed with their thumb to outside the studio where they assumed Trinity was still waiting. \"Well, err, I'd have to talk it out with my roommate, but we have a couch if you needed somewhere to crash,\" they said. \"Our apartment has three living people and one ghost - you met Grace already. It'd be a bit crammed but...\" They shrugged, clearly feeling awkward about offering a place to stay to someone they admittedly didn't know that well. However, they felt they at least owed Misty the option considering their less-than-stellar rescue attempt. \"I don't know, considering what you've just been through, you might want the company.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "@Candykane\nAs the conversation continues, you two suddenly notice that the floor has become blanketed in a fine layer of mist that rolled in from under a nearby door. As you look down at this mist, it strikes you that some vampires have the ability to turn into and travel as a cloud of mist. With this it mind, it comes as no shock to either up you when the mist rises into a trio of columns before dispersing to reveal a trio of vampires in police uniforms, a young albino brunette dual wielding a pair of 9mm Glocks, a fair haired black man of indeterminate age bringing to bear a Walther PPK, and an older man with greying black hair pointing a light cavalry saber at the group. \"Good evening.\" The senior officer speaks with a deep southern drawl. \"If you would kindly lay your weapons down and place your hands behind your head, my colleagues I would greatly appreciate your compliance.\"\n\n\nHaving noticed the vampire's approach, you would be on guard enough to realize thanks to your connections to Trinity that these vampires are part of the Copper Web, a vampire clan that is intertwined with the city's police force. Knowing this, you are fairly certain that name dropping Trinity would put them in a more agreeable mood.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra gave a nod to Trinity before picking up the playing cards. She tried to keep her expression as neutral a she did so, but to Aliss and Trinity she probably appeared quite grim. In truth, Kendra had also suspected the Trader was involved the moment she had seen what had been taken, yet had hoped if she didn't say it aloud it wouldn't be true and would turn out to be the workings of some mortal criminal instead. Visions of doom and ghost murder mysteries were bad enough without adding fae mischief into the mix. She supposed she should be grateful that the Trader had decided to pick on her rather than her less supernaturally-minded housemates. Kendra felt she brought them enough trouble already, after all. \n\nThat did beg the question though: did the Trader know from whom they were stealing from? The cards being their target suggested 'yes', but if so, wasn't that a bit risky? Taking from someone who could potentially locate them? Or was this just the beginning of some elaborate faerie game? \n\nTaking a deep breath to steady herself, Kendra closed her eyes and focused.\n\nKendra uses Psychometry on the playing cards and gets an 11. She asks:\n• What is the history of this object?\n• What secrets or mysteries has this object been privy to?\n• What strong emotions have most recently been near this object?", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra watched exhaustedly as the musicians manifested and lined up and then dropped into a kneel as Paimon's symbol manifested, followed by Paimon himself. He would admit, Paimon did know how to make an entrance. And the demon king was owed some measure of respect. He stood as Paimon came to a stop and kept himself from groaning as Paimon lapsed into his native tongue. On most visits, it was fascinating - Mitra would try to commit the words to memory, and he and Ravi had worked to try to understand the words in English or Hindi, whichever would get them closer to understanding the language. Success was minimal, but it was fun to try. Right now, though, Mitra just could not make himself care.\n\nHe cleared his throat as Paimon stopped speaking and responded in the sternest voice he could muster. \"King Paimon, speak in my tongue.\" He had to resist the urge to tack on a 'please' - he'd already learned the hard way that a command and a request were two different things. Though once the command took effect - \"Could you please repeat what you said in my tongue?\" His smile was tired. \"I know I heard my name at the end there, but I didn't fully catch the rest.\" Was there something about Lucifer? Of course, there was no guarantee Paimon would listen.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace couldn't help but smile a bit at the pun, and she quipped back with a greeting, \"I see you're galvanic as usual, Mr. Dialtone,\" She listened as he started with the fact that he wanted to cash in her debt to him. After he asked if she caught the headlines, she nodded and answered, \"Oh yes, I heard the headlines,\" \n\nShe grew concerned upon hearing that Farley wasn't going to let Chandra's opposition slide. When he asked her if she could help Chandra, she answered him, \"Of course I can be that spectral helping hand.\" She wasn't about to say 'No' in this situation, considering what Farley and the CEO did to her. Plus, she wasn't about to scoff at a debt that she owed. But she did realize that there was much she still didn't know about the situation.\n\nShe asked Mr. Dialtone, \"However, I will need details in order to be effective. Such as where can I find Mrs. Chandra Singh? If Farley and his goons are planning to murder Mrs. Singh, is there a safe house I can get her to? I don't know if I can impose on Kendra any more than I already have,\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "You call upon your powers and your powers answer, granting you visions of the deck's past, the secrets it has been in the presence of, and the feelings it has been saturated in.\n\nThe first vision is of the cards sitting on a table in a living room devoid of people. After a few moments of nothing happening, a small goblin in a threadbare dress crawls out from under a sofa, radiating feelings of entrepreneurial eagerness as she begins to search the room. The goblin eventually stops to look at the cards on the table, letting out a very impressed \"Ooh.\" as she radiates curiosity and a strong desire to possess the cards. The goblin then reaches down to a satchel that is hanging across one shoulder and begins rummaging around in it, eventually pulling out a handful of poker chips which she then proceeds to set down on the table before taking the cards, slipping them into her satchel, and crawling back under the sofa from whence she came as she radiates a feeling of satisfaction at a good deal done.\n\nThe scene of the vision then changes from the poker chips sitting on a table in an empty living room to the cards sitting on a table in a simple hovel with two people in it. One the goblin from before. The other a homunculus in business attire tailored specifically for its small size. No strong feelings can be detected from the homunculus, but the goblin is still radiating that same entrepreneurial eagerness she had back in the first vision. \"Now just to be clear, my master isn't interested in the cheap imitations that have become so common on Earth.\" The homunculus says. \"He wants genuine tarot cards. The kind that can be used as prophetic tools. You will be rewarded handsomely for every deck you find. Do you find this deal to be to your liking?\" The goblin nods her head furiously, the eager grin on her face more than enough to show that she feels that this is an exceptionally good deal.\n\nThere is one last change in scenery then. This time, the vision begins in darkness. After a few moments, light shines down from somewhere up above, revealing that this last vision has begun inside the goblin's satchel. Still radiating that same feeling of entrepreneurial eagerness, the goblin pulls the deck of playing cards out of her satchel, revealing the interior of your apartment. The goblin is standing over your tarot cards, which she proceeds to pick up and replace with the playing cards. The goblin then stows the tarot cards away and crawls under a nearby sofa, feelings of satisfaction at a good deal done and excitement for another big payday fully detectable even though she is a good distance away from the cards now. As the goblin crawls though, an eight ball falls out of her satchel without her noticing and rolls under a foot stool as the goblin disappears into the darkness.\n\nOnce free of the visions, you would easily be able to find the eight ball and realize that you could use it to track down the goblin. Misty Starbuck, a wizard indebted to you, knows a tracking spell. All she would need is something that belongs to the goblin, something like the eight ball, and she'd be able to point you in the right direction.\n\n\nThe King of the West grins at your command and subsequent request to speak plain. \"I merely spoke a greeting to you just now. Something hardly important enough to warrant repeating.\" Paimon states, speaking now in Hindi. \"What is important is that I have a task for you.\" At those words, a scroll sealed with the sigil of Paimon materializes floating in midair in front of you. \"You are to take this scroll to the wizard known as Misty Starbuck with all haste.\" Paimon commands you. \"She lairs in the abandoned Shakes dance studio on the outskirts of the city. I would suggest beginning your search there.\"\n\nAngel Haruki\n\"Don't you worry yourself a moment about Kendra and Chandra.\" Mr. Dialtone says reassuringly. \"Mrs. Singh's son-in-law, Mitra, is one hell of a hindrance to any would be assassin. Her life's in good hands. Her career is a different story though. Farley's fixin' to have her replaced. I don't know how he's gonna do it, but it involves findin' the right set of tarot cards. Kinda like the ones Kendra just had swiped. You help them find the thief, I'm fairly certain it'll set Farley back just enough that he'll hold off on goin' after Chandra for the time bein'.\"", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Grace\n\nWhen Grace first heard about this mission, she thought it would be easy to get the tarot cards back. But now hearing that Abberline Winchester is practically after the Trader's head? If a ghost could sweat, she'd now be sweating bullets. The phone disconnects before she can say anything else, and she looks concerned as she hangs up the phone and lets herself become nothing more than air once again as she comments, \"I better hurry then...\"\n\nShe then phases through the wall and makes it back to Kendra's side. \n\nAs soon as Kendra's alone, Grace manifests so she could be felt and heard, and she boops Kendra's nose while quoting a Legend of Zelda fairy in a comical greeting, \"Heeeey, Listen!\"\n\nShe makes her point to Kendra, \"I'm coming with you to help you get your tarot cards back. Mr. Dialtone just cashed in my debt to him. Also, you might want to be extremely careful. Apparently Abberline Winchester is also after the Trader,\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra nodded to Aliss, before turning back to Trinity. \"Sure,\" she said. \"Sounds good to me. I'll go get my stuff.\" She turned away, and was in the process of gathering up her coat and bag when a certain specter materialized from nowhere and gave her gentle yet surprising boop on the nose. They jumped slightly, before turning her gaze on Grace. \"One of these days,\" they said, shaking their head slightly as they took a deep breath to recover from the shock. \"One of these days, you are going to give me, or someone else, a heart attack.\" Grace's words didn't help her stress either, as she recalled her earlier vision about Abberline Winchester. \"Oh boy. First a kleptomaniac fae, now a psychotic hunter,\" she responded in a flat voice contrary to words. She glanced back down at the magic eight-ball still clutched in her hand. \"Magic eight-ball, could my evening get anymore exhilarating?\" She gave the object another little shake.\n\nThe object responded yet again with a non-committal answer: \"Cannot predict now.\"\n\nKendra grimaced. \"You know, I never understood the appeal of these things,\" they said to Grace as they held the eight ball up for the ghost to see. \"I mean, granted, I don't see the appeal of most of these hokey divination tools, but this one in particular seems pretty unhelpful.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra bowed and waved Paimon and his band of performers off. Once the portal was closed, though, he let out a deep sigh. Paimon could be a lot at times to serve, though this had felt like one of his more restrained visits. So many things to look out for that posed a danger to him and his family - gosh, he just wanted to crawl into bed and fall asleep. But Paimon had given him a mission. Rest and worry would have to wait. \n\nHe got up and went back to the kitchen to search the junk drawer - the drawer where things like pens that had made their way to the counter, old super glue tubes, rubber bands that had held tupperware shut but since fulfilled their purpose, all sorts of things that would be dealt with 'later' (and of course, 'later' never happened). Ther, among the mess, was a notepad. He yanked off a sheet, grabbed one of the pens, and hunched over the counter to write.\n\nRavi,\n\nSorry I missed you - His Majesty wants me to deliver a message. No idea how long it'll take, so please have dinner without me. I'm headed over to the old dance studio. The one we used to pass on the way to school, remember? I'll be careful, but if I haven't checked in by 11, I'll understand if you call someone. I'll let you know more once I check in.\n\nAlso, King Paimon says hello.\n\n♥ Mitra\n\nHe placed the note on the table. He didn't like the idea of Paimon saying hello to Ravindra, that's how this whole mess got started, but they'd both be at him if he didn't pass the simple message along.He gave the table one last look-over to ensure he hadn't left any trace of that small package's arrival. The only evidence of its existence was the prey totem in his pocket; he slipped his hand into his pocket to make sure it hadn't fallen out. Ravi didn't need to know, not yet. He checked his other pocket for his phone - decent charge, it was fine - before leaving the apartment, locking up behind him.\n\nHis car was no junker, but it also managed to clash with his general style, which was to say, it had none. He'd bought it some years ago despite its canary yellow paint job and swore he was going to get it redone to something metallic or at least neutral. So far, that hadn't happened. It was bulky too, a compromise made at the time for his mother-in-law who worried about insurance rates and safety and sports cars. It hadn't bothered him until after his deal with Paimon, but he had yet to tell anyone he was giving serious thought to trading it in for something flashier and probably less safe.\n\nMitra got into the car, turned it on, and changed the radio to the local rock n' roll station. Loud music blared from his speakers as he pulled out of his spot and began the trip to the Shakes dance studio.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace couldn't help but laugh a bit at Kendra's reaction to her sudden manifestation. She answered the oracle's comment about the heart attack, \"Can you blame me? I kinda need the practice,\" She silently reveled in the thought of giving her murderer a heart attack. \n\nShe listens to Kendra as she comments on the fact that they're going to be facing a kleptomaniac fae and a psychopathic hunter, before consulting a magic eight ball. \n\nGrace answered Kendra's words, \"Umm...That's probably because Magic Eight Balls were mainly made to be toys, not as an actual fortune telling device. At least, that's what I remember from doing a research project back in Elementary School,\"\n\nShe then asked Kendra, \"Since when did you have that Magic Eight Ball, anyways? I don't remember seeing that in your room before,\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" } ]

[ { "text": "Kendra\n\nSeeing the other car already parked outside Misty's sanctum made Kendra tense. \"You might want to stay in the car, Trin,\" they said as they started undoing their seat belt. She had a bad feeling, not like a vision or supernatural sense, just the run-of-the-mill bad gut feeling normal people got. If something bad went down at Misty's place, she didn't want Trinity to be caught up in it. Misty had all sorts of mystical powers, Grace was already dead and thus immune to usual physical harm, and, well, Kendra had long since stopped caring about their own safety. But Trinity was a normal, flesh-and-blood human being. Hardy, yes, but a normal human being nonetheless. \n\nOnce she was out of the car, Kendra glanced around in attempt to find Grace. \"Grace?\" she said aloud, assuming the specter was somewhere in the vicinity.", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nAt least the drive was nice. Mitra allowed himself some time to relax and unwind, simply soaking in the music to ease his tension. Driving with music was a hobby he rarely indulged in, due to the price of gasoline, but he had to confess, he was grateful for the excuse. Even with his differences with Paimon.\n\nWhen he pulled up, though, there was a car pulling in as well. Misty's? A friend? An enemy? He had no way of knowing. He watched someone get out of the passenger's seat - looked to be a young adult. Late high school to college, somewhere in that range. Was this Misty? Or was she the driver, who he couldn't make out from this distance? If so, she was older than he'd imagined her being. A young teenager like he pictured would make him dig for the dregs of compassion he could still manage, try to gently confirm her identity before handing over Paimon's message and hanging around to make sure she'd be alright. Maybe offer her some resources he knew of, lie and say it was going to be a-okay. But an older teenager?\n\nHe might manage something, but it was going to be tempered by experience and caution. He'd had message deliveries go sour before, and if she was old enough to drive, she was old enough to try beating him upside the head when the message turned out to be something bad. After a few deliveries that had gone poorly, he'd begged Paimon for a blessing of thicker skin to help protect himself. Paimon had made another suggestion too for his own defense.\n\nMitra pulled the lever to release the trunk lock, unbuckled, and got out of the car. He went into the backseat first, where a box of shotgun shells was stored under the driver's seat, and pocketed a couple of shells. He then went to the trunk, and pulled out the unloaded pump-action shotgun. It was almost never loaded until he actually needed to shoot someone - just the sight was usually enough to intimidate, and the stock had seen more action than the barrels had. That didn't mean he intended to wander in without ammunition. His thickened skin was typically enough to buy him time to load the shotgun and request that the other party calm down if violence broke out. And if the violence continued, well, then he had no qualms about pulling the trigger. \n\nIt was just good manners to ask first. And had saved him a lot in laundry bills.\n\nHe locked his car and approached the young adult, treading lightly and shotgun resting against his shoulder. \"Misty Starbuck?\" he asked.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nAlong the way to the dance hall, Grace greeted the other ghosts in a friendly manner, and quickly thanked them when they gave her warnings about the hunter. When the three of them arrived, Grace's attention was drawn to the interior of the dance hall. She phased through and watched as Abberline the hunter held his fire to let Misty perform the ritual to find the Trader. \n\nKnowing that Kendra doesn't have any weapons to defend herself from the hunter, she flew as fast as she could back to the outside where Kendra was. She stood next to the prophetess and allowed herself to manifest so she can seen and heard, but not touched. She spoke to Kendra quickly and urgently, \n\n\"Kendra! Abberline's already got Misty at gunpoint! He's having her search for the Tra...der...\" \n\nHer speech slows and her eyes widen as her gaze catches a familiar face: The last face she saw when she was alive. The face she called to for help in her last moments...\n\n\"You....!\" She directed that word at Mitra in recognition. It's amazing how one word can hold so much anger. It wasn't as much anger as the amount she held towards her murderer specifically, but it is a lot. \n\nShe inhales sharply through her nose and held up on index finger as though to say 'One Moment'. She speaks, clearly catching herself before she did anything dumb, \"Later! Later...!\" \n\nShe looks back to Kendra and she tells her, \"Misty needs saving. Stay out here! I will be back,\" \n\nShe then looks to Mitra again and she comments, \"Don't trust him and don't expect him to help in any way,\" \n\nShe looks back to the dance hall, trying to think of what to do before she vanishes and goes to act. She needed a plan. For the moment she is still manifested.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" } ]

[ { "text": "\"I need something for the spell to work on,\" You tell the hunter.\n\n\"I am aware.\" Abberline replies before gesturing to the empty bag with the word 'Candy' embroidered onto the side that he threw to you a moment ago. \"The bag belongs to my quarry. I trust that will be enough for you to work with?\"\n\n\nAs you announce that you'd rather avoid anyone getting shot tonight, a strange intuition comes to you. An intuition you know from experience to be a result of your powers. Abberline knows of the prophesy foretelling his doom at the hands an alliance between all four factions. As a result, he will be quick to retreat if confronted by even the smallest gathering of Mortality, Night, Power, and Wild.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra was about to answer when the ghost shows up. And apparently recognizes him. Confusion creases his brow before he takes the worst possible choice - he brushes it off. Seems the ghost will explain 'later', though he doesn't appreciate her 'warning'. He's a fairly reasonable and hardworking individual, especially for someone who's for all intents and purposes soulless. He couldbe a far worse and less reliable individual, he's heard the stories and knows he's walking a tightrope.\n\nAnd as for the comment about shooting someone...\n\n\"You've heard the expression 'don't shoot the messenger', yeah? Not many take it to heart. So I just have this to ensure I don't get shot more than once. It's empty right now, see?\" And he does open the barrels so this mystery lady and ghost can see for themselves. He only gives them enough time for that, though, as it sounds like his target's in trouble. If nothing else, he'll be in trouble if he fails to deliver this message.\n\n\"So, you're not Misty. I have a message for her.\" He nods towards the building. Abberline. Figures. So his target's not a regular human either. Abberline probably has bullets for her. They might be holy. \"I can take a shot or two, if that helps. Is she tainted?\" He's not willing yet to put all his cards on the table, but he may as well find out the odds that the hunter is prepared for someone like him right now.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\n\"Fair enough,\" Kendra said in response to the stranger's response, though there was still a hint of doubt in their voice. They also raised an eyebrow at his comment about 'being able to take a few bullets' and him asking if Misty was 'tainted'. \"No, Misty's a wizard,\" she said. \"Or witch. Sorceress? I don't know how she labels herself, but she can do spells.\" As she was saying this, a thought began occurring to her as she remembered the prophecy she had had about Abberline. She glanced toward Grace, back at the stranger, and then towards the dance studio. \"I have an idea about how we can scare Abberline off, but it's risky.\" \n\nGrace was a ghost, making her of the Night faction. Misty was Powered. As for Mortality, well, Kendra could potentially pass as a 'normal'. She certainly wasn't about to involve Trinity or any other bystanders. That left this strange man. Kendra scrutinized him again: they had no idea of his alignment, but they got the sense from his lack of reaction towards Grace's spontaneous appearance and the things he was saying that he was not a normal man. He said he had a message to Misty, presumably from someone else, and it didn't seem as if he wanted her dead. That was a start. \"So, hi: I'm Kendra. I have visions sometimes,\" she said. \"What's your deal exactly?\"\n\nKendra rolls a 9 to Figure Mitra Out. They want to ask:\n- Who's pulling your strings?\n- How can I get your character to trust my plan?\nMitra can also ask Kendra one of the questions from Figure Someone Out.", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra raises an eyebrow, taking a moment to process all he'd been told. A wizard, huh. That might explain the name and the need for a lair. He's starting to feel excessively foolish for his concern in the first place. His initial assumption might still be right, but it seems increasingly unlikely.\n\nAnd a plan. He was expecting her to go into some detail, but she surprised him by introducing herself first. He didn't know what to make of her comment about visions - should he be concerned? Then it occurred to him she was possibly an oracle. Oracles had visions, didn't they? Often uncontrolled, he'd heard, and usually somewhat distant into the future. That actually brought up a concern: whatever plan she had, she had no way of knowing it'd work. When she was saying the plan was risky, she meant it.\n\nHe brings his free arm up to his side, as if he's reliving a gunshot. Just because he'd stated he could tank a shot, it didn't mean he wants to be shot. No, he wants to deliver this damn message and get home and maybe make popcorn with Ravindra as they settle in for the evening to watch some movie of questionable quality. Abberline wasn't in his plans. But he supposes it's too late now. And now Kendra wants to know his deal. He has little trouble sharing it - most people don't believe him until he tears through his skin and skeleton (which, incidentally, is why the shotgun's kept in the car and not in the house. He doesn't need the extra intimidation factor in scaring off intruders, many of whom don't even know demons are real until he's clawing at their bodies).\n\n\"Mitra.\" If Kendra's not comfortable sharing her last name, he sees no reason to share his. \"I serve Paimon, King of the West and Ruler of 200 legions of spirits. In return for my servitude of delivering messages and tracking down demons, he has seen fit to grant an... alternate form.\" For some, serving King Paimon might be seen as a reason to brag and to hopefully impress the listener; Mitra simply relates the information like he's ordering a burger as a fast food restaurant. He eyes Kendra carefully. \"How 'risky' is this plan of yours?\"\n\nTo summarize: the one 'pulling his strings' most directly is Paimon, and he's more likely to trust the plan if he can be persuaded that he won't be seriously injured or intentionally put into harm's way, at least no moreso than the others will be.\nMitra is asking, in his own way, What does Kendra worry might happen?", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" } ]

[ { "text": "Kendra\n\n\"Huh,\" Kendra said, now with both eyebrows raised. She'd been expecting his employer to be unusual, but demon king had definitely not been her first thought. \"If that's the case, then the chances of this plan working have improved considerably.\" Under normal circumstances, she would not want either herself or any of roommates, living or otherwise, to make any dealings with anyone who associated with demons. Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending who you asked - everything relating to Abberline was, at least in Kendra's book, labelled as anything but normal. \n\n\"When Abberline first came to town, I had a vision that he was going to become a major problem,\" the Oracle said. \"And that his defeat would only come about at the hands of an alliance between all four Factions.\" They rolled their eyes. \"Which I initially dismissed as being as likely as Hell freezing over, if you'll pardon the expression.\" There is the faintest hint of a smirk forming on Kendra's face which Mitra will get the impression - and something Grace will know for a fact - is not something she does often. Clearly, she thought what she just said was very witty. \"However, it just so happens that Abberline has heard of this prophecy too, and he's apparently far less cynical than I am. At even the hint of alliance between all four factions, he should retreat.\" She pointed to Mitra. \"Your association with a demon, Misty's occupation and Grace being, well, Grace means we've got Wild, Power and Night covered. We're only missing Mortality.\" Mitra will notice as Kendra is saying this, her eyes are very pointedly trying not to look toward the car she exited from, where Trinity is still seated. \"I don't advertise my gifts often, and do my best to keep my head down when I can. There is a chance that Abberline doesn't already have me on his list of future hunts, and that I may be able to pass as a normal human being.\" That hint of a smirk became more obvious as she added, \"For once in my life.\"\n\nThe smile then faded completely to a much grimmer expression, which looked far more at home on Kendra's face. \"However, if he doesn't fall for it, we may end up escalating the situation and he might end up hurting Misty, presuming he hasn't already. And even if it does work and he flees, well, we've just revealed our faces to a man who hunts the supernatural for shits and giggles. If Abberline doesn't already have a file on each of us, he will after tonight, and we'll probably have raised up in his hitlist.\" Kendra shrugged. \"Now, Abberline doesn't scare me, but I don't know about how well that would sit with you.\" She turns her gaze from Mitra towards Grace. \"That goes for you too, Grace. I won't force either of you to do this if you're not prepared for the problems it's very likely going to bring.\" She shrugged again. \"Then again, Abberline's probably going to end up being a whole lot of peoples' problem sooner or later. You don't get a MacBeth-styled prophecy about you by being lowkey.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace looked to Kendra when she spoke up, stopping her from disappearing and acting on her own. She listened to Kendra as spoke. The ghost nodded in agreement with Kendra's sentiment that she didn't want anyone to get shot at tonight. Grace noticeably looks irked when the man seemed to have brushed her off like she was nothing.\n\nDid he really not remember last week? Sure, they saw each other for the first time back then, but who would forget witnessing a murder?!\n\nThe ghost was silent as she listened to her friend and the strange speak with each other. When Mitra introduced his first name, surprise crossed her face. She couldn't help but ask, \"Wait. 'Mitra'? As in, 'Mitra Singh'?!\" Her eyes were wide with surprise more so than rage this time as she asked. \n\nConsidering that Mr. Dialtone mentioned him as Chandra's bodyguard earlier, and she was here to save Chandra's career as well as find Kendra's tarot cards, she had serious doubts that this was a coincidence. Besides, how common of a name was 'Mitra' anyways? \n\nMitra Singh and the guy who she called to help her at the moment of her death were the same guy?!\n\nHer attention was drawn back to Kendra from her whirling mind drawing rapid conclusions. She listened as Kendra explained Abberline's prophecy. She gave a smirk as well when Kendra did. Her smirk faded as well when Kendra explained the dangers of this plan.\n\nShe answered Kendra's words, \"I'm in. I trust you, Kendra. Now that I'm like this, I can't just stand by and do nothing when someone is about to get hurt,\" When she spoke the last part of her sentence she pointed her gaze and words at Mitra. They were full of bitter venom as though to silently say \"Like someone here did,\" \n\nShe calmed herself down, reminding herself to talk to Mitra about it later. \n\nShe asked Kendra, \"What do you need me to do?\"", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\n\"Wait. 'Mitra'? As in, 'Mitra Singh'?!\" \n\nHe bit his tongue to keep from replying with the default of 'I don't do political favors' - the spirit had probably recognized him from his mother-in-law's surname (except, wait, he hadn't given his surname, how had she known?), and right now was probably not the time to address his policy towards requests from natural or supernatural beings. Right now, it was time to listen to Kendra.\n\nShe outlined the prophecy against Abberline, how each of them fit into a specific category - and made a pun about hell that made him groan. He craned his neck towards the driver still seated in Kendra's car when she mentioned Mortality being missing, but then she very thoughtfully volunteered herself and he returned his gaze to her. Well, as long as she could feign being an ordinary human for five minutes, who was he to object? And then the problems - yeah, those were some significant problems. He wasn't going to lie, for the first time in a long time he could feel the stirrings of fear.\n\nIt was more pleasant than he remembered it being. It felt... lively.\n\nOf course, that didn't mean it was pleasant; there was the very real fear of what Ravindra might do if he died, of what forces he might get in contact with on his demise for the sake of vengeance. Or what if the prophecy was referring to Ravindra as the representative of Mortality? Or what if Abberline targeted Ravindra for his association with Mitra? He could feel the demon just beneath his flesh ripple with rage at the thought. It wasn't really a great plan. But it was a plan.\n\nThen the spirit spoke up again before Mitra could (mostly to complain that he wouldn't call it a MacBeth-styled prophecy. Not enough impossibility), and if she was any more venomous, he'd mistake her for a demon too.\n\n\"Ohhhhkay, I've... offended you somehow?\" he guessed. Studying her, she was kinda familiar, but like in the way a barista's familiar when they're off the job and out shopping somewhere. That didn't tell him much, really. \"But perhaps we can discuss it another time. Or at least after I've delivered my message.\" He capped this message off by loading the shotgun with a single shell and then offering it Kendra. \"I take it I should enter using my other form - and if so, you may need this more than I do. At least if you're trying to pass as a normal human. Can't imagine a normal human arriving unarmed. I fully expect it back once he's left, though.\"", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" } ]

[ { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra had been planning for them to enter the building all roughly at the same time, but it seemed Grace had other plans as the spirit disappeared. Inside the studio, Kendra could hear the distorted sound of Tchaikovsky beginning to play. \n\n\"Well, guess we're going in right now,\" Kendra muttered under her breath. She was definitely going to have to have a word with Grace about her tendency to disappear and reappear without warning. Before she could make her way towards the front door, Mitra spoke up and handed her his jacket. \"Uh, suuure,\" she said, awkwardly taking it before she witnessed Mitra's slow - and frankly excruciating - transformation. Kendra wasn't religious - it was hard to believe in any force that was both all-powerful AND benevolent when you saw half the things she had seen - but she had been raised catholic, and seeing something clearly demonic must have triggered some of those old religious habits because she found herself clumsily making the sign of the cross.\n\n\"Err, right,\" Kendra said when Mitra addressed her again, clearly surprised he was still able to talk in his current form. She quickly turned away and made her way towards the studio door. She paused to glance behind her again before awkwardly kicking open the door and making her way inside the building. She attempted to refocus herself, holding the gun in front of her as purposely as she could muster as she came into the view of Misty and Abberline. \"Good evening,\" she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as she could muster given the circumstances. \"Hope we're not interrupting.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace watched as Abberline reacted to the sudden music. However, she grew more antsy and worried when she saw that Misty completed the spell and enchanted the toy compass. \n\nAbberline shouldn't have it…!\n\nGrace darted down to the compass and looked up to see Kendra entering with…\n\nWhat was that monstrosity by her side?! Was that Mitra?!\n\nShe shook her head to shake off the horror and surprise she felt. As soon as Abberline's attention was on the both of them, she manifested so that she could touch and be heard. Once again, she remained invisible in this manifestation.\n\nShe picked up the enchanted toy compass causing it to appear as though it was floating in the air by itself. It floated up until it was at Grace's height before remaining there for a moment.\n\nShe gave a quick whistle to Mitra before throwing the compass to him and quickly dropping the manifestation before Abberline tries to fire at her. \n\nThe compass is thrown overhand, so it flies in an upward arc towards the ceiling at first before hopefully falling into Mitra's talons.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "\"A deal is a deal,\" You say in a cold, steady voice.\n\n\"Of course.\" Abberline speaks an even reply before gesturing for you to hand over the compass.\n\nBefore you can act though, a second armed person and an unarmed demon make their entrance into your sanctum.\n\n\n\"Good evening,\" You say as nonchalantly as you can. \"Hope we're not interrupting.\"\n\n\"Oh no, you aren't interrupting anything.\" Abberline says to you, utterly unfazed by your shotgun and demonic companion. \"I'll just be taking this compass and heading off, Don't mind-\" The sound of whistling comin from no discernible source interrupts Abberline then, and causes him to turn and see the compass floating in mid air.\n\nAngel Haruki\nAbberline looks on in visible confusion as you hold the compass in front of him. Confusion turns to realization, and then to annoyance as you throw the compass to Mitra.\n\n\nAbberline rounds on you and Kendra as you snatch the compass out of the air. \"I told you I am in no mood for games, witch!\" Abberline barked over his shoulder. \"The magic may fade if I shoot you, but I know killing your friends here will not break the spell!\" With that said, Abberline takes aim and opens fire on you and Kendra.\n\n@RBYDark\nKeep Your Cool to avoid being shot.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra catches the compass with some caution, lest his talons scratch or impale the toy item. His focus was on not dropping the item - and so he looks up a little too late to realize Abberline is pointing a gun at him and Kendra.\n\nHe has no idea if Kendra's alright - he can feel the bullets attempt to pierce his hide before ultimately dropping. He's been knocked back a few inches, and he's going to bruise badly, he knows this from past experience. Just because he received the wound as a demon didn't keep the wounds from manifesting when he turned back into a human. Why had the ghost thrown the compass to him?\n\nYes, he gets whiny when hurt. Sue him.\n\nHe hisses loudly, baring his teeth as he does, and then spits his corrosive venom, aiming at Abberline's arm. He really doesn't enjoy getting shot, and he has no desire to get shot again.\n\nI rolled a 9. I choose to Take something from Abberline and I find myself in a bad spot", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace hadn't been thinking. As soon as she saw Abberline aim at Kendra, she immediately acted. She manifested enough to touch and be heard once again on instinct to shout, \"No!\" \n\nShe immediately grabbed the gun in Abberline's hands and tried to move. His fire managed to hit Mitra, but thankfully, she was able to keep Kendra from getting shot....\n\n....At the cost of her own corpus.\n\nShe let out a pained cry as blood mysteriously spattered from her invisible corpus and onto Abberline and his gun. The shots had torn through her stomach and abdomen. She bore through the pain as best as she can, and she spoke to Abberline, \n\n\"If I wasn't here, you would have killed someone from the Mortality Faction. How much more blood must be spilt until you are satisfied, Abberline?! Because quite frankly, you're just begging to be haunted,\" \n\nUsing Mislead, Distract, or Trick to try and get Abberline to think that all four factions are currently there and united against him. Basically she's trying to help Kendra's plan.\n\nUsing 'Won't Be Ignored' to roll with Spirit instead of Mind. \nRolled an 11!", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" } ]

[ { "text": "\"Fuck!\" Misty shouted, clapping her hands over her ears against the thundering report of the gun. It rang tinnily in her ears as it echoed around the excellent acoustics of her dance studio. The demon thing appeared to have hocked a gobbet of acid onto the hunter, which was both badass and disgusting in approximately equal terms. She then realized that Kendra, who to Misty's knowledge had never fired a gun before, was point a shotgun in the general direction of a man standing right next to her. It didn't take a genius to realize that if she didn't get the holy blue fuck out of here the best she could hope for was an ass full of buckshot.\n\n\"Telos!\" she shouted and vanished in a puff of chalk dust, reappearing in the reception area with a thunderous sneeze. She shoved her hand into the pocket of a jacket hanging on the door and pulled out her glock. It had been a gift from a pimp who had tried to add Misty to his stable after word got around about that oh so hilarious solicitation charge. Well if by gift you meant took it out of his bag after she had creatively rewired his memories in such a way that inspired him to find a new line of work. The words 'I cast fireball' had been scratched into the slide in clumsy block letters and then filled in with red nail polish during a subsequent arts and craft hour. She flicked off the safety and whirled back to what was fast becoming the murder on the dance floor, or at any rate a Tchaikovsky cover of it.\n\nMisty spends 1 hold to teleport to her gun and out of the line of fire.\n2 Holds remaining.", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "\"If I wasn't here, you would have killed someone from the Mortality Faction. How much more blood must be spilt until you are satisfied, Abberline?! Because quite frankly, you're just begging to be haunted,\" \n\n\"Mortality?\" Abberline says in response to Grace's words, more concerned by the presence of someone from each faction than he was by anything else she has told him. Distracted by these words, Abberline is unable to avoid Mitra's acid spit. As the weaponized saliva makes contact with his arm, Abberline cries out in shock and pain. He lets go of his rifle to clutch at his injured limb, unknowingly leaving the weapon in Grace's grasp. Abberline then turns away further from Grace to look at Kendra as they make their threat. Abberline regards the three visible people in the room with a nervous look on his face. He had come here looking to spook some information out of a wizard, but now he has more to deal with than he expected. The night is not panning out well for him.\n\nAnd then Misty teleports away.\n\nAbberline's apprehension vanishes in an instant when this happens, total confidence taking its place. \"Dearie me. It looks like the witch wasn't as friendly with you as I thought.\" Abberline says as he turns fully to face Mitra and Kendra, shaking the dissolving clothing off of his arm to reveal the unharmed flesh underneath. \"Hard luck, you two. You were going to need her.\" As he says that, Abberline reaches into his jacket and withdraws a long chain of blades and mace heads. Made of a metal that Mitra instinctively knows to be of holy origin. \"As much as I'd love to kill a demon tonight, I'd be to exhausted to chase my real prey afterwards. So how about you just hand me that compass and I'll get out of your hair.\"", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nAt this point, Kendra wasn't really thinking about the prophecy or that Misty had just abandoned the group. Their mind was so muddled with anger, adrenaline and, of course, guilt, that they weren't really thinking at all as they raised the gun at Abberline. \"I fucking warned you, asshole,\" they said, just as they pulled the trigger.\n\nKendra rolls to Unleash An Attack on Abberline. They roll a 7, and choose:\n- Inflict terrible harm on Abberline\n- You find yourself in a bad spot", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Misty reappeared in a cloud of multicolored chalk dust. She sneezed violently and then leveled the pistol.\n\n\"Sorry, left my asshole repellant in my other pants,\" she explained. Still on a high from the arcane forces swirling in the air, she opened fire, muzzle flash painting long bottles of flame in the dusty air.\n\nUnleash an attack -10\nInflict terrible harm\nTake something - Abberlines finger\n\nroleplayerguild.com/rolls/24879", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nIn retrospect, maybe getting shot at again would've been alright.\n\nMitra stares down the weapon, his twitching tail betraying his fear. He doesn't know why Abberline wants this compass so badly, or what he's planning on hunting tonight. Maybe it'd be for the best to return the compass. Their plan was impulsive and contingent on several factors, none of which seem to have panned out. But also, giving Abberline the compass feels like letting him win. Like he and the spirit got shot for no damn reason. Like he handed over his shotgun and trusted these people for nothing.\n\nThen the shotgun goes off. Then the handgun.\n\nMitra yelps and feels his hand contract. Hears a crunch. Feels pain. It turns out the sound of a shotgun and a gun going off in rapid succession is actually quite startling when you're not the one pulling the trigger. He opens his hand to reveal, to himself and Abberline, assuming Abberline's even capable of paying attention at this point, the broken toy compass.\n\nSome magic could probably fix it. But that's a resource Abberline doesn't have the most regular access to, Mitra's pretty sure.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "As the bullets fly, Abberline lets out a cry. But it is a cry of frustration over the compass being destroyed rather than a cry of pain from being shot so many times. For while several shots find their mark, most of the bullets miss and the few shots that do strike true either graze the hunter or hit the Kevlar beneath his clothes. The worst of the few injuries Abberline receives from the barrage is when Misty shoots the ring finger from his left hand. Kendra is quick to realize what is happening. The Winds of Fate have kicked up a Vortex of Coincidence around Abberline. Unless he stands before the alliance fated to defeat him, no fatal blow may land. And from the look on his face, Abberline has just realized that Grace's words about Kendra being from Mortality aren't true.\n\nBefore he can act on this realization however the flash of red and blue light outside, accompanied by a siren song all too familiar to city dwellers, heralds the arrival of the law. It seems that Trinity heard the sound of gunfire from the car and called in back up. \"I only wanted a way to track my prey.\" Abberline says to you all. \"But you just had to make things harder than they needed to be didn't you?\" He then addresses one final sentence to Misty. \"When I'm done with the Trader, nowhere will be safe for you, witch!\" With that said, Abberline sinks through the floor and vanishes from sight in a manner that Grace will realize to be quite similar to her own ability to pass through solid objects.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null } ]

[ { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace held the gun she took from Abberline and simply pointed it at him during the entire encounter. But she never pulled the trigger. She knew the pain and the experience of dying by bullets. She wasn't so inclined to subject another person to that fate. \n\nThough, to her surprise, it seems like Abberline might already be dead, because he just phased through the floor to escape!\n\nBecause she opted to remain invisible, nobody could see her shocked face as she recognized that method of escape. But thanks to the gun she was holding, Kendra was able to walk up to her. What better way to tell where an invisible person was than a floating item?\n\nShe answered Kendra, with a groan at first, \"Owww...I'm fine. I just...That really hurts. I'm still standing...\" \n\nShe gave a chuckle and she asked, \"How about you? Better I get shot than...well, anyone alive, right? I'm still new to this whole...'ghost' thing,\" \n\nThen Kendra and Mitra spoke up about getting out of there. She nods, even if that couldn't be seen, and she answers, \"Right...I'm still 'missing', so I don't think letting anyone else know I'm here is a good idea. Maybe dropping this manifestation can help heal me? Either way, I'll be staying close by...\" \n\nAfter she says that, she drops the manifestation and the gun clatters to the ground uselessly.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\n\"Oh, err, right,\" Kendra said in response to Mitra asking for his jacket and gun back. She'd been so hyped on adrenaline and rage she'd completely forgotten. She handed his stuff back to him. \"Thanks, by the way. For backing me up.\" They grimaced before adding, \"Sorry it didn't go... quite the way I planned.\"\n\nThey turned back to Grace. \"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you.\" They wanted to say more than that. They were somewhere in between wanting to apologize profusely to Grace and wanting to scold her for her reckless behaviour, but as their companions had pointed out, this really wasn't the time. \n\nGrace then decided to de-materialize, causing the gun she'd taken from Abberline to drop to the ground. Kendra immediately backed off, flinching in case the gun suddenly went off. When nothing happened, they lowered their arms and hissed a curse under their breath. They added 'gun-safety' to the list of things they'd have to talk to Grace about once they got out of here. However, there was one thing they wanted to address before they did anything else. They turned to Misty. \"Hey, so, err, are you okay? Do you, erm, have anywhere else to stay since your hideout is now...\" They gestured around themself. \"You know, compromised?\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra takes the jacket and gun with a grunt. \"You can't choose what your visions say.\" He pauses, eyes Kendra with some skepticism, and then shakes his head and slithers over to Misty. \"If you're leaving, I have a message before you go.\" He pulls the scroll out of the jacket and hands it off to her. \"I think the powers of darkness have already found you. Take it from me, the deals aren't as glamorous as they seem.\" As if for emphasis, all the eyes below his waist blink independently of each other. \"Also, if you could point me to a corner where I can hide and regrow my legs for the next five minutes, I'd be much obliged.\" It's clear he's not being that serious about feeling obliged, but says it out of habit rather than a promise of a debt.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Misty opened one eye, relieved that the dropped shotgun hadn't gone off and done what Abberline had failed to do. Letting out a sigh she opened the other. She could at least hope the cops would be there in a few minutes. This was a bad neighborhood afterall.\n\n \n\n\"Other than an open invite to a sarcophagus, I'm afraid not. I can probably hole up in a motel for a few days though,\" she replied to Kendra. Abberline had made it sound like he was going to take care of Trader first which meant she had a few days before he was likely to show up here. Maybe if she tipped Trader off he could exchange Abberline's liver for a sack of kitty litter or something equally useful.\n\n \n\nShe gave the demon thing a long level look. She took the scroll from him and bounced it in her palm.\n\n \n\n\"No harm ever came from reading a book right?\" she asked, not at all certain that becoming pen pals with Beelzebub was a good idea.\n\n \"There is a changing room back there,\" she told Mitra, making a gesture to the rear of the studio.\n\n\"Just don't use the one with tinsel on the door it's a por... I'm just don't use that one.\"\n\n \n\nFigure out Mitra (11) -Hold 2\n\nSpend 1 to figure out how I can put Mitra in my debt\n\nSaving one for later..", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra raised an eyebrow at the sarcophagus line, not sure whether it was Misty's sense of humour or a genuine fact, but decided it was best not to ask. Instead, they pointed with their thumb to outside the studio where they assumed Trinity was still waiting. \"Well, err, I'd have to talk it out with my roommate, but we have a couch if you needed somewhere to crash,\" they said. \"Our apartment has three living people and one ghost - you met Grace already. It'd be a bit crammed but...\" They shrugged, clearly feeling awkward about offering a place to stay to someone they admittedly didn't know that well. However, they felt they at least owed Misty the option considering their less-than-stellar rescue attempt. \"I don't know, considering what you've just been through, you might want the company.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "@Candykane\nAs the conversation continues, you two suddenly notice that the floor has become blanketed in a fine layer of mist that rolled in from under a nearby door. As you look down at this mist, it strikes you that some vampires have the ability to turn into and travel as a cloud of mist. With this it mind, it comes as no shock to either up you when the mist rises into a trio of columns before dispersing to reveal a trio of vampires in police uniforms, a young albino brunette dual wielding a pair of 9mm Glocks, a fair haired black man of indeterminate age bringing to bear a Walther PPK, and an older man with greying black hair pointing a light cavalry saber at the group. \"Good evening.\" The senior officer speaks with a deep southern drawl. \"If you would kindly lay your weapons down and place your hands behind your head, my colleagues I would greatly appreciate your compliance.\"\n\n\nHaving noticed the vampire's approach, you would be on guard enough to realize thanks to your connections to Trinity that these vampires are part of the Copper Web, a vampire clan that is intertwined with the city's police force. Knowing this, you are fairly certain that name dropping Trinity would put them in a more agreeable mood.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace noticed the mist, and before she could manifest again and warn anybody, the mist formed into three policemen! She watched this event take place, and she looked to her Kendra, Misty, and Mitra, waiting for them to act first before she does anything else. \n\nWhile taking in the events that occur, she keeps a hand over the wounds she just received, not just to cover them, but also to see if they were healing while she remained ghostly.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" } ]

[ { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra takes the jacket and gun with a grunt. \"You can't choose what your visions say.\" He pauses, eyes Kendra with some skepticism, and then shakes his head and slithers over to Misty. \"If you're leaving, I have a message before you go.\" He pulls the scroll out of the jacket and hands it off to her. \"I think the powers of darkness have already found you. Take it from me, the deals aren't as glamorous as they seem.\" As if for emphasis, all the eyes below his waist blink independently of each other. \"Also, if you could point me to a corner where I can hide and regrow my legs for the next five minutes, I'd be much obliged.\" It's clear he's not being that serious about feeling obliged, but says it out of habit rather than a promise of a debt.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "Misty opened one eye, relieved that the dropped shotgun hadn't gone off and done what Abberline had failed to do. Letting out a sigh she opened the other. She could at least hope the cops would be there in a few minutes. This was a bad neighborhood afterall.\n\n \n\n\"Other than an open invite to a sarcophagus, I'm afraid not. I can probably hole up in a motel for a few days though,\" she replied to Kendra. Abberline had made it sound like he was going to take care of Trader first which meant she had a few days before he was likely to show up here. Maybe if she tipped Trader off he could exchange Abberline's liver for a sack of kitty litter or something equally useful.\n\n \n\nShe gave the demon thing a long level look. She took the scroll from him and bounced it in her palm.\n\n \n\n\"No harm ever came from reading a book right?\" she asked, not at all certain that becoming pen pals with Beelzebub was a good idea.\n\n \"There is a changing room back there,\" she told Mitra, making a gesture to the rear of the studio.\n\n\"Just don't use the one with tinsel on the door it's a por... I'm just don't use that one.\"\n\n \n\nFigure out Mitra (11) -Hold 2\n\nSpend 1 to figure out how I can put Mitra in my debt\n\nSaving one for later..", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nKendra raised an eyebrow at the sarcophagus line, not sure whether it was Misty's sense of humour or a genuine fact, but decided it was best not to ask. Instead, they pointed with their thumb to outside the studio where they assumed Trinity was still waiting. \"Well, err, I'd have to talk it out with my roommate, but we have a couch if you needed somewhere to crash,\" they said. \"Our apartment has three living people and one ghost - you met Grace already. It'd be a bit crammed but...\" They shrugged, clearly feeling awkward about offering a place to stay to someone they admittedly didn't know that well. However, they felt they at least owed Misty the option considering their less-than-stellar rescue attempt. \"I don't know, considering what you've just been through, you might want the company.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "@Candykane\nAs the conversation continues, you two suddenly notice that the floor has become blanketed in a fine layer of mist that rolled in from under a nearby door. As you look down at this mist, it strikes you that some vampires have the ability to turn into and travel as a cloud of mist. With this it mind, it comes as no shock to either up you when the mist rises into a trio of columns before dispersing to reveal a trio of vampires in police uniforms, a young albino brunette dual wielding a pair of 9mm Glocks, a fair haired black man of indeterminate age bringing to bear a Walther PPK, and an older man with greying black hair pointing a light cavalry saber at the group. \"Good evening.\" The senior officer speaks with a deep southern drawl. \"If you would kindly lay your weapons down and place your hands behind your head, my colleagues I would greatly appreciate your compliance.\"\n\n\nHaving noticed the vampire's approach, you would be on guard enough to realize thanks to your connections to Trinity that these vampires are part of the Copper Web, a vampire clan that is intertwined with the city's police force. Knowing this, you are fairly certain that name dropping Trinity would put them in a more agreeable mood.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null }, { "text": "Grace\n\nGrace noticed the mist, and before she could manifest again and warn anybody, the mist formed into three policemen! She watched this event take place, and she looked to her Kendra, Misty, and Mitra, waiting for them to act first before she does anything else. \n\nWhile taking in the events that occur, she keeps a hand over the wounds she just received, not just to cover them, but also to see if they were healing while she remained ghostly.", "username": "Guardian Angel Haruki", "char_name": "Grace" }, { "text": "Kendra\n\nIt took a lot of restraint for Kendra not to heave a loud sigh when she caught sight of the Copper Web members. She'd been hoping to just to have to deal with regular cops. After the confrontation with Abberline, she wasn't sure how much more supernatural politics she could take tonight. The universe really wasn't making things easy for her today.\n\nStill, it wasn't the worst thing. She felt she knew enough about these guys that she could potentially stop this from getting out of hand. \"Good evening, officers,\" they said, raising their hands to show they had no weapons on them. Not anymore, at least. \"I'm Kendra Molony, Trinity Abrams' roommate? I'm pretty sure she's the one who called you about...\" They motioned around themself vaguely. \"All this.\" They paused before adding, \"I just want to start by saying that nobody who is currently in this room was the one who started this.\"", "username": "XxFellsingxX", "char_name": "Kendra Molony" }, { "text": "Sometimes reality beggared metaphor. Fucking Vampire Cops, as if the real kind weren't blood sucking parasites enough. Misty placed her pistol on the ground and straightened up placing her hands behind her head and interlacing her fingers, having no desire to be shot and or sabered having just escaped from being shot and or bayonetted by Aberlinne. She kept the buzz of arcane power alive in her mind, just in case a quick exit should be required.\n\n\"What seems to be the problem Officer,\" she said, unable to completely eradicate the urge to snark.\n\nPut a face to a name on the senior officer - 8\nMarked Night", "username": "Candykane", "char_name": "Name Misty Starbuck" }, { "text": "Mitra\n\nMitra, already in some pain from starting to shift back, practically screeches as the vampires come out of nowhere in his eyes. He's not inclined to drop his shotgun, even with their guns aimed at him, and instead leans away. There's a soft hissing noise that it takes him a moment to realize, it's him, and he cuts it off lest they assume he's trying to be aggressive. Kendra's talking, but he realizes he can barely process her words. He sets down the gun and winces - his skin is stretching and cracking as he's trying to shift back - but doesn't put his hands up, instead opting to wrap them around himself as if that'll ward off the pain.", "username": "RBYDark", "char_name": "Mitra \"Snake Eyes\" Singh" }, { "text": "The mood of the vampires immediately brightens upon hearing Kendra reveal her connection to Trinity. \"Ah yes. Trinity did indeed call us out here tonight.\" The senior officer says as he sheaths his blade, the other vampires holstering their guns in turn. \"She also asked us to tell you that this bailout settles the Debt you have on her.\" With that said, the senior officer turns to his colleagues. \"Tyrone, cordon off the crime scene. Jeneice, radio in a healer from the Iron Guard.\" He orders. Both younger vampires nod at this. The black vampire with blond hair, presumably Tyrone, dons latex gloves and produces police tape. Meanwhile, the albino vampire with brown hair, Jeneice most likely, begins speaking into her radio. \"If you would all kindly follow me downstairs, I just need to ask you a few questions and once we've got you all patched up you'll be free to leave.\" The older vampire reassures the group.", "username": "rush99999", "char_name": null } ]