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The Adventure Begins... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-HQ3ZPsMmg&feature=player_detailpage#t=1s)
(Click above for added atmosphere)
The God-King gazed out over the many distant galaxies that the universe held, watching them in their silent cosmic beauty. The thought of what fate would befall them if he failed in his quest brought a deep sinking feeling to the core of his being, and he quickly pushed the thought from his mind. He refused to let himself even consider failure as a possibility. However, as much as he hated to admit it, he knew that if he truly wanted to be successful in this quest, he would not be able to do it alone. Not in his current form.
He already had several individuals in mind that he felt would be capable of assisting him, but also knew that he could not leave such essential decisions up to mere intuition. This was the reason behind the trial that would soon be taking place. He was confident that any beings who could participate in the trial and emerge not only alive, but victorious, would be more than worthy of helping him to prevent the catastrophic events of a future that should have never come to pass.
For the duration of the trial, he would gift the specially chosen individuals with the ability to harness power far beyond that of any normal mortal, in exchange for having the limits of their capabilities pushed far beyond what any normal mortal could withstand. Those that remained by the end of it would be rewarded with a place among the gods, and acceptance into the God-King's pantheon. All the preparations had already been made. Now all that was left to do, was decide who this first group of specially chosen individuals would be...
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Due to me wanting to use this adventure as an opportunity to test out a bunch of neato mechanics and features, there may end up being a good deal of stuff to explain. However, because I don't exactly consider reading through a guidebook's worth of game info right off the bat as the most fun thing in the world, I'll just lay down what will be most relevant in the early stages of things for now, and add to this post as things progress:
Exactly what it sounds like. More specifically, a gift from the God-King, and one of the core systems of this adventure. It is this gift that will, for the most part, determine your overall potency for the duration of the trial. Its level rises with your glorious successes, and falls with your dismal failures. It can transform you into a mountain-splitting, army annihilating juggernaut, or a sorry fool, who may sooner be killed off by their own misfortune than by the hand of any opponent.
Mechanically, the level of your badassery will tie into a number of things. Most notably, it will increase/decrease your roll threshold depending on its level, allowing you to either wield greater power and accomplish more and more impressive feats with ease, or making you more prone to slip-ups and mishaps. As the level your badassery approaches either side of the spectrum, it will take events of progressively greater caliber before the next level can be reached.
Unless you're totally set on taking a completely pacifistic route, odds are you're gonna have to kick some ass sooner or later. And during these early stages, said combat will most likely be between individuals/small groups. I'm not usually all that much a fan of the hitpoint system, so for this adventure, I'm going to try making things a little more in-depth.
In place of health/hitpoints, attack damage will instead be determined using (somewhat) common sense. That is to say, if your ankle gets snapped, you're going to have trouble moving around on foot. Get an eye gauged out, you'll suffer some accuracy loss. Someone tears your heart from your chest, you'll probably die of blood loss. When determining how successful attacks are, I will take various factors into account depending on the type, target and complexity of said attack.
Initiating an attack is as easy as specifying what that attack will be,(e.g., "Rip his head off!", "Aim for her torso and fire as rapidly as possible!", "Lie in wait for the perfect moment, then jump out from behind them and sever their spinal cords.") and leaving the rest up to me.
Most injuries will heal over time, and there will certainly be things you can do to speed the process up. With an especially high level of badassery, for example, you should be able to recover from all but the most grievous of wounds with no more than a couple hours of rest.
The length of time covered by one full "turn" may increase as events grow in scale. But for now, I think a single day's time should work fine. Once the trial begins, a set time of 24 hours will start to count down as Chosen Ones work through their desired actions. Time can advance anywhere from a split second to the entire 24 hour time period, depending on how long it is estimated said actions will take. Now of course, everyone's actions may not always finish at the same time. So if you aren't included in an update post, it just means your action(s) aren't yet completed and nothing of note has taken place.
We don't want the entire adventure to be held up by somebody that decides to go MIA on us, so if we go long enough without any word from someone, it will be assumed they stopped doing everything and simply began awkwardly idling around while time advances without their input. Once the 24 hours is up, I'll write a flavorful and informative recap of everything that went down, along with info about things such as relationships, acquired items, health status, all that good stuff. The timer will then be reset, and the next turn can commence.
The results of any given action will be determined using an elegant mix of rolls, basic reasoning, voodoo magic, and perhaps the occasional coin flip.
Simply supply me with the requested information below.
Name: What name shall be regarded as legend when later generations retell the chronicles of your grand exploits?
Sex: Judging by your current set of reproductive organs, what would you be classified as?
Age: How long have you been about the business of existing?
Description: Who are you? What are you? What do you look like? What do you dress like? Any information that fits into these categories goes here. Can be as basic or detailed as you'd like, just so long is it gives me a good idea of who I'm dealing with.
Origin: What was the state of your life prior to being chosen for this trial? Can be anything from an entire life story, to a quick summary of what you had been up to before this point. Such info could help me to better form you into the story.
Traits:Select five of your most predominant traits. Traits can be gained and lost over time depending on your behavior, and most will have both positive and negative effects that make themselves apparent at different times. Just about any trait you can think of I can work into the mechanics of the game somehow, so don't feel restricted. To give you a few examples:
Despite usually being pretty friendly, I am often considered rather intimidating. I am very ambitious, though this can make me quite stubborn at times. And my tendency to try and avoid failure and defeat at all costs has caused me to become a very enduring individual.
The effects that traits have on Chosen Ones and those around them can vary from situation to situation. They tend to be more subtle, and depend heavily on the personal choices of the individual they belong to. Traits, like many other things, are also tied to your Badassery Level. The potency of their effects shift with the rise and fall of your own power.
Skills & abilities work by either providing Chosen Ones with a static boost to certain capabilities, independent of their Badassery Level, or giving them entirely new capabilities that are tied to the level of their Badassery, and have the potential to be immensely powerful game changers.
While traits themselves change and fluctuate to better reflect those they belong to, gaining a new ability or skill usually requires some notable event or a great deal of effort (or both). But once you have them, they're difficult if not impossible to lose. Traits can affect the skills and abilities you gain by making certain ones harder or easier to attain depending on their nature.
-This adventure is a child of the suggestion game You are Me, the story in the OP taking place an indefinitely long time after the events in the end of its third chapter. Of course, you won't need to have read YaM in order to participate in this. Aside from missing some references to it here and there, those who haven't read You are Me will suffer no disadvantages against those who have.
-I'll be the first to admit that consistency isn't one of my strong points. My schedule is sporadic, and unexpected occurrences popping up are not uncommon, so time between updates may vary greatly. However, what I lack in consistency, I make up for in dedication, as I cannot stand the thought of leaving a story of mine unfinished. In other words, no matter how long it takes, I fully intend to run this from start to finish.
-Remember, this is largely experimental. If there's some aspect of the game you dislike/think could be better, that's cool. I don't mind tweaking what doesn't work as well as anticipated. But I expect you to be able to discuss it in a calm and civil manner. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to smash through your roof, physically restrain you, and forcefully inject a heavy dosage of liquefied Chill Pills into your bloodstream.
-This is not "first come first serve", which would be kind of silly considering you'll all be referred to as Chosen Ones.
-During the trial, there shall be a large emphasis on having an open environment and giving participants complete freedom over their actions, because one thing I find most enjoyable is the creative challenge of building a story around the choices of other people. And although there will be an end goal to strive for, how you pursue it, should you choose to pursue it at all, will be entirely up to you (though that doesn't mean I won't still be throwing challenges your way).
Miscellaneous Chitchat (OOC) thread. (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=116226.0)
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The Chosen:
Zanzetkuken the Great
Hisir Namedene
The Moderator
Taom
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Jorn Darkmane
TorZon The EverShifting
The Chosen-In-Wait:
Ranger Ely
Sock Puppet Man
TUG & SUS
Samuel Drake
The Entity (AKA Jim)
Vitam/Vitae/Vita
Dreamer Ghost (AKA Nightmare)
Valoth Hrandbon
Az-Sho
Faream
The Fallen:
There are no fallen Chosen Ones. Yet.
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Table of Contents
Intro (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114505.msg3591837#msg3591837)
Day 1: Humble Beginnings (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114505.msg3604361#msg3604361)
Day 2: Slow and Steady (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114505.msg3707176#msg3707176)
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So let me see if I got this straight...
Your thread name is "Slaves to DZA."
Your forum name is "King DZA." Also, your self-given title is "Omnipotent God-King of Everything."
Essentially, this whole thing is "Hey, who wants to be forcibly subjugated by me? I promise the beatings will be infrequent!" To me, this seems more like a power-trip for the GM than anything actually fun for the players.
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So let me see if I got this straight...
Your thread name is "Slaves to DZA."
Your forum name is "King DZA." Also, your self-given title is "Omnipotent God-King of Everything."
Essentially, this whole thing is "Hey, who wants to be forcibly subjugated by me? I promise the beatings will be infrequent!" To me, this seems more like a power-trip for the GM than anything actually fun for the players.
I approve of this thread even more now.
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So let me see if I got this straight...
Your thread name is "Slaves to DZA."
Your forum name is "King DZA." Also, your self-given title is "Omnipotent God-King of Everything."
Essentially, this whole thing is "Hey, who wants to be forcibly subjugated by me? I promise the beatings will be infrequent!" To me, this seems more like a power-trip for the GM than anything actually fun for the players.
Heh, the fact that my self-proclaimed magnificence surprises you tells me that you must not know me very well.
Anyway, it's actually an idea I've wanted to play around with, inspired by the events in this (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=98464.0). Which could practically be considered a the 30+ section back story. Trust me, if I wanted to subjugate people just for the hell of it, I wouldn't be doing it through the Bay12 RP&G board.
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I think I shall use my "If bay 12 were a mountain hall" character. Sorry if the traits section is sub-par.
Name: Zanzetkuken the Great
Sex: Male
Age: 35
Description: A human that was transferred to the Dwarf Fortress universe and became a planeswalker. He wears a black cloak, with false dragon skulls on either shoulder. He wears an adamantine breastplate over a brown tunic. He wears leather leggings, and steel-tipped boots. His brown hair, when longer, is slightly curled. He is strong, with incredible endurance. He has green eyes. He has a slightly pointed jaw-bone. He wears an Adamantine blade on his left hip that has an aura of mana, strengthening the blade further. His swordsmanship is legendary. He is a legendary fighter. He is a legendary dodger. He is a legendary miner. His marksmanship is legendary. He is a legendary armor user.
Origin: Zanzetkuken was born on the planet earth, and lived there for sixteen years, before being transferred into the game dwarf fortress by an unknown force. A glitch in his transfer placed him in a different universe than the rest of the forumites, allowing him to become an administrator in a dragon civilization. He rose through the ranks, and by winning a fierce battle, though using a lot of his power, and losing his acquired ability to transform into a dragon, became the Grand Emperor of that world. He went on a long journey where he reaquired his powers, and captured the Eldrazi, gaining him the ability to summon them at his will. At one point, he fought a being known as "Nicol Bolas" and caused the sparks of three other planeswalkers to ignite. He formed an order of planeswalkers, but it did not last due to his death at the end of the Phyrexian war on the plane he was sent to. He had fought his dark self from the other side of the multiverse, and threw them both off of a cliff, stabbing his dark self on the way down. He fell into sharp rocks at the bottom of the falls, but has now been revived by DZA in order to compete to join the pantheon.
Traits: He is highly Intelligent, very Strategic, and mostly Cunning. He harbors a deep regret for things he did in his past, and is often Unobservant, but he has gotten better.
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Hmm, an Eldrazi summoning Planeswalker that can transform into a dragon...workable, and very interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I am going to be a mildly displeased individual if I have to let this fall into hibernation before we can even begin. I had planned to start off with a pretty low number of players, but one seems like just a tad below the minimum.
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Hmm, an Eldrazi summoning Planeswalker that can transform into a dragon...workable, and very interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I am going to be a mildly displeased individual if I have to let this fall into hibernation before we can even begin. I had planned to start off with a pretty low number of players, but one seems like just a tad below the minimum.
Well, the intro turns look rather intimidating. That's kind of scaring me off, along with my inability to keep up with many forum games right now.
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Might as well go with an idea I've had for a while now.
Name: Ranger Ely
Sex: male
Age: 25
Descrption: come from a post nuclear amercia in a 1984 type world. Wears a Ranger hat with the WRR symbol on it. Wears a cowboy style leather jacket with a Ranger Lord star badge on it. Wears a chainmail shit undermeath the jacket. Wears denim jeans. Wears cowboy boots. Carries a scottish longsword on his back. Carries two desert eagles in his pocket.
Orgin: Ranger Ely was a Ranger Lord in the WRR, the Western Ranger Republic, a group of city states and town streatching up and down the western untied states. In this world the US and China got nuclear and the entire Amercian mega contient was nuked. The Rangers do not have the technologival advantage of the mega nations and have to make do with medieval weaponary and pre nuclear fire arms. Ranger Ely was a rancher working on a ranch near Reno when the Rangers recrutied him. He quickly rose to the rank of Ranger Lord. He ordred the masscare of a survivor band after they robbed a food caravan to survive. Through bullshit plot devices he was chosen by D.Z.A.
Traits: Violent, calm, brave,grim,kind.
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Hmm, an Eldrazi summoning Planeswalker that can transform into a dragon...workable, and very interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I am going to be a mildly displeased individual if I have to let this fall into hibernation before we can even begin. I had planned to start off with a pretty low number of players, but one seems like just a tad below the minimum.
I lost the ability to transform into a dragon. I wrote that in there somewhere...
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Oops, I thought the "reaquired his powers" part meant regaining the power to go dragon-mode.
@mcclay: Good to go. Though, as hilarious as it would be to roll along with, I'm going to assume chainmail shit undermeath the jacket.
was a typo.
Hmm, an Eldrazi summoning Planeswalker that can transform into a dragon...workable, and very interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I am going to be a mildly displeased individual if I have to let this fall into hibernation before we can even begin. I had planned to start off with a pretty low number of players, but one seems like just a tad below the minimum.
Well, the intro turns look rather intimidating. That's kind of scaring me off, along with my inability to keep up with many forum games right now.
If it makes you feel any better, you'll all be starting off on at least somewhat level ground with one another (Sorry, Zan. No Eldrazi spamming :(), with nothing stopping you from allying if you so wish. You will also be far enough away from each other that I don't expect anyone to run into another Chosen One for at least the first few turns. In fact, unless you go intentionally causing a ruckus, things can be pretty calm at the start.
I think we'll begin when/if we get to 4 or 5 players. Enough to keep things interesting, while having spots open for any who wish to join later on.
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Oops, I thought the "reaquired his powers" part meant regaining the power to go dragon-mode.
If it makes you feel any better, you'll all be starting off on at least somewhat level ground with one another (Sorry, Zan. No Eldrazi spamming :(), with nothing stopping you from allying if you so wish. You will also be far enough away from each other that I don't expect anyone to run into another Chosen One for at least the first few turns. In fact, unless you go intentionally causing a ruckus, things can be pretty calm at the start.
I think we'll begin when/if we get to 4 or 5 players. Enough to keep things interesting, while having spots open for any who wish to join later on.
Nope, just planeswalking abilities.
Never spam them. All I use are in the following catagories, and even then rarely:
Red-Dragons, lightning bolts, and fireballs
White-Leonins and Sunlance
Blue-Illusions and occasional spell.
Colorless-Artifacts
I only use Eldrazi as an ultimate last resort. After attempting to planeswalk away from the situation. I really prefer to use the blade to keep the playing field level. Characteristic that I forgot to mention.
Sounds reasonable
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Name: Deckard Pain
Sex: Male
Age: I am eternal
Description: Deckard Pain has existed since time was dawned. However, far back, in the distant Who are you? What are you? What do you look like? What do you dress like? Any information that fits into these categories goes here. Can be as basic or detailed as you'd like, just so long is it gives me a good idea of who I'm dealing with.
Origin: What was the state of your life prior to being chosen for this trial? Can be anything from an entire life story, to a quick summary of what you had been up to before this point. Such info could help me to better form you into the story.
Traits:Select five of your most predominant traits. Traits can be gained and lost over time depending on your behavior, and most will have both positive and negative effects that make themselves apparent at different times. Just about any trait you can think of I can work into the mechanics of the game somehow, so don't feel restricted. To give you a few examples:
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Heavy edit to the OP. Even if I never manage to get this started up on B12, I felt it was too restricting on the future of YaM, and wanted to go with a shorter, more enigmatic approach instead. I figure anyone who really wants all the extra info could go and read the suggestion game to quench their curiosity.
Oops, I thought the "reaquired his powers" part meant regaining the power to go dragon-mode.
If it makes you feel any better, you'll all be starting off on at least somewhat level ground with one another (Sorry, Zan. No Eldrazi spamming :(), with nothing stopping you from allying if you so wish. You will also be far enough away from each other that I don't expect anyone to run into another Chosen One for at least the first few turns. In fact, unless you go intentionally causing a ruckus, things can be pretty calm at the start.
I think we'll begin when/if we get to 4 or 5 players. Enough to keep things interesting, while having spots open for any who wish to join later on.
Nope, just planeswalking abilities.
Never spam them. All I use are in the following catagories, and even then rarely:
Red-Dragons, lightning bolts, and fireballs
White-Leonins and Sunlance
Blue-Illusions and occasional spell.
Colorless-Artifacts
I only use Eldrazi as an ultimate last resort. After attempting to planeswalk away from the situation. I really prefer to use the blade to keep the playing field level. Characteristic that I forgot to mention.
Sounds reasonable
Meant to reply to this a while back, but it slipped my mind. If we're ever actually able to begin, I could just make it so that summoning an Eldrazi causes you to drop a Badassery level or two. Making it a choice between retaining your own power, or expending some of it to call upon the help of another potent entity.
Anyway, seeing as we still lack a participant, and ST is taking his sweet, sweet time with his character, if this falls back into the depths of the board again, I suppose I'll simply have to let it die and try out my little experiment some other time/place.
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Can we use characters from the original thread? ..well, actually, Super Dave might be a weeeeee bit OP.
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Can we use characters from the original thread?
Go for it.
..well, actually, Super Dave might be a weeeeee bit OP.
Not really. Just because he can't die, doesn't mean he can't be bribed, blackmailed, trapped, restrained, cursed, mercilessly beaten into submission, or made less a threat using any other method one can think of. It's just a matter of getting a little more creative.
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Name: Hisir Namedene
Sex: Male
Age: 24?
Description: Hisir wears a black platearmor, with a lot of curves. He has daggers and a short sword on his belt, and a dubbel halberd (a blade at the bottem and a blade at the top , each at the opposite side.) with curved blades but on the bottem of each blade is a chain who connects it with the pole of the halberd. The chain goes in and out the pole as he swings. The chain is endless and disappaers in the pole if Hisir commands it to in his mind (this might be OP, tell me if this is the case. And one of his gauntlets has a claw.
Orgin:Hisir found himself 24 years ago on a barren plain. He had no idee who, where or what he was. He didn't know anything except some strange memory of darkness. But his instinct was still active. After eating a bit he traveled north. The first people he saw where armed in black armor (^). When one off them saw him he alarmed the others and ran after Hisir (who acually did not have a name yet.)Hisir was quicly captured and brought to a dark grey stone fortress. Their he was imprisoned for a month. When they finnaly brought him out of his cell, they brought him to a torture chamber where they preformed a ritual. They stabbed his eyes out and a Man in black armor who looked a bit different made sort of a black magical stream out of hsi hands and let it flow around Hisir who was in hellish pain. he was covered in that black magical stuff and it felt like his body was being burned away. when the pain finnaly stopped he a glimpse of his body, a Black armor....
He became a soldier of the shadow army, an army that seemed to be ravaging the world. His military carreer quickly grew until he was high general and under his command his army crushed the great army of the Free Alliance.
Traits: Cruel, Mindful, Conceited, Cunning, Arrogant.
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Not too shabby. And the duel-bladed chain halberd earns you a thumbs-up for creativity. However, it'd be helpful if you could specify just how many daggers you possess and which arm your clawed gauntlet is on.
It'd take much more than that for me to consider you too overpowered, as the whole idea of this game is to gift participants with unbelievable powers and drop them into a vast and living environment to interact with.
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Thanks :D
The claw is on the right hand.
And after you said that you can be very powerful, is it allowed to make the blade kind of shoot out with the chain still attached, like a very far stab ( if i want it)?
I have two long daggers (like short short-swords), Five trowing knifes strapped on the back of his shoulder, one in his boot (classic), and one under his gauntlet.
Question, can you gain abilities in the game? Learn to do new stuff?
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is it allowed to make the blade kind of shoot out with the chain still attached, like a very far stab ( if i want it)?
Since you mentioned the weapon is controlled to an extent by will of mind, I suppose so, yes. I'll probably tie your overall mind control of the weapon into the level of your badassery, meaning that as long as you can keep it at or above a certain point (which will be specified when/if we get things up and running), long-range halberd stabbing should be completely within the realm of possibility. Just keep in mind that the farther the distance is, the more time your target has to react.
Now that I think about it, I think I'll take same route with Zan's Eldrazi summoning abilities as well. Having the range and power of Eldrazi he can summon be tied in with his Badassery Level, and just having some of the more powerful ones take longer to summon. Sound good, Planeswalker?
Question, can you gain abilities in the game? Learn to do new stuff?
Yep. Though the method of how you learn that ability depends on the ability in question.
Let's see, so far we've got a gunslinging ranger, a disciplined magic master, and a fully armored walking arsenal of blades...very curious to see how well you'll get along with one another.
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Acually, i had this character in my mind for a few months, if you would ask me, i could make a two pages long summary of him and his other powers.
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Now that I think about it, I think I'll take same route with Zan's Eldrazi summoning abilities as well. Having the range and power of Eldrazi he can summon be tied in with his Badassery Level, and just having some of the more powerful ones take longer to summon. Sound good, Planeswalker?
This makes sense, but you can apply it to all of the creatures, spells, etc. that I have the ability to summon, due to all requiring mana. In the card game, eldrazi are rarely below 9 mana, so they would take longer to summon due to the amount of area that the mana must be drawn from.
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Acually, i had this character in my mind for a few months, if you would ask me, i could make a two pages long summary of him and his other powers.
Nice to know there's been a good amount of thought put into him. You'll likely get a fair amount of opportunities to further elaborate/flesh out the story behind him during the actual game. Other than that, feel free to PM me any extra info about your character you feel would be important.
Now that I think about it, I think I'll take same route with Zan's Eldrazi summoning abilities as well. Having the range and power of Eldrazi he can summon be tied in with his Badassery Level, and just having some of the more powerful ones take longer to summon. Sound good, Planeswalker?
This makes sense, but you can apply it to all of the creatures, spells, etc. that I have the ability to summon, due to all requiring mana. In the card game, eldrazi are rarely below 9 mana, so they would take longer to summon due to the amount of area that the mana must be drawn from.
Works for me. In fact, it might make things simpler mechanically to just have your Badassery Level factor into the units of mana you're able to pool together for your various spellcasting needs. I'm far from a Magic expert, but looking up the details for the cards isn't that difficult.
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Is there still a spot for me?
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I'd totally draft up a character sheet and get in on this right now, but I ufcking suck at doing descriptions and backstories and isht like that.
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Is there still a spot for me?
Two spots left.
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Name: The Moderator
Sex: Male
Age: 18
Description: The Moderator wears an N7 Hoody, with jeans, which conceal hidden armour. Has a pistol holster, usually with an M-3 Predator handgun of any variety, and also has an auscam backpack, with some other armaments, susally an assault rifle, spare parts, a cleaning kit and grenades, as well as spare ammunition blocks. Is 6'4", blue eyes, brown hair.
Origin: Being a Moderator is hard, no matter where you come from. Born on Earth, it was there he found an underground base with lots of weird and wonderful tech, but a portal that goes to other dimensions and times. Using this, he has become skilled in adventuring and has a strong moral sense. Of course, wandering dimensions and 'chilling' with prominent figures the Gods watch does tend to attract attention...
Traits: often going on adventures makes him a very good shot. Also having to be sneaky has trained him well in the stealthy art. Learning from various heroic figures and monks means he is very mentally controlled and always thinks logically. He also is, from constant training in the field, resourceful. He also has a sense of loyalty for friends, and wouldn't betray them, unless the situation is dire indeed.
Does this work? It's basically me, except an interdimensional guy who chills with heroes of legend and adventures.
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I'm not a GM but i think it's fine :)
But i feel like where going to have a gunfight while i stand there with my arsenal of blades, getting shot. :D
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I'd totally draft up a character sheet and get in on this right now, but I ufcking suck at doing descriptions and backstories and isht like that.
Well you don't exactly have to be a bestselling author in order to participate. This game is an opportunity for those involved to experiment with its systems and mechanics (which will probably continue to be formed and refined at things progress), as well as their own writing. If you have an interesting idea for a character you want to play around with, get creative and just expand from that. As long as there's some effort put into it (A.K.A., not entirely half-assed), you have a pretty decent chance of being accepted.
@Kestrel
*approving clap*
I like it. And his uniquely modern vibe adds to the diversity of the Chosen Ones. Just a couple things to clear up and you're ready to rock:
First, do you have a specific assault rifle in mind, or are you cool with simply letting me decide that? Also, what kind of armor are we talking about here? Kevlar? Metal plating?
And just to avoid later confusion, can you confirm whether I've got all your traits right?Traits: often going on adventures makes him a very good shot. Also having to be sneaky has trained him well in the stealthy art. Learning from various heroic figures and monks means he is very mentally controlled and always thinks logically. He also is, when you get to know him, quite nice. He also has a sense of loyalty for friends, and wouldn't betray them, unless the situation is dire indeed.
I'm not a GM but i think it's fine :)
But i feel like where going to have a gunfight while i stand there with my arsenal of blades, getting shot. :D
You know what they say about bringing a double-bladed chain halberd to a gunfight...
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Name: I am Taom.
Male, in personality.
Age: I have personally lived for about twenty years.
Description: I look strong and athletic, yet somewhat lean. I wear a simple conforming blue fabric. I stand about 5'10 feet tall. I am otherwise unremarkable, except for a pair of very bright-blue eyes. I carry a small curved sword, with a single round, flawless sapphire embedded in the hilt. The sword is a large focus of my power.
Origin: Ah, that's the heart of the matter. I don't truly understand it myself. I was born in a ruined, blighted town, and soon abandoned. Irregardless, I fought to survive in a place unsuited for life. It was several years before I escaped. I journeyed to a faraway city, and eventually embarked to stop an ancient god from escaping his prison. I delved deep into a trench and battled a grief-maddened king-though the diety still managed to escape, and it had it's personal sights on me. I was seconds from death; but then I realized what I truly was, what I had been from my birth. In an instant, I became an archetype of the universe. I was energy and matter itself. In under a minute, I had subdued the god and annihlated him for all time. Unfortuately, I then was then again within my mortal state; not entirely unchanged, however.
I was content to live out a normal life, and simply exist within a peaceful world. But, that was not to be. Instead, I am to become part of a truly brutal twist of irony.
Traits: I am a very Courageous person, and very Creative. I find that I dislike pointless war, and are therefore Diplomatic. I find myself to be very Calm, although when I am pushed over the limit, I can enter a state of Cold-Blooded Rage.
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So, there it is! This is based on a character I had, in a story I wrote a long time ago. I can offer up the writing if anyone's curious, although it's far from high-quality.
As far as simplification goes, Taom is a latent diety. He is, techincally, an embodiment of a large part of the universe's being, but he is unable to tap into this power. As such, he has a versatile power in the form of pure energy (suck it, physics!) but is limited by being inferior in power until the highest of Badass levels, in which he would have an advantage. At least, that's how I would imagine it. Think of it like being an archmage. I am naturally inferior to the planeswalking former dragon, but when the stakes rise up to the ceiling, I emerge from my cocoon of failure and start a glorious butterfly dance of destruction. This, again, would only be for the very highest of power caps.
Want me to change things? I can, and will do so gladly if asked.
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Name: Jorn Darkmane.
Sex: Male.
Age: 20
Description: Dark haired with a haggard appearance and a black robe with a knife and a small pouch on his belt.
Origin: I was snatched away by a dark sorcerer when I was a kid. I grew up among demons ghouls and creatures of the night. I had to learn the dark arts quickly to survive.
Traits: Cautious and slow to trust, macabre and cynical. Survivalist.
Necromancer/Warlock type character here. Ain't no fancy holy water or crosses here. Just dark binding spells.
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Huzzah, we now have more than enough participants to get things started (soon).
@Inithis
All seems well. And no need to change anything, it's entirely possible to have the character you're going for by simply lowering the increase of his role threshold at the early levels of Badassery, in exchange for giving him much more drastic increases at the highest levels.
Like I told CoA, if there's any other important extra info about your character in his backstory, feel free to send it to me. Not like I would mind reading through any story involving ancient imprisoned gods and mad trench-dwelling kings.
@Vgray
All checks out. Welcome aboard.
Whoever doesn't get included in the starting group of five can expect to be added fairly early into things. Having any additional Chosen Ones just adds a considerable amount of info to put together/keep track of, so I'd prefer to get the game up and running steadily before bringing more in.
Anyway, since I'm still waiting to hear back from Kestrel, here's a more detailed look at the Badassery scale that we'll be using for the foreseeable future:
MINIMUM| Pathetic|Laughable|Low|Below Average|Average|Above Average|High|Great|Epic|MAXIMUM
I might tweak the pretty colors later, but that's not all that important right now.
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Sounds good. Do we have an estimated time of when the game begins?
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Name: Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sex: Not Applicable
Age: 92,669,203,563,870,932 Sol Years
Description: The greatest knight who ever lived, he crushed man and beast alike; at least while he was alive and still a man. Now he is cursed to walk the Great Plane until the end of time, shedding tears for those he has wronged. When he outlives a particular world he drifts through the void until he meets another celestial body and takes it up as his home until the next cataclysm. Made entirely of stone and standing 10 feet tall, he does not speak often, sometimes relying on his Colossus Lunar Zweihander to resolve a confrontation. He spends eternities waiting for the next world, and when he finds one, he takes it upon himself to become the guardian of that land, having felled countless foes of countless origins in order to defend his home. Noble and gentle, he treasures life above all things and weeps at its loss, even in the heat of battle, and would undertake any noble task in order to preserve it. Falling in battle is the greatest of honours for him, and the five thousand years he must wait to be resurrected once more are spent in joyous contemplation of miracles of the Plane.
Origin: During his mortal life he lived angrily, unleashing his fury upon innocents and slaughtering the cowed masses with great sweeps of his massive zweihander. The sun god Solus was angered by this, and turned him to stone as punishment for murdering his people. Solus' sister Lunus later took pity on him as he wept for the souls he harmed day and night for a hundred years. She granted him the ability to atone for his actions by granting him life once more and blessing his now holy zweihander with divine powers. Havel is now Lunus' eternal follower and instrument of peace, sometimes calling upon her powers to save those that are weaker than he. Solus, however, was infuriated by the goddess' actions and stills seeks him to this day, his fiery gaze sweeping from world to world demanding punishment. Lunus shrouds half of the Great Plane in darkness, concealing Havel from Solus' wrathful vengeance.
Traits: Incredibly soft-hearted and compassionate, he is burdened by great pain and regret for his actions during his life as a mortal. His oceanic wisdom gives him overwhelming prowess in battle and he would do anything to save a mortal creature from death.
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Basically he's a giant stone man with a massive blessed sword. He's carved in the likeness of a tower knight. Like this:
(http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqfzbuxEMz1qbv5izo1_500.jpg)
He can call upon miracles of the Moon and even the Sun if Solus ever forgives him for trying to destroy his favourite creation: Mankind. Now he's returned to the world and seeks atonement after spending eternity under Lunus' service. Solus doesn't know he is on the man world, as Lunus conceals him during the daytime. Havel is much more powerful at night when Lunus' powers are at their greatest. When it comes to miracles, Sun miracles govern light, living creatures, and fire, whereas Moon miracles affect the earth, darkness, and water. If he looks skyward, get out of the way. Hope you like the image I'm trying to create here.
EDIT: Yeah this is probably the greatest character I've ever made. I'm preserving him within the deep, dark confines of TextEdit so that I may use him again later. He's pretty damned neat.
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I certainly like it! :)
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I was probably thinking about changing Nice (why wouldn't I be?) to Resourceful
But considering that this is a long run, it'd have to be something with a large ammo capacity...
Just a Raptor (that Cerberus sniper that rapid fires) would do. It's got only 7000 rounds before requiring reload.
And as for armour, I suppose Kevlar would work fine.
@Kestrel
*approving clap*
I like it. And his uniquely modern vibe adds to the diversity of the Chosen Ones.
Our almighty King DZA likes my character. My life is complete.
And do we all have messengers sent to us? Or is it *zap* there?
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DZA, I have changed one of the predominant traits with my character, and it will need some explanation. Before the Phyrexian War, a deep corruption from Phyrexis came over him. His deeds during that time were horrific, leading him to become hated within a dozen or so planes. He looks back upon that with a deep sense of regret, and he believes that nothing can atone for what he did during that time, despite what others say.
I have been thinking about this for awhile, trying to create the past that was not mentioned. It is saddening what happened within his past.
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DZA, I have changed one of the predominant traits with my character, and it will need some explanation. Before the Phyrexian War, a deep corruption from Phyrexis came over him. His deeds during that time were horrific, leading him to become hated within a dozen or so planes. He looks back upon that with a deep sense of regret, and he believes that nothing can atone for what he did during that time, despite what others say.
I have been thinking about this for awhile, trying to create the past that was not mentioned. It is saddening what happened within his past.
SO this guy is like Arronax in that respect?
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Sounds good. Do we have an estimated time of when the game begins?
Absolute best case scenario is I get all the necessary information written up by some time tomorrow, and the adventure finally gets set in motion either on that same day, or the day after.
I was probably thinking about changing Nice (why wouldn't I be?) to Resourceful
Just so long as you do it before the game starts.
But considering that this is a long run, it'd have to be something with a large ammo capacity...
Just a Raptor (that Cerberus sniper that rapid fires) would do. It's got only 7000 rounds before requiring reload.
7k rounds in between reloading? Goddamn. Either your Raptor is heavily modified, or the ME wiki is a lying bastard for telling me it only had a clip size of 15 rounds.
And do we all have messengers sent to us? Or is it *zap* there?
There'll be an introduction to explain to your characters what the hell is going on, and to further elaborate on the nature of the trial they will be undertaking.
@GUNINANRUNIN
Wow, very well done indeed.
EDIT: Yeah this is probably the greatest character I've ever made. I'm saving him. He's pretty neat.
Do you mean saving him so that you can use him again for some future occasion, or saving him so that he can be used for an occasion other than this one? I hope it's the former, as I was looking forward to having Sir Havel join us.
@Zanzetkuken
Thanks for the heads up.
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Name: TorZon The EverShifting
Sex: Any. All. None.
Age: Enough for universes to fall and rise; subjectively it's just out of childhood.
Description: A shapeless mass of an indistinct substance, half of creation and half that which is anathema to being. Possesses the ability to shift its form and absorb other mass, converting it to the strange substance it's made out of.
Origin: Formed at the split second after creation, as a way to provide a separation between the opposing forces of being and not. It has endured creation falling and rebuilt again. Now that it has grown a conciousness, it seeks to make it's mark on eternity.
Traits: It is very curious, but since it is so young, it is also naive. It learns quickly and has no sense of morals. Anything goes. Despite it's naivety, it is young, ambitious, and confident.
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The former. As a matter of fact, this is the only context in which he can exist.
As for providing the framework that influenced, and upon which I constructed my masterpiece, I thank you for that.
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But considering that this is a long run, it'd have to be something with a large ammo capacity...
Just a Raptor (that Cerberus sniper that rapid fires) would do. It's got only 7000 rounds before requiring reload.
7k rounds in between reloading? Goddamn. Either your Raptor is heavily modified, or the ME wiki is a lying bastard for telling me it only had a clip size of 15 rounds.
to answer this...
projectile shavers that can generate thousands of rounds of ammunition from a small, internal block of metal.
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Let's begin!! ;D
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projectile shavers that can generate thousands of rounds of ammunition from a small, internal block of metal.
What's this? My quick Google search extensive research has failed me? Unacceptable. Next time I will simply have to be thrice as thorough in order to make up for this. In any case, enjoy your plethora of ammunition.
@Xantalos
Just how big a mass did you have in mind? Apart from that missing detail, TorZon is most certainly a character that I could work with. If in a slightly different way, due to his/her/its unusual properties.
Let's begin!! ;D
Patience, my friend. Soon enough, the time to prove yourselves will be at hand.
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It would be rather difficult to socialize with a UU-Matter/Anti-UU-Matter blob, after all. ;D
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Figure half a meter tall, but can shapeshift? Perhaps it can grow bigger by eating, and will grow in badassery that way? Also, what missing details are there? I'm a derp, so please point them out to me.
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I think the missing detail was how big your blob was-to make sure you weren't going to go all 'devouring blob of doom!' on everyone.
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Oh. I *might* ty to do that, but only if I reach really high levels of badassery.
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Deen I will vaporize you! >:(
Anywho, look forward to seeing you on the field.
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((Awww, I didnt notice this one D.Z.A.... Sadface. I will wait in line if that is ok? Also, I think you know who I made without looking in my spoiler.))
Name: Sock Puppet Man
Sex: Male
Age: 22
Description: Madness is in a few words, something that will make people do weird things. Sock Puppet Man (SPM) has fallen under that influence much in his life. From fighting creatures with eyes in their hands who loved him to traveling through warps. SPM has found his life to be somewhat... Confusing. Otherwise in this point of his life, everything is handled as insane as possible and while not invincible. He seems... slippery.
Origin: From an insane dimension that had a portal ripped open to it, he was thrust into this new world, where SPM has already had many adventures. His insanity from the original dimension had transferred to this one. His mind already lost, he seeked to find a purpose and found that in the Dirty Man.
Traits:Insanity is what this man lives by. It is how he lives how he breathes. He seems quite tough as he seems to be able to take a lot of punishment, and by this trait has survived quite a few moments. Generally luck seems to be on the side of him, or maybe he just is that good at life? A fast moving, luchador style fighter, he is very agile and others should be cautious of his high flying, and surprising attacks. While he is insane, and probably will die as a result, he can be quite charismatic in that he seems to gain allies in others who share his mentality.
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I think the missing detail was how big your blob was-to make sure you weren't going to go all 'devouring blob of doom!' on everyone.
Nope,
Not going to let this happen.
And (((((((((((((update?))))))))))))?
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Figure half a meter tall, but can shapeshift? Perhaps it can grow bigger by eating, and will grow in badassery that way? Also, what missing details are there? I'm a derp, so please point them out to me.
Half meter is good. I'd also already planned for it to grow bigger as it consumes matter, but I'm probably going to reverse the other part of your idea. As absorption=Badassery could lead to perpetual Badassery gain. Meaning that I'll instead have your Badassery Level determine the overall amount of matter you're able to absorb at any one time.
((Awww, I didnt notice this one D.Z.A.... Sadface. I will wait in line if that is ok? Also, I think you know who I made without looking in my spoiler.))
I knew I should have posted a link to this new project in the YaM thread. My bad, bro :(
Bright sides:
This only recently got a surge of interested participants, so you haven't yet missed anything game-wise.
This isn't first come first serve. So just because someone joins late, doesn't necessarily mean they'll be the last into the game.
That said, you seem to be missing the Origin section of your application(though I'm not sure how redundant that would end up being, considering how much of his history is already written down in other suggestion games). Everything else checks out.
(((((((((((((update?))))))))))))?
Apologies. I got back to my Base of Operations later than anticipated last night, and was thus left with far less time to work on things than I thought I'd have. Working on the rest now.
Rest assured, I want to get this underway as much as anyone else. But I'd rather have things be delayed for a little longer than have the start of the game be a rushed mess.
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Thanks, my liege.
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Rest assured, I want to get this underway as much as anyone else. But I'd rather have things be delayed for a little longer than have the start of the game be a rushed mess.
+1
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((fixed D.Z.A. I didnt think an origin would be necessary but there you go, solved the problem joe.))
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Apologies again. I decided to work on the info for all participants rather than just the starting five, in order to save myself time later on. However, it ended up taking more time than I thought it would...but I had some fun putting it all together, so it's not all bad.
Anyway, below is a portion of the info that I'll be keeping track of for all Chosen Ones during their time in the trial. Please take the time to look over your info, and alert me if anything is wrong/missing. Also feel free to put forth any questions or objections you may have about any of it. Better to get it out of the way now rather than during the game, after all.
I'll likely write up the introduction to the very first turn (which gives you the amazing opportunity to actually start playing the game!) after I awaken sometime tomorrow, just to make sure everyone gets a fair chance to review their stuff.
Zanzetkuken the Great
Clothing/Armor:
Tunic(brown), leather leggings, steel-tipped boots, adamantine breastplate, cloak(black), false dragon skull shoulder guards.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Adamantine sword(mana imbued).
Planeswalker's Spark
The Planeswalker's Spark deep within this Chosen One has been ignited, gifting him with the arcane abilities of the ancient and powerful mages.
Legendary Warrior
This Chosen One has mastered how to use his body and mind as well as his equipment in battle. Woe betide any opponent that meets him in combat.
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Experienced Adventurer
This Chosen One's many adventures throughout time and space have given him valuable experience in countless subjects, which he is able to apply to nearly anything he does.
Ranger Ely
Clothing/Armor:
Chainmail shirt, denim jeans, cowboy boots, western leather jacket, WRR ranger hat.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Claymore, pair of Desert Eagles, x4 additional 9 round magazines.
Old School
Years of fighting in the WRR has given this Chosen One great proficiency with a variety of mid-to-low-tech weaponry.
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Hisir Namedene
Clothing/Armor:
Full suit of plate armor (black and curvy).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Dual-bladed chain halberd, short sword, pair of long daggers, x5 throwing knives, metal claw (right hand), hidden blade within boot and under gauntlet (note: Gonna need specification for these as well).
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Desensitized
Untold suffering has given this Chosen One a remarkably high threshold for pain.
The Moderator
Clothing/Armor:
N7 hoody, jeans, Kevlar armor (beneath clothing).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Auscam backpack, M-3 Predator heavy pistol, M-13 Raptor rifle, cleaning kit, spare parts, x5 Mark 14 grenades, x4 additional ammunition blocks.
Experienced Adventurer
This Chosen One's many adventures throughout time and space have given him valuable experience in countless subjects, which he is able to apply to nearly anything he does.
Deadeye
This Chosen One has spent a great deal of time honing his already impressive shooting prowess, giving him exceptionally deadly accuracy with most types of firearms.
Taom
Clothing/Armor:
Simple conforming fabric (blue).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Small curved sword.
Energy Manipulation
This Chosen One is capable of harnessing energy in its purest form, and utilizing it to further his own desired ends.
Hidden Power
Locked inside this Chosen One, potency of a godly caliber slumbers. Patiently waiting to be unleashed only once the highest levels of Badassery are attained.
Jorn Darkmane
Clothing/Armor:
Robe (black).
Weaponry/Armaments:
General purpose knife, small pouch.
Black Magic
Growing up in the lair of a dark sorcerer has led to this Chosen One becoming an adept in the more sinister magical practices of the realm.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Clothing/Armor:
A ten-foot-tall stone warrior carved to resemble a Tower Knight. He has no need for clothing.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Colossus Lunar Zweihander (blessed).
Legendary Warrior
This Chosen One has mastered how to use his body and mind as well as his equipment in battle. Woe betide any opponent that meets him in combat.
Allegiance to Lunus
This Chosen One's undying devotion has earned him the assistance of the Moon goddess Lunus. When night falls, he is strengthened by the lunar deity. And can call upon her help directly in the form of Moon miracles.
TorZon The EverShifting
Clothing/Armor:
N/A
Weaponry/Armaments:
N/A
Assimilation
This Chosen One is capable of breaking down almost any matter it encounters and transforming it into the same enigmatic substance that it itself is composed of.
Shapeshifting
This Chosen One is able to alter its physical form according to its will.
Sock Puppet Man
Clothing/Armor:
Sock puppets.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Sock puppets.
Utter Unpredictability
This Chosen One long ago forsook his sense of reason and severed all ties with reality, seemingly allowing him to accomplish inexplicable, or even downright impossible feats on a whim. Whether these feats always work to his benefit, on the other hand, is another matter entirely...
The effects that traits have on Chosen Ones and those around them can vary from situation to situation. They tend to be more subtle, and depend heavily on the personal choices of the individual they belong to. Traits, like many other things, are also tied to your Badassery Level. The potency of their effects shift with the rise and fall of your own power.
Skills & abilities work by either providing Chosen Ones with a static boost to certain capabilities, independent of their Badassery Level, or giving them entirely new capabilities that are tied to the level of their Badassery, and have the potential to be immensely powerful game changers.
While traits themselves change and fluctuate to better reflect those they belong to, gaining a new ability or skill usually requires some notable event or a great deal of effort (or both). But once you have them, they're difficult if not impossible to lose. Traits can affect the skills and abilities you gain by making certain ones harder or easier to attain depending on their nature.
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Good stuff. Could you perhaps throw in an addendum to my clothing (he doesn't wear any) that instead states his appearance.
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Why do I have the feeling the Great Old Ones will somehow be involved...
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Great Old Ones?
And I like my char sheet.
8) Lets do this.
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From the Cthulhu Mythos I believe. The original You Are Me thread was a stewing pot of characters entities and locations from pop culture. I myself provided a few Warcraft characters. Read it. Witness the awesome that is DZA.
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Read it, loved it.
Take your time, King. I have trust that the final result will be glorious.
I don't know how my timing of posting is going to work with this; I guess we'll just wait and see.
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I declare today Intergalactic King DZA Day
Everyone must appreciate our almighty King, King DZA, Ruler of all things Ruleable, and the work he does.
No Exceptions
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I declare today Intergalactic King DZA Day
Everyone must appreciate our almighty King, King DZA, Ruler of all things Ruleable, and the work he does.
No Exceptions
*scribbles reminder notes and pins them all over his house*
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This would be a kickass nation holiday.
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Good stuff. Could you perhaps throw in an addendum to my clothing (he doesn't wear any) that instead states his appearance.
Done.
I don't know how my timing of posting is going to work with this; I guess we'll just wait and see.
As long as you don't go missing for days without warning, you should be fine.
I declare today Intergalactic King DZA Day
Everyone must appreciate our almighty King, King DZA, Ruler of all things Ruleable, and the work he does.
No Exceptions
I guess now I'm obligated to stick around Bay12. Can hardly afford to miss my own holiday.
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All right. This looks to be good.
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All is well; one big happy forum game!
At least, until our characters start drop-kicking eachother into mountains.
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All is well; one big happy forum game!
At least, until our characters start drop-kicking eachother into mountains.
Drop-Kicking? I shoot, man.
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The drop-kicking is mandatory. Figure out a way!
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Okay. Are curb-stomps permitted?
Our Almighty King's new anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0). May everyone watch it.
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A question: Would TorZon be able to shift it's density so it doesn't pop like a cave blob in DF?
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Good stuff. Could you perhaps throw in an addendum to my clothing (he doesn't wear any) that instead states his appearance.
Done.
Badass. Thank you my lord.
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Xantalos; I don't believe I've ever seen a cave blob.
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Okay. Are curb-stomps permitted?
Our Almighty King's new anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0). May everyone watch it.
Wow. I'm listening to that all the time.
op, op-op. D-zah style. *jazz hands*
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Xantalos; I don't believe I've ever seen a cave blob.
...That might be Masterwork Mod. Anyway...I just don't want to be carved up like a big blob of antimatter jell-o.
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Why? You can just stick back together.
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Thanks for telling me that. I obviously need to expand my thinking. Nevermind the density thing, Almighty DZA. I think I'll do just fine...
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Would anti-matter annihilate you?
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I'm half/half, so no, I think. NOMNOMNOM
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Wait, then how do you get 'killed'?
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Maybe if I get torn into small enough pieces? It's up to DZA.
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Fun Fact: Before now, I had been imagining TorZon as a gaseous blob of matter, rather than a gelatinous one.
Wait, then how do you get 'killed'?
Maybe if I get torn into small enough pieces? It's up to DZA.
I wouldn't accept someone's character if I thought there was absolutely no way to defeat them. Sometimes you'll just have to get a little more creative.
Our Almighty King's new anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0). May everyone watch it.
In the highly unlikely chance that you all end up banding together and choosing to defeat your enemies using the power of dance, I am going to be very disappointed in all of you if you do not follow that video's choreography exactly.
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Our Almighty King's new anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0). May everyone watch it.
In the highly unlikely chance that you all end up banding together and choosing to defeat your enemies using the power of dance, I am going to be highly disappointed in all of you if you do not follow that video's choreography exactly.
YES. We will all group together and GANGNAM STYLE our opponents!
Does my onmi tool have a copy of it?
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Fun Fact: Before now, I had been imagining TorZon as a gaseous blob of matter, rather than a gelatinous one.
It could be both; it doesn't exactly follow physics.
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Fun Fact: Before now, I had been imagining TorZon as a gaseous blob of matter, rather than a gelatinous one.
It could be both; it doesn't exactly follow physics.
wait, that means you can't GANGNAM STYLE. DZADAMNIT!
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Fun Fact: Before now, I had been imagining TorZon as a gaseous blob of matter, rather than a gelatinous one.
It could be both; it doesn't exactly follow physics.
wait, that means you can't GANGNAM STYLE. DZADAMNIT!
Gangam style? Enlighten me.
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Consider yourself enlightened (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0)
This is the anthem of our King, Almighty King DZA, Ruler of all things Ruleable, and Savior of us All.
Remember, today is DZA Day.
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Shapeshifter. I can STYLEZ if I need to.
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That would cause some serious shiggles; All the Chosen Ones at maxed Badass Level doing it Gangnam Style.
Only thing more awesome is DZA himself.
and who are these NPC's that we'll murder interact with?
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Our Almighty King's new anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0). May everyone watch it.
In the highly unlikely chance that you all end up banding together and choosing to defeat your enemies using the power of dance, I am going to be highly disappointed in all of you if you do not follow that video's choreography exactly.
YES. We will all group together and GANGNAM STYLE our opponents!
Does my onmi tool have a copy of it?
I don't recall giving you an omni tool...just making you highly knowledgeable.
and who are these NPC's that we'll murder interact with?
I suppose you'll find the answer to that question when you encounter them.
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so I'll have to teach everyone the Gangnam Style. WOOHOO!
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Are we going back to drop-kicking?
(also, timezones are a PAIN!!)
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Yes, we're doing the dropkicking.
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If we ever do dance the
Gungan Gundam Gangam Style, I got the backup dancers.
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DZA, could you add experienced adventurer to the skills of my character.
Reasoning - He spent a few years searching for a way to reach the Bay 12 mountain hall plane after it was time-locked by Clockwork Hugo.
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so I'll have to teach everyone the Gangnam Style. WOOHOO!
Bows respectfully.
Teach me the ways of the Gangnam, o' fearsome one.
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Your gangam style is no much for my dubstep style (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXO-jKksQkM)
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Meh. I can at least tell Gangam style apart from other songs. Nice dancing though.
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DZA, could you add experienced adventurer to the skills of my character.
Reasoning - He spent a few years searching for a way to reach the Bay 12 mountain hall plane after it was time-locked by Clockwork Hugo.
Hm...starting off with four skills/abilities may be pushing it...but I suppose I'll allow it since it's a valid part of your character's history, and you'll still be far from unstoppable with it. Though now I'm going to have to give Mr. Moderator another one as well so he doesn't feel left out for being the only Chosen One without a unique starting skill/ability.
(also, timezones are a PAIN!!)
It does seem we have participants scattered across a number of different timezones. I don't think many of us will mind a little waiting here and there, though. This adventure is more of a "long-term struggle as you tirelessly claw your way to victory", rather than something that requires quick replies and constant vigilance anyway.
Your gangam style is no much for my dubstep style (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXO-jKksQkM)
Meh. I can at least tell Gangam style apart from other songs. Nice dancing though.
I eagerly await the world-rending dance battles that, at this point, are beginning to seem an inevitability.
Anyhow, I'll be writing up the intro in a tad. Not sure how long it'll take (have a tendency of overthinking what I write, leading to lots of time poured into revisions and proof-reading...), but rest assured, it's on its way.
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YES! NOW WE WILL COMMENCE OUR JOURNEYS!
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Good to know! Also, revisions and proofreading are the path to better writing, DZA-san.
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cannot wait for the intro...
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cannot wait for the intro...
Don't have to.
You find yourself idling about in a vast aetheric fog, along with a small crowd of other peculiar individuals. You have little idea as to where exactly you are. There is no ground, no sky...only an endless expanse of the weightless, uncanny matter that flows freely around you. There are a few moments of quiet waiting, before a spectral figure makes its way through the fog and slowly comes into view. It stops, inspecting the crowd briefly, before warmly greeting you and the others:
"Welcome, all. Hope I didn't interrupt any important plans you had. I know that right now some of you may be a bit confused. Wondering where you are, how you got here, or who the being that's currently speaking to you is. And yet, as much as I would love to satiate your curiosity and fill you in on all of these things, the truth of the matter is, none of that is of much importance at this time. No, what matters right now, is that you have all been selected for a chance to attain power and influence on a scale that few people are capable of even imagining. Simply put, you are being offered the opportunity to permanently transcend the limits of mortality, and become gods.
However, you look like an intelligent bunch of individuals, so I'm sure you're aware that the incomprehensible power that comes with godhood cannot be gifted to just anyone. It takes a special kind of person to be able to handle such a sudden increase in potency. That is why I must ask that each of you take the time to participate in a small test, in order to prove that you are truly worthy of taking up residence amongst the deities that still roam existence. Fortunately the nature of this test, which I'm certain you're all curious about as well..." The spectral figure chuckles to itself, seemingly amused by what it is about to say. "is something that I have no problem explaining."
(Music, to enhance your reading experience.) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dma5O2MAsBE)
Some of the surrounding aether begins to swirl and collect itself high above the spectral figure and its apparent guests. Steadily, the gathering aether transforms itself into a massive replica of a particularly well-known planet.
"For this test, this 'Trial of the Chosen', we will be using the planet Earth as our primary playing field, and humanity as our scoring system." The spectral figure takes a moment to observe the reactions of the crowd.
"I see that none of this is doing much to remedy your confusion, so allow me to elaborate:
Different 'win conditions' may arise in the future, depending on how things develop. But for the time being, you need only focus on one of two very simple goals..."
"Humanity has always been a very fickle and fragmented thing. Anyone who is capable of bringing absolute unity to the human race will have certainly earned their right to godhood."
"Pretty straightforward. Rally as much of mankind as possible into a single, unified force. How you choose to unite them is entirely up to you, just so long as there is no opposition left on the planet by the time you're done."
"Life, and humanity especially, has always been a very adaptable thing. Anyone capable of bringing absolute destruction to the human race will certainly be deserving of the title 'Deity'."
"Fairly self explanatory. The end goal for this route is to eliminate as many human beings that dwell upon the Earth as possible. How you work toward accomplishing this task is for you to decide, as long as in the end, there are no living humans left inhabiting the planet."
"The individuals that are the most successful in either of these goals will be the ones rewarded with godhood. The slowly rotating replica of Earth dissipates back into the aetheric fog it was formed from.
"So now you know why you are here. I'm sorry if this all seems a bit sudden, but time is a steadily depleting luxury. I know that if anyone is able to even come close to victory in this trial, it will be one of you. I shall start by sending five of you to the planet, and allowing some of the others to join you a little later. As for who exactly these starting five will be..."
Hisir Namedene
"The fact that you're still alive after all you've been put through is impressive enough on its own. And though I wouldn't exactly consider myself one who encourages violence, your ruthless determination is without a doubt a very valuable quality."
Zanzetkuken the Great
"Welcome back to the realm of the living, Planeswalker. Well...not exactly, but you'll be there soon enough. Apologies for disturbing you in your eternal rest, but with such immense power and legendary skill, I simply couldn't pass up having you participate in this trial."
The Moderator
"I actually happened to find you completely by accident, adventurer. I was on my way over to visit Achilles to see if he'd be interested in partaking in the trial when I first felt your presence. Upon further investigation, I decided it would be much more interesting to give the spot to you instead."
Taom
"There is something very special about you, and I'm not just talking about your remarkable abilities. Existence as a whole would be much nicer in general if more deities were like you. Therefore, it seems only reasonable that I give you the chance to fully become one."
"and finally..."
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"The wise and noble knight of stone. From what I've heard, you're already well-acquainted with a couple deities yourself, are you not? Now far be it from me to go prodding around in other peoples' business, but let me be the first to inform you that dealing with deities is a much easier task when you are not at the complete mercy of their will. As such, I expect that you will be exceptionally motivated to do well in this trial."
A small vial of strange shimmering fluid materializes before the five selected Chosen Ones, radiating a faint white glow. "For the duration of the trial, eating and drinking will not be necessary for your survival, though I'm sure many of you are already used to that. Sleep will not be required either, however, it can still be helpful. Sleep or meditation will allow your consciousness to travel back to this realm. If you ever feel in need of guidance, visit me here and I will see what I can do to help.
When you arrive on the planet, all of your natural capabilities will be slightly amplified, with the potential to be far more powerful, if you play your cards right. What happens from there is up to you. If you have any questions, ask them now. If not, then either drink the contents of the vials in front of you or absorb it, or just pour it on yourself. Doesn't matter, really...or give it to one of the individuals around you if you do not feel ready to take on this trial."
Looking back on the previous shenanigans in this thread has made me wonder whether it would best to create an OOC thread for this. I don't mind all that much one way or another, so whatever you guys would find more convenient is fine with me.
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Note: Any text relating to the story from me will be in orange. Going to rp my actions.
Zanzetkuken looks around at the other competitors, gauging how they will play this. He would use some spell, but would rather wait. Besides, it might annoy the being who brought him back to life. Unification would be his goal. He had seen too much to even consider destruction, despite his high morality guiding him. Unlike the one that he had fought... Best not to dwell upon the past.
"God abilities? Had them once. Or at least something similar. At least that is, before the mending. I accept your challenge." With that, he drank the liquid within the vial.
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Crap, so I didn't get in :-\ :'(.
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Crap, so I didn't get in :-\ :'(.
Looks like we're on the waiting list friend.
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Don't feel too down about it. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we ended up running out of Chosen Ones before anyone could truly succeed at either goal. So every accepted character should get a fair chance to
fuck Earth's shit up prove their worth.
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Taom stares silently, thinking deeply.
"...If I do this, will I know what I am? If not, I only want to return home. I don't think I would otherwise want in on your blood game. Do you know who I was?"
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"Welp, no use standing around" as he drinks the fluid
Damn AC/10 will never get fixed... Oh well.
Unifying will be a challenge, but it can be done.
"Wait, what time period is it?"
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Jorn scowls. "Sounds a lot better than trying to survive my master. But why me? Why the poor unfortunate kid who got snatched away by a dark sorcerer? Jorn looks around at the strange assortment of beings around him. "I suppose the rest of us stay here for the time being?"
(And you can bet Jorn is trying to think of any spell he knows of that could harm a god. You know, just in case.)
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The spectral figure chuckles once more after hearing Taom's question.
"If I didn't know who you were, my friend, I wouldn't have bothered with you to begin with. And yes, assuming you're actually successful and don't suffer some horrible premature death, I trust that your true nature will most certainly become known to you."
"All things have their purpose, even this 'blood game' of mine."
The spectral figure then looks to The Moderator. "In our current location, time does not work the same way it does in most other places. However, if you're wondering about what time period you're going to be sent to, I was thinking a fairly modern era. Somewhere around Earth's early '21st century'."
Finally, the spectral being responds to Jorn. "My, my. Talkative bunch, aren't we? Yes, please feel free to make yourselves at home here until your time to participate in the trial comes. As for 'why you'...because you seem capable, of course.
Keep in mind that if any of you do not wish to accept my generous offer, I could always erase all memory of this experience from your thoughts and send you back to where I found you."
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Taom straightens his posture, and extrudes an aura of confidence.
"I understand that this won't be easy. But, I cannot go on forever without being what I was truly meant to be." Having made his peace with an uneasy conscience, he takes a vial and drinks it.
OOC: What does it taste like?
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Aww, SPM is a sad Sock Man...
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OOC: What does it taste like?
Badassery. A very unique flavor, the exact taste of which could roughly be described as something akin to a mix of Tabasco sauce and cherry Pop Rocks.
Aww, SPM is a sad Sock Man...
Don't feel too down about it. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we ended up running out of Chosen Ones before anyone could truly succeed at either goal. So every accepted character should get a fair chance to fuck Earth's shit up prove their worth.
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"wait, I come from 21st century Earth. Does that mean I or my base are there?"
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"I expect your base should still be there, yes. Whether or not you'll end up running run into yourself is difficult to predict, however. Considering your time-and-space travelling ways..."
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OOC: Hero clones would be interesting to deal with. What would happen if you met yourself?
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OOC: Hero clones would be interesting to deal with. What would happen if you met yourself?
*shudders* If you knew how my character finally died, you would know that this would be a bad thing.
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Interesting. Will you tell us this riveting tale sometime?
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Interesting. Will you tell us this riveting tale sometime?
It took a bit of wading through the "If bay forum were a mountain hall, continued..." thread to find it, but here it is:
Zanzetkuken stood over the body of the master of Fire, and looked over to see Water and Air approaching. Air was freed with a quick slash, and Earth had been slain by Water. Fire was difficult and had to be put down, because the mana wouldn't purify him like the rest. Zanzetkuken turned to leave, just as the masters of Water and Air were launched out of the doors with the bodies of Fire and Earth, and the doors baracaded themselves behind them. Zanzetkuken spun, sword raised to see shadows condensing to form what looked like himself. What was different was that the other him was completely black, except for the eyes which glowed red.
"Ever thought of how the Phyrexis got here?" spoke the dark him. "Of course you have, and contributed it to Phyrexian portals, but I caused it."
"Who are you?"
"I am you," said the other Zanzetkuken. "Though, from the opposite side of the multiverse, where all realities are changed. I absorbed the power of Clockwork Hugo, Yawgmoth, and Oliolli and dominated them all. Now, I plan to send the ultimate form of phyrexis to create a perfect multiverse"
"Not if I can help it," said Zanzetkuken as he stuck forth at the dark him, his blade clashing with his dark self.
"What you fail to realize," said Dark Zanzetkuken. "Is that the plan is already active."
The Zanzetkukens clashed on the mountaintop for what seemed like years. The dark Zanzetkuken was slowly, incrementally gaining the upperhand. The normal one realized this as they locked blades, again. He (regular) could see no way out where he would secure victory. He clashed with his dark self a few more times before they broke off, and he saw what needed to be done. He moved forward, seemingly going to lock blades with his dark self, but instead, he sheathed his sword, dodged under the dark blade, grabbed onto the Dark Zanzetkuken, and threw them both off the mountain. After the shock wore off, the Dark Zanzetkuken tried to save himself, but Zanzetkuken (regular) stabbed him (dark) with his blade. They had reached the mountain falls at that point and fell towards the multitude of rocks made of sharp obsidian when the Dark Zanzetkuken finally died of the wound inflicted by the blade. Zanzetkuken mentally recorded a few messages on some blank crystals within the room of the Slashdiver where Hugo and Corai learned of the phyrexians, namely, a message to the general and his last will. With that, a peace came over him as he fell into the rocks below.
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Very interesting; nice work. And so... we wait.
If anyone here hasn't read You are Me, please do so. It's an excellent way to pass the time and prepare.
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Wow. Thats some heavy shit.
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OOC: Hero clones would be interesting to deal with. What would happen if you met yourself?
In the case of running into your past self, I assume add a lot more fun. On one hand, having another you could be very beneficial to your goals. On the other, getting your past self killed would lead to you ceasing to exist. Who knows, if it ever happens, I may even let the player control both versions of themselves.
Very interesting; nice work. And so... we wait.
I'm just waiting for the remaining two of the five starting Chosen Ones to confirm they still want to continue after getting a better idea of what the trial holds in store. I knew I had been being vague about it, so I wanted to avoid throwing someone into it if it turned out not to be something they'd be interested in.
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Who is going for Unification?
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Who is going for Unification?
If ruling an an Evil Empire counts as unification...although honestly I'm not sure yet.
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Who is going for Unification?
If ruling an an Evil Empire counts as unification...although honestly I'm not sure yet.
I already have a Unification plan... If I have to stop you, so be it...
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Great. Target practice!
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I have a feeling destroying humanity will be easier, but that would be against my character's morals.
That being said; how many humans have to be left for unification to be achieved?
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Great. Target practice!
Same here. At last the AC/10 has some small targets to hit.
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how many humans have to be left for unification to be achieved?
technically speaking, I suppose victory by unification would be possible as long as there was still a single living human being left on the Earth.
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That's not really fair, though. If one of the unification people squirrels away a few humans, and then the destroyer kills everyone else, they inavertedly give victory to their enemy.
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Who is going for Unification?
I know I am.
That's not really fair, though. If one of the unification people squirrels away a few humans, and then the destroyer kills everyone else, they inavertedly give victory to their enemy.
I would say that unification should be 1000 people, minimum. Can't have it be too easy.
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I say 10,000; but a miniature fraction of our present race. At it's core, the unification goal should be to preserve and 'help' humanity.
Also, I think DZA should create an OOC thread; I want to be able to ramble on about non-relevant things without giving a page-induced heart attack to all our readers.
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Victory by unification requires all opposition on Earth to be eliminated. This can include other Chosen Ones. By focusing on unifying only a small number of humans from the start, you'd likely only be making things easier for the other participants. Those focusing on extermination would have less standing in their way, and those focusing on unification would easily be able to surpass and overwhelm whatever small amount of humanity you managed to 'store away'.
Perhaps I'm overlooking something, but if someone honestly wants to take on the challenge of protecting a tiny fraction of humanity against the rest of the world, I don't really see a problem with that.
Also, I think DZA should create an OOC thread; I want to be able to ramble on about non-relevant things without giving a page-induced heart attack to all our readers.
If others feel the same way, it shall be done.
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Could we just convince them they're better off following us than being dead? Or Undead if I get the ability to make Zombies. I bet a few Demons would impress them. Or I could just form a Cult.
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I will probably be allying with another chosen one or two. Possibly more, depending upon the methods of others aiming for unification.
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I will more than likely try to unify.
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As the protector of mankind I'll have to side with whoever avoids murder; at the very least in a selfish context. Awakening humans with the willpower to want to do good and spare lives is going to be somewhat arduous.
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I feel it is mandatory for me to destroy humanity now. It'll be a lonely road, but someone's got to take it.
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I will probably be allying with another chosen one or two. Possibly more, depending upon the methods of others aiming for unification.
What's your method? Mine will be get them into Space with advanced tech borrowed from... me, I guess.
And would this be a slightly alternate me on this Earth? Because I do believe if I talked to a future me, not an alternate me, bad stuff happens.
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I will probably be allying with another chosen one or two. Possibly more, depending upon the methods of others aiming for unification.
What's your method? Mine will be get them into Space with advanced tech borrowed from... me, I guess.
And would this be a slightly alternate me on this Earth? Because I do believe if I talked to a future me, not an alternate me, bad stuff happens.
I will start off as a protector and arbiter of a group of people, and will work my way from there. Can't lay down any concrete plans due to the unpredictability of the future. Might do some rallying of people against Inithis's character.
Arbiter - a person empowered to decide matters at issue; judge; umpire.
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Hrrm…. Havel needs someone to follow.
Offers services.
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Hrrm…. Havel needs someone to follow.
Offers services.
I'll take it. I need all the assistance I can get...
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You have my tech
and my guns
And my AXM-2N AXMAN!
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You have my tech
and my guns
And my AXM-2N AXMAN!
Was that directed towards me? If so, I accept your assistance towards the goal of unification.
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When I get in I'm not sure what I'll do. Probably unify them by converting them to my mass. Unification through extermination! And remember, when you kill me, you kill a cosmic baby. :P
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You have my tech
and my guns
And my AXM-2N AXMAN!
Was that directed towards me? If so, I accept your assistance towards the goal of unification.
Eh...what the hell. You have my Black Magic. Whenever I get in that is.
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You have my tech
and my guns
And my AXM-2N AXMAN!
Was that directed towards me? If so, I accept your assistance towards the goal of unification.
Yes, I shall convince other me currently inhabiting this Earth, and his tech. Chances are He'd have an AXM-1N but, what can ya do these days? My plan would be to break, say plans for a starship into as many pieces as there are countries. then they have to work together. I will also take secret documents as 'insurance'
And you can be Arbiter in all of that!
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You have my tech
and my guns
And my AXM-2N AXMAN!
Was that directed towards me? If so, I accept your assistance towards the goal of unification.
Eh...what the hell. You have my Black Magic. Whenever I get in that is.
As I said, all who will assist the goal of unification are my ally.
You have my tech
and my guns
And my AXM-2N AXMAN!
Was that directed towards me? If so, I accept your assistance towards the goal of unification.
Yes, I shall convince other me currently inhabiting this Earth, and his tech. Chances are He'd have an AXM-1N but, what can ya do these days? My plan would be to break, say plans for a starship into as many pieces as there are countries. then they have to work together. I will also take secret documents as 'insurance'
And you can be Arbiter in all of that!
What about Vgray and GUNINANRUNIN?
To DZA:
I will not get the opportunity to post until Wednesday, and in the time allotted, I may only be able to catch up, so do not expect a post from me till Friday, unless I manage to find time before then. I apologize for the inconvenience.
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Vgray I believe is going to set up a cult, and evil one, and unify humanity like that, so he could be an opponent,
As for GUNINANRUNIN he's offering services.
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He has my blade, and the favour of Lunus.
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Vgray I believe is going to set up a cult, and evil one, and unify humanity like that, so he could be an opponent,
As for GUNINANRUNIN he's offering services.
Services that I accepted. Vgray's direction may still be turned, do not forget that.
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Vgray I believe is going to set up a cult, and evil one, and unify humanity like that, so he could be an opponent,
As for GUNINANRUNIN he's offering services.
Services that I accepted. Vgray's direction may still be turned, do not forget that.
If not, I'll just have to 'interrupt' those rituals that his cult does. With bullets.
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GUNINANRUNIN and I have named the coalition Sameina Mannkyns. That is Icelandic for Unify Humankind.
Vgray I believe is going to set up a cult, and evil one, and unify humanity like that, so he could be an opponent,
As for GUNINANRUNIN he's offering services.
Services that I accepted. Vgray's direction may still be turned, do not forget that.
If not, I'll just have to 'interrupt' those rituals that his cult does. With bullets.
If you do, aim for non-lethal areas that still will cause pain. Fingers, toes, etc.
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GUNINANRUNIN and I have named the coalition Sameina Mannkyns. That is Icelandic for Unify Humankind.
Vgray I believe is going to set up a cult, and evil one, and unify humanity like that, so he could be an opponent,
As for GUNINANRUNIN he's offering services.
Services that I accepted. Vgray's direction may still be turned, do not forget that.
If not, I'll just have to 'interrupt' those rituals that his cult does. With bullets.
If you do, aim for non-lethal areas that still will cause pain. Fingers, toes, etc.
What about those Goa'Uld zappers? I've gotta have one somewhere...
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Note to self, invent anti-bullet spell.
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Note to self, invent anti-bullet spell.
Note to self, discover if planeswalker counter-spells will stop everything that Vgray's character does.
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Note to self, invent anti-bullet spell.
Note to self, take lasers...
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Note to self, invent anti-bullet spell.
Note to self, discover if planeswalker counter-spells will stop everything that Vgray's character does.
Note to self, discover if Planeswalkers can banish demons. And invent anti-laser spell...
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Note to self. Challenge Vgray to dance battle. NO SPELL CAN SAVE YOU NOW
(Note, we may need an OOC thread
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Kestrel and Zak, you have my asstiance when I get in. I can stab shit and be a leader and some other bullocks.
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Kestrel and Zak, you have my asstiance when I get in. I can stab shit and be a leader and some other bullocks.
So, we now have five people working for unification in a single alliance. This should work.
How did you get Zak out of Zanzetkuken the Great?
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Kestrel and Zak, you have my asstiance when I get in. I can stab shit and be a leader and some other bullocks.
So we have the sword, the Tech, the Arbiter, some other guys.
Who is the Heart? And where will our base of ops be? I was thinking alt-me's bunker with cool stuff in it.
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Kestrel and Zak, you have my asstiance when I get in. I can stab shit and be a leader and some other bullocks.
So we have the sword, the Tech, the Arbiter, some other guys.
Who is the Heart? And where will our base of ops be? I was thinking alt-me's bunker with cool stuff in it.
I could terraform the land to the form of a Dwarven Hold with a dragon statue over the doorway...
Hooray for land spells!
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I've lost track. Am I part of your club or not? Jorns best chance for survival is to join I think..
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If you're willing to let me eat you, I could unify the human race by combining them into my mass.
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I've lost track. Am I part of your club or not? Jorns best chance for survival is to join I think..
Yes you have been accepted.
Edit: Due to my posting at the same time as loading updated topics, it said that I had not read my own post. 2nd time this has happened to me!
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Kestrel and Zak, you have my asstiance when I get in. I can stab shit and be a leader and some other bullocks.
So we have the sword, the Tech, the Arbiter, some other guys.
Who is the Heart? And where will our base of ops be? I was thinking alt-me's bunker with cool stuff in it.
I could terraform the land to the form of a Dwarven Hold with a dragon statue over the doorway...
Hooray for land spells!
So main base is a Dwarven Hold, Secondary is Alternate-me's base thingy.
And Xantalos, that would be extermination, wouldn't it? since you would be the only consciousness in the mass.
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Kestrel and Zak, you have my asstiance when I get in. I can stab shit and be a leader and some other bullocks.
So we have the sword, the Tech, the Arbiter, some other guys.
Who is the Heart? And where will our base of ops be? I was thinking alt-me's bunker with cool stuff in it.
I could terraform the land to the form of a Dwarven Hold with a dragon statue over the doorway...
Hooray for land spells!
1)So main base is a Dwarven Hold, Secondary is Alternate-me's base thingy.
2)And Xantalos, that would be extermination, wouldn't it? since you would be the only consciousness in the mass.
1) Shall be done
2) Or is he? 0.o
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My cult will need a base. Hmm. And by my count that leaves three chosen ones undecided to their final goal.
And I'm stupid. Make that two.
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TorZon sees it as eating them to eat them. Remember - it's a baby! Also, feel free to stop me until I gain intelligence. Then you're REALLY screwed! [joking]
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Now we need the designated Heart of the team, but who?
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Now we need the designated Heart of the team, but who?
I vote for Sock Puppet Man.
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Now we need the designated Heart of the team, but who?
I vote for Sock Puppet Man.
Aye, Sock Puppet Man it is. Wait, Is he even with us?
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Zanz for sure. He established this alliance in the first place when he enlisted me.
I will take his place if Lunus commands it, though for now I wish to fill a role as 'Awakener' ( fancy name for Trainer. Eye meak teh squishee hoomens stabb tings gooood :3).
Also, I'm keeping my character sheet in all my posts now for my personal reference. I wrote an awful lot about him.
Name: Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sex: Not Applicable
Age: 92,669,203,563,870,932 Sol Years
Description: The greatest knight who ever lived, he crushed man and beast alike; at least while he was alive and still a man. Now he is cursed to walk the Great Plane until the end of time, shedding tears for those he has wronged. When he outlives a particular world he drifts through the void until he meets another celestial body and takes it up as his home until the next cataclysm. Made entirely of stone and standing 10 feet tall, he does not speak often, sometimes relying on his Colossus Lunar Zweihander to resolve a confrontation. He spends eternities waiting for the next world, and when he finds one, he takes it upon himself to become the guardian of that land, having felled countless foes of countless origins in order to defend his home. Noble and gentle, he treasures life above all things and weeps at its loss, even in the heat of battle, and would undertake any noble task in order to preserve it. Falling in battle is the greatest of honours for him, and the five thousand years he must wait to be resurrected once more are spent in joyous contemplation of miracles of the Plane.
Origin: During his mortal life he lived angrily, unleashing his fury upon innocents and slaughtering the cowed masses with great sweeps of his massive zweihander. The sun god Solus was angered by this, and turned him to stone as punishment for murdering his people. Solus' sister Lunus later took pity on him as he wept for the souls he harmed day and night for a hundred years. She granted him the ability to atone for his actions by granting him life once more and blessing his now holy zweihander with divine powers. Havel is now Lunus' eternal follower and instrument of peace, sometimes calling upon her powers to save those that are weaker than he. Solus, however, was infuriated by the goddess' actions and stills seeks him to this day, his fiery gaze sweeping from world to world demanding punishment. Lunus shrouds half of the Great Plane in darkness, concealing Havel from Solus' wrathful vengeance.
Traits: Incredibly soft-hearted and compassionate, he is burdened by great pain and regret for his actions during his life as a mortal. His oceanic wisdom gives him overwhelming prowess in battle and he would do anything to save a mortal creature from death.
Basically he's a giant stone man with a massive blessed sword. He's carved in the likeness of a tower knight. Like this:
(http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqfzbuxEMz1qbv5izo1_500.jpg)
He can call upon miracles of the Moon and even the Sun if Solus ever forgives him for trying to destroy his favourite creation: Mankind. Now he's returned to the world and seeks atonement after spending eternity under Lunus' service. Solus doesn't know he is on the man world, as Lunus conceals him during the daytime. Havel is much more powerful at night when Lunus' powers are at their greatest. When it comes to miracles, Sun miracles govern light, living creatures, and fire, whereas Moon miracles affect the earth, darkness, and water. If he looks skyward, get out of the way. Hope you like the image I'm trying to create here.
EDIT: Yeah this is probably the greatest character I've ever made. I'm preserving him within the deep, dark confines of TextEdit so that I may use him again later. He's pretty damned neat.
-
Sorry, i was out of town for a day or two, but i'm back!
AN DZA, for unification , do they all have to be Humans, or can they be Shadowmen, like me (with the eye-stabby ritual (and we really need an OOC))?
While Hisir is listening to the figure, he tries to catch every piece of information visible audible or sensible.
Unification, he? Impossible. Humans can't unite. The only thing they do is try to kill each other.
To prevent that, they need to be dead.
And look at these other human chosen ones. They probably want to kill each other already,
But let's get into this!!
Hisir walks up to the vial and drinks the content through the hole in his helmet instead of taking off his helmet......
-
"Well, time to get to work..."
-
Grrr.. You should've been a Jade Falcon Clansman.
-
Sorry, i was out of town for a day or two, but i'm back!
AN DZA, for unification , do they all have to be Humans, or can they be Shadowmen, like me (with the eye-stabby ritual (and we really need an OOC))?
While your forces can be composed of any entities you're able to muster, only human beings count toward achieving the unification goal. As transforming humanity into into something else would still technically be eliminating the human race from the Earth.
The OOC thread seemed like it would be of use after this thread was flooded with several pages of rampant plotting and alliance forging. It isn't necessary to post every little comment in it, but will help keep things a bit more tidy when participants wish to ramble on about unrelated subjects or converse about various happenings in the story outside of the story itself.
With that out out of the way, glad you could make it back in time. Let's rock.
the spectral figure smiles as the final selected Chosen One consumes the contents of the vial before him.
"Glad to see everyone is on board. I will be contacting the five of you in a few days' time. Until then, I'd recommend focusing on getting yourselves settled. And, you know, not dying.
I wish you all the very best of luck, and hope to see each of you give it your all and put on a good performance. Now go forth, and claim the power that you so rightfully deserve."
The spectral figure snaps its fingers, and for those five (arguably) lucky individuals, everything suddenly goes black...
Day 1: Humble Beginnings (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiSaE7tIghM)
Zanzetkuken the Great
The planeswalker awoke leaning a against a dumpster in the small alleyway of an unknown city. The alley was dark, illuminated only every so often by the headlights of the occasional passing car. While perhaps not the most glorious place to begin his adventure, it at least kept him somewhat out of sight.
Clothing/Armor:
Tunic(brown), leather leggings, steel-tipped boots, adamantine breastplate, cloak(black), false dragon skull shoulder guards.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Adamantine sword(mana imbued).
Planeswalker's Spark
The Planeswalker's Spark deep within this Chosen One has been ignited, gifting him with the arcane abilities of the ancient and powerful mages.
Legendary Warrior
This Chosen One has mastered how to use his body and mind as well as his equipment in battle. Woe betide any opponent that meets him in combat.
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Experienced Adventurer
This Chosen One's many adventures throughout time and space have given him valuable experience in countless subjects, which he is able to apply to nearly anything he does.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
Hisir Namedene
The warm morning sunlight washed over the large, grassy field that Hisir awoke in. Other than an old stone tower to the north, and a modest isolated home to the south, his immediate surroundings contained little of note. Nevertheless, it was a peaceful start to his world changing journey.
Clothing/Armor:
Full suit of plate armor (black and curvy).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Dual-bladed chain halberd, short sword, pair of long daggers, x5 throwing knives, metal claw (right hand), hidden blade within boot and under gauntlet (note: Gonna need specification for these as well).
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Desensitized
Untold suffering has given this Chosen One a remarkably high threshold for pain.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
The Moderator
The Moderator carefully sat up as he emerged from his involuntary slumber. He had awoken on the side of a heavily forested mountain trail. Not that he could tell, considering how difficult the pitch black night made it to see.
Clothing/Armor:
N7 hoody, jeans, Kevlar armor (beneath clothing).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Auscam backpack, M-3 Predator heavy pistol, M-13 Raptor rifle, cleaning kit, spare parts, x5 Mark 14 grenades, x4 additional ammunition blocks.
Experienced Adventurer
This Chosen One's many adventures throughout time and space have given him valuable experience in countless subjects, which he is able to apply to nearly anything he does.
Deadeye
This Chosen One has spent a great deal of time honing his already impressive shooting prowess, giving him exceptionally deadly accuracy with most types of firearms.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
Taom
Upon regaining consciousness, Taom found himself in the middle of a sizable copse. Rays of light shined down beautifully through the leaves of the trees. The Chosen One treasured the peaceful moment, knowing full well that the tranquility would not last.
Clothing/Armor:
Simple conforming fabric (blue).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Small curved sword.
Energy Manipulation
This Chosen One is capable of harnessing energy in its purest form, and utilizing it to further his own desired ends.
Hidden Power
Locked inside this Chosen One, potency of a godly caliber slumbers. Patiently waiting to be unleashed only once the highest levels of Badassery are attained.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Somewhere within an expansive cavern, the complete darkness persisted for the knight of stone even after he had once again become fully conscious. Cautious, the Chosen One slowly stood up. Sure keep his Colossus Lunar Zweihander firmly in hand.
Clothing/Armor:
A ten-foot-tall stone warrior carved to resemble a Tower Knight. He has no need for clothing.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Colossus Lunar Zweihander (blessed).
Legendary Warrior
This Chosen One has mastered how to use his body and mind as well as his equipment in battle. Woe betide any opponent that meets him in combat.
Allegiance to Lunus
This Chosen One's undying devotion has earned him the assistance of the Moon goddess Lunus. When night falls, he is strengthened by the lunar deity. And can call upon her help directly in the form of Moon miracles.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Lunus(Deity of Worship)
Solus(Enemy)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
-
Pray silently to Lunus and beg her to illuminate the way, then look around the cavern, regarding the details carefully. Grip your blade with both hands and get a feeling for its weight once more; its been several ages since you've sensed the unholy in this land.
They will not escape Her wrath a second time.
Name: Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sex: Not Applicable
Age: 92,669,203,563,870,932 Sol Years
Description: The greatest knight who ever lived, he crushed man and beast alike; at least while he was alive and still a man. Now he is cursed to walk the Great Plane until the end of time, shedding tears for those he has wronged. When he outlives a particular world he drifts through the void until he meets another celestial body and takes it up as his home until the next cataclysm. Made entirely of stone and standing 10 feet tall, he does not speak often, sometimes relying on his Colossus Lunar Zweihander to resolve a confrontation. He spends eternities waiting for the next world, and when he finds one, he takes it upon himself to become the guardian of that land, having felled countless foes of countless origins in order to defend his home. Noble and gentle, he treasures life above all things and weeps at its loss, even in the heat of battle, and would undertake any noble task in order to preserve it. Falling in battle is the greatest of honours for him, and the five thousand years he must wait to be resurrected once more are spent in joyous contemplation of miracles of the Plane.
Origin: During his mortal life he lived angrily, unleashing his fury upon innocents and slaughtering the cowed masses with great sweeps of his massive zweihander. The sun god Solus was angered by this, and turned him to stone as punishment for murdering his people. Solus' sister Lunus later took pity on him as he wept for the souls he harmed day and night for a hundred years. She granted him the ability to atone for his actions by granting him life once more and blessing his now holy zweihander with divine powers. Havel is now Lunus' eternal follower and instrument of peace, sometimes calling upon her powers to save those that are weaker than he. Solus, however, was infuriated by the goddess' actions and stills seeks him to this day, his fiery gaze sweeping from world to world demanding punishment. Lunus shrouds half of the Great Plane in darkness, concealing Havel from Solus' wrathful vengeance.
Traits: Incredibly soft-hearted and compassionate, he is burdened by great pain and regret for his actions during his life as a mortal. His oceanic wisdom gives him overwhelming prowess in battle and he would do anything to save a mortal creature from death.
He's carved in the likeness of a tower knight.
Miracles:
He can call upon miracles of the Moon and even the Sun if Solus ever forgives him for trying to destroy his favourite creation: Mankind. Now he's returned to the world and seeks atonement after spending eternity under Lunus' service. Solus doesn't know he is on the man world, as Lunus conceals him during the daytime. Havel is much more powerful at night when Lunus' powers are at their greatest. Sun miracles include, but are not limited to light, living creatures, and fire, whereas Moon miracles affect the earth, darkness, and water, and other aspects of the world.
-
When everything went black, the only thing Hisir felt was joy.
He met his friend, Pure Darkness, once more after a long time.
But that joy didn't last long. Because after the pitch black darkness a lovely, grassy plain appeared.
"Aarghh, damn the sun, let's get somewhere shady!"
Hisir quickly went to the Old tower to the north to climb it and look at the surroundings.
-
Zanzetkuken looked upwards to the sky. So much like Earth. Almost exactly how I remember it being before I was taken by him. Almost. But not quite He hid his armor below his robes and walked out of the alley. Zanzetkuken observed what he could, deducing the area of the city he was in. He did not have any idea where he was, but he knew places to find out. He began searching for a place that could inform him of where he was located, and find out some of the events that were going on in these times.
-
Taom stretched slowly, then arose from the soft dirt. It was a strange game he was being forced to play, but it was all for the greater good; this couldn't possibly be real. This planet was definitely not his, and therefore this was all an illusion by that strange being. Comforted, he sends a large flare into the air, and then hides behind a bush.
-
"Earth. Probably either America or Europe."
Assess condition of all my items. before first light, stand-to until dawn. Then set out for a nearby town.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Lunus is happy to answer Sir Havel's prayer for assistance. Within seconds the blade of his Zweihander begins to glow with a brilliant white light that permeates the caverns. After silently thanking the Moon goddess, the knight of stone observes his environment. The subterranean area seems fairly open. Stalactites cover much of the cavern ceiling, and although the natural formations of rock are truly a wondrous sight to behold, non of it seems particularly out of the ordinary for a place such as this. What does seem to stick out, however, is the fact that there seems to be a designated path running through the area, presumably from the entrance into some deeper portion of the caverns. It is clear these caverns have been visited before, and perhaps still are.
Turning his attention to his weapon, Sir Havel grabs hold of it with both his hands as he reacquaints himself the general weight and feel of the massive blade. He has no trouble carrying it, but its size alone means it would take even the great knight of stone several moments to recover from a good swing with it. The bright side to this is that any attempt to block an attack made with the Colossus Lunar Zweihander would almost certainly be a futile effort, as the blessed sword is easily capable of crashing through nearly any protection that a foe might have.
It is around this moment that Sir Havel notices the presence of a uniformed man standing on the designated path. Holding a flashlight and trembling with unspeakable fear, the man stumbles backwards and falls over when the Chosen One looks toward him.
Hisir Namedene
As Hisir approaches the tower, he soon notices that it is accompanied by a lovely graveyard, which takes up a good portion of the surrounding land. Interesting, but he didn't come here to pay any respects to the dead.
He makes his way over a fence surrounding the area without much trouble, but finds that the walls of the tower are too flat to be easily scaled. For an old, secluded stone tower, it's certainly been kept in good shape. Luckily, it isn't hard to locate an entrance to the interior of the tower, which should allow easier access to a decent viewing point. Unluckily, said entrance appears to be locked.
Zanzetkuken the Great
Pulling his cloak shut to cover his breastplate, Zanzetkuken leaves the alleyway. Glancing around at his surroundings, he seems to be standing between a car repair shop and some inner city houses. A parking lot for what looks like a bank can be seen across the street.
Curious to find out more about where and when on Earth he's been transported to, he sets out in search of further information. After locating a gas station/convenience store, he figures that the easiest route to obtaining the desired info would be to walk in and purchase a cheap map or newspaper. Which would be all well and good, if it wasn't closed. And he had any money.
Taom
Making use of his strange and powerful abilities, Taom attempts to fire a spectacular flare of energy into the sky. Unfortunately, it ends up as more of a fizzle. And after crouching down behind a bush in wait for several minutes, it becomes clear the the energy 'flare' didn't accomplish much beyond scaring a few birds away.
The Moderator
Going mostly by sense of touch, The Moderator takes some time to inspect his equipment. Thankfully, nothing seems broken. His heavy pistol is snug in its holster, and his (currently disassembled) rifle is stored neatly away in his backpack along with the rest of his stuff.
Standing up and pulling the straps of his backpack back over his shoulders, the Chosen One patiently begins waiting for the light of day. It's a little chilly out in the open, but that shouldn't prove to be anything more than a minor discomfort for one such as himself.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
23:50 remain.
-
Lower your blade slowly. Approach the man quizzically as a feint to avoid panicking him further and stand over him. See what he does. If he runs, continue down the path in the direction he heads, for it is likely the exit. If his resolve lasts and he holds his ground, outstretch your free hand in greeting and help him to his feet.
You are quite brave to face me without arms young one. What blessed land have I found myself in this day?
-
Wait until sunrise
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel approaches the man in a curious and non-threatening manner (as non-threatening as a giant stone knight with a huge glowing sword can be). The man remains still, though this is more due to paralyzing fear rather than immense courage.
Towering over the man, Sir Havel reaches down and offers his hand in order to help him off the ground. For a while, the man does nothing but breathe heavily and stare at the Chosen One. Eventually, the man warily grabs onto Sir Havel's hand, and is taken aback by how easily he is pulled to his feet. After commenting on the man's bravery, Sir Havel kindly asks to know where he happens to be.
"Th...this is the Carlsbad National Park...we're in the Carlsbad Caverns. Visitors aren't allowed down here at these hours..." The man is clearly trying to hide his fear and remain calm. "I-I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to leave..."
-
((Holy fuck I knew it! I knew thats where you put me the second you started describing the place! My brother got sick when he ate the rock candy that they sell in the gift shop. :) I've lived in Scottsdale my whole live. Guess we're playing at Home today!! :D))
Very well mortal. I take my leave.
Look the mortal over and peer into his soul. Is he young? Does he have potential? Does he possess the will to do good? Ask the mortal if he loves his world and his fellow men, and tell him that without his help, that they may all be lost forever; this is an attempt to recruit him. He need only be strong of mind, heart, and will, the rest will come with time. Regardless of his answer and whether or not he decides to accompany you, heft your zweihander and rest it upon your shoulder, then head out the visitor's exit and into the parking lot. Ask Lunus for guidance to the nearest human settlement.
-
"Damn,it's locked!
I won't be stopped by a stupid locked door!!"
Hisir tries to break down the door and scale the tower
-
Zanzetkuken mused over his lack of what basically made this world go round. He could probably sell one of his artifact spells to a university. Perhaps the tablet of Epityr. That should sell. He wanders around till morning, searching for a university that he could sell the artifact to. When he finds one, invoke the artifact spell Tablet of Epityr. Go inside and sell it to the archaeology department. $10000, cash only.
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/AQ/tabletofepityr.jpg)
-
Was waiting for Inithis, but whatever. I guess missing a little time won't hurt him.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The man seems greatly relieved when the knight of stone agrees to leave without any trouble. Though that relief begins to fade slightly when, instead of actually leaving, the Chosen One simply stands there staring at him.
The man's age appears to be somewhere between mid-30's to early 40's. He's not horribly out of shape, but you wouldn't exactly call him an athlete, either. He doesn't seem to be harboring any malicious intentions. In fact, if he wasn't so laden with fear, he would probably be a pretty nice person to hang out with.
Sir Havel calmly asks the man about whether he cares for his race and the world it inhabits. "I...I guess so..."
Sir Havel then goes on to tell the man that, without his assistance, it is all at risk of falling into oblivion. The man seems less afraid now, yet more confused. "...What do I have to do?"
Rather than answer him, the Chosen One lifts his blade onto his shoulder, and begins making his way to the exit. "Wait, where are you going??"
The man follows Sir Havel out to the parking lot, where Sir Havel asks for the help of Lunus once more. Suddenly, a bright light, much brighter than any of the surrounding stars, appears in the night sky. Making clear the direction that must be traveled in order for the Chosen One to reach his desired destination.
Hisir Namedene
Not prepared to let his plans be ruined by such a simple obstacle, Hisir attempts to kick the door in. Embarrassingly, he only ends up stumbling backwards after underestimating its strength. Angered, he takes a couple more steps back, before charging at the door with unrelenting force. The door flies open as a result of the collision, and Hisir is able to continue on his way into the tower. He is somewhat surprised by just how elegant and maintained the interior looks, and by the fact that he isn't able to find anyone living in it.
The Chosen One makes his way up a spiral staircase, the sound his metal footsteps echoing throughout the tower. Just as he expects, he finds a wonderful place to view the surrounding landscape at the top.
Taking a good look at the area, Hisir (somehow) sees some more fields to the north and west, and some parking lots and nondescript buildings a bit to the east. What really catches his attention, though, is the vast expanse of city in the distance, stretching all along the south.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
23:35 remain.
-
Solemnly, but with iron in your voice.
This world has but a single hope. Its up to you to decide if that hope is lost. Follow if you wish.
Allow Lunus to guide you within the outskirts of the town. If the man follows you, explain about the conflict that is unfolding.
-
"Strange, nobody's here but this is still maintained.
But what do they do here then?"
Try to find out for what this tower might be used for.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The man stands in the parking lot with Sir Havel, unsure about how to react to the Chosen One's words. As the knight of stone walks away, the man does not follow; his fear and uncertainty will not allow him. All he is able to do is watch silently as the stone figure makes his way off into the night.
Hisir Namedene
After a bit of investigating around the property, Hisir discovers the reason for the tower's well-maintained state is that it apparently also serves as a museum. It's devoted in particular to a now deceased man by the name of William Thomas Beckford, who was the tower's original owner. The museum appears to be closed to visitors at the moment, which would certainly explain why it was so difficult to get into.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
23:25 remain.
-
See if there are any weapons are there and take them.
After that, walk east until you see a forest or mountains..... .
-
Did you miss this before the update before the most recent?
Zanzetkuken looked upwards to the sky. So much like Earth. Almost exactly how I remember it being before I was taken by him. Almost. But not quite He hid his armor below his robes and walked out of the alley. Zanzetkuken observed what he could, deducing the area of the city he was in. He did not have any idea where he was, but he knew places to find out. He began searching for a place that could inform him of where he was located, and find out some of the events that were going on in these times.
-
Continue following the guidance of Lunus. Stay away from roads and innocent humans, unless they seem to be in mortal danger.
-
Did you miss this before the update before the most recent?
Zanzetkuken looked upwards to the sky. So much like Earth. Almost exactly how I remember it being before I was taken by him. Almost. But not quite He hid his armor below his robes and walked out of the alley. Zanzetkuken observed what he could, deducing the area of the city he was in. He did not have any idea where he was, but he knew places to find out. He began searching for a place that could inform him of where he was located, and find out some of the events that were going on in these times.
I don't believe so. I assumed you had stopped focusing on all that so you could divert your efforts to finding a university and selling off your ancient otherworldly artifact for some quick cash.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel continues walking for a good while before spotting some parked cars and buildings not too far ahead. Clear signs of a human-inhabited area.
The size of the settlement doesn't seem all that impressive, but it does seem to be the only one around for miles.
Estimated time passed: 1 hour 30 minutes.
21:55 remain.
-
Enter the settlement and look around. If a human stops you, stoop to his height and listen to him politely.
-
Did you miss this before the update before the most recent?
Zanzetkuken looked upwards to the sky. So much like Earth. Almost exactly how I remember it being before I was taken by him. Almost. But not quite He hid his armor below his robes and walked out of the alley. Zanzetkuken observed what he could, deducing the area of the city he was in. He did not have any idea where he was, but he knew places to find out. He began searching for a place that could inform him of where he was located, and find out some of the events that were going on in these times.
I don't believe so. I assumed you had stopped focusing on all that so you could divert your efforts to finding a university and selling off your ancient otherworldly artifact for some quick cash.
-facepalm-
Quoted the wrong post. At least I know you did not skip over the post with the tablet.
-
Pull out my Predator, and start moving around. Look for any kind of building or settlement. If I find a person, talk to them, after hiding my pistol.
-
Taom stares at his hand, bewildered at his inability to use the simplest of abilities. Perhaps, in this world, I no longer have my powers? Maybe they will come back? Suddenly terrified at his vulnerability in the open he searches for a shelter of some sort.
-
-facepalm-
Quoted the wrong post. At least I know you did not skip over the post with the tablet.
You said wander around til morning. Since you currently have no way of knowing when exactly night ends and morning begins, I'm taking that to mean "wander around til it starts getting light outside".
Sir Havel the Unyielding
A small water park, a museum, and an inn that appears to have at least a couple people staying in it are all that stands out to Sir Havel as he explores the settlement. The buildings all look fairly old. And though it may just be due to the late time of day, the place seems like it's been almost completely abandoned.
The Moderator
Deciding that he's waited long long enough, The Moderator removes his pistol from its holster and begins to carefully make his way through the dark woods. The distant howls and occasional subtle rustling of branches remind The Moderator that he is not alone in the wilderness, even if he does happen to be the only human in the area.
The Chosen One has no way to know if he's making any progress toward reaching civilization, or if he is only further distancing himself from it. Nevertheless, he continues on. After all, taking a chance is better than sitting around doing nothing, right?
Taom
Some exploring around the edge of the copse reveals to Taom that there is a rather pleasant looking town not far to the east, at the bottom of the hill that the copse sits on top of. All the other directions seem to be mostly wide open, hilly terrain; hardly any suitable places to be used as shelter. The town, on the other hand, seems to have plenty of shelters. The only problem being that most of them likely already belong to other people.
It's a difficult situation, and unfortunately, one that Taom does not have much time to think about. While looking out at the town, he notices a group of three of young individuals, perhaps somewhere in their late teens, making their way up the hill for reasons unknown.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
21:40 remain.
-
Go inside the inn.
-
See if there are any weapons are there and take them.
After that, walk east until you see a forest or mountains..... .
-
Check my surroundings. Keep my pistol at the ready
-
((Update? Or is DZA gone for some reason that I am unaware of?))
-
Belated update partly due to waiting for Inithis, and to being a tad busy yesterday. Allow me to make up for it by giving you all an extra tidbit of information about the workings of the game:
If all the posted action results are estimated to have taken place in under 5 minutes of time (such as the ones here), I won't bother updating the countdown timer.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel walks calmly into the lobby of the inn. As the Chosen One enters the establishment, a man at the front desk stares at him with a look of confusion and unbelief. "What the hell...?"
Hisir Namedene
Hisir left the tower well over an hour ago, heading eastward after failing to find anything that could be considered a useful weapon. Seems like Mr. Beckford was more a man of arts and literature, rather than one of battle and bloodshed. So far, the Chosen One has come across some large copses and tall hills, but nothing that could rightly be called a forest or mountain. Most the way, it's just been field after field after field...
The Moderator
Investigating the surrounding area to the best of his ability, The Moderator is able to confirm a couple of things:
One, there is an abundance of plant life in his current location. Two, the ground gets considerable steeper off of the trail, which is probably something to be careful about.
Finally, and he can't be entirely certain about this, but it definitely seems like there's something standing a couple yards ahead of him.
-
"Halt, who goes there?"
Aim Pistol. If animal with aggressive intentions, kill it. If person, keep aimed, and ask name.
-
((I honestly have no idea where to go from here.))
Bow. Ask where I can find the nearest supply of warriors or law enforcement (police, martial arts gym, literally anything). Tell him at length that his fate, and the fate of his kind, hangs in the balance.
-
The Moderator
Pistol at the ready, The Moderator demands that the being before him make itself known. However, the being (if there even is one) offers no response.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Still perplexed as to what exactly is going on, the man responds. "I...uh...I don't know. Probably somewhere in Carlsbad, but that's twenty miles away from here..."
-
Check what it is... But still be ready to shoot.
-
"Where, in the name of Sirith, are there nothing but hills and plains?!!
Where am I!?"
Keep going, if you find a bike, take it and go on.
-
Taom simply made his way towards the individuals, raising his hand in greeting. After all, most country-folk are friendly. Feeling more at-ease, he almost laughs at his earlier paranoia. "Hello! Can one of you show me the way to a safe dwelling-place?"
(Sorry. I thought I had updated earlier; must have somehow closed out the window.)
-
The Moderator
Carefully, The Moderator approaches the being. Apparently not the social type, it lets loose a strange grunting noise. The Moderator slowly steps back. Although it's still difficult to actually see the thing, from the sound it made he is able to identify the creature as most likely being an adult moose.
Taom
Looking over the trio, which seems to be composed of two males and a female, Taom can tell that he must have caught them off-guard with his sudden emergence from the copse followed by his unusual request.
One of the boys tries to speak, but gets cut off by the other, slightly older looking one. "Um, we're kind of busy right now, but there's a few hotels or guest houses or whatever back in the town." He says, pointing back toward the settlement. "Just keep walking down the main street and you're bound to see one eventually."
-
"Where, in the name of Sirith, are there nothing but hills and plains?!!
Where am I!?"
Keep going, if you find a bike, take it and go on.
And me? :(
-
everyone's actions may not always finish at the same time. So if you aren't included in an update post, it just means your action(s) aren't yet completed and nothing of note has taken place.
-
((So..what am I doing right now? I'm not sure where to go, besides Carlsbad to see if I can gather men to my banner. I'm hoping something bad will happen soon so that I can save people, and they'll come to me for help.))
Ask if anything unusual has been going on here, or anywhere. Ask him the way to Carlsbad. Get local or regional maps if possible. Observe the man's build and demeanour.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The man raises an eyebrow upon hearing the Chosen One's request to know of any strange happenings. "Well, there's a talking statue with a giant sword standing in front of me..."
The man tells Sir Havel that he could probably get him a map, but he would have to pay for it. He has no problem with writing down some simple directions to reach Carlsbad for the knight of stone, though.
The man himself looks fairly scrawny. He also appears surprisingly relaxed around the Chosen One. It seems like he thinks Sir Havel's appearance is merely some sort of clever trick.
In that moment, feeling somewhat uncertain about what his next move should be, the Chosen One hears the wise words of the spectral figure he met earlier echo through his mind:Sleep or meditation will allow your consciousness to travel back to this realm. If you ever feel in need of guidance, visit me here and I will see what I can do to help.
-
Take the directions. Go outside and walk until you are alone. Have a seat on the ground and meditate.
-
"Where, in the name of Sirith, are there nothing but hills and plains?!!
Where am I!?"
Keep going, if you find a bike, take it and go on.
And me? :(
AND ME???? :(
-
You know, this first day is taking far longer than I had anticipated. I think may have to start cutting the time I wait to hear from participants. If only to ensure that it doesn't always take weeks for a single day to pass...
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Taking the piece of paper with directions written on it from the man, Sir Havel nods in thanks and exits the inn. Walking out to a quiet spot where he can be certain he will not be bothered, the Chosen One sits down on the sandy earth, and clears his mind...
Eventually, the Chosen One feels as if he is being lifted from the physical realm, and finds himself once again idling around in a vast aetheric fog. The spectral figure, who seems to have been waiting him, raises its hand in greeting. "Welcome back, friend. Tell me, how have things been going?"
Hisir Namedene
After another good deal of time spent walking, Hisir finds himself standing on the outskirts a lovely little town. In search of a way to cover more distance in less time, Hisir decides to take a stroll through the town, and is lucky enough to encounter a small child cheerfully riding a bicycle up and down one of the neighborhood streets.
As Hisir approaches the child, it runs off terrified toward a nearby house, leaving the bike unguarded and out in the open. Pleased with how easily that worked out, Hisir walks over and mounts the bike. It's got all the works; a basket, a bell, it even has a cute little flag on the back. Looks this Chosen One is going to be riding in style from now on. Before Hisir can peddle away from the scene, however, a burly looking man wearing a bathrobe comes rushing out from the house that the child ran into. "OI, TH'FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"
Hisir attempts to ride away, but the burly man quickly catches up and crashes into him before he can build up enough speed, knocking him off of the bike and onto hard asphalt.
Estimated time passed: 1 hour.
20:40 remain.
-
"Foolish mortal! Take your stupid vehicle and leave me alone!" Hisir said while drawing his short sword to scare the man away while thinking: "Killing someone isn't a good start probably."
If the man goes away, go on East Until there are mountains or a forest.
-
Reverently, but with familiarity.
Slowly, my lady. This land has changed since it was saved. Guide me. I must make amends for my sin. The humans are in grave danger, for I have sensed great evil in my short time here; it has resurged and threatens all mankind. I cannot face it alone, and I know not with whom my fellow Chosen will side. I'm afraid the humans must awaken their true selves in time for this.
-
Continue onwards, keeping my guard up for anything that may have hostile intent
-
DZA? Are you there?
-
Yes I am, as a matter of fact. Sorry for the update delay. Would of had it up late last night, but I got sidetracked and ended up falling asleep. So yeah...my bad.
Upcoming update (which is pretty big compared to the other, more recent ones) is practically done; just have some revisions and proofreading to do before I post it. Sadly, that's going to have to wait til I get back from a little walk, as I'm already being rushed to finish writing this short message.
-
Hooray! Thank you, merciful GM who I am certainly not buttering up :P
-
[...Gonna just leave this here, in-case you can shoehorn it in.]
"Thank you for the help.
Taom walked towards town, already feeling ashamed of his momentary panic. The people here were doubtlessly the same as back home; they wouldn't begrudge another human some help. Now, the next goal; to find whoever rules this land. Surely they would be able to help him. Perhaps he could find another of these... Chosen Ones, although he had a sneaking feeling they would be decidedly less eager. Barbarians, they had all seemed.
Suddenly, he knew what to do. He could ask that... thing about what to do. His mind made up, he walked towards the hotel.
-
[...Gonna just leave this here, in-case you can shoehorn it in.]
Sure can. We'll just have to assume that it took you a ridiculously long time to actually reach the hotel.
Hisir Namedene
The burly man jumps back as Hisir draws his blade. He hastily grabs the bike and retreats back to his home, shouting obscenities at the Chosen One while he does so. Feeling that it would probably be best to take his leave, Hisir exits the town and continues his trek eastward.
Finally, after hours of travel, the Chosen One finds himself on the edge of what could sincerely be considered a true, proper forest. After so much time spent walking through a seemingly endless number of fields, it really is a wondrous sight to behold...
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"Did you just call me a...never mind. Sadly, I can't say that what you sensed is all that far off from the truth; Earth hasn't exactly been the pinnacle of all that is good and just in the universe...though with luck, you may be able to do something about that.
The fact that you're so willing to help humanity and 'make amends' is definitely commendable. However, one of your biggest problems is that you don't really look all that...approachable, to most people. I'm sure you're aware that if you truly plan to help humanity 'awaken', you're going to need to prove to them beyond a doubt that your intentions are to help.
The city of Carlsbad is fairly secluded, and not too big, meaning that your presence there won't cause as much of a ruckus among the Earth's population as it would if you were to visit one of the planet's more major cities. It's also far from the most crime-free location on the planet's surface, so your assistance is more likely to be appreciated there. It would take at least a few hours to reach on foot, but overall, it would make a decent launching point for your quest.
Should you decide to travel there, it would be wise to focus your efforts on building up some connections. There is always suffering and wrongdoing to be vanquished from the world, it's usually just a matter of knowing where to look. Find people who can help you with this, and you'll save yourself a lot of time and hassle. As much as you may dislike it, don't restrict yourself to only socializing with the virtuous and good of heart, either. Remember, few people are as in touch with the inner ways and workings of evil as those who actively partake in it.
Of course, if you really wanted to kickstart things, you would need something big. Some dire event that would put a decent amount of innocent lives in jeopardy, allowing you to conveniently show up and save the day. Whether your moral standards are above deliberately setting up such an event however, is not for me to decide.
Now then, is there anything else you'd like to discuss, or are you ready to return to the world of man?"
The Moderator
After managing to scare the moose off of the trail, The Moderator continues walking well into morning.
As the Sun makes its steady ascent into the sky, the Chosen One is able to breathe a heavy sigh of relief when he spots the first real sign of civilization he's seen since the trial began. Just ahead lies what looks to be a quiet residential area, not far from the edge of the vast mountainous forests he only recently emerged from.
Zanzetkuken the Great
The Chosen One had little trouble locating a university by sunrise, but after hauling his ancient artifact around the premises for an awkward fifteen minutes in an attempt to locate an archaeological department, he was approached by a member of the university staff. After listening to the Chosen One's offer, the staff member unfortunately informed Zanzetkuken that he doubted the university would have any interest in such a trade.
Though unable to supply him with the requested amount of money, the kindhearted staff member did offer some helpful advice to the discontented Chosen One:
"If you really think what you got there is that valuable, the people down at the art & history museum the next city over might like to take a look at it."
The staff member explained to the Chosen One how to reach the museum, and after a couple hours of walking, Zanzetkuken now stands outside its front doors.
Taom
Hours of navigating through the small town at last pays off when Taom finally locates an open hotel within the settlement. Looking at it now, it occurs to him that he must have passed the building at least five times during his search. In retrospect, simply asking one of the town's residents for directions probably would have been a good idea, but there's no use in dwelling on that now.
Estimated time passed: 4 hours.
16:40 remain.
-
"And I thought I landed in Fallout."
Go to this residential area, and ask people for the name of the place, and what country this is
-
((I thought I made it a point that Solus was hunting me? Or did you not know that I meant for Lunus to be a 'woman'? I think it was the latter. in that case, my bad :P))
I am ready.
Head to Carlsbad.
-
"Finally!!Forest!!
Let's get into the air!"
Find the in the area and climb on it to see your surroundings.
-
>Sell the artifact to the museum.
>Find out where in the world you are.
-
((I thought I made it a point that Solus was hunting me? Or did you not know that I meant for Lunus to be a 'woman'? I think it was the latter. in that case, my bad :P))
Don't worry, I'm aware of both those facts. However, the spectral figure is neither Solus nor Lunus, so it is understandable for it to be caught off guard when it is suddenly regarded as a female.
The Moderator
After entering the residential area, The Moderator began knocking on doors and asking around in order to gather more information on his whereabouts. Likely due to him looking like a very lost and ill-prepared hiker, most people seemed perfectly willing to answer his inquiries.
If the answers that he received are to be trusted, then the Chosen One is currently located somewhere on the outskirts of North Vancouver, which happens to be situated in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The spectral figure nods. "Best of luck, in whatever path you choose."
...Sir Havel reawakens from his meditation, and is greeted by the morning Sun that had crept over the horizon during his visit to another realm. Bringing himself to his feet, he looks at the directions given to him by the man at the inn, before setting off on his journey to Carlsbad.
Hisir Namedene
Hisir rushes eagerly into the forest, and after successfully climbing to the top of the tallest tree he could find, he takes a good look at the surrounding areas:
Outside the woodlands, there's some small towns off to the north and south, and a few lone houses scattered out amongst the many, many fields covering the land, but not much else of note. There's a clearing a little farther into the forest itself. He also noticed as he was running through it that there seemed to be several trails leading through the forest as well, so he certainly isn't the first person to have traversed these woods.
Suddenly, as the Chosen One continues his observation of the land, misfortune strikes. Turns out, plate armor is heavy. So heavy, in fact, that the flimsy upper branches of the tree give way, causing Hisir to fall uncontrollably out of it. Crashing to the ground, the Chosen One lands on his back. Fortunately, he suffers no serious injuries. Less fortunately, the loud sound of clanking metal and snapping tree branches seems to have attracted someone's attention; the Chosen One can hear the sound footsteps treading upon the forest floor, and they're almost certainly approaching his location.
Zanzetkuken the Great
It is only after futilely attempting to open the locked doors of the museum that the Chosen One realizes the establishment is closed, and will not be open for the next couple hours. Damn.
It's not all bad news, though. A quick glance at the sign on the front of the building reveals that it is the Lancaster Museum of Art and History. In his efforts to discover more about just where on the planet he is, Zanzekuken also notices that the license plates of almost every car he's seen so far have the word 'California' on them.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
16:25 remain.
-
"Oghhh.
I have to get out of sight!"
Hisir grabbed his halberd and pointed at a high spot on the tree's trunk and taught: "Lift me up!"
Let the blade shoot out, stick into the wood and then retract the chain so Hisir get's pulled up.
-
((Hmmm…. Spectral figures eh? Sounds like voodoo to me! Burn the witch!!!))
-
(Really DZA? You had to start me in the hardest place possible?)
>Wait until the museum opens.
>Sell the artifact.
>Go to the mountains after buying supplies.
-
"I am in Canada. Excellent."
Ask to borrow someone's phone. There is a call to make...
-
((Hmmm…. Spectral figures eh? Sounds like voodoo to me! Burn the witch!!!))
Well you can't say I didn't warn you...The results of any given action will be determined using an elegant mix of rolls, basic reasoning, voodoo magic, and perhaps the occasional coin flip.
(Really DZA? You had to start me in the hardest place possible?)
Would you believe me if I said that I actually felt bad for you after I looked up the hours for the museum? On the bright side, just think of how rewarding it will feel when something actually goes as planned!
Hisir Namedene
Thinking fast, Hisir grabs hold of his halberd and immediately fires one of the blades high into the tree that he just fell from. The blade successfully lodges itself into the trunk of the tree, and soon Hisir is hoisted up off the ground to where he is safely concealed by the many leaves and branches above. At least, that was the plan.
In reality, about halfway up the blade became dislodged from the tree trunk. Thanks to some quick reflexes, Hisir was able to cling tightly onto the tree and avoid a second unwanted collision with the earth. Now all the Chosen One has to worry about is the rather perplexed looking elderly couple that's staring up at him.
The Moderator
The Moderator heads back to one of the homes he just visited and asks the small family living there if they would happen to have a phone that he could borrow for a moment. After some hesitation, they allow the Chosen One to enter their dwelling, and show him to the house phone.
-
Ring my own private number. Explain to other-me about the situation, and ask other-me for transportation to other-me's base.
-
The Moderator
The other Moderator seems a tad skeptical at first, but after chatting with his future-self a little more, he is able to be convinced. The Moderator tells himself to stay where he is and he'll see what he can do.
Since I have no idea what modes of transportation other-you has at his disposal, I'm switching control of him over to you while not other-you waits in Vancouver. This should be confusing as hell fun.
-
Other-Moderator
Hot damn. Future me talking to me-me? didn't that result in all kinds of dimension-voodoo? Oh well.
"ENIGMA, how is that Chippewa IIC we got from the Diamond Sharks?"
a small metal sphere floated over, and began to speak
"All Systems Nominal. the two LRM-15's arent calibrated."
"Oh well. Imma go to Vancouver, and get some answers from me. Please inform me if those Damn CIA try to trace me again"
Other-Me will fly the Chippewa IIC to the town described to me by me.
Proper-me
"Thanks for letting me use your phone. If that conversation sounded crazy, it's because it is."
Proper-Me will wait outside for some entrance with my usual flair. Look out for any potential Intelligence agencies' agents looking for me, or other Chosen Ones.
The Moderator has a Batcave like base in Australia. In it, all kinds of technology, from BattleMechs to guns of many varieties. Unfortunately, some things (Read, A lot) don't work usually.
-
"Forget this. You don't want to remember this."
Run from tree to tree to escape the view of the old couple and search for a cave or some good hidden spot to make camp.
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
Zanzetkuken is finally able to enter the museum after waiting nearby for hours until it was open to visitors. He approaches the museum curator and explains his offer, but apparently museums aren't very partial to simply throwing money at anyone who comes in claiming they have a ten thousand dollar artifact.
More than a bit skeptical of the artifact's true worth, the curator asks that the Chosen One provide her with more information about the piece and why he believes it to be so valuable, otherwise she isn't willing to hand over any more than 500$ for it.
Hisir Namedene
The elderly couple did not try to stop Hisir as he hopped down from the tree and retreated further into the forest; especially not after hearing those mildly threatening words of his.
While, even after hours of searching, the Chosen One failed to find any sort of cave or den to take refuge in, he did manage to locate a cozy little spot in the woods that's far off from any trails. For the time being, he shouldn't be bothered by anyone if he remains in such a spot. Both because of the decent cover provided by the surrounding trees, and because there's likely only a few hours of sunlight left.
Estimated time passed: 3 hours.
13:25 remain.
-
Try to practice telekinise.
-
>Demonstrate ability by turning the artifact into a pristine talisman.
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/NP/pristinetalisman.jpg)
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
As the hot Sun of midday glares down upon the Earth, Sir Havel's hours-long journey across miles of empty desert at last draws to a close; the Chosen One has reached the outskirts of Carlsbad without any trouble.
Hisir Namedene
Hisir is already perfectly capable of controlling his dual-bladed chain halberd via power of mind, but wouldn't it be neato if he could expand that power so that it could be used to manipulate other objects as well? He sure thinks so. That is why he spends nearly the next two hours focusing his efforts on literally nothing else but the honing of his mental abilities.
Eventually, he's pleasantly surprised when he actually manages to snap a small branch off of a tree using only pure force of mind. It isn't much, but it's progress nonetheless.
Zanzetkuken the Great
It takes a while to prove to the curator that the Chosen One's demonstration was not merely some sly illusion. After examining the talisman herself, she makes some calls, and the Chosen One soon exits the museum with a briefcase containing no less than ten grand.
Quickly getting to work obtaining all the necessary supplies before heading off into a (somewhat) nearby mountain range, he ended up spending just over 1,000$ in total. Zanzetkuken now possesses everything he'll need to survive out in the open and untamed lands indefinitely.
Estimated time passed: 1 hour 45 minutes.
11:40 remain.
-
It worked ! Good!
Let's try it with my knifes!
Try to pull the knifes you have thrown into a tree back out until it's nighttime.
-
Seek a worthy opponent. Watch out for evil-doers.
-
>Go into the mountains
>Use the Dwarven Hold land spell.
-
Hisir Namedene
After skillfully lodging all five of his throwing knives into a nearby tree, Hisir attempts to remove each of them using his (still developing) telekinetic abilities.
His efforts continue until the utter darkness of night falls upon the land, yet the Chosen One only manages to dislodge a couple of the knives from the sturdy tree, causing them to drop freely to the ground near its base. Not as successful as he would have liked. Then again, no one ever said that becoming a master of telekinesis would be easy.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Wasting no time, Sir Havel enters the city in search of an opponent worthy of his time and effort, while keeping an eye out for signs of any evil that may be afoot.
The Chosen One receives a lot of bewildered gazes from city residents as he walks down the sidewalk; he even gets a few compliments on his unique appearance from some less wary individuals, but sadly encounters no one that he would consider a worthwhile opponent.
Lucky(?) for him, as he continues his stroll through a quieter part the city, he hears the distinct sound of glass shattering nearby. Thinking it wise to investigate, he rushes to the source of the noise. As he turns a corner, he is met by the sight of a screaming woman being yanked out of her car, and the young man responsible quickly taking her place in the driver's seat. Another young man jumps into the passenger's seat as they get ready to drive off. Looks like the Chosen One has stumbled upon the scene a good ol' fashioned car jacking.
Zanzetkuken the Great
After finding a suitable spot in the mountain range, the Chosen One decides to make his stay in the area a little more comfortable. It takes some time and concentration, but soon enough the ground begins to tremble, and a stone structure erects itself from the Earth. From the outside, the structure itself is pretty modest in appearance; it's unlikely to attract much attention for now.
Estimated time passed: 3 hours.
8:40 remain.
-
Rush over and grab the rear bumper of the car, lifting the back tires off of the ground. Be careful not to damage the woman's vehicle. Once the thieves get the message and stop accelerating, set the car down carefully and move to the driver's side door, then brush any broken glass that remains in the window out of the way before pulling the driver through it and tucking him under your arm. Walk around the car and watch the second man sternly. Make it apparent that he isn't going anywhere soon.
Call the authorities miss.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Catching the two young men off guard, Sir Havel is able to grab hold of the car's rear bumper and foil their attempt at a speedy escape. The driver soon realizes that using the vehicle for their getaway is no longer an option, and lifts his foot off the gas pedal. When Sir Havel walks over to his window, however, he immediately pulls a handgun out from under his shirt and fires three times at the knight of stone.
The first bullet barely misses, the second becomes embedded in the Chosen One's lower body, and third chips his upper leg slightly; Sir Havel looks unfazed by this.
Shocked by the ineffectiveness of his firearm, the young man drops the handgun. All he can do is sit there cowering in his seat as Sir Havel removes the remaining broken glass from the frame of the window and pulls him out through it, placing him securely under his arm.
Unfortunately, after watching his friend get pulled from the car, the passenger throws his door open and bolts off down the street before Sir Havel has the chance to stop him...
-
Take note of his physical appearance, attire, and the direction he left in. Ask his friend about him and try to get some information that you can give to the authorities while retrieving the handgun as evidence of the crime. Ask the woman if she is okay. Have the man apologise to the woman. Ask the woman if she has a way to contact the authorities.
Are you okay miss? My apologies that these young men dared to interrupt your day, and that I failed to secure them both.
Go on then. Tell the nice woman you're sorry.
-
"It's better than nothing, i guess."
"Let's find a test subject!"
Search for an animal in the forest or out of the forest.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The Chosen One recalls from memory that the young man who ran away was fairly dark-skinned, had short black hair, and looked to be in his late teens. He wore a dark red hoodie over a yellow shirt, along with a simple pair of jeans and sneakers. He took off in the direction that Sir Havel first approached them from. Sir Havel tries to gather more information from the young man he was able to catch, but he refuses to say a single word to the Chosen One.
Sir Havel sets down his zweihander and picks up the handgun laying on the floor of the car, then checks on the woman who was forcibly removed from said car only minutes ago.
The woman is understandably shaken by the events that have occurred, but otherwise seems fine. She hesitantly thanks Sir Havel for his assistance, and nods when asked if she could get ahold of the authorities. At Sir Havel's command, the young man reluctantly and quietly apologizes. The woman then takes a cellphone out of the purse still in her car, and calls 911.
Tears begin to well up in the young man's eyes as he reflects on what his future holds. "We're dead..."
Hisir Namedene
Ready to take his telekinesis training to the next level, Hisir leaves his placid woodland sanctuary in search of a non-human entity to help him out with a bit of experimentation...
-
Keep trying
-
Set the young man down and look him in the eye. Keep one hand on his shoulder.
What have you seen?
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Dwelling in a state of hopelessness, the young man suddenly opens up to the Chosen One after a few moments of silence:
"We failed our initiation. Now they're gonna be looking for us and...we're fucked, man."
The high-pitched roaring of police sirens can be heard in the distance. Guess the authorities are on their way.
-
Who? If you feel any remorse over your actions, then you must tell me where they are. Regardless of what you decide to do, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I am not the one who must live with the consequences of your choices. I leave it to you then.
Wait for the police.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The young man refuses to give any names, though after a little more reflecting, he does give Sir Havel a street and house address, informing the Chosen One that it's one of their usual hangouts.
Seems like that tidbit of info was given just in time, too; there are now several police cars parked around, and a gun-wielding, uniformed man telling both the young man and the knight of stone to get on the ground.
-
Set the handgun on the hood of the car and tell the young man to "get down" before approaching the nearest officer. Keep your hands behind your head the entire time and ignore any gunfire that comes your way. Once you've made your point, tell the officer that you have valuable information about a potential threat to the community. Request to speak with his superior. Inform him that time is of the essence.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The young man does as he's told while Sir Havel leaves the handgun behind and walks toward the police officers with his hands on his head, ignoring any orders to stop. One of the officers fires twice at the Chosen One, chipping his upper body and shoulder, but is immediately afterward told to hold his fire.
Standing only a few feet away from one of the officers, Sir Havel calmly explains that he has important info concerning a possible threat to the people of Carlsbad, and asks to speak to the officer's superior as soon as possible.
Making an effort not to upset the Chosen One, the officer responds in a friendly tone, "Alright, well how about you just tell me what you think is so important, and I'll make sure to pass it onto the chief as soon as I can." The officer frowns after examining the knight of stone further; they don't have any handcuffs in his size, and he clearly isn't going to fit into the back seat of any police cruiser...
-
((I guess I'll just have to cross my fingers and hope its an actual gang hideout and not some poor kid's house.))
Lower your hands. Motion towards the boy. Make sure you talk loud enough so that he can hear you.
Do you know him? I saw him stop a car jacking. Another young man his age tried to steal this vehicle and he managed to fight him off until I stepped in. It was unexpected to say the least, a young pup standing up for the people. The jacker escaped while I was securing his weapon, and took off in that direction. I know where he's headed. Its hideout located on [insert info]. Confer with your "chief" and I will see that you are escorted there. If you have none among you that are brave enough to accompany me, then I shall go on my own.
Await a response. Summon your sword with a quick miracle. Look at the boy and see how he handled your lie.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Both the young man and the officer are undoubtedly surprised by Sir Havel's story. The victim of the car jacking seems quite puzzled by it as well.
"Don't worry, we'll have some people check out this 'hideout', and I'll make sure everyone knows what a good Samaritan your friend is when we take him down to the station to ask him some questions. However, I'll have to ask that you stay behind. The last thing we need is a giant sword carrying statue interfering with police business..."
Hisir Namedene
In only a short time of searching, Hisir is lucky enough to locate a stray dog scavenging around the woods for food not far from his secluded little area. It would seem that the dog has noticed Hisir's presence as well, if its unfriendly growling and aggressive posture are any indication.
-
"Calm down, doggy.
It's alright."
Try to do th eye-stabby ritual on the dog.
-
Hisir Namedene
It goes surprisingly well, at first. Hisir manages to coax the dog over to him and gently calm it down. He then swiftly pulls out one of his daggers, and stabs the dog in the right eye. However, things get a little more difficult after that point when the dog, to put it elegantly, flips the fuck out.
-
Go on
-
Hisir Namedene
It was tough, but Hisir is finally successful in stabbing the dog in both its eyes. Due to the struggle it put up, the dog suffered several accidental cuts, mostly in the face area, as well as a broken front right leg and a couple of cracked ribs. On the bright side, the Chosen One's plate armor protected him completely from the claws and teeth of the thrashing hound.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
8:35 remain.
-
Try to channel energy into the dog.
-
((Eh. *shrug* It was worth a shot. There were two ways I could've interpreted the kid's story. :P I'm hoping something awesome will happen soon so that I can stop it.))
Bid the officers farewell. Look for trouble.
-
((Eh. *shrug* It was worth a shot. There were two ways I could've interpreted the kid's story. :P I'm hoping something awesome will happen soon so that I can stop it.))
Keep in mind that this is still only the first day. I have some big things planned, but those won't kick in til after the next few turns. If you all really wanted, we could time-skip ahead a bit, but that would first require each of you to post at least some basic actions for your characters to follow for the next few days.
Other than that, if you want any SUPER EPIC EVENTS to come about, you're probably gonna have to take the initiative. I didn't give you all unspeakable power and complete freedom so that you could twiddle your thumbs until something interesting happens, after all. ;)
Hisir Namedene
Though blinded, bleeding, and crippled the dog continues to struggle with Hisir. It takes some time before it finally becomes submissive enough for the Chosen One to continue with the ritual.
Releasing a portion of his own energy into the stray dog, it is successfully converted into a ShadowHound. However, Hisir now feels unnaturally exhausted. It could be because it was his first time attempting the ritual since he's been on the planet, or because the dog's spirit was not completely broken before being converted. Either way, it would be best not to go picking any fights or running any marathons for the time being.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Complying to the officer's wishes, Sir Havel says his goodbyes to the uniformed men, and continues on with his ever-vigilant search for trouble and injustice within the city of Carlsbad.
Estimated time passed: 30 minutes.
8:05 remain.
-
((Eh. *shrug* It was worth a shot. There were two ways I could've interpreted the kid's story. :P I'm hoping something awesome will happen soon so that I can stop it.))
Keep in mind that this is still only the first day. I have some big things planned, but those won't kick in til after the next few turns. If you all really wanted, we could time-skip ahead a bit, but that would first require each of you to post at least some basic actions for your characters to follow for the next few days.
Other than that, if you want any SUPER EPIC EVENTS to come about, you're probably gonna have to take the initiative. I didn't give you all unspeakable power and complete freedom so that you could twiddle your thumbs until something interesting happens, after all. ;)
((Well, I am actively seeking evil.. Perhaps I could…))
Ask Lunus to help you find the greatest source of evil in the town. In the county. Focus your energies on sensing the supernatural and unholy.
-
Go rest at the "camp"
-
>Finish exploring the hold (would've been doing this)
>Summon a dozen dwarves of useful professions(no craft professions)
>Use artifact-equipment spells to give the dwarves things to use. (Picks, swords, armor, etc.)
>Summon 4 squadron hawks to patrol the skies.
>Meditate upon what has happened in the highest point of the hold, where there is a platform which juts out with a stone door near the peak.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
((Thinking outside the box. Much better. :) ))
Sir Havel has spent his time deep in thought while walking through the city streets the past couple of hours, allowing his intuition to guide him as he keeps his mind open to the assistance and insight of Lunus.
He has had vague images buzzing around in his head since he asked for the help of the Moon goddess earlier in the day. Though only recently, after the setting of the Sun, have they become clear enough to interpret.
The images reveal that the greatest evil residing within the local areas is not any one individual, but a whole organization. They focus on recruiting the lost and rebellious members of the city's youth, and are responsible for a recent significant spike in crime within Carlsbad, but they are by no means an ordinary street gang. The leaders behind this organization, they have access to forces unexplained, and are apparently using Carlsbad as a staging point for...
...The Chosen One comes to an abrupt stop. His chain of thought is broken when he notices that the street he's on is the same one that the young man told him about.
Hisir Namedene
Hisir wakes up from a small nap in his cozy forest haven feeling fully recuperated from his fatigue. Hopefully things will go a little more smoothly the next time he attempts the ritual...
Because it wasn't given any orders to do otherwise, the ShadowHound stayed behind. Or maybe it just doesn't like him...in any case, unless provoked, it shouldn't have wandered off too far from its original spot.
Zanzetkuken the Great
A cool evening breeze blows by as Zanzetkuken contemplates the outcome of his most recent efforts. The stone platform he sits upon extends out from just below the apex of the mountain that the hold is built into, and provides an exceptional view of the landscape as well as an excellent place to relax and reflect.
Turns out that the modest stone structure was merely the entrance to the hold (which actually makes it rather immodest, as far as entrances go), and sits at the base of one of the tallest mountains in the range. The hold itself lies a couple dozen feet below the base of the mountain, reached via a stone staircase at the end of the entrance hall. It consists mainly of a giant central room, with two smaller rooms (about 1/3 the size) on its west and east side, connected to it by hallways. In the center of the central room, a wide spiral staircase leads all the way up to the stone platform.
Despite its name, the Dwarven Hold doesn't appear to really hold much of anything; the silver lining to this being that it definitely makes the place feel more spacious. If for some reason the Chosen One did ever feel the need to expand however, there's plenty of room to do so. Probably wouldn't be too difficult to do either, now that he has some dwarves to help him out.
Speaking of the dwarves, the Chosen One was successfully able to summon a dozen of the little guys with remarkable ease (due in great part to the mountainous environment, no doubt). Specifically:
- 5 grunts. Should serve as decent general purpose dwarves.
- 3 soldiers. Specialized for combat purposes.
- 2 miners. Doesn't take much thought to figure out what they're good at.
- 1 berserker. Bloodthirsty rampaging could totally be considered a useful profession under the right circumstances.
- 1 lieutenant. Will help keep all the other little buggers in check, and make sure that the great Zanzetkuken doesn't have to put 'competing for godhood' on hold to deal with boring managerial duties.
The hawks, on the other hand, were a little more tricky. Though the Chosen One was successful in summoning them as well, it took a fair bit longer than he had anticipated. He hasn't got around to equipping the dwarves quite yet, but he can expect it to take up the remainder of the day if he intends to adequately supply all twelve of them. This would be a good time to think of any specifications for the equipment that he might want, before he gets to work transporting all of it to Earth.
Estimated time passed: 3 hours.
5:05 remain.
-
"Pwiiiiiiiiiiiit,
Come here Shade!"
Call the dog and name him Shade.
-
Lunus give me strength.
Check the position of the sun. Move to the side of the road and walk along it while keeping an eye out for the house address you were given. If you notice the boy who ran hanging around, take cover before he can spot you. Descend into partial meditation while walking and attempt to sense the young man's aura.
-
Hisir Namedene
Hisir whistles for the ShadowHound (who he has decided shall carry the name Shade from this moment forth), but after several minutes of waiting for it to arrive, he begins to worry. Just as he gets ready to try again, he spots Shade slowly approaching him with a slight limp, which is understandable. Broken bones don't normally just heal overnight, after all.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The Sun descended below the horizon not long ago. It would be pretty dark out right now, if it wasn't for the streetlights, light from passing cars, and light from the surrounding houses.
Sir Havel steps onto the sidewalk and continues down the street until he comes across a house matching the address that the young man told him. However, not only did he not detect any familiar auras around, he also fails to see any signs that there is anyone inhabiting the house at all. The blinds are shut and all the lights appear to be off, there are no cars or other vehicles parked by it either...maybe the police already stopped by and sorted everything out? But if that were the case, why would the Chosen One be drawn to here? And why does simply looking at the dwelling fill him with such a deep sense of dread...
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
4:55 remain.
-
Ask Lunus to dim the streetlights and then proceed to make your way around to the rear of the house.
-
"Shade, Lay down and rest a bit, heal up."
"In the meantime, i will try the boost up my powers."
Let Shade rest and try to pull your throwing knifes out of the tree withou touching them.
-
The hawks wouldn't have been that hard due to them being four copies of this:
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/M11/squadronhawk.jpg)
Anyway
>Equip Dwarves (specifics coming later)
-
The hawks wouldn't have been that hard due to them being four copies of this:
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/M11/squadronhawk.jpg)
It was mostly due to some less-than-perfect rolls combined with attempting to pool together white mana while being in the middle of a mountain range.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The nearby streetlights flicker before dimming down to a faint orange glow as Sir Havel opens the wooden gate leading to the back of the house.
Broken glass, cigarette butts, plastic wrappers...looks like this place was used more as a garbage dump than a backyard. As for the house itself, there's a sliding glass door, but there are sheets of fabric draped over it from the inside, preventing the knight of stone from getting a better look at the interior. There's also a couple more windows; one of which, oddly enough, has been spraypainted black...
-
Try to sense what lays upon the other side in order to make a better plan. If you cannot, then smash the glass door and slice through the curtains with your zweihander instead.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel attempts to use his keen senses to detect anything that may be lying in wait inside of the dwelling, but other than "more darkness", he fails to pick up on anything significant.
Resorting to less stealthy measures, the Chosen One smashes the glass door open, then cuts through the fabric on the other side with his Colossus Lunar Zweihander. Some people might argue that it would have been smarter to first check whether the sliding door was even locked, or that it would have been easier to simply push the bothersome fabric aside, but those people clearly just can't comprehend the vast amounts of wisdom behind each of the knight of stone's actions.
Anyway, it looks like the Chosen One's senses were spot on; the interior of the house is in fact completely dark.
-
Some people might argue that it would have been smarter to first check whether the sliding door was even locked, or that it would have been easier to simply push the bothersome fabric aside, but those people clearly just can't comprehend the vast amounts of wisdom behind each of the knight of stone's actions.
((Too bad thats not the ideal way to conduct an ambush. I've been assuming the entire time that there was something/someone waiting for me inside the house, since the boy escaped and likely told everyone, and that sneaking was hardly an option if they knew I was coming. Not to mention I'm made of stone. *scrape* *scrape*))
Move into the house and look around entire ground floor. Make a note of all entrances and exits. Keep your senses trained upon the source of power you detected earlier. Good thing Havel can see in the dark, in addition to being empowered by it. He is at home away from the prying eyes of civilisation.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
((Heh, no worries. Just joking around.))
Entering the household, it's clear that whoever was here didn't hold tidiness as a very high priority.
Most of Sir Havel's search goes on without any notable findings, until he approaches a particular room, and the sense of dread he felt before suddenly returns stronger than ever. A faint glow can be seen coming from beneath the closed door of the room. The door feels stuck, but a little push quickly takes care of that.
Upon entering the room, the Chosen One discovers what may very well have been the source of his dread...
Directly across from him, Sir Havel sees the corpse of the young man that escaped from the scene of the car jacking. His hands have been nailed to the wall, and he looks to have been disemboweled. Written in blood above his head are the words "Failure Is Not Forgiven".
The glow was coming from a candle sitting on a table to the right side of the room. Sir Havel also noted that the only ways in and out of the dwelling appear to be the (now destroyed) sliding glass door, and a door at the front of the house.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
4:40 remain.
-
"Shade, Lay down and rest a bit, heal up."
"In the meantime, i will try the boost up my powers."
Let Shade rest and try to pull your throwing knifes out of the tree withou touching them.
-
Examine the warning more closely. Why would they just leave him here? Is there a second floor or a basement? Search either one if so.
-
"Shade, Lay down and rest a bit, heal up."
"In the meantime, i will try the boost up my powers."
Let Shade rest and try to pull your throwing knifes out of the tree withou touching them.
Patience. Action results will be posted either when Hisir makes progress with his training, or some other significant event occurs.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Walking up to the macabre display, one thing that becomes apparent is that the people responsible for the disembowelment certainly didn't do it with anything close to surgical precision; in fact, it looks more like his abdomen was torn open rather than sliced with a blade. There are also larger nails driven through his elbows, and he appears to have suffered several deep punctures and cigarette burns on various parts of his body as well. This was obviously done to make a point, but simply abandoning the body here for any anyone to find seems like a highly reckless thing to do...
Sir Havel turns around and prepares to search for access to any other levels of the house, when he notices that the door he came through has been shut. Before the Chosen One can even make his way back over to the door, the small flame of the candle erupts into a large burst of fire without warning. Within seconds, the room is set ablaze.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
4:35 remain.
-
oh,yeah, that makes sense.
-
Attempt to knock the door down. Use your sword if necessary. Ask Lunus to put the flames out.
-
The Moderator(s)
Arriving with nightfall, a stunning view of the beautiful Canadian landscape awaited the other Moderator after his peaceful flight over the Pacific Ocean. Going by the descriptions given to him by his future-self, other-Moderator had little trouble locating the correct residential area.
A brief display of impressive aerial maneuvers alerted the Chosen One that his other-self had arrived. After landing his aircraft on the strip of open land between the residential area and the dense forest, other-Moderator headed into the neighborhood to rendezvous with himself.
Up until then, all had gone pleasingly well. Unfortunately, just as the two Moderators finally met up with each other on one of the quiet neighborhood streets, an increasingly loud noise was heard rapidly approaching their location. Before they knew it, several military-grade helicopters could be seen hovering above the parked Chippewa. It would seem that the local government isn't very fond of having their airspace invaded by high-tech, heavily-armed aircraft.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Ramming into the door created a deep split down the center of it. A mighty lunge with his zweihander, and the wooden door snaps in two. While the fire was not completely extinguished, it did die down to nothing more than low-burning, soft blue flames after Sir Havel asked the Moon goddess for a helping hand in the situation. There's no guarantee that they will stay that way for long, however.
Just then, the Chosen One senses someone's presence inside the household. They seem to be in a rush.
-
Find him/her/OHMYGODWTFISTHAT.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Before Sir Havel has a chance to go looking for the individual inside the house, said individual comes running toward him first, but continues straight past him without a moment's hesitation.
The Chosen One recognizes the individual as the other young man from the car jacking incident. With a (different) gun in hand, he rushes into the room, but comes to a sudden halt only a seconds later when he gazes upon the gruesome scene inside. Speechless, the young man drops to his knees...
-
Look at him for a moment, then go into the room and finish putting the fires out. Come back out and bow your head towards the dead boy in prayer, and ask for his salvation in the next world, then say:
I was too late.. Where have they gone, the ones that did this? You know who they are.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
With the flames reduced to mere embers, and respects payed to the dead, Sir Havel asks the young man to reveal where the culprits of this misdeed have fled to.
"I don't know where they are now, but I know where they'll be headed..." The young man holds his gun tightly as he stares at the floor, not wanting to look back up at the tragic sight before him.
"...There's supposed to be a special ceremony tonight, for the new recruits. They said it was going to be hosted by one of the senior members...if we leave now, we might be able to make it before the ceremony ends..."
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
4:25 remain.
-
Equipment details
a couple of picks for the miners
tools for the grunts (mainly masonry)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/M10/magebanearmor.jpg)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/SOM/darksteelaxe.jpg)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/M12/greatsword.jpg)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/CK/hankyu.jpg)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/CK/tenzagodosmaul.jpg)
-
Then there is little time to waste. Come!
Tuck the boy under your arm and sprint through the front of the house. Run in whatever direction he tells you to go until you reach your destination.
-
"Bloody governmets, I can never fly sorties anymore" both me's say in unison.
Me-me shouts out "LEAVE US IN PEACE, PLEASE! WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!"
Other-me says "Well, according to Canadians, we're terrorists. Probably"
-
The Moderator(s)
An intense light from one of the helicopters shines down on the duo. Within seconds, several ropes are dropped down from the helicopters, and almost a dozen soldiers descend to the ground with assault rifles at the ready. As the well-armed men make their way over, The Moderators are ordered to put their hands in the air.
-
"I think surrendering is a good idea"
"Agreed. Lock the stuff though
Lock out scanning tech on everything, and hands up
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
Zanzetkuken works through the night to bring all of the desired equipment to his dwarves. During this time, the Chosen One comes to the decision that no normal, garden-variety dwarven berserker will be sufficient for his plans; instead, he replaces the berserker with legendary dwarven barbarian Balthor the Stout. The barbarian takes a little more time to summon than a normal berserker, but Zanzetkuken is confident that he will be more than worth the effort.
The dwarves, highly impressed by the equipment gifted to them, are standing by for orders. The Squadron Hawks fly high above the ground, scanning the mountain range and surrounding areas for any notable happenings. With sunrise still several hours away, the Chosen One rests comfortably in his dwarven hold as the first day of the trial draws to a close.
Hisir Namedene
Training until the Sun returns again to its respective place in the morning sky, Hisir can feel that he is getting the hang of using his powers on objects other than his halberd; especially his knives. Though he'll likely still need more practice before it can be done reliably.
A couple of feet away, Shade is sound asleep. Still recovering from the scuffle he had with his master earlier.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"We're here! We're here! Now put me down before I puke!"
After hours of steadfast running, Sir Havel and his companion finally arrive at their destination, which appears to be nothing more than a large lake out in the middle of nowhere (or at least a few miles away from any urban city areas). On the other side of the lake, the glow of a small fire can be seen, along with several individuals circled around it. Listening closely, it sounds almost like one of these individuals is giving some kind of speech. Unfortunately, the Chosen One is much too far away to make out what's being said.
The Moderator(s)
The Moderators are patted down and have any equipment confiscated before being shoved to the ground and having their hands restrained behind their backs. Black bags are placed over their heads, and they are escorted onto a landed helicopter.
After an unknown amount of time spent riding in the helicopter, they are Eventually pulled out and lead to an unknown location. By the time the black bags are finally taken off, each Moderator is in a small, separate room, restrained to a metal chair and facing a large black window...
Estimated time passed: 4 hours 25 minutes.
0:00 remain.
After some time away, the spectral figure returns to the small crowd of individuals still waiting within the aetheric fog.
"I'm happy to say that the first five Chosen Ones seem to be off to a splendid or at the very least not absolutely terrible start! They've only been participating in the trial for a single Earth day, but I can already tell that they're having the time of their lives. However, because it doesn't seem very fair to just continue on letting them have all the fun, I'll be sending a couple more of you to the planet so that you can get to work on pursuing your own endeavors. Pretty exciting, right?
For those of you undoubtedly wondering who specifically it is that's being given this special opportunity, I was thinking..."
Jorn Darkmane
"I don't know about you, but I've been sensing quite a lot of righteousness coming from this first group of Chosen Ones. And while there isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, I think that your presence on the planet will do an excellent job of keeping things a little more 'balanced out'."
"And..."
TorZon The EverShifting
"I don't actually remember ever inviting you here, and other than your name, I'm not entirely certain of exactly what or who it is you are. But since you seem to have come here by your own will, and have been patiently waiting around with everyone else this whole time, I'm assuming that you're interested in the truly magnificent opportunity that I'm offering. Now's your chance to show me what you can do, big mysterious blob thing."
Two more vials of strange shimmering fluid appear before the selected Chosen Ones. "Just as before, if you feel that you're ready embark on this trial, consume the contents of the vial in front of you. If not, pass it to any one of the individuals around you."
Once the next two Chosen Ones are confirmed, I'll get to work on putting together the info for day 2. I'd recommend not posting any actions until then.
-
Get just close enough to the group to see and hear whats going on. Ask the boy if he knows whats happening, but only if it isn't glaringly obvious.
-
"I figured you'd take me to Black Maple. Now you're gonna try and break my spirit? I've been through longer and worse by the CIA and KGB. Either talk to me, or bring it!"
They have taken me to Black Maple. Now either a Canadian based Moderator or their government will release me, or the CIA goes in guns blazing quietly to have me all to themselves. The game is on.
-
((Are these two new players? ???))
"Ohh, my boots are getting dirty from all that walking!
Let's find something better!"
try to find a horse in the fields.
-
Can you get me a map of the hold, DZA? I'll put up some actions after I know what is needed.
-
Jorn sniffs the potion before downing it.
"I accept."
-
TorZon oozes toward the potion and engulfs it, then tries to nom on DZA's foot before being transported to Earth.
Ṁ̢͔̞͓͙ͦͅḛ̖͙̯̭͎̅ͧ̌̎̽̂ͯ͘͟͝w̶͙̘̲͌͆͌̂̉ͅḽ̲͔̎͋ͨͨ̋̆̓̈́́̕͠a̛̺͚̹̲̭̟̳ͯ͛̿͌ͩ̅́͘r̵̛͔ͧͣͧ͋͝g͍̭̞͓͔̥̞̽̎̉͒̊̽l̡̩̹̰͉͓̋̈̋̏ͨͬͤ̓́b̡̟̤̱̽͑ͫ̔͢m̧̛̱̺̩ͭͥͤͥ̆̎͟ė̵̯̱̹͙̋̏ͨ͑̓̍ͣ̀͞!̷̥̭̫͈̰ͩͥ͊͜
((Tell me if you want me to cut out the Zalgo text.))
-
((Are these two new players? ???))
Yep.
Can you get me a map of the hold, DZA? I'll put up some actions after I know what is needed.
I'll see what I can whip up.
((Tell me if you want me to cut out the Zalgo text.))
As long as your actions are understandable, you can use whatever the hell text you'd like.
-
A̛̳͙̰̗̤͎̜̜͕̫͔͈͑̎̑͒͊̑ͬ͘w̵̆ͤ̀̌ͯ͌ͨ̅̔̎̓̋ͬ̋̆̽͗̀͟҉̨̟̹̥͙̱̻̮͎̮͓̮͍͈̞̞ͅͅw̧̮̖͓̞̩̗̰͔̳̘̠̔̏͑̄ͬ̉͐̉̾͠w̶̯͕̲̜͈̙̖̩̮͚̝̗͎̭̜̜͎̮ͣͨ̓̊̀ͬ̉̐̿́͗̎̌̕͘ͅ ̍ͨ̓ͬ̆͗̍͊͊̓̓̂͘҉̪̲̖̠̜͟y͊͑́͆̔͋ͣ̓ͮ̄҉̗̩̬̻̰͚̳͚̻͓͢e̶̴̷̵̷͙̳̥̦͙̜̰ͣͨ̃̾̊͋͊̽͛a̴̴̧͇̩̙̜̗̩̮͍̳̰͎͋̌͐͗ͪ̇̿̂͋ͭͣ̅ͭ̚̕h̶̷̨̤͙͈̞̭͉̞͕̘̜̫̗͕͎̗̞̍̂͐̅̿́̿̆̎ͮͬ͆̌͊ͯ͒̄͆ͭ͟͠ͅͅ.ͦ̈́͗̃̋̐̉̾̒ͬ͛̚͏̷̰̠̤̗̹̱̠͎͘͡ͅ
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A̛̳͙̰̗̤͎̜̜͕̫͔͈͑̎̑͒͊̑ͬ͘w̵̆ͤ̀̌ͯ͌ͨ̅̔̎̓̋ͬ̋̆̽͗̀͟҉̨̟̹̥͙̱̻̮͎̮͓̮͍͈̞̞ͅͅw̧̮̖͓̞̩̗̰͔̳̘̠̔̏͑̄ͬ̉͐̉̾͠w̶̯͕̲̜͈̙̖̩̮͚̝̗͎̭̜̜͎̮ͣͨ̓̊̀ͬ̉̐̿́͗̎̌̕͘ͅ ̍ͨ̓ͬ̆͗̍͊͊̓̓̂͘҉̪̲̖̠̜͟y͊͑́͆̔͋ͣ̓ͮ̄҉̗̩̬̻̰͚̳͚̻͓͢e̶̴̷̵̷͙̳̥̦͙̜̰ͣͨ̃̾̊͋͊̽͛a̴̴̧͇̩̙̜̗̩̮͍̳̰͎͋̌͐͗ͪ̇̿̂͋ͭͣ̅ͭ̚̕h̶̷̨̤͙͈̞̭͉̞͕̘̜̫̗͕͎̗̞̍̂͐̅̿́̿̆̎ͮͬ͆̌͊ͯ͒̄͆ͭ͟͠ͅͅ.ͦ̈́͗̃̋̐̉̾̒ͬ͛̚͏̷̰̠̤̗̹̱̠͎͘͡ͅ
._.
-
A̛̳͙̰̗̤͎̜̜͕̫͔͈͑̎̑͒͊̑ͬ͘w̵̆ͤ̀̌ͯ͌ͨ̅̔̎̓̋ͬ̋̆̽͗̀͟҉̨̟̹̥͙̱̻̮͎̮͓̮͍͈̞̞ͅͅw̧̮̖͓̞̩̗̰͔̳̘̠̔̏͑̄ͬ̉͐̉̾͠w̶̯͕̲̜͈̙̖̩̮͚̝̗͎̭̜̜͎̮ͣͨ̓̊̀ͬ̉̐̿́͗̎̌̕͘ͅ ̍ͨ̓ͬ̆͗̍͊͊̓̓̂͘҉̪̲̖̠̜͟y͊͑́͆̔͋ͣ̓ͮ̄҉̗̩̬̻̰͚̳͚̻͓͢e̶̴̷̵̷͙̳̥̦͙̜̰ͣͨ̃̾̊͋͊̽͛a̴̴̧͇̩̙̜̗̩̮͍̳̰͎͋̌͐͗ͪ̇̿̂͋ͭͣ̅ͭ̚̕h̶̷̨̤͙͈̞̭͉̞͕̘̜̫̗͕͎̗̞̍̂͐̅̿́̿̆̎ͮͬ͆̌͊ͯ͒̄͆ͭ͟͠ͅͅ.ͦ̈́͗̃̋̐̉̾̒ͬ͛̚͏̷̰̠̤̗̹̱̠͎͘͡ͅ
._.
G̸̠̩͕̳̠̯̦̩̜̹͓̼̰̖̻̜ͣ̓͒̐͋͜͜͠͞ͅͅĄ̡̛͔̫͉͖̟͚͎͈̹̺͓̀ͣ̇͌̈ͭ̀̃͛̽ͮͩ̓ͬͨ̉͆̚͟N̵̓̆ͬ̅͛ͦͯ̅̓ͨͯ̀͂̚̕͜͏͙̳̟͙̬̠̱͙͔̺̖̜͍͇ͅG̮̞̮̹̟̗̣̊̽̿̒̾̈͑̍͛̉̆͠͞͡ͅĄ̨͖̺͈̲͍͙͔̻̠̪̩̲͖̥̰͔̙̈͆̔̅̀͛̑̒̃͋͌͆͝ͅM̙̻̘͉̤͕̥̗̖̟͍̠͕̳͚̲̓̎̄ͪ̀͘͘͟ ͚̜̯̥̆ͫ͒́̚͟S̴̨̖͉̠̹̲̼͓̟̙̼͙͔̱̩̙͐̋̆͂̏̾ͬ͒̀͊̐̈́̋ͮ́̇̚T̴̵̙̩̟̣̠̬̮͙͈̀̈ͨ̿͂͊ͪ͐ͪ̽ͯ̓ͧ͗̉́ͯ̆́͜Y̷̸̨̛͈̗̳͖̱ͯ̈́̾ͯ͐̓̈̈́̚͞L̶̸̵̼͕̗̳͔̠̻̜̬̯͓̝̺̣̀̿̈͋͜Ȩ̢̳͈̣͓̭̻̜̫̟͈͇ͪ͌́̈́̓̊ͫ͑͊̿̅̂̀
I'll stop now.
-
>Have miners to expand hold with workshops and housing.
>Have military practice forest combat within 100 ft or so of the entrance.
>Have 2 grunts set up the workshops (masonry and carpentry) in the western room.
>Have 2 grunts construct two small (below canopy) towers just outside the entrance.
>Have the last grunt collect edible food (give him knowledge of this).
>Have the lieutenant oversee operations.
-
I actually didn't expect to take this long; I somehow managed to fuck up some group of nerves in my head and have thus recently been dealing with a tooth/eye/earache from hell, which makes sitting down to focus on writing much more of a hassle than it should be.
Anyway, everything's done, and we can at last get on with day 2. :D
Here's a small- Added 'Other' category to the gear (now Gear & Items) tab, since I realized some of you may at one point obtain items that don't quite fit in the other two categories.
- Traits are now shown in the Health & Personal Status tab so that you'll actually be able to tell if they change.
- Added Location and Territory tab, since that sort of info seemed like it would be important to keep track of. Territory is any area that could be considered belonging to the Chosen One. Location pretty much explains itself.
- I'll now mention whenever someone rises or falls on the Badassery Scale; something I completely forgot to do on the first day.
- After gathering more info about ShadowBeings from CoA, Hisir's ability 'Desensitized' has been changed to 'Allegiance to Sirith'. Similar to Sir Havel, Hisir (along with other ShadowBeings) now receives a boost to his capabilities courtesy of his deity of worship (though not quite as strong as the boost Havel gets from Lunus). Now, just to make things perfectly clear:
Because Sirith is a god of shadows (and pain and fear), Hisir is strengthened in darkness regardless of the time of day, while Sir Havel is strengthened at night, regardless of the light in his surrounding area. - Sir Havel now has the 'Body of Stone' skill/ability, something that probably should have been there at the start of the game.
Day 2: Slow and Steady (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbiVn7vhov8)
Zanzetkuken the Great
The first obstacles that the planeswalker was met with after arriving on Earth, though certainly mundane in nature, ended up doing a remarkable job of impeding his progress early in the trial. An utter lack of currency combined with the inconveniences provided by certain establishments meant that much of the Chosen One's day was taken up by uneventful waiting and wandering.
Fortune finally smiled upon the Chosen One when he was able to sell off a precious summoned artifact to a local museum for a fair sum of money. With little time to spare, Zanzetkuken kicked his efforts into high gear. After purchasing an assortment of outdoor equipment, he traveled to the nearest mountain range and summoned up a comfortable base of operations for himself, complete with its own full-time military and workforce.
Clothing/Armor:
Tunic(brown), leather leggings, steel-tipped boots, adamantine breastplate, cloak(black), false dragon skull shoulder guards.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Adamantine sword(mana imbued).
Other:
Outdoor survival supplies, briefcase, 8978$.
Planeswalker's Spark
The Planeswalker's Spark deep within this Chosen One has been ignited, gifting him with the arcane abilities of the ancient and powerful mages.
Legendary Warrior
This Chosen One has mastered how to use his body and mind as well as his equipment in battle. Woe betide any opponent that meets him in combat.
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Experienced Adventurer
This Chosen One's many adventures throughout time and space have given him valuable experience in countless subjects, which he is able to apply to nearly anything he does.
Territory:
Dwarven Hold
Current Location:
Unnamed Dwarven Hold, Californian mountain range.
Badassery Level: High
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Intelligent, strategic, cunning, harbors deep regret for past actions, unobservant(but improving).
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Dozen dwarves(servants)
Four Squadron Hawks(servants)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
Hisir Namedene
Hisir's first day of the trial was filled with acts of unlawful and unscrupulous mischief; from breaking into museums and trying to steal children's bicycles, to frightening the elderly and committing merciless acts of animal cruelty. It was no wonder the Chosen One's presence on Earth was already beginning to get noticed.
Not all of Hisir's actions were of a destructive or harmful nature, however. After a long trek across many a field, the Chosen One spent a good deal of his time attempting to better himself by training his own abilities in a small, secluded area of a beautifully serene forest. With a companion gained and progress made toward expanding his powers, Hisir's first day could have very well been considered a successful one.
Clothing/Armor:
Full suit of plate armor (black and curvy).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Dual-bladed chain halberd, short sword, pair of long daggers, x5 throwing knives, metal claw (right hand), hidden blade within boot and under gauntlet (note: Gonna need specification for these as well).
Other:
None.
Leadership Experience
This Chosen One has had plenty of practice in taking control and leading others to victory, making it far easier for him to assert himself as the one in charge and gain the loyalty of those around him.
Allegiance to Sirith
This Chosen One's unwavering service has earned him the favor of the shadow god Sirith. Followers of Sirith are insusceptible to pain and fear, and receive a boost to their capabilities when shrouded in darkness.
Conversion
Through means of a sinister ritual, this Chosen One is capable of converting other beings into members of his own kind.
Territory:
Small, secluded spot in forest.
Current Location:
Small, secluded spot in forest.
Badassery Level: High
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Cruel, mindful, conceited, cunning, arrogant.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Sirith(Deity of Worship)
Shade(servant)
Reputation:
Residents of the land are growing suspicious of your presence.
The Moderator
The Moderator's day began with a nighttime hike through the Canadian wilderness, after he had grown tired of waiting for the sluggish rising of the morning Sun.
After finally stumbling upon civilized life, helpful residents of the area assisted him in finding out his location on the planet, and allowed him to get in contact with his past-self via telephone. The Moderator's past-self departed from his secret base in Australia and flew overseas in his Chippewa IIC to meet up with the individual claiming to be him from the future.
Unfortunately, this flight attracted the attention of powerful government forces, and shortly after landing the aircraft, both Moderators were kidnapped and taken to a secret Canadian facility known to most simply as...'Black Maple'.
Clothing/Armor:
N7 hoody, jeans, Kevlar armor (beneath clothing).
Weaponry/Armaments:
None.
Other:
None.
Experienced Adventurer
This Chosen One's many adventures throughout time and space have given him valuable experience in countless subjects, which he is able to apply to nearly anything he does.
Deadeye
This Chosen One has spent a great deal of time honing his already impressive shooting prowess, giving him exceptionally deadly accuracy with most types of firearms.
Territory:
Secret underground base.
Current Location:
Black Maple(top-secret Canadian research and development facility).
Badassery Level: Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Very good shot, stealthy, resourceful, loyal to friends, very mentally controlled and always thinks logically.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Other-Moderator(friend)
Reputation:
Several government agencies have become well aware of your presence in this world.
Taom
Taom's first day of the trial was a humble one; after recovering from a small panic attack brought on by a slight malfunctioning of his powers, he encountered three young individuals who had no problem answering his inquiry of where to find a place to take refuge. Going by the advice given to him by the young individuals, Taom proceeded to head into a lovely little settlement where he eventually located a suitable shelter in the form of a comfortable looking hotel.
Clothing/Armor:
Simple conforming fabric (blue).
Weaponry/Armaments:
Small curved sword.
Other:
None.
Energy Manipulation
This Chosen One is capable of harnessing energy in its purest form, and utilizing it to further his own desired ends.
Hidden Power
Locked inside this Chosen One, potency of a godly caliber slumbers. Patiently waiting to be unleashed only once the highest levels of Badassery are attained.
Territory:
None.
Current Location:
Outside hotel, small unknown settlement.
Badassery Level: Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Courageous, creative, diplomatic, calm, may enter a state of cold-blooded rage when sufficiently provoked.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The knight of stone's journey started in the depths of the Carlsbad Caverns, though his time there was cut short when he was informed by a lone park ranger that his presence was not welcome. Sir Havel complied to the request that he depart without a single objection, leaving the park ranger with some strong parting words before setting out on his travels. He heeded the requested guidance of the Moon goddess Lunus, and was eventually lead to a seemingly forsaken human settlement, where he was able to obtain directions to a much larger and more populated settlement a few hours of travel away.
After consulting the spectral figure in meditation, Sir Havel's journey continued into Carlsbad. It was there that his intervention in what looked like nothing more than a simple street crime caused him to cross paths with law enforcement, as well as a particular young man...
As the day faded, Sir Havel, in his tireless search for evil, stumbled upon a gruesome murder scene hidden away inside of an abandoned house; the victim being a friend of the young man that Sir Havel had earlier encountered. After thwarting a trap that had been set within the house, the knight of stone and the young man set out together to find the individuals guilty of the terrible crime.
Clothing/Armor:
A ten-foot-tall stone warrior carved to resemble a Tower Knight. He has no need for clothing.
Weaponry/Armaments:
Colossus Lunar Zweihander (blessed).
Other:
None.
Legendary Warrior
This Chosen One has mastered how to use his body and mind as well as his equipment in battle. Woe betide any opponent that meets him in combat.
Allegiance to Lunus
This Chosen One's undying devotion has earned him the assistance of the Moon goddess Lunus. When night falls, he is strengthened by the lunar deity, and can call upon her help directly in the form of Moon miracles.
Body of Stone
This Chosen One receives all of the natural benefits that come with having a body that is (literally) made of sterner stuff; such as lack of fatigue, superhuman strength, and greater durability.
Territory:
None.
Current Location:
Unknown lake, Carlsbad.
Badassery Level: High
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Soft-hearted and compassionate, suffers from pain and regret for past actions, holds oceanic wisdom, overwhelming prowess in battle, and would do anything to save a mortal creature from death.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Lunus(Deity of Worship)
Solus(Enemy)
Young man(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Residents of the land are becoming curious of your presence.
Jorn Darkmane
Leaning against a tall tree situated somewhere within an unknown swampland, Jorn was eased into consciousness by the ambient sounds of chirping crickets and croaking frogs echoing throughout the dark of night; a calmness disturbed only by the presence of the many flying insects that seemed determined to feast upon every part of the warlock's body left uncovered by his robe.
Clothing/Armor:
Robe (black).
Weaponry/Armaments:
General purpose knife, small pouch.
Other:
None.
Black Magic
Growing up in the lair of a dark sorcerer has led to this Chosen One becoming an adept in the more sinister magical practices of the realm.
Territory:
None.
Current Location:
Unknown swampland.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Cautious, slow to trust, macabre, cynical, survivalist.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
TorZon The EverShifting
Through curious observation of its surroundings, it soon became more than apparent to TorZon that it was now inhabiting the planet which would serve as its home for the duration of the God-King's trial. Its new environment was a dark, wet tunnel system of some sort; much more confined than the vast aetheric fog it had been residing in only moments ago.
Clothing/Armor:
N/A
Weaponry/Armaments:
N/A
Other:
N/A
Assimilation
This Chosen One is capable of breaking down almost any matter it encounters and transforming it into the same enigmatic substance that it itself is composed of.
Shapeshifting
This Chosen One is able to alter its physical form according to its will.
Territory:
None.
Current Location:
Unknown tunnel system.
Badassery Level: Above Average
Physical Status:
All is well.
Traits:
Curious, naive, learns quickly, amoral, confident.
Effects/Afflictions:
Nothing of note.
relationships:
Spectral figure(acquaintance)
Reputation:
Your presence in this world is unknown to most.
-
TorZon spreads itself outward like a gas, seeping outward throught the tunnels. It will concentrate it's mass in one spot if it encounters anything curious (eg: a living being, an exit, etc.)
-
Jorn scowls and swats at the insects. He looks in his pouch for any useful reagents.
-
"Come on guys, it was only one flight. Can't we talk this over? Oh, and whatever you do, DON'T tell the CIA. They'll kill you all. Send me someone to talk to please. And I know we are in Black Maple."
Me-Me starts singing songs from Alestorm and Miracle of Sound to pass the time
Other-Me
"This is what happens when you fly into Canada. Belligerent mofos get uppity. When are you going to tell me your darstardly plan to take over the world? I know you have a cabinet of these here. In Black Maple"
-
The Moderator(s)
A small click is heard, and a male voice begins to emanate from an almost unnoticeable speaker just above the black window in each Moderator's room...
"Please remain calm. Otherwise we may be forced to further incapacitate you. Contrary to what you may believe, we at this time have no intention of harming you in any way. In fact, we wish to cooperate with you.
We have gone through the items that were confiscated from you, and know that only you are capable of giving us further insight into the inner workings of such impressive technology. We also know that you very likely have access to other such technologies, and would very much like you to disclose their location to us.
To keep things brief, we'll save any calls to the CIA or speeches about 'dastardly plans' for later. Here is our offer:
Reveal to us the location of any more unusual and advanced technology you or your friend know of, tell us everything you know about said technology and its functions, and work alongside our own specialists to help further the progress of our own private endeavors. In return, we will give you enhanced access to this facility and its resources, as well as do our best to fulfill any other worldly desires you may have.
You see? All we want, is your cooperation."
Jorn Darkmane
Searching through the contents of his pouch, Jorn looks for anything that could be of use to him in his situation. The lack of light doesn't help at all, but the Chosen One is able to tell what most of it is from touch alone, anyway:
There's a small container of salt, different types of dried herbs for various purposes, and several scraps of paper along with a small wooden writing utensil that doubles as a tool for drawing small amounts of blood.
-
Make two interlocking circles of salt on the ground. Sprinkle some herbs for good measure. Attempt to summon a minor imp.
(Should be enough for something as puny as an imp I think...)
-
"The offer is tempting, but there are rules against that. Tell ya what. I'll give you laser tech, if you release us."
"It'd be a bit hard to make more Mass Accelerators. But as for the Chippewa, what do you mean to do with more of them?"
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
A little while after issuing the orders to his dwarves, Zanzetkuken is approached by his lieutenant with a status report. According to the dwarf:
- Both workshops should be up and ready by midday.
- Resources are limited, but if the grunts manage to scavenge up enough supplies, they should be able to finish one of the two towers by day's end.
- With only two miners, carving out enough earth to make room for extra workshops and proper housing for everyone is going to be several days' worth of work. He doubts anyone will mind too much, though.
With his little bearded helpers handling all the labor, it looks like the Chosen One will have plenty of free time on his hands.
TorZon The EverShifting
TorZon detects several types of life through use of its clever technique; a plethora of bacteria, a few different insects, it even encountered a rat, though it scurried off as soon as it picked up on the Chosen One's presence. It was unlucky in locating any exits from the tunnel system, however.
Even when 'spread out' TorZon is only able to cover a relatively small amount of ground given its current size, lest it risk having the matter that it is composed of dissipate back into the fabric of creation.
Jorn Darkmane
After doing his best to clear a spot on the ground, Jorn uses up most his salt preparing a minor summoning ritual in the hopes of bringing forth an imp to serve him. However, once the ritual is finished, he takes a good look at the creature trapped inside of the magical barrier, and becomes dishearteningly certain that he must have done something wrong.
What stands before the warlock is no imp, but a boggart. Beings similar to imps in size and inclination toward trouble and mischief, but lacking the basic common sense and low-level demonic powers. Stupidly curious and dreadfully fond of bringing misfortune to others, they are often seen as little more than pests to most practitioners of magic...on the other hand, one particularly special talent of the boggart is that they are highly skilled at not being seen. In fact, unless a boggart wishes to show itself, they can usually go standing out in broad daylight, virtually invisible to the untrained eye.
After futilely attempting to cross the borders of salt, the boggart looks up a Jorn with its sunken yellow eyes...
The Moderator(s)
The voice begins speaking to each of the Moderators separately...
"I am sorry to say that we simply cannot accept such an offer. The only way either of you could ever be allowed to leave this facility is if we were absolutely certain that we could trust you. Until that point, both of you will remain detained here indefinitely."
Other-Moderator
"Ensure that Canada and her allies always have the upper hand in any future military conflicts, of course. Although, right now, we are more concerned with understanding the existing technology and making sure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands, rather than creating more of it."
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
23:50 remain.
-
Follow the trail of sweat, skin particles, and such the rat left behind. When TorZon gets close, it'll shapeshift into a rat and attempt to find out where the rest are.
-
"Shadow, it harnesses a power greater then anything else!
I must control it!"
Go to a shady place and try to gain the essence of shadow and hold it in your hand.
( This will not mean that the shadow will become light.)
-
>Search the mountains with the squadron hawks. Making a map of the surrounding area, including any visible nearby towns.
-
Send the boggart up a tree to look around and hope it doesn't get distracted by a bird or something.
-
"Well, I can download it from here, if you have SatComms"
"Sure, you can study it if you release us."
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Stealthily creeping around the lake, Sir Havel and the young man eventually get close enough to spy on the individuals while avoiding detection. From the looks of it, there are nine people circled around the fire, all of them either teenagers or young adults.
One of them is standing and preaching to the others, while everyone else listens quietly as they sip some unknown liquid from a small bowl being passed around the circle.
"...your whole lives, you have all been hindered, doubted, and mistreated. Well tonight, my brave and loyal brothers and sisters, all of that comes to an end. It is time to release yourselves from the shackles of other peoples' doubts and mistreatment, to embrace all that you are, and all that you shall become!"
Curious about just what it is he is witnessing, Sir Havel turns to the young man for answers...
"I'm not sure, all I know is that it's some kind of official acceptance thing...which, thanks to someone, I wasn't exactly invited to..." the young man whispers, glaring up at the Chosen One. "Seriously, set me down now."
Hisir Namedene
Desiring greater control over the dark and enigmatic powers of the shadows, Hisir looks for an acceptably shady area to practice harnessing its very essence. Luckily for the Chosen One, the fact that the surrounding trees of his forest haven provide decent cover from the Sun means that he does not have to look very hard.
Hisir does very well on his first attempt; in only a matter of minutes, he can feel the energy of the shadows themselves forming and condensing in his grasp. Unfortunately, the chirping of a nearby bird breaks his focus, and the shadow essence quickly dissipates into the air.
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn informs the boggart that it shall only be released once it swears to serve him. The boggart frantically nods in agreement, and Jorn breaks the magical barrier confining it. He then orders it to climb into the treetops to get a better view of the landscape, and it hastily obeys.
After waiting for several minutes for the Boggart to come back down from the tree, the Chosen One begins to worry that the creature may have escaped. This worry is soon put to rest, however, when a small dead branch thrown from above strikes him in the head.
The Moderator(s)
"How very generous of you. Of course, that alone would not be enough to warrant your release. Not to mention, we currently have some reservations about letting you near any such systems at this time."
Other-Moderator
"And we plan to. As soon as you disclose the location of all other advanced technology you have knowledge of, and we can confirm that you are not lying to us, you will both be released from your rooms to assist our specialists in its study."
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
23:35 remain.
-
"Bloody Demons."
Demand a report from the boggart.
-
Jorn Darkmane
After again being ordered by its new master, the boggart jumps down from the tree, informing Jorn (in broken English) that it can see a settlement far to the north, where the swamp begins to clear.
-
Start walking north. Order the boggart to follow. Make sure to tell it to hide when you get to the city.
-
"I won't win this war alone.
Come Shade, follow me."
Ask Sirith to lead him to the ones who hide in the Shadow and live with fear (criminals).
-
Follow the trail of sweat, skin particles, and such the rat left behind. When TorZon gets close, it'll shapeshift into a rat and attempt to find out where the rest are.
Is the action just 'taking a while' ingame, or did you not see it?
-
Taking a while. Your results should be in the next update, though.
-
Taking a while. Your results should be in the next update, though.
Thanks. Just making sure.
-
Jorn Darkmane
Muddy and soaking wet from the waist down, Jorn emerges from the thick of the swamp. The journey was not easy, but at least it didn't take as long as it could have. He was even able to keep the contents of his pouch relatively dry. From a quick look around, all the Chosen One can see of the settlement is a few scattered houses and empty streets. It's easy to tell that this town is not a very densely populated one.
Hands clenched together as its eyes begin to dart around, the boggart excitedly examines the new area.
TorZon The EverShifting
Once it had successfully tracked down the rat, TorZon transformed into a nearly perfect replica of the creature, and set out to find where the rest of the little rodents had made their home.
After a while of scurrying through many twists, turns, and passages, the Chosen One locates several more of the critters shuffling about inside of a very narrow passageway of some kind. As the other rats take notice of TorZon, one cautiously walks over to inspect the Chosen One...
Estimated time passed: 45 minutes.
22:50 remain.
-
Stretch out to block both ends of the passageway, preventing the rats from escaping. Devour them all.
If you think of the passageway with the rats and me in it like this:
--------------
r r r @
--------------
I want to put walls up like this:
-------------
+ r r r +
-------------
Then absorb the rats.
-
"I have a Hollander II you can use. It gives you Actuator, Gauss, and Laser tech. That is all i'm allowed to give out."
"Unfortunately, I cannot hand out every piece of tech. Only some. How about you take a team with us, and they take some stuff that they find interesting?"
-
Reminder post.
>Search the mountains with the squadron hawks. Making a map of the surrounding area, including any visible nearby towns.
-
Try to find a gas station or something where you can get a map.
-
((Uhhhh….))
Rip their arms off check your surroundings. Observe the head of the ceremony and attempt to sense his origin, and what corrupted him. Is he even human?
-
Reminder post.
>Search the mountains with the squadron hawks. Making a map of the surrounding area, including any visible nearby towns.
No worries, I haven't forgotten. Mountains are big; searching them takes time. Even with the assistance of your feathery flying helpers (with their limited communicative abilities, they can only relay so much information back to you, after all). Results will be posted at the end of the hour.
TorZon The EverShifting
((I do believe that is the first diagram I've seen of anything in this entire thread. You should get some sort of obscure achievement for that. I mean, you won't. But you should.))
Reverting from its rodent form, TorZon Extends and solidifies itself to block off any escape routes from the passageway, before it slowly absorbs each the helplessly trapped rats, and steadily grows larger with every piece of organic matter it consumes.
The rats, finding the assimilation process most unpleasant, let out a range of panicked and agony-filled noises as they become one with the Chosen One. This seems to attract the attention of an unseen entity, whose voice can be heard coming from outside of the passageway. "Do you hear that...?"
The Moderator(s)
"Then tell us, who or what is it exactly that is preventing you from handing over the rest of it?"
Other-Moderator
"That...might actually be agreeable. Give us a few minutes to think over the prospect, and we will get back to you once we have reached a decision."
Jorn Darkmane
After a bit of walking, Jorn and his boggart are successful in their search for a gas station. It even appears to open. What luck! Now all the Chosen One has to worry about is how to go about obtaining any wares from the station without having a single penny to his name.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Currently, Sir Havel and the young man are hiding several yards away from the group in some of the trees and shrubbery that line much of the lake. The mysterious acceptance ceremony is taking place in a small clearing near the lake's edge.
The individual leading the ceremony, though still young looking, is definitely one of the older members in the group. He certainly appears to be a normal human being, but the Chosen One can sense something...otherworldly about him. Unfortunately, he unable to pinpoint exactly what that something is.
Suddenly, the preaching is interrupted when one of the members falls over and begins grunting in what sounds like severe pain. Shortly afterward, the same thing happens to another member of the group. And another one, and another one...the ceremony leader smiles as this occurs. "Worry not, brothers and sisters. This is all a part of the process..."
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
22:35 remain.
-
"Because, it's aginst the rules. Already I would screw some major stuff just by you looking at a Hollander II would shift timestreams awfully fast. Studying one? That could lead to... Canadaland. But I suppose you could send a small team to take some interesting stuff, kay?"
If the Council were ever to catch wind... Battlescape ahoy!
-
Set the punk down and quickly approach the leader. Lunus will not stand for these atrocities hellspawn! Seize him in your hands and attempt to get a better idea of where he's come from, ask Lunus for help and tell the punk to see to his friends. If you can't sense anything clear, try to get him to talk. Tear an arm off if you need to. Take the bowl the boys were drinking of and ask Lunus what it is. Ask Lunus what is happening to the children. Above all else, don't allow the leader to escape.
((There's no way this is going to go like I hope it will. Being good is hard.))
-
shift to a thin layer of mass, see who's there, then crawl back into the tunnel and shift to the form of a large rat, but cuter (ie looking more like a mouse) to not look threatening, with a fake injury. Try to incur sympathy.
-
Enter the gas station.
-
"I won't win this war alone.
Come Shade, follow me."
Ask Sirith to lead him to the ones who hide in the Shadow and live with fear (criminals).
-
"I won't win this war alone.
Come Shade, follow me."
Ask Sirith to lead him to the ones who hide in the Shadow and live with fear (criminals).
Once Hisir manages to find some criminals (or something else of interest happens), results will be posted.
The Moderator
"Hm, Canadaland...has a nice ring to it. Anyway, before we move on, just what are these rules you are referring to?"
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Caught off guard by their sudden emergence from the foliage, the ceremony leader is grabbed by the knight of stone as the young man rushes to check on the suffering group members. The ceremony leader looks panicked at first, but after a few short breathes, he regains his confident demeanor. "My, My. A talking statue. Tell me, what business do you have here that requires you to rudely interrupt our little get-together?" He glances away from Sir Havel, looking instead to the young man that arrived with him. "Brian...? Looks like you somehow managed to avoid being burned to a crisp. Kudos to you. Perhaps you are worthy of joining us after all..."
After asking for the help of Lunus, the Chosen One hears a subtle whisper within his mind, telling him that the individual he is currently holding is of Earthly origin; born and raised in the city of Carlsbad. He truly was, at one point, little more than a normal human being. Something has long since been changed within him, however.
Keeping a firm hold on the ceremony leader, Sir Havel inspects the remaining contents of the small bowl sitting on the ground; countless tiny, almost transparent orbs floating in a strange black fluid. The whisper in the knight of stone's mind tells him that the orbs are seeds...eggs, something of that nature. Most worryingly, the whisper also reveals that all they need before they can begin to grow and thrive is a suitable host.
The group members' grunts of pain soon turn to cries of agony as they writhe about on the ground. Looking down at them, the ceremony leader smiles smugly.
TorZon The EverShifting
TorZon hatches an ingenious scheme to get a peek at the currently unseen entity, and then deter retaliation by making itself appear cute and vulnerable. But before the Chosen One can set its plan into motion, it realizes that there are a few flaws that first need to be worked out:
First of all, because the voice is coming from the other side of the narrow passageway's wall, TorZon would have to become thin enough to fit between the atoms of the wall's material to see the entity using such a method, which again brings up the the problem of dissipating back into the fabric of creation. Second, it would be very difficult for TorZon to adopt any characteristics of a mouse, due to it never having encountered one. Third, it at this time has zero understanding of what inhabitants of the planet would even consider 'cute'. Darn.
Jorn Darkmane
The elderly man running the cash register chuckles when he sees the Chosen One walk through the gas station doors. "Having fun in the mud, were ya? What can I help you with today?"
-
((Darn. Thought that would work.))
Take the shape of the rats and head in the general direction of the voice. If see anything moving, figure out what it is; observe it and try to determine how big it is; are there any others with it? DETAILS.
-
"The Moderators' Code. It says we cannot cross tech bases between universes. Simple, but add the other three thousand rules..."
-
Fool! You know not what forces you tamper with!
Set the leader on the ground and summon up the earth to hold him in place. Throw the contents of the bowl within the fire, but make sure to keep three of the Eggs for further study. Tell Brian to gather those that are unharmed and take them back into town, ask Lunus to keep track of each of them and inform Havel if they are in danger. Attempt to use the energy of your spirit and the aid of Lunus to cleanse as many of the young boys of the unholy as possible.
-
Jorn scowls at the state of his robe. "Do you happen to have a map? I appear to be lost."
-
The Moderator(s)
"Interesting...anyhow, we shall accept your gracious offer of allowing us to send a small team to collect a few items. Your friend, twin, decoy, or whatever relationship it is you two share, shall be taken along to guide our team to the location of the technology, while you remain detained within this facility for...insurance purposes. We'll have someone standing by to ask you a few more questions about these 'Moderators' and their code shortly. Thank you for your cooperation."
Other-Moderator
"Acceptance of your offer has been confirmed. We will send someone to remove you from your restraints once we have a team assembled and ready. Please remain patient."
Sir Havel the Unyielding
At Sir Havel's request, a mound of earth rises up and encases the ceremony leader, covering him up to his neck, and eliminating any chances of him making an escape. The Chosen One dumps all but a few of the orbs into the small fire, bringing a look of great discontent to the ceremony leader's face. Following the knight of stone's orders, the young man, now known to be named Brian, begins to lead the only three seemingly unaffected group members back toward the city, while Sir Havel himself stays behind to focus on helping the afflicted.
With Lunus' continued support, and great concentration, the Chosen One sacrifices a portion of his own vitality to ease the young boys' suffering, and kill off whatever dark forces are attempting to take over their bodies. In a remarkably short period of time, all three the of the male initiates appear to be fully recovered. The cries of the the two present females in the group, on the other hand, have grown into a mix of ungodly screeches and moans.
Jorn Darkmane
"Sure do." The elderly man says, pulling a map out from under the counter. "Need some directions, or are you lookin' to buy the map for yourself?"
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
22:25 remain.
-
Tell the boys to get behind you, if they can move, or drag them out of harm's way. Then ready your blade and prepare for the worst.
-
Silently tell the boggart to get the map.
-
"One thing I know for certain, there are three- no wait, he got 'Scaped. Two Moderators within Black Maple, excluding us. Anything you wanna know?"
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The boys quickly get up and run behind the knight of stone, just as long, writhing tendrils start to sprout out from the beneath girls' skin. The Chosen One holds his Colossus Lunar Zweihander at the ready, yet before he has a chance to react, something wraps around his right ankle and pulls his leg out from under him with unexpected strength, bringing him crashing to the ground...
Sir Havel looks back, and is met with the unsettling sight of a large, dark tentacle coiled tightly around his lower limb. Even more unsettling, is the fact that it looks to be coming from the mouth of the trapped ceremony leader.
Jorn Darkmane
Picking up on the subtle command of his master, the boggart emerges from the candy & snacks isle with a mouthful of various treats, leaving behind a mess of torn open wrappers and packages.
The boggart sneaks over to the counter, before jumping up and snatching the map out of the elderly man's grasp. It then proceeds to take the man's glasses as well, along with the hat he was wearing, and curiously attempts to try the items on for itself...
The elderly man stares at the creature standing on his counter with an expression of utter shock. "Wh- what the hell is that thing?!"
The Moderator
"Other Moderators in the facility...? Can you elaborate please?"
-
Have the prison envelop him completely and crush him. Cut the tentacle from your leg and roll to your feet, then grab some fire in your offhand and ask Lunus to fuse it with your blade. Chop any tentacles that emerge from the girls and chant holy excising mantras until the demons inside them are finished, then place their corpses reverently aside one another and pray for the deliverance of their souls. To the boys. I beg your forgiveness. It was not their time. Prostrate yourself before them and wait for them to address you.
-
"That my friend is a boggart." Calmly walk out the door and order the boggart to follow.
-
"That my friend is a boggart." Calmly walk out the door and order the boggart to follow.
((Lol. Way to play it cool. :) ))
-
"You seriously expected there was a single Moderator? there are THOUSANDS of us. a few that i'm in contact with live here in Canada, and three I know of work in Black Maple. But I don't know who they are specifically. Except one got sent to the Battlescape for speaking out against the COuncil's dickheadery. His mind... Deteriorated too much by the time he yielded. So far, I'm the only Human Moderator to survive a week. But other me, hasn't... experienced that. Remember that suprise meteor that landed in the Outback, a while ago?"
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The mound of earth rises over the ceremony leader's head, and a smothered crunching noise is heard when it abruptly compacts itself around him moments later. Sir Havel brings his zweihander down on the tentacle, causing it to spray forth the same black fluid that was contained in the bowl as it is cleanly severed.
Once the knight of stone gets to his feet, he scoops up the still-burning coals of the small fire, and Lunus does what she can to combine the energy of the flames with the Chosen One's weapon. The fire jumps from the coals to Havel's zweihander, and soon, the entire blade is enveloped in a soft, dark blue flame.
The girls stand up, but send no tentacles in the knight of stone's direction; their newly-grown appendages appear less developed than the one that came from the ceremony leader. Sir Havel begins to recite a number of holy mantras, yet it only seems to aggravate them. With inhuman speed, both girls charge at the Sir Havel and the boys, yelling and screeching at the top of their lungs...
Jorn Darkmane
The boggart hops down with the items and runs to Jorn's side as he begins to take his leave.
"Hey, wait! Stop!" The elderly man searches around underneath the counter and quickly grabs a handgun, which he immediately aims at the Chosen One before he can reach the door.
The Moderator(s)
"...Go on." The voice sounds much more serious in tone now.
Other-Moderator
The Moderator hears a door opening behind him. He is approached by a man that looks like he works in some kind of medical department. With a syringe in one hand, he undoes the restraints on the Moderator's left arm. "There's a small requirement that must be met before you can be allowed to depart from this facility. Please hold out your arm."
-
Ask Lunus to slow them as much as possible, then cut them down, once that has been done [repeat holy rituals and the apology to the boys detailed in the previous post].
-
Run like the wind!
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Even with the help of Lunus, the girls prove to be formidable opponents. Leaping over the mighty swing of Sir Havel's zweihander, one of the girls lands on top of the knight of stone with almost enough force to make him lose his balance. The other jumps toward one of the boys, but he is fortunate enough to dive out of the way at the last second.
The first girl latches onto the Chosen One with her tendrils as she pulls and scratches at his head. While not actually very harmful to the knight of stone, it does do a wonderful job of obstructing his vision. The second girl looks around, and sets her eyes on a new target...
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn and his boggart burst out of the gas station doors as the elderly man opens fire, and bolt down the street until they are a good distance away from the establishment. The Chosen One suffers a small injury on his right side from being grazed by a bullet, but otherwise the two escape unharmed.
-
((Yuck.))
Grab the girl on your back and slam her to the ground. Punch your boot through her chest to hold her down and then lop her head off before turning to face your new opponent with a quick swing to the midsection. All the while recite a Hymn of Protection to shield the boys.
-
Look at the map.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The knight of stone grabs hold of the girl attacking him, and throws her onto the floor hard enough to knock the wind out of her, stunning her momentarily. He then stomps down on the girl's chest, causing blood to spurt from her mouth as her rib cage is crushed under the force of his foot, before finally separating her head from her body with one powerful swipe of his blade.
The Chosen One quickly turns around, and with a great slash of his Colossus Lunar Zweihander, bisects the second girl before she gets the opportunity to attack anyone else. He is uncertain of whether his Hymn of Protection truly worked, but at least now he won't have to find out.
Rather than leaving them to litter the ground in pieces, Sir Havel takes the time to arrange the girls' bodies to rest in a more respectful manner, before offering a prayer for their souls, and asking for the forgiveness of the three boys for his violent actions. "Is...this supposed to be part of the acceptance ritual?" Asks one of the boys, still struck with disbelief from what he's just witnessed.
Jorn Darkmane
After taking the map from the boggart, Jorn unfolds and inspects it closely. It turns out to be a simple state map, showing most of the known roads and settlements within the U.S. state of South Carolina. Admittedly, it would probably of more use if he could pinpoint his own location on the map. Nevertheless, the Chosen One now has a better general idea of where he's currently standing on the planet.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
22:15 remain.
-
So my actions are not lost in the thread.
>Search the mountains with the squadron hawks. Making a map of the surrounding area, including any visible nearby towns.
-
GUNIN's demon tentacle girl battle seems to be wrapped up, and Vgray successfully got away with his gas station robbery, so you shouldn't have to wait too much longer. And just to assure the other participants that I haven't forgotten about them:
TorZon's results will likely be posted along with Zan's, though we probably won't see any for Hisir til around 19:00, due to him having lots of ground to cover before reaching his destination.
-
Okay. Good things come to those who wait, after all.
-
"Wasn't a Meteor at all. CIA picked it up, and I beat them to it. Turns out, was a cyborgish nano-scout thingy that assumed the form of a lady... Draconian scout to see if Humanity was near spaceflight and FTL transport, and if we are a threat. After my assistance, the report prevented alien invasion. Draconians are a warrior race, so if you intended to restart that XCOM-like project, it would have been a dandy time. But apparently, saving one's own world was against the rules, and I got sent to the Battlescape by a psychopathic Council's Hand. Needless to say, your Black Maple guy that had a mental breakdown a couple months ago was because his brain was ruined. Apaarently the poor bastard left behind a laser weapon. the Battlescape has that effect on humans. I spent a week fighting virtual opponents, while my mind deteriorated. the meteor lady saved my ass, and I spent a month in intensive psychiatric care. So if bith of my Moderator friends wants to free me, you're screwed. But i can't tell you their names. and Don't even Try to break my spirit or heart. Won't work."
-
Start looking for a place to lay low. Make a list of demons you could possibly summon in your head.
-
Bit of a rushed update since I probably won't have time to post one tomorrow (well, later today. But whatever) and need to get some sleep. Apologies for any spelling errors/crappy writing it may contain.
Zanzetkuken the Great
The Chosen One gains a much better feel for the land after taking a hike throughout the mountain range to map out the area surrounding his hold. With the immense darkness that covers the mountains at this hour, the task no doubt would have been nigh-impossible without the help of his vigilant squadron hawks and the handy flashlight from his survival supplies.
Although Zanzetkuken was able to pick up a basic map of the mountain range to go with his supplies before departing from the city, it only shows the most popular routes and destinations within the mountains; with his enhanced knowledge of the landscape around his hold, he will be able to make one much better fit to his own needs. Or at least he should, once he finds something to make it with.
As for nearby towns, it seems there is actually a small settlement within the confines of the mountain range itself, located a couple miles to the south. Farther southward, the lights of an expansive cityscape can easily be spotted. There's a good sized town to the north as well, though that would take a good bit more walking to reach. It appears that even in the wild mountainous areas of North America, civilization is never too far away.
TorZon The EverShifting
In its efforts to discover the owner of the mysterious voice, TorZon eventually locates a hole that looks to have been gnawed through the wall of the narrow passageway. Passing through it in order to continue on its quest, the Chosen One soon finds itself traversing through what seems like a maze of many large and different rooms, until it is stopped dead in its tracks when it comes across a lifeform much larger than any other it has yet encountered on the planet...
Confined within some sort of tall, primitive cage, an almost completely hairless bipedal creature, roughly 2-3 feet tall, stares down quizzically at the family of rats that TorZon has taken the shape of. It appears to be the only other entity in the room, yet there must be someone responsible for the creature's imprisonment...perhaps they've long since fled from its lair?
The Moderator(s)
"Like I've already told you, we have no intention of harming you at this time. However, due to this apparent risk of someone attempting to help you escape from this facility, you will have to be transported to a maximum security detainment cell until further notice. But, before we get on with that, we would like you to tell us more about this 'Battlescape', as well as the 'Council' you've mentioned."
Other-Moderator
The man snaps his fingers in front of the Moderator's face. "Did you hear me? I asked you to hold out your arm."
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn heads deep into one of the many forested areas around, where he's unlikely to be found so long as he avoids doing anything that may attract attention.
Taking a seat on the trunk of a fallen and long-dead tree, the Chosen One contemplates what sort of demonic entities he may be able to bring forth into the world to serve him. Unfortunately, it very soon becomes clear to him that with the current materials he has at his disposal, he would be fortunate if could even manage to summon up another boggart.
Jorn knows full well that 'demon' is a broad term that encompasses a vast range of dark creatures; from well-known beings such as balrogs and succubi, to malevolent entities completely unrecognized to most all of mankind. Behaviors ranging anywhere from underhanded and manipulative, to destructive and bloodthirsty. He remembers hearing his master mumble something about there being as many types of demons wandering the planes of existence as there are creatures wandering the world.
Because of this, most practitioners tend to focus on what qualities they want the demon they're summoning to have, rather than what specific kind of demon it is. If one can get a good idea of the qualities they want to see in the demon, it's just matter of obtaining things that best symbolize these qualities, and incorporating them into the ritual.
An alternate, less resource intensive, and often guaranteed way of bringing forth the demon one desires, is to summon them directly from the depths of the underworld itself, where the largest and most varied known collection of demons unwillingly resides. As an extra bonus, most of them are so desperate to escape from their torment that they would much rather live as obedient servants to their summoner than be sent back. The tricky part is that taking a demon directly from the underworld usually requires offering a damned soul to take their place, lest you risk upsetting the archdemons that watch over them.
Estimated time passed: 20 minutes.
21:55 remain.
-
Other me complies.
"oh don't worry about her, she is off doing something with her father. 'Sides, man, she would already have known during transport where I was, and repay me for Langley. The Battlescape is, more or less a death sentence. Once one enters, either they yield and accept 'proper' punishments, such as 1000 years imprisonment without ageing, their friends find them and free them, or they lose their shit and they either become a psychopath Berserker, comatose in the. Ase of your guy, or like me. Just... Different. I meet someone now, not only do I note 6 ways to kill them, also possible blackmail and general personality from a greeting and a handshake. The Council of Elders are the leaders of the Moderators, what they say goes. I got in under the 665th Council, but they were offed after the masterpiece of a shitstorm called Tukayyid. Now the 666th Council are a bunch of isolationist idiots, and the cause of the other 90% of the rules. Look, I know I'm in the worst plase to ask stuff, but can we talk face-to-face? I am startin' to get really bored talking to 3 blank walls, an empty chair, a table and a mirror."
-
((Hmm.. I need warriors! :D))
No, no it isn't. Can't you understand? That..thing..was going to do the same to you as he did to them. Gesture towards the girls' remains. It was going to kill you, and you were prepared to let it. If you really want to do something worthwhile instead of wasting your lives in this forsaken town, if you really want to avenge the deaths of those girls, and prevent that of those that are sure to follow, you can come with me. The weak will be made strong on this journey, if only they are hard of mind and resolve. I'll leave you to decide.Planting your sword in the ground, bow to the boys and them move away from them a bit to consult Lunus on the presence of more such "gatherings". Try to glow a little, that always impresses humans.
-
(Just for clarification, can TorZon speak or no?)
-
Send the boggart up a tree to be a lookout. Meditate on the log and try to sense other practitioners of the Dark.
(Unless this Earth is more boring than Sir Havel's experience would imply. I guess potential demon summoners will do too.)
-
(Just for clarification, can TorZon speak or no?)
TorZon is pretty much completely unfamiliar with Earth and its customs. At best, it currently has a very limited understanding of the English language.
-
Transition to a gaseous form and envelop the cage, dissolving it. Wait to see what the thing does.
-
>Head back to the hold.
>Meditate (don't contact) till dawn upon the ledge.
>Head into the settlement to the south.
-
((Sir/Master/Lord DZA? Are you there or am I intruding?))
-
I am present, yes. Some days are just busier than others, and I haven't had the time to finish writing the next update. If I fail to have it up in the next hour or so, I'll probably just get it done after I wake up.
-
Take as long as you wish; I'm not the one writing the turns after all.
-
The Moderator(s)
"You're honestly going to ask that, after only moments ago claiming that you are capable of deducing someone's personality and weaknesses simply by meeting them? I'm sorry, but at this time we see no reason to consider fulfilling such a request. Though, if you're really desirous of more direct human interaction, I'll have you know that our original offer still stands, should you have a change of heart.
For the time being, I suppose we can hold off on placing you in a maximum security cell. But as of now, any unauthorized individuals detected anywhere near your room will be neutralized without hesitation."
Other-Moderator
The man injects the contents of the syringe into the Moderator's arm. He then undoes the rest of the restraints, and with the help of four armed guards (not to be confused with four-armed guards), begins to escort him through the facility...
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel receives no signs from his deity alerting him of other rituals taking place; seems this may have been the only one going on for now. However, the Chosen One can sense in the core of his being that his new-found foes are still far from defeated.
Looking over to the boys he saved, he can tell that at least two of them are quite interested in his offer, judging by how excited they sound in the conversation they're having. The third boy, on the other hand, has yet to utter a single word.
Recently feeling a good deal more powerful, the knight of stone is able to surround himself in a faint white glow with surprisingly little effort, which is both impressive and helpful, seeing as there's been hardly any light since he decided to use the fire for his zweihander. His heroism in battle must have been enough to up his Badassery. Groovy.
At last, the three boys walk up to Sir Havel. "Alright, we'll come with you. What do we have to do?" The first asks. "Will we get swords, too?" another asks in a hopeful tone. The silent one finally decides to speak, and raises a question that suddenly makes the atmosphere feel significantly more uncomfortable:
"Why didn't you help them like you helped us?"
Jorn Darkmane
((I like to encourage creativity, and have no problem going along with some of the more fantastical routes, so long as they can be molded nicely into the story. Who's to say that Earth can't have a few super/preternatural secrets sprinkled around for those willing to seek them?))
After ordering his boggart to once again ascend into the treetops, Jorn closes his eyes in meditation, and attempts to pick up on the presence of any other individuals that partake in the dark arts.
After a little while, the Chosen One actually starts to sense something, and it feels close...like, really close. Ridiculously close, as a matter of fact. Jorn opens his eyes, and nearly falls off of the tree when he sees a decrepit looking man in worn clothing standing no more than a couple feet away from him. The man unsteadily lifts the long wooden cane he's holding and points it at the Chosen One. "I thought I had heard somebody sneaking around in this neck of the woods. Speak, boy. What is your business here?"
TorZon The EverShifting
Slowly, the materials of the cage are broken down and absorbed into the Chosen One, eventually causing it to collapse as it becomes too unstable to support itself. The creature drops to the floor, and after sitting itself up, begins reaching up toward the Chosen One; eyes wide with unsullied curiosity.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
21:45 remain.
-
(Would TorZon know how to say 'You know way out?')
-
I suppose something as basic as that wouldn't be much of a stretch. Sure.
-
TorZon asks the little person, still in gaseous form, "You ... know ... way ... out?" If he replies in the affirmative, he answers, "Go ... there." S/h/it then follows. If not, TorZon rushes down the thing's opening and into it's lungs, then absorbs the corpse once dead of suffocation.
-
Me
"and help you decipher my tech?"
Other-Me
Complies.
-
Look directly into the boy's eyes. Sometimes, you can't save everyone, no matter how you try. I've learnt that lesson the hard way many years ago.
Turn your head skyward and ask Lunus to take all three of us to her shrine on this world (unless any of them don't want to come with, hopefully I've made it a point that they probably won't see this town ever again), hopefully the monks there have not wavered in their devotion to the true Goddess. We should get moving.
-
Jorn frowns slightly. Would you believe me if I told you I was sent here by a mystical being with little more then the clothes on my back to participate in some trial? I'm here in this forest because I angered a shopkeeper.
-
((does it really take so long?))
-
On foot? Yes. My general rule of thumb is that, when walking, Chosen Ones travel at a speed of 4-5 MPH. Hisir has a good amount of distance to cover, and since he lacks any other mode of transportation, it's likely gonna take him a while.
Anyway, was tied up with various Halloween-related activities today; will work on an update once I awaken.
-
TorZon The EverShifting
The being responds to TorZon's inquiry with a series of loud, unintelligible noises, making it clear that its linguistic abilities are right on par with Chosen One's. Which is to say, almost nonexistent. Because of this, the Chosen One's attempt at engaging in verbal communication with it ultimately proves to be futile.
Seeing no other use for the creature, TorZon travels down its throat, rapidly filling its lungs and rendering it incapable of breathing. After a short time of panicked flailing, the creature gradually becomes more sluggish, before its brain finally shuts down from lack of oxygen. As TorZon gets to work on absorbing the now lifeless mass of organic matter, it begins to hear footsteps approaching the room it is currently residing in. From the sounds of it, the creature that the footsteps belong to is much bigger than the one he just suffocated...
The Moderator(s)
"Once you've willingly handed all of it over to us, yes. It has already been agreed upon that your wholehearted acceptance of our offer would alone be enough for us to regard you as a trustworthy individual. After that, not only would you be allowed to leave your room, but the overall quality of your life would increase dramatically, and remain that way for the entirety of the foreseeable future. Money, pleasure, influence...almost anything you could possibly desire, and all it would take is your unwavering cooperation. We're really not sure how we could make our offer any more appealing to you, which is why we decided to accept your compromise."
Other-Moderator
The Moderator is led to a large, spacious room. It houses a helipad with a helicopter that looks like it's used mainly for transportation, but not much else. Idling by the helicopter are eight individuals, three of which are wearing lab coats. The rest are soldiers, equipped in a similar fashion to the ones who abducted him not all that long ago. The man he was escorted by places a hand on his shoulder and motions over to them. "They've been authorized to kill you if they notice you acting in a manner that could in any way be considered 'suspicious behavior'. Don't do anything stupid."
The man exits the room along with the four guards, just as another man emerges from the helicopter and walks up to The Moderator. "Nice to meet you. I'll be your pilot for the duration of this little adventure. Apparently I'm supposed to ask you where we'll be heading off to."
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Shortly after speaking his request to Lunus, a bright beam of moonlight shines down before the Chosen One through the clouded night sky. Having faith in whatever plans his deity holds in store, Sir Havel walks into the beam, followed hesitantly by the two boys. The light around them grows more and more intense, to the point that they become unable to see anything outside of it. Moments later, a feeling of weightlessness washes over the trio...
Once the light begins to fade, Sir Havel and the boys find themselves on a lush, forested mountainside, standing in front of a small cave entrance.
Jorn Darkmane
"Bah, that's what you get for tangling with entities you have no control over. These days, everyone and their grandmother treats interaction with otherworldly forces like some sort of amusing little party game! 'Oh, let's go disturb the vengeful, restless spirits in that old, abandoned house!', 'Let's get out the Ouija board and open up a portal to the lower planes in our living room!' Then they have the nerve to get upset when their relatives start speaking in tongues and blood begins to leak from their walls..." Waving his cane around, the man continues on with his rant about the naivety and recklessness of young people in this day and age.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
21:40 remain.
-
Question: How long will it be till dawn in my area?
-
Since you're not that far away from your original location (not far enough to make any major difference in time, at least), dawn will still break at around 18:00. So a few more hours.
-
TorZon will continue to absorb the corpse, but keep it's appearance, Thing-style. Play dead and hope it leaves, but if it tries to cause harm, flee. If it carries us off, continue to play dead and stealthily observe where it's taking us via the growth of tiny eyes on parts of the body not likely to get noticed.
-
Search the mouth of the cave to ensure the shrine's sanctity is preserved, and then proceed into the cave with the boys in tow to greet the monks that have kept it for eternity. Explain to the boys about your deity while you walk, and see if you can't summon them a pair of Lunar Talismans while you're at it to grant them Her attention.
-
"This world is like mine then. The people are ignorant. The one good thing my master did for me was to open my eyes".
-
TorZon The EverShifting
TorZon hides itself within the lifeless creature, and begins to stealthily absorb it from the inside out while maintaining its visage to avoid detection by the approaching being.
Upon entering the room, the larger creature lets out a horrified shriek, and runs over to pick up the fallen entity. Another large, similar creature enters the room as the first one attempts to revive the Chosen One's victim. Realizing that its efforts are in vain, it holds tightly onto the corpse as it wails uncontrollably.
The distressed creatures talk back and forth to each other, before gently wrapping the corpse in a soft fabric. Although unable to see what's going on, the Chosen One can feel itself being carried through the maze of rooms, and is careful not to make any noticeable movements while the sobbing creature continues to keep a firm hold on it. Soon, TorZon feels the creature abruptly stop walking and sit down. Moments later, a loud rumbling is heard, and despite the fact that being holding it remains stationary, the Chosen One gets the sensation that it is once again on the move.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The knight of stone finds no evidence near the cave entrance that would suggest the shrine has been desecrated in any way.
Ducking down, the Chosen One leads the boys into the entrance, and through the dark, cramped tunnels that sprawl throughout the mountain, all while enlightening them about the rich histories and wondrous ways of the Moon Goddess. He fails to bring forth a pair of Lunar Talismans for them like he had wanted, but shouldn't feel too down about it; summoning up mystical items on a whim is a difficult task for those untrained in such a practice, after all.
Eventually, Sir Havel and the boys reach the more open sections of the caves, which are illuminated by simple wall-mounted candles, and come across a room that looks to be of great importance; at the other side of the room, masterfully crafted from the finest of moonstones, stands a grand statue of Lunus. The statue is accompanied by a small, decorated stone altar, which sits directly before it.
The boys stand speechless as they gaze upon the magnificent statue, still locked in a state of disbelief from everything they've experienced since meeting the knight of stone.
"Beautiful, is it not?" A soft voice suddenly speaks out from behind the trio. Turning around, the Chosen One's companions jump back when they immediately come face-to-face with a very old looking man. Dressed in white robes, and a variety of simple yet sacred moonstone jewelry, he smiles warmly as he bows his head in greeting.
Jorn Darkmane
The man scoffs. "If the predicament you claim to be in is true, then must not have opened them wide enough. Now begone from this place, before you bring your troubles upon me as well. And be sure to take your boggart with you."
Glancing up into the trees, Jorn can see that his boggart has apparently taken a break from keeping a lookout, in order to sneak up on a small bird perched happily in its nest.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
21:25 remain.
-
"Like I said, I Cannot hand everything over. that's the one inviolable rule."
Other-me
"I get the 'orders to kill' a lot. Drop off at... Perth. These co-ordinates, to be specific. Are you sure that thing can carry 45 tons?"
-
Bow in reverence. Master.
Introduce the boys as new followers and your personal retainers and ask that they be shown to the acolyte quarters to begin their training, then inquire more about the shrine and its keepers once you are alone with the Master.
-
Continue absorbing the corpse while keeping it's form, and disperse a small amount of myself in the air to observe the surroundings. Observe the hell out of those surroundings.
((Also, just realized what I did. Ouch :P))
-
Head back to town and try to figure out what it's name is.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Very well. Assuming there's nothing else you wish to tell us, we have only one more question for you before we bring this session to a close:
What is the agenda of the Moderators and their council?"
Other-Moderator
"Doesn't have to; this is only a reconnaissance mission. As long as it gets you and the lab geeks to our destination, there shouldn't be any problem. Once we're there, they'll probably search around a bit, take some pictures, then relay the info back to even bigger lab geeks still here at Maple. After they decide on what they want, the higher-ups will send whatever transportation they need to get it back to base. The troops are just tagging along to make sure nothing disrupts that plan. Though, if you ask me, five fully-armed soldiers seems a tad bit overkill...
...Anyways, if you're ready to head out, then go hop in and make yourself comfortable. It's gonna be a long ride."
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The elder calls for one of his fellow shrinekeepers, and asks him to show the boys around a bit. He tells the boys that he will come and talk with them in a few moments, and waits until they are led out of the room before addressing the Chosen One:
"Welcome, Havel. It is a great honor to have one of the Moon Goddess' most loyal followers as a guest in this holy space. This shrine serves as an earthly archive of the many brilliant works and teachings She has generously bestowed upon the mortal world throughout the ages, as well as one of the few remaining havens for those that still follow such teachings. In times long past, followers of Lunus would travel here from all over the Earth to study the invaluable knowledge and artifacts contained within these caves. And in this very room, when the moon was full and the sky was clear, those deemed worthy would be permitted entrance for an opportunity to commune with the goddess herself."
His voice grows more somber in tone as he continues. "Sadly, over time, the number of people who continue to acknowledge Her, let alone remain faithful to Her, has dwindled drastically. Our duties have receded from acting out the will of the Moon Goddess across the world, to descending into secrecy in the hopes of preserving Her gifts and lessons. Today, the responsibility of caring for the shrine is passed on mainly by bloodline...this makes me especially curious of how and where you were able to find a pair of individuals who are willing to dedicate themselves to Lunus at such a young age."
TorZon The EverShifting
((Pfft, and here I was thinking you were just really good at playing the role of a completely amoral entity. Then again, I suppose not fully understanding what it is you're doing is actually a pretty accurate representation of TorZon's perspective.))
As TorZon assimilates the last of the corpse, it has a small portion of its mass escape from the wrapped fabric, giving it an improved view of its current area:
At the moment, it's being transported in some sort of multi-passenger, land-based vehicle. One of the large creatures is busy operating the vehicle's controls, while the other sits quietly beside it, holding onto the rest of the Chosen One.
Through the clear glass windows of the vehicle, TorZon observes that the path they are travelling on is lined with other buildings and vehicles of varying appearances, and that the environment is illuminated by the bright sunlight of daytime.
Jorn Darkmane
Obeying the man's orders, the Chosen One departs from the forest and heads back toward the settlement, hoping he'll be able to gain an even better grasp of just where the hell he is.
Luckily for him, after a bit of wandering, Jorn spots a sign out in front of an establishment parking lot, conveniently revealing exactly the info he had been searching for. The sign reads, "Gadsden Elementary School".
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
21:15 remain.
-
The Order of our Holy Mother will not be lost, and I will help our people restore the old shrines and make our bloodline strong again. As for the boys, I rescued them from evil ones. They are eager, if temporarily misguided. Regardless, they were very close to the taint. They must be cleansed as a precaution before continuing upon the path. I won't have this holy place be desecrated by such foul forces. I was surprised to have sensed them so soon upon this world. Solus has grown blind since he was first given charge over this world, evidenced by how he allows such disgusting creatures to even tread in these lands. Explain to the head monk about what you know of the dark ones, and try to find out if it was merely an isolated incident. Ask how many followers remain in this temple, and how many shrines, whether lost or active, still exist. Request that the young ones' training begin immediately, and that the battle monks give them no quarter, and that the scholars do their utmost to impart their wisdom upon them. Ask Lunus to accelerate their ageing until they are young men. ((Is that last part too much? :P))
-
((Is that last part too much? :P))
Yeah, probably not gonna have much success with that part. After all, she's a Moon goddess. Not a time wizard. ;)
-
((Is that last part too much? :P))
Yeah, probably not gonna have much success with that part. After all, she's a Moon goddess. Not a time wizard. ;)
((Heh. Teenagers are useless.))
-
((The only difference now is that I know what I'm doing. Now I get to savor it. Not in character of course, but still.))
Have that mass in the air divide into two streams of gas (colorless, scentless, etc) that will enter the larger beings through any openings and go into the bloodstream through osmosis. If this stretches my matter too thin, attempt to seep in through the tiny holes on their coverings (pores in the skin). Otherwise the main mass will continue to feign death, and if entry is successful, the smaller masses will slowly, unnoticably assimilate the large beings.
((Just like a good Thing expy.))
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"Originally, it was to do exactly what it says on the tin. Moderate all possible alternate dimesions, although that has changed from that to just hang around and do very little. The Council are just the leaders, wastes of everything that won't let anything cool happen."
Other-Me
"Sounds like a plan"
get comfortable
-
Locate the town on your map.
-
>During meditation, contact the being known as DZA to ask if 'I' could contact any others telepathically.
-
In an incredible act of self-inflicted fuckery, I somehow managed to accidentally refresh the page JUST as I had finished writing the update, and have only just now finished retyping it all. So yeah, apologies for the delay on this one. Now, I must slumber...
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The elder nods in solemn agreement with the Chosen One's words. "It is unfortunate that your existence has created such a fissure between the Divine Siblings; each of them are confident that they are better fit than the other to decide what your fate should be, that they are doing what is best for everyone. Yet it would seem that Solus' path has become a sad irony...he has grown so fervent in his mission to hunt you down for your past wrongdoings, that he now neglects the very creation he had set out to avenge, and in an age when it is most in need of guidance..." There are a few moments of silence, before he moves on to the information Sir Havel requested.
"As of right now, we have fifteen devout servants of Lunus residing in this sacred space, myself included. Though only a mere fraction of the members we once had, there is fortunately still enough of us that we can continue to maintain the good condition of the shrine without having to give up other important time-consuming activities. Like eating, or sleep." The elder says half-jokingly.
"There is a great subterranean temple hidden within the Himalayas. Older than even this archival shrine. It was one of the very first places on this planet that Her followers called home. I have no doubt that it is still inhabited; the monks residing there have long managed to keep themselves distanced from many of the world's troubles, due to the temple's hazardous and remote location. There is another shrine located deep in the jungles of Loreto, Peru. Though last time I spoke with the head shrinekeeper there, they were experiencing a time of much turmoil caused by both internal and external influences. I am uncertain of whether they were ever able to overcome their difficulties...as for any forsaken shrines, the only two that may have avoided being looted by thieves and razed by conquerors at this point are the shrine ruins located in the rainforests of western Malaysia, and a holy keep that was constructed somewhere in the Rub' al Khali desert. Sadly, the latter was swallowed by the sands centuries ago, so there is little hope of it ever returning to its former glory...
I shall prepare the boys for their training, and consult the others about these dark beings you have encountered. I have my own theories, but it would be best not to speak that which I am not yet certain of. If our records contain any information at all about the creatures you speak of, I can assure you that I will find it. If there is ever any way we can assist you in your quest, please be sure to let me know. Now, if you don't mind me asking, what is it that you plan to do while the younglings remain here to start on their new path?"
TorZon The EverShifting
TorZon shifts its separated matter into gaseous forms which are undetectable to the large creatures. The Chosen One then discovers that, even though it would take a considerable amount of time to completely sift itself through, it is indeed capable of infiltrating the creatures via the holes in their outer tissue layer. In fact, his plan would have gone perfectly, if only they had stayed still for a little longer. But, much to the disappointment of the Chosen One, the vehicle came to a stop. The creatures then suddenly got out and began hastily walking toward an unknown building, disrupting the infiltration process and causing the minuscule portion of TorZon inside of them to dissipate.
After entering the building, the creatures soon meet with another of their own kind, who they willingly hand the disguised Chosen One over to. Slowly, the new creature unwraps the fabric, and starts to inspect TorZon closely...
The Moderator(s)
"Very intriguing...thank you. We will have someone standing by in case you recall anything else that you'd like to discuss. Otherwise, simply relax and enjoy the peaceful solitude until we decide to speak with you again."
Other-Moderator
Once everyone is seated in the helicopter, the ceiling of the room opens up, revealing a starry, dark blue sky. The quiet of night is shattered by the sound of powerful whirling blades as the aircraft takes off. And while everyone else keeps a wary eye on the Moderator, the pilot sets course for the land down under.
Jorn Darkmane
Several minutes of thoroughly looking over it, and Jorn finally manages to locate the town of Gadsden on the state map. Apparently there are two other small towns close by to the west and east, named Hopkins and Eastover respectively. Further out to the northwest is Columbia, South Carolina's capital city.
Zanzetkuken The Great
Deep into his meditation, Zanzetkuken decides to meet with the spectral figure. He inquires about telepathic communication, and whether it would a viable option for him.
"No. I mean, if each of you were aware and open to the telepathic thoughts you were sending, and it was a mutual effort from all parties involved, then you might have a chance of getting some rough messages across. But other than that, short of miraculously gaining some amazing mind powers, I wouldn't count on it.
However, if you have anyone specific you'd like to talk to in mind, I could try getting them to join us here, which would allow you to chat with them while they visit."
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
21:00 remain.
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Which of the others are aiming towards the same goal I am trying to achieve?
-
Find a quiet place where you won't be bothered. Meditate and reach out with your mind. Practice giving the boggart simple commands. Attempt to sense other Chosen Ones.
-
((Man, I hate when that happens.))
Continue to feign death; if there is still a gas sample around, infect a small part of the new creature through the big hole on its face, if not, generate a small sample and do the same.
-
I believe I shall head to Loreto and find if there is anything left to salvage. It displeases me to hear the followers of Lunus have grown restless, and that they have fallen to fighting amongst themselves. I will know the truth behind these happenings soon enough. Be careful wiseman, these are dark times ahead of us. I will send word to the existing shrines that Lunus has come to reclaim this world. Faith and honour. Ask Lunus to transport you to Loreto, and to deliver visions to the remaining faithful on this planet that she has returned.
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"I believe the only Chosen Ones that may not be aiming for unification at this time are Taom, TorZon, and Hisir, but I suppose you'd have to ask them yourself to be sure. Jorn Darkmane, The Moderator, and Sir Havel are the other Chosen Ones currently inhabiting the planet, and although their planned methods of unification vary quite a bit, I'd imagine that they'd each be at least mildly interested in whatever you have to say."
Jorn Darkmane
Within a forested area well away from the one he encountered the decrepit man in, the Chosen One begins to meditate once more. Expanding his consciousness, he issues a series of simple, seemingly pointless orders to his boggart, which it begrudgingly follows. Despite its lack of intelligence, it seems very keen at picking up on the commands of its master, even when they are not explicitly spoken.
After the boggart completes the last of his orders, Jorn attempts to expand his conciousness out further, and sense the presence of any fellow Chosen Ones. Sadly, the attempt proves unsuccessful.
The failure could have been due to any number of reasons; perhaps he wasn't trying hard enough, or there really are no other Chosen Ones anywhere near his location. Or maybe it's because his boggart just broke his concentration when it pelted him with a small egg it stole from a bird's nest. Who knows?
TorZon The EverShifting
With the creature focused on TorZon's primary mass, the Chosen One relies on its separated gaseous forms to infiltrate it without attracting its attention. Because the orifice it had intended to enter was closed, it was instead forced go through the two smaller ones just above it. Not that it matters much, seeing as they appear to lead to the same place anyway.
Once inside, TorZon assimilates a small portion of it while keeping the original appearance of the absorbed matter, just like it did with the corpse. Unlike the corpse, however, this creature is still very capable of feeling the intense pain that comes with having its internal walls be broken down and reconstructed, and begins to show noticeable signs of distress.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"Stay vigilant, Havel. My meeting with the head shrinekeeper there took place almost three decades ago. I have no way of knowing what state the shrine is in now...while I dearly hope that the hardships they were experiencing have long since passed, it would be wise not to let your guard down until you can be certain."
The Chosen One exits the caves, and asks Lunus that he be taken to the shrine in Loreto. Unfortunately, the Moon goddess is restricted from doing so, due to it being daytime in his current area. The subtle whisper returns to Havel's mind, and informs him that he will have to wait until nightfall before she can safely transport him again. To make matters less favorable, the knight of stone notices that the dark blue flames of his zweihander have died out upon exposure to the sunlight. The whisper assures him that she will make the news of her reemergence known to all those still devoted to her, and promises that he will be taken to the shrine once the Moon ascends the sky.
Estimated time passed: 30 minutes.
20:30 remain.
-
Other-me
"JHow long will this take?"
-
(Note: Having your body forcefully taken from you hurts. Good to know.[/captainobvious])
Slow assimilation so the pain is unnoticable, or very low-level pain. Continue feigning death; the bipeds must be carrying one somewhere!
-
(( DZA, is there actually any way we can kill TorZon? Practicly? And this is really taking a long time, i will have to get some sort of transport!!
-
(( DZA, is there actually any way we can kill TorZon? Practicly?
Several. It's also worth noting that defeating another Chosen One doesn't necessarily mean killing them.
this is really taking a long time, i will have to get some sort of transport!!
I concur.
-
(Timeskip please?)
-
(Timeskip please?)
-
Stand guard at the entrance to the shrine until nightfall.
-
Look at your map again and make your way to Hopkins.
-
Then contact Jorn Darkmane, The Moderator, and Sir Havel, if they are not indisposed at the current time.
-
(Timeskip please?)
If the others are cool with it, then sure.
Hisir Namedene
Hours of ceaseless walking at last brings Hisir to the front gate of a sizable property. Containing a number different facilities, and completely enclosed by a tall chain-wire fence, it doesn't take the Chosen One long to figure out that the property before him must be a prison. Such a place is certain to hold an abundance of unquestionably criminal individuals, each of them no doubt longing for the sweet taste of freedom.
The Moderator(s)
Sitting quietly in his chair, the Chosen One is suddenly permeated by an unusual sensation; it feels as if his consciousness is being slowly pulled away from his body. Though it's not all that hard to resist if he tries, his intuition tells him that he should embrace the strange feeling...
Other-Moderator
"Estimated time til arrival is 31 hours. Not taking into account the pit stop we'll be making in Papua New Guinea." One of the soldiers tells The Moderator.
TorZon The EverShifting
TorZon slows the assimilation process to a near halt, and the intense pain subsides. The creature takes a few deep breaths, and starts to converse with the others for a while. Eventually, the two creatures that TorZon arrived with make their departure, leaving the Chosen One in the hands of this newer entity.
Continuing to maintain its lifeless appearance, the Chosen One is carried to another room of the building, where it is stripped of any garments before being tightly wrapped in another, different fabric. It is then placed in a cold, metallic box, where it silently waits...and waits...and waits...
Sir Havel the Unyielding
During his protective watch over the cave entrance, Sir Havel hears a familiar voice in the back of his mind. Much louder than the subtle whisper that previously spoke to him, it insistently calls him back to the aetheric plane...
Jorn Darkmane
Well into his pleasant walk to Hopkins, Jorn abruptly stops when he is overcome with a strong urge to meditate yet again. After taking the time to analyze the seemingly inexplicable urge, the Chosen One realizes he is being beckoned to return to the vast aetheric fog this adventure began in...
Zanzetkuken the Great
Zanzetkuken hovers around patiently for what feels like a couple minutes, while the spectral figure closes its eyes and concentrates...
"If they decide to accept my invitation, we should be seeing them around here any time now..."
Estimated time passed: 1 hour 30 minutes.
19:00 remain.
-
That is good, then.
-
Meditate and consult with the figure.
-
Attempt to seep outside of the box in a gaseous form. Ascertain location. If TorZon is unable to get itself out of the box, it will meditate and attempt to contact the glowing white figure.
-
Meditate.
-
Ahh, this must be it, let's gte these dudes out of here!
Scout the prisons' edges and buildings but don't cross the fences and try to not get detected.
-
If TorZon is unable to get itself out of the box, it will meditate and attempt to contact the glowing white figure.[/b]
If this happens:"Well this is an unexpected complication.
Anyway, TorZon should be able to get out, due to there always being some form of an opening. Even at the atomic scale. Especially at the atomic scale. And any opening could be widened.
-
Me-me
Probably some kind of sleeping agent. Keep mind engaged- YOU HAVE NO CHANC- Oh shut up, you.
"Please don't KO me right now. And can I please have a sandwich?"
Other-Me
"You guys have a base in PNG?"
-
TorZon should be able to get out, due to there always being some form of an opening. Even at the atomic scale. Especially at the atomic scale. And any opening could be widened.
Trying to fit through an opening that small would cause TorZon to dissipate before it could accumulate on the other side. Eating away at the material to make an opening bigger could work, but that would require Xan to specify that he wanted to preform such an action.
It is, however, a vast aetheric fog. So there's always the option of simply taking your meeting elsewhere if you don't want it joining in.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Calming his mind, Sir Havel gradually enters a meditative state, and releases his consciousness from the material plane. Upon entering the realm of aetheric fog, he finds the spectral figure waving at him in a friendly manner, with another Chosen One hovering calmly beside it.
TorZon The EverShifting
Shifting itself into a gaseous form, TorZon attempts to find a way out of the metallic box it has been placed in, but fails to locate an exit that hasn't been tightly sealed. Seeing no other options, it focuses on returning to the aetheric fog it arrived on the planet from, in order to commune with the spectral figure residing there...
...Several minutes pass, before it suddenly finds itself floating tranquilly amongst the vast fog, not far from the entity it had come to meet with. Interestingly, the spectral figure looks to be accompanied by two of TorZon's fellow participants.
Jorn Darkmane
Stepping to the side of the road he had been travelling on, the Chosen One descends again into meditation, this time allowing his consciousness to journey back to the mysterious and expansive abode of the spectral figure. Once within the aetheric plane, Jorn grows intrigued when he encounters three other Chosen Ones silently waiting there as well.
Hisir Namedene
The Chosen One notes that there are several entrances and exits through the fence of the prison property, though all of them seem to be fairly secure. Hisir is lucky to not have yet been spotted by any of the prison's employees.
Despite being unable to determine the purpose of most the structures, he has a good idea of what buildings the inmates might be kept in. The security looks like it's focused around the prison gates more than anywhere else. This definitely isn't any maximum security detention center, but there'll almost certainly more guards and surveillance cameras inside the buildings themselves.
Other than the prison parking lot, there isn't much outside the fence besides fields and trees. Hisir can see some small residential areas not far away to the east and west, though.
The Moderator(s)
A now distinguishably female voice comes from the speaker to respond to the Chosen One:
"KO you...? Nothing has been done to incapacitate you other than keeping you restrained to your seat. As for your sandwich request, I'll see if someone from the mess hall can be authorized to bring you something. Please remain patient."
Other-Moderator
"No, but our organization does have powerful connections in many places around the world, in order to lessen the hassle of conducting operations such as this."
Estimated time passed: 20 minutes.
18:40 remain.
-
Um. Wait? Yeah let's go with that.
-
TorZon glides/slithers over to the big white being and exchanges a mental query approximating to this:
"Where am I? Not here, in the mortal world. Specifics? Type of building, about how many people in it, how many people within hearing range of my location?"
-
Me.
While waiting for either a sandwich or being KO'ed, a familiar figure appeared in the room. Not a friendly one. An annoying reminder of his week in the Battlescape.
"Well well well. Captured by Canadians. Why wouldn't you just break outta here? Come to the CIA? Or will I have to use some... Persuasion?"
"Go away."
"Like... Sa'Rah? They captured her once, they could do it again..."
"Just try it, mofo. I saved the world from a Draconian invasion, because she was pretty much their diplomat, and the CIA captured her, and thought she had no rights"
"She was an invader-"
"That's it. You wanna be a remnant of the Battlescape, off on a three week vacation to Tukayyid!"
And with that, the figure was gone. At least for a week or three. He also realised he probably said everything out loud.
"Did I just talk to myself?"
-
Try to find out how many guards there are and what they have for weapons, and investigate the roof of the building.
(and can i get a map?)
-
Wait for Torzon to leave. Don't want him to learn of what I have to say...
-
TorZon The EverShifting
The spectral figure glances over to TorZon, sending back a mental response to the Chosen One's queries:
"You, my amorphous friend, are currently stuck inside a cold chamber of a hospital morgue. Or, in other words, a refrigerator for dead people inside a building meant to keep people from dying.
There are around 30 patients residing in the hospital at this time, and a little more than double that number in hospital staff members. You're currently the only living entity within the morgue; unless you go causing some serious commotion, I doubt anyone will be able to pick up on any noises you make, and vice versa. The woman that will be coming to preform an autopsy on you soon is going to be in for quite a surprise when she finds out that her subject has completely dissolved into a cloud of gas, however."
The figure smiles. "Anything else I can help you with?"
The Moderator(s)
"...Are you feeling alright, 025?" The voice asks in a suspicious tone.
Hisir Namedene
Before going on with his plans, Hisir takes a moment to create a clear mental image of the prison layout, and recall how many guards he had spotted...
((Map sent. Let me know whether it'll be sufficient.))
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
18:30 remain.
-
"Sufficient. Appreciation expressed."
Leave the spectral plane, and change into an amorphous blob of gas. When the female biped opens the lid of our container, force ourselves down her throat and into her lungs once again, cutting off any sounds she might make. Once dead, set a portion of us to assimilate her and the rest of us shall begin to penetrate the rest of the containers one by one by eating away at the materials of the containers, then absorbing the corpses within. If we are discovered during this task, kill the discoverer quickly and silently, preferably via suffocation. Then drag the corpses of the unwary discoverers (if any) out of sight of the door and continue to absorb matter. Essentially:
1: Kill the autopsy woman as quietly as possible, preferably by suffocation. Set half of us to assimilate her.
2: Dissolve our way through the rest of the containers and assimilate the corpses within. (I'd eat the containers too, but I suspect corpse-eating goes faster.)
2a: If any others discover us, kill them as quietly as possible, absorb them, and return to step 2.
-
You called? Wait for the spectral figure to answer.
-
"I'm fine. ANd I'm 025? Who are the other twenty-four?"
"So, why was this trip gonna take 31 hours? You could halve that if you go to Asia, then go south."
-
((thanks for the map!!, and it's in the early morning, right?))
"This doesn't seem so hard! Let's get in there!!"
Go to the left of the terrain and climb in a tree that grows over the fence to climb over it.
-
You called? Wait for the spectral figure to answer.
When Torzon leaves, respond in the place of DZA, He did, but I was the one who asked him to.
-
Shudder as TorZon leaves. "That thing disturbs me."
-
You called? Wait for the spectral figure to answer.
When Torzon leaves, respond in the place of DZA, He did, but I was the one who asked him to.
Shrug. So why am I here? My people need me. Look away while wondering how the other shrines have fared in your absence.
((Hey, this might be a good time to establish the alliance we spoke of earlier.))
-
I am also curious as to why we were summoned here.
(I believe that's the point.)
-
Correct, Vgray.
I wanted you here so that we could create an alliance. If we do not assist one another, those who want to destroy the humans of this place will not give us the same luxury. I have constructed a small defensive base in California, in the mountains near [Insert city where artifact was sold] Might I ask where you two currently are.
-
Jorn produces the map. He points at Hopkins. "That's where I was heading."
-
Jorn produces the map. He points at Hopkins. "That's where I was heading."
Which state?
-
Jorn produces the map. He points at Hopkins. "That's where I was heading."
Which state?
"South Carolina."
(I think...)
-
TorZon The EverShifting
(I'd eat the containers too, but I suspect corpse-eating goes faster.)
((That would be correct. Denser materials take more time for TorZon to absorb. Completely consuming all the large, metal refrigerators would easily take up most, if not the entire day.))
Once departed from the aetheric fog, TorZon remains in its gaseous form while it lies in wait for the unsuspecting woman to open the cold chamber. As soon as the moment arrives, TorZon wastes no time. Caught completely by surprise, the Chosen One enters the creature and halts her breathing before she can even so much as gasp from shock. In her panic, she slips and crashes down onto the hard floor...
Fate appears to be working in TorZon's favor, until miraculously, with fear-fueled determination she struggles back up to her feet, and clumsily stumbles out of the morgue before collapsing in the hall just outside its door. Fortunately for the Chosen One, it doesn't look like anyone's around to notice her. Though that's guaranteed to change if she's left here for too long.
The Moderator(s)
"025 is your room number. For convenience, it is also what we use when referring to the individuals held inside the room, unless instructed otherwise. I'm afraid I am not authorized to disclose the details of any captives currently residing in other rooms..."
Other-Moderator
"Not sure. We weren't involved in planning the route. I know that in the past...certain countries from that particular landmass have shown hostility toward our presence, so my best guess would be that the mission organizers didn't want to take any chances with you on board."
Hisir Namedene
((More like early afternoon by now.))
Hisir walks over to the western side of the prison, and climbs to the top of the tree situated closest to the tall fence, yet it seems that its branches are too flimsy to help him make his way over into the prison.
Instead, with one mighty leap, the Chosen One soars from the tree and clears the barbwire strung across the top of the fence, his armor and weapons clanking loudly as he lands safely on the prison lawn.
Shade sits and watches his master from outside the fence, waiting obediently until he is needed.
Estimated time passed: 20 minutes.
18:10 remain.
-
Drag her back into the room. Take physical form if necessary to do so, but then proceed with
1: Dissolve our way through the rest of the containers and assimilate the corpses within.
1a: If any others discover us, kill them as quietly as possible, absorb them, and return to step 1
Also absorb the corpse of the autopsy woman.
-
Jorn produces the map. He points at Hopkins. "That's where I was heading."
Which state?
"South Carolina."
(I think...)
Work on that coast, I'll work on the West.
To Sir Havel: Where are you located?
To DZA: Can you try to contact the moderator again?
-
Correct, Vgray.
I wanted you here so that we could create an alliance. If we do not assist one another, those who want to destroy the humans of this place will not give us the same luxury. I have constructed a small defensive base in California, in the mountains near [Insert city where artifact was sold] Might I ask where you two currently are.
((Well gee whiz, I must've missed that PSA.))
I was originally based in Arizona, but I have since begun making moves to liberate my allies situated in Easter Asia and South America. I've already encountered some sort of evil force taking root in Carlsbad, which I rooted out.
-
I was originally based in Arizona, but I have since begun making moves to liberate my allies situated in Easter Asia and South America. I've already encountered some sort of evil force taking root in Carlsbad, which I rooted out.
Hmm. It is probable that it has locations elsewhere. Anything you learned about this order?
-
I was originally based in Arizona, but I have since begun making moves to liberate my allies situated in Easter Asia and South America. I've already encountered some sort of evil force taking root in Carlsbad, which I rooted out.
Hmm. It is probable that it has locations elsewhere. Anything you learned about this order?
Nothing, aside from the fact that they propagate themselves through humans. Parasites of some sort. Disgusting creatures really. Plants sword in ground and leans on it. My Lady's followers still remain on this world, though they are severely weakened. If I could perhaps restore several of their temples, they would grow strong once more, and help us vanquish this evil. They may be few, but their will is strong.
-
Nothing, aside from the fact that they propagate themselves through humans. Parasites of some sort. Disgusting creatures really. Plants sword in ground and leans on it. My Lady's followers still remain on this world, though they are severely weakened. If I could perhaps restore several of their temples, they would grow strong once more, and help us vanquish this evil. They may be few, but their will is strong.
Zanzetkuken, in a slightly disturbed voice, Did their veins appear to be a visible black, or their skin was metallic in some places?
-
Can you try to contact the moderator again?
"I'll give it another shot. Can't make any promises that he'll decide to show up, though."
The Moderator
The strange pulling feeling returns to the Chosen One. Though still resistible, it is more intense than last time. A faint voice calls to The Moderator in the back of his mind, urging him to give in...
-
Nothing, aside from the fact that they propagate themselves through humans. Parasites of some sort. Disgusting creatures really. Plants sword in ground and leans on it. My Lady's followers still remain on this world, though they are severely weakened. If I could perhaps restore several of their temples, they would grow strong once more, and help us vanquish this evil. They may be few, but their will is strong.
Zanzetkuken, in a slightly disturbed voice, Did their veins appear to be a visible black, or their skin was metallic in some places?
((I can't remember. :P))
-
Nothing, aside from the fact that they propagate themselves through humans. Parasites of some sort. Disgusting creatures really. Plants sword in ground and leans on it. My Lady's followers still remain on this world, though they are severely weakened. If I could perhaps restore several of their temples, they would grow strong once more, and help us vanquish this evil. They may be few, but their will is strong.
Zanzetkuken, in a slightly disturbed voice, Did their veins appear to be a visible black, or their skin was metallic in some places?
((I can't remember. :P))
...countless tiny, almost transparent orbs floating in a strange black fluid.
*gulp* please don't tell me this is what I think it is.
If it is... Please don't let it be Phyrexis! Where I found this, the symptoms described were identical to "If bay forum were a mountain hall continued..." and were caused by the 'Dark' Zanzetkuken!
-
Jorn frowns. "Did someone summon these creatures?"
-
Jorn frowns. Did someone summon these creatures?
Yes, but the last time someone did, I was forced to destroy the person, killing myself in the process. Also, ordinary magic like yours cannot be used, but it must be a bastardization of technology, mana, and a planeswalker spark. These things also enslave the minds, corrupting the beings into a forced hive-mind.
-
"You do understand the nature of my magic yes? Though I have no quarrel with these humans. I would prefer to enlighten them."
-
"You do understand the nature of my magic yes? Though I have no quarrel with these humans. I would prefer to enlighten them."
Maybe not yours in particular, but I do know you are a mage. All 'natural' magic follows certain laws, mana being the only one that is different. Do not forget, some may attempt to use the magic for means other than what you foresee. For good or evil. I do note a slight black mana current in you, though, along with some red. Don't let the black mana corrupt your ideas too much.
[Have to stop posting for now. Being removed from the internet. See you tomorrow.]
-
The Moderator decides to give in to this strange feeling. Probably something about this Spectral Figure checking in.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on?"
"How the hell did you piss off China? They don't even care about me, well at least from my flyovers. And that incident a year back. In fact, I think they kinda like me for the Incident."
-
There is a pretty big gap between two gates west. Try to pass trough there and enter the residentil area.
(( And 4 against 1 against 1?))
-
"Can someone please tell me what is going on?"
Ah, welcome moderator. As I have explained to Jorn and Sir Havel, it would be best to form an alliance against those who wish to destroy the people of this planet. Where are you at, by the way?
-
"Well, I suppose an alliance isn't too bad. But I am currently under the watchful care of the Canadian Black Maple team."
-
TorZon The EverShifting
Transforming into a fleshy blob with some rudimentary grasping appendages, TorZon quickly pulls the body back into the morgue and shuts the door. Seconds later, the Chosen One can hear the sound of footsteps going through the hall and right past the doorway. Close call.
Safe from detection for the time being, TorZon splits itself in two, and begins assimilating the suffocated woman with one half while the other gets started on breaching the other cold chambers.
The Moderator(s)
Other-Moderator
As he finishes speaking, The Moderator notices the other soldiers in the helicopter glaring at him in a very unfriendly manner. "It would be in your best interest not to ask too many questions. Besides, if they're fond of you and hostile toward us, that's all the more reason to avoid going near there..."
Hisir Namedene
((Nothing's set in stone, but that is what it's starting to look like. Don't go and let some slightly uneven odds discourage you, though. Especially not when the game is still so young.))
In the midst of his attempt to slip by security and reach the residential units, Hisir is spotted by the pairs of guards at the two westernmost gates, and is immediately yelled at to stay where he is as they begin to approach him. Damn it...
Guess it's not actually all that surprising, when you think about it. Being stealthy while wearing a full suit of black plate armor in broad daylight would be a difficult task for even the most furtive of individuals.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
18:00 remain.
-
"Well, whatever you did, it must have been huge. SO anyway, I have already thought of a few thing I can give you that would definitely assist whatever it is. They are one of my BattleMechs, not an OmniMech, as they are just a little too complex. a S.C.O.P.E and Nanofiber Vest, gleaned from the XCOM Project, which, if my reliable info is correct, is a mere 3 years away. Also are a jetpack, and holographics. Then, anything else you find interesting, I'll find a couple of extras to take with you.
But be warned. I have collected a lot of... dangerous objects. DO NOT touch the rectangular portal, the black sphere, the staff with faces on it, the obviously-shielded semi-organic device, or don a Neurohelmt. Since I don't know what mental abilities you have, saying that non-offensively, they can either do nothing, or in one case, cause your head to, um, explode. Soldier guys, I'll let you shoot any gun ya want, provided you don't wave them about. And a final note. If a metallic sphere surrounded by lights asks you if you have a weakness, for the love of Azura, Don't tell him anything. That's ENIGMA, the local AI helper. I got him off a supervillain trying to probe Earth's weaknesses, I can explain if ya want."
(Holy crap long post)
-
Wait for the guards to come closer and then take them down by suprise, trying to be silent.
But don't kill them.
-
"Well, I suppose an alliance isn't too bad. But I am currently under the watchful care of the Canadian Black Maple team."
"Going to try to break out?"
-
"Are we done here? I would like to continue my journey."
-
Continue with plan assimillate dead bodies/kill any discoverers.
-
Stop meditating. Wait until nightfall while guarding the entrance to the Sanctuary.
-
"Are we done here? I would like to continue my journey."
"Continue on, I have discussed with you all that was needed at the current time."
-
Stop meditating. Continue onward to Hopkins.
-
"Going to try to break out?"
[/quote]
"A tad on the side of impossible, considering what they'll have, from my knowledge of this place. Seek out my past self in Australia, do domething to gain a little attention, and he'll be there."
-
"Going to try to break out?"
"A tad on the side of impossible, considering what they'll have, from my knowledge of this place. Seek out my past self in Australia, do domething to gain a little attention, and he'll be there."
Laughs. You really have no clue what I am capable of, do you? If I had wanted to destroy the human race instead of save it, the world would already have detonated. I have the ability to summon beings of such immense power that they devour the energy of UNIVERSES and are so hard to beat, they are considered Gods. Yet, I have them under my control. What do you think that that says about me?
-
"A tad on the side of impossible, considering what they'll have, from my knowledge of this place. Seek out my past self in Australia, do domething to gain a little attention, and he'll be there."
Laughs. You really have no clue what I am capable of, do you? If I had wanted to destroy the human race instead of save it, the world would already have detonated. I have the ability to summon beings of such immense power that they devour the energy of UNIVERSES and are so hard to beat, they are considered Gods. Yet, I have them under my control. What do you think that that says about me?
"That you're a badass and you seek my help for some reason? And that you could easily save me?"
-
Hisir Namedene
The four guards surround Hisir, ordering him to get on his knees and put his hands behind his head. When he ignores their commands, and instead simply continues to stand silently, they ready their batons and slowly close in on him...
Once in range, Hisir turns and attacks a guard on his right with a sudden left-handed punch. Much to the surprise of the Chosen One, not only does the guard avoid the attack, he also manages to catch his attacker's arm in the process. Reacting quickly, Hisir uses his other hand to deliver a powerful uppercut to the guard's gut. Getting the wind (as well as the contents of his stomach) knocked out of him, the unlucky guard drops to the floor, just as two others grab Hisir from behind and attempt to wrestle him to the ground.
Managing to resist the combined strength of the two guards, the Chosen One smashes his right elbow into one of their faces, before breaking free from the other guard's grip.
The recipient of the painful blow reels back with his hands over his face, groaning in pain as blood pours from his now broken nose. The other guard, almost immediately after losing his hold on the Chosen One, swiftly pulls out a can of PAVA spray and wastes no time using well over half the canister on his mysterious opponent. Unfortunately for him, due to Hisir's virtual immunity to pain and the protection provided by his helm, it proves to be discouragingly ineffective. Hisir kicks the guard square in the chest, cracking his sternum and sending him stumbling backward.
The final guard, who has been hesitant to get near the Chosen One for the entirety of the twenty-or-so seconds this fight has been going on, stands with his baton raised as he desperately yells for backup. Knowing that a simple baton has little chance of harming him through his thick armor, Hisir charges the guard and knocks him flat onto his back.
It would seem that his cries for help were not in vain, however; Hisir can see two more guards running toward him in the distance. Not to mention that it won't be long before the guards he just subdued of are up and ready to go another round with him.
The Moderator(s)
Other-Moderator
A couple of the soldiers seem quite interested in the prospect of being able to try out some new weaponry, though none of them are nearly as fascinated as the three individuals in lab coats at the mention of so much exotic technology. In an unexpectedly friendly tone, they encourage him to further elaborate on the workings of such equipment.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Deciding that he'd much rather be fully conscious while guarding the shrine entrance, Sir Havel awakens from his meditative state to find that dusk appears to have arrived; the Moon has already begun its ascent, and the last traces of sunlight are slowly fading from the deep, cloudless sky. It won't be long now...
Jorn Darkmane
Snapping out of meditation, Jorn looks over and catches his boggart fervidly rummaging through the contents of his pouch.
After snatching his personal belongings away from the pesky creature, Jorn orders it to stay by his side as he continues down the road on his journey to Hopkins...
-
((And the spay didn't work 'cause i have no face :) (unless i wanted to)))
["Take this, you filth! You're lucky i don't kill you!"
Unheat the short sword and knock the guards on the ground KO with the hilt and run to the residentiele area but watch out for other guards.
-
Me-Me
"Is it okay if you let me out, and give me a load of Carbon-Nanotubes? I wanna make something interesting for you."
Other-Me
"Well, the S.C.O.P.E Works with the HUD in an effort to increase a soldiers' aiming abilities. The nano-fiber vest uses carbon nanotubes within a shirt to produce armor more effective than Kevlar. Jetpacks are rather simple- I custom built one from a Clan Elemental. Comes with missile launchers. But I can provide you with SPARTAN-III Models. Battlemechs use myomers as a locomotion method, -"
Describe the technologies
-
Hisir Namedene
((That too, I suppose))
Hisir draws his short sword and quickly uses its pommel to crack the guards on the floor over the head, ensuring that they won't be getting back up for quite some time. With more guards undoubtedly on their way, he bolts away from the scene and eventually reaches the entrance to one of the residential buildings. Yet sadly, fate refuses to allow the Chosen One any respite. Upon trying to open the doors, he discovers that they have been locked. And even worse, that there are now seven more security guards standing behind him ready to attack.
-
(( What happend to my luck??))
"Pffiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, Shade!! (to the Guards) Get out of here, before i lose my temper and kill you!!
Call Shade while you draw your sword and halberd. Protect yourself with the sword, floor the guards by letting the blade go past their legs and the chain push their legs away. After that, kick the door in and hide in the shadow.
-
"Is it okay if you let me out, and give me a load of Carbon-Nanotubes? I wanna make something interesting for you."
If you are still meditating, then the response would be:
May take me awhile to arrive at your location. But I have time to kill right now.
-
Excellent. I can wait.
-
Hisir Namedene
((Could've been worse. In fact, you had the chance to be surrounded by up to twelve guards, so I guess lady luck hasn't totally abandoned you.))
For some weird reason, the guards don't seem very willing to simply walk off and leave the Chosen One be so that he may infiltrate their prison in peace. Hisir calls for his loyal ShadowHound, but knows that it will take him a little while to reach the location. Keeping his short sword drawn, he forces the guards to remain at a distance, lest they find out firsthand just how deadly the Chosen One can be with it. With his other hand, he grabs hold of his halberd and preforms a wide sweeping attack, with the blade's chain extended just enough to avoid lopping the guards' feet off.
While three of the guards jump back in time to avoid the attack, the other four are not as quick, and as a result have their legs knocked out from under them by the amazing force behind it.
With the majority of guards down for at least a couple of seconds, Hisir hastily turns around and slams his foot into the doors of the residential building, in an attempt to get them open using no more than brute force. The strength of the kick is powerful enough to almost completely shatter the windows on each of the doors, yet not enough to bust whatever form of lock is keeping them shut. Bugger...
Hoping to end the situation with as little blood spilled as possible, one of the guards cautiously takes a step forward. He tells Hisir to calm down, before asking him what his reason for coming to the prison is.
-
Excellent. I can wait.
Where is this place located by the way?
-
Just jump trough the window.
-
Hisir Namedene
Hisir considers simply entering the building through the shattered door windows, and concludes that it would be a fantastic idea...if it weren't for the sturdy metal bars across the frame that are likely meant to stop people from doing just that.
-
Transmits co-ordinates to Zanzetkuken
-
"Lie down, all of you! I'm here to stop you from doing your job!"
Cut those bars out!!
-
De meditating was a strange feeling. But he was back in his cell. Damn.
"Can I make something interesting for you?"
-
Hisir Namedene
Painfully aware of how inferiorly-armed they are against the Chosen One, the guards reluctantly comply with his orders and lie down on the floor, while Hisir begins to hack relentlessly at the sturdy metal bars blocking his path.
Hisir makes good progress with a couple well-placed strikes from his halberd. When suddenly, despite being primarily focused on breaking his way into the residential building, the Chosen One immediately senses one of the guards attempting a surprise attack by charging at him when his back is turned...how very dishonorable.
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator wakes up to a man from the medical department attentively shining a small flashlight into his eye. A quick glance around reveals there to be several other individuals from the medical department standing by as well. Observing him abruptly falling unconscious in his chair must have been a tad worrying to his captors.
Once he assures the members of the medical staff that he is fully awake and healthy, the Chosen One goes on to ask if he could be permitted to make something that he believes will be of interest to the people of Black Maple.
After a bit of waiting, a voice responds through the speaker; "That depends almost entirely on what it is exactly you plan to make."
-
"You fool!!"
Hit him somewhere that will not kill him but not to hard( in the foot or something) and see if any guard has a key.
If not, keep an eye on them but keep cutting at hte bars
-
>Summon a dragon.
>Equip it and self with darksteel plate armor.
>Go to moderator's location.
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/INN/balefiredragon.jpg)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/MB/darksteelplate.jpg)
-
Hisir Namedene
With impressive timing, Hisir spins around and whacks the charging guard in the lower leg with the shaft of his halberd. While unlikely to cause any serious injury, it was more than enough to knock the guard off balance and send him tumbling awkwardly into the Chosen One, which unsurprisingly isn't nearly as effective as a solid tackle.
Hisir steps on his attacker to prevent him from rising back up to his feet. He then looks to the others, and demands that a key to the doors be handed over to him at once. The guards briefly look around at each other, before one of them takes a small key from their belt and tosses it over to the Chosen One.
A moment later, Shade finally arrives on the scene (perhaps a bit late) to aid his master. The guards stare at the ShadowHound with an understandable mix of fear and curiosity.
-
"Shade, call me if they do anything. And you guys better keep quiet."
Open the door and free the prisoners.
-
"A little knowledge gleaned from the 2015 Great Invasion. the Nano-Fiber Vest. Superior to any Earth based Kevlar material."
-
Hisir Namedene
Hisir picks up the small key, unlocks the doors, and heads inside.
Shortly after entering the building, the Chosen One is able to confirm that it is indeed the housing area for the inmates when he makes his way into a wide, two-story hall lined with prison cells. The inmates remain quiet for the most part, though the Chosen One does catch a few puzzled stares from them as he walks by.
Irritatingly, only after attempting to release one of the prisoners from their bleak and lonely confinement does Hisir find out that the key used to open the front doors of the building is not the same key used to unlock the doors of the prison cells.
The Moderator(s)
"That sounds like a splendid offer. But I must ask, why is it that you're so suddenly willing to create this futuristic equipment for us, when only a short time ago you appeared to have to have serious reservations about giving up the technology you currently have? Not to offend, but such behavior seems more than a little suspicious..."
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
17:55 remain.
-
Okay, I will free you, but only if you follow me. Who's with me?
-
"Since within 3 years, that tech will already be developed. By means of alien invasion. It's coming."
-
Hisir Namedene
Hisir counts 24 inmates who claim they're willing to join him should he help them escape; roughly half of the inmates currently held in this particular hall. The rest are probably either too wary of the Chosen One, or too fearful of facing further punishment from the law to take him up on his offer.
The Moderator(s)
"I see. However, would it not be possible for you to simply provide instructions on how to make these vests to our specialists, so that they could attempt it themselves? We really can't think of any reason why it would be necessary for you to personally go about the task of creating this remarkable gear for us."
-
"Well, there is a little trick that can't be... explained. Remember, this was gleaned from unknown alloys. Completely different from Earth-based construction."
-
Try to kick the doors of these who want to follow, but look out they don't just run out. If this doesn't work, pull the doors out with the chains of your halberd.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
With the arrival of night, a beam of moonlight descends from the sky and shines down onto an open spot not far from the Chosen One. Just like before, the beam grows in intensity once Sir Havel enters it, and soon, he is overcome by a sensation of total weightless.
As requested, the knight of stone is taken to the lunar shrine hidden within the dense jungles of Peru's Loreto region. And while he is certainly not ready to lose hope so easily, the sight he is met with after only a short look around is not a promising one...
Standing just outside the sacred structure, the Chosen One can see that it has become overgrown with the wild vegetation of the land, as a result of what must have been years of utter neglect. The large stone blocks it is constructed out of have become weathered and uneven. But perhaps most unsettling of all, there doesn't appear to be any signs of activity in or around the shrine whatsoever, from the monks or otherwise...
Jorn Darkmane
With the land now illumined by the warm morning sunlight, Jorn and his boggart at last arrive at the quiet settlement known as Hopkins.
The Moderator(s)
"Ah, how convenient for you. One moment, please." The voice goes silent for while. The Chosen One can only assume that the time is being used to thoroughly discuss whether or not he should be allowed to leave the room.
"Very well. We will send some men to escort you to the appropriate department shortly. But first, we would like to know what resources an how much time the creation of one of these vests will take."
Hisir Namedene
After the Chosen One's repeated attempts to get the cell doors open by kicking them end in failure, he takes a second to rethink his strategy, and decides that if he is unable kick the doors in, he will simply have to tear them off!
With the chains of his halberd wrapped tightly around the bars of one of the cell doors, Hisir exerts a great amount of strength as he pulls unrelentingly at the door for nearly five whole minutes. Slowly mustering up more and more force as he grows increasingly frustrated, Hisir suddenly falls back as the door gives in to the stress and breaks away from the rest of the cell, before crashing loudly onto the prison floor.
The Chosen One is able to successfully repeat this extraordinary feat four more times, freeing a total of five (very grateful) inmates. Unfortunately, before he is able to release any more of the prisoners, Hisir hears Shade's ferocious growling and barking echo throughout the building, alerting his master to the fact that something troubling is going on outside.
Estimated time passed: 25 minutes.
17:30 remain.
-
"You five, see if you can open these door with a lever of some sort."
Go outside and see what is going on.
-
"Carbon nanotubes, cotton weave, Kevlar fibers, a mannequin, industrial-grade sewing machine, and one of your soldiers can bring a Barrett .50Cal for testing."
-
[So how long till 'I' arrive at the location?]
-
(I would think a while; you're going across the Earth, after all.
Ironically I'm asking the same question - did you see TorZon's action?)
-
Find the entrance to the shrine and head inside.
-
(Note, I might be absent for awhile due to low bandwidth.)
Send the boggart out to gather supplies. Look for a newspaper.
-
[So how long till 'I' arrive at the location?]
Technically, you haven't even finished pooling together all the mana needed to summon your dragon and armor yet, which is going to take a bit even with the red mana bonus you have. Once that's out of the way though, a trip from lower California to British Columbia on dragonback, with the Balefire Dragon travelling at a speed that would easily make it one of the single fastest creatures on the planet, will have an expected flight time of about 10-12 hours.
(I would think a while; you're going across the Earth, after all.
Ironically I'm asking the same question - did you see TorZon's action?)
Sure did. TorZon should be finished assimilating the woman, eating through each cold chamber, and absorbing any corpses it finds by 14:00.
I really need to think up a way of letting you guys know when your actions are still in progress, and not simply overlooked/forgotten. I suppose I could just include something like "[insert Chosen One name here] continues with his plans..." but that seems like it would get pretty repetitive...
Hisir Namedene
The inmates stand there looking somewhat puzzled as Hisir leaves the hall to check out what has gotten his ShadowHound so riled up.
Once outside, Hisir ensures that all seven guards are still compliantly on the ground. He then walks around to the other side of the building, and finds Shade barking through the fence at the roughly half-dozen police vehicles that have just pulled into the prison driveway. Someone in the prison must have called for backup from the outside. Damn...
The Moderator(s)
"That can be arranged. Please just keep in mind that if you are caught attempting to leave your work area for any unauthorized reason, or attempting to use any equipment or materials other than those that have been specifically set out for you, you will be incapacitated and placed in a maximum security detainment cell without question."
Several minutes later, a pair of soldiers enter the room, remove The Moderator from his restraints, and lead him out the door...
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Pushing through the overgrown flora obstructing the doorway, Sir Havel enters the shrine...
A little exploration reveals that the shrine's interior is much bigger than an outside view would lead one to believe. Then again, it could just be the fact that the shrine has been completely cleaned out that makes it feel more spacious. It would seem that the monks either thoroughly packed up and left, or the shrine was discovered by some highly efficient looters.
Throughout the entire shrine, not a single trace of human life can be found. Just when the Chosen One begins to feel certain that there is nothing left to be gathered from this apparently forgotten place of worship, he hears something that forces him to reconsider that notion. That something being a voice.
Though much too faint for the Chosen One to discern its exact words, it sounds almost as if it is praying. Even stranger, although the voice is definitely coming from somewhere in the area, that 'somewhere' doesn't sound like it is anywhere within the shrine, but rather, beneath it.
Jorn Darkmane
((Noted. I'll try to make sure that Jorn isn't thrown into any situations that require immediate action for a while))
Not wanting to waste a single second of time that could be spent scouring the town, the boggart scampers off excitedly to fulfill his master's wishes. Meanwhile, Jorn takes a casual stroll through the settlement, and before long, spots an uncollected newspaper laying in the driveway of a nondescript household. Lucky him.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
17:20 remain.
-
"[insert Chosen One name here] continues with his plans..."
You could instead have:
"[insert Chosen One name here] has finished [insert action]..."
"[insert Chosen One name here] is [% done] with [insert action]..."
-
What Zan said, but only do it for the beginning of the action the next turn, ie: TorZon finishes assimillating the corpse and looks to the cold boxes. This could take a while...
Or: Zanzetkuken begins to pool mana for the dragon, though it will take a while.
-
What Zan said, but only do it for the beginning of the action the next turn, ie: TorZon finishes assimillating the corpse and looks to the cold boxes. This could take a while...
Or: Zanzetkuken begins to pool mana for the dragon, though it will take a while.
With travel, it could be:
[Insert_Chosen_One] has just passed [Location]...
-
"Sh*t. Shade come here! You guys, get in the shadow! Ythil gaîn mihil!! (Shadow, protect me!)"
Run back into the building, lock the door and brake the handle and the lock, put the lights out and tell the prisoners who are free to stand in the darkest place and create a shadow barrier at the door and the windows to stop anything from coming through.
Keep freeing prisoners and tell them to stand in the dark place as well until the police is about to break through the door and the barrier. Then, run to the group of prisoners and teleport away with them to the nearest sanctuary
((Yes, i'm creating my own language))
-
"Why so much escorting? I already went through here as an XCOM Squaddie. There is really no point."
You could incapacitate both of them, easy. Why don't you?
"Shut up, Calculative"
He's Right. YOU SHULD SMASH THEM ALL!
Since when were you welcome?
When you took vengeance apon that Ma-
JUST SHUT UP EVERYONE! LEAVE! Except Memory. You can stay.
Great. Now I'm back on the slippery-slope. I could really do with that War that I was gonna go to in a week.
-
Search for a hidden pathway leading under the shrine. Try to sense the source of the noise.
-
Read the newspaper.
-
So, minute updates to confirm the initiation of more time-consuming actions? I can do that.
With travel, it could be:
[Insert_Chosen_One] has just passed [Location]...
I suppose I could mention whenever a Chosen One passes through a settlement or other place of interest, which would also give the option to stop and do other things while travelling long distances.
Hisir Namedene
Hisir bolts back into the residential building, with Shade following close behind. He quickly uses the small key to lock the doors, before repeatedly jamming one of his throwing knives into the keyhole in an effort to render the internal locking mechanisms inoperative. It takes him a couple minutes, but the Chosen One manages to snap the handles off of the doors as well.
He returns to the hall with the released prisoners, and decides that he will turn the lights off so that he can try his hand at some shadow manipulation. Which would be fine, except for the minor problem of not knowing how to turn the lights off; breaking every light in the hall one by one would take an unreasonable amount of time, and there doesn't appear to be any sort of control to shut them off in this portion of the building.
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator catches an uneasy glance from each of the soldiers as they continue to escort him through the facility. Seems that talking to oneself isn't a very good way of earning 'Trustworthy Person' points.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
While assiduously investigating throughout the shrine, the Chosen One happens upon what sounds like a hollow spot just beneath one of the large stone tiles that make up the shrine floor. Sir Havel wedges the blade of his zweihander under the stone tile and carefully lifts it, revealing a hidden staircase leading deep into the Earth...
The voice can be heard coming from the depths. The Chosen One senses that the voice's owner is a follower of Lunus, which is one good sign at least. However, it still leaves a lot left to be explained...
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn picks up the newspaper and begins to skim through different sections of it as he continues on his stroll...
Sports, classifieds, a couple local and global news stories, coupons and advertisements for various businesses in the area, some mildly humorous comic strips...there's certainly a wide range of info contained within the newspaper's pages, though at a glance, none of it seems particularly useful. Perhaps the Chosen One would have a better chance of finding something interesting if he was more specific about what he was looking for?
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
17:15 remain.
-
Jump on the ceiling and stick on side of the halberd in it so he keeps hanging there for a sec or 5 and let the blade swing over the ceiling and destroye very lamp; After that go on as before.
-
Search for anything that could possibly be linked to the Chosen Ones. Or anything else unusual.
-
"Yeah, don't worry about that. Just another crack-up. Tell me, which of you two believes aliens exist?"
-
Keep my blade shouldered and approach the man. Greet him, but maintain your distance.
-
Reach out with your mind. Attempt to contact the Boggart. "Boggart! Get me a bird, some gunpowder, and a horse. And don't forget the salt!
(I have a crazy idea for a summoning...I hope Boggarts have hammerspace pockets or something.)
-
Hisir Namedene
((I'm having trouble understanding what it is exactly you want Hisir to do...but because he rolled fairly well, I'll just say it succeeded.))
Broken glass rains down onto the floor as the lights of the prison hall are shattered by Hisir's halberd. It's not pitch black, due to the small amounts of light coming though some of the cell windows, but it should be dark enough to at least give the Chosen One a little more of an edge over his adversaries.
Hisir drops back onto the ground, and attempts concentrate the darkness around the windows and doorways of the hall in order to delay the entry of any authorities. Somewhat disappointingly, though he was able to influence the shadows to some extent, the result appears subpar at best; other than making the hall darker and harder to see into, the shadow barriers probably won't be of much help. His shadow manipulation skills must be rusty...or maybe shadows just aren't a very good material to make barricades out of in the first place.
The police forces can be heard just outside the building, organizing themselves and surrounding the area. With the already-released inmates huddled together in a dark corner of the hall, Hisir makes an effort to free as many more as possible, before any pesky officers of the law decide to make an unwelcome entrance...
The Chosen One successfully releases three more prisoners from their confinement, but is interrupted while he works on breaking open the next cell by the sound of a flurry of footsteps rushing through the building. Shade begins to growl once more as the footsteps rapidly approach their location.
Hisir runs toward the liberated inmates and prepares to make a hasty retreat with them to the nearest refuge via the wonder of teleportation. When suddenly, the Chosen One is hit by the unfortunate realization that he has no means of teleporting himself, let alone the prisoners, anywhere.
Jorn Darkmane
((goddamn it, Vgray. Right as I was proofreading. :P))
Jorn reads through the paper, but finds nothing he can confirm as related to the other Chosen Ones inhabiting the planet. Not very surprising. Though he has no way of knowing what kind of trouble his fellow participants may be getting themselves into, the warlock deduces that it will likely take some time for news of their shenanigans to spread. On the bright side, local gas prices have apparently dropped by nearly 10¢.
As for unusual happenings, according to another local news story, a baby was taken from a nearby neighborhood home just over two days ago. The perpetrators were soon located, but each of them suffered a mysterious death shortly after being apprehended by police. The infant has thus far yet to be found. Needless to say, the authorities are requesting that anyone with details about the crime file a report at the nearest county police station.
Suddenly, the Chosen One is struck with a brilliant summoning idea, and focuses his mind to inform his boggart of what supplies he will need...
The Moderator(s)
One of the soldiers chuckles at the Chosen One's inquiry. "It's hard not to believe in something you've been ordered to-" Before he can finish his sentence, a stern look from his comrade causes him to abruptly stop speaking.
Several more minutes of silent walking go by before the trio finally stops in front of a very secure looking door. One of the soldiers steps forward and enters a short code using the small keypad to the side of the door. It immediately slides open, revealing an extensive room that The Moderator quickly concludes to be one of the facility's development departments; the place is bustling with Black Maple staff members hard at work hauling around equipment, reviewing blueprints, and constructing all sorts of different prototype technology.
The Moderator is lead over to his work area, which has most all the requested supplies laid out on a long, metal table; they even remembered to set out a sandwich for him. He is told to begin whenever he's ready, and that the vest will be brought to a special in-facility shooting range for testing once finished.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel descends the staircase, which is soon found out to lead into long, narrow tunnel. It's a tight fit (this secret passageway definitely wasn't made with the thought that it'd someday be traversed by any ten-foot tall stone warriors in mind), but with the praying undoubtedly coming from somewhere at the other end of it, the Chosen One has little choice but to push onward.
The tunnel eventually brings Sir Havel to a small chamber, well-lit by candlelight, where a man sits on the floor with his back to the Chosen One. Judging by his attire, he must be the head keeper of the shrine.
There looks to be a number of sacred artifacts set out around the shrinekeeper, but before the Chosen One gets the chance to examine any of them more closely, his attention is drawn away by something far more disturbing; scattered about the chamber floor are the skeletal remains of several other followers of Lunus. The level of decay of the corpses and their garments suggests that their end came long ago.
Cautiously, Sir Havel offers a simple greeting to the head shrinekeeper. After ending his prayer, the shrinekeeper slowly rises to his feet, and without turning around, utters a most unusual phrase. "So, the time has finally come..."
Estimated time passed: 20 minutes.
16:55 remain.
-
The devotion of Lunus' followers fills me with pride.
-
(( Oke, i will try to explain better. And i forget i don't have all my powers yet. :-\))
Ask Sirith to teleport you.
-
Find a place to do the ritual. Wait for the Boggart.
-
make the Nano-fiber vest, using Dr Shen's special technique, the other like a regular shirt.
DR Shen, you magnificent bastard
He takes a bite of the sandwich.
"Thank you, catering team!"
(Thoughts)
assessment: they have the Crimson Dagger UFO splashed in 1993, along with the live Sectoid we stunned. I was wondering who got it from those crazy USMC guys.*
Weapons assessment: there will be prototype laser rifles, but they won't be effective for widespread manufacture so one squad will have them. Their base has security stations with MGs in strategic positions for an outside attacker. Heh, outside. Infantry will have M4s or MP5s
Armour assessment: apart from Omega Squad with their fancy prototypes, basic Earth made Kevlar. Useless even against an M6D Magnum handgun.
Overall: interesting opportunities to troll Canadian world domination plans by messing with some stuff. But last time I tried such Bond-esque badassery, I had minor pains for a few weeks. If I were on the offensive, I could knock this off on a lazy Sunday. But since I am on the inside, unarmed, unarmoured, and not even a good damn Psionic or Shouter, I am pretty screwed.
(End thoughts)
other me
"I can speed this up. You guys have satcom?"
*Operation Crimson Dagger was a follow-up to the shooting down if a UFO, however, it was not the first, nor shall it be the last, UFO to have landed or crashed on Earth. The squad of USMC troops, backed up by a rather quaint fellow wearing odd clothes, managed to kill the crew and stun a single crewman. It was widely believed that it either went to Area 51 (Containing the original 1946 and 1955 Roswell UFOs, recovered by a special USAF unit, with the motto 'Vigilo Confido'. The rumours and conspiracies if alien craft are in fact, hybrid craft.
It was later determined, with the creation of the oddly named XCOM, (name suggested by someone 'who knows their shit, so shut up, they are XCOM, and you have to have a giant light behind you to hide your face.) that these were small intercepted scouts assessing Humanity as a whole is a threat.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel's words almost seem to surprise the head shrinekeeper. "Does it...? Speak, noble warrior. What is your purpose here?"
Hisir Namedene
Sirith finds Hisir's efforts commendable, and graciously decides to answer his loyal servant's call for assistance. A swirling vortex of shadows starts to form on the floor in the center of the hall. Hisir instantly recognizes that a portal is being opened for him, and is greatly relieved by the fact that his escape from the prison now seems imminent...
...Of course, fate seldom allows these sort of things to be that easy. Just as the portal is fully manifested, a team of armed officers burst into the hall. Pointing both their flashlights and their firearms at the Chosen One, they begin to shout aggressively at him and the prisoners. "Drop your weapons and get on the ground NOW!"
The prisoners immediately hold their hands up in the air and look to Hisir while Shade barks wildly at the officers, ready to attack at the slightest display of violence toward his master.
Jorn Darkmane
The Chosen One wanders around the settlement a little more and, fortunately enough, stumbles upon a seemingly barren field with light tree coverage on all sides and no apparent residences nearby; a doubtlessly fine place to conduct a dark summoning ritual.
With a suitable spot picked out, Jorn keeps watch for any sight of his boggart. Who, if all goes well, should be arriving with the requested supplies before much longer...
The Moderator(s)
Under the vigilant surveillance of the two soldiers (along with whatever security cameras happen to be fixated on him at the moment), The Moderator sets his sandwich aside and begins work on the vest...
Other-Moderator
"Yep. But how is that going to help make the trip any faster?"
-
Ythil gaîn mitil! ( Shadow protect me!) You guys, get in there! Shade, follow me!
Pull up a barrier between the officers and tell the prisoners to get int the portal and follow them.
-
"I had a satellite back at my base. It could phase the chopper to my base. But I need to contact ENIGMA."
-
Hisir Namedene
Hisir concentrates his powers, and creates a thick veil of shadows to conceal him and the prisoners from the police officers. As the officers start threatening to open fire, the Chosen One turns to the inmates and tells them to enter the portal. Unfortunately, with the pressure and uncertainty of the situation quickly rising, a couple of them begin having second thoughts, and ultimately, two of the freed prisoners make a last-second decision to stay behind. Luckily, Hisir and Shade are able to escape through the portal with the other six before bullets start to fly.
The Chosen One and his companions soon find themselves in a completely dark, cold room. While the prisoners fugitives struggle to find their way around the room in the total blackness, Hisir takes a moment to observe his surroundings:
The room itself doesn't appear to hold much besides some dusty boxes. There is a set of stairs leading up to a doorway on the other side of it, though.
The Moderator(s)
"Is that safe...?" One of the soldiers asks somewhat worriedly.
"Doesn't matter. We'll have to check in with HQ before we can even consider doing anything other than what was outlined in the briefing." Another responds.
-
Try to create a dark flame and extract the essence after, so a normal flame remains.
-
"Well, first time you may feel nauseous, but I phase in and out of dimensions all the time. Besides, I have already tested it on a BattleMech. Worked fine/"
-
Jorn Darkmane
After a period of uneventful waiting, the Chosen One finally spots his boggart arriving in the distance. The creature (very) slowly heads toward him as it struggles to drag a large laundry bag of unknown contents across the barren field...
Hisir Namedene
Despite his best efforts, Hisir is unable to create any dark flames to extract the essence from, likely due to having no normal flames around to begin with. After all, creating something from nothing is a difficult task, even for beings of exceptional potency.
That said, the Chosen One has noticed that he's felt much more connected to the dark energies of Sirith, and much greater strength in his own abilities in general since his daring prison break took place only a short time ago. An unusual, though certainly not unwelcome sensation...(+Badassery)
Just then, an excited fugitive calls out to the others in the room, "Hey, I think I found the light switch!" Suddenly, several old lights hanging the ceiling flicker on, allowing the Chosen One's less darkness-adapted companions to finally see their way around the area.
The Moderator(s)
One of the soldiers goes over to ask the pilot to contact their superiors at Black Maple and inform them of The Moderator's offer. The other passengers in the helicopter overhear a discussion going on for a while, before the soldier comes back to sit down. "Well, they're interested. But they want us to wait until we reach our checkpoint in PNG."
Estimated time passed: 20 minutes.
16:35 remain.
-
Make sure the boggart has everything. Prepare the ritual.
-
"Well, I will need to put Hyperion into orbit first. So could you patch me on frequency 133.7?"
-
"Come on, follow me."
Go up the stairs
-
Jorn Darkmane
Wisely wanting to ensure that all of the required supplies have been procured before he sets up the ritual, Jorn walks over to his boggart and opens the bag. As soon as he does so, a small, yellow-faced bird flies out, startling the warlock. Luckily, his minion leaps up and catches the fleeing avian before it can get away.
Gazing into the laundry bag, one thing that immediately becomes clear to the Chosen One is that the boggart collected far more than just what was requested; it's actually a bit surprising that it was able to fit so much inside the bag without it tearing open somewhere.
lacking much other option (at least, if he wants to get his summoning ritual underway anytime soon), Jorn begins to search through the mess of miscellaneous items...
The Moderator(s)
"I can't, but he shouldn't have any problems with it." The soldier responds, nodding over to the pilot.
Hisir Namedene
Shade and the fugitives follow Hisir up the stairs. The Chosen One quietly opens the door at the top of the staircase, and discovers that the doorway leads into a hall. A hall that, from the looks of it, he would guess is part of a very lovely and quite possibly already inhabited house.
The door directly across from Hisir is open, and appears to lead into a bedroom. Another door further down the hall is closed, though a soft humming noise can be heard coming from the room on other side of it. There's a closed door at the end of the hall as well, while the other end opens up into what looks like the main area of the house.
-
"Okay. I am going to go to the co-pilot seat very slowly, so please don't perforate me."
The Moderator gets up very slowly, and shifts to the copilot seat. He dons the headset, and tunes the radio to frequency 133.7
"Enigma, I know you can hear me. You need to launch Hyperion. No, I know you fixed the fuel mix. Don't bullshit me, I know it has been fixed. Good."
As he shifts back to his seat, he pipes up to the troops.
"Thanks for not gunning me down. Anyone got any good games to pass the time?
-
Explore quitly.
-
Jorn Darkmane
Once finished with going through the contents of the overstuffed laundry bag, Jorn does a final assessment of everything that his boggart brought back to him:
A small bird, an assortment of random books, a wide variety of pretty (in the boggart's opinion, at least) rocks, several cooking pots, a few handfuls of silverware, a bag of potatoes, bag of apples, a couple of bananas, a carton of eggs, a half-carton of milk, small containers of a number of different spices (cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and (most importantly) salt), two screwdrivers, a rusty crowbar, some (mostly unbroken) light bulbs, a soccer ball, an alarm clock, two wallets, a cellphone, a...uhm...'adult toy', a pair of working boots, four pairs of socks, an old leather coat, half a box of shotgun shells, a can of coffee grounds, a houseplant, a family portrait, a harmonica, a lighter, a pack of cigarettes, a small set of finely crafted toy horses, a horseshoe, a (living) frog, and one very aloof domestic cat. Judging by all of the elegant and expensive looking bling that the boggart is now adorned with, there's a good chance it raided someone's jewelry box as well.
The Moderator(s)
"...Twenty Questions?"
Hisir Namedene
Hisir and his posse step out into the hall, and proceed to spend a good amount of time snooping throughout the residence.
From what they can tell, a dining area, kitchen, and a spacious living room (where the front door to the building is also found) make up the central area of the house. The Chosen One also locates another staircase that leads up to a second floor, which contains a bedroom, study, and bathroom.
Having walked through most the household without running into any inhabitants of it, Hisir & friends return to the hall to continue with their exploration. Since it's now obvious that the area they originated in was the house's basement, and the bedroom across from it's doorway doesn't hold anything particularly eye-catching, the next place down the hall to check out is the room with the soft humming noise coming from it.
Hisir walks up to the closed door of the room, and reaches out to turn the doorknob. Just before he can, however, the doorknob does so on its own. Time almost seems to slow down when he and the fugitives instantly realize that such a phenomenon that can only mean one thing:
The house is haunted The door is being opened from the other side.
Estimated time passed: 25 minutes.
16:10 remain.
-
(Damn that's a lot of stuff. I'll leave it to you to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be summoning.)
Make a salt circle. Prepare the ritual. Use the shotgun shells the horseshoe and sacrifice the bird and cat.
-
HIDE!
-
"Okay. Ask away."
-
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn uses some of the newly-obtained salt to prepare a decent (if a bit impatiently rushed) summoning circle, while the boggart keeps itself occupied with the pile of less-needed loot set aside by its master.
The Chosen One places the horseshoe and shotgun shells in the circle's center. Using his knife, he then spills the blood of the cat and bird onto the summoning circle, before stepping back and reciting an ancient chant...
There's a couple of things that almost immediately stand out about the entity that is brought forth by Jorn's ritual. The first is it's size; the being stands at what has to be at least six-and-a-half feet tall. A height several times that of his boggart. Second are the giant feathered wings it is currently using to conceal most of its body. Other than those, all the Chosen One can really see of the being are its two hooved feet, and three deep, distrusting eyes, which unceasingly stare directly back into his own.
Hisir Namedene
As the door starts to open, Hisir sprints to the basement. He shuts the basement door behind him and remains on the staircase, doing his best not to make any more noise. Following the Chosen One's lead, Shade and the fugitives very quickly scatter and hide throughout the house in the hopes of avoiding detection as well.
Once all the panicked commotion is over, there are a few moments of utter silence, before a female voice apprehensively calls out from the room, "Leonard, darling? Was that you?"
The Moderator(s)
"Alright...is it an animal?"
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
16:05 remain.
-
"is what an Animal?"
-
Complete the ritual. Demand that the demon serve you.
-
Wait and observe.
-
>Land Dragon.
>Unsummon Dragon.
>Store mana in blade.
>Planeswalk to the area the Black Maple moderator is at. Don't kill guards who are there, just disarm them.
-
>Land Dragon.
>Unsummon Dragon.
>Store mana in blade.
>Planeswalk to the area the Black Maple moderator is at. Don't kill guards who are there, just disarm them.
((I'm don't think you've arrived at the base yet. Or summoned the dragon.))
-
Xan is correct. If you had finished summoning everything, it would have been stated in an update. You do have the suit of darksteel armor for yourself, and are close to getting your dragon, though.
Aannd apologies yet again for lack of an update. Pesky holidays. I'll get it posted after I wake up, so long as I'm not too tied up with seasonal festivities.
-
Xan is correct. If you had finished summoning everything, it would have been stated in an update. You do have the suit of darksteel armor for yourself, and are close to getting your dragon, though.
Aannd apologies yet again for lack of an update. Pesky holidays. I'll get it posted after I wake up, so long as I'm not too tied up with seasonal festivities.
Eyy, it's the holidays!
-
Xan is correct. If you had finished summoning everything, it would have been stated in an update. You do have the suit of darksteel armor for yourself, and are close to getting your dragon, though.
I didn't know that! I thought more time had passed than that!
Change actions to:
>Store mana in blade. (Don't undo anything.)
>Planeswalk to the area the Black Maple moderator is at. Don't kill guards who are there, just disarm them.
((I'm don't think you've arrived at the base yet. Or summoned the dragon.))
I know I haven't arrived at the base yet! That's why I put "Planeswalk to the area the Black Maple moderator is at"!
-
Sorry if some parts seem a bit rushed. I'm running short on writing time and don't want the update to have to wait another day.
The Moderator(s)
In the middle of making his nano-fiber vest, The Moderator is abruptly distracted when he hears one of the soldiers assigned to keep an eye on him shouting at someone not to move, followed a moment later by the sounds of panic and gunfire. The Moderator looks up from his work to see a person clad in a full suit of armor fearlessly stealing said soldiers' assault rifles.
Unsurprisingly, the sudden appearance of a magical, gun-snatching intruder seems to have caused an emergency siren to go off. Which, given the importance of this particular department, likely means that in about a minute the area will be swarmed with a couple dozen more soldiers while the room is put into lockdown. Lovely...
Other-Moderator
"The...you do know how to play Twenty Questions, right?"
Jorn Darkmane
Once he is certain that the servant-to-be is securely trapped within the circle's confines, Jorn speaks to it, making clear to the demon that it will not be released until unconditional subservience is given to him.
The being lifts the rest of its head up above its wing, revealing a mouth in the form of a short beak. It stares at Jorn more intently for a second, before exhaling a mighty burst of fire in his direction. Apparently it disagrees with his demands. Fortunately, the circle stops the fire from reaching Jorn. Less fortunately, seeing its attack fail to thoroughly flame-broil its summoner only seems to make the being more aggressive.
The angered demon folds its wings back as it starts to wildly screech and thrash about in an attempt to break the magical barrier keeping it from harming the Chosen One. While such behavior certainly is not ideal for a servant, it does give Jorn a chance to get a better look at the creature he has brought forth into the world. He takes note of some interesting details about the demon, such as the fact that it happens to have four arms, and that each of its hands are equipped with a set of four long talons that would very likely be used to horribly mutilate him were it to actually escape from the circle.
While the demon may have a bad temper, it is smart enough to realize the futility of its retaliation after only a few minutes of acting out. Seeing no other choices present, the demon suppresses its rage, and with great reluctance, submits to the warlock.
Hisir Namedene
The Chosen One continues to hide patiently on the basement stairs for the next several minutes, until finally, he hears someone exit the other room and begin to make their way down the hall. Curious, yet cautious, Hisir quietly opens the basement door just enough to peek out and get a look at who the individual is. The Chosen One catches a glimpse of a woman, clothed in naught more than a long towel, quickly walking into the bedroom across from him and shutting the door.
It looked like she had just stepped out of the bath, which could explain how she hasn't yet encountered any of the escaped prisoners or ShadowBeings that have been creeping around her home for the past half-hour or so.
Zanzetkuken the Great
Suddenly remembering that, as a Planeswalker, he has much, much faster methods of transportation at his disposal, Zanzetkuken imbues the collected yet unused mana he had planned to put toward summoning a BaleFire Dragon into his adamantine blade to be called upon later.
The Chosen One hurriedly suits up in his darksteel armor, removing his cloak, shoulder guards, and adamantine breastplate in order to get the summoned equipment to fit properly. After that, it's only a short time of travelling between the planes of existence before Zanzetkuken is standing next to The Moderator deep within the top-secret Canadian research & development facility known as Black Maple. And in one of the facility's most highly secure and guarded rooms, no less. Needless to say, The two soldiers watching over The Moderator are quick to take notice of the Planeswalker's arrival.
"Uh...who the hell is that?" One of the soldiers asks. Rather than taking the time respond to his partner's question, the other soldier aims his assault rifle at Zanzetkuken without hesitation and shouts, "DON'T MOVE!"
Immediately deciding that the best course of action would be to separate his opponents from their weaponry, Zanzetkuken proceeds to do the exact opposite of not moving, and charges toward the soldiers, prompting the both of them to open fire.
The bullets ricochet harmlessly off of the Chosen One's darksteel plate, and before either of the soldiers know it, the rifles are ripped from their grasp by their mysterious armored adversary.
Not prepared to accept defeat so easily, the two men swiftly unholster their sidearms. Yet just as Zanzetkuken tries to take those from them as well, his attention is momentarily diverted when a blaring alarm is triggered throughout the facility...
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
15:55 remain.
-
"Demon, how powerful are you? Do you happen to have a name?"
Meditate. Sense the Dark.
-
"What a wonderful turn of events! A Planeswalker, I presume?"
One minute to Omega Squad and some other bad-asses arrive to screw this place up. No Nano-fiber vest. Have to use .223 rifles to escape. Possible prototypes available for shiggles and fun.
Other-me
He thought of... Julia Gillard, the current PM that wants all the advanced tech. Damn ASIO.
"No, the thing I am thinking of ain't an animal"
-
"What a wonderful turn of events! A Planeswalker, I presume?"
"Who else?"
>use the mana that would've been used to summon the dragon, to summon a suit of darksteel plate armor for the moderator.
"Put that on, I got these in my travels. The stuff it is made from cannot be manipulated, it can only be formed from raw energy, after that, nothing can get past it. Worst that could happen is that you are thrown backwards."
>If some mana can be stocked up quickly, get it and store it in the blade.
-
(i have no idee what is happening...)
Search for anything unusual in the basement, something that points to any connection to shadowbeings
-
Jorn Darkmane
The demon lowers its head as it concentrates, clearly struggling to form a coherent sentence in English...
"You're still ALIVE. Not powerful enough..." it says in a loud, piercing voice. It pauses to think about the Chosen One's second question, before continuing, "Name? NAME? Yxchuithiatkxcli!"...That's probably gonna take some practice to pronounce with any sort of fluency.
Jorn sits down and attempts to meditate, but 'Yxchuithiatkxcli' refuses to let him focus. The demon erupts into another bout of fell screeching, enraged by the fact that it has yet to be released despite its cooperation.
The Moderator(s)
A full suit of darksteel plate armor appears beside The Moderator, courtesy of his planeswalking pal.
Other-Moderator
"Is it edible?" The next soldier inquires.
Zanzetkuken the Great
Zanzetkuken draws his blade and uses roughly half of the imbued mana to summon up some darksteel armor for his fellow Chosen One.
He considers trying to replenish his mana stores a bit, but after sensing a multitude reinforcements for the opposition rapidly closing in, concludes that he would be unable to pool together any significant quantity in a reasonable amount of time.
Hisir Namedene
((Hisir was hiding in the basement. He heard someone leave the room he had previously tried to enter (the one with the soft humming noise), and walk down the hallway. Hisir peeked out of the basement and saw a woman enter the room across from him (a bedroom) and close the door.
If you're still confused about anything, let me know.))
Hisir heads down the basement staircase, and begins to dig through the contents of the dusty boxes for anything related to ShadowBeings (or otherwise out of the ordinary)...
-
>Get in a position on the wall next to the door that they will not hit me when they open the door.
>Grab the first guy to come in's gun and toss it to the moderator if he is unarmed.
>Disarm and knock-out anyone who tries to enter.
>Stall time for the moderator to get the armor on, if he doesn't have it on by that point.
>Fight our way out of there.
-
"Gotta love Darksteel"
put on the armour, one of the guards' holsters with pistol, and pick up his rifle and spare ammo
other-me
"If you are a certain kind of psycho, then yes."
-
"Calm yourself great Yxchuithiatkxcli!" release the demon. "Now, you two go kick someone out of their house or something. We need a place to stay." resume meditating.
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
With the Black Maple forces only seconds away, Zanzetkuken rushes over to the door and stands against the wall directly beside it. As the door slides open, the Planeswalker prepares to attack. However, the first thing to come through the doorway turns out not to be a person, but several small, metal canisters. Having been set off just before being thrown into the room, the canisters roll across the floor, very quickly filling much of the area with thick clouds of gas. A second or two later, a large number of gas mask-equipped soldiers attempt to storm inside...
The Chosen One grabs hold of the first soldier to enter's rifle, but due to all of the gas clouds and commotion, he is unable to tell where exactly The Moderator is standing, or if has already managed to get himself a weapon.
With not a moment to waste, Zanzetkuken turns his attention over to preventing the entry of any more Black Maple forces. Sadly, he is only able to hold them off for a short time before getting too overwhelmed to stop the rest of their squads from pouring in.
While their comrades spread throughout the room, four of the well-trained men try to grapple the Chosen One to the ground...
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator watches several high-potency tear gas canisters fly into the room as he works on outfitting himself with the suit of armor.
While he is able to get the armor fully equipped with surprising speed, it is not before the irritation caused by the tear gas greatly impairs his vision and ability to breath. Nevertheless, despite the tremendous discomfort, the Chosen One hastily searches around, and successfully obtains the pistol and assault rifle of one of the subdued guards.
Other-Moderator
"Hmm...is there more than one of it?"
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn displaces some of the salt used to make the summoning circle, breaking the magical barrier confining Yxchuithiatkxcli. Once free to move about, the demon becomes a little more at ease...at least until a certain curious boggart sneaks up behind it and plucks a feather from one of its wings.
Yxchuithiatkxcli snaps and claws at the boggart, which seems to spook it, considering how quickly it runs away and hides behind its master.
For a moment, it looks as if the demon is going to enter another screeching fit. Until all of a sudden, something in the trees to the north catches its attention. "...Who is he?"
Jorn gazes across the field, and soon notices something moving behind the trees as well. Could someone be watching them? Yxchuithiatkxcli must have some fantastic eyesight to be able to spot something like that so easily at such a distance.
-
kick the tear-gas canisters out of the room, and lay down suppressing fire. After they are driven back, obtain a soldiers' gas mask.
other me
"Thankfully, no."
-
>Summon 4 Memnites. (Artifact Creatures that cost 0 mana. I'm serious, look it up.)
>Break free using telekinesis (Blue mana represents the mind, by being able to use it, my mental abilities are increased enough to use telekinesis)
>Get my blade in one hand, with a pistol in another.
-
"Come on. Let's see who it is."
-
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator kicks away the nearby gas canisters and blindly opens fire with the assault rifle. Yet, rather than having the desired effect of suppressing the opposition, the tactic seems to backfire when it instead ends up attracting a hail of gunfire toward him from several different directions...guess it didn't take very long for the soldiers to locate and surround him after getting past the Planeswalker. Still, nothing quite like being showered in bullets to make you thankful for magical suits of indestructible armor.
Other-Moderator
"Is it a celebrity?"
Zanzetkuken the Great
((That would have been something useful to mention beforehand. Any other mana-related superpowers I should be aware of?))
As Zanzetkuken continues to struggle against the four men, he thinks fast, and successfully calls four Memnites to his aid. Utilizing his mana-enhanced mental capabilities, he then concentrates, and sends out a telekinetic blast that causes the soldiers around him to stumble back slightly. Maybe not the most impressive telekinetic feat ever preformed, but focusing tends to be a lot more difficult when you're being manhandled by a gang of Canadian military personnel.
Luckily, the unannounced arrival of the Memnites does a fine job of distracting the soldiers before they have the chance to go another round with the Chosen One. "What the fuck are those things??"
Taken aback by the otherworldly beings summoned forth by the Planeswalker, the nearby Black Maple forces open fire upon them; keeping conveniently occupied long enough for the Chosen One to snatch a pistol from one of their holsters...
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn gets up and walks across the field toward the area of suspicious movement, his two summoned companions following closely behind. Once only a couple yards away, a middle-aged man with a hunting rifle steps out from behind one of the trees and takes aim at the trio. "Don't you come one step closer."
The man takes a moment to look over each of the dark creatures accompanying Jorn, before shifting his focus to the warlock himself. "Listen, I don't know what it is you're up to out here, and honestly, I don't really think I want to know. Whatever it is, I just know it isn't welcome in this town. Now I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention:
I want you and your...friends...to pack up whatever you arrived here with, and go back to wherever it is you came from. If I see you anywhere around these parts again, I'm calling the cops." The man states, masking his nervousness behind a stern demeanor. The demon Yxchuithiatkxcli folds its wings to once again conceal its body as it glares at the man, while the boggart seems too fascinated with the man's gun to actually listen to anything he says.
-
Jorn snorts. "I doubt they could do anything to me." Jorn jerks his head in the direction of Yxchuithiatkxcli. "The fate of mankind hangs in the balance. Other beings have been called here. Not all of them friendly. I have no quarrel with you. Believe it or not, I'm on your side. Of course I will leave if you insist." Mentally tell the demons to stay calm.
-
Me
locate one soldier, and KO him hand-to-hand.
Other-me
"In Australia-land, she is certainly talked about in the news."
-
To tell the truth, I am rather surprised that any of those loyal to Her still remain, for I received word that there were numerous troubles afflicting this shrine.
Sit down with your legs crossed and lay your blade across your lap.
If you would be so kind as to offer me the whole story?
-
(D'oh. I forgot. Anyway, the primary mana colors the character uses is blue, white, and red. Blue [mind and intelligence] enhances mental capability, white [law and order] enhances discipline, and red [emotion and freedom] enhances emotion.)
(http://www.wizardscupboard.com/images/cards/SOM/memnite.jpg)
Actions
>Intimidate the soldiers into lowering their weapons and surrendering by saying that I brought the memnites you are referring to into this place, I know where they come from, I can bring more, and I can bring worse. Surrender or I'll let them kill you.
>If they do not surrender, have them become knocked-out/knock them out.
>Clear the room of gas.
-
Taom
After many hours of standing apathetically outside of the hotel, Taom was eventually approached by the owner of the building; a remarkably warmhearted man by the name of Mr. Ferguson. Explaining himself to be a poor and somewhat lost traveler who'd lately been a bit down on his luck, Taom easily evoked the pity of the hotel owner, who, after chatting a little more, was happy to offer the Chosen One lodging in one of his smaller rooms free of charge for a while, provided he agree to help out with some minor chores around the establishment when needed; a deal the lucky Chosen One was equally happy to accept.
With comfortable living quarters secured, Taom relaxed, and began to contemplate what steps should next be taken...
Jorn Darkmane
Although the boggart continues to stare wide-eyed and unblinking at the man's rifle, both it and Yxchuithiatkxcli sense, and fortunately obey their master's wishes.
"Other beings...? What do you mean by 'other beings'?" The man asks, keeping a steady aim on the Chosen One.
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator takes off in the direction some of the gunfire is coming from, and soon comes face-to-face with one of the Black Maple soldiers. He yanks away the soldier's assault rifle and throws it to the floor, before delivering a punch that knocks his opponent off balance, yet sadly not out of consciousness.
Before he can attack again, the Chosen One is suddenly overtaken by the unexpected force of another soldier tackling him to the ground. As The Moderator struggles to get back up, he hears the unwelcome sound of even more soldiers rushing to the aid of their ally. Apparently they lack the common decency to stay out of a fight that was clearly only meant to be between him and one of their squad members.
Other-Moderator
"So it's a female...are they over 40 years old?"
Sir Havel the Unyielding
After a few moments of quiet thinking, the shrinekeeper turns to face the Chosen One. "In truth, I'd prefer that all memory of the ordeals that took place within this sacred space die silently down here with me...but I suppose that no matter how much we dread it, even the darkest parts of our pasts must someday be brought to light..." he responds in a sullen tone.
"If you really wish to know, then yes. I will recount the events leading up to this once wondrous shrine's fall from grace. But before that, you must first give me your word that when I am finished telling you our story, you will assist me by carrying out a very important favor before choosing to take your leave."
Zanzetkuken the Great
Though they do a good job of hiding it, the Chosen One's words incite a strong sense of fear within the surrounding Black Maple soldiers. They reluctantly lower their firearms, and Zanzetkuken quickly focuses on coming up with a way to get rid of all the tear gas permeating the room; preferably before his breathing and sight are affected too much by it. Irritatingly, he isn't allowed much time to think before another group of enemies decide to confront him and his otherworldly minions...
The Chosen One watches his Memnites collapse upon being critically damaged by a barrage of high-powered laser bolts fired from halfway across the room. The culprits soon emerge from the veil of tear gas with their aim centered directly on the Planeswalker.
Equipped with full-body suits of power armor, and weaponry far more advanced than that of the other soldiers, it doesn't take long for Zanzetkuken to deduce that his new opponents are elite members of the facility's forces.
-
"Some of them look human. One is blob of goo and the other is a Knight of stone. All of us have been sent to this place and have had our abilities enhanced by a being you would call a god."
Explain the concept of the trial. Empathize the "Extermination" part
-
"Damn you Canadians!"
throw off the guy on top of me, pick up the assault rifle I disarmed from the other guy, and spray at the incoming soldiers
Other-me
"Yes."
-
Grab a newspaper and take out a loan of 100$ from someplace- probably one of those more shady loan-establishments; it's okay if the interest rate is high, I don't intend to pay it back.
Meditate and consolidate my power; as well as visiting the ethereal landscape.
-
>Planeswalk right behind them the very instant they fire.
>If they ask where I went respond, "Simple, right behind you."
>Proceed to knock them out.
-
Bow in place.
You have my word Grand Master, though I assure you I will not rest until this shrine has been returned to its former glory.
-
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn gives the man a basic explanation of the of trial he and the other Chosen Ones are partaking in; making especially clear that at this very moment, several of the participants are likely working tirelessly to bring an end to the entire human race. Disappointingly, this somehow doesn't seem to make the man any more hospitable toward the warlock.
"...Then I suggest you go and tell all of these other 'chosen' beings that they're not welcome around here, either. Now stop wasting my time and get moving."
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator shoves the soldier trying to hold him down aside, and hurriedly goes for the assault rifle laying nearby. Once the weapon is in hand, he stands up and empties the magazine on the approaching opposition.
Those soldiers that aren't killed or seriously injured scatter for cover, while the less fortunate of them lie bleeding on the floor a few meters in front of the Chosen One. It's quite an empowering feeling to single-handedly stave off an entire military squad on their own turf.(+Badassery)
Understandably upset after watching his comrades get mercilessly gunned down by a seemingly invincible opponent, the soldier responsible for tackling the Chosen One only seconds ago rises to his feet, and attempts to wrest away the assault rifle.
Other-Moderator
One of the soldiers smirks. "Alright, I think I got this one. But just to be sure...is she a prominent political figure?"
Taom
After grabbing a newspaper from the hotel lobby, the Chosen One heads out into town in search of a person or place willing to 'lend' him 100$. Shouldn't take too long, assuming he doesn't suffer from the same navigational problems he did when he first arrived in the settlement...
Zanzetkuken the Great
Ignoring all orders to drop his weapons and surrender, Zanzetkuken stands idly before his new adversaries; calmly waiting for the moment they decide to open fire. As soon as that moment arrives, the Chosen One makes use of his planeswalking abilities and suddenly appears behind the elite soldiers, causing them hold their fire and glance around. "Where is he...?"
The Planeswalker delivers a snappy one-liner in response the the soldier's inquiry, before continuing with his plan to beat them all into unconsciousness:
Zanzetkuken slightly underestimates the strength of his opponents at first, which results in a rather ineffective initial attack. With a second swifter and more focused strike to the head, he manages to stun the targeted soldier for a few seconds. Yet before the Chosen One can take advantage of the stunned soldier's vulnerability, he is grabbed by another member of the squad and slammed onto the ground with incredible force. It would seem that, true to its name, power armor does indeed make the wearer more powerful.
One of the other elite soldiers takes aim at the Chosen One with his laser rifle and fires at near-pointblank range. Of course, the shot fails to penetrate the darksteel armor, and instead ricochets off at the just the right angle to hit the soldier in his own leg.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The shrinekeeper sighs. "Our troubles began more than a quarter of a century ago, when a young, disgruntled monk defected from the shrine and fled to a far off settlement...
Like several other of Her followers at the time, he had begun to doubt his faith. With Lunus' influence in the world waning more and more with each passing year, he felt that he was wasting his life by staying here, and one day, simply packed what he could and left without saying a word to anyone. Aware of the dangers that the surrounding land holds, we sent out others to search for him, but with no luck.
A couple of months after his departure it became apparent that, for reasons I doubt I'll ever know for certain, he had revealed this shrine's location to groups that cared little for our ways and teachings, and were instead only interested the sacred objects kept hidden here. We were soon being regularly accosted by thugs who demanded that we hand over our possessions and leave our haven. Each time we refused, and each time they came back more aggressive than the last.
Over time, fighting began to occur, and our skirmishes with these groups eventually escalated to the point that lives were being lost. Yet while they were always able to replenish their forces and come back even stronger than before, our numbers quickly dwindled down to near nothing...faced with total eradication, we brought all of our most precious artifacts down to this chamber, and over the course of the following days, hid passively while everything else in the shrine was taken from us.
Once they could find nothing left to steal, they stopped coming back, and it was at last safe for us to emerge from hiding. Sadly, however, the irreparable damage to our morale had already been done; after experiencing such hardships, my remaining brothers and sisters were no longer willing to serve a deity that they now felt had forsaken them. They decided that they too would defect, and set out to try and make a better life for themselves elsewhere; I even overheard planning to take a few of the saved artifacts with them to sell off once they relocated...
I had already witnessed firsthand the consequences of us abandoning our responsibilities in this world...I wasn't prepared to let this shrine be desecrated any more, and lose what little we had left. So...when the time finally arrived that they told me they were leaving...I stopped them."
-
>Telekinetic throw-off, preferably strong enough to knock out the guards
-
Jorn nods slightly. "Very well".
"If his trigger finger so much as twitches you burn him to a crisp Yxchu."
Walk away in the direction you came.
-
"Back for more? Have THIS!"
Headbutt, followed by hitting him with the butt of his rifle. The take a grenade, and throw it behind Omega Squad.
Other me
"Yes"
-
Take the monk's hands in mine and ask him to pray with me. Once that is done, ask Lunus to restore the shrine as best she can to its former glory.
After the miracle is done..
What artefacts remain here my friend? Is there anything left to protect?
Once he has responded, contact the other shrine and inform them of all that has transpired, including the status of the temple you are currently within.
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
Relying again on his telekinetic abilities, Zanzetkuken attempts to repel the elite soldiers away with enough force to knock them unconscious. However, with the power armor they're wearing being of considerable weight, the Chosen One soon finds that he is only able to push them back a short distance before he starts to suffer a minor headache resulting from mental strain.
Jorn Darkmane
((Wasn't sure if 'the direction you came' meant 'travel back to Gadsden' or 'return to the ritual site', so I just went with the latter in case there's anything you want Jorn to take with him before departing.))
Jorn turns around and walks back toward the area of Yxchuithiatkxcli's summoning, while his demons stay and watch the man closely for any suspicious movement...
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator headbutts the soldier as he pulls at the assault rifle, yet due to his vengeful rage and the protection provided by his gas mask, he is unaffected by the blow for the most part. Nevertheless, after several minutes of struggling with his opponent, the Chosen One finally manages to break the soldier's grip on the weapon.
The Moderator attempts to whack the soldier with the butt of his assault rifle, but the soldier quickly steps back and just barely avoids the attack.
"So, you wanna play rough do you?" The soldier asks, before pulling out a combat knife. "Alright then, let's play."
Other-Moderator
"Too easy; Queen Elizabeth II!"
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Although the shrinekeeper kindly agrees to join Sir Havel in prayer, he expresses his doubt that it will be of any use at this point. According to him, it's the main thing he's been doing to keep busy throughout the last couple decades, and aside from helping to prevent the total loss of his sanity, it has done little to improve the situation.
After finishing their short prayer, Sir Havel requests of Lunus that she offer whatever help she can in restoring the aged and weathered shrine to a more acceptable condition. Before long, the wild plantlife overgrowing the shrine slowly starts to recede back into the earth. The Chosen One can sense that his goddess is still rather upset about the depraved events that came to pass in a place dedicated to her worship, but trusts that he will be able to rectify the misdeeds that have been done unto her followers.
After taking a glance around the chamber, the shrinekeeper responds to the Chosen One's questions. "An ancient ritual dagger believed to have been crafted by one of this world's first followers of Lunus, a small collection of sacred scriptures, a blessed moonstone pendant, and an iron lantern containing the rare and holy Lunar Flame."
The knight of stone decides that it would be best to report everything he has learned to the monks at the archival shrine he visited earlier. Though without any apparent means of getting in touch with them at this moment, such a decision could be difficult to act upon...
Hisir Namedene
Hisir finishes scouring the entire basement, yet all he ends up discovering is an old washer & dryer, a few pieces of cloth-covered furniture, and several boxes full of books, movies, and useless knickknacks. It's probably a safe bet to assume that this home's inhabitants aren't associated with ShadowBeings in any way.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:50 remain.
-
Try to get out of there, with the prisoners.
-
Draw adamantine blade
Slice one of the armors, avoiding skin contact
-
"Bloody Canadians can't play fair, can you?"
Sidestep his attack, and disarm him of his knife.
Other-me
He smiles.
"No. Julia Gillard. Our current PM"
-
Do you know where I can find those that desecrated this holy place?
See if the monk can tell me about anything I can do to avenge the misdeeds done to the shrine, and if he knows where the stolen relics might have been whisked away to. Ask if there is anything else he needs to be done.
-
Take the books the cellphone and the two wallets. Head back to Gadsden.
(Somehow I doubt my poor boggart can carry the bag all the way.
Don't ask me how any of this stuff is useful in a demon summoning ritual though...)
-
Hisir Namedene
Hisir quietly exits the basement and does a quick sweep of the household in order to locate Shade and the fugitives. Once all of his companions are rounded up, the group sneaks unnoticed out the front door. Now if only all plans could go that smoothly...
Zanzetkuken the Great
Zanzetkuken skillfully manages to get in a couple precise slashes to an elite soldier's power armor without leaving himself too open to retaliation. And although most of the damage done to the armor ends up being largely superficial, it still serves to make a very important point to all nearby Black Maple forces; that the Chosen One's blade is capable of slicing through their advanced gear as if it were constructed of wet cardboard.
While this newly revealed fact causes the elite soldiers to be more wary of the Chosen One and thus keep their distance, it also causes them to call upon the help of a few other squads in the area. In a matter of seconds, the Planeswalker is completely surrounded.
The Moderator(s)
"What was that? It's hard to hear you through all that thick, bulletproof armor you're wearing." The soldier scoffs. Apparently having had enough chitchat, he then prepares to attack...
The soldier lunges ferociously at The Moderator, yet ends up missing completely when the Chosen One avoids the lunge with a simple sidestep. The soldier is thrown off balance by all of the force put behind his failed attack, and crashes to the ground. Though not before grabbing onto the Chosen One mid-fall and pulling him down as well.
The two spend the next couple minutes wrestling with each other on the floor. And while, luckily, the soldier loses hold of his knife in the scuffle, he eventually gains the upper hand, and yet again finds himself on top of The Moderator.
"Heh...guess I'll just have to kill you with my bare hands." The soldier murmurs, as he struggles to keep the Chosen One down long enough to remove his darksteel helmet.
Other-Moderator
"Damn it! It seems so obvious now!" The soldier exclaims, as his comrades express their disappointment through facepalms and long-winded sighs.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"I recall them setting up an encampment not far from here shortly after they had discovered our location, though I wouldn't expect it to still be inhabited after all this time. Not after they were unable find anything else to take from the shrine, at least.
Unfortunately, we never did figure out where it was they originally came from. Not that it matters all that much anymore...
I'm afraid that at this point, it's more than likely that everything they stole was sold off to private collectors and the like long ago, undoubtedly for only a small fraction of the sacred objects' true worth; I can't think of any reason why they would have gone through all the trouble of taking the items in the first place if not to make money from them."
With a defeated look in his eyes, the shrinekeeper continues. "I believe there is still much you can do in this world to help lift the followers of Lunus from these dark times, but none of it involves the recommissioning of this shrine. We abandoned the lunar goddess, and allowed Her holy temple to be defiled by greedy fools...I am all that remains of our shattered order, and fear that even my actions are beyond redemption. That is why I must ask you, noble warrior, to deliver the precious few artifacts still here to the archival shrine in Sri Lanka, and request of Lunus that She collapse this sacred structure, so that it may be returned to the Earth from which it came, and cleansed of its troubled history."
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn places the desired items back into the laundry bag, and peacefully sets out on the roughly one-and-a-half hour walk back to Gadsden...
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:45 remain.
-
HNNNG 1:45 LEFT TO GO
Nice job with the Canadians, though I think you'll have to kill a few to get out.
-
HNNNG 1:45 LEFT TO GO
I think TorZon will have absorbed enough matter by the time it's finished to make the wait worthwhile.
-
HNNNG 1:45 LEFT TO GO
I think TorZon will have absorbed enough matter by the time it's finished to make the wait worthwhile.
...I am pleased. Then again there WAS at least 10 corpses in there, so...
-
Very well.. But….what will you do?
-
>Have mana begin to swirl around the blade, visibly.
"Don't make me have to kill any of you to get my point across."
>With a glance, throw the moderator's attacker off of him using telepathy.
"I really don't want to have to. Especially since I am trying to unify humanity."
-
HNNNG 1:45 LEFT TO GO
I think TorZon will have absorbed enough matter by the time it's finished to make the wait worthwhile.
...I am pleased. Then again there WAS at least 10 corpses in there, so...
Exactly 10 corpses, as a matter of fact. Was that a really good guess, or did I already mention that somewhere and simply forget?
-
HNNNG 1:45 LEFT TO GO
I think TorZon will have absorbed enough matter by the time it's finished to make the wait worthwhile.
...I am pleased. Then again there WAS at least 10 corpses in there, so...
Exactly 10 corpses, as a matter of fact. Was that a really good guess, or did I already mention that somewhere and simply forget?
I guessed and extrapolated by my estimation of the size of the room.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"I plan to remain down here, and allow my life to be removed from these lands along with Her shrine. I am certain that the artifacts shall be safe once taken to the archival shrine; they will no longer be in need of my safeguarding, and I will no longer have any reason or obligation to continue on with my existence in this world..."
Zanzetkuken the Great
Faint wisps of mana begin to circle around the blade of Zanzetkuken's adamantine short sword as he addresses the Black Maple forces.
Briefly, the Chosen One looks past the many soldiers surrounding him, and spots The Moderator being aggressively held down by one of their opponents. Not prepared to let all of the effort put into his rescue attempt be in vain, he tries to throw off The Moderator's assailant using the power of telepathy. Unfortunately, the wrathful soldier doesn't appear to be very responsive to any telepathic message the Chosen One tries to send.
A tense silence is shared between the Planeswalker and the surrounding soldiers once he finishes speaking; it doesn't appear that they intend to back down, yet they seem very hesitant to actually attack.
-
>Wait for one of them to make a move.
-
(Wish someone had PM'd me sooner, I didn't know I was holding up the game! D: Thanks Xantolos! :C )
Gather the artefacts and do as the priest asks.
-
(Wish someone had PM'd me sooner, I didn't know I was holding up the game! D: Thanks Xantolos! :C )
Gather the artefacts and do as the priest asks.
Xantalos, Xantalos, friendly neighborhood Eldritch being!
-
Try to locate a Ythilien base, a sanctuary of something by trying to sense any shadow activity
-
The Moderator scoffs
"Bitch please."
Knee this annoyance in the groin.
Other-me
"I should really phase us at Black Arrow. This is really boring, and I should really get to fixing the damn AC/10
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
Keeping his guard up, the Chosen One decides to wait patiently for his opponents to initiate the fight. Though after the standstill continues to go unbroken for another minute or two, it becomes apparent that the Black Maple forces have a similar plan in mind.
"You know, if you surrender now, it might still be worth taking you as a prisoner instead of just killing you right here." One of the elite soldiers states.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
"Please take extra care when transporting the lantern; the Lunar Flame within will not last long if exposed to the light of day." The shrinekeeper informs Sir Havel, as he collects the remaining artifacts from off the chamber floor. Once all of the sacred items are in hand, the Chosen One nods solemnly to the shrinekeeper, and begins to make his way back through the narrow tunnel...
Hisir Namedene
Hisir focuses to the best of his ability, but is unable to pick up on any unusual shadow-related happenings going on in the area. If there are any fellow beings of darkness residing in this world, it doesn't seem that they're likely to be found in this town.
Growing increasingly worried about the possibility of being caught and sent back to prison, one of the fugitives lightly taps on the Chosen One's shoulder. "I don't mean to rush you, sir knight or whatever you are, but shouldn't we get moving? The police are probably already out looking for us, and I doubt we'll be all that hard to spot standing out in the open like this..."
The Moderator(s)
Hoping to incapacitate his adversary with a good ol' fashioned blow below the belt, The Moderator jerks his knee upward into the soldier's crotch. The attack causes the soldier to flinch instinctively, yet surprisingly, doesn't actually appear to do him any real harm. The Moderator quickly realizes that his opponent's nether regions must be guarded some sort of protective padding.
The soldier breathes a short sigh of relief, before aggressively pulling off the Chosen One's darksteel helm and tossing it aside. "You didn't really think this uniform wouldn't include any protection against a simple strike to the balls, did you?"
The irritatingly competent soldier cocks his arm back, presumably in preparation for driving his fist through the Chosen One's face. "I wonder how many punches it will take to turn your head to mush..."
Other-Moderator
"Sorry, but orders are orders. It's going to be at least another several hours before we reach PNG, so you might as well-" The soldier abruptly stops when he and a few of his comrades are called up to the front of the helicopter by the pilot. "Wait here, I'll be right back..."
-
Rest in peace friend.
Collapse the shrine. Continue on my merry way.
-
"You're right, i was just thinking a bit, let's get moving."
Go to a forest or anywhere near that is sparsely populated or not.
-
"There is no area that can hold me. I came into this very room without going through the rest of the base. However, I might agree to stay here for variable times determined by me, if you stop keeping the moderator prisoner, along with having your soldier stop strangling him."
-
You have to try it... There is no choice
I can't do it... Not even if some irritatingly competent henchmen
What he was thinking, was an idea absolutely crazy by any standard.
He was going to try and FUS RO DAH his opponent
I saw the Dragonborn do it, and that means, so can I... I hope
Other-me
"This can only be good news..."
-
Hisir Namedene
Doing their best to avoid being seen in broad daylight by any residents of the area, Hisir & company set out through the town in search of a secluded place to take refuge from prying eyes...
Zanzetkuken the Great
The elite soldier looks over and observes The Moderator and his opponent for a second. "Don't worry, he's being dealt with by a trained professional.
I'll admit you may have been able to make your way in here with impressively little effort, but if you do not start complying with our orders, there's no way you're going to make it out. Not with the both of you alive. Think about this rationally for a moment:
Do you have any idea how deep in the facility you are? How powerful this organization is? Even if one of you do miraculously manage to escape, there's not a single place on the planet that will allow you to hide from us for very long. You'd be labeled an enemy of the Canadian government, and following that, it would only be a matter of time before you were hunted down and eliminated. Your best option is simply to put down your weapons and start cooperating now, before the trouble you cause ends up nullifying whatever potential usefulness you have."
Just then, a booming shout (followed shortly by a loud crash) echoes throughout the room. The elite soldier immediately looks back toward The Moderator, and upon seeing that his comrade no longer has him under control, orders one of the surrounding squads to go and assist in subduing him.
The Moderator(s)
Sadly, before The Moderator can try anything, the soldier's fist strikes him square in the jaw. Much to the frustration of the soldier, however, the Chosen One appears remarkably unfazed by the blow. Looks like he underestimated The Moderator's ability to take a punch.
As his ever-determined foe prepares to strike him again, The Moderator conveniently recalls a certain potent technique he had briefly studied during one of his adventures to the far off world of Nirn, and feels positive that it would be the perfect solution to a problematic situation like his. His chances of actually being able to preform the technique may be pitifully slim, but he can't afford to spend time worrying about that now. Finding a way to escape his current predicament is the top priority. And with great luck, this way just might be crazy enough to work...
The Moderator takes a deep breath, stares his opponent straight in the eyes, and shouts three ancient words of power at the top of his lungs. The resulting burst of pure, unrelenting force causes the soldier to fly several feet into the air, before crashing down onto one of the sturdy metal tables situated nearby...holy shit, it actually worked! As is to be expected, without any prior practice, the attack wasn't quite as well executed as it could have been, and the sudden release of so much power has left the Chosen One feeling mildly disoriented. Of course, that hardly makes it any less of a badass accomplishment. (+Badassery)
"Argh...fuck..." The soldier grunts as he struggles to sit up.
Other-Moderator
As the soldiers' conversation with the pilot comes to an end, it becomes uncomfortably clear that they aren't too happy about whatever it is they've been told. A mere seconds go by, and before The Moderator is even sure of what has happened, there is an agitated soldier standing in front of him and a gun pointed at his head.
"I've just been informed that they're experiencing a bit of trouble back at base; apparently some mysterious figure wearing a suit of impenetrable armor and armed with a hyper-advanced blade of some sort bypassed all of the facility's early detection and defense systems by teleporting directly into one of Maple's high-security development departments, and is at this moment making an aggressive attempt to liberate your twin from our custody. If you can provide any insight at all into what the hell is going on over there, now would be a pretty damn good time to share it."
-
"For getting out of the base, I can cast a bolt of raw energy upwards creating a direct line to the surface, cost 1 mana. I can also summon two artifacts that when destroyed, give their users flight, cost 1 mana each. Total 3 mana, all of which I have. You must also realize the fact that I can travel between universes naturally, which is how I got in here. Due to that, my presence must have been noticed within the multiverse, and an entity known as Nicol Bolas might be on his way, if he is not already here. Bolas has the power to eliminate entire armies with the spells he has, and only I know the way to prevent him from entering, or remove him if he is already here. What do you say to that?"
-
The Moderator stood up, completely stunned by the events that just unfolded.
He had just Dragon-shouted an opponent. As a human. And it worked.
"Stay down. You probably broke something. For your good, just rest."
He hears the whirring and noises of a squad approaching. At least one has Power Armour.
Try to look as non-agressive as possible.
Other-me
Well, shit. Guess me from the future has been in some interesting places to make friends with a Planeswalker...
"This is interesting... I have no knowledge of Planeswalkers being on Earth, so he must be linked to my future beings presence... I have no knowledge of what is happening, but him being here is definitely linked to other-me, which means there is an event he has experienced that I haven't. So either this Planeswalker is a friend of older-me, or they are on some kind of mission for another deity, leader, or organisation. Your quarrel is not with me, as we both have to live here. Besides, Canada is cool."
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"Escape via flight? I'd love to see how that works out for you, considering the anti-air capabilities we have at our disposal were designed to be used against airborne objects much faster and tougher than yourself.
As for this 'Nicol Bolas' character, he may have been able to defeat the armies of wherever it is you come from, which would be no surprise if their tactics were anywhere near as haphazard as your own, but I'm more than a little confident that a modern military institution like the Canadian Armed Forces has the skill and resources necessary to take on a mysterious lone wizard and his magic spells. To be honest though, I'd say it's far more likely that you're just making all of this up in an ultimately pointless attempt to buy yourself some time and come off as more powerful than you truly are."
The Moderator(s)
As a fresh new batch of adversaries draw near, The Moderator does all he can to keep himself from being perceived as an immediate threat. When confronted by the squad, his efforts appear pay off. At least to the point that they decide not to open fire on sight.
Advancing with caution, the majority of the squad moves in to apprehend the Chosen One, while a couple of its members are sent over to check the condition his previous opponent.
Other-Moderator
"...Planeswalker?" The soldier asks with a perplexed look on his face.
-
"Considering darksteel, which this armor is made of, cannot be destroyed, formed, warped, melted, or any other means, I'll be fine. Nothing is tougher than that.
Anyway, the only reason this base isn't a crater right now, is due to the fact that I want to kill none, if possible. Bolas would've just utilized what is refered to as the 'infinite mana' spell that would've allowed him to send down a fireball the size of...maybe Canada?, at this base, to the core. Though, he would probably have tried to erase the entire personel's minds so that he could turn you into 'puppets' to further whatever plans he has made over the past...I think his age was over 25000 years. You don't live that long letting people live."
-
The Moderator(s)
As a fresh new batch of adversaries draw near, The Moderator does all he can to keep himself from being perceived as an immediate threat. When confronted by the squad, his efforts appear pay off. At least to the point that they decide not to open fire on sight.
Advancing with caution, the majority of the squad moves in to apprehend the Chosen One, while a couple of its members are sent over to check the condition his previous opponent.
Other-Moderator
"...Planeswalker?" The soldier asks with a perplexed look on his face.
The Moderator, even though his hands were up, he was grinning like a maniac.
Not because he was going to lose his mind, but because he had done it..
He had just freaking Dragon-shouted.
"After I really escape, I So Gotta go to Nirn. Think of all the coo, shit I could Learn!"
Other-Moderator
"Moderators use technology mostly to move between dimensions, or 'Planes'. We try and restore order, all that Lawful Good deal. They are more Neutral. They just roam as they please. Mods and Walkers almost never meet, but one would be a very powerful ally. They could summon creatures, teleport, have bloody good armor, all that jazz. If he is friends with future-me, there is no chance you could hold one for a long period of time. 1st gen power armor and lasers ain't got shit on Darksteel. I suggest you just let them go. Less pointless loss of life. And no, I'm not saying that because. I saw a base with Level VI Tech... I never knew people could be turned into such interesting shapes. I found out a Planeswalker was behind the assault. One survivor, terrified. Too much trouble. Planeswalkers were always damned bad news"
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"So you're perfectly willing to risk bringing the wrath of an evil, inconceivably powerful 25000 year old wizard upon the Earth for the sake of launching a surprise attack on an organization that had caused you no previous trouble whatsoever...yet expect me to believe that the only reason you've avoided killing anyone thus far is because you're simply too virtuous and merciful to commit an unnecessary act of murder? Forgive my skepticism, but I don't see why we should consider trusting even a single word you say."
The Moderator(s)
Now beginning to understand the true extent of the power gifted to him by the spectral figure, the awestruck Chosen One's mind starts to race as he excitedly contemplates the myriad possibilities that are open him...that is, until his train of thought is suddenly disrupted when the muzzle of an assault rifle gets pressed against his head, and he is ordered to get on the ground.
Other-Moderator
After a few seconds of silently staring at the Moderator, the soldier sighs and slowly lowers his weapon, before heading back to speak with the pilot once again...
-
"Well, considering that I quasi-recently died when I was trying to kill an alternate version of myself that was bent upon conquering the multiverse, only to be revived by an incorporeal diety that wanted me to go through a 'contest' along with the moderator here, along with a few other people, some of whom are trying to exterminate all life on the planet, by the way, in order to become a 'god' to join a pantheon of his that is going to be used to win a competition to retroactively save the original universe that contained the Earth. Yes I just said original. He recreated the earth in order to serve as an arena to compete in, that is why I am making that risk. Confusing enough for you?"
-
[
The Moderator(s)
Now beginning to understand the true extent of the power gifted to him by the spectral figure, the awestruck Chosen One's mind starts to race as he excitedly contemplates the myriad possibilities that are open him...that is, until his train of thought is suddenly disrupted when the muzzle of an assault rifle gets pressed against his head, and he is ordered to get on the ground.
Other-Moderator
After a few seconds of silently staring at the Moderator, the soldier sighs and slowly lowers his weapon, before heading back to speak with the pilot once again...
Follow said order
I will really have to analyse that stuff that this DZA god gave me...
Other-me
"So... Anyone got any good stories?"
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"...I suspected you were suffering from some level of mental instability almost as soon as this conversation began, but I didn't realize it would be this severe...you're clearly more than just a little unstable; you're completely delusional."
Before either Zanzetkuken or the elite soldier get a chance to say anything else, a clear and composed voice speaks out through the numerous loudspeakers built into the walls & ceiling of the room, directly addressing the Chosen One...
"Greetings, Planewalker. Very sorry to interrupt the informative little debate you were having with one of our facility's esteemed defenders, but after paying careful attention to this whole situation as it has unfolded, we have come to the conclusion that all of this pointless conflict has been allowed to drag on for far too long.
You see, while your unexpected visit has no doubt been an intriguing occurrence, the tremendous importance and costliness of the many projects we have underway here means that we simply cannot afford to let the work of our specialists to fall behind schedule. Needless to say, your presence is proving to be an increasingly serious distraction from such work. It is for this reason that we now feel a different approach is in order, and are thus prepared to make you a deal; one that we are confident will ultimately be in the best interest of all parties involved:
On the conditions that you agree to never disclose any information you might have acquired regarding this facility or its staff, refrain from causing any more trouble within Canadian borders, and peacefully comply with some minor security procedures before taking your leave, we at Black Maple are willing to completely forget about all of the inconvenience you've caused during your time here, and leave you to pursue whatever endeavors you may have outside of the country free from harassment by our organization or its supporting government. We can assure you that 'The Moderator' will remain perfectly safe while in our custody, and that any and all 'rescue' attempts are both inevitably futile and entirely unnecessary.
Before you answer, please keep in mind that if, for whatever reason, you decide to refuse this very forgiving attempt at diplomacy, you will be leaving us with no other choice but to resort to more drastic means of handling the situation."
The Moderator(s)
Obeying the squad's orders without question, The Moderator slowly lays down on the floor. In that same moment, someone can be heard calmly speaking to his fellow Chosen One through the facility's PA system. Black Maple's supervisors must be running low on options, as from the sounds of it, they're currently attempting to get rid of the Planeswalker by means of bargaining with him...
Other-Moderator
"Well, there was that one time when the genetics department accidentally turned an entire group of volunteer test subjects into feral, subhuman mutants. I'm pretty sure that information is classified, though..."
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"...I suspected you were suffering from some level of mental instability almost as soon as this conversation began, but I didn't realize it would be this severe...you're clearly more than just a little unstable; you're completely delusional."
Before either Zanzetkuken or the elite soldier get a chance to say anything else, a clear and composed voice speaks out through the numerous loudspeakers built into the walls & ceiling of the room, directly addressing the Chosen One...
"Greetings, Planewalker. Very sorry to interrupt the informative little debate you were having with one of our facility's esteemed defenders, but after paying careful attention to this whole situation as it has unfolded, we have come to the conclusion that all of this pointless conflict has been allowed to drag on for far too long.
You see, while your unexpected visit has no doubt been an intriguing occurrence, the tremendous importance and costliness of the many projects we have underway here means that we simply cannot afford to let work of our specialists to fall behind schedule. Needless to say, your presence is proving to be an increasingly serious distraction from such work. It is for this reason that we now feel a different approach is in order, and are thus prepared to make you a deal; one that we are confident will ultimately be in the best interest of all parties involved:
On the conditions that you agree to never disclose any information you might have acquired regarding this facility or its staff, refrain from causing any more trouble within Canadian borders, and peacefully comply with some minor security procedures before taking your leave, we at Black Maple are willing to completely forget about all of the inconvenience you've caused during your time here, and leave you to pursue whatever endeavors you may have outside of the country free from harassment by our organization or its supporting government. We can assure you that 'The Moderator' will remain perfectly safe while in our custody, and that any and all 'rescue' attempts are both inevitably futile and entirely unnecessary.
Before you answer, please keep in mind that if, for whatever reason, you decide to refuse this very forgiving attempt at diplomacy, you will be leaving us with no other choice but to resort to more drastic means of handling the situation."
The Moderator(s)
Obeying the squad's orders without question, The Moderator slowly lays down on the floor. In that same moment, someone can be heard calmly speaking to his fellow Chosen One through the facility's PA system. Black Maple's supervisors must be running low on options, as from the sounds of it, they're currently attempting to get rid of the Planeswalker by means of bargaining with him...
Other-Moderator
"Well, there was that one time when the genetics department accidentally turned an entire group of volunteer test subjects into feral, subhuman mutants. I'm pretty sure that information is classified, though..."
"I don't think you could bargain with him. He is technically a demi-god. Just my two cents guys."
There is no way in hell he is gonna say yes to that. Planeswalkers aren't the type to give in like this.
Other-me
"You guys found the Beta-Three strain of Mutagen? For fuck's sake 6, I TOLD YOU to keep the damn thing safe... Where did you find the mutagen?"
-
Edit: Putting player ap in the OOC thread
-
Adressing whoever was on the system, Zanzetkuken said, "while your offer is good, it does everything but what I came here to do. I don't leave without I came to an area for, and if that is your best offer, them it looks like I may need to try something a little...drastic." Glancing towards the soldier he was speaking with previously, Zanzetkuken said to him (with a grin), "I am not delusional. I am what would be considered half insane."
-
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator's remark earns him a small jab to the back of the head with one of the soldier's assault rifles. "Quiet, you."
Other-Moderator
"Hell if I know. I don't work in the genetics department, so I was hardly involved in the project. What I do know is that, once they had everything back under control, some pretty extensive measures were taken to ensure that it was safely locked away in a section of Black Maple completely inaccessible to anyone lacking explicit authorization. All for the best, I suppose."
Zanzetkuken the Great
"We understand that you desire the release of your friend. However, you must also understand that his company is still of great value to us, and that relieving him from our custody at this time presents too much risks for us to consider it as an option." The voice replies.
"If you promise to behave yourself, we may be able to allow the occasional scheduled visit. But beyond that, there is nothing more we can offer."
-
Zanzetkuken thought for a second. "So that's your final offer? Okay then..." Zanzetkuken's eyes took on a darker tone, before he proceeded to planeswalk behind every soldier, decapitating them. "Offer denied."
-
"I'm offering damn advice that you don't lose soldiers. Besides, my other half is still giving you stuff..."
other-me
"That was from a UFO recovered bbt UNIT 731 in China. All I had to read was the journals, and I'd seen enough. Given what I usually do when angry, I entrusted it to a Grade 6 Moderator, in Asia. But since you have it... What happened to 6?"
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
With a shockingly abrupt change of character, Zanzetkuken instantly puts an end to any chances of a peaceful resolution by making a sudden, brutal switch to the offensive.
Again making use of his Planeswalking powers, the Chosen One begins to appear behind every soldier in the room, one by one. Each time making an attempt to swiftly and remorselessly sever their heads from their bodies. With almost no time to react, and little ability to defend themselves from the Darksteel-clad Planeswalker, it is only a matter of minutes before the area is cluttered with corpses and drenched in blood. Unquestionably gruesome, yet undeniably badass. (+Badassery)
The few terrified soldiers that manage to evade death by ducking or jumping out of the way at the just right moment waste no time scrambling for a place to hide. Meanwhile, in response to the ensuing massacre, an alert goes out through the entire facility, calling all available military personnel to action.
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator certainly makes some excellent points. Though, seeing as most of the soldiers that were once keeping an eye on him have now become nothing more than headless cadavers bleeding out all over the floor, it is unlikely to do anyone much good.
Other-Moderator
"Wish I could say. The problem is, even if I were allowed to tell you something like that, I'm not exactly sure what the answer is myself. Could be locked away somewhere in Black Maple, could be dead, it's even possible they could have somehow avoided both and went into hiding. Like I said, I was hardly involved."
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:40 remain.
-
Zanzetkuken looked towards the moderator. "Are you going to stay on the ground or get moving? Honestly, I've had fights with rats that were harder than that!"
-
Zanzetkuken looked towards the moderator. "Are you going to stay on the ground or get moving? Honestly, I've had fights with rats that were harder than that!"
"Chill, we could have totally talked outta this. But no.
Grab plenty of ammo and an Assault Rifle
"Time to kick ass and GTFO!"
Other-me
"I have a story to tell you."
-
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator picks himself up off the ground and hastily loots an assault rifle and eight extra magazines from the nearby corpses; more than enough ammunition to create a whole new batch of corpses, should the need arise.
Other-Moderator
'Great. Let's hear it, then."
-
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator picks himself up off the ground and hastily loots an assault rifle and eight extra magazines from the nearby corpses; more than enough ammunition to create a whole new batch of corpses, should the need arise.
Other-Moderator
'Great. Let's hear it, then."
"Now this is the story all about how
My life got flipped, turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became The Moderator of Earth
In west Australia born and raised
In the city was where I spent most of my days
Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool
And all doing some camping outside of school
When a really big ship, up to no good
Started crashing down in the wood.
I got in one little look and the guy got scared
And said "You're becoming a Moderator before I dies"
I phased to a base and when I appeared
I felt really fresh and others in the rear
If anything I could say that I would probably win
But I thought ya, homes, off to Moderators!
I worked up to Grade about seven or eight
And I yelled to the trainer "Yo, homes smell you later!"
Looked at my base I was finally there
To sit on my chair as the Moderator of West Aus."
"Now I can tell you the time I became Star-Captain in Clan Jade Falcon. If you want to..."
Back to serious buusiness
Advance outside the door cautiously. check both ways.
-
>Run into the hallway, if fired upon by Canadians, repeat previous process.
-
((This is taking a while.....))
-
((This is taking a while.....))
(probably) Won't be much longer now. Think of this as extra time to plot and evaluate your future plans of action.
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
Assault rifle at the ready, The Moderator slowly steps through the doorway and scans the area for danger. The slightly less cautious Zanzetkuken impatiently pushes past him and runs out to the middle of the hall, eager to lop off some more Canadian heads.
Oddly enough, the Chosen Ones find not a single opponent awaiting them outside of the room. Whether or not that's a good sign is up for debate.
Other-Moderator
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air appears out of fucking nowhere and slaps The Moderator for stealing his theme again.
"Um...sure..."
-
"Which way is the quickest way out? I need to know which way not to go."
-
I am in...
Moderator looks up
"This is Workshop 2. to leave to the hangar, take a left to the security station there, which faces the hangar. From there, we can either take the Access lift and go by foot, or steal their only functioning RAVEN interceptor, and do some thrilling heroics."
Other me
A couple of weeks earlier...
Great. They had decided I could be of some potential for a freebirth and given me a challenge.
"If you defeat the Warhawk with your oh-so-precious Elemental, we will make you a Star-Captain."
"You're on."
With that historic challenge, the line was drawn.
The Moderator was prepped within 10 minutes for combat.
as the doors opened, the Warhawk didn't let up. it fired everything, but it had one mistake.
The pilot was a fucking rookie.
Using cover to his advantage, he jumped between buildings, eventually coming up near the massive beast. He jumped up onto the top of it, and that was when it was well and truly screwed.
after a minute, it was over.
"Shit story, I know..."
-
Zanzetkuken thought for a moment.
"Interceptor and heroics is the only way to go!"
-
"Rightio!"
Head Left. Keep eyes and ears open for enemy teams.
-
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
As the duo heads down the hall, they begin to take notice of the unusual lack of any Black Maple staff around, as well as the fact that their surroundings have become almost eerily quiet compared to only minutes ago. It would seem that the recent turn of events have caused this section of the facility to be evacuated.
Just before reaching their destination, the Chosen Ones are reassured that their enemies have not given up just yet when they are cut off by a small squad equipped with an intriguing array of advanced armaments. While such equipment certainly looks impressive (from a current-day standpoint, at least), they really must be getting pretty desperate to resort to using such early prototypes.
Other-Moderator
"It wasn't so bad. The delivery could use some work, but I've definitely been told far less interesting tales."
-
The Moderator ducks into cover
"Gen 1 smartguns. Without tracking. Too easy."
Double tap them. Watch out for flankers. If seen, use full-auto on their asses.
Other-Moderator
"Tell ya what though, it was scary as hell. Like the time I dropped into... My Immortal..."
The Moderator shivers.
-
Planeswalk behind their group and attack.
-
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
With a lightning-quick reaction time, The Moderator takes aim and opens fire. Drawing most of the squad's attention while skillfully taking out a couple of its members, he makes it that much easier for Zanzetkuken to outflank the remaining soldiers with a surprise assault from the rear. What teamwork!
Once all members of the squad are either dead or incapacitated, the two Chosen Ones hurriedly continue through the facility until finally arriving at the hangar containing the one and only RAVEN Interceptor. This is it; the homestretch to becoming two of Canada's most wanted criminals in history freedom!
Other-Moderator
The Moderator's fellow passengers go completely silent, responding to his disturbing comment with nothing more than a mix of horrified and bemused stares.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:35 remain.
-
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
With a lightning-quick reaction time, The Moderator takes aim and opens fire. Drawing most of the squad's attention while skillfully taking out a couple of its members, he makes it that much easier for Zanzetkuken to outflank the remaining soldiers with a surprise assault from the rear. What teamwork!
Once all members of the squad are either dead or incapacitated, the two Chosen Ones hurriedly continue through the facility until finally arriving at the hangar containing the one and only RAVEN Interceptor. This is it; the homestretch to becoming two of Canada's most wanted criminals in history freedom!
Other-Moderator
The Moderator's fellow passengers go completely silent, responding to his disturbing comment with nothing more than a mix of horrified and bemused stares.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:35 remain.
"They'll definitely have troops guarding this. and maybe dogs."
open door while next to it, in cover. Get ready to run if they use grenades.
Other-me
"I shit you not. Good thing I took firebombs..."
-
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator opens the door, takes a careful look around the hangar, and, much to his surprise, is unable to spot any form of opposition stationed in the vicinity. Or anyone at all, for that matter.
The aircraft inside the hangar appear to have been left completely undefended, which should make it pretty easy to go about stealing one. Suspiciously easy...
Other-Moderator
"I'm not sure I want to hear anything more of that particular story..."
-
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator opens the door, takes a careful look around the hangar, and, much to his surprise, is unable to spot any form of opposition stationed in the vicinity. Or anyone at all, for that matter.
The aircraft inside the hangar appear to have been left completely undefended, which should make it pretty easy to go about stealing one. Suspiciously easy...
Other-Moderator
"I'm not sure I want to hear anything more of that particular story..."
"Trap. Yo, Planeswalker, summon up an illusion."
other-me
"What about the time I annihilated an Eclipse cargo ship?"
-
"You are going to need to be a lot more specific than that."
-
"You are going to need to be a lot more specific than that."
"An illusion of us two attempting to board that" Pointing at the RAVEN
-
Taom
Although failing to come across any shady loan sharks on his walk through the settlement, Taom is successful in obtaining a 54£ 'loan' from a gullible young man he ran into near one of the local pubs (who seemed to be just little more than tipsy at the time), after making a convincing yet empty promise to repay him with three times the given amount sometime tomorrow. Not quite the amount nor the type of currency he was hoping for, but it's nevertheless a step up from being dirt poor.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Once a safe distance distance away from the ill-fated shrine, the knight of stone spends several minutes in deep prayer, calling upon the Moon goddess to aid him in fulfilling the shrinekeeper's final wish.
The jungle floor begins to softly tremble, before erupting into a violent quake. Soon, the earth beneath the shrine crumbles and gives way, and within seconds, a great sinkhole swallows the ancient structure in its entirety.
Though the jungle canopy provides ample shade, the Sun still shines brightly in the sky, restricting Lunus' ability to transport Sir Havel back to the archival shrine (blasted timezones!).
Hisir Namedene
In their mission to find a new place to lie low for a while, Hisir & associates luck out when they happen upon a small forested area right on the town's outskirts! If only locating such a haven was this easy the first time around...
In as inconspicuous a manner as one can possibly manage while clad in prison garb or suit of plate armor, the group quickly slips into the cover of the lush trees and foliage.
The Moderator(s)
Other-Moderator
"Much better."
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
15:25 remain.
-
Rest by the side of the road and see if you have a notepad or something similar. Draw some of your blood using what shall now be called the Blood Pen. Write down all know incantations cantrips and summonings. Then continue onward.
(How far have I traveled anyway?)
-
*"Sirith, I need a safehaven, Du you have any on this planet, milord?
"You guys, set up a temporary camp here!"
Ask Sirith if there is any safehaven (like the sanctuary of our stone knight) on the planet, and ask the prisoners to set up a
camp with the little supplies we have.
-
The Moderator(s)
Other-Moderator
"Much better."
"Time to kick ass"
Screw that Asari bitch. She thinks she can walk all over me? That she can do whatever she wants? Bring it.
the Phantom, the big black reverse-swept winged craft the Moderator used as his cool ship, began it's take off from the secret Moderator hideout. It's blue glow on the underside, a byproduct of the XCOM hybrid ion pulse engines, carried it up with the grace and deadliness of a bird of prey. After it cleared the hidden hole, it's main engines prepared to fire. With a single command, it set out.
"Image Enhancement: Engaged. Group Fire: Engaged." The main computer of the craft spoke up. with a single flick, the weapons safeties were off.
It was go time.
"Targeting. Enemy Craft detected. Enemy power-up detected." Looks like they were expecting this. Smart move.
Several gunships and fighters, small compared to the large Phantom, appeared out of landing pads and hidden hangars.
The phantom ducked and weaved in their fire, the parts that hit deflected by the Ferro-Fibrous armor. His return fire was able to bypass their shields, and the lasers tore their fighters apart.
He made a beeline for the cargo freighter, mass accelerator fire pinging off the black craft's armor.
"got you."
The XCOM Fusion Lance fired right at the freighter's midsection, and it had no chance of missing at all. The beam penetrated it, incinerated anything in it's way, and destabilized the volatile substances aboard. As the Lance's projectile shot out the other side before dispersing, the entire craft detonated in an impressive display, the Element Zero adding a cyan tinge to the explosion. All in all, rather impressive. The craft pursuing him managed to get an unguided missile in, and take out a single engine.
"Fuck."
After some maneuvering and mopping up, he returned and phased back to the base. He celebrated by... Repairing the engine. Again. He should Really make that AMS shoot down unguided missiles too... Oh well...
"Most impressive explosion I have seen in a while."
-
Find evil to slay. Jungles are evil right? Ask Lunus to show me where to find some jungle bandits. Sneak up on bandit camp once it has been located.
-
>Create two 0/1 illusions that appear to be the moderator and Zanzetkuken heading towards the interceptor.
-
Aaaand we're back. Still several bits and pieces of the update that I'm not entirely happy with, but I suppose it'll have to do. I've got shit to go take care of, and refined or not, I refuse to let this heap of text go unposted for yet another day!
Jorn Darkmane
On his calm walk back to the settlement of Gadsden, Jorn decides on a whim to take a short break from travel and put the entirety of his extensive knowledge of the dark arts down on paper. Both in order to refresh his memory of precisely what one who is thoroughly trained in such arts is capable of, and to make teaching the many eager apprentices that he may very well one day have at his beck and call that much easier.
After confirming that a notebook is indeed among the items that the boggart had obtained, the warlock finds a comfy spot alongside the road and removes the Blood Pen from his pouch. He pricks himself in the finger, causing a small trickle of blood to flow down his hand, and begins to write down information concerning various spells and minions as they come to mind...
Boggarts - Puny, dim-witted troublemakers. Any ritual that leads to the summoning of these bothersome creatures can usually be considered a failure. Fittingly enough, they most often appear as a result of a ritual having been poorly/improperly executed; crude or carelessly made ritual circles and slurred or misspoken incantations are definitely things to avoid if one wishes to avoid boggarts.
That being said, they do have a knack for getting around unseen. Which, along with the fact that they can be brought forth with nothing more than a rudimentary summoning circle, means that there may be at least a few occasions where intentionally seeking their company could be justifiable.
Note:
Under no circumstances should a proper name ever be bestowed upon a boggart, lest they become twice as unruly, thrice as aggressive, and almost impossible to get rid of.
Imps - Mischievous and clever little entities. Coming in many different varieties with many different abilities, the great availability and versatility of imps has lead to them becoming one of the most common servants among practitioners of magic. At least those practitioners intelligent enough to avoid being outsmarted by them.
To top it off, imps take only slightly more work than a boggart to successfully bring forth; a basic summoning circle and the sacrifice of pretty much any small object or creature will suffice in most cases.
Goblins - Ruthless, sadistic, ill-tempered and greedy. Goblins have long served as the backbone for the forces of many a dark lord and "evil wizard". While lacking in supernatural abilities, they're easy to win over, and even easier to replace. Especially if left to propagate unchecked...
Bringing forth a goblin requires a basic summoning circle and a nonspecific mixture of blood and dirt.
Curse of Vampirism - Dramatically increases the strength, agility, and lifespan of the afflicted individual well beyond their natural limits. If it wasn't for the steady loss of all emotion and personality, insatiable craving for blood, and hypersensitivity to sunlight, garlic, and almost anything considered holy, this curse would almost certainly be regarded as a miracle spell.
In order to bestow the curse of vampirism upon someone, what is required first and foremost is a sample of the individual's blood. Once that can be obtained, the use of it in a short Ritual of Unlife is all it takes to initiate their transformation into a bloodsucking creature of the night.
Take note that the effects of the curse are fairly slow-acting, and that even those who are afflicted with it themselves will likely be completely oblivious of the fact for the first day or so. A smart practitioner will be sure use this to their advantage, as it often means that nobody will discover what is wrong with the person that has been cursed until it is far too late.
Curse of Lycanthropy - Those afflicted with this curse are doomed to undergo a horrifically painful transformation into savage, wolf-like beings that prowl the night in a torment-fueled rage each and every moonlit night for the rest of their lives. They will be especially dangerous during a full moon, when the effects of the curse are notably amplified.
The ritual itself is somewhat primitive and easy to perform, but requires a bodily sample (blood, hair, appendages, ect.) from the victim, and a canine blood sacrifice.
Notes:
Although most commonly known as the "Curse of Lycanthropy", "Curse of Therianthropy" would be more accurate. Considering that, with the appropriate animal sacrifice, a competent practitioner should be able to use the ritual to make their victim transform into any form of were-creature they wish.
Both of the above curses can be passed on via bite or serious injury from an afflicted individual; be wary of anyone who manages to survive an attack by those suffering from either curse.
Hellhounds - Bearers of death and supposed guardians of the underworld. These fearsome entities are inescapably fast and inexplicably potent. Even the most experienced of practitioners tend to avoid their summoning due to the immense danger they present to nearly all things living; acts as simple as touching or even staring into a hellhound's eyes for too long have been known to be instantly lethal to most mortal beings.
Should one choose to bring forth a hellhound in spite of all this, it will require an advanced summoning circle, the sacrifice of a dog or wolf, and no less than 1 tablespoon of demon blood*.
*Very hard to acquire. Relatively few demons actually possess any bodily fluids even remotely similar to blood, and those few that do are seldom willing let it be taken from them.
Succubi/Incubi - Lustful, depraved entities best known for corrupting the minds of the pure and copulating with the weak and vulnerable in order to sap them of their lifeforce. Succubi/Incubi are capable of switching between sexes and altering their outwardly appearance at will. They also possess the ability to assault their victims through their dreams, and thus prefer to prey on people only while they are asleep.
Although masters of furtivity and deception, succubi/incubi are generally incompetent in direct conflicts, and will only ever violently attack those they perceive as substantially weaker than themselves.
Summoning a succubus/incubus requires an advanced summoning circle and a fertile young man or woman to be offered as a living sacrifice.
"Fire Dust" - A very simple and useful magical technique used by more knowledgeable practitioners as a method of both torture and self-defense. All it involves is taking a handful of fresh ashes, and reciting the ancient Incantation of Agony. Once this has been done, any living flesh that comes in contact with said ashes (other than the practitioner's, of course) shall be flooded with a crippling, burning pain that can persist unwavering for several hours on end.
Despite it's name, the suffering caused by exposure to "Fire Dust" is magnitudes worse than what any natural flame could possibly inflict.
"Nightmare Curse" - Individuals suffering from this curse are relentlessly terrorized by sanity-rending visions of their deepest fears and worries, dredged up from darkest depths of their own subconscious mind. The curse only lasts an average of a few days, but that is often more than enough time to render the afflicted traumatized for life. Assuming it does not drive them to suicide.
To inflict this curse, a practitioner need only place their left hand over the head of the desired victim as they sleep, and utter the (largely underutilized) Incantation of Dismay.
On Raising the Dead - Simple in theory, but tricky to properly execute in practice. In essence, it's merely a matter of drawing some of the ambient lifeforce from one's surroundings and imbuing it into a corpse. However, a practitioner must be careful to ensure the amount of lifeforce imbued is just right; too much, and the corpse may gain a sense of autonomy, making it harder to control. Too little, and it's unlikely the corpse will be brought back from death at all. Ideally, a practitioner will imbue enough life into a corpse that it will be capable of functioning normally and understanding orders, while remaining mindless and subservient enough not to overthink or disobey those orders.
This life-imbuing process can be performed through the use of ritual circles and/or by drawing/carving special sigils onto the corpse itself, followed by the chanting of the Incantation of Undeath. For some exceptionally powerful necromancers, the Incantation of Undeath alone is all that is needed to successfully resurrect the dead.
In the absence of any physical remains, the dead can sometimes be summoned back to the mortal world in spirit form. Though this usually requires some object closely associated with the deceased to have any chance of success.
Underworld Ny
...Suddenly, the Chosen One is interrupted from his writing (perhaps for the best; the number of holes he had to poke in his hand to get all that written down was enough to result in him losing a pretty unhealthy amount of blood) by the honking of a car horn, followed shortly by a series of piercing screeches from none other than an angered Yxchuithiatkxcli. Jorn looks up from his notebook to see the winged demon standing out in the road, obstructing the path of an single, rather old-looking car. The sound of the vehicle's horn must have set his short-tempered minion off for some reason, as it now refuses to let the car pass, instead continuing to aggressively screech at it whenever it starts to move.
Hisir Namedene
Feeling an increasingly urgent need to find a refuge where he and his comrades will be welcomed by other faithful followers of Sirith, Hisir solemnly calls out to his god for assistance; the response he receives is both unexpectedly sudden, and startlingly lucid.
The Chosen One immediately senses a dark and overwhelming presence effortlessly invade his mind, and watches as his surroundings subsequently appear to disintegrate into nothingness. Before long, he finds himself staring out into an endless black void. In that very moment, the ominous voice of the shadow god himself echoes out from the darkness to communicate with Hisir directly:
"As much as it displeases me to admit it, it is crucial for you to know that this 'safehaven' you seek does not exist. At least, not yet. For the followers that I have residing upon the Earth at this time are, disappointingly, few and far between...
You see, my loyal disciple, the world which you are currently inhabiting is a special one in that, ever since its creation, it has been a primary focus in the nigh-constant power struggle between the countless deities competing for dominance over this realm. In fact, as far as I am aware, more divine attention has been given to this one, minuscule celestial body than almost any other portion of this entire universe.
Unfortunately, I happened to arrive relatively late to this great divine conflict, which I confess has made it frustratingly difficult to gain any significant influence over the planet or its populace amongst all of the incessant competition, ultimately resulting in a severe lack of Earth-dwelling ShadowBeings.
However, now that the 'God-King' has delivered you unto the Earth to participate in this ridiculous game of his...all of this has the potential change within the very near future.
Listen closely, Hisir. I am trusting you with the task of leading my incursion into this world, and the first step in this vastly important mission shall be creating the very safehaven you yourself so strongly desire; secure an area where those allegiant to me may congregate, and find succor. Prove yourself capable of accomplishing this, and I may be able to reward your spreading of my influence with the lending of a handful of soldiers from the mighty Shadow Army to assist you in your conquest. Do we have an understanding?"
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
Using some of the remaining mana still stored in his blade, Zanzetkuken conjures up the illusion of him and his ally charging into the hanger and up to the lone RAVEN Interceptor. Amazingly, the illusionary Chosen Ones make it to the Interceptor without being attacked (or even confronted) by any Black Maple forces whatsoever. Well this is rather strange...surely the supervisors could not truly have left one of the facility's most expensive and advanced aircraft this vulnerable?
other-Moderator
"Now that's a damn good story." One soldier proclaims, prompting several other passengers nod in agreement.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
With delivery of the sacred artifacts put on hold, the righteous Sir Havel spends a few moments in thought, and soon comes up with the perfect activity to help him burn some time while he awaits nightfall: Bandit hunting! After all, jungles are notorious havens for thieves, smugglers, outlaws and rebels of all colors and creeds; one can just feel the evil lurking throughout this expanse of dense Peruvian wilderness.
Under the guidance of both Lunus and his own intuition, the Chosen One sets off through the jungle, intent on locating an encampment of dastardly ne'er-do-wells to do away with.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
15:10 remain.
-
(Now I"m going to keep wondering what "Underworld Ny" means...)
Jorn get's up and walks over to the car muttering darkly.
"What is wrong this time?"
-
(( The way you made Sirith speak is so close to my own idee it's almost creepy))
"Yes, milord. I will build a fortress that will show our power to the world and beyond."
"Now, let's get these prisoners some equipment!"
Say the above to Sirith and bow before breaking communications ( unless he has something to say) and try to make some Ythullum bars by manipulating the shadow essence into solid form.
-
Disband the illusions, returning the mana to the blade.
-
Disband the illusions, returning the mana to the blade.
"I say this is still a trap. You go first, my Planeswalker meatshield- I mean pal."
As the Moderator sights in, he is reminded of the storming of the first Type-3 UFO at Mega-Primus.
The UFO made a huge impact in the grassed park as it smoked from multiple impacts. From here, it looked empty. Squad Leader Gautier knelt next to the Moderator, binoculars in hand.
"The Welcoming Committee definitely saw some figures inside." the Squad Leader noted
"I call a trap."
Why do you say that, Squaddie?"
"Even the Ethereal's smallest ship had surviving crew after we splashed the bastards. Since this dwarfs their Battleship, bound to have something nasty.
"Since you got the only MarSec torso, you check the top. We'll handle the rest."
"Yes Ma'am.
With that, the squad of X-COM agents moved in on the crash. MegaPol had already secured the area from civilian eyes, and Bravo Squad took the Welcome Wagon to investigate the Nietzsche Building for alien sightings.
The Moderator had High-Ex ammo loaded in his Autocannon, and his MarSec armor had an Elerium-powered gravity-wave generator allowing unsupported flight. he glided up to where the Welcome From Earth punched a large plasma hole in the UFO. Inside was an alien and organic environment, as was believed to be. There were dead Anthropods and spitters. One was carrying a Brainsucker Launcher, and obviously had pods on it's person. He aimed up, and blasted the corpse to whatever gods it worshiped.
Suddenly, fire downstairs, explosions and sounds of alien guns, he ran to the cental grav lift-
He blanked out after that. All he remembers is flashes of memory, clouded by rage and sorrow. He gave the aliens no mercy, for they deserved none...
Suddenly, back to reality. They weren't saving a city full of innocent people, they were in a world. a dark and unforgiving world, vied over by deities and opposing divine forces. He would win, of course, to kick the Gods' asses into line for fucking with his home. Only the Chaos League and the Order Empire knew of the weapon he possessed in one of the most secure areas of his little hideaway.
I really wish I had that Autocannon with me right now. Cause a bit of a stir...
The Moderator assumes an overwatch position, to cover for Zan as he moves on the RAVEN.
-
"Alternatively, I could do this."
>Planeswalk to the entrance to the RAVEN.
-
Search for valleys and clearings in particular. Easily defensible positions are ideal for encampments such as these. Keep an eye out for scouts and patrols.
-
Jorn Darkmane
((I could tell you, if you'd like. Seeing as Jorn technically already knows everything he was going to write down.))
As Jorn closes the notebook and rises to his feet, a rejuvenating surge of power rushes through his body. Odd. Especially when one considers that significant levels of blood loss tends to have quite the opposite effect. Creating a book of dark spells using your own blood as ink must be considered a significantly badass action. (+Badassery)
Jorn approaches the car and requests that his demon explain the motives behind its puzzling behavior. "It CHALLENGED ME!" Yxchuithiatkxcli replies, clearly irritated by the event. Hearing this, the vehicle's driver apprehensively rolls down the window and tries to speak with the Chosen One. "I- I don't want any trouble..."
Hisir Namedene
"Excellent. Remain steadfast in your servitude, Hisir, and soon this world, like so many others before it, shall be engulfed in shadow."
The very next instant, everything snaps back to normal, and Hisir is once again standing amongst his companions deep within the small forested area.
With Sirith's parting words still echoing softly inside his mind, the reinvigorated Chosen One concentrates, and with only minor strain, condenses a good portion of shadow essence drawn from his well-shaded surroundings into no less than six Ythullum bars. The fugitives are no doubt amazed by such an uncanny feat, though that sense of amazement rapidly dissolves into one of dread when the sound of police sirens are heard in the distance. Guess they didn't navigate through the nearby town quite as stealthily as they had hoped...
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
At Zanzetkuken's command, the illusions vanish, and the mana used to conjure them flows swiftly back into the blade of his adamantine sword.
Yet to be convinced that the lack of opposition is anything more than a clever ruse, The Moderator ever so caringly suggests that his fellow Chosen One be the first to enter the hangar. Zanzetkuken proceeds to planeswalk over to the Interceptor, and, just like his illusions, encounters no resistance from any Black Maple forces. At this point, their enemies are either being incredibly sly, or incredibly stupid...
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:05 remain.
-
"Calm down!
They have not found us yet!
They just know we might be in the vacinity.
And that gives us time to think.""
If you see any movement, let me know, i'll be back in a second."
Get a feeling of the surroundings, by climbing in a high tree.
-
advance slowly to the RAVEN.
-
"You realize that they slower you go, the quicker they can set up a trap, if there isn't one already, right?"
-
"You realize that they slower you go, the quicker they can set up a trap, if there isn't one already, right?"
"This is totally a trap"
Run instead
-
Hisir Namedene
After a brief search of his immediate surroundings, Hisir finds a suitably tall, sturdy tree and climbs up it without problem.
The Chosen One studies the lay of the land closely from his elevated position, making mental notes of things like visible trails, and the small glade located to the east. Outside of the forested area and off to the west, Hisir can see a small neighborhood, as well the prison that he and the fugitives only recently escaped from. To the northeast lies the town they even more recently (somewhat unsuccessfully) sneaked out of. And just south of the forest, there appears to be a couple of houses situated on the other side of a quiet road.
As Hisir continues with his observations, a very distracting and increasingly loud noise is soon heard. Looking to the skies, Hisir suddenly spots a police helicopter heading in the general direction of the town. Huh. The local authorities must be taking this whole 'assault against trained prison guards and unlawful release of numerous convicted criminals' thing pretty seriously.
Hearing the sound of the fast-approaching helicopter, the fugitives seem to assume the worst, and consequently, begin to panic.
The Moderator(s)
Without letting his guard down, The Moderator bolts over to join Zanzetkuken beside the RAVEN Interceptor. Again, incurring no hostility from any of Black Maple's forces.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
15:00 remain.
-
"CALM DOWN!"
Calm the fugitives down by schooting the blade of his weaponinto the blades of the heli, and so, destroying it.
-
enter the RAVEN
-
enter the RAVEN
follow the moderator
-
Hisir Namedene
In an attempt to help his allies keep their cool, the Chosen One remains hidden in the tree, and prepares to take out the newly-arrived aircraft...
As it flies overhead, Hisir sends one of the blades of his halberd shooting off into the sky and toward the unsuspecting helicopter. However, despite his aim being nearly dead-on, the results of his surprise attack turn out to be less than ideal. Hisir's blade not only fails to bring the helicopter crashing violently to the ground, but the chain connecting it to the rest of his halberd also manages to get itself firmly tangled around the aircraft's fast-spinning rotor. It's just a good thing that said chain happens to be inexplicably endless in length, otherwise the entire weapon would almost certainly have been ripped from his grasp.
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
The duo enters the RAVEN Interceptor and takes a quick look around. Everything appears to be in order, and there's still no sign of anyone or anything that wants to try and stop them from making their escape. The Chosen Ones are now only a few small steps away from taking off in one of Black Maple's greatest technological achievements to date...and no one seems to care in the slightest. Sorta anticlimactic, actually.
-
"Well, if anything blows up, the darksteel will protect us completely. Start it up, mod."
-
"Well, if anything blows up, the darksteel will protect us completely. Start it up, mod."
"I bet they rigged the activate or main weapons to the ejector seat."
Start her up, and prepare for ignition
-
Drop down and pull it down.
-
(([joking]Man Havel, how long does it take you to search one jungle?[/joking]))
-
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
Comfortably seated and (still) completely unchallenged, The Moderator readies the RAVEN for takeoff.
Much to the relief of the Chosen Ones, the aircraft doesn't appear to have been sabotaged in any way. And after a few seconds of fiddling with the controls, they're all set to take to the skies and finally extricate themselves from the infernal clutches of the Canadian government. It would seem a successful getaway is now all but imminent, so without further ado:
Undisputed victory over Black Maple in 5...4...3...
Hisir Namedene
Unwilling to let the police helicopter so easily escape his wrath, Hisir decides that, if a subtle sneak attack won't do the trick, he will simply have to rely on raw physical force to bring the bothersome aircraft crashing to its doom.
The Chosen One prepares to hop down from the tree, and with all his might, tug the helicopter straight out of the sky. Yet, just before he can actually go through this cunning plan, something goes unexpectedly wrong; the instant Hisir stops the chain of his halberd from extending any farther, he is abruptly yanked from his lookout perch by the unanticipated strength of the hurrying aircraft. Though fortunately(?) managing to keep hold of his weapon, before the Chosen One knows it, he is being dragged uncontrollably through the treetops as the helicopter continues onward towards the town.
-
"Yxchu. Leave it alone."
(I actually managed to forget this existed.)
-
Reduce the length of the chain until Hisir flies next to the craft and then kick the door open and kill the pilots.
-
set destination for my base in Western Australia. Use the chinese shortcut, after resetting IFF to 12098 and electronic name to GALAXY-04.
"ETA will be 15-30 minutes, judging how fast these babies clocked."
-
set destination for my base in Western Australia. Use the chinese shortcut, after resetting IFF to 12098 and electronic name to GALAXY-04.
"ETA will be 15-30 minutes, judging how fast these babies clocked."
"Interesting thought. What if the trap is trying to find out the location of the base?"
-
set destination for my base in Western Australia. Use the chinese shortcut, after resetting IFF to 12098 and electronic name to GALAXY-04.
"ETA will be 15-30 minutes, judging how fast these babies clocked."
"Interesting thought. What if the trap is trying to find out the location of the base?"
"they would get it from other-me though. But since I'd get there 20 hours early... Howabout we go to The Broken Thingy? My boss runs the bar."
-
Jorn Darkmane
((You...you forgot?! How on Earth could anyone ever possibly forget about an indescribably exciting, inconceivably vast, and mind-numbingly slow all-around magnificent forum game such as this one??
I, sir, am offended.))
Yxchuithiatkxcli glares disdainfully at both Jorn and the car's driver, before slowly stepping off to the side of the road.
As soon as the demon is no longer blocking the vehicle's path, it speeds off, leaving the Chosen One standing in a cloud of exhaust smoke.
Hisir Namedene
Without delay, the chain begins to recede back into the shaft of the Chosen One's halberd, successfully hoisting him up to the helicopter.
Once close enough, Hisir calls upon his supreme door-kicking prowess to aid him in breaking into the aircraft. Now, as any reasonably sane person would expect, kicking in the door of a helicopter is no easy task (this being especially true when the helicopter in question is currently in mid-flight). Yet with steadfast resolve, the Chosen One manages to smash his armored foot straight through the helicopter's side window, which fortunately happens to be of more than sufficient size for him to climb through.
For obvious reasons, the pilots of the craft are quite taken aback by the unexpected intrusion, and are powerless to stop the Chosen One as he stabs and slashes wildly at them with his clawed gauntlet while simultaneously attempting to pull himself through the shattered window.
Within little more than a few frantic seconds, the interior of the copter is splattered with blood and the pilots are as good as dead. It would also appear that the helicopter has begun to spiral uncontrollably out of the sky, though it is uncertain whether this is more due to the many yards of chain tangling up its rotor, or the sudden lack of capable aviators around to man it.
The Moderator(s) & Zanzetkuken the Great
As soon as The Moderator takes care of a couple more minor preparations, the Interceptor's engines are ignited. In the blink of an eye, the Chosen Ones go blasting out of the hangar and off into the great open skies.
Before they can even begin to enjoy their flight to freedom, however, they are met with an overwhelming volley of heavy missile and machinegun fire from nearly every direction, most likely sent their way by the dozens and dozens of enemy aircraft that happen to be swarming the area.
Eh, not like these sort of shenanigans weren't expected to occur sooner or later, right? Though come to think of it, this seems like an awful lot of firepower for even the fine folks at Black Maple to be able muster on their own. At least on such short notice. Which can only mean that they must have received a helping hand from the RCAF in setting up this little ambush.
While it is a little troubling that major branches of the Canadian Armed Forces are now apparently being mobilized solely for the purpose of thwarting the Chosen Ones' escape, what's even more troubling is the fact that those Chosen Ones have less than a split second to avoid plummeting to their deaths in a twisted, flaming, and very expensive heap of aircraft wreckage.
-
(Scratch that.)
Jorn meditates by the side of the road, reaching out into the lower planes.
"Hear me! I seek an audience with the most powerful and revered. The elite of the lower planes. The Arch-Demons."
-
"Whelp. Been fun, moddy. So long!"
Zanzetkuken planeswalks to a location one mile away, and watches the crash.
-
"Whelp. Been fun, moddy. So long!"
Zanzetkuken planeswalks to a location one mile away, and watches the crash.
Cast Slowfall on myself, as I bail out of the wreckage.
"Motherfucker."
-
Jump out, slowing your fall a bit with the chain, and let the heli chrash.
Then pull the chain out.
-
Jorn Darkmane
Gradually descending deeper and deeper into meditation, the Chosen One listens attentively for a response from the mighty and malevolent ArchDemons.
Traditionally, a practitioner would prepare some sort of medium for the ArchDemon they sought to speak with to manifest themselves through, such as the flames of a ritual fire, the smoke given off by incense, or even a corpse for them to temporarily manipulate. If sufficiently experienced (or simply stupid), they might even try and force the unholy entity to commune with them face-to-face via summoning. It goes without saying that inviting some of the most powerful and feared inhabitants of the nether realms directly into one's own mind is, at best, unimaginably risky. Of course, a trained adept of the dark arts like Jorn is surely well aware of this.
It takes a surprisingly short amount of time for Jorn to begin to hear distant whispers emanating from the lower planes. Yet, annoyingly, they are currently much too faint to be even vaguely understood. If Jorn is to have any chance of communicating with the ArchDemons of truly awe-inspiring potency, it seems he will have to descend even deeper into meditation, and open up his mind to the very lowest levels of the underworld.
Zanzetkuken the Great
Despite the jarring explosions resulting from the countless missiles relentlessly colliding with the Interceptor, Zanzetkuken manages to safely planeswalk out of the doomed aircraft and onto a densely-wooded mountainside a fair distance away. Unfortunately, the Chosen One fails to gain his footing right away, and ends up tumbling down the mountainside several meters before coming to an abrupt stop by slamming into a particularly large tree. Perhaps not the most graceful evasion of death ever performed, but an evasion of death nevertheless.
As the Planeswalker carefully brings himself to his feet, he very quickly notices that his overall power feels as if it has been considerably lessened. Then again, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise; abandoning an ally when faced with next-to-impossible odds after failing at an attempt to rescue them may very well have been a smart move to make, but a badass one? Not in the slightest (inadvertently falling down a mountain probably didn't help, either). (-Badassery)
The Moderator(s)
Although not with nearly the same level of ease as his fellow Chosen One, The Moderator also manages to escape the burning deathtrap once known as the RAVEN Interceptor, while a hastily-casted Slowfall spell allows him to remain safe and sound as he descends back to the Earth's surface...sort of. The spell's effect ends up lasting just long enough to prevent the Chosen One's impact with the ground from immediately killing him, yet not quite long enough to prevent it from fracturing a few of his ribs and providing enough head trauma to knock him out cold.
His body rendered temporarily out of order, The Moderator once again finds himself floating placidly through an endless expanse of aetheric fog.
"Tough day?" The spectral figure inquires as it appears behind the Chosen One.
Hisir Namedene
Grabbing back onto his halberd with little hassle, Hisir drops down from the helicopter as it spirals to its demise.
After a bit of a rough landing just outside of the small town, the Chosen One stands up and observes the police helicopter as it goes crashing into one very unlucky house situated within the settlement. While the resulting destruction is quite neat to look at, it will almost certainly attract the attention of the many authorities scouring the land in search of Hisir and his merry band of fugitives.
On the bright side, it takes just one good tug for Hisir to free his halberd blade from the rubble and wreckage before him, allowing it to finally be reunited with the rest of his weapon.
-
>Planeswalk to an area nearby the moderator
>If he is not surrounded already, hoist him over my shoulders and carry him away from the wreck, quickly and silently
-
Stop meditating. Try to convince Yxchu to let you ride it. Continue along the road regardless the outcome.
-
TheModerator folds his arms as he floats through the expanse, pissed off.
"worse than that time I had to solo that Marauder prince..."
-
Run back the prisoners.
-
Pretty short and a little rushed due to the time constraints of my current situation, but I suppose at this point any update is a good update, right?
Zanzetkuken the Great
Suddenly not quite so willing to leave his fellow Chosen One for dead, Zanzetkuken bravely decides to make a daring attempt at rescuing The Moderator (or at least what may be left of him) from the dire situation he is in no small part responsible for bringing about in the first place.
Assuming his tech-savvy partner in crime went down with the craft, Zanzetkuken planeswalks to the general vicinity of the RAVEN Interceptor crash site, which could be easily discerned by the large pillar of black smoke rising high above the trees, and begins to look around for any trace of The Moderator. Sadly, the Planeswalker makes little progress in his search before being detected by one of the RCAF/Black Maple aircraft still hanging around in the skies above. Meaning that it probably won't be very long at all now before the rest of Canada's government forces become just as aware that he survived their aerial ambush and is currently snooping around the area. Bother.
Jorn Darkmane
After a last-second decision to save contacting the ArchDemons for a later date, Jorn turns to Yxchuithiatkxcli, and asks of his minion that it temporarily serve as a mount in order to expedite their return trip to Gadsden.
Painfully aware of the fact that it has been bound to obey the wishes of its master, the demon squats down and begrudgingly allows Jorn to climb atop its back.
As soon as the warlock's feet are off the ground, Yxchuithiatkxcli takes off down the road, before spreading its massive wings and ascending several dozen feet into the air.
The demon flies furiously; what normally would have been roughly another hour's worth of travel on foot is covered in mere minutes, although the Chosen One suspects that his minion is only exerting so much effort in the hopes that it might cause him to be shaken off and sent plummeting to his death. Hmm...
In what feels like hardly any time all, the quiet settlement of Gadsden comes into Jorn's view, and the still greatly infuriated Yxchuithiatkxcli makes a sharp dive towards the Earth as it readies itself for what what will likely be a very hard landing.
The Moderator(s)
"Well do try not to get too upset over it." The figure says in a relaxed tone. "You're not going to have any chance of succeeding in this trial if you go around letting some broken bones and scorched flesh lower your spirits."
Hisir Namedene
His objective accomplished, Hisir sprints back toward the wooded area to regroup with Shade and the fugitives as the screams of terrified town residents and the blaring of emergency sirens begin to permeate the air...
Minutes later, just as the Chosen One reaches the edge of the woods, something particularly worrying catches his attention: The sirens heard blaring ceaselessly in the distance have begun to grow louder with each passing moment, indicating that unwelcome company is now headed in his direction.
It's very possible that someone could have spotted him as he fled the scene of the helicopter crash. After all, while Hisir is surely a Chosen One of many amazing talents, blending in has thus far not been one of them. Taking this into account, no matter what it is the cunning ShadowBeing chooses to do next, it would best be done with haste.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
14:50 remain.
-
>Planeswalk back to my mountain base.
>Meditate to contact DZA:
"Okay, what happened back at that base? Last thing I remember before waking up on a mountainside is being surrounded by Black Maple. So can please tell me what happened?" Zanzetkuken noticed the moderator glaring at him, and responded, "Oh, by the way, where is your body at? And why are glaring at me?"
-
In Gandalf Voice: RUN! away from the sirenes.
-
>Planeswalk back to my mountain base.
>Meditate to contact DZA:
"Okay, what happened back at that base? Last thing I remember before waking up on a mountainside is being surrounded by Black Maple. So can please tell me what happened?" Zanzetkuken noticed the moderator glaring at him, and responded, "Oh, by the way, where is your body at? And why are glaring at me?"
"Well, it's being transported to some kinda empty room, and it's because you totally could have either Planeswalked me away, or kicked everyone's ass. But oh well, What am I to do to a psychotic schizophrenic Planeswalker? Everything I got minus an Elerium-bomb would be like throwing pebbles."
-
"Well, it's being transported to some kinda empty room, and it's because you totally could have either Planeswalked me away, or kicked everyone's ass. But oh well, What am I to do to a psychotic schizophrenic Planeswalker? Everything I got minus an Elerium-bomb would be like throwing pebbles."
"Unless you want to be ripped to shreds in a single second by the rampant energies of the Blind Eternities, which will happen since I am pretty certain you don't have a planeswalker spark, I'm not taking you there.
And what do you mean by 'psychotic schizophric'?"
-
"Well, it's being transported to some kinda empty room, and it's because you totally could have either Planeswalked me away, or kicked everyone's ass. But oh well, What am I to do to a psychotic schizophrenic Planeswalker? Everything I got minus an Elerium-bomb would be like throwing pebbles."
"Unless you want to be ripped to shreds in a single second by the rampant energies of the Blind Eternities, which will happen since I am pretty certain you don't have a planeswalker spark, I'm not taking you there.
And what do you mean by 'psychotic schizophric'?"
"Fine, whatever. But you seemed to go pretty dark there. and trust me, I know a psycho when I see one"
-
"Well, it's being transported to some kinda empty room, and it's because you totally could have either Planeswalked me away, or kicked everyone's ass. But oh well, What am I to do to a psychotic schizophrenic Planeswalker? Everything I got minus an Elerium-bomb would be like throwing pebbles."
"Unless you want to be ripped to shreds in a single second by the rampant energies of the Blind Eternities, which will happen since I am pretty certain you don't have a planeswalker spark, I'm not taking you there.
And what do you mean by 'psychotic schizophric'?"
"Fine, whatever. But you seemed to go pretty dark there. and trust me, I know a psycho when I see one"
"A psychopath mind? Wait a second..."
Zanzetkuken glares at DZA.
"Did you partially resurrect my dark counterpart from another multiverse within me?"
-
"Um...no...?" The figure utters hesitantly. "Not intentionally, at least..."
-
"Any chance you could restart me somewhere else? Y'know, AWAY from the Canucks?"
-
"Any chance you could restart me somewhere else? Y'know, AWAY from the Canucks?"
"I have a very basic base in California."
-
"Deeply sorry," the figure responds, turning its attention back to The Moderator. "but at this point in the trial, my assistance extends only to offering helpful insight when and if it is requested of me. The ultimate consequences of each participant's choices are theirs to deal with."
-
"Deeply sorry," the figure responds, turning its attention back to The Moderator. "but at this point in the trial, my assistance extends only to offering helpful insight when and if it is requested of me. The ultimate consequences of each participant's choices are theirs to deal with."
"could you 'helpfully advise' me out of the base?" folding his arms. he then looks down and to the left suddenly "Shut up anger, your turn to shine will be when we come to. And no, Happy can't have the sugar."
-
Brace for landing! Afterwards try to find a nice abandoned building or something to use as a base of operations. Send the Boggart to get more salt.
-
((Can I get a peek at what Havel's doing right now? I feel like I missed a turn or something, and if I did, forgive me, it's been about 20 days since I was online. >.>))
-
Hisir Namedene
Determined to avoid having to deal with any more trouble from local law enforcement, Hisir bolts into the woods and away from the approaching threat...
By chance, the Chosen One runs into his group of frantic fugitive followers just as they are preparing to cut their losses and make a run for it.
"Where the bloody hell have you been!?" one of them questions upon noticing Hisir. "We've gotta get outta here NOW! In a few seconds the cops are gonna be swarming all over this place!!"
The Moderator(s)
After giving the Moderator a brief look of concern, the figure offers what little advice it can to help the Chosen One escape his dire predicament:
"As I said, the consequences of each participant's choices are theirs to deal with, and at this point, it goes without saying that several of the personal choices you've made have led to you getting quite thoroughly screwed over in a remarkably short amount of time.
In the end, it will be your personal choices alone that determine whether you will recover from these hardships, so please forgive what limited help these words may be...
Now, assuming that your foes do not simply decide to informally execute you in your current vulnerable state, I regret to say that, unless you can pull off some miraculous feat of badassery the likes of which would impress even one such as I, in order to stay alive long enough to break free from their custody...again, you have little option other than to swallow your pride and give them your full, unconditional cooperation in an effort to try and convince them that you're still worth keeping around.
Because of the tremendous mess you and your planeswalking friend over there created at Black Maple, the Canadian government will almost certainly now view you as more trouble than you're worth, especially when they still have your far more manageable past-self to rely on to get what they want. Unfortunately, because past-Moderator isn't technically a Chosen One, he would not be able to assume your place in the trial should you end up meeting an untimely demise. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that, before anything else, you do whatever is necessary to ensure your continued survival."
The figure stops and thinks for a moment, before continuing, "I suppose while you're here you could also try reaching out to someone else for more direct assistance. Just make sure that, should you choose do so, this individual's intervention will actually improve your situation this time."
Jorn Darkmane
((Random Fun Fact: Google Chrome's built-in spell-checker mistakes the name 'Yxchuithiatkxcli' as a misspelling of 'Huitzilopotchli'; a name belonging to the Aztec god of war, sacrifice, and the Sun.))
With all the force it can possibly muster within an instant of colliding with the ground, Yxchuithiatkxcli drives its hooves into the old, weathered asphalt of the main street below. The demon's impact creates a small crater in the center of the road, and sends deep cracks shooting throughout the ground in all directions.
Having made a less-than-subtle arrival to the quiet settlement, Jorn quickly dismounts his minion and takes a good look around the area for a suitable place to hunker down for an indefinite period of time, while the now very weary Yxchuithiatkxcli slumps down as it slowly folds back its wings, exhausted from the taxing flight.
Not far off to the southwest, the Chosen One spots what appears to be an old but sturdy-looking barn. Such a large and spacious structure could relatively easily be made into a comfortable Base of Operations with the potential to last well into the foreseeable future. Yet disappointingly, the property on which the barn sits also holds a well-maintained and clearly occupied home, where it can be assumed the current owners of the property reside. Owners who, in all likelihood, wouldn't take very kindly to having a filthy, homeless warlock and his unruly demonic minions stay as guests on their land.
Then again...the barn doesn't look like it really gets much use, and it is a good distance away from the home itself, so sneaking in and setting up shop could still be possible. That is, if Jorn would be willing to take such a risk.
If not, another, much less appealing option lies a little ways to the north; a small, run-down house (frankly, 'hovel' would probably be a much more accurate way to describe it), partially hidden by the long-untended foliage that surrounds it. The only residents the Chosen One would potentially have to worry about while moving into such an ill-kept dwelling would be stray animals and/or squatters, though neither would likely be very hard to get rid of with an easily angered, fire-breathing demon at one's disposal...
Before Jorn can decide on either option, a very troubling realization suddenly comes upon him: His boggart is nowhere to be found, and he doesn't recall seeing it hitch a ride with him back to Gadsden atop Yxchuithiatkxcli. Come to think of it, he hasn't noticed the little bugger messing about since he sat down to start work on his spellbook...this could be problem.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
((Nah, you're good. In fact, the great scarcity of updates due to general time-consuming shenanigans in my personal life means it's only been about 35 minutes of in-game time since Havel was last mentioned, so you really haven't missed all that much.))
Resolute in his mission to locate and eliminate at least one of the jungle's (presumably) many bandit encampments, Sir Havel continues to trek fearlessly through the immense Peruvian wilderness. For although he is largely uncertain of his exact position within said wilderness, or exactly where it is he will end up, his trust in the lunar goddess as well as his own immeasurable wisdom assures him that he is headed in the right direction. It is merely a matter time before the knight of stone is presented with the grand opportunity of confronting the very worst this untamed land has to offer...
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
14:35 remain.
-
Radical. Continue searching for evil.
-
"You want to run with that flying thing chasing us? But go now! Run into the forest, I'll follow!
Let the prisoners run into the forest and follow them. Don't forget to grab the bars.
-
The Moderator placed a hand on his chin, brow furrowed in thought.
(Cue Inception theme, cause we're going deeper)
Prime stood in an open plain, surrounded by many caricatures of himself. Every one had defining characteristics, so that Prime was distinguishable from the crowd of emotions and facets of his personality.
"I say we break free, and get some well earned vengeance apon these Canadian bastards" Anger began the meeting with a growl.
"Pointless. We'd get gunned down by their Gen 1's. We'd have to listen to the mysterious godly figure and prove we're worth more than a semi-contaminated corpse" Schemer replied.
"Wait, how did we even survive that barrage?" Curiosity chimed in
"Well, given the fact they wanted the main engines area gone to maybe examine us or use us for different purposes."
"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" Prime cut in. "We need a goddamn plan, and we need one now. I know I for one don't want to be chained up forever, Melissa is already a tad psycho from being imprisoned for 3000 years, and I have no intent slaving over making Gen 2 and 3 laser guns and power armor for the rest of m y natural life. I got asses to kick and peeps to save."
"Brilliant idea! We gain their trust with Gen 2 Lasers and PA, and then make a Gen 3 in secret, and-
"CRUSH THEM!"
Most of the other fragments and facets of the Moderator were in agreement to such an excellent plan. After all, everyone remembers having to maintain the T51 suit, among various other projects with moderate success. He had already formulated a plan for uniting the rest of humanity under one banner, the other one was not so nice in the long run. He would need info one one UN rep, big-ass prototype laser cannons, a good sensor suite, and a Type VII Flight Computer.
He came out of the intense experience, slightly dazed by the encounter with himself.
"Send me conscious, now. I am ready."
Time to kick ass and chew bubblegum. And the Canucks took my bubblegum
-
Jorn eyes the area around the barn warily.
"All right, Yxchu, don't make a the sound."
Jorn and his horse-bird-demon-thing make for the barn.
-
Hisir Namedene
Wasting no time at all, the fugitives take off further into the wooded area, while Hisir rushes to pick up the six recently-formed Ythullum bars. Once all of the precious material is in hand, he and Shade hurry to catch up with the rest of their posse, careful not to drop any of the bars along the way.
For a metal that is essentially composed of nothing more than condensed shadows, it is surprisingly cumbersome.
Hisir and his panic-stricken companions run frantically and aimlessly through the wooded area. Despite the area's relatively small size, the group soon looses track of the direction they came from, and end up tiring themselves out going in circles.
To make matters worse, by the time they realize this, the sirens can be heard just outside of the woods, chipping away ever-more at the fugitives' already crumbling morale.
Once again caught in a moment of apparent crisis, Hisir's gang of unlawful individuals worriedly look to him for guidance. "Fucking hell...what do we do now...?"
The Moderator(s)
The figure nods. "I wish you the best of luck, as you will undoubtedly need it. Now go and show me, as well as all those who inhabit the Earth, just what it is you're capable of."
Slowly, The Moderator reawakens.
Although the Chosen One's return to consciousness brings with it the comforting assurance that his time is not yet through, it also brings an unpleasant awareness of his current grave condition; His head is pounding, the result of a possible concussion sustained from his fall. His chest is sore, the slight shifting of his broken ribs causing him further pain with each breath. His visage badly marred by the moderate-to-severe burns suffered to his exposed flesh moments after being shot out of the sky.
The Moderator also quickly discovers that he has been stripped of his armor and personal garments, finding them to have been replaced with a simple orange jumpsuit, marked with the number '025'.
As if his situation wasn't lamentable enough, The Chosen One can feel there has been a significant drop in the raw, inner power that helped him break free the first time around. Woeful as it may be, it is no less than what is to be expected when one comes so close to making such an unbelievably epic escape, only to fly straight into an embarrassingly predictable surprise attack and end up even worse off than they started. (-Badassery)
Now locked in an empty concrete room with a thick steel door as the only visible way in or out, the only thing The Moderator has to focus on besides his own severe discomfort, is the calm, familiar voice coming from a small speaker in the the middle of the ceiling.
"Ah, it seems you are awake. We deeply apologize for the rather uncomfortable accommodations you have been placed in for the time being. It was never part of our original intention for you to end up in such a room, but we are now afraid that you have left us with no other choice. Do not worry, though. We promise that you will not have to tolerate it for very long.
As soon as all of the necessary documentation is in order, which should only take a few more moments, the room you are currently residing in will be filled with a still somewhat experimental form of lethal gas that will bring an end to your life in a very humane and highly efficient manner. Theoretically, of course. So long as you remember to stay relaxed and take deep breaths, it should be a fairly quick and relatively painless death.
Once again, you have our sincerest apologies. It saddens us greatly that we were unable to form any sort of agreeable partnership with one as skilled and knowledgeable as yourself, and can only hope to have better luck in doing so with your twin. For his sake, as well as our own."
Jorn Darkmane
His sights set on the slightly riskier yet much more preferable option, Jorn turns to the southwest and begins heading toward his soon-to-be Base of Operations, while Yxchuithiatkxcli languidly follows behind.
Much of the property is nothing more than grass and dirt, making it next to impossible not to stick out while treading across it in the light of midday. Nevertheless, Jorn is careful to avoid doing anything which may attract any unnecessary attention to himself (apart from, you know, travelling with a six-and-a-half foot tall chimeric demon)...
Discouragingly, despite his best efforts, the warlock makes it about halfway to the barn before glancing over in the direction of the house, only to see someone standing just outside of it, looking back at him...
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
14:25 remain.
-
Zanzetkuken exited the meditation with DZA, and looked off the platform of the base. "Better check on the progress the dwarves have made. Might as well grab some more mana as well."
-
"Come on, man. Gassing me while I could give your Gen 1's a little boost? How the hell do you expect to fight off a goddamn Alien Invasion with this kinda gear? Trust me for once, even though that Planeswalker guy wants to rescue me, I am worth far more alive. I mean come on, What's not to love about Gen 2 laser weapons and powered armor?
Oh, and on a second note, that 'lethal gas' you speak of, Tri-Beta-4 Cordazine? Decays into laughing gas, and before that, a strong laxative. It's only real lethality in either stage is the mice you tested it on."
You really expect them to fall for that?
What the hell are you talking about? Don't you remember that shit being used for the first time against that Thin Man in containment? He just started laughing and hissing at us
That was because some intern of the good Doctor accidentally installed Laughing Gas tanks instead of the compound.
Come on guys, it's gotta be a bluff. They want me for shit past-me doesn't know yet. I mean, can past me do this?
The Moderator reaches out with the little energy he has, hoping to form a Psionic mind influencing bond on the person on the other side of that wall witnessing him.
-
"This isn't going to work."
#"Shade, Lead on in a straight line away from them."#
"Everybody, follow the dog!"
Let Shade lead us out of here (It's still a dog), and clear the way for the prisoners with my above-human force and speed but keep looking back to see if the enemy is closing in.
-
Jorn reaches for his knife.
"Yxchu, would you mind getting in front of me? Don't attack anyone yet."
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
After retreating to the safety of his secure and secluded dwarven hold, and awakening from his brief period of meditation, the Chosen One seeks out his lieutenant for an update on the status of his dwarves and the projects he had assigned to them.
Once located, the lieutenant takes a short break from patrolling the hold to fill Zanzetkuken in on how things have been coming along, informing him that:
- After nearly ten hours of training, the soldiers appear to be adapting well to their new environment, and are quickly getting a feel for the exceptional weapons that have been bestowed upon them. The only trouble they have encountered has been with the dwarves who were given the greatsword and artifact bow Hankyu; due to the small stature that comes naturally with being a dwarf, a blade of such size can reportedly be a tad unwieldy at times. Similarly, a dwarf can hardly hope to achieve any great level of proficiency with a bow that was clearly not crafted to be fired by beings of less-than-average arm length.
- Both the masonry and carpentry workshops should be up and ready within the next couple hours.
- Two of the grunts are still working on scraping together enough materials to construct the first of the two small towers he requested. The lieutenant tells the Planeswalker that progress on the towers would be sped up a fair deal if his comrades had more to work with, but otherwise still expects that the first of the two will be finished by day's end.
- The miners have thus far managed to carve out a couple half-decent rooms for the purpose of housing the hold's residents, and are still hard at work. Yet just as with the towers, it's been a slow process.
- The grunt sent out to gather food has yet to return, though is expected back by nightfall.
His queries answered, the Planeswalker leaves his dwarves to their labors, turning his focus now toward replenishing his all but depleted mana pool...
The Moderator(s)
The Moderator tries as hard as can to create some sort of mental connection between himself and the individual(s) observing him in order to covertly influence their thoughts in his favor, yet the unrelenting pain of his numerous injuries ultimately proves too great to effectively focus through.
To top it off, it seems that all the mental exertion has only helped to amplify the already intense pain of the Chosen One's trauma-induced headache.
"Believe me when I say that our organization would love nothing more than to allow you to put your skills to good use by assisting us in the advancement of our ever-expanding technological capabilities. However, seeing as the last time we provided you with such an opportunity, all we received in return was untold millions of dollars lost in destroyed property and the merciless slaughtering of our own soldiers, you can surely understand why we would be more than a little hesitant to do so again.
And as you said, this 'Planeswalker guy' wants to rescue you; an entity with an unreasonably volatile personality that has demonstrated the ability to not only determine your exact location, but breach areas with some of the highest security with minimal effort. An entity we happen to know for a fact is still on the loose somewhere.
Even if we were to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you did not somehow conspire with this entity to organize your own escape, and had no original intention of participating in the unforgivable crimes that ultimately took place at Black Maple, we have no reason to believe that this entity will not attempt to free you from our custody again, perhaps with even more devastating results than before. The simple truth of the matter is, our organization cannot afford to suffer another such breach of security. It is because of this, that the supervisors have deemed you too dangerous to be kept a-...one moment, please."
The room suddenly falls silent, and remains that way for several long minutes...
"Well, 025, it seems to be your lucky day. I have just been informed that our supervisors have a proposition for you. If you are at all interested in regaining the trust of this organization and saving yourself from certain death, I suggest that you listen closely:
There is no doubt that you know far more about this 'Planeswalker' entity than we do. For obvious reasons, we consider this entity to be a fairly serious threat not only to the security our organization, but to the Canadian government as a whole. Now, we are certain you will agree that the elimination of this threat would be greatly preferable to the elimination of a potentially very powerful ally such as yourself, and are thus going to ask that you assist us in doing just that.
Tell us everything you know about this apparent colleague of yours; where we can find them, what precisely they're capable of, how we can fight them, everything. If the information you give us leads to either the permanent capture or termination of the Planeswalker, you will, in return, be given a second chance to work freely alongside our staff."
Hisir Namedene
Hisir allows his Shadowhound to take the lead while he follows close behind, doing his best to clear a path through the thick vegetation to aid the fatigued fugitives.
Shade soon successfully leads them out of the wooded area and onto an open road at its border. A road that is, amazingly, not currently occupied by any nettlesome police officers. However, while they may no longer be lost amidst a dense maze of trees and foliage, they're not out of the woods yet (figuratively speaking). If there is to be any hope of Hisir & cohorts successfully evading the cold clutches of the law for good, they will need to move fast.
A quick surveying of the Chosen One's surroundings shows that there are two pleasant-looking houses in his immediate vicinity; one a short distance to the east, and another to the west. Directly ahead of the Chosen One, across a small open field, lies even more woodland. The road itself stretches well off into the distance in both directions, and it is difficult to tell where either direction would take them.
Jorn Darkmane
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The individual shouts from across the property.
Slowly, Yxchuithiatkxcli steps in front of Jorn, voicing its annoyance with the seemingly pointless request through a series of irritated shrieks.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
14:20 remain.
-
Return to the platform.
Take off the armor and redon the various items that I had earlier removed to fit in the armor.
Return the armor to mana and store it.
Repeat these actions for three minutes:
Planeswalk to a random alley in a random city. (primarily Canada, but anywhere in the world is fine, at least once in California to divert suspicion.)
Go to next alley over.
Repeat first action in this chain.
After those three minutes are up, return to base.
(Time to troll Canada!)
-
Jorn shouts back.
"I mean you no harm. I am merely looking for a place to stay."
-
"You raise an interesting proposition. However, capturing Planeswalkers is nearly impossible. Termination would be easier, but nothing I got could possibly damage him well. Best I could do is get him to back off from harassing attacks from Canada or other such activities. Apart from that, killing him wouldd be far beyond my abilities.
As for capabilities, he has a mana pool from which he can summon powerful extradimensional creatures and armor. He can also teleport, and a variety of elemental attacks. Planeswalkers are as individual whether they have bases or not. As for killing them, virtually nothing Earth-based could kill him. Anything else you'd like to learn?"
-
Quickly run to the other side into the forest and repeat the last orders.
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
Zanzetkuken makes his way up the spiral staircase and onto the stone platform of the dwarven hold. Once there, he removes his darksteel armor and wipes the sweat from his brow (it can get quite stuffy inside a full suit of heavy plate armor, after all), before re-equipping his adamantine breastplate, black cloak, and (false) dragon skull shoulder guards. Having served its purpose, Zanzetkuken then calls the three units of mana used to summon the darksteel plate back into his sword, consequently causing the armor itself to disappear from existence.
Apparently feeling a tad playful, the Chosen subsequently decides to Planeswalk to various alleyways throughout the world with the sole intention of screwing with the Canadian government.
Over the course of the next few minutes, the Chosen One travels to a little over a dozen different alleys (or at least as close as he could get to the alleys without knowing their precise location upon the Earth)—most of which just so happen to be located within various large Canadian cities—before finally Planeswalking back to the dwarven hold.
Had he not have been stopped by a desperate homeless man on the streets of Maracaibo, Venezuela, who stubbornly refused to leave the Chosen One alone until he received some sort of monetary donation from him, Zanzetkuken likely would have been able to visit considerably more alleyways within the three minute time period.
Jorn Darkmane
The individual, who the Chosen One now sees to be a fairly average-looking middle-aged man (this one, thankfully, without a rifle), begins to cautiously approach Jorn and Yxchuithiatkxcli, though stops in his tracks a few meters away after a better view of the demon reveals that it isn't just a person in some strange costume. "Jesus Christ...what is that thing??"
The Moderator(s)
"So, in essence, what you are saying is that it will be impossible us to truly defeat the Planeswalker at any point within the foreseeable future? I must be honest, 025, that does not bode very well for you. Should it be true, all this information really does is bring us back to our original plan of doing away with you in an effort to remove any incentives the Planeswalker might have for returning..."
With that, the room becomes silent once again, and unease slowly sets in as The Moderator begins to wonder whether he has inadvertently talked himself out of what may have been his final chance at making a comeback from his unsavory situation.
Fortunately, the voice representing his captors soon returns with even more questions for the Chosen One:
"If you wouldn't mind, could you please elaborate on what, exactly, you believe makes this entity invulnerable to any earthly forms of assault? Is it merely the durable armor it wears, or is there something else we should be aware of? Can you confirm that the Planeswalker's armor was made from the material as the armor we confiscated from you? What can you tell us about said material?"
Hisir Namedene
Hisir and Shade dart across the small field while the accompanying fugitives trail behind, struggling to keep up.
As everyone reaches the woods on the other side of the field, the Chosen One notices that his loyal band of criminals look as if they are ready to collapse from exhaustion. "Can...can we stop and rest for just a moment?" One fugitive asks as he tries to catch his breath.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
14:15 remain.
-
"I believe the technical term is "Demon". Be careful, it has quite a temper.
If you would be so kind as to let me use your barn?"
-
Jorn Darkmane
"Uh...for what?" The man asks tentatively. "You want to stay in a barn?"
-
Jorn sighs. "Tell me, how much are you willing to believe after seeing my friend here?"
-
"Oh,yeah,forgot about that....
But we need to stay moving.
But we'll take it a bit slower."
Get further away from the police, but do it on a walking pace.
-
Jorn Darkmane
The man stares up at the menacing Yxchuithiatkxcli as he tries to think of how to best respond to the Chosen One's query. "...To tell you the truth, I'm having a little trouble even believing what I'm seeing right in front of me..."
-
Jorn stares at the ground for a second.
"All I'm going to tell you is that dark times are coming. Dark times, that have nothing to do with me, by the way.
Here's the deal, I don't bother you, you don't bother me. And someday, you'll be glad I was around. You'll even be glad to have my friend around then."
Should the man agree, Jorn makes for the barn, telling Yxchu to follow him.
-
Jorn Darkmane
As is to be expected, the man seems somewhat apprehensive about agreeing to the rather sketchy deal offered by a complete stranger (and not a very trustworthy-looking one at that) he met not fifteen minutes ago trespassing on his property. Yet, much to the Chosen One's benefit, he is apparently even more apprehensive about going against the wishes of someone who is in control of an entity that looks like it clawed its way straight out of a Dr. Seuss book from hell.
"*sigh*...Alright, I...I guess you can stay for a while. But I'm telling you right now; if you or that...demon...come anywhere near me or my family without a damn good reason for doing so, I'm calling the cops and having them haul you off to...wherever it is they take people like you. Understand?"
Wanting to get out of the open and into his newly secured Base of Operations as quickly as possible, Jorn acknowledges the man's fear-charged words with a simple nod and promptly heads for the barn, commanding Yxchuithiatkxcli to follow...
With great anticipation, Jorn pushes the doors of the barn wide open, allowing a rush of sunlight to pour into a space otherwise only illuminated by what little light makes it through a few old, dusty windows. A short inspection of the barn's interior reveals that the place is almost entirely empty; a large pile of yard debris and various scattered pieces of junk make up the majority of the barn's contents. If nothing else, it at least gives the warlock plenty of space to work with.
It appears the barn also has a decent-sized hayloft, though, unfortunately, the wooden ladder leading up to it looks like it's about ready to fall apart, which is a pretty good sign that attempting to climb it would not be the best idea. It is soon made clear that this will not be an issue for the tired and irritated Yxchuithiatkxcli, however, when the demon flies up to the loft and disappears from view. Guess even demons need a little personal time every now and then.
Hisir Namedene
Their travel slowed to a much less tiring pace, Hisir & party ventures further into the woods and (hopefully) farther away from those vexing authorities...
After several minutes of walking, the group happens upon a road that appears to cut straight through the woodland. Just ahead, on the other side of said road, the Chosen One can spot a clearing through the trees, with what looks to be a house right in the middle of it. One of the fugitives takes notice of this as well, and makes a daring suggestion to Hisir, "Hey, think we could hide there til the police are off our backs?"
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
14:05 remain.
-
"We could do that. But we have to do it silently, we don't know who's around here."
"Come on"
Move to the edge of the clearing and inspect the house from a distance, silently.
-
TorZon The EverShifting
A hearty meal of no less than ten adult corpses at last fully absorbed, TorZon steadily converges itself into the center of the room, now with considerably more mass than it had a only a few hours ago.
The process was not only satisfying, but also turned out to be very educational, as it has allowed the Chosen One to gain a much better understanding of all the fascinating bits and pieces that make up the human anatomy.
Hisir Namedene
Deciding to take the fugitive's suggestion into consideration, Hisir motions his companions to follow him as he sneaks across the street for a better look at the abode...
The first thing that stands out for the Chosen One is how unexpectedly large the clearing surrounding the house is. The house itself is of comfortable size, and appears to be accompanied by a small guesthouse between two lovely gazebos situated on the northernmost part of the property, as well as what is likely some sort of garage or workshop on the eastern end.
While it seems, for the time being, that this may very well make a decent hideout for him and his followers, the Chosen One sees no one outside, and thus still isn't sure who, if anyone, resides on the land.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
14:00 remain.
-
"Wait here."
Sneak to the house and look through a window.
-
TorZon had been sleeping while absorbing the shells of the things - humans, they were called. It pondered their utility. They were obviously not alive; they had no way of exchanging information among one another, no way to shift form, no way to adapt to changes in the environment? What, then, was the purpose behind their strange construction? They could be remotely operated entities of some sort, but all its searching through the networks of useless records of sensation and reaction had yielded nothing beyond a strange kind of fumbling that they all seemed to share, a protodesire of sorts, the urge to bond, to share, to communicate. Perhaps they were developing a mind?
The gaslike substance that made up TorZon's form drew in upon itself, and divided into many small segments, each bearing the directive of a greater whole.
Data collection.
Shift into a gaseous form and divide into as many segments about the size of a baseball and density of thick fog as I can. Ensure that I remain transparent, and flow out into the hallway via the edges of the doorframe. Proceed to go along the top portion of the hallway, looking for patients. If I find none, continue to explore the hospital until I do. If I do find patients, dispatch one of my divided segments to flow up the nose and into the lungs of th patient and diffuse into the blood through the alveoli. Once in the bloodstream, head up to the brain and exit the bloodstream, then form into a goo and spread out over the brain, overriding it's control of the nervous system. Absorb the nervous system, allowing no pain response from this act to reach the brain, then attempt to tap into the memories of the patient. If their brain sends out any signals to the nervous system that do not involve reacting to my presence, perform these actions but otherwise continue passive data absorption. Do this for as many patients as I have segments. However, only perform the initial act of infiltration while they are sleeping or in a state incapable of moving/alerting my actions to anyone.
If I have any segments left over after this, have them head to a secluded location and combine into a larger mass, then conceal itself until data is recieved.
-
The Moderator(s)
"So, in essence, what you are saying is that it will be impossible us to truly defeat the Planeswalker at any point within the foreseeable future? I must be honest, 025, that does not bode very well for you. Should it be true, all this information really does is bring us back to our original plan of doing away with you in an effort to remove any incentives the Planeswalker might have for returning..."
With that, the room becomes silent once again, and unease slowly sets in as The Moderator begins to wonder whether he has inadvertently talked himself out of what may have been his final chance at making a comeback from his unsavory situation.
Fortunately, the voice representing his captors soon returns with even more questions for the Chosen One:
"If you wouldn't mind, could you please elaborate on what, exactly, you believe makes this entity invulnerable to any earthly forms of assault? Is it merely the durable armor it wears, or is there something else we should be aware of? Can you confirm that the Planeswalker's armor was made from the material as the armor we confiscated from you? What can you tell us about said material?"
"Darksteel armor, coupled with summoning abilities. Chances are the logistics of base construction mean nothing to him, and he has minions going about their work. The armor him and I wore is a magical material I have never been able to acquire, so all I can tell you is 80% of the small arms we got ain't worth nothing against it. I'd probably have some AT rifles or such that would mess him up, but we're both on a rather important mission."
-
Jorn meditates in the middle of the barn, trying to sense the supernatural.
-
Hisir Namedene
While his comrades obediently stay behind, Hisir stealthily makes his way across the property and over to the house. Once there, he quietly crouches down and peers through one of the windows, looking intently for any individuals who may be inhabiting the building.
Needless to say, Hisir's excellent skills of observation do not fail him; within a matter of moments, the Chosen One becomes keenly aware of an elderly woman standing in what appears to be the kitchen area of the home. From the looks of things, she is currently preoccupied with washing dishes, and is thus completely oblivious to the dark, scheming ShadowMan spying on her through her dining room window.
TorZon The EverShifting
With a brilliant and intricate new plan now firmly formulated within the mind of the Chosen One, TorZon splits itself into dozens of small, transparent orbs of gas. The swarm of gaseous orbs then discreetly slip out of the morgue and into the hospital halls (taking special care to avoid detection by staying close to the ceiling) in search of vulnerable patients to leech some (hopefully) valuable information from...
The Moderator(s)
"Certainly this mission could not be more important than the preservation of your own life, could it? The only thing that should be important to you right now, dear Moderator, is assisting us in the elimination of the enigmatic threat that we at this time know only as 'the Planeswalker'.
Seeing as time is of the essence and your teleporting friend could potentially strike again at any moment, we feel it is only fair to warn you that if the Planeswalker, or any other suspicious entity for that matter, is detected anywhere within a 80 kilometer radius of your current location, your execution will commence immediately and without any further questioning. So, if the mission you're on truly is an important one, we deeply hope that you will be able to supply us with enough information to successfully locate and deal with the Planeswalker before such a time comes to pass. Otherwise, we predict that neither one of you will live long enough to fully carry it out.
If you are unable to do so, and have nothing else of interest you wish to tell us, we believe it would be best to bring this little chat to a close."
Jorn Darkmane
Curious of what otherworldly mysteries the surrounding area might hold, Jorn sits down in the middle of the squalid barn floor, clears his mind, and once again allows himself to slowly fall into a deep meditative state. One that will, with luck, reveal to the Chosen One any nearby happenings of a supernatural nature...
-
The Moderator(s)
"Certainly this mission could not be more important than the preservation of your own life, could it? The only thing that should be important to you right now, dear Moderator, is assisting us in the elimination of the enigmatic threat that we at this time know only as 'the Planeswalker'.
Seeing as time is of the essence and your teleporting friend could potentially strike again at any moment, we feel it is only fair to warn you that if the Planeswalker, or any other suspicious entity for that matter, is detected anywhere within a 80 kilometer radius of your current location, your execution will commence immediately and without any further questioning. So, if the mission you're on truly is an important one, we deeply hope that you will be able to supply us with enough information to successfully locate and deal with the Planeswalker before such a time comes to pass. Otherwise, we predict that neither one of you will live long enough to fully carry it out.
If you are unable to do so, and have nothing else of interest you wish to tell us, we believe it would be best to bring this little chat to a close."
"If you let me just speak with him, I can convince him to stand down operations in Canada. The last thing I want is anyone's execution, death, liquidation, exile, marooning, vapourisation, or permanent insanity. this mission concerns currently 12-14 billion souls, so it is paramount I can do this
-
Hey DZA, what would happen if I used an extra large and elaborate summoning circle to summon a common demon?
Right...game thread...what was I thinking...
While I'm here, what time of day is it where Jorn is?
-
'Light' Zanzetkuken: Planeswalk to various locations around the world and gather mana.
'Dark' Zanzetkuken: Now that you have manifested, appear next to DZA.
"'allo, I believe you met me from one multiverse, but not me, me. Thanks for the 'res, by the way."
-
The Moderator(s)
"Your benevolence is inspiring. Unfortunately, we would need a little more than promising words before we could ever even begin to consider taking such a risk.
Tell us; assuming we ignore that fact that we have no reliable way of contacting him in the first place, as well as the fact that this would, in all likelihood, turn out to be nothing more than another escape attempt, what makes you so certain the Planeswalker would listen to you? We tried rational conversation the first time your friend was here, and all it left us with was a room full of headless soldiers."
Zanzetkuken the Great
As Zanzetkuken heads off on a tour around the planet to collect mana of an unspecified color or quantity, his generally less friendly variant pays a visit to the spectral figure in the vast aetheric fog, giving thanks to it for his unexpected resurrection...
"Don't mention it..." The spectral figure responds as it curiously examines its visitor. "Now, am I correct in assuming that you are the 'dark counterpart' that Zanzetkuken was all in a huff about me inadvertently reviving?"
-
The Moderator(s)
"Your benevolence is inspiring. Unfortunately, we would need a little more than promising words before we could ever even begin to consider taking such a risk.
Tell us; assuming we ignore that fact that we have no reliable way of contacting him in the first place, as well as the fact that this would, in all likelihood, turn out to be nothing more than another escape attempt, what makes you so certain the Planeswalker would listen to you? We tried rational conversation the first time your friend was here, and all it left us with was a room full of headless soldiers."
"That time I fell unconscious was us having a super-secret mental conversation or some shit. I can do it from in here, but I'm not too sure about how... Stable he is. My mission has me competing against some, let's just call them 'building speed steamrollers.', and their world annihilation plans. The Planeswalker is one of my allies in this mission. Shall I try and reach him?"
-
"I prefer, 'doesn't give a shit about anyone else' to 'dark', but that works. Oh, as to why I am here, I would like to do destruction goal stuff, while other me does unification stuff. I kinda got plans that I made when I woke up in Canada to fire Russian nukes against China and North Korea and French nukes against England. And a few Pakistani against India."
-
The Moderator(s)
"By all means, go right ahead. Such an act should be should be rather interesting to observe..."
Zanzetkuken the Great
"I do see how such a conflict of interests could be problematic...however, if you are asking that I separate the two of you so that you can go about your respective business independent of one another, I'm sorry to say that I won't be of much help to you at this time.
Don't get me wrong, I'd certainly be interested in seeing how you'd fare in the trial on your own. So If you really want, you'd be more than welcome to hang around here until I see fit to give you your own fair shot at attaining godhood. But otherwise, I'm afraid the two of you will simply have to work around each other while you're stuck inside the same body." The figure complacently explains.
"Of course, if you're not particularly in favor of either of these options, I could always rectify my mistake and send you back to the realm of the dead just as quickly as I pulled you from it..."
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"I do see how such a conflict of interests could be problematic...however, if you are asking that I separate the two of you so that you can go about your respective business independent of one another, I'm sorry to say that I won't be of much help to you at this time.
Don't get me wrong, I'd certainly be interested in seeing how you'd fare in the trial on your own. So If you really want, you'd be more than welcome to hang around here until I see fit to give you your own fair shot at attaining godhood. But otherwise, I'm afraid the two of you will simply have to work around each other while you're stuck inside the same body." The figure complacently explains.
"Of course, if you're not particularly in favor of either of these options, I could always rectify my mistake and send you back to the realm of the dead just as quickly as I pulled you from it..."
"Screw division, it's going to much fun to f' up his plans in addition to the crap I do! So with that out of the way, can join or not?"
-
attempt to form a mental link with Zanzetkuken the Great
yo man... We need to talk for a sec.
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
"As I said, I would be interested in seeing how you would fare in the trial on your own. It wouldn't at all be very fair of me to let you just jump right in through the body of another participant when all the other Chosen Ones had to start from scratch, alone and in a random, unfamiliar location, now would it? No, no, no. I-" All of a sudden, the spectral figure abruptly halts its speech, as if struck with some grand new idea. It appears to slip into deep thought, and after what seems like no more than a few seconds of careful reflection, apparently has a rather swift change of heart on the matter:
"Tell ya what; I will be keeping a close eye on you from this point forward. If I am adequately impressed by your performance over the coming weeks, or perhaps even just days of the trial, I will consider accepting you as an official Chosen One in spite of your...unconventional emergence. How does that sound?"
Meanwhile, in a mountainous forest region of southeastern Asia...
As Zanzetkuken attempts to pool together a few units of green mana from his current, lush surroundings, his concentration is disrupted when, out of nowhere, he's met with a strange, inexplicable feeling that someone, somewhere wants to speak with him...
The Moderator(s)
Despite the blatant lack of success he experienced the last time an attempt of such nature was made, the undeterred Moderator takes a deep breath, and focuses all of his mental strength and ability on telepathically reaching out to his fellow Chosen One...
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
13:50 remain.
-
Jorn Darkmane
Less than half an hour into his focused, undisturbed meditation, Jorn begins to receive lucid visions of a situation that could most definitely be classified as supernatural...
The visions reveal to the Chosen One that in a home not far south of his location, there dwells a very troubled family. For the better part of a year now, this family has apparently been haunted by a restless and intensely aggressive ghost.
Sadly, the visions do not make clear some important details of the event, such as why the ghost chose this family in particular as the target for its anger, or what exactly was done to make it so pissed off in the first place. They do, however, make it quite evident that the members of the family have very nearly reached their limits in terms of how much more abuse they can take from the unworldly entity.
If these visions are to be trusted, then such happenings could potentially turn out to be greatly advantageous for the warlock, should he act wisely in his dealing with them.
Technically speaking, there's also the possibility that it could turn out to be crushingly detrimental should he get himself involved in any way. But one really shouldn't bother themselves with such negative thoughts while deep in meditation.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
13:35 remain.
-
Light: Answer Moderator
Dark: "Sounds good to me."
Note: If the conversation between the moderator and light is happening on the meditation plane, Dark will fade out and take control of the standard form.
-
Look man, we gotta talk about Canada.
-
Look man, we gotta talk about Canada.
"What about it?"
(I'm going to assume that we are speaking on the meditation plane, and therefore Dark has gained control of the form, which this time would be more in appearance to what was seen by DZA.
In this case:
Dark: planeswalk to a British military base.
Steal various gernades, a British uniform and a loaded machine gun. Preferably being unknown
Planeswalk to an area in the Congo.
Create this base:
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS4bD4BRQeBGUQcvVxuNfR8xEBw8-jDlKNH5o8SnyOW6fcIijAz)
Planeswalk to Paris.
Use gernades and machine gun to attack random people.
After out of ammo, run to an alley, towards the wall, planeswalking at the last second.
Also, would the 'life' MTG mechanic be interpreted as a aural shield that protects me from damage as long as it is up, or a healing factor that has limited number of uses, or what?)
-
Jorn looks up at the rafters and and tells Yxchu to stay out of trouble He then heads for the house he saw in his vision.
-
"well, you gotta lay off your assault of them, because-"
Another Moderator appeared behind the first, looking more sophisticated with a pipe and classy bedwear, and a book in his hands. It read Exposition on the current situation
"The Canadians at Black Marsh have threatened to summarily execute Prime here if you are to enter within 80 Kilometers of Black Maple once more. He had reached an accord whereby he would attempt to dissuade you from continuing hostilities with Canada, in return for hopefully his release."
Prime turned to face himself.
"goddamn, now they can enter our chats? Get out of here, Exposition!
But yeah, what he said"
-
"That was more of a one shot attempt than anything else. I wasn't planning on going back there unless you asked. Honestly, I would warn them out the dichotomy of my form right now, because no matter what you saw, I did nothing in the actual escape. Hell, my memory cuts out when I saw the soldiers surrounding us, and then returns at the base of a mountain! And that's not the only time it has happened. After I went back to the base, it cut out again. I was standing in the main hall in my darksteel armor when it broke that time, then when it cuts in, I'm standing in a different area wearing the clothing I had before I removed it to put on the darksteel.
Oh, by the way, if they are doing stuff to the darksteel, please tell them that I can dissolve it into mana from anywhere on the planet. I'm not saying they can't study it, but just to leave it as it is. When you take apart portions of an artifact a planeswalker summoned, and that planeswalker tries to dissolve it...the results can vary from 200 pounds of TNT...to making a Tsar Bomba, without lead deadening the explosion somewhat, seem like a firecracker."
-
"Uh, thanks. I'll be sure to remind them. And you might wanna get that cut out looked at."
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
((Why not just have the MTG life mechanic be interpreted as Zanzetkuken's...uh, life? When and if the noble Planeswalker is ever reduced to nothing more than a broken, lifeless corpse, it can then be safely assumed that he has reached 0 life.))
With his notably more ethical counterpart caught up in an important conversation with another Chosen One on some other, non-physical plane, Dark Zanzetkuken seizes the opportunity take control of their shared physical body and get a good, uninterrupted start on his own worldly schemes.
The Planeswalker travels to a large garrison in the northern United Kingdom, and successfully manages to poke around the military installation undetected long enough to stumble upon what appears to be a modest, surprisingly unprotected armory (an especially impressive feat when one considers the fact that the Planeswalker looks he just wandered out of a high-end cosplay convention). He forces his way in and hastily loots two concussion grenades, an incendiary grenade, and three frags, along with a light machine gun and several belts of ammunition, leaving only the uniform left to acquire before making his departure to Central Africa.
Disappointingly, just as everything seemed to be going so smoothly, Dark Zanzetkuken's luck runs dry when he casually walks out of the armory with his hands full of stolen armaments, only to be discourteously stopped by a pair of patrolling guards! What's this world coming to when a man can't even break into a military base of operations and nab a few government-owned weapons without being treated like a criminal?
Jorn Darkmane
After ordering his demon to refrain from stirring up any problems in his absence, Jorn exits the barn and sets out to visit the distraught household from his visions...
A short, uneventful walk southward eventually brings the Chosen One to the doorstep of the presumably haunted house. He examines the dwelling closely, confirming that it is indeed the one that was shown to him in his vision. The warlock straightens his posture, and does his best to brush some of the dried dirt and filth off of his robe; it's ghost hunting time.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
13:20 remain.
-
Planeswalk to an area in the Congo.
Use a mana to copy the British uniform in exact detail.
Create this base:
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS4bD4BRQeBGUQcvVxuNfR8xEBw8-jDlKNH5o8SnyOW6fcIijAz)
Planeswalk to Paris.
Use gernades and machine gun to attack random people.
After out of ammo, run to an alley, towards the wall, planeswalking at the last second.
-
wake up
-
TorZon The EverShifting
In its thorough search through the confines of the hospital building, TorZon is able to locate and infiltrate a total of thirteen sleeping or otherwise incapacitated patients, making its way into their lungs, carefully navigating through the vast maze of blood vessels, and ultimately reaching the brain with only minimal dissipation of its own matter. Compared to that little adventure, the act enveloping the patients' brains in a thin, gooey layer of itself, then assimilating their nervous systems while cutting off any signals of pain sent in the process could be considered a piece of cake. That is, if TorZon had even the faintest concept of what cake was.
As the Chosen One moves onto the next step of its brilliant plan, things become slightly more difficult. The brains of living, breathing human beings are, as TorZon quickly learns, very complex and fragile things. And much to the vexation of the Chosen One, each one happens to be wired a little bit differently. The task of retrieving, reconstructing and deciphering the memories of the unconscious hospital patients requires much trial and error. Unfortunately, this harsh learning process results in six of the thirteen enveloped brains being damaged to the point that data collection of any sort becomes an impossibility...
It isn't perfect, but with a bit of practice to call upon now, TorZon soon works out a semi-reliable method of extracting the memories from the remaining seven brains, and even manages to keep the brains themselves (mostly) intact while doing so!
From these memories, the Chosen One receives a great wealth of varied information. Some of it, TorZon has no problem understanding; the basic desires for survival and security, even deeper desires for power and control, an insatiable, almost innate curiosity about the universe and existence, a subtle yet ever-present yearning for knowledge. Most of it, however, the Chosen One has trouble making any sense out of whatsoever; phobias, obsession, self-destructive behavior, undeserved admiration for certain beings, irrational hatred for others, ridiculous societal rituals and beliefs, countless hours wasted on various activities that provide no real benefit, and the list only seems to grow longer with each new memory TorZon absorbs...
With such an overwhelming abundance of apparent faults, it is truly a wonder how these humans have advanced this far.
Zanzetkuken the Great
Finding the immediate situation to have become much too troublesome for his liking, Dark Zanzetkuken planeswalks to a remote area in the Congo, and proceeds to summon up his own convincing version of the uniform he was unable to steal.
Not at all pleased with his lack of a personal headquarters in which to comfortably plot the extermination of humanity, the Planeswalker then begins to conjure himself a Crumbling Necropolis.
Though it may be gradually falling into ruin and dearly in need of a good dusting, the Necropolis shall nevertheless be a grand, sprawling city of the dead. And as such, shall take several hours of unfaltering concentration before it is fully manifested...
The Moderator(s)
His dealings with the Planeswalker finished for the time being, The Moderator jolts awake as his consciousness returns to the physical plane.
"Good, you're not dead. Did you have any luck getting in touch with the Planeswalker?"
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
13:15 remain.
-
Dark: Switch base to this to save time:
(http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=288876&type=card)
(Only the tower, not the ice! And try to have it be overgrown on the outside, to disguise it.)
-
TorZon almost shimmered in indignation. Inefficiency! Inefficiency in the extreme! Disgusting.
But it remembers what it was doing this for. Vulnerabilities. Weak points. Every macrosystem based on leadership had them. Bring one keystone down and the whole edifice toppled.
Search incoming memories for information such as:
Who the leader of the local community is and where s/he resides
Who the leader of the overall system (head of state) is and where they reside
Details about the organization (country) I am currently in.
-
"He said he'd only do it if I asked again, which is quite foolish, and his memory cuts out right when he jumped in the room, so he may be a schizo.
Oh yeah, and that Darksteel shit will explode something fierce if you pull it apart, his words."
-
Jorn knocks on the door.
When someone answers Jorn introduces himself.
"My name is Jorn Darkmane. I understand you have a ghost problem?"
-
Zanzetkuken the Great
Suddenly realizing that the conjuring of such an expansive Base of Operations would be far too time-consuming and, truth be told, not really all that necessary to his humanity-destroying schemes, Dark Zanzetkuken tweaks his plans yet again and instead decides to bring forth a perfectly sufficient Reliquary Tower (actual relics sold summoned separately).
The manifesting of the Reliquary Tower should take around 1-2 hours; a mere fraction of the time that would have been needed to spawn the amply-sized Crumbling Necropolis.
TorZon The EverShifting
As TorZon continues absorbing the memories of the seven infiltrated patients, it begins to scan for specific information concerning its immediate whereabouts and the leaders thereof...
Several minutes of picking through the memories reveals that the Chosen One is, at this time, residing in the western portion of an immense (though largely desolate) island apparently referred to by most as Australia, within a small, coastal town bearing the name Karratha.
As for who happens to be in charge of this particular region of the globe, it would seem that the humans of this apparent island nation have managed to make such a matter just as confusing as the rest of their culture:
According to some of the data, the island nation's supreme ruler is an elderly 'queen' residing in some far-off land. At the same time, data from other memories leads TorZon to believe that it is, in fact, an individual known as the 'Governor-General' who truly makes all the important decisions of the nation, while others still suggest it is one who carries the title of 'Prime Minister' that holds most of the real power on the island. Further scanning reveals that the official residences of both the 'Prime Minister' and 'Governor-General' are located almost clear across the island, a distance spanning over a couple thousand miles.
It is almost beyond TorZon's comprehension how these humans manage to get anything done with such convoluted power structures...
Regarding public leaders on a more local scale:
From what the Chosen One can understand, this area is ruled over not by any one human, but rather, a 'council' of them. And, luckily for our little swarm of brain-infecting blobs, the headquarters of this council is—if the memories are anything to be relied upon—situated in the very same town that it has found itself involuntarily inhabiting.
The Moderator(s)
"So then, the fate of 12-14 billion souls depend on the actions a mass-murdering, schizophrenic sorcerer...and the untrustworthy, incredibly reckless individual of questionable competence that is yourself? Lovely..."
There is a small pause, followed by yet another question from his ever-inquisitive captors.
"...If you wouldn't mind, could you please disclose the details of the mission the two of you are currently on?"
Jorn Darkmane
After what feel like an unusually long time of waiting, the door of the house finally creaks open, bringing Jorn face-to-face with a tall, (unhealthily) thin woman of sickly complexion. The woman looks utterly exhausted, and does not appear to be the least bit excited about the warlock's unexpected arrival. Nevertheless, Jorn wastes no time introducing himself in a calmly manner and inquiring into the family's suspected paranormal botherations.
With a dull gaze, she briefly looks over the Chosen One, before responding to him in a rather distrustful, unwelcoming tone. "What are you, some kind of priest?"
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
13:10 remain.
-
Jorn tries to appear friendly.
"Lets just say, I'm someone who can help."
-
Jorn Darkmane
A short but uncomfortable silence quickly follows the Chosen One's words, as he can plainly tell by the gaunt woman's facial expression alone that she is more than a little skeptical of his claim...
"We've had everything from Catholic priests to Native American shamans come in and try to cleanse the evil from our home...none of them did anything that helped. Some of them even made things worse. What makes you think you'll be able to do any better?"
-
Have the segments that infected the people remain inside them, assimilating the brains and nervous systems of the six that were too damaged to function. Have the other seven remain as they are, passively observing, and the six I assimilated slowly recover/die from their respective illnesses/injuries as appropriate to the level of severity.
Have the segments that didn't infect anyone go off to the place where the leaders of the city are, remaining in gaseous form.
-
"Hey, I can be trustworthy...
But anyways, and I know this will sound ridiculous, even to me. I mean, shit! just yesterday I was gonna visit my archaeologist friend, but then this happens.
So basically, we are a copy of some 'Original Earth', I was plucked from the future to compete here in a trial to determine who among like six of us will be in his ultimate pantheon power-team of win against some other-dimension force or some shit. So we have to either unify the world, or annihilate all humans on it. I have chosen the insane and near-impossible task of unifying 6-7 billion souls of different races, religions and convictions. I also have to protect them from whomever wishes to annihilate humanity. So then in addition to this planet of diverse squabbling hairless monkeys with atomic weapons, I also would have to step up and save this 'original earth' or some stuff. So that explains the 12-14 billion people.
Oh, and this was all mandated by the supposed 'King of all the Gods'. Goddamn I need a drink. So basically, you have to choose as your salvation a schizo-magician who can summon lots of shit, and is most likely a megalomaniac, Or a human who may only be semi-competent, schizophrenic, reckless, 'untrustworthy', and extremely unhappy with the CIA's wanting to hunt me down and make me 'pay for this cowardly terrorist attack', but saved humanity's ass TWICE, can 'often' pull off heroic actions, and oh yeah, I live here too."
-
"You want the truth? My powers are, darker, and I think, more capable."
-
Just a quickie to avoid having you guys wait another day for a relatively small update.
TorZon The EverShifting
Leaving the thirteen portions of itself to continue their respective tasks of furtive assimilation/data collection, the rest of the colorless, gaseous matter that is TorZon inconspicuously slips out of the hospital building and into the cool air of the night, heading in the presumed direction of the town leaders' local headquarters...
As the the Chosen One flows swiftly toward its destination, it takes note of what feels like a small yet unusual increase in potency within itself. Apparently, hacking into the indescribably intricate organic control center of a sentient creature that it just the other day wasn't even aware existed brings more rewards than insight alone. (+Badassery)
The Moderator(s)
"You're right, that does sound ridiculous. However, we cannot think of any way in which you would benefit from making up such an absurd story. Certainly, if you were deliberately trying to deceive us, you would have been able come up with something far more believable than that. Which, as far as we can tell, leaves us with only two remotely plausible possibilities:
You've either completely and utterly lost your mind, or you're telling the truth...at least, what you believe is the truth. Perhaps a mix of both...
Though...assuming that everything you've said is indeed the truth, just how powerful, in your own opinion, would you say these other beings competing in this trial are? Are you able to communicate telepathically with them as well?
Jorn Darkmane
"...And what if you're wrong? Everyone who came before you thought they were capable, too. Until they realized what they were up against...
How do I know you won't be another wannabe who comes in, stirs shit up, and leaves us even worse off than before? And before you answer that, how about telling me why the hell you have any interest in helping us in the first place? What are you expecting to get out of it, hm?" The woman questions with a noticeably increased level of irritation.
Well this is turning out poorly. It would seem that this woman has become too wary for her own good. If things continue on in this manner for much longer, Jorn's battle with the supernatural entity tormenting this family may be over before it even begins...
-
"Believe me, This sounds crazy to me.
As for other Chosen ones, I'd say a lot have some serious powers, stuff that surpasses 'normal' abilities. And yes I can communicate with them."
-
The Moderator(s)
"...Powers to match those of the Planeswalker?"
-
The Moderator(s)
"...Powers to match those of the Planeswalker?"
"Well, I can only judge considering I only saw them, but I would suppose we are all pretty evenly matched. However every second I spend here talking is a second they can ramp up their powers while I'm stuck here."
-
Jorn nods politely.
"I can see my services are not welcome here."
Jorn returns to the barn and looks for his spellbook and blood pen.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Intriguing. Very intriguing...
We wonder, how would you feel about helping us to organize a small meeting between one or more of these other 'Chosen Ones' and a specially selected representative of ours? In a very controlled and secure environment, of course.
Our supervisors would be greatly interested in becoming better acquainted with these other supposedly extraordinary beings, and if you could be so kind as to assist us in this matter, rest assured that your cooperation will be adequately rewarded; not only would we be willing to officially call off your execution, but also offer you some much needed medical treatment to help both alleviate the undoubtedly severe pain as well as reduce the serious health risks brought about by those nasty injuries of yours. Sound acceptable?"
Jorn Darkmane
In absolutely no mood to be interrogated for simply trying to offer some friendly assistance to a family in need, Jorn turns away and promptly begins his short walk back to his Base of Operations...
The warlock is caught off guard, however, when, in a sudden fit of desperation, the woman timorously yells out to him just before he can step off of the property. "Wait!...I-I'm sorry. It's just that...*sigh*...do you really think you can help us?"
-
"Which ones would you want to talk to though? And would this rep be armed?"
-
Jorn turns back.
"I'll certainly try miss. Do you know anything about the spirit or why it haunts you?"
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The Moderator(s)
"Any that you think would be at all interested in a mutually beneficial partnership with our organization and its government. A reasonable level of mental stability would be nice as well.
As for our representative being armed, unless we are given reason to believe that such a precaution is necessary, it is unlikely. We will, of course, have armed forces on call for basic security reasons, but otherwise feel it would be best that the meeting take place without the immediate availability of any lethal armaments."
Jorn Darkmane
"I...I did some research a while back and...apparently, almost a century ago, a boy was murdered here. Violently." The woman somberly explains.
"He never got along very well with the rest of his family, and as a result, was often blamed for a lot of the troubles they had. One day, his siblings accused him of stealing from them, or something like that. This led to a big dispute, which ultimately ended with him getting beaten to death by his two older brothers. That's the story I was told, at least...
I'd heard that previous owners also had problems with the ghost, or spirit, or whatever you want to call it...but the house was offered to us at such a great price...I thought it'd be foolish to turn it down just because of some old ghost stories...
The problem is, we don't have the money to move anywhere else, and no one around we could stay with. All we can do is try to cope and pretend everything is normal while this...thing torments us every waking hour of our lives..."
With tears welling up in her tired eyes, the woman steps out of the house and slowly walks over to Jorn. "Anything you want, you can have it. I don't care anymore. Just say what it is, and if we don't have it here, I...I'll figure out how to get it for you. Just...please, get this evil out of our home."
-
"We can settle that later. Lead on, I want to see the house."
-
"Sounds reasonable. Would this secure my freedom? I got a couple worlds to save."
-
Jorn Darkmane
Jorn follows close behind as the woman uneasily makes her way back into the home.
"This is the living room." The woman says as she leads the Chosen One through the front door. "Up ahead is the kitchen and dining area. And down the hall to your left is the bathroom, master bedroom, and..." She utters in a sullen tone, "my daughter's room..."
Though a quick glance around tells the warlock that keeping the house tidy has (understandably) not been one of this family's highest priorities, if one were to judge by appearances alone, they would see before them nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Yet in spite of this convincing facade of normality, the adept Jorn can clearly sense an unseen presence inhabiting the area; he's felt it watching him closely from the moment he stepped foot into the home, and it doesn't seem to like him.
Anxious to get things underway, the woman turns to the Chosen One. "So, what sort of ritual were you planning on performing, and where would you like to start it?"
The Moderator(s)
"A greater level of freedom than you have at the moment, certainly.
You're an intelligent person, 025. Even with the 'minor' mental defects you seem to possess, you should be able to understand why we cannot simply turn you loose and let you go about this world-saving business of yours completely unsupervised. You are much too valuable an asset to this organization, and much too dangerous if left to your own devices for that to be an option at this point in time.
We are aware that this is not an ideal situation for you, and that our holding you here is interfering with a mission of considerable importance. For this, we apologize. But know that all we ask from you now is all that we have asked from you since the very beginning: your cooperation. The more you do for us, the more we will be allowed to do for you.
Prove that you can be a reliable and trustworthy ally to this organization, and you will soon not only have the unhindered freedom you so eagerly yearn for, but the full support of the single greatest country to exist in the modern age."
-
"assisting you guys for some freedom? Sounds like a good deal. However, given the nature of our insertion on the planet, it would take a bit of time to gather them all."
Most likely a trap. Or a method to assert Canadian dominance over the planet when Unification results. But anyways, who to invite?
Think, think think, who was virtuous there?
Zan? maybe. Probably crazier than me, might lose himself in insanity.Not possible, maybe it's different aspects of himself?
MOVING ON, the stone guy seems a good choice. You sure? he could be a nutjob- We're all nutjobs, fool.
I guess I'd have to ask the others...
"I also assume you still want those BatleMechs from past/present me?"
-
"I can definitely sense something. Hrm. What did the others before me try? And what was the effect, if any?"
-
Change of strategy for Dark after the base is finished:
Collect Mana to cast this:
(http://imaginarywars.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/worldfire.jpg)
Cast spell.
Return to base.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Past you...? Well, that would explain a lot...
Anyway, yes, among other things, a voluntary contribution of BattleMechs would be greatly appreciated."
Jorn Darkmane
"The first couple of people we brought in were priests. Most of what they did involved saying a lot of prayers and splashing holy water everywhere, which didn't really seem to help any. Next, we had someone who claimed to be a medium come in. She told us that the reason we were experiencing so much hostility was because we had somehow offended the ghost by 'invading its space', and insisted that the only solution was to make peace with it so that it could cross over to the other side. So, uh, we tried that for a while...needless to say, it was just as effective as all of the prayers and holy water.
After that, we brought in a shaman who walked around the house repeating some weird chant thing I couldn't understand, and burning a bunch of special herbs to 'clear the house of negative energies'. This actually seemed to work, at first. But after a few weeks passed, the activity flared up again, even more violent than it was before.
Finally, we got in touch with a team of 'professional ghost hunters'. They showed up with a video camera and a van full of strange equipment, and after interviewing us about everything that had gone on, made us wait outside while they went in to...do whatever it is ghost hunters do, I guess.
I didn't see what happened...but only about ten minutes after they went inside, they suddenly came bolting out with faces white as bed sheets. Whatever they saw definitely made them afraid for their lives. Without a saying a word, they packed up their stuff and drove off as fast as they could.
Ever since then, it's been relentless, and we've just about run out of options. So with that in mind, please, please tell me you have a plan for dealing with this thing that won't either end up backfiring, or be completely useless..."
-
Jorn tries to sense the exact location of the spirit and proceeds to draw a summoning circle to bind it, using salt.
"I offer this soul to the underworld."
-
Jorn Darkmane
After a short time of attentively walking around the house in an effort to pinpoint the location of the ghost, Jorn soon recognizes its presence to be strongest in the kitchen, and immediately sets to work on creating a summoning circle there from his personal supply of salt. Unfortunately, his otherworldly adversary seems to quickly catch on to what he is attempting to do, as before he can so much as complete the basic outline of his circle, the Chosen One senses the presence dart off to another portion of the home.
This ghost may technically be brainless, but it's definitely not stupid...
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
13:05 remain.
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Jorn addresses the woman.
"Do you have anything here from when the boy lived? Preferably something he owned."
-
The moderator starts to feel the pain return again.
"Might I get a spot of that medical aid you were talking about? This pain is making it a spot hard to concentrate."
-
TorZon The EverShifting
Arriving at the location revealed to it through the absorbed memories, TorZon spots a building that it immediately identifies as the headquarters of the ruling council.
There doesn't appear to be much activity on the premises at this time, though the Chosen One suspects this is largely due to the fact that humans seem to be primarily diurnal creatures.
Jorn Darkmane
"Um...gimme a second."
Not wasting a single moment, the woman goes off rummaging through the house. Several minutes later, she returns with what appears to be an old photograph in hand. "Will this work? It's something I stumbled upon while researching the history of the house. I'm pretty sure the person in the picture is the boy who was killed here..."
The Moderator(s)
"Very well," The voice answers after a brief silence. "but we expect you back as soon as you are in well enough condition to contact the other Chosen Ones."
Moments later, the room's thick steel door opens up, allowing a team of armed guards to pour in and surround the Moderator. The Chosen One is lifted to his feet by a pair of the guards, before being carefully escorted to one of the facility's lesser clinical departments.
The Moderator is sat down on a small bed, and after the passing of a few minutes, is greeted by a nurse carrying a metal tray. The tray holds a colorful assortment of medications, accompanied by a tall glass of water. "A doctor will be with you in just a moment. In the meantime, take these; they'll help to lessen any pain you may be experiencing, reduce any possible brain swelling or internal hemorrhaging, and boost your immune system to help fight off potential infections. If you need anything else, please let me know."
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
12:50 remain.
-
"Perfect."
Jorn looks down at his ritual circle and sighs, and draws a binding circle somewhere else with the rest of his salt. He puts the picture in the center of the binding circle.
Jorn attempts to bind the spirit to the circle.
-
Explore the building while the humans are absent. Attempt to find any chambers where the leaders convene to communicate and reside there if possible.
-
Have to suspect they want a biopsy. After all, getting mental powers and that jazz would be very helpful.
Take a couple pills, but not all of them.
-
Sorry about having you guys wait a week for such a small update; deep, tangled thoughts amongst the bustle of seasonal festivities have proven to be formidable distractions from my honorable GMing duties.
Jorn Darkmane
With a slight change of plans, Jorn walks back into the living room and finds a suitable place to create another ritual circle. Just as he begins preparation of the new circle, however, the antique photograph held by the woman is suddenly pulled from her grasp and flung violently across the room. Apparently the ghost does not wholly approve of its use in the warlock's ritual.
"Shit!" The woman exclaims, before running over to retrieve the photo. Sadly, the hostile haunt does not seem to approve of this particular action, either. As is made abundantly clear by the woman's terrified screams as she is lifted off her feet and ferociously pinned against the wall by a powerful, invisible force the instant she attempts to pick up the photograph.
TorZon The EverShifting
Finding its way in through a small grate in the back of the building, an inquisitive TorZon swiftly traverses through a number of dark, metal tunnels, passes through another grate, and ends up in a rather bizarre-looking room that, according to the memories, is used by humans mainly for sanitation and biowaste disposal purposes.
Having no such waste to dispose of, and little to no concern for hygiene, the Chosen One wastes no time on investigating the room, and instead flows out underneath the door to explore the building further...
The Moderator(s)
The nurse gives the Moderator a disapproving look as he cautiously takes only a small portion of the provided medication, making it unmistakably clear that he has absolutely no intention of consuming all of it.
"You want to get better, don't you?"
-
The nurse gives the Moderator a disapproving look as he cautiously takes only a small portion of the provided medication, making it unmistakably clear that he has absolutely no intention of consuming all of it.
"You want to get better, don't you?"
The Moderator is a bit taken aback by the upfront nature of this Nurse.
"W-well maybe it's poison or something to KO me. I mean trust the wrong person and BOOM!" he makes the hand gesture of an orb exploding "Your soul gets sent to the Blood War, 'cause the doctors poked your brain and then killed your ass." he says with a slight salesman impression.
The Moderator then looked off into space, with a sense of dread.
"And we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we? Because the Blood War is more than mere punishment for your average sinner or fuck-up. No... They save that perdition for people like me..." his voice trailed off.
He then turned to face the nurse once more.
"After all, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
Inside his mind, he was forcefully pulled. There he saw the crystalline form of Order, with Courage, Willpower and Survival all off to his right. Order was holding him easily within his two hands, and was shaking him like crazy.
GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF PRIME. WE CAN'T HAVE CRACKS SHOWING NOW, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A WORLD TO SAVE.
But the goddamn Blood War. One Slip up-
And it won't matter. I know. But you can't go slipping into chaotic madness. You need to be in controlled madness. The good kind.
Slowly, Oh so SLOWLY, the Moderator returned to the material world, staring into space again. But something was different.
He had a fire in his heart.
"Oh screw it, I only got time, and that shit is burning as we speak."
Take ALL the Pills. Like, post haste.
-
TorZon The EverShifting
It doesn't take TorZon a very long time of snooping about to locate what it is confident is the council's primary chamber of congregation; the area is larger than most of the other rooms that make up the headquarters, and seems contain enough seating to accommodate dozens of humans.
Sticking to its plan, the Chosen One makes itself comfortable and proceeds to idly occupy the chamber.
The Moderator(s)
His mind firmly established back in the present moment, The Moderator scoops the rest of the medication into his mouth like a crazed drug addict, and hastily downs every last bit of it with a few large gulps of water. Slightly unsettled by the Chosen One's rather unusual behavior, the nurse reminds him to call if he needs anything else, and briskly walks off to another area of the clinic.
A little under a minute later, The Moderator spots the aforementioned doctor approaching his bed. "My, my. Quite the entourage you've brought with you." she says, looking at the team of elite guards standing around him. "Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet meet you, 025. I'm Dr. Weller. How are you feeling at the moment?"
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
12:40 remain.
-
The Moderator perks up, and smiles.
"Apart from being crazy, confused and slightly paranoid, I'd say pretty good. May I ask a question?"
Within his mind once more, an alien figure spoke. It was none other than Maris Szans. Well, an imprint of his personality, but he was still all there. The one that drove him insane.
I trust you will not hit on this 'Dr Weller' like you do to the archaeologist you seem hopelessly in love wit-
what are you even on about man? it's not my fault she is so-. Damn you.
You humans are truly strange.
-
Excellent.
Judge how long it would take to absorb all the seating and reform as it. If I can accomplish it before day's end do it after examining every inch of the room for recording devices and disabling them by corroding the wires that power them/fogging up their lenses as appropriate. If not, disable any recording devices using the methods detailed above and absorb and imitate the greatest number of chairs that I can before day's end, starting with the ones that are obviously for the leaders.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Certainly."
TorZon The EverShifting
Though it guesses it may have to dedicate most, if not the entire remainder of its day to the task, TorZon nevertheless feels certain that it will be capable of fully absorbing all of the seating within the chamber before the beginning of the next 24-hour cycle on the planet.
Not too keen on having its actions be viewed later on by any unintended spectators, however, the Chosen One first sets about dealing with any and all recording devices that might happen to be situated within the area...
-
"Who is the current President of the United States?"
Very stran-
Shove it. With this, we get a general timeframe of the years we are in. That'll give me stock of what cool shit I acquired.
-
Excellent. Improvement of the humans begins now.
TorZon applies itself to its task.
-
Jorn scrambles to retrieve the photo and bind the ghost.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Um, a man by the name of Barack Obama...?" Dr. Weller responds, giving The Moderator a somewhat puzzled look. "You didn't know that? The Americans have been making quite a fuss about him and just about everything he does since the day he was elected. I'd figure even someone with no interest in politics whatsoever would know he was the United States President. I mean, they're about as bad as the English are with the Royal Family..."
Jorn Darkmane
As soon as Jorn runs over and snatches the photo up off the ground, the woman falls to the floor, her body covered in deep, bleeding scratch marks inflicted by her incorporeal attacker. She stares up at the Chosen One for but a second, before passing out from a likely mix of fear, exhaustion, and excruciating pain.
With a firm hold on the photograph, the warlock rushes to finish work on his binding circle...
Halfway through the circle's completion, a booming, rage-filled cry resounds through the house, and Jorn senses a dramatic increase in the intensity of the ghost's presence. Stubborn thing is truly hell-bent on staying in this home...though, considering the immediate alternative is a one-way trip to the underworld, one can't really blame it.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
12:35 remain.
-
"So he's still in his first term?
I do know about Barack Obama is. I mean, I even met the guy once. It's just I have no general timeframe of which I am in." The Moderator smiled. Holy crap it was good to see a friendly person.
Good times...
It had been a stormy day, and President Barack Obama returned to the oval office to deal with some late night Presidential issues, phone calls with other countries. Just as he sat down in the chair, and reached for the phone, A sound unlike any he had heard reached his ears and there was a new person in the room. He wasn't any of the Secret Service.
He was an intruder. He slowly reached for the button under the desk.
"Mr President, I have already.. Disabled that alarm system. No I am not here to assassinate you. I merely wish to... Talk.
"The USA does not negotiate with terro-"
"Oh please, don't give me that 'terrorist' horseshit, excuse my French. I have personal issue with one of your organisations, namely the CIA...
The President looked at him, interested.
"go on then..."
"Now, I know you're aware of Operation Crimson Spear conducted in the 70's, No don't act all surprised. I was pulled there for whatever BS cosmic reasons. Don't believe me? Open up the file."
Obama reached for the folder in the locked drawer. He pulled out a NATO-stamped file that says CLASSIFIED: TOP SECRET. Inside was perhaps one of the greatest society-shattering piece of information.
"1973, Europe. a UFO is intercepted and shot down by prototype stealth fighters, and a multinational team of soldiers is sent in with state-of-the-art gear to bring in real, live aliens.Few copies exist of the team photo, but if you look at it, there I am."
Obama was worried about this... person. He looked down at the photo in his hand, and then back at the intruder. Same person.
"How did you..."
"Do you trust me now? The moderator asked.
"not as far as I can throw you." Obama replied, steel in his voice.
"good, good. I need CIA Black division's funding reduced drastically."
And why would you want the sole thing keeping us technologically updated, with promises of things that will keep us stable for the next hundred years? Not negotiable."
"Tell me, what have they promised you? I mean them working with DARPA. What technological devices will give them that advantage?"
"That is classified."
"How about powered armor? Plasma guns? Railguns, Bipedal Mechs that will obsolete most tanks, laser cannons for fighter use? Optical stealth like the one I used to get in here, that kind of stuff?"
Obama looked at this intruder like he was a mind-reader.
"They're going to get it all from one source... Me. I have all of this tech, and Black Division's sole purpose is to capture me and pedal this stuff to the military. With that kinda stuff in the USA's grasp, you could take over the world. I wouldn't like that to happen. So you'll reduce funding."
"I'll think about it."
Never did see a funding decrease.
-
The Moderator(s)
"...You don't remember the point in history that you're living in? That can't be a good sign...a lapse in memory like that could be an indication of significant levels of brain damage..." The doctor says in a concerned tone. "Guess we should cut the chitchat and get on with what you actually came here for, huh?"
-
The Moderator(s)
"...You don't remember the point in history that you're living in? That can't be a good sign...a lapse in memory like that could be an indication of significant levels of brain damage..." The doctor says in a concerned tone. "Guess we should cut the chitchat and get on with what you actually came here for, huh?"
"Oh not like that. Think of it like I'm Marty McFly, except a bit crazy and I didn't choose the iconic 'run in and read a newspaper to tell what year it is' theme." The Moderator starts laughing.
Why must you reference your species' popular culture like that?
Screw you, that's why.
Why must I be consigned to this crazy cage I can't escape?
-
The Moderator(s)
"Ooh, so you're a time-traveler then?" She asks with an amused smile. "I suppose that would explain why the supervisors are still willing to keep you alive even after that little joyride in the Interceptor."
-
The Moderator(s)
"Ooh, so you're a time-traveler then?" She asks with an amused smile. "I suppose that would explain why the supervisors are still willing to keep you alive even after that little joyride in the Interceptor."
"Kinda" The moderator began with an amused tone
"Only the second time. Neither were by choice. Can you tell me a specific date?"
-
Jorn Darkmane
Although far from his best work, Jorn trusts the near-completed binding circle will be of sufficient quality to successfully trap and hold the ghost long enough for him to show it precisely why, when confronted by an accomplished warlock, the dead would be wise to flee back to their graves...
As he goes about making a few finishing touches to the ritual circle, the Chosen One takes notice of a disheveled teenage girl standing over him with a long steak knife, whom he concludes right away must be none other than the lovely daughter of the now unconscious woman lying on the other side of the living room.
Given the trying circumstances this family has had to put up with for almost a year, one could quite easily understand why she may not look her most refined at the moment. But even so, silently approaching someone while holding a dangerous piece of cutlery is simply no way to make a good first impression. That cold, vacant stare she has isn't exactly helping any, either...
The Moderator(s)
"August of 2012. The...8th, I believe. What point in time were you originally from?" She curiously inquires.
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
12:30 remain.
-
"October 15th, 2014. A mere five months before the invasion..." The Moderator's voice trails off.
STOP TELLING HER EVERYTHING, GODDAMN! Common sense screamed into his mental-ear. The Moderator turned to see his sensibly-dressed counterpart.
We need to be honest to win their trust. Chances are she can also read minds- making the finger-at-temple motion, Or she knows when I lie.
Still ain't gonna help your chances... Cynicism chimed in, acting like a mope as usual
Oh quiet you.
"but I ain't gotta worry about that right now. Bigger fish to fry. Godly fish" he makes an arms apart gesture.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Well then, let's see to it that you make a full and speedy recovery." Dr. Weller says with a warm grin, apparently rather entertained by the Chosen One's eccentric demeanor. "Shall we get started?"
-
The Moderator(s)
"Well then, let's see to it that you make a full and speedy recovery." Dr. Weller says with a warm grin, apparently rather entertained by the Chosen One's eccentric demeanor. "Shall we get started?"
"Sure."
Here we go...
Get Started
-
Begin the ritual to bind the ghost.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Alright. First, we'll have to get you out of that jumpsuit, then run through some extensive testing and examination. After we've done full assessment of your physical and mental condition, I can get to work on setting you up with an appropriate treatment plan. The first step of which will probably be getting those burns of yours taken care of. Before you know it, we'll have you all fixed up and ready fry as many metaphorical fish of godly proportions as you see fit." She states with assuring confidence.
Jorn Darkmane
With everything now in order to finally put this troublesome specter in its place, Jorn drops the photograph into the center of the finished binding circle, and begins reciting a short incantation to commence what should be a relatively quick and straightforward ritual. Unfortunately, for reasons as of yet unclear, this seems to provoke the steak knife-wielding teenage girl to impetuously assail the warlock. Without warning, she lunges clumsily at the Chosen One, attempting to carve into him like a freshly-cooked and magically gifted holiday roast.
Demonstrating surprising reflexive ability, Jorn catches the girl's wrist as he continues to utter the incantation without skipping a beat, sparing himself a nasty knife wound while simultaneously preventing her from potentially falling flat onto his binding circle and undoing all of his careful work.
Once fully declaimed, the incantation invokes a dark and inescapable force that pulls and locks the ghost's presence into the middle of the circle. Something that the ghost is evidently not at all appreciative of. The Chosen One watches as the ghastly apparition of a young man appears in the circle before him, his face twisted into an expression of pure, ineffable hatred. He screams and roars at the warlock with a voice of such fury that it wakes the gaunt woman from her unconscious state, and causes the Chosen One himself to grow a bit wary that the binding circle may not be able to hold the wrathful entity for as long as he had initially expected.
-
Jorn frowns at the girl.
"I'm only trying to help you know."
Jorn looks at the ghost.
"Exactly what is it that you want spirit?"
-
"Alright..."
As the Moderator uneasily removes his jumpsuit, among the most recent burns and other injuries is a variety of scars, some appeared caused by animals, others by blades, with many more caused by projectiles. Most interestingly was his entire right arm and shoulder, which looks like someone had shredded the outside with a multitude of smaller blades. It was quite a sight.
comply with the Doctor
-
Jorn Darkmane
"GET OOOOUUUT!!!" The ghost responds with a thunderous shout.
As the girl slowly begins to regain some vague sense of self-awareness (something she only seconds ago seemed completely devoid of), she looks up at the robed stranger gripping her wrist, and then to the now—hopefully—securely bound apparition. "He told me to aim for your heart, but I thought it would be easier to go for the neck..."
The Moderator(s)
Dr. Weller's eyes widen as she takes in The Moderator's startling collection of bodily scars. "Well, at least I don't have to worry about this being your first medical visit..."
Under the watchful eyes of the elite guards, Dr. Weller begins the potentially lengthy process of meticulously inspecting and identifying all of the The Moderator's present injuries...
-
"He told you to? Interesting. And why did you listen?'
-
Jorn Darkmane
"I...I don't know. I just kept hearing it over and over and over, and I just wanted it to stop..."
-
"So... Do this often?"
He's using the small talk, not sure what for Exposition started to speak, surrounded by many facets of the Moderator's personality. Every one silent in anticipation.
Maybe it's to secure a new friend? Actually, it's so I don't have to be so bored to talk to you guys.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Yep. It is sort of...you know, my job and all." She says while keeping her focus on the task at hand. "Though I'd have to say you're definitely one of the more extraordinary patients I've seen come into this department as of late. Most of the time, I'm dealing with injuries incurred through relatively mundane workplace accidents, which usually aren't quite as severe as those acquired by being blown up thousands of feet above the Earth." She pauses momentarily. "...Hm. To be honest, I'm actually pretty amazed that you're in as good a shape as you are now; most people who go through what you did would require a lot more reassembly."
-
The Moderator(s)
"Yep. It is sort of...you know, my job and all." She says while keeping her focus on the task at hand. "Though I'd have to say you're definitely one of the more extraordinary patients I've seen come into this department as of late. Most of the time, I'm dealing with injuries incurred through relatively mundane workplace accidents, which usually aren't quite as severe as those acquired by being blown up thousands of feet above the Earth." She pauses momentarily. "...Hm. To be honest, I'm actually pretty amazed that you're in as good a shape as you are now; most people who go through what you did would require a lot more reassembly."
the moderator let out a short chuckle. "And I have. One time I got kicked by a giant-ass warmachine. My Battle-armor kept me together. I never did repair it. Speaking of which... This spot here..." he points towards a burned area near his collarbone.
Drifting over a rather even more picturesque Earth, where Earth had decided to stop their stupid bickering, get their shit together, and make Humanity far better. They hadn't yet unlocked the secrets of interstellar travel, but it was close to the brink. There, in orbit, was a large black plane-like starship, the Moderator's own craft for inter-dimensional travel and sometimes his personal 'chill-out zone' It was often that he would just sit in orbit, or even go EVA in his modified X-COM Ion Armor. This time, he was pretend dancing with some imaginary folk, one of the few times he enjoys himself carefree.
His craft was drifting ever closer to this dimension's version of the ISS. and purely by chance, they had weapons in case of alien invasion. Sure it was a unified Earth, but they still had crazy.
The crewmember, a one Alexandr Kosonova, saw the approaching craft and called out for the other crew. None of them stirred from their beds, or simply weren't interested.
He grabbed the laser rifle and donned his EVA suit. As he made his way to the airlock, there was one thought in your head
Today, Alexandr, you do Earth proud.
The Moderator turned and saw the man with the rifle, and froze. He attempted a wave, but the... Russian would have none of it.
The last thing he saw clearly was the Russian's mouth moving to word out 'DIE ALIEN SCUM!'
"Structural weakpoint. The armor could withstand it, except for that part. by the time I got back in it left this scar from the laser. I also had to reconstruct the flash-boiled tissue. Not fun."
-
The Moderator(s)
"Lasers and giant warmachines, eh?" The doctor says, no doubt intrigued by the Chosen One's astounding claims. "Sounds like you were regularly surviving situations certain death even before getting into trouble with the government. I guess that either makes you incredibly skilled, or unbelievably lucky." She continues with the casual geniality of an old friend.
"In any case, fact that you're still all together in one piece seems nothing short of miraculous."
-
The Moderator(s)
"Lasers and giant warmachines, eh?" The doctor says, no doubt intrigued by the Chosen One's astounding claims. "Sounds like you were regularly surviving situations certain death even before getting into trouble with the government. I guess that either makes you incredibly skilled, or unbelievably lucky." She continues with the casual geniality of an old friend.
"In any case, fact that you're still all together in one piece seems nothing short of miraculous."
"Not quite certain death. they only claim it to be." the Moderator smiled.
finally someone I can goddamn talk to. like a godsend. Thank you DZA
-
Jorn Darkmane
With each passing minute, the ensnared ghost becomes more and more infuriated, putting a growing strain on the magical forces keeping it bound inside the circle. As if that were not bad enough, the gaunt woman, just now overcoming the petrifying fear induced by the sight of the frightening apparition, has started frantically throwing every liftable object within her reach in the ghost's general direction. Which, unfavorably, also happens to be the direction of the Chosen One. While the hurled objects pass clear through the ghost's immaterial form without affect, the unlucky Jorn is still burdened by the possession of a physical body, leading to him (along with woman's probably no-longer-homicidal daughter, whom he has yet to let go of) getting inadvertently pelted with a variety of small household items.
For someone in such feeble condition, she's certainly got a strong throwing arm.
The Moderator(s)
"No problem."
"Heh, evidently so." She replies, returning the smile.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
12:20 remain.
-
Jorn tries to speak confidently and with authority.
"Begone from this plane. Begone!"
-
Jorn Darkmane
The ghost screams back in exasperation. Though, disappointingly, does not appear to become any less anchored in the current plane. Bugger.
-
Jorn modifies the circle to be able to banish the spirit to the underworld."
-
Jorn Darkmane
Using the minuscule amount of salt he has left, Jorn starts to make adjustments to the binding circle that he hopes will allow for its effectual reuse in a (somewhat improvised) banishing ritual...
Restricted by limited time and resources, and unable to alter much without presenting the ghost with an opportunity to escape, the task of modifying the ritual circle is unarguably a tricky one. Made only more of a challenge by the enraged apparition's constant, uproarious shouting, and the gaunt woman's continued barrage of domiciliary sundries. Truly, the only thing more baffling than the fact that she has not yet run out of stuff to throw, is the fact that she has yet to realize her offensive efforts are entirely in vain.
Commendably, even in the face of these numerous obstacles, the Chosen One perseveres. After doing all he can with what he's got, Jorn steps back, uttering a fell chant to set in motion the ritual that shall, with luck, at last put an end to this poor, innocent family's undeserved anguish while also making them outrageously and irrevocably indebted to him for his services...but mostly the anguish thing.
Several minutes of chanting later, the ritual circle explodes into a hellish red glow, and a pillar of unworldly black smoke erupts from its center, engulfing the apparition. The ghost's roars of hatred soon transform into cries of indescribable fear as it, just as determined to stay right where it is as Jorn is to get rid of it, clings tenaciously to the ethereal tethers of the earthly realm.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
12:05 remain.
-
"So doc, can you tell me who got the Prisoner? From Operation Crimson Spear?"
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Over three hours of carefully navigating through the difficult jungle terrain finally pays off when Sir Havel begins to pick up on the presence of a large number of villainous individuals in the vicinity not far up ahead. While, admittedly, he may not yet be able to directly see said individuals, such visual verification quickly becomes unnecessary when the helpless cries of several terrified souls echo aloud through the trees, only to be silenced seconds later by the sobering sound of fiercely shouted orders and a few short bursts of gunfire...the Chosen One has almost certainly found the evil that he has been seeking.
Oddly enough, however, not all the gunfire Sir Havel heard seemed to come from the area ahead. In fact, some of it almost sounded as if it came from just a couple of feet behind him...
Zanzetkuken the Great
Pleased to relax after nearly two hours of constant mental exertion and magical effort, Dark Zanzetkuken contentedly looks upon the fully-materialized Reliquary Tower that now stands before him, the lofty edifice protruding high above the lush rainforest canopy that surrounds it. He was even (more or less) successful in shrouding the exterior of his new lair with an overgrowth of the local plantlife. You know, to keep people from noticing the inexplicable appearance of a gigantic fucking tower in the middle of the Congo. Surely with such excellent camouflage, everyone will just assume it's a really big bush, or something.
A nefarious mind's work is never done, however. And after no more than a dozen or so peaceful seconds of rest, the Planeswalker turns his focus onto the next step of his baneful plot:
Gathering up just enough mana to take a slightly more proactive approach to watching the world burn...
The Moderator(s)
"Sure I can. And a bunch of other stuff I'm not authorized to talk about, too. But that would likely mean losing my job, reputation, and possibly even my life. Which, believe it or not, are all things that I'd sorta like to avoid." She half-jokingly responds.
"Anyway, if you're still feeling alright, we'll wrap things up here in just a sec' and head on over to the back of the clinic; I'd like to do some scans to get a better view of what you've got going on internally."
Estimated time passed: 45 minutes.
11:20 remain.
-
The Moderator lightly grabs Dr Weller's Arm. His eyes pleading
"please... I need to speak with him..."
-
Turn slowly, menacingly.
-
The Moderator(s)
The doctor seems surprised by The Moderator's sudden change in attitude, yet can nevertheless sense the seriousness behind his mysterious request. "I...I'm sorry, but that simply isn't an option at this time."
She looks directly into the Chosen One's eyes, before quickly and nigh-imperceptibly shifting her own up toward the surrounding guards. A subtle attempt to warn him against continuing with the subject in their presence.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The knight of stone slowly turns to look behind him, exhibiting an intimidating demeanor that, quite honestly, almost comes naturally to one of such uncanny size and appearance...
He rests his sight upon a small, trembling man unsteadily aiming a gun at him. The Chosen One has no doubt that this individual is affiliated with great group of wrongdoers inhabiting the area nearby.
-
Release my grip on my sword and in the same instant lunge forward and seize him. Destroy his weapon and lift him off the ground by his arm.
How many? Try in different human languages until he responds. Meanwhile try to sense how innocent he is.
-
The Moderator releases his grip on the good Doctor
"Forgive me, it's just that alien has played a pretty big part in my current self."
-
((Is he close enough for me to close within a few steps? I don't think he could hurt me with that gun but I'd rather not take the chance..))
-
Finish the banishment ritual.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
((Why yes. Unluckily for him, he is. Also, the gun is just a simple assault rifle. AK-47 or the like. It would likely take quite a few rounds to inflict any significant amount of damage on Havel.))
In one sudden, startlingly swift motion, Sir Havel lets go of his Colossus Lunar Zweihander and springs forward to grab the man. Too frightened to react in any useful way, the terror-stricken gunman can do nothing but clumsily stumble back and fall over, losing hold of his weapon in the process.
Looming over the small man, the Chosen One reaches down and picks him and his gun up off the ground. In an unnerving display of strength, Sir Havel then wraps his mighty stone fist around the firearm with crushing force, reducing the deadly armament to a chunk of broken scrap metal with little effort.
Maintaining a firm grip on his right arm, the knight of stone brings the man to eye-level, and inquires—in as many human tongues as he can recall—into how many more of his criminal kin reside in the encampment ahead. Unfortunately, the man is apparently too shaken by this rather unpleasant first encounter with a Chosen One to respond with anything but a fearful, "¿...Q-Qué?"
As for how innocent he happens to be...while it is abundantly clear to Sir Havel that this individual is no saint, the knight of stone fails to sense anything that would lead him to believe the scared little man hanging helplessly in his grasp is of any notably heinous character.
The Moderator(s)
"...How so?" She asks, giving The Moderator a curious stare.
Jorn Darkmane
After ceaselessly chanting away for close to an hour straight, Jorn eventually decides that it would probably be best to move things along and send the apparition off on its not-so-merry way, so that both he and the family can finally put all this terrible ghost battling business to rest...
Of course, if it were that simple, said apparition would have been long gone by now.
For what should be fairly obvious reasons, the ghost is quite adamant about keeping itself outside and away from the infernal realm of the damned. And, for roughly the past hour, it has been devoting every last iota of energy it can muster to doing just that; latching doggedly onto the fabric of the earthly plane, and resisting the unremitting power of the Chosen One's dark, banishing magics. If Jorn plans on ridding the house of this malevolent soul anytime soon, he'll have to figure out a way to buff up the potency of his dramatic yet as of right now insufficient ritual. Otherwise, the ghost may just prove formidable enough to outlast even the most determined of the warlock's efforts.
-
Talk to him while I go get my sword. How many of your friends are in this blessed forest? I don't think you would've come alone.. Keep an eye on my surroundings, lest I be ambushed. Is there a camp nearby?
-
"Well... It's a bit complicated..."
"Basically, during the Operation, he hit me with a mental attack. After that though, I was shown to somehow have The Gift. While not as strong as most, I can do some pretty nifty stuff.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Laden with fear and unable to still his trembling, the man stares nervously at Sir Havel, yet does not utter a word. Seems the poor fellow is still struggling to take in everything that he has experienced over the last several seconds. Which isn't too unreasonable, when one considers the fact that being manhandled by giant stone knights likely isn't all that common an occurrence in the jungles of Peru...or anywhere else on Earth, really.
Despite the lack of communication from the small man, the Chosen One shortly discovers that his suspicions were far from misguided. For no sooner than he hefts his Zweihander off of the soft, moss-covered ground does the knight of stone catch a glimpse of another individual moving quietly through the foliage.
The Moderator(s)
"Huh. And here I was thinking you couldn't get any more remarkable..." The doctor mutters, her interest surely piqued by The Moderator's fascinating statement.
She leans in slightly, and, in a hushed tone, inquires further into the matter. "...Do the supervisors know about this?"
-
Switch my grip on the man so that he's tucked under my one arm. Keep my greatblade shouldered with the other hand. Pointedly face the individual in the brush so he knows I can see him.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel places the small man under his left arm, before centering his steady gaze directly on the shady individual hiding behind the thick veil of vegetation.
The individual takes a couple of steps back to further conceal themselves within the surrounding flora, but otherwise continues to silently watch the Chosen One.
-
"I believe they don't. You know what it is?" The Moderator whispers back.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Only vague rumors, though I'd very much like to know more. Assuming we ever get the chance to talk in private."
Dr. Weller abruptly steps back, and in a loud, attention-diverting voice says, "Alright, let's go get started on those scans!"
-
The Moderator(s)
"Only vague rumors, though I'd very much like to know more. Assuming we ever get the chance to talk in private."
Dr. Weller abruptly steps back, and in a loud, attention-diverting voice says, "Alright, let's go get started on those scans!"
"Yeah, Scans"
-
Encourage my friend here to say something.
-
The Moderator(s)
"Right, I'll have a nurse fetch you a gown while I go get everything prepared. Just come meet me in the room at the far end of the clinic whenever you're ready." The doctor says as she hastily walks off, presumably in the direction of said room.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
With a slight increase in the tightness of his hold, and some perspicuous nodding toward their unidentified company, Sir Havel ultimately succeeds in getting his craven captive to overcome his stupefying fear long enough to blurt out an entire coherent sentence.
Although pleased that the small man has at last found his voice, the knight of stone does not by any means harbor the same feelings about how he has chosen to use it, as it takes him only but a second to realize that the man's panicked assortment of words closely translate into something along the lines of, "quickly, go get help!"
-
Sprint over and try to seize another man in the same arm I'm holding the first with while cleaving or crushing any others.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Without a moment's hesitation, Sir Havel charges forward and snatches the shady individual out of his hiding place just as he makes an attempt to flee.
As the Chosen One tucks his second captive under his left arm to join the first one in somewhat uncomfortable closeness, a third individual—whose presence up until now was completely unknown to Sir Havel—runs past him, screaming out the word "Demonio" at the top of his lungs. Not feeling quite as inclined to preserve the life of this particular mortal, the knight of stone cuts the screaming man (as well as any and all plantlife that happens to be in the way) down with a single, well-timed sweep of his Zweihander.
While it is next to impossible to know for sure in this overgrown and unfamiliar territory, the Chosen One does not sense that there is anyone else currently skulking about in his vicinity.
-
Examine downed man's condition. Destroy newcomer's weapon. Embed Zweihander in a nearby tree. Use Ghostrider powers and judge the new guy I just picked up to see how evil he is. Meanwhile shake the innocent dude a bit and see if I can get him talking again.
EDIT: Try to enhance my sensing ability by drawing on my Lunar power. It won't be much of a boost during the day, but at least its something.
-
Follow the good doctor
Remember, MRI machines won't explode like with the others. just a bit of funny imaging. heh.
Don't you ever stop thinking of inane things?
Remember to hook up that power glove on 03 so I can beat shit up, and fix the stim system on 02.
Now I know why you can be so nice. You just take out your inner sadist on me, by keeping me TRAPPED here like an animal
Maybe actual you should have thought of that but no, 'blah blah collateral damage'
The copy of his semi-archnemesis sighed, an admission of defeat. For now.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
It's not a pretty sight; the knight of stone's attack lobbed off the man's left arm and tore through his upper chest, spilling copious amounts of blood into the fertile jungle soil. If he isn't dead now, he certainly will be within the next several seconds.
After doing away with the second man's gun in a similar fashion to the first, Sir Havel approaches a large tree, and drives the blade of his Zweihander firmly into its trunk. Then, bringing the second man face-to-face with him, the Chosen One invokes his preternatural powers of character judgement to determine how much wickedness he holds within his soul:
The Chosen One senses less fear and a great deal more aggression in this man, which is plainly demonstrated by the admirable struggle he is putting up to free himself from the knight's clutches. There is also a notable lack of sympathy or remorse. Which, while not necessarily making him evil, means there is a good chance that this individual has both done and seen much worse than his frightened comrade.
Having just witnessed firsthand how little trouble the knight of stone seems to have with brutally murdering people who try to get away, the small man wisely decides against fighting his captor, instead resorting to the far more humble tactic of sobbing uncontrollably whilst begging for his life. Guess that's one way of putting someone in a more talkative mood.
Feeling uneasy about the possibility of further unseen foes lurking throughout the terrain, Sir Havel calls upon the divine aid of the Moon goddess to hone his senses, and soon finds himself feeling ever so slightly more attuned to the subtle energies and movements of the Earth around him.
The Moderator(s)
Seeing no reason to wait any longer than is totally necessary, the Moderator stands up and promptly heads off in the same direction as Dr. Weller, followed closely by the ever-alert squad of elite guards...
"You sure don't waste time." The doctor says with a smile, mildly surprised by the Chosen One's hasty arrival...among other things. "So, uh...I guess hospital gowns aren't your thing, then? Not that it'll matter during the scans, but..."
-
I-I'm sorry about your friend.. Hang head. Meanwhile keep an ear and an eye out for reinforcements.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Whether it be by reason of immediate fear, general distrust, or the fact that they are still actively being held against their will, the men do not appear particularly moved by Sir Havel's apology. Even so, the knight of stone spends several minutes in mournful, attentive silence. All the while, there remains to be not sight nor sound of any outlaws other than those he has already apprehended.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
11:10 remain.
-
Where is your camp? Do you have a camp? Ad nauseum until they spill it.
EDIT: While I'm talking check them and their dead buddy for a map, or a walkie-talkie, as well as additional weapons. Wouldn't want them killing themselves.
-
"Not really my style. That and they're kinda awkward. And trust me, I know awkward."
-
Here we are, another heavily belated and relatively small update to painstakingly inch things along! Hooray!
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Determined to extract some kind of useful information from the brigands, Sir Havel proceeds to relentlessly question them about the existence and whereabouts of their criminal encampment, hoping to break down their uncooperative attitudes through sheer, enervating persistence.
As he does so, the knight of stone concurrently gets the idea to search the men (both living and deceased) for any handy or dangerous items they might still be carrying on their persons. After all, it's a tad late to start respecting personal boundaries at this point. May as well go through their shit to see if they have anything worth stealing rightfully seizing in order to prevent any further harm from being brought onto themselves or others:
With a bit of rather intrusive poking around, the Chosen One disarms the two men of a couple large knives, a few extra magazines of ammunition (not that it's of very much use to them anymore), and even a small pistol that the feistier of the duo had hidden beneath his worn garments. On the off chance that there are any evil, zombie-raising witch doctors roaming about the jungle, he also makes sure to confiscate a sheathed machete from the mutilated bandit corpse. One can never be too careful...
For whatever reason, not one of the individuals seem to have been equipped with a walkie-talkie, or any other form of long-distance communication device. Luckily enough, though, Sir Havel does find a folded-up piece of paper stuffed inside one of the dead man's pockets. Which, upon further inspection, The Chosen One is happy to discover is in fact a crude map of the encompassing wilderness.
The map ostensibly shows what one could only assume to be a web of sprawling pathways spread out across the region, as well as the outlined territory of not just one, but apparently half a dozen different bandit camps. Looks like this neck of the jungle might just turn out to be a little more populous than expected...
((Note: It just reoccurred to me that Havel has been carrying around a bunch of sacred relics this whole time. Something I completely forgot to factor into all his recent actions...
Since it was a fault on my part, I suppose I'll just have to get out my magical Retcon Stick, give it a good swish, and we can all henceforth assume that he carefully set them down in a nice, safe spot just before all this crazy bandit wrangling business started.))
The Moderator(s)
"Yes...I can see that..." The doctor says, her words followed by a momentary, yet highly noticeable pause. "...Anyhow, right this way."
Dr. Weller leads The Moderator over to the fancy piece of medical machinery and instructs him to lay down. "Now then, all you've got to do is get comfortable, keep still, and we should be able to get all the scans done in about an hour's time."
Before starting up the machine, she cautiously stops to think for a second. "Oh! By the way, you wouldn't happen to have any medical implants or other internal devices that could potentially cause problems during the scan, would you? Can't believe I almost forgot to ask about that..."
Estimated time passed: 5 minutes.
11:05 remain.
-
"uuhhhhhh. Errrr. Not to my memory." The Moderator says in an unsure tone.
enter the scanning machine.
-
half a dozen
Oh. Ohoho. OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOO~
What were the two dudes doing while I searched em'? Not an action just wondering if the one guy was crying or anything.
-
What were the two dudes doing while I searched em'? Not an action just wondering if the one guy was crying or anything.
Well, the unexpected frisking certainly didn't help to alleviate his overwhelming fear of you, so probably still sobbing uncontrollably and begging for his life. Only with a considerably greater amount of sobbing.
Likewise, your blatant and continued violation of the second man's personal space would have only further encouraged him to prolong his futile struggle against you.
The Moderator(s)
"That's not a very assuring answer." The doctor responds, crossing her arms. "If you're not completely certain about it, then I can't just risk your health and well-being by taking a chance and doing the scans anyway. Maybe we should take some X-rays first, just to be safe..."
-
Do a Predator thing and leave the brave guy hanging in a tree with all his skin gone. Unless that would take more than 5 minutes in which case just boot+skull. For the other guy I'll put him through a tree. Once the executions are done with stomp away happily to the nearest camp.
Examine map's details. Is it just a sketch or is it an actual one with circles and annotations in magic marker? Not looking for an actual picture just rough descriptors unless you already have one. No need for oppa crazy detail style.
-
"Nah, I had that implant removed. Yeah, I'm clear."
-
Aaaaaand holyfuckingshitIcan'tbelievethistookalmostthreeweeksbutnowwe'rebackandreadytorock SO LET'S DO IT!
Sir Havel the Unyielding
((While I don't have any suitable pictures available at the moment, I doubt it'd be too much trouble to make one, if you'd find it more convenient. Though, due to the fact that I'm a couple hundred miles away from my Base of Operations and lack access to a freely-usable scanner at this time, you'd probably have to settle for a shitty MSPaint sketch (as opposed to a marginally less shitty pencil & paper sketch).))
Satisfied with his findings, though not so much with the individuals on which he found them, Sir Havel unsheathes the confiscated machete and settles to abandon his life-cherishing ways long enough to dispose of the two men in startlingly gruesome fashion:
With the reasonably sharp machete in one hand, the bellicose bandit in the other, and his pitifully frightened first catch still tucked tightly under his arm, the Chosen One starts by making a staunch attempt at skinning his more aggressive captive alive. Yet, despite his most assiduous efforts, the knight of stone is forced to give up on the task after only a couple of minutes, as his ornery victim simply refuses to stay still. The nerve!
Seeing that it will be impossible to flay the flailing outlaw in any timely manner, Sir Havel instead merely drops him onto the ground, before swiftly and unsparingly bringing a heavy foot down on his head.
Having now witnessed for a second time the unpleasant demise of one of his partners, the final bandit suddenly ceases his desperate pleading, once again scared to the point of speechlessness. The sense of horror and dread he is experiencing at this very moment must be truly unbearable. Graciously, the Chosen One does not intend to have him suffer it for long.
His ruthless work yet unfinished, the knight of stone carries his remaining captive over to one of the great many towering trees in the area, and lifts him up to face its broad, mossy trunk...
As his inhuman detainer slowly draws him back, the small man becomes bitterly aware of the cruel fate that is about to befall him. But even so, is powerless to do anything more than let out a sharp, terrified cry right before being slammed headfirst into the massive tree with enough force to partially uproot it.
Although certainly successful in ending the bandit's life, this execution, much like the previous one, doesn't turn out quite like the knight had hoped, as the small man does not really go through the tree as much as he just sort of...splatters against it. Luckily, the multitude of scavenging animals and insects that inhabit the jungle will likely be more than happy to clean up the mess.
Eager to continue his righteous cleansing of the Amazon, the blood-splotched Chosen One strolls onward, humming a jaunty tune and closely studying the design of his looted map all the while...
The small, pencil-drawn map is just about as simple as it can get. And, from the looks of it, probably didn't take any more than ten minutes to scribble down.
A tangled maze of thin lines crisscross most of the map, seeming to signify a multitude of obscure paths that snake across the region, while slightly bolder lines delineate the extent of each camp's controlled territory. Within each of the six outlined territories is a triangular symbol—presumably marking the specific location of the camps—accompanied by an unmistakably banditesque name, including 'Milicia de Liberación del Pueblo' and 'Soldados de la Nueva Forma'. There are a number of less prominent symbols as well, but what it is they are supposed to represent is unclear.
Far from the work of a professional cartographer, it's obvious that this map was only meant to be used as a quick reference for one already fairly well-acquainted with the land, rather than a detailed and comprehensive guide for navigating through the extensive wilderness.
Presently, Sir Havel hasn't the foggiest idea as to his own location on the map, and thus no way of knowing which encampment is closest to him. However, if all the commotion coming from just a few dozen yards ahead is any indication, that won't be much of a problem; it would seem the Chosen One's tireless walking has brought him to the very outskirts of one of these unlawful settlements.
The Moderator(s)
Dr. Weller looks at The Moderator somewhat skeptically. "...Alright, but you'd better be sure about that. And not just for your sake."
The doctor checks over everything one more time, and with minor reluctance, allows the scans to commence...
Estimated time passed: 25 minutes.
10:40 remain.
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Foldy fold that beauty up and tuck it in one of me cavities. Sneak as best as a man made of stone can on over to the suspected location of the camp. Halt once its within sight and scope the scene.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Being doomed to contend with the terrible condition that is his utter lack of pockets, the knight of stone carefully folds up the crude yet invaluable map and stashes it away in a bodily crevice that shall for discretionary reasons remain unspecified. Then, with a level of stealth truly remarkable for one of his stature, Sir Havel creeps ahead til he is but a scant several feet away from the edge of the clearing in which the contemptible encampment is situated.
It's not a perfect spot, but should nevertheless provide a decent enough viewpoint for the Chosen One to survey the enemy and get a good look at what he'll be up against...
The sight before the Chosen One is a striking one; large tents and sturdy huts set up in such a way, and in such quantity, that this brigand hideout almost resembles a small village. The number of its inhabitants is equally impressive, with the knight of stone counting well over thirty individuals within just the first couple minutes of his observation. The majority of them look like young men, some just barely adolescents. And while they don't appear to have much in the way of armor, almost every one of them is equipped with some kind of firearm.
At the moment, most of the bandits seem to be busy either carrying out menial tasks around the camp, or casually lounging and conversing amongst themselves. The primary source of the commotion that lead Sir Havel to their jungle haven emanates from the western portion of the encampment, where a large group of the outlaws are currently hustling to unload a hefty assortment of wooden crates from a small convoy of jeeps.
Estimated time passed: 10 minutes.
10:30 remain.
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Circle a bit and see if I can see what they're unloading. If not, head back into the forest a bit and knock down the biggest tree I can find, then hide within eyesight of it.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The stalking Chosen One looks to the convoy with piqued curiosity, and, doing all he can to maintain what is for him a phenomenal degree of stealth, very slowly and very quietly begins to make his way over toward the western portion of the encampment. Constant vigilance is required as he prowls along the edge of the clearing, for although his surroundings may provide ample cover, and the attention of his opponents is, for the time being, focused elsewhere, the knight remains wholly aware that a single hasty movement or out-of-place sound is all it might take to reveal his presence...
Once in a position that allows for a clear view of the bustling bandits, Sir Havel stops, watching in silent stillness as he tries to discern the nature of their mysterious shipment:
The contents of the crates are not immediately apparent to the Chosen One, on account of the crates themselves being unmarked and made most entirely out of solid wood. This matter is made only more difficult by the fact that nearly all of the crates are picked up and hauled off to one of the nearby huts just as quickly as they are offloaded, leaving Havel frustratingly little time to examine them.
Fortune has not yet ceased to smile upon the knight of stone, however, as he very soon takes notice of a random few crates being carried aside and set at the feet of two slightly older-looking bandits standing not far off, evidently having been assigned to oversee the operation. Before long, this pair of overseers starts to crack open the small assemblage of crates set before them, enabling both themselves, and a certain prying lunar servant to inspect the goods held within...
Much of what is pulled from the crates is exactly the type of stuff one would expect a large camp in the middle of the jungle to be receiving; tools, food rations, various garments and the like. It is the rest of the equipment included in the delivery that effectively removes any traces of doubt one might have regarding the ill motives of these unscrupulous individuals; an alarming selection of weaponry, seemingly ranging all the way from pistols and pocket knives to machine guns and RPGs, in addition to a whole host of different ammunition.
Anyone can guess from such a sight that the actions and intentions of this group must be, without excuse, absolutely deplorable. Yet even the noblest of souls cannot deny that, in order for them to successfully get their hands on such a formidable array of armaments in the first place, they have to be doing something right.
Estimated time passed: 15 minutes.
10:15 remain.
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Heft a large log and spear the nearest truck with it. Charge into the heart of the camp and barrel directly through as many tents as possible, slashing and stomping everything in my way.
-
Jorn sighs.
"You really are a stubborn spirit."
Jorn looks around the room for anything that might be useful in banishing the ghost.
-
Greetings, all. I come to you today not only with another dissatisfyingly rushed & ridiculously overdue update, but a pretty big announcement concerning the future of this game:
I've had a lot of time to think over the past couple of days, and have come to realize that, for a game structured around the epic adventure of various badasses and badassery in general, it's writing has been severely lacking in a certain gangstarific flow that I've always intended it to have. To remedy this, I hereby declare that all future updates from this day forth shall be put through the Gizoogle Textilizer (http://www.gizoogle.net/textilizer.php) before posting, to ensure that you all never again have to settle for anything less than the funky-phresh quality of literature you expect and deserve.
Jorn Darkmane
Da hate-laden haunt say nothing, apparently too concerned wit preventin its exile ta tha Underworld ta offer any response ta Jornz brusque remark. Well shiiiit, it has even ceased tha incessant beatboxin n' roarin dat it only a short while ago seemed so fond of.
Instead, n' like even somewhat mo' disconcertingly, tha pimp has now simply begun ta stare all up in tha Chosen One, lockin onto his ass wit a gaze dat promises a ghetto of vengeizzle should it manage ta escape its arcane snare.
Da warlockz deft eyes scan tha room thoroughly fo' anythang dat could be of aid ta his ass up in tha banishment ritual, yet, distressingly, ta no avail. Just lookin at how tha fuck humiliatingly ill-equipped dis household is fo' dealin wit supernatural conflicts, itz no wonder tha pimp was able ta grow so straight fuckin attached ta tha place. But, then again, if tha household were mo' betta equipped fo' such matters, tha warlockz skillz likely would have never been required ta begin with...
Suddenly, Jorn is struck wit a realization; it appears there is up in fact suttin' up in dis doggy den dat may just be able ta help his ass permanently rid dis crew of all they debilitatin pimp shits...the crew itself!
As tha leader of any ancient cult or witch coven will rap , one potentially phat way of increasin tha potency of a given ritual is ta big-ass up it up in league wit multiple playas biaaatch! Whilst chantin alone, Jornz spectral adversary has continually proven itself ta be just barely phat enough ta resist tha banishin ritualz juice n' shit. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat wit tha combined, focused effortz of tha homeballa n' her daughter added ta his own, tha warlock feels certain dat all of tha rage n' desperate determination on Ghetto wouldn't be enough ta save tha wroth ass from tha malefic embrace of tha nether realms.
Of course, tha one big-ass issue wit dis possible resolution is tha mutha & childz total lack of hustlin up in tha dark arts, n' you can put dat on yo' toast. In order fo' dem ta assist up in tha banishin chant, both would require a straight-up specific crash course on precisely what tha fuck ta say n' how tha fuck ta say dat shit.
With tha ritual circle as it aint exactly bein da most thugged-out stable one eva pimped, as well as already havin been activated fo' some time now, nahmeean?..if some portion of tha ritual was ta be carried up incorrectly at dis point, tha inadvertent summonin of a funky-ass boggart would be tha least of tha Chosen Onez concerns...
All up in all, tha option is far from ideal yo, but itz one of exceedingly few dat tha warlock has left.
Sir Havel tha Unyielding
Da evidence of dis campz trespasses is overwhelming. Da corruption dat exudes from its presence, sickening. Da question of how tha fuck these dudes came ta be all kindsa prosperous (compared ta tha standardz of livin dat most outlaws gotta put with, at least) up in dis isolated n' untamed environment iz of lil importizzle ta Sir Havel; regardless of they means, his schmoooove ass cannot allow dis foul settlement ta taint tha land any further.
Da time fo' passive surveillizzle is over n' shit. Now, comes tha minute of judgment.
Notin tha distinct absence of any conveniently accessible pre-cut logs up in his vicinity, tha Chosen One improvises by jackin a shitload of tha limbs off of a nearby tree wit tha confiscated machete, rippin it outta tha ground wit a mighty heave, n' burstin from tha foliage wit it held threateningly overhead. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! While nowhere near tha phattest dat tha area has ta offer, holla'd tree is sufficient all tha same up in bustin straight-up dope amountz of chaos when skillfully launched all up in tha air n' directly tha fuck into tha side of tha nearest jeep.
Da surroundin bandits—caught up in a thugged-out daze by tha sudden, unexpected assault—struggle ta organize theyselves as tha knight of stone rushes further tha fuck into tha camp, dashin all up in every last muthafuckin thang n' mah playas fucked up enough ta be caught up in his thugged-out lil' path. By tha time his opponents come ta they senses n' start scramblin ta action, Sir Havel is standin unscathed n' battle-hungry all up in tha center of they encampment, havin already brought destruction ta a cold-ass lil considerable swath of tha settlement before its gangstas could even be thinkin bout mountin anythang close ta a proper defense.
In they dopest efforts ta retaliate against they imposin intruder, nuff scatter up in search of cover n' mo' bangin weaponry, while all dem haphazardly fire all up in tha Chosen One from up in tha open. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. None of them, though, is as much a immediate concern ta tha knight as tha two jeeps from tha convoy dat have begun rollin towardz his ass at high speed.
Jorn Darkmane
The hate-laden haunt says nothing, apparently too concerned with preventing its exile to the Underworld to offer any response to Jorn's brusque remark. It has even ceased the incessant wailing and roaring that it only a short while ago seemed so fond of.
Instead, and perhaps even somewhat more disconcertingly, the ghost has now simply begun to stare at the Chosen One, locking onto him with a gaze that promises a world of vengeance should it manage to escape its arcane snare.
The warlock's deft eyes scan the room thoroughly for anything that could be of aid to him in the banishment ritual, yet, distressingly, to no avail. Just looking at how humiliatingly ill-equipped this household is for dealing with supernatural conflicts, it's no wonder the ghost was able to grow so strongly attached to the place. But, then again, if the household
were better equipped for such matters, the warlock's services likely would have never been required to begin with...
Suddenly, Jorn is struck with a realization; it appears there is in fact something in this house that may just be able to help him permanently rid this family of all their debilitating ghost troubles...the family itself!
As the leader of any ancient cult or witch coven will tell you, one potentially good way of increasing the potency of a given ritual is to perform it in league with multiple people! Whilst chanting alone, Jorn's spectral adversary has continually proven itself to be
just barely strong enough to resist the banishing ritual's power. However, with the combined, focused efforts of the homeowner and her daughter added to his own, the warlock feels certain that all of the rage and desperate determination on Earth wouldn't be enough to save the wroth soul from the malefic embrace of the nether realms.
Of course, the one big issue with this possible resolution is the mother & child's total lack of training in the dark arts. In order for them to assist in the banishing chant, both would require a very specific crash course on
precisely what to say and how to say it.
With the ritual circle as it is not exactly being the most stable one ever created, as well as already having been activated for some time now...if some portion of the ritual were to be carried out incorrectly at this point, the inadvertent summoning of a boggart would be the least of the Chosen One's concerns...
All in all, the option is far from ideal, but it's one of exceedingly few that the warlock has left.
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The evidence of this camp's trespasses is overwhelming. The corruption that exudes from its presence, sickening. The question of how these individuals came to be so prosperous (compared to the standards of living that most outlaws have to put with, at least) in this isolated and untamed environment is of little importance to Sir Havel; regardless of their means, he cannot allow this foul settlement to taint the land any further.
The time for passive surveillance is over. Now, comes the hour of judgment.
Noting the distinct absence of any conveniently accessible pre-cut logs in his vicinity, the Chosen One improvises by hacking some of the limbs off of a nearby tree with the confiscated machete, ripping it out of the ground with a mighty heave, and bursting from the foliage with it held threateningly overhead. While nowhere near the largest that the area has to offer, said tree is sufficient all the same in creating wonderful amounts of chaos when skillfully launched through the air and directly into the side of the nearest jeep.
The surrounding bandits—caught in a daze by the sudden, unexpected assault—struggle to organize themselves as the knight of stone rushes further into the camp, dashing through everything and everyone unfortunate enough to be caught in his path. By the time his opponents come to their senses and start scrambling to action, Sir Havel is standing unscathed and battle-hungry at the center of their encampment, having already brought destruction to a considerable swath of the settlement before its residents could even think about mounting anything close to a proper defense.
In their best efforts to retaliate against their imposing intruder, many scatter in search of cover and more powerful weaponry, while a few haphazardly fire at the Chosen One from out in the open. None of them, though, are as much an immediate concern to the knight as the two jeeps from the convoy that have begun driving towards him at high speed.
-
Run towards them in a crouch, grab their bumpers and flip them upside down. Continue fighting, prioritize threats with explosives.
-
"Alright, gather round and hold hands. Quickly now."
Commence crash course on demon banishment.
-
Can I still apply for a chosen one?
-
Can I still apply for a chosen one?
Just FYI, the OOC Thread is here. (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=116226.0)
-
And the God-King looked down upon His people of the forums, and yea, was well-pleased by their longsuffering. "For thy endless devotion, I shall extend to ye all my grace." Spoketh He from the throne of his computer desk. And as it was spoken, the great update drought was lifted from the thread, and yea, the people of the forums did rejoice. - Slaves 59:14
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Loath to spare his despicable adversaries one shred of mercy, Sir Havel charges forward to meet the speeding jeeps with dauntless ferocity. Aghast, the vehicles' passengers hurriedly respond by peppering him with a spray of bullets, but, tragically for them, to little effect.
Slowing down only at the very last second, the Chosen One braces himself as he catches both jeeps by their front bumpers, stopping each dead in their tracks, then savagely flinging them back end over end. The luckier of the two violently tumbles off to the side some meters away before slowly tipping to a halt, while the other, evidently victim to a much more well-positioned grip, flies several feet clear off the ground and crashes through one of the few surrounding tents the knight was careless enough to leave standing, subsequently bursting into flames moments later.
As he moves in to finish off any possible survivors still inside of the wrecked jeeps, the knight of stone catches in the periphery of his vision a particularly foolish trio of RPG-toting bandits, taking aim at him from what they must be assuming is a safe, secure distance. A most grave mistake indeed.
A mere instant after the small group opens fire, Sir Havel takes off in their direction, deftly dodging their explosive projectiles and closing the distance with a few solid bounds. Leaving them no opportunity for escape or retaliation, the Chosen One assails the young men with a volley of crushing strikes, reducing each in short order to a blood-soaked mess of mangled flesh and bone.
Though beset by constant gunfire, the occasional grenade blast, and all manner of cutting Spanish invective, Sir Havel's murderous determination does not waver; without so much as a small prayer for the young lives thus far extinguished, the towering warrior charges back into the fray, smiting enemy after enemy with cold, brutal efficiency...
While just as barbarous as any chaotic life-or-death conflict is bound to be, the fighting persists for less than half an hour before the frantic screams and incessant attacks of his foes readily fade into a defeated silence; rather than stay and face seemingly unstoppable entity responsible for singlehandedly decimating their numbers and razing their home, the demoralized survivors of Sir Havel's onslaught quickly scatter into the surrounding jungle, leaving him unchallenged as the lone, bloodied victor over what little remains of their ravaged and dead-ridden camp. Better still, despite being grazed, chipped, and riddled with bullets, the only truly substantial injury incurred by the Chosen One throughout the entire battle is the considerable chunk of stone that was blown off his lower left leg by a hand grenade he was a split second too slow in evading.
Displeasingly, just as the triumphant servant of Lunus thinks his work in this area of the Amazon is done, an unexpected sight suggests to him that the land remains yet to be utterly cleansed of human corruption; through the flames of a burning debris heap that once stood as one of the encampment's central huts, Sir Havel spots an old, injured brigand being hastily escorted to the last & only jeep from the convoy not completely totaled in the battle.
It is certainly uncommon to see one in their elder years participating in such a dangerous occupation as banditry, yet he surely must be someone of particular importance if his comrades are risking their own hides in order to save him. Perhaps it would prove a short but worthwhile undertaking to go over and 'inquire' into the matter?
Jorn Darkmane
With no greater wish than to end their dreadful ordeal without any further delay, and no real choice at this point but to rely on the professed powers of their robed guest, the mother & daughter swallow their fear and warily join the Chosen One around the ritual circle for a brief hands-on lesson covering all the fundamentals of demon banishment...
Now, some people might argue that ghosts and demons are in many ways two distinctly different types of entity, and that the mixing up of their respective banishment rites could very easily beget unwelcome consequences. However, as any (reckless) adept of the dark arts will surely attest, those people are obviously much too concerned with petty semantics, and should no doubt leave the actual banishing to professionals such as Jorn, who fully trusts that the knowledge he has chosen to share will enable his languished hostesses to be an essential help in vanquishing the restless soul for good.
As soon as he is confident in his impromptu assistants' understanding of the ritual, The Chosen One looks to the center of the circle and locks eyes with the entrapped apparition, matching its baleful stare with a menacing gaze of his very own as he once more commences his ominous chanting. Meanwhile, with the warlock's instruction still fresh in their minds, the mother & daughter do their best to follow along, and with a surprising rate of advancement, soon even begin to grow louder and more aggressive in their chanting as each repetition of the occult utterances causes them to feel more comfortable and empowered in the presence of their tormentor...
After roughly ten minutes of impassioned chanting, the reinvigorated ritual circle glows brighter than ever, and the now impenetrably black pillar of smoke spewing up from its center seeks to consume the apparition whole. In spite of hours of vehement struggle, an expression of very mortal dread suddenly creeps across the ghost's frightful visage when, in a moment of dismaying realization, it finds itself no longer able to resist the overwhelming force steadily tearing it away from the Earthly plane. A final, deafening shout echoes furiously throughout the house, before, at long last, all sight of the apparition disappears into the pillar of unworldly smoke.
The three continue to chant until even the faintest lingering essence of the ghost's presence is completely cleared from the residence. And even then, it takes Jorn several more minutes to fully convince the woman and her daughter that it is safe for them to relax and catch their breath. Thanks to the warlock's noble efforts, their strife with the supernatural is over, and the gift of a ghost-free abode may now be enjoyed by all. There does, however, appear to be one more itsy-bitsy little problem left to deal with before all can truly be considered said & done:
Under most normal(?) circumstances, the banishing circle's bright, hellish glow and big scary smoke pillar would have dissipated shortly following the ritual's completion, leaving behind nothing more than a thin layer of soot and the salt used to create the circle itself. Yet in this case, despite the Chosen One's ultimate success in banishing the restless soul, it would seem the banishing circle is, for some reason, staying just as active as it was during the height of the trio's chanting.
It may not be any hugely dire issue in the long run, but seeing as in this day & age, glowy, smoke-spewing, magical salt circles are generally not regarded as being suitable living room furnishings, allowing it to go untended could be taken as bad guest etiquette.
The Moderator(s)
"Welp, I'm at least happy to say you don't appear to have any ruptured internal organs. Some hairline fracturing of the skull, as well as several pretty nasty rib fractures. Though it doesn't look like any of the bone is at risk of poking anything really important, so surgery shouldn't be too urgent a priority..." Dr. Weller explains as she helps The Moderator out of the machine and onto his feet. "...Did I ever mention how lucky you are?"
Estimated time passed: 20 minutes.
9:55 remain.
-
Destroy jeep. Grab the boss man and all of his guys, alive. Unhurt at best, maimed at worst.
-
"almost as lucky as the second bout with the CIA..."
John and Lily were finally free from their captors, and reunited. The massive power armor that dwarfed the pair walked up, with the angular visor and helmet retracting to reveal the face of their friend, and apparent savior, Lee Meyrick. Lee'd friend John was an ASIS agent sent to find classified mission files and was captured not a week ago by the CIA. Lee had thought it was a ruse to get Lee again, but it was instead to get Lily. She was one of the firts in a few hundred shown to have the Gift of psychic powers, and was damn powerful at that. This whole adventure had come to a head when Lee had to don his Elemental Battle Armor (again) and storm the CIA headquarters at Langley (again), to save the prisoner(s) within (again). Now it was the home stretch, the last bit until they were home free
"My my, Mister Meyrick, you are a very persistent one" came a voice from behind him.The voice had an obvious metallic tinge to it. John and Lily looked shocked at it, and judging by the fact they were looking above him a fair ways, it could mean only one thing.
Lee turned to face the newcomer very slowly.
The thing was a behemoth of machinery and robotics. It had two massive metallic fists, no doubt able to crush most things in it's way, from an armored car to a pesky little Moderator in a comparative tin can. Judging it's height, it was well over 9 feet tall. Enclosed safely was a visor, the obvious viewport of the operator inside
"holy fuck, that thing is huge." Lee said, shocked at the Director's massive machine.
"Do you like it, son? We'd decided it would be beneficial to use similar techniques to what we saw in the first illegal assault on-
"That assault was to free an illegally kept prisoner, you lying little shit" The Moderator spat back at the Director
"It appears you won't listen to reason. Shame." The director promptly stated as one fist struck the moderator, sending him flying into the wall, smashing several desks and assorted computer parts away from the BA. Lee hit the wall with a *thud* noise.
Coughing, the moderator got up. Pain shot through his ribcage. the onboard medical computer began listing the damage
"Alert, minor internal injury detected. retreat presents the most sound tactical option"
John and Lily ran over to him, as the Director slowly but surely clanked his way to the now upright Lee.
"Get out of here you two." Lee began as he used his un-powerfisted right arm to hand John and Lily NS-11c Carbines from the small storage compartment, as well as a bandoleer of ammo.
"Just go, I've got this motherfucker." Was all Lee said as his helmet and visor extended to cover his face again, and more armor blocked out the visor.
the inside of Lee's helmet on the inside changed into External Imaging mode, using tiny cameras to be able to see outside with little risk of getting sniped in the visor. He'd never had to use it to avoid getting sniped, but he wouldn't want to get glass shards punched in at his face.
"Alright, white meat, Let's DANCE!" Lee shouted as he charged the far larger power armour, kicking in his jump-jets with his fist out in front of him...
"That fight rates right up there in difficulty, alongside that lizard bastard. He'd picked me up and threw me through a wall into a cafeteria. After that...
The Director lifted up the dwarfed Lee with both hands. This was not looking good.
"That all you got?" Lee spluttered out, between pants and laughter.
"Not yet!" The Director grinned, as he began to toss Lee at the nearest wall
"Bring it you spineless fu-
Lily and John had made it to the cafeteria, by appearances. They'd had to fight through several groups of CIA soldiers, only to end up here. What they wouldn't give for a map-
There was a sound of large scale amateur demolition work on a nearby wall as a plume of dust shot out, with a large humanoid shooting through, landing at speed, and skidding to a halt.
"Cker!" Lee completed his sentence, recovering from having impacts with walls.
Lee looked as the Director smashed aside the hole he'd made so he could fit. He could see a girder, conveniently in a jagged and sharp position. Lee had an idea.
"You know what? I just got an idea!" The Director said in that oily tone. Ice shot up Lee's spine.
"we could modify this suit, you know. So that you could be inside it. People would see it, they'd know it was you." he began as they circled each other.
just a little bit more.
"You're a good guy, or so the media and people believe. Sure, you do damage, but no war is collateral free, you know?" they circled more.
"Let me guess, you intend to defame me. But how?"
"well, it's extremely simple. You have a younger sister, correct?"
Lee's blood went cold
"Well, with a remote controlled machine like this, and a camera, you would destroy your own house, damage your bigger sister and leave her traumatized for life, crash into your little sisters' house, and crush her head with this massive fist! Of course, it would be sent to the media and you'd be condemned as the worst person this modern age has seen. The media would ask "What kind of monster builds such a machine to kill his sixteen year old sister?"
now he was in place.
"Don't you DARE lay a single fucking hand on my sister, you motherfucker!" Lee shouted as his blood boiled and adrenaline flooded his system. "you can shoot at me, beat the everloving shit out of me, try and defame me, but never, EVER dare to lay a single fucking finger on my SISTERS! he finished as he picked up the girder in his left hand, and charged at the Director, using his Jump-Jets to bypass his fists. With as much strength, rage and energy he used his right arm to rip open the operator's control, before using the last energy and adrenalin to thrust the sharpened girder right through the torso of the Director, roaring in pure primal rage. Blood poured out of the I-shaped hole in his torso, as blood made it to his mouth. The Director fell over as Lee jumped off of him, landing on the ground with a loud crunch.
"From Hell's heart I stab at thee, motherfucker" Lee said, the anger draining from his voice
Siblings can be like that sometimes.
"I had several fractured ribs, my back was in possible danger, fatigue had hit me for a fair while, and some minor internal bleeding. But I kicked his ass nice and proper."
Lee looked around.
"What happens now?"
-
Jorn frowns at the banishing circle and checks on the woman and her daughter.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Sir Havel, not the least bit fatigued from his merciless rampage, immediately bolts toward the jeep, closing in on it and the fleeing bandits like a lion hunting down its wounded prey.
Once only a couple of yards away, the Chosen One leaps forward and brings his two heavy fists crashing down on the vehicle, promptly rendering it out of commission just moments before the outlaws can attempt their speedy getaway. Within the very next moment, the knight turns and grabs hold of the injured elder, along with one of the two young bandits assisting him. Seeing this, the other of the two shows no hesitation in abandoning his captured comrades in order to try and escape on foot. Fortunately, unlike the Chosen One, he possess nowhere near the swiftness nor the stamina needed to make his efforts anything more than futile exertion, and as soon as the lunar servant has his other captives tucked snugly beneath his arm, the wearied rapscallion is easily chased down and seized as well.
It is evident that, after witnessing just minutes ago the horrific level of brutality that their captor is capable of, none of the three men are in any mood to pick a fight. As a matter of fact, between his labored breaths and groans of agony, the elderly brigand almost immediately resorts to desperately pleading and bargaining with Sir Havel for his safe release: "¡Por favor! ¡No me mates! Tomar lo que quieras...el dinero, los esclavos, las armas...¡Pero déjame ir!"
The Moderator(s)
"Disappointing as it is, I think now's time we part ways and send you off to the burn unit for further treatment." The doctor replies, putting on a weak smile. "There they can work on debriding all the tissue that's been damaged beyond the point of healing, get the wounds cleaned & dressed, then top you off with some more pain meds before you're taken back to your cell.
I know we've only been authorized to provide enough medical care to keep you alive and responsive for the long periods of questioning I'm sure you'll be subjected to, but honestly, it's better we just get all this stuff out of the way now and avoid a bunch of other complications later on."
Dr. Weller glances briefly over to the door leading back out to the main portion of the clinic. "Anyway, your soldier pals should be waiting just outside. Given your condition, I figured you might enjoy a small bit of time not surrounded by a group of armed men ready to kill you at any moment, so I went ahead and politely informed them that some of their equipment was not permitted to be around the machine during the scanning process, and that it would be safer for everyone if they could leave until we were finished. When you go out there, just tell them that the Doctor's Orders are for you to visit department 17-M, and you shouldn't have any trouble."
Jorn Darkmane
The gaunt woman sits silently on the floor, nearly exhausted to the point of collapse. She is hurt, shaky, and almost too debilitated to move. Yet more than anything else, she appears relieved beyond all description. As Jorn kneels down to ask how she's doing, the woman leans in and, without warning, embraces him with what little strength she has left.
"Thank you! Thank you so much...I...I don't know how we'll ever be able to repay you, but I promise we'll do whatever we can." Slowly, she releases the Chosen one and wipes away some of the tears streaming down her face, smiling for the first time in what has likely been a very long while. "Heheh...my husband's never going to believe what happened today..."
In sharp contrast to the overflowing emotion of her mother, the oddly calm-mannered daughter continues to stand before the still-active ritual circle, looking into its center with a highly attentive, almost mesmerized stare. Once she notices Jorn watching her, her eyes turn to him as she curiously asks, "Do you hear it, too...? Who are they?"
It takes the warlock a second to even realize what the young girl is talking about, yet as soon as he does, the troubling noise becomes impossible for him to ignore:
Emanating from within the blackened center of the banishment circle, a multitude of whispering voices call out to Jorn and the family members, asking, begging, and even demanding that another be cast into the pillar of smoke to join them in the lower planes. It is strongly reminiscent of the whispers the Chosen One heard in his head during his attempt to contact the ArchDemons via meditation, and indicates that his interminable ritual may be a bigger problem than he thought. After all, if there's anything more detrimental to a modern house's market value than a glowy, smoke-spewing magical salt circle, it's a glowy, smoke-spewing magical salt circle that beckons people into the Underworld with chilling, demonic whispers.
Guess it's just one more unusual happening in what should have been a short & simple chore for a warlock of his caliber. Even more unusual, though, is the fact that an unpracticed teenager was able to pick up on said happening before he did...
This must be why practitioners of black magic generally don't make house calls...
-
Frankly my lord.. Lean the two young men against the destroyed car and lay my sword across their laps so they can't move. There is nothing you can offer that I could want. Why are you here?
-
Jorn rubs his forehead.
"You ought to know. They are demons."
-
"My thanks, Doc. You're far better than some of the other people's... Loving care I've been under." Lee replied, courteously, as he got off the examination table and walked to the door directed to him.
"Doc says I'm to go to a department 17-M?" Lee asked the soldiers
Department 17-M? Can't be good. Suspicion thought out loud.
comply and follow their orders.
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Wishing to focus his inquisitive efforts solely on the exceptionally aged outlaw for the moment, Sir Havel forms the clever idea of keeping the other two bandits in check by securely restraining them under the weight of his massive Zweihander, yet, sadly, can do nothing but dismiss the thought upon remembering that he left his mighty blade impaled in a large tree some ways back.
With no choice but to maintain a firm hold on all three of his captives, the Chosen One simply ignores the two younger outlaws and proceeds to question the elderly brigand as to his reasons for residing within a criminal hideout in the middle of the Amazon...
"¿¡por qué estoy aquí!?" The elder responds, apparently somewhat offended by the inquiry. "Este es mi territorio, MI CAMPAMENTO-" As he begins to raise his voice, the old bandit coils in pain as he is overcome by a violent coughing fit. He seems to be growing increasingly pallid and feeble with each passing second.
Once his coughing subsides, the elderly brigand looks up at the Chosen One, and in a thick accent and much weaker voice, continues, "...It is I who should be asking you the same..."
Jorn Darkmane
"Demons..." The girl mutters, her attention drifting back toward the circle.
The mother, soon becoming aware of the demonic whispers as well, worriedly looks to the Chosen One with a question of her own. "Uh...not to sound impatient or anything...but how long do these ritual things typically last?"
The Moderator(s)
The squad leader gives an affirmative nod and grabs the small radio attached to his uniform. "Proceeding to department 17-M."
Another soldier approaches The Moderator and tosses him his jumpsuit. "Before we go anywhere, put this back on."
The Chosen One politely does as he's told and once again slips into his jumpsuit, departing from the clinic with the soldiers and briskly heading off to their new destination not a minute later...
-
In sympathetic tones. I'm going to put you down. Set all three of them down. I'm making an assumption when I say this, but I'm under the distinct impression that you men have sinned.. Am I wrong? Stop them of course if they try to run, but otherwise trust that they won't try anything in light of the fate of their camp.
-
"So guys, I was wondering if I asked really nicely, you wouldn't let me go, would you?" Lee asked innocently
Try to pull mental images/memories of Department 17-M from the (hopefully) accessible mind of the squad lead
-
Jorn scowls at the ritual circle.
"It should've been gone already."
-
Sir Havel the Unyielding
Deciding to take a slightly less homicidal approach with his captives this time around, Sir Havel gently releases the three men with the hopes of making absolutely sure that they really are the dirty, no-good scoundrels he has perceived them to be. While obviously still rather uneasy about the whole situation, they have each seen enough at this point to know that trying to make a run for it now would be a very unwise thing to do.
Hunched over, and clutching a particularly blood-drenched area of his abdomen, the elderly brigand chuckles at the knight's questioning. "You will not find a single man in this jungle who is not guilty of some sin..." The elder takes a sullen glance around the encampment, before returning his attention to the Chosen One. "...Of course, it is clear there are some men much worse than others."
The old bandit takes a second to clear his throat of accumulating blood and phlegm, and spits the unsightly mixture off to the side, allowing him to choke out a few more words through the pain of his injuries:
"So...is that why you have come, then? To punish us for our sins? I am sure that you feel your reasons for shedding blood are more noble than ours. You are not the first in this land to think such a way...but before I die here, please tell me, mi amigo...when you are done slaughtering the sinners of the jungle for your 'noble' cause, who will come to punish you?"
The Moderator(s)
"Even if we wanted to—and believe me, we don't—none of us possess the necessary rank or authorization to even advise doing so. So no, we wouldn't." One soldier coldly responds.
Still not fully trusting of his captor's motives (and not without good reason), The Moderator surreptitiously attempts to pry into the mind of the squad leader for further information on this 'department 17-M'...
Though the medication he was given has certainly made it easier for him to maintain his focus, the Chosen One's body & mind are still far from their best condition, and tapping into any of his more remarkable mental abilities still requires a greater level of effort than normal.
As if that weren't troublesome enough, before he can make any real progress toward infiltrating the squad leader's mind, another soldier picks up on his subtle change in demeanor and immediately breaks his concentration with an inconsiderate nudge on the shoulder. "Hey, are you feeling alright?" The soldier asks in a tone suggesting more mistrust of the Chosen One than concern for his well-being.
It is an inconvenient yet unsurprising occurrence, considering their sole duty at this time is to keep a close watch on someone who is officially regarded as a dangerous and highly unpredictable detainee.
Jorn Darkmane
"Oh...so what now?"
-
"I'll get back to you on that."
Jorrn meditates and contacts the spectral figure.
-
Jorn Darkmane
Unsure of how to proceed, Jorn quickly retreats to a quiet corner of the home for a little meditation break. The Chosen One closes his eyes, and with a few long, relaxing breaths, soon returns to the plane of vast aetheric fog to consult the spectral figure...
The spectral figure, hovering a small distance away, instantly notices the warlock, and cordially beckons him over for a chat. "Ah, Jorn. Lovely to see you again. How fares your first day of the trial thus far?"
-
Jorn explains about the troublesome ghost.
-
Havel fidgets visibly, annoyed at the presumptuous mortal. You are a short-sighted one, only gods can punish me. He looks at himself. I died once, eons ago. Now I am cursed to take on the sins of this dimension. He turns back to the elder. When all of reality ends, I will still be there. Cursed to live for eternity. There is no word in any living language now or since for the amount of suffering I have endured. Havel drops to one knee. Pray with me, for those that were lost today. He takes the elder's hand in both of his and holds it for a moment.
-
Jorn Darkmane
The spectral figure listens to Jorn's story with great attentiveness, as well as what seems like great amusement...
Once the Chosen One is done recounting his paranormal troubles to the figure, it gazes off for a moment, placidly reflecting on the events described by its guest, before snapping back to attention.
"...Tricky stuff, that ritual magic." The spectral figure utters knowingly. "Good news is, you were indeed totally, 100% successful in expelling the ghost from the home. The bad news, and reason behind your banishment circle's current unusual behavior is, you may have inadvertently agitated some of the lower planes' more powerful denizens in the process...
As you well know, the Underworld is a truly vast place, divided and ruled over by the ruthless and complex hierarchy of infernal generals, lords, princes, and so forth collectively known as ArchDemons. Now, what you may or may not know is that, when a practitioner of black magic such as yourself creates a ritual circle with which to banish an entity to the Underworld, what they are essentially doing is forming an agreement between themselves and the members of this demonic hierarchy; a promise to offer unto them a specific being to do with as they please, so long as they in turn ensure that the being offered never again returns to the plane from which it was banished. Pretty simple deal.
In your case, however, the improvised, mismatched, and—no offense—all-around substandard execution of this particular ritual made it less than perfectly clear to the demons what exactly it was you were offering, creating a situation of easy misunderstanding...and even easier exploitation.
As far as they're concerned, the agreement may not have been for a human soul at all; it could have been for demon, an animal, or any other type of entity one could possibly think of. And right now, they are using this ambiguity as an excuse to ask from you whatever kind of being their damnable hearts desire. The most unscrupulous part of this little kerfuffle, though, is that most of what they are asking for isn't anywhere near as valuable as what you've already delivered to them!
Even if you really hadn't upheld your end of the agreement, It is common knowledge to practically everyone who's ever so much as dabbled in the dark arts that human souls are a highly sought-after commodity in the lower planes. For them to try and coax more offerings out of you by acting as if you owe them something else is like expecting to be paid in silver and complaining when you receive gold instead." The spectral figure scoffs. "Then again, I suppose it would be foolish to expect any better from beings who make their homes within the darkest realms of unending hatred and despair...
Anyhow, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that there's little hope of you being able to come up with an offering that will satisfy the wishes of each and every ArchDemon. Or that even if you did, there's a more than likely chance that they'd simply continue to act as if it weren't the right offering in order to get as much out of you as they possibly can. So, with that in mind, let's go over your options...
the most obvious thing to do would be to wait it out, and hope the ArchDemons eventually just give up & accept what they've been given. Unfortunately, demons can be very persistent creatures, so there's no telling how long that could take...and no guarantee their efforts won't become more aggressive the longer their demands are ignored.
Alternatively, if you wanted to be less passive about things, you could always go ahead and close their window of communication by breaking the ritual circle. Be warned though, with your banishment circle being as unstable as it is right now, such an action has just as much potential to make the whole situation catastrophically worse as it does to fix it without any further incident.
Finally, if you feel your negotiation skills are up to par, there is the option of privately contacting a single member of the hierarchy, in order to settle the terms of the agreement with them personally. That way, you would only have to worry about appeasing a single ArchDemon, as opposed to the whole horde of greedy helldwellers that now vex you and the family. If you'd like, I could even give you the true names of a couple of 'em, which should make getting in touch far less of a chore than they normally require it to be."
Sir Havel the Unyielding
The elder cannot help but briefly stare puzzled at the knight of stone; he appears almost as taken aback by the Chosen One's strange and sorrowful asseverations as he is by the unexpected show of remorse for the dead. Yet even so, the old bandit makes no attempt to resist Sir Havel, and in a fleeting moment of solemn fellowship, the two are able to share a small prayer for the encampment's lost & vanquished souls.
Pitifully, not a few seconds later, the elderly brigand suddenly succumbs to another bout of violent coughing and, no longer possessing the strength to stand on his own, falls helplessly to his knees. The two younger bandits rush to the elder's side to try and assist him back onto his feet, but he sternly refuses their aid, having already accepted the grim inevitability of his impending demise.
"If it is your wish to kill me for my sins, you are free to do so. But please, spare my sons..." the elder quietly utters, glancing to each of the young outlaws. "They will have already lost enough today...if nothing else, they should at least be allowed to keep their lives..."
-
I could not hurt them if I wanted to. Ask Lunus (or whatever her name is) silently if she can heal this man completely and return his vitality. If so, address the man. I have told my God that I have seen something within you. She will restore your body if you but vow to serve her in time of need. Know this: if you make this vow, you will come with me now, for this world is in the gravest of danger. Unless your sons make similar vows, you may not ever see them again. If you are prepared to make this commitment then she will cleanse you now. Stand upright. Make your choice.
-
"God DAMN guys, how big is this base?" Lee asked out loud in slight frustration to no-one in particular.
ask for an ETA to arriving at 17-M
-
Jorn clearly is offended, but says nothing.
"That would be a great help. I can only hope one of them is in a good mood."