Topic: Our Salvation: It Is Written (Read 249666 times)

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #900 on:** April 05, 2016, 03:09:03 pm »

"Oh, well, probably yes. Lets. By the way, how do you folks feel about music?"

Go along peacefully, though carefully. It doesn't do well if these paranoid freaks start stabbing me in back.

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #901 on:** April 05, 2016, 03:34:16 pm »

"Hm, it sounds like you've got to be prepared for impending disaster if you live around here. Do you know if there's anything in these catacombs that might be useful in fending off an army? An artifact from one of these past conflicts, perhaps."

Xantalos · « **Reply #902 on:** April 05, 2016, 04:07:36 pm »

"Wait a second."

Grab him by the jaw and turn him to face me - without damaging him, obviously. What's his reaction?

Toaster · « **Reply #903 on:** April 05, 2016, 10:49:55 pm »

Play along. Just observe.

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #904 on:** April 06, 2016, 12:02:44 pm »

Quote from: TopHat on April 05, 2016, 02:04:29 pm

"That works. Will we have to carry them far?"
Help carry the guards off.

Not far, she says. Bring them out and over to the barracks on the other wing. One at a time, deposit them into beds. Then go see the guard commander, turn in the keys. Finally make the rounds and trade the other crap for useful things. A pretty simple routine, really. She'll lead the way.

Together you grab the large guard - rather heavy fellow even with assistance, you find - and carry him up the stairs through some hallways. There's quite a stir on the ground floor, some fellow in gaudy clothes ordering the other servants about or something of that nature - he seems very impressed with your fellow carrier's initiative, and tells her to keep doing that, yes! That's exactly right! She smiles at him and nods, and you imitate her as best as you are able. The fellow seems more doubtful about you, you notice, but lets you pass without hassle.

The next leg of the journey, once you're past another set of drunk guards, is across the other wing - not much of a wing, really, considering it's pretty much just a large set of barracks plus what seems to be an armory. Surprisingly little noise coming from there, you find - plus, almost all of the beds look to be full. Some guards appear to be sleeping on the floor, even. More than thirty appear to be even presently asleep, and five or six more are apparently in the middle of leaving for their shifts while their spots are being taken up by replacements that have just returned from a tiring (or at least horrifically boring) shift guarding the castle.

[Sleeping Quarters: 3]

Fortunately, there is one free bed. You deposit the large guard into that, and he seems oddly appreciative as he stretches and contently curls up, beginning to snore moments afterward.

The two sisters are a bit easier to carry, which is something of a relief. They are also much easier to shove under a bed because of their smaller size, and though you are a little wary at first, the girl says it's likely going to be perfectly all right. They might get a little irritable when they wake up, but if you've not learned to stay out of the royal guards' way at this point you kind of deserve what you get anyway.

In any case, with their valuables looted and their carcasses deposited in their rightful place, the girl supposes she doesn't really need your help anymore. So, er... thanks! You've been a big help. Whenever she's drawn the short straw in the past she's usually had to resort to using levers and pivots and that kind of business, and really it's kind of a relief to have something happen without serious trouble for once.

She pauses, looking around suspiciously. Hm. Best not to stick around for long. What did you get, anyway? The big guy mostly had garbage and keys. Anything interesting on your end?

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on April 05, 2016, 03:09:03 pm

"Oh, well, probably yes. Lets. By the way, how do you folks feel about music?"

Go along peacefully, though carefully. It doesn't do well if these paranoid freaks start stabbing me in back.

The knight pats you on the back. There will be no music, he laughs. No music whatsoever. Not presently, not at all. Haha. Yes. He escorts you along the castle island and over to one of the larger tents by the river, a sizable affair seemingly only narrowly missed by some great and terrible cataclysm that has glassed a rather large bit of ground next to it (and, if the remains are anything to go by, quite a few tents).

Inside this tent you find some rather comfortable quarters. A nice divan with a non-matching coffee table, a valuable vase of fresh flowers placed atop it. An incongruous double bed in one corner, the ground on both sides of it littered with a wealth of expensive-looking crap from engraved tablets to embroidered cushions to musical instruments to barrels of wine. Odd-looking mannequins stand here and there, garbed in fine clothing and jewelry. Quite a chaotic treasure trove, you think as the knight urges you to sit down, then goes to dig around in a pile of loot, getting a green, unlabeled bottle out from a particular pile as well as two pewter teacups with lions pictured on them. He pours each of you a cup of wine - his is almost immediately emptied as he pours it down his throat, looking very pleased with himself.

Right then, now that you're in a civilized setting, he says, he understands from your testimony that his second cousin has apparently met with a terrible fate while in captivity. Oh, and the stone. Do give him that, if you will.

Quote from: penguinofhonor on April 05, 2016, 03:34:16 pm

"Hm, it sounds like you've got to be prepared for impending disaster if you live around here. Do you know if there's anything in these catacombs that might be useful in fending off an army? An artifact from one of these past conflicts, perhaps."

[Interrupting the Dream: 4]

The voice and images abruptly cease to flow, the queen brought out of the reverie with your remark. The grinding of ancient memory resonates within your skull unpleasantly. Useful? Here in the catacombs? It has been an extraordinarily long time.

[Tokens of the King: 1]

There is... is there? A king, she believes. Kings beyond counting, almost as many in number as she is. This she remembers. The kings would know. Open their resting place, seek their advice. She kept the knowledge, he kept the practical concerns. They should be in there still, kernels of brilliant invention, yes...

Quote from: Xantalos on April 05, 2016, 04:07:36 pm

"Wait a second."

Grab him by the jaw and turn him to face me - without damaging him, obviously. What's his reaction?

As you grab him by the skull firmly, he looks quite frankly confused, batting weakly with his arms as you keep his jaw shut, his eyes almost fishlike in clueless emptiness as they look through you.

It's weird, you think he can see you. It's just that he's completely unable to process you beyond being able to try and ineffectually swipe at you with his weak arms. Wonder if he's snapped or this is some other kind of fuckery. There's evidence enough for both hypotheses - for one, you did steal his precious window that he is now completely unable to put back into its former place. On the other hand, it seems markedly unlike him to not at least make a heroic effort at pontificating in your general direction during all the time you've spent together as of late.

Quote from: Toaster on April 05, 2016, 10:49:55 pm

Play along. Just observe.

[Miracles of Make-Believe: 2]

You're not really sure what the point of it is. You run back and forth on orders that make decreasing amounts of sense the more you consider them. The servants seem terribly amused about something. Are they humoring the majordomo? Mocking him? Enjoying a spot of exercise in these terrible times? You have no real idea.

Furthermore, the majordomo himself starts to look increasingly exhausted as he instructs the servants, his voice faltering at times as he seems to forget what exactly his goal here is. Is it a feast? A ball? The morning routine? The queen's birthday? The servants seem to not really care, either. There may be some kind of underlying purpose here, you suppose, but you'll be damned if you know what it is. Then again, maybe the lack of purpose is the purpose, but that's far too philosophical for your liking.

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Xantalos · « **Reply #905 on:** April 06, 2016, 12:13:51 pm »

"Huh. Why aren't you acknowledging me? Sure I destroyed your livelihood and greatest treasures, but I'd think you'd use that as an opportunity to curse me or something. I mean, we know each othe-"

Jack stares at the priest's uncomprehending stare for a while before it clicks.

"Connections. Oh. Should I kill you then? I mean, you don't really have much to love for anymore. Or I could probably indirectly communicate with you. Like by writing or something. Not that you're really in a state to help me at all. Hmm."

Let him go. Write 'thanks for the window - Jack Daniels' in the dirt beside him and see what his reaction is. Make him notice it if need be.

((If it's too OOC for Jack to have figured out the connections thing tell me - I'm fairly sure he could've since he's heard what a connection is from Leif, but if I'm stretching it too much let me know.))

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #906 on:** April 06, 2016, 12:23:04 pm »

"Ah, real wine. You have no idea how attractive that is when you have been drinking imaginary vodka for a while. Not that there's nothing wrong with imaginary drinks, they taste fine, they go into head just fine, even faster than real ones, but they are not real, you know?" Drink the offered wine in all civilized manner. Like all at once. Then hand over the stone.

"My condolences for her possibly untimely death, assuming it is something to be sad about. Judging by what the fellow there said, there's a possibly interesting story to be told about. Arriving unwillingly into this realm just yesterday I'm bit out of touch with the situation here. Other than the obvious wartime activities going on."

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #907 on:** April 06, 2016, 01:34:53 pm »

I step over to the sarcophagus next to hers. "This king?" If it seems to be the king in question, I push off the lid.

TopHat · « **Reply #908 on:** April 06, 2016, 04:16:14 pm »

"No, just garbage, really, and a couple of coins. Oh, and I'm Oscar, by the way, Oscar Wilde. I'll be seeing you around, I guess, or maybe not."

Say goodbyes and start exploring this wing of the castle.

Toaster · « **Reply #909 on:** April 07, 2016, 12:24:40 am »

Thomas suddenly understands. The majordomo has to stay in character, but he's running out of fake instructions to give. Best to leave him alone.

Head on. Walk the castle grounds again and study whoever is out.

Harry Baldman · « **Reply #910 on:** April 07, 2016, 09:08:23 am »

Quote from: Xantalos on April 06, 2016, 12:13:51 pm

"Huh. Why aren't you acknowledging me? Sure I destroyed your livelihood and greatest treasures, but I'd think you'd use that as an opportunity to curse me or something. I mean, we know each othe-"

Jack stares at the priest's uncomprehending stare for a while before it clicks.

"Connections. Oh. Should I kill you then? I mean, you don't really have much to love for anymore. Or I could probably indirectly communicate with you. Like by writing or something. Not that you're really in a state to help me at all. Hmm."

Let him go. Write 'thanks for the window - Jack Daniels' in the dirt beside him and see what his reaction is. Make him notice it if need be.

[Reading the Situation: 5]

Your message is seen - you make sure the letters are friendly and maximally legible. This pays dividends, as the priest does appear to mouth the words to himself. He looks around in horror. That message wasn't there before, you'd say he's thinking right now. What is happening, you suspect is his thought. Who is this Jack Daniels person? Is that his real name? Did his mother genuinely name him that? Okay, you might be projecting a little. Point is, he does seem able to read it and understand it, especially when you forcibly orient his head toward the message. He appears at a loss on what to make of it, however.

Quote from: AoshimaMichio on April 06, 2016, 12:23:04 pm

"Ah, real wine. You have no idea how attractive that is when you have been drinking imaginary vodka for a while. Not that there's nothing wrong with imaginary drinks, they taste fine, they go into head just fine, even faster than real ones, but they are not real, you know?" Drink the offered wine in all civilized manner. Like all at once. Then hand over the stone.

"My condolences for her possibly untimely death, assuming it is something to be sad about. Judging by what the fellow there said, there's a possibly interesting story to be told about. Arriving unwillingly into this realm just yesterday I'm bit out of touch with the situation here. Other than the obvious wartime activities going on."

It's not terribly good wine. Sour. Tastes a little of general filth. Goes down well enough, though, if you don't particularly try to smell it (guess that's why you drink it down all at once). And there's a certain novelty in having the real thing, however crappy it might be. The knight nods. Indeed - what tricks of the mind can match the sweet loveliness of loot? He indicates the rest of the room. Lovely loot, yes. What could be better?

Speaking of, you hand him the stone. He examines it a moment. Glorious. An excellent encapsulation. Imperfect, but beautiful in its own way. Excellent, excellent. Brilliant to have it here. Now then. The situation. He looks at you, processing what you said for a moment. You are-

He thinks a moment. You arrived yesterday? Quite odd. Very odd. Extraordinarily odd. Do tell him more about that, if you don't mind.

Quote from: penguinofhonor on April 06, 2016, 01:34:53 pm

I step over to the sarcophagus next to hers. "This king?" If it seems to be the king in question, I push off the lid.

That is the king's resting place - a featureless sarcophagus much like the queen's. Larger, perhaps. It hums a little as you begin to push on the lid. You think nothing of it and push it the rest of the way. It comes off readily. Quicker than it did for the other sarcophagus. The reason for this becomes clear almost immediately.

[Royal Prerogatives: 4 vs. 4]

There is a whistling sound as you weave out of the way of a sharp metal talon swinging your way. Guess your trap-dodging instincts are getting sharper. Speaking of, you dodge again, an iron thread tightening around where your neck used to be. Maybe you shouldn't be standing here, you think as your thoughts fill with a metallic whirring and hissing.

Quote from: TopHat on April 06, 2016, 04:16:14 pm

"No, just garbage, really, and a couple of coins. Oh, and I'm Oscar, by the way, Oscar Wilde. I'll be seeing you around, I guess, or maybe not."

Say goodbyes and start exploring this wing of the castle.

Oh, nice to meet you, Oscar. Her name's-

Wait. You're... new here? She seems puzzled. You're not a guard. You're not from the capital. She- how did you get here? Where did you come from? She knows everyone around here, and yet she's fairly sure she's never seen you around here before. You pause, looking a bit awkward. That's a very good question, you suppose. Your moment of slight confusion is not missed, provoking more curiosity.

Quote from: Toaster on April 07, 2016, 12:24:40 am

Thomas suddenly understands. The majordomo has to stay in character, but he's running out of fake instructions to give. Best to leave him alone.

Head on. Walk the castle grounds again and study whoever is out.

When your mock errands take you close to the door leading out, you slip out unnoticed into the courtyard. Let the majordomo sort his issues out himself. You'll try and catch some fresh air.

Instead of fresh air, however, you catch a glimpse of Mr. Daniels nakedly manhandling a priest next to a large stained glass window propped up against a sacrificial altar, an intrigued look on his face. You're not sure you should ask questions about that.

[Unusual Movements: 4]

Looking away wisely, you spot an elderly fellow decked out in chain walking along the edge of the courtyard, speaking with a man with a shaved head and a scarified eye carved into his forehead. The man seems a little uncomfortable to be there, continually fidgeting with a very sharp knife. They look your way - the elderly man smiles. The knife man does not.

[Peculiar Folk: 3]

Atop one of the walls you see a guard carefully weaving along the battlements, taking a look out through the crenellations at the stout army encircling the castle. She seems a peculiar mixture of bored and terrible awareness of the slightest mistake potentially meaning death. She appears to have no weapons, merely a metal shield on one of her hands.

[Atypical Residents: 6]

That man who dragged you around in a sack is about as well, ambling around the yard, seemingly greatly intrigued by the window and Mr. Daniels. He seems to be standing behind you at the moment, greedily breathing on the back of your neck.

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Toaster · « **Reply #911 on:** April 07, 2016, 11:39:06 am »

"Can I help you, sir?" The question was directed backwards at the heavy breather.

Ask

Xantalos · « **Reply #912 on:** April 07, 2016, 12:23:50 pm »

Hmm.

Write 'do you remember me?' in the dirt. Let's see what the loss of a connection does to his memories.

AoshimaMichio · « **Reply #913 on:** April 07, 2016, 12:26:41 pm »

"Odd is the word I too would use." Pour myself another drink and delude myself thinking it tastes better. Spill out secrets dunkenly. "Yes, you see, one evening I was minding my own business, mining gold and silver, went to sleep and then I woke up in a rat bath. There was these minder guys, all dead now, welcoming me and few others as their salvation. Against stoats. I think that's you guys. I think they were trying to summon demons, but fucked up and summoned us instead. Or rather they failed altogether and something formless, timeless and curious made us."

"Oh, now I remember! That second cousin of yours, she was eaten. By this Jack Daniels guy, one of us who were summoned to defeat you lot. Or so he claimed. With his mouth in his chest. I think he lied about that part. Then there was this other guy who was riding a shiny moon. I think he was going to laser your army a bit."

"Is it bad I'm telling you all this? I think it might be bad." Sober up.

penguinofhonor · « **Reply #914 on:** April 07, 2016, 12:49:21 pm »

I take a good number of steps back, maybe down the steps a bit. "Ah, hello there, my king! I only want to speak with you!"

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Author Topic: Our Salvation: It Is Written (Read 249666 times)

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Toaster

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

TopHat

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Toaster

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Harry Baldman

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Toaster

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

Xantalos

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

AoshimaMichio

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder

penguinofhonor

Re: Our Salvation: the New Shape of Murder