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Post by Veliky on Nov 8, 2022 15:13:20 GMT -5
On Mount Drakolt, day and night are near-meaningless concepts. Sunlight nary pierces the clouds of ash, and most illumination is that of the oppressive haze of flowing lava. But, nevertheless, it is as pleasant an afternoon as it possibly can be in the Ashlands.
At the base of the Ashlands' most prominent volcano is a thin trail that leads through soot and up the mountainside. Such a thing would be an ordinary sight on any other mountain, but Drakolt is such a scarcely visited place - one whose most magnanimous hospitalities are lethal heat and barely breathable air - that established trails are unheard of. Yet this trail so boldly defies that stereotype by having, along its path, the occasional post and hanging lantern, each one marked with an unusual insignia: a cog above a crossed feather and sword.
It is really a rather egregious trail, suited for a really rather egregious mountain. By the time one has followed its path between precarious boulders, under crumbling archways and perilously close to lakes of lava, to the point that they find themself a quarter-way up the mountain, their legs would be begging for rest and they'd be extremely overdue for lunch. But so too would they find a welcoming sight - perhaps the one they were looking for, all along.
At this place, the steep trail both widens and flattens to merge with the terrain of a cliff. Standing at the edge, one can see almost as far as Zeinav. But that isn't the greatest point of interest, here. At the opposing side of the clearing, nestled into the dark and igneous rock, is a small structure of that same stone. It is a geometric thing of rectangular chambers, loveless in its design, though its windows are graced with the luxury of glass. Above its metal door, painted in bold strokes with yellow paint, is a number: 01.
The whole scene would be a peculiar sight to any wayward traveler. But one travelling here with any intent would know that this is Research Station 01: the one and only. This is where they're meant to meet their mysterious employer, who gave no indication of their identity, communicating only through cryptic letters and the promise of extremely tempting pay, and requesting assistance in a 'missing person(s) operation.' Here, with any luck, the mystique will be cast aside. And, hopefully, they can finally get some lunch.
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Nov 11, 2022 7:14:36 GMT -5
The two of them had been travelling up the mountain for quite some time. Ulrich felt the familiar fatigue start to set in as they trekked along. Mount Drakolt was one place in Charon he had not actually been in all the years he'd spent travelling up to the point. He'd always seen it in passing, but now, he found himself on the mountain itself.
He was joined by an acquaintance of his, in the form of a halfling/goblin woman. Veliky. He'd traveled together with her before on a mission to capture an elemental. The mission did not go as planned... In fact, it was a disaster, but that is a story for another day.
They found themselves trekking a steep, thin path up Mount Drakolt for— Oh darn it, what was it that they were here for again?
Ulrich clears his throat, "What was it that we're here for again, Veliky?" He asked, stretching his neck.
Most of the time, Ulrich was never privy to the larger picture when it came to Veliky's plans. He usually learned about it on the fly. This time was no different.
As he waited for her answer, the narrow path began to widen and flatten. It lead to a cliff face! Ulrich would have been overcome with joy at the sight— but the growling of stomachs rang out. Their bodies required food, a much needed lunch. Ulrich let out a sigh, one hand on his stomach.
"Maybe we could have some lunch? The old stomach says we're a bit overdue," he says with a laugh.
And then he notices a structure with the numbers: 01 painted in yellow above it's metal door.
"Hmm, interesting."
He pulls out his sketchbook from his satchel, furiously taking notes of the surroundings.
He turned, looking expectantly at his companion, "So, Veliky, why are we here?"
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Post by Veliky on Nov 12, 2022 22:35:49 GMT -5
The hike has not been kind to Veliky. Her short stature makes her tire less easily, but its benefits do not extend far past that. She's forced to leap where another might step, to clamber where another might climb, and to plummet where another might stumble.
There are several instances in their journey when she would've fared far better were she to ask to be piggybacked by the muscular and much-better travelled Ulrich, but she never does, despite having done so in the past. Well, that isn't altogether true; she's never *asked* to ride on his back, but rather done so entirely and rudely without his permission. But even that, she refrains from doing.
When they've arrived atop the cliff to see the structure apparently called '01,' Veliky is past euphoria. Rather, she seems angered by the fact that the trek took so long at all.
"I'll tell you when we - koff! - when we get inside." she spits through clenched jaw. She isn't wearing her once-signature hat; without it, she almost looks like a different person. "This air isn't good for breathing, much less talking."
She coughs a few more times as she minces up to the door, ash grinding under her feet, and knocks on its metal surface. Her tiny fist creates equally tiny clinging sounds as she knocks. "Guilty conscience." she says in a voice half-raised, her words obviously not directed at Ulrich.
...But there's no response. The longer she remains in the blasted heat, the more she yearns for the blast-proof door to open. By her leer alone, one would think she's trying to menace the door into letting her inside.
Although, for a brief moment, there is a glimpse of movement in one of the windows.
Cling Cling Cling! "Guilty conscience!" she repeats, now fully shouting. "I swear, someone's getting scrapped if this door doesn't open right now!"
She's grinding her teeth so roughly that they seem ready to chip, but she exhales in relief when subtle footfalls are heard on the other side. Only, they aren't ordinary footfalls; it sounds as if someone's walking in greaves with iron soles.
There's a muffled sound of metal sliding against metal, and the door finally opens. But what lies beyond is not a welcoming sight.
Standing in the now-open doorway is a thing like a man, but made of tin. One could, at a glance, misidentify them as a human clad in bizarre armour, but the inexplicable gaps in its limbs defy that explanation. Its cyclopic eye is crimson, and stretches laterally like the visor of a knight. But easily its most menacing feature is the crossbow that it trains on Ulrich, paying Veliky no mind whatsoever.
Neither does Veliky seem surprised. In fact, she stands by the golem's shin and looks up at it with indignance.
"About damned time. Hurry up and ID him."
At her command, another curiosity appears in the doorway. It's of the same make and material, with the same cyclopic eye and taloned limbs, but it is very clearly designed after the image of a dog. It skulks outside, toward Ulrich; every movement of its joints begets a strange hiss and its claws carve jagged lines in the ash.
It stops about a yard away, at which point its artificial nostrils begin to emanate a rather similar noise. By all appearances, it seems to be sniffing Ulrich. But even this is not quite so strange as what happens next.
"Scent confirmed. Civilian Ulrich, greeting: welcome to Research Station 01." It speaks. Its voice lacks any tone or other modicum of emotion; its every syllable is rough and damaged, as if the sound had somehow been clawed with a rake before it passed Ulrich's ears.
Then, it turns and enters the station again. Its wire-thin tail, too, lacks any sign of emotion, remaining still as a corpse's finger as the dog-golem disappears into the building.
"Good." Veliky speaks up. The golem beside her has lowered its crossbow. "Congratulations, Ulrich. You're hired."
Funny, she'd said that exact thing when she'd first offered this job.
The station's interior is as strange as its exterior. To see design so foreign: it's reminiscent of walking into an Elven tower for the first time. Of course, the architecture is nothing like that of the elves; the standing beams and leaning supports are angular and geometric, like Dwarven strongholds but with none of the grandeur (and, of course, dwarves nary use wood in construction). If there is one Common word to describe the structure, it might be 'optimized.' That is, it's optimized for some singular purpose, to the detriment of all others - being cramped and strangely narrow in parts - but what purpose that is can't quite be discerned.
Perhaps that purpose is the simple but demanding task of surviving on the ash-choked cliffs of Drakolt. If so, it's fulfilling its purpose quite well; the atmosphere inside is cool and clean, a stark contrast to the landscape outside and a literal breath of fresh air. Indeed, within its walls, the only indications that one is standing on Mount Drakolt are the glass windows, each permitting its own view of the static terrain.
But it would be utterly remiss to not mention the building's uncontestedly strangest feature: its inhabitants. Though the place is humming with activity, it quickly becomes clear that Ulrich and Veliky are the only living beings within. Aside from them, the station is entirely populated by more of those artificial beings. At least four humanoid golems can be counted - all but one of them armed - but there are also several in various, bestial shapes. As they pass through, Ulrich can spot a spider, a bat and another canine.
None of them surprise the little businesswoman. "You haven't seen them before, have you?" Veliky begins without slowing her brisk pace. She marches with the confident fleet of someone who knows that time is money. "Quick FAQ: they're called Blixtbots™. They're mine. They're friendly unless they have good reason to act otherwise, like when I tell them to."
She descends a tiny set of steps; the flight is actually divided into three sets of different sizes and spacing, built to be comfortably traversed by creatures of varying height.
"And no, they aren't people. No sentience, no fuss. If they 'die,' the only things to mourn will be solars - they're expensive, don't break them." Her trained, yet pre-vexed tone alludes to countless less-than-friendly chats with ethical protestors.
After passing through a low-ceilinged hall, they're greeted by a rather fantastic sight. It's another window, but it doesn't peer outside; rather, it peers inside, into Drakolt's caldera. The orange haze of magma shines through.
In front of the window is a mid-sized table with a bench at either side. Veliky's quick to hop onto one of them, and one can see the tension releasing from her exhausted muscles. She closes her eyes for a moment, savouring the relief... then opens them to Ulrich, with the coldly expectant demeanour of 'let's get down to business.'
"Take a seat. I'm sure you have questions. Oh, and you were asking for lunch? Just tell one of the bots what you want. But don't ask for anything other than Blixt™ or sandwiches, or their processors fry."
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Nov 27, 2022 16:33:05 GMT -5
Ulrich followed alongside Veliky listening intently to everything she was saying. A lot of this was very weird to him. Firstly, this was the first time he'd ever seen the the Blixtbots™. Strange things, indeed, but he'd probably seen stranger.
The two of them entered a room with a table. There were benches on either side of it, but what amazed him was the window it sat next to! The window did not display the skies that he'd seen before they entered the research station. No, it peered into the inner depths of the volcano! The orange haze of lights from the magma hit him and he swears he could feel some warmth in that moment.
Veliky quickly takes a seat on one of the benches at the table. She looks to be gathering herself. She then gestures for him to sit at the table with her as they will have much to discuss. His expression changed as well, switching to a slightly more serious face. He nodded and took a seat at the opposite side of the table.
"Right." He nodded as one of the bots came to the table. "A ham sandwich would be just fine, thank you!" The Blixtbot™ beeped and chirped, turning to walk away and prepare Ulrich's order.
He turned his attentions towards Veliky again.
"Now, that we are here in the comfort of much more breathable air. Why are we here, Veliky?"
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Post by Veliky on Nov 29, 2022 19:27:41 GMT -5
By the time Ulrich returns his attention to the little businesswoman, she's just finished an order of her own. The bot, whose ear(?) she had, rises from a crouch and marches out of the room's magmic glow. Now, they're alone.
Veliky turns her uncompromising gaze to the carefree, young man across the table. The draconian light sizzles upon one half of her face: one pale eye, one youthful cheek and one half of her eternally lowering lips. The other half is a shadow that extends to the floor, staring across at the twin shadow that belongs to Ulrich. Their indiscernible eyes, too, are locked, as if they're having a conversation of their own.
Somehow, theirs seems friendlier.
"You're here because I asked you to be here. I'm here for business." She tilts her head in a manner that somehow condescends as much as it inquisits. Tiny shadows dance along her face, cast by the amber glow on her stray, golden locks. "About a month ago, I was fishing for investment opportunities. And I found one: some scholar from Darkveil was looking for money to fund a research expedition. For brevity's sake, let's just say they wanted to know if a mountain's about to explode. One guess for which mountain they were talking about."
It's difficult for someone the size of a human toddler to radiate any sort of believable menace. None know this better than Veliky herself. But, with the absolute frigidity in her tone matched by the chamber's hellish lighting, she does come quite close.
"They just wanted money to pay freelance researchers. I did them one better: a bit of math, and I found that I'd get a better payout if I supplied the data myself. Plus, I could pocket some of that research for my company if any of it turns out to be useful. So, in essence, we're the freelance researchers - me, the bots and The Gnome."
Her demeanour shifts, growing even more interrogative. She leans forward - but, if she's trying to intimidate, this was a mistake. Half of her face is now obscured by the table, with only her eyes peeking over.
"Few days ago: Gnome vanishes. Not a word, no unusual behaviour. She wasn't even supposed to leave the station. But, somehow, she's gone. Not a trace, patrols found nothing. Dead silence."
Her eyes narrow to tiny slits. She doesn't quite notice the clanking footfalls, growing closer.
"That's where you come i-"
"Mistress Veliky, Conscript Ulrich, report: here are your drinks."
A bot arrives, delivers two lidded tankards onto the table, and is gone as quickly as it appeared. The tankards are full of water - or what seems, at first, to be water. The light fizzling beneath its surface is a dead giveaway: Blixt™ Aqua. Effectively the same, but with the energetic kick that Blixt™ is known for.
Veliky needs to stretch an arm, uncomfortably, in order to reach her tankard. Holding it makes her seem somehow tinier - it's as large as her whole torso, and handling it is a noticeable struggle for her. But she carries on in spite, delidding it, lifting it to her lips and drinking deeply before gingerly placing it in her own shadow, beside her. Sitting on the bench, it looks almost more like a companion than a beverage.
"As I was saying, that's where you come in. The bots have swept over all the usual suspects - spots nearby that we'd already pinged as dangerous and likely to cause disappearances like this. She must've gone higher on the mountain, possibly even as high as Station 02. But the bots don't operate well at that elevation, thus why we abandoned Station 02 in the first place. So this issue requires a more... organic touch. I trust you understand?"
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Dec 4, 2022 16:45:45 GMT -5
She had begun to tell the story of her current predicament, and Ulrich listened intently. He rests his elbows on the table and brings his hands together as she continues her explanation of the situation. His hands are now covering the bottom half of his face. The Usual warmness in his eyes faded into a seriousness that only few usually see when he's in deep thought. His eyes narrow as he can sense where the story is going.
Ah, there it is. The Gnome had disappeared somewhere on the mountain, and this was not a place known for it's safety, CLEARLY.
There is a slight, almost imperceptible tilt of his head. It causes more shadow to obscure half of his face, and his eye disappears behind the glare of his eyeglass lens. His interlaced fingers tighten against the backs of his hands as he listens still. Then one of the bots comes to deliver the pair's drinks. His fingers loosen as he gives a nod to the bot before it quickly disappears.
He reaches for his tankard, but he doesn't drink, he sets it right in front of him. The glare in his lens disappears and the eye behind it has that warm, carefree look to it again. His elbows spread apart on the table and the bottom half of his face is visible again, with a smile on it of course.
"I understand the situation fully, yes. It is quite odd for her to have just up and vanished without any indication. I would say that she might have been taken, but who would come up here just to kidnap a researcher?"
His gaze turns to the window that peers in to the inner workings of the mountain.
"So there is the possibility that she did make her way further up the mountain to another research station, but even making the journey here to this one was an arduous task itself. I'm not even sure I can believe that she made the climb on her own, given the conditions of the environment."
Then he turns to Veliky again.
"Then there's the possibility that she could be deceased. That would be rather tragic. I hope that it's not the case, but it still remains a possibility."
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Post by Veliky on Dec 10, 2022 5:14:45 GMT -5
SLAP! Veliky's gloved hand smacks into the table with shocking force, given her minuscule size. Though her face remains coldly indifferent, it seems somehow more severe than it was before; her not-enshrouded eye burns with a frigid flame.
"That is not a possibility."
She says nothing more, nothing to evidence her uncompromising claim. Yet she says it with such authority that fate itself would hesitate to contradict her. She only lifts the tankard to her lips once more and takes a long, tasteless sip. As she finishes, a drop of Blixt™ can be seen, sliding down the tankard's side and glimmering in the caldera's glow.
"You should drink, too; this is second driest place in Charon, you'll need the hydration. I wouldn't bring you to a top-secret research facility just to poison y-"
"Mistress Veliky, Conscript Ulrich, report: your meals have arrived." Once again, Veliky is interrupted by a Blixtbot™ whose approach she failed to notice. This time does disquiet her, somewhat, jarring a faint twinge in her forehead. But she doesn't voice her disapproval, instead just regarding the bot with a nod and a "Thank you, Pawn."
In two clunky movements, the bot somewhat harshly places a finely crafted, yet inelegantly designed ceramic plate on the table, in front of Ulrich. Between two slices of white bread is exactly the ingredient he asked for: ham and nothing more. Granted, it's a generous amount of ham, but it isn't particularly fresh: a healthy helping of bland, thinly sliced ham.
Still, it's better than what Veliky received (that is, nothing). She expectantly waits for a plate to be delivered to her, but none comes, leaving her to stare at the waiterish bot in bemusement.
"Where's mine?"
There's a grind as the bot's head swivels, followed by a light zzz as its eyes cast downward, to meet Veliky's glare with indifferent lenses.
"Mistress Veliky, report: I was unable to locate any Tartarus within the kitchen pantry. Would you like me to substitute it with another topping?"
At its words, Veliky's scowl turns to disillusion.
"'Tartar sauce,' Pawn. I said 'tartar sauce.' Try again, double time."
With a somewhat hastened chirp, the Pawn turns around and noisily jogs from the room. In its wake, Veliky just shakes her head.
"Out of teaching them to talk, teaching them to walk, creating a whole-new language just so they can speak properly to one-another and even teaching them to think, can you believe that one of the hardest obstacles in their design is just getting them to hear and see properly? Voice recognition is a bitch."
She shakes her head again and sighs. At the very least, the inconvenience lightened the mood.
"Anyways." Her tone and composure straighten. Back to business. "Yes; barring unforeseen complications, the plan is to travel up the mountain, along the path to Station 02, searching key locations as we do. Namely, we're looking for places that are either exceptionally dangerous - the type she could get lost or stuck in - or exceptionally safe - places she might've stopped to rest."
Raising the now-lightened tankard again, she raises the bottom high and finally downs the last of its contents. This seems to defy all reason, as that tankard's capacity is at least twice that of her stomach. Yet she doesn't seem at all phased; this must be that renowned halfling appetite at work.
"Air quality gets worse the higher you go. To protect our lungs, we have special filtration masks that'll allow us to breathe without taking in smoke. In essence, they just strain the air through holes that are too small for smoke to enter; feels like breathing through a straw, but it'll keep us from getting poisoned. Unfortunately, it's necessar-"
"Mistress Veliky, report:"
Third time may be the charm, but it's also often the breaking point. Veliky shoots the appearing bot a razor-sharp glare at its third and hopefully final interruption.
"Pawn, ping yourself for pending repairs. Reason: interruptions."
The bot emits a dual chirp - the same with which it responded to all of the commands given to it, including the sandwich orders.
"Resume report: we have received communications from Head Engineer Yoci."
Her tune changes quicker than an Ashlandian stock.
"What? Give it to me!"
At her command, the Pawn extends an arm. In its spindly hand is a strange, little device[1] that strangely resembles a miniature version of its own head, crimson eyes and all. Veliky immediately snatches it, stands and hops to the floor; the empty tankard falls on its side at the upset.
She holds the 'mouth' of the device in front of her own, brow furrowed in iron focus.
"Yoci, are you there? Talk to me."
At first, nothing happens and Veliky stares at the device with the sheer expression of 'You're getting thrown in six seconds.' But, just before that fateful, sixth second comes to pass, a voice inexplicably emanates from the device. It's high and seemingly feminine, yet somehow muffled, like someone speaking through a door, making many of the words difficult to discern.
"Miss Vel........need....help..............captu............cul........call th..............Pill....of Rage. R-Requesti.....mediate a-a-assistance! Th..................ruins."
...Nothing else. The voice fades.
"Yoci, repeat! Take your damn mask off for a second, we can't hear you!"
She gives the device some time to answer, but it won't - a fact that becomes clearer with every passing second, as does Veliky's growing fury. For a moment, she seems ready to fulfill her unspoken threat against the machine, but she manages to restrain herself. Instead, she turns to Ulrich, her every movement spurred to fleet by some exhilarating variant of stress.
"That was her. Not a damn clue what she means about 'rage,' but it sounds like she's being held hostage. *Not* the news I needed today, but she did narrow down search area; there are ruins on the path up the mountain. Come on, let's go."
A woman of her word, Veliky doesn't hesitate for a heartbeat before beginning a purposeful march toward the exit. The Pawn bot, holding a plate with a sandwich in its hand, swivels its neck to follow her movements.
"Mistress Veliky, query: would you like to bring your sandwi-"
"No."
1. Talking Heads
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Dec 22, 2022 4:54:40 GMT -5
Ulrich gave the bot a smile as the plate was placed in front of him. Sure enough, it had made what he asked for. A ham sandwich— all ham, sandwiched, nothing else. Observing the food prepared for him, he gave a slight chuckle.
The tankard in front of him sat there untouched, a fact that was not missed by Veliky. She reminded him of how hot and dry this place was, and that it would be a good idea to drink. He nodded his head, picking up the tankard and taking his first few gulps of the liquid. He hadn't noticed how parched he was until he put the tankard back down onto the table. He was so focused on the conversation at hand that he failed to notice his thirst building.
Veliky's tone shifts back to business as the bot turns to jog out of the room. She explains her plan to travel up the mountain on the path leading them to Station 02, whilst searching key locations along the way.
"Right. Those would definitely be good places to start looking." He lifts the tankard up to his mouth again, gulping down more liquid.
As he's setting the tankard back down, Veliky starts going into detail on how the air quality worsens as one would travel higher up the mountain. It makes sense to him and he nods in agreement. He has little to no experience climbing up a volcano, so right now, she is the expert.
He opens his mouth to answer, but their conversation is interrupted again. Veliky is visibly annoyed at the bot's constant interruptions, but it has news that brings her to her feet in haste. She speaks into a device which resembles the bot's head. An unfamiliar voice emanates from the device, and he can only assume that the voice coming through is the lost researcher he was being conscripted to help search for. It is hard to discern what is being said exactly though.
She obviously asks for help, but he hears part of the word "capture" and a part of another word which he can only assume is "cultists?" Again, these are just guesses. "Pill... of Rage?" Then there's the last of the transmission. It's obvious that she just mentioned "ruins" there.
"Hmmm, 'captured by cultists,' and I'm assuming that maybe she was saying 'Pillar of Rage?' That's probably not going to be a great time for us, seeing as the word 'Rage' was mentioned."
Veliky is ready to get going to which Ulrich nods. He quickly brings the tankard back up to his lips and downs the rest of the liquid, gently slamming it down onto the table. He gets up and stretches with a smile on his face.
"Right. Let's go rescue this researcher of yours then, Veliky!"
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Post by Veliky on Dec 22, 2022 15:56:23 GMT -5
Under the grey sky again, for another excruciating climb. The terrain is no less alien, no less uncomfortable and no less perilous. Their brief respite at the Station, while much-needed, proved insufficient; by the time Veliky groans with a "We're close," there's little feeling in her legs but agonizing soreness.
She wasn't lying about the masks: they work, but using them is like breathing through three layers of burlap. They're strange little things, covering the entire face in some dull fabric with glass lenses at the eyes for visibility. Sewn into the mouth of the mask is an odd, circular device with tiny gaps through which the wearer breathes (apparently the 'filter' that Veliky described, and the culprit of the mask's smothering discomfort). Oddly, the filter has a secondary function, which Veliky demonstrates during the climb and using a bottle of Blixt™ Feijoada[1]: by socketing the lip of a Blixt™ bottle into the filter, one can drink without needing to remove the mask.
Overall, they make the ascent that much more exhausting, but it's a small sacrifice for breathable air.
After nearly forty-five minutes of urgent hiking they come to witness what Veliky assures Ulrich is the final leg of the journey: a wide, but shallow striation in the cliffside, that's just large enough for them to sidle along. Veliky is fairly courageous in making the trek - after all, her substantially lower bulk makes it far easier to cling to what little ground there is.
But it isn't without hazard. At approximately two-thirds of the way, a sudden and violent tremor threatens to throw both of them over the cliffside! Ash and rocks clatter and roll off the cliff, shattering on the earth below - a grim omen of what might happen to a person in the same place. But, after about four seconds, it subsides and thankfully so. Veliky's panting is heavy, strained through the mask's filter.
"Guess I should've mentioned," Her voice is muffled through the mask, but audible enough. She speaks in long exhalations, while her inhalations are sharp and noisy (another consequence of the filter). "there's been some unusual seismic activity. It's what first tipped off our partner in Darkveil that something might be up. It's also part of the reason that this expedition's been such a nightmare. Watch for aftershocks."
If she's keen to practice what she's preaching, she isn't demonstrating it. In little time, she's made it to the end of the shelf, stepping onto an upward-ramping trail that curves between the cliffside on the left, and a jutting crag on the right. For such a tiny and civil being, she's surprisingly expeditious. Not so surprising, though, as what lies at the top of the pass.
The trail leads into a small cirque, made even smaller by the ruined fortress that dominates it. It's difficult to tell what material it's built from, as the entire structure is blanketed in ash, as is the land around and within it. In places, this ash has been inexplicably and eerily heaped into the shapes of pillars, horses and fleeing people, like ghosts of the past. Even more ominous is the entryway to the fortress - what must've once been a portcullis - standing open, like the gaping maw of a broken jaw.
The whole place is utterly silent. In a more populated place, like a forest, this might an indication of an ambush or other danger. Here, it's difficult to tell, making it all the more eerie.
Veliky winces at the sight, but doesn't seem surprised by it. "Was like this when we got here. Took some samples from the ash, but didn't find anything relevant to our expedition. Take my advice, though: don't break those ash-statues. You don't want to know what's inside."
There's an unfettered urgency in the way she minces up to the gateway. It's fair enough; this is a situation warranting urgency. But she does stop short of the open portcullis, crossing her arms and looking back to Ulrich.
"You first, Zap Hands."
1. (Flask of Feijoada) Blixt™ Feijoada
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Jan 3, 2023 15:28:14 GMT -5
The trek they now found themselves on proved to be bit more difficult than the last; especially with these masks that they had on! Through many labored breaths, Ulrich followed her to a striation in the cliffside that was just large enough for them.
As they're making their way closer to the end, a tremor strikes the mountain. It causes Ulrich to try and bury himself deeper into the wall behind them. He watches with wide eyes as the ask and rocks roll off of the cliff to the earth below. He could fly, but something like was always a bit scary to experience for oneself.
Ulrich turns to Veliky as she explained the unusual seismic activity currently plaguing the mountain. He nods to her, "I see. Noted," they then continue to sidle along the wall until they reach the upward trail.
As they reach the end of the path, Ulrich stares in wonder at the structure before them. He can also see the ashen statues shaped as horses and fleeing people. He winces, a slight frown etching itself across his face.
Without looking toward his companion, he spoke, "Don't worry about that. Wasn't planning on it," Keeping his eyes glued on the figures.
They make their to the open port portcullis, and just before they walk in, Veliky stops. She looks to him with her arms crossed; telling him to go in first and check it out. He meets her gaze with a slight grave expression of his own, but then he shrugs. She did hire him for something like this, of course. Veliky was well aware of what the bespectacled mage was capable of.
Ulrich makes his way past her, traveling into the gaping maw. He can hear his footsteps echo slightly as he passes through despite the constant rumbling of the mountain. Nothing has happened to him so far as he's now inside the fortress. He chooses to signal Veliky to come through as it was safe for the most part. If there was any kind of trap waiting for them; he'd much rather keep their presence hidden as much as possible.
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Post by Veliky on Jan 7, 2023 0:53:46 GMT -5
The fortress' courtyard is as lifeless and melancholic as its edifice. The crumbling walls, the windswept ash, the husk-heaps - this place is like the grave of a forgotten nation, its epitaph long-since faded. There might've been a trail here, at some point in the distant past. Now, all the terrain has been homogenized by the blanketing ash, which has piled high against the walls. Though there is one section where the ash slopes to a height - a buried staircase, perhaps - and it's here that the silver-encrusted stone of ancient ruins rises above the powder and toward the bleak sky.
Veliky's height consigns her to wading through what, for her, is a knee-high powder, at which she stares with a look of concern.
"Naa's ek rayeh... My team wasn't here for long, but we were thorough. There should still be footprints..."
But there aren't. Except for those left now, by her and Ulrich, the ground is undisturbed. And while new ash does fall anew, it doesn't with enough frequency to completely erase activity in so little time. The anomaly is a warning sign, to be certain, but of what?
"...Nevermind." She raises her head, eyes focused to a point. "We have more important things to think about. Let's split up, look around. Shout if you find anything. And be careful; we don't know what we're dealing with."
Twenty minutes pass. Nothing. The fort is utterly barren. What structures still stand are completely lacking in upper floors, as any wood that might've been here has disintegrated. There are no signs of activity - no footprints, no campsites, no signs of anything alive or even posing to be alive - just soot. But the strangest absence of all is the utter lack of a main keep, which must've been completely buried over centuries of desolation.
On the white-blanketed street, tiny but laboured footprints manifest one-by-one, one after another, in a straight and frustrated line. Then appearing to fill those footprints is Veliky[1], from thin air. Her face can't be seen through her mask, but the look in her eyes is grim.
There is a tangible tension in the arid atmosphere: stress, confusion, doubt. After all, they only heard the word 'ruins' when Yoci called them. Are they even searching the right place? Did they even hear correctly? These are, assuredly, the questions that run through Veliky's mind as she runs a hand through her golden hair that sheens with sweat. Around and frantically she looks at the ashen heaps that loom, jeer and judge - a fell omen, every one. This place has seen so much death; it cares not who is alive and who is already gone.
This is fruitless. They need to leave an reevaluate.
She turns around, and is just about the shout for Ulrich when she's interrupted by a low, ominous sound. Resounding through the for is the grind of stone and the strain of massive hinges. Veliky turns again, to face the noise's source, and there she sees a fittingly disturbing sight.
As the fortress is nestled in a cirque, part of its outer wall consists of the cliff-face itself. This face, like everything else, is coated in mountainous ash. But, in one section, the ash is falling. At first, it's particle by particle, then handful by handful, then cart by cart! It had been obscured, but there was a monumental door in the cliffside. And, now, it is opening.
Veliky is quick - and wise - to vanish[1]. Her footprints can still be seen, trailing into one of the nearby ruins, but obscurity is a blessing nonetheless. Still, she peeks around the corner. For all the dread of what might be on the other side, there is also a fulfilment. Perhaps their efforts have not been wasted.
Great stone pushes swathes through the ash as the massive door groans wider, revealing a cavern that would be dark in abysm were it not for the terrible procession that marches through - men and women of various shapes and various sizes, but all clad in obscuring, crimson cloaks. Every last one carries a flame of some kind, mostly torches but including some lanterns and even censers, illuminating to a degree of absurdity. Many of them wear pauldrons and helms that resemble braziers and, in fact, some of them are actually lit. They do not speak nor sing, nor chant nor even murmur; they walk in silence, as if in mourning.
Ever the tactician, Veliky is quick to count them two-by-two (easily, as they march in two-file). There are probably twenty or so, but she loses count at the sight of the procession's most daunting member and, by its position at the back and centre, possibly even its leader. Its steps rumble the earth and cause ash to fall like dust from rafters: a giant[2]. It wears the same crimson cloth as all the others, but it is easily set apart, not only by its prodigious size - standing some twenty feet tall - but by its armament: a gargantuan, two-handed flail, but whose head has been replaced by an ever-burning brazier that swings on its chain like a pendulum.
"...Oh, kien." Veliky lightly bangs the back of her head against the wall, in frustration. "Where the hell are you, Ulrich...?"
1. Invisibility 2. Giant [Fire] (Enemy)
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Feb 1, 2023 6:20:06 GMT -5
Taking a different path leading away from his companion, Ulrich found himself trying desperately not to disturb any of the ashen statues that filled the area. Maneuvering around them was easy enough. It was just like dancing around an opponent except these things were unmoving, obviously.
About twenty minutes had passed and he'd found nothing of note. He shrugs his shoulders, sighing to himself, a bit disappointed that there wasn't anything else more interesting that he could find.
"I guess it's about time I joined back up with Veliky then."
He turns, heading back the way he came. Although, there was something different. Very different. He'd walked right into the line of sight of a group of men and women clad in crimson cloaks. They do not speak, they only turn to him in unison. Then he spots a giant clad in crimson just like the rest. In his hands, he holds a flail with a burning brazier at it's end.
"Oh boy..." Ulrich says with a nervous chuckle. "Hey guys, you wouldn't happen to know where I can find a decent place to rest now, would you?"
The men and women all slowly move to make way for the giant. It seemed that they deemed Ulrich a non threat given his unassuming appearance. No doubt that the giant thought he would make quick work of the bespectacled man. His steps shake the earth around them as he closes the gap between the two of them. He doesn't look like he's about to talk to him about joining their little cult.
Ulrich's shoulders sink with an exasperated sigh. The giant raises the flail above his head with a grunt which causes Ulrich to snap to attention. He watches as the flaming brazier dangles in the air. The moment the giant's muscles tense to bring down the massive weapon, Ulrich's eyes flash with a serious glare. The giant's weapon strikes the ground with such force, it kicks up the dirt from underneath the stone. Ulrich's last known position is obscured by a cloud of dirt, ash, and debris.
The giant stays in position, ready to marvel at his work. He's ready to see the splatter that was once the punt bespectacled human underneath the flail. A whistle sounds out from the cloud. The giant stares wide eyed as the cloud of ash and dirt clears, only to see the human standing a few feet away from the flaming brazier at the end of his flail. Gasps can be heard from the crowd of crimson cloaks.
"Wow, buddy, that's some swing you got there!" Ulrich says swatting away the remaining cloud. "You practice with that thing often?"
For someone who liked to blend in with the background, Ulrich sure did like a fight when it presented itself.
He cracks his knuckles, bouncing back and forth on his toes, readying his muscles for the fight in front of him.
"Okay, big boy. How about you and me have a little dance then?"
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Post by Veliky on Feb 4, 2023 2:14:14 GMT -5
What's that Common phrase? 'Speak of the weevil?' Whatever; Veliky asked for Ulrich, and Ulrich came. And, as it turns out, Ulrich makes for a damn good distraction.
The giant glares down at audacious Ulrich, eyes burning from beneath its hood. It points forward; its movements are like those of the earth itself: gradual, catastrophic and unstoppable. And from its cavernous maw, it releases a bellow so momentous that it trembles Drakholt's very core, yet so inhumanly low that it can barely be heard. But his sons and daughters don't need to hear it to understand its order. With burning armaments[1], they rush forth, screaming invocations that meld into a chorus of blasphemy.
A promise of a half-decent fight.
But there's something happening behind the giant - something it doesn't see. There are tiny footprints manifesting from nowhere, leading up behind it! They weave between cultists who look down in confusion, rushing to the unsuspecting tower!
They're nearly there. And then she appears to fill them, abandoning her cloak of invisibility[2] as she nears her target: Veliky!
She raises her right hand, balled into a fist in front of her mouth and spits a single word: "Dominate![3]" As if on command, a circular sigil of arcane blue appears on the back of that glove. Within that sigil is a pictograph: a vague silhouette of a person's head, surrounded by tapering and coiling lines like the tentacles of an octopus or other grasping aberration.
The cultists shout and swing their torches, but they're too late. For such a small target, she's a swift one! She's just at the the behemoth's heel, reaching toward its charcoal skin with the sigil-painted hand. And she touches it! Mana pulses and burns; the sigils contort, filling to depict the invocation's progress.
But then it stops. The mana fizzles, and the sigils vanish.
"Eh...?"
Veliky's done little more than vocalize her confusion when the giant reaches down and grasps her in one open hand! She struggles vehemently, but is utterly helpless in its stone-crushing grip. She's lifted up, up, up to a height that would kill her if she fell - up to where the giant can stare directly into her eyes.
And then it squeezes. The simple, brutal force would pop her organs, snap her spine, crush her ribcage and leave her gasping for air with ruptured lungs. She'd be gone - broken like a toy.
But none of that happens. Instead, as soon as the pressure builds, that Veliky explodes into scraps of the scintillating mana from which it was created! No, not Veliky at all, but a copy[4]. Fortunate, that.
Where the true Veliky is, shall remain a mystery for a short time longer, as the cultists are encroaching upon Ulrich. Their battlecries are a blend of prayers, and promises for blood. But one voice declares something quite noteworthy, in a rapturous demand.
"Burn, kindling! Burn before Iktag, the Pillar of Vexation! Burn for-"
One second, nothing. The next, Veliky's standing beside the screaming man's leg[2]. As casually as a sailor takes a swig of rum, she taps the cultist on the shin. No magic, just a tap. But she is holding something in her other hand: a bottle of dark-brown liquid, labelled 'Blixt™ Pirate's Rum[5],' with a rag shoved down its neck.
"Got a light?"
Understandably surprised, the man looks down and lowers his torch to see the interloper, only for her to lift that bottle and allow the torch's flame to ignite that rag.
"Thanks." she says. And before the cultist can so much as blink, she lobs the bottle into the cultist swarm, whereupon it detonates into a fiery blast that ignites their crimson cloth and leaves them rasping for air!
Horror and indignation flash across the cultist's face with equal sway. But Veliky is already gone[2] by the time he looks back, and it isn't long before she reappears beside Ulrich, standing with him as he faces the giant that roars with such burning hate.
"Alright, domination didn't work." she plainly explains. "Too strong-willed. Time for Plan B."
A cultist with a trident (or what appears to be a candelabra attached to the end of a fire poker) rushes toward her, screaming praise for some dark god! But with a simple step, she evades the attack and places her right fist on his shin. "Dominate." she utters. Those sigils reappear; but, this time, the spell takes hold! All that pious rage vanishes, replaced by a more calculating demeanour that's eerily similar to Veliky's own[3]. The cultist turns away and, without cause, turns his weapon on his allies who scramble in confusion! The whole ordeal barely made a lull in Veliky's speech.
"Here's the deal: I can incapacitate the giant with a spell. But it'll only last a few moments. So I need you to tell me when, and then I'll give you an opening to attack."
There's another Charon-shaking bellow as Iktag steps forth, creating a footprint that could house a small family of gnomes. It begins to spin the brazier-flail on its chain, raining chunks of burning coal down upon the street! More than one such stone is plummeting directly toward Ulrich!
Veliky gives Ulrich a not-so-comforting pat on the thigh. "Good luck." And then she's gone[2]. How helpful.
1. Fire Rune (Cultist Mob) 2. Invisibility 3. (Curse of the Hag) Dominate 4. Replicant 5. (Black Flask) Blixt™ Pirate's Rum
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Feb 19, 2023 17:59:02 GMT -5
Did she just say 'good luck' and vanish?!
He had no time to linger one what had just transpired. A shadow eclipses Ulrich from above and he looks up to see one of the chunks of coal falling start for him! He barely has enough time to react to the burning rock! He hastily— and yet, surprisingly graceful in his movements— takes a couple of steps to the side!
With his hands up and a panicked look on his face, he shouts, "Yikes! Hey Big Guy, you could've killed me with that!"
The giant gives another earth shaking bellow, and he ends his spins with a swing, releasing even more chunks of large burning coal in Ulrich's direction! The bespectacled man and the ground around him are eclipsed again by multiple shadows from above.
The chunks of coal crash into the ground; their impacts booming, throwing up dirt and debris! Ulrich can be seen— or whatever can be seen of him— weaving quickly between each rock as it collides with the ground. It looks like a blur of green and streaks of lightning illuminating his path, afterimages of him at every point where he stopped for a split second before vanishing in a blur again.
After the last of the rocks has landed; Ulrich stands behind the blazing fires, readying himself for a retaliation of his own.
Okay, I need to create enough of a distraction for Veliky to get in there to incapacitate him! Then I'll have a chance to take him out! I don't care how big you are, that flail's still pretty heavy for you to be lugging around!
"That all you got?! I've met smaller people who can swing that thing ten times better than you can!"
Another bellow of rage explodes from the giant! He swings the brazier-flail horizontally towards the puny human in a blind fury! It's just high enough for Ulrich to duck down gracefully as it passes by him. He feels the heated wind pass by him above, but just then he sees that the giant followed up the attack with a swipe with his free hand. Ulrich jumps into the air executing a half back flip maneuver; as the giant's hand passes below him flying to his left, Ulrich sticks his hands out pushing off, completing the back flip and landing gracefully on the ground.
Iktag's eyes burn with fury as he looks down at Ulrich! The puny human is making a fool of him! He grabs the brazier-flail with both hands again, lifting it up above his head! He growls in frustration as Ulrich looks up at him, seemingly prepared for the attack. Iktag swings the flail down with all his might intending to end the puny human's game of cat and mouse! In that split second before the tiny man disappears behind his flail; he could've sworn that he saw that one of the ends of his mouth had turned up. A half smile; so smug he was!
The brazier-flail collides with the ground with a force strong enough that it could've been mistaken for a small earthquake in the surrounding area! A large cloud of dirt, ash, and debris is kicked up from the strike. Then suddenly a voice could be heard yelling from within that cloud.
"NOW, VELIKY!"
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Post by Veliky on Feb 20, 2023 18:51:18 GMT -5
That's the signal. Now's the time.
Of course, Veliky's part in this plan, pivotal though it may be, is a small one. In fact, it's so small that she could've simply sat back and watched as Ulrich took to the giant, only giving her aid when needed. But Veliky isn't a lazy soul; in the time that Ulrich's been engaged in his own battle, Veliky has been busying herself with some handiwork of her own.
A cultist swings a burning censer, cracking the skull of one of his very own allies[1]. And nearby, another cultist woefully fails to defend against an onslaught of burning coals. The ashen street is a brutal, messy battlefield. All that pious courage, when brother turned against brother, collapsed with their formation. And standing at the centre of it all was Veliky, who knows better than anyone else how to organize a chaos.
And now; hearing the resounding BOOM of the flail against the ash, followed by Ulrich's voice; she turns around. It's time to end this fight.
But she would be lying if she claimed to not be distracted, for the slightest moment, by a sound. It's a grand sound of groaning stone. She's heard it before. And this time, she knows where to look to find the source. Peering past the giant, she sees those massive doors of stone slowly swinging again, sweeping through the ash that had gathered. It's closing.
'...Yeah, I'll put a pin in that.' is along the lines of what she thinks. For now, she has more pressing business.
Returning her undivided attention to the giant called Iktag, the Pillar of Vexation, she raises her gloved fist again. But this time, it's a different word that's uttered: "Desperation." And those return glow again upon the back of her hand, but that symbol has changed. Now, it depicts someone keeling onto their hands and knees. The sigils' light reflects on her cold, blue eyes before she points a finger toward the giant... and clenches her fist with enough force to make the leather squeal.
Just as it was ready to lift its great chain again, the air around it warps and a pulse[2] of mana implodes upon it! It doesn't harm the giant - not seemingly. But nevertheless, it releases the flail to grip its stomach, as if suddenly struck with crippling nausea. Lurching, it stumbles; groaning, it teeters; and like a tower, it falls to its hands and knees. The earth shakes, and ash falls from the mountain by the hundred-gallon.
Is it ever right to call a giant 'helpless?' If so, this is the time.
And as unsettled ash rises and falls around her, Veliky simply adjusts her suit and then vanishes[3] from all sight. Her part's done. Now for Ulrich to finish the job.
1. (Curse of the Hag) Dominate 2. Desperation 3. Invisibility
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