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The Sentinel - The Abandoned City The lights kick on. A bit prematurely, but it was no matter. The job was done, and done right. And the dead, all laid out in defensive formations. This was no mere plague. Perhaps some superweapon, some doomsday device had brought this place low. It mattered not. He descended the building rapidly, rejoining the group in time to see the end of Jacob's ritual and catch Xozo's words. "Well if you've got a map, that's highly useful. All I could make out is two compounds - one possibly some kind of fortfication to the east, and a tall, spire-like building to the west. As it stands, I'm going back on my initial plague assumption - these people died in defensive formations, almost as though this were a siege broken by some kind of super-powerful weapon. Anything we need to find, we should find soon. Between the creature out there, the compounds in here, and if there are any remnants of what killed these people lingering about, things look a little bit more dire. Now then," he says, clapping Xozo on the shoulder. "Show me the fastest route to the western spire. I have an idea." He keeps a wary eye on Jacob and the talking skull as he does so. Betrayal wasn't something he'd tolerate. Either they'd make it out together, or those who tried to backstab would be brought low. Tempus Rimeblood fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Jan 25, 2015 |
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Jan 25, 2015 22:39
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins With the lights now on, Davos signalled for Dan to return to take up bodyguarding duties as well. The blood mage might have claimed he was joking, but Davos still didn't trust him. When the skull asked its question, Davos answered, "We're not sure. Do you know what happened here?"
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Jan 25, 2015 22:52
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Shade posted:Who and what are you? "I am a being of power, and I am the one who called you here. Tell me Defender: What did you Defend? From what did you Defend? Why did you Defend? How did you Defend? With who did you Defend? What does the Enemy Defend?"
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Jan 25, 2015 23:05
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The skull - The Ancient Underground City To Davos it spoke. "Yes. The boomers couldn't stop the thing from beyond the walls." To Jacob is wheezed. "We defended our children. Our families. Our homes. Our race. It squeezed through the gap near the old mines. It was waiting. Hungry. The Queen." The eyes lit with a green hateful fire. "The nobles thought to keep it as a pet. It knew to be docile, when servants disappeared it was assumed they had run away. It's children built it a nest while it was pampered and fed. The surge of them wiped out our leaders and the nobles. Our military sought to contain them but could not assault the castle. There were too many." The sorrow in its voice carried the regret of the dead and the noise of a potential never realized. "I was an artist, but in the end we all needed to fight. Anything and anyone not eaten was carried away to cultivate it's gardens and hatch its young. The boomers were our newest weapon. But ultimately useless against their hard chitin and numbers. Fire makes them mad, and burying them only delays them until they dig out." The skull wailed. "So long as it doesn't know you're here you shall be safe. When it is in harmony it's nest sings to it. Then it sleeps. Do not disrupt it living one. I have seen others stumble upon our kingdom they would be the newest bones you find." It's eyes glow softer. "In my death I see little. It grows dark. So dark. You ask what it defends. It's hive and its all consuming nature, it hibernate until it can advance both." The skulls eyes are fading. The spirit's energy almost gone.
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Jan 26, 2015 00:04
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Jacob - New Hive City, S.E. Jacob knelt by the skull. His right hand rested on its brow, ready to cover its eyes and dismiss it. He whispered to it gently, not trying to hide his sadness. "I see. Then is there a boon you would ask of me, Defender, before I return you to sleep?" Even as he contemplated tragedy, his mind kept moving. We need to get out of here
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Jan 26, 2015 01:52
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The skull - The Ancient Underground City  "RUN...." The skull's eyes go out. At rest once more.
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Jan 26, 2015 03:35
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins "So, it would appear we are in an awkward situation." He looks to the others, "Suggestions?"
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Jan 26, 2015 07:17
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Xozo - The Ancient Buried City/ Ruins? “Here.” Xozo shows the human the map, and waves the rest of the party over to show them. “The layout of this place was built in mind of disorienting invaders and we could use that to our advantage. Caleb, I must warn that the fastest route you may be looking for may be the only route. The way this place is built seems to wind and twist. We will need to head south three streets before taking the right fork From there the directions you get to each crossing is left, straight, left, right, straight three times, right, left two more times, and finally left to get to the Spire.” Time to hand Caleb my map and put my supposed knowledge of the layout to the test.
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Jan 26, 2015 10:56
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Gwendolyn peered over at one of the creatures occupying the tree with her and spoke, as if it could understand her at all. "That one feels like a guard of sorts... Is it preventing things from coming in, or leaving?" If it was facing away from her, it stood to reason that it was there to prevent people from coming into the location where she was at, which meant... Gwendolyn turned back to the ruined land among paradise. The object of power had to be there; probably something that strongly radiated entropy. Would her own protective charms protect her from such power? She couldn't help but involuntarily shudder at the thought, being reduced to dust while still having consciousness. Still, Pater had given her orders, and a test without its difficulties was no test at all. The thought that this other 'golem' could be the other survivor from her homeworld that Pater had spoken of had passed her mind, but Gwendolyn felt far too detached from the matter to care about it, at least for now. A deep groan emanated from Gwendolyn as she prepared the workings of a spell, a sound reminiscent of a rusted set of gears starting up after decades of idle. Time magic was always rather subtle when she had been human, more out of necessity than anything; however, ever since she regained mobility as a statue, she found that she could ignore stealthy applications completely for slightly more power. She faced the direction of the withered black tree and braced her feet against her own tree, accumulating energy. Bring it, bitch, indeed. It was do or die, just like when she was human. Or was that do and die? Gwendolyn is going to launch herself at the ruined tree, using time magic to accelerate herself toward her goal, using the tree as a launchpad. She will wait as long as possible (not to the point where the tree she's on collapses due to rot) to draw life from around her via essence transfer to power her spell and her body's resilience for the moment of impact. TastyLemonDrops fucked around with this message at 12:57 on Jan 26, 2015 |
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Jan 26, 2015 11:12
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Jacob - Hive City, S.E. Jacob rubs his face. God "We're gonna need two teams: a Burn-Team, and a Kill-Team. Burn-Team goes to the compound in the West, which I assume is the garden. Their job is to convince the hive that its domain is being invaded, nasty-style. Crops, food, farming equipment, anything the hive needs to grow, needs to burn. The goal is to get as many fighters as possible in the spire to the East sent to the West as reinforcements. So, once the blaze is going, find a place to hole-up and hold-out as long as you can. It sounds like there are slaves there. I'm sure they can help. Kill-Team waits near the spire for the queen to send her troops away. Then, they sneak in, and kill her." He looks around at everyone. "That's just my two cents." He looks at Deishu. "The singing...it has potential, but we don't know how it works. The skull said the queen is put to sleep by it, but...well, it didn't sound asleep last time, did it?"
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Jan 26, 2015 12:49
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Lucien - A field of swords The bright blades of light were blinding, and upon their fading lucien knelt onto what he thought was the banquet ground, and swore. Would it have been so nice for Pater to give a warning, or at least just not hit them with eye-killing sun-strength light blades of death? Seriously everything since he said 'yes' and got up to shake the man's hand did not make any sense. Some banquet, some thinking about foremen, some deep telling message about something or the other? What on earth was going on... "...and were in the Yales am I?" The feeling of the cold hard ground brought him back to his senses. A smell was in the air - Iron. Blood. He always did his best to avoid places of conflict, but no man who spoke first and asked questions later was unfamiliar with the sense of battle and anger around them. Fear seemed to override his train of thought, and he struggled to contain a scream, especially when he saw a figure moving in front of him. He took a few deep breaths, getting his heart to stop trying to leap out of his chest, and rose to his feet. Alright, he thought, let's go over this again. Strange place. Check. Dead people everywhere. Check. I'm probably going to die. Check. Big creature just having a good rummage. Check. He's probably going to kill me. Check. Well, he shrugged, I've talked myself out of worse. I think. With another deep breath, he rose, and raised his voice. "Ahem! Excuse me! Can I help you with something?"
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Jan 26, 2015 13:27
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Gwendolyn catapults across the distance, the magic easily taking her there. She lands at the base of the tree. On it, not touching the ground but not quite where she wanted to be. Almost as if fate decided something of import once happened here and would let nothing else happen. Yet. She was unharmed, the tree twisted and blackened. It had once stood proudly over this spot. Two human skeletons lay at the foot of the tree. Their hands entwined. The figure outside the gate hadn't moved. The wind blew bitter here. Gwendolyn didn't feel it. You made it. Spectacularly. No one sentient enough saw it enough to care however... Lucien - A field of swords "Ahem! Excuse me! Can I help you with something?" As the words left his mouth Lucien had a dread feeling come over him. The creature straightened and turned towards him. Suddenly it was behind him and screeching in his ear.  "Heeelp? Yesss it doesn't realize its words, that they have power. How can it speak such things when it doesn't even know the cost. Yes you can help. Yes. You will be my slave and help me for all eternity. Your words open, leaving you to become mine. How swwwwweeeeeeet. Sweet thing. I am the Witch of Skin. When I walk, none can hide from my sight. If you run, I will cut off your legs, if you scream I will pull out your tongue and voice. If you try to push me away I will cut off your hands. Follow me now sweet thing. Follow us. We have places to go. I must chain you and brand you as MINE." The Witch doesn't look back to see if you're following, her purpose on the battlefield forgotten. Perhaps Pater sent you here as a lesson, perhaps he sent you here to overcome this test, or perhaps Pater forgot about you the instant he sent you. Leaving you to the whims and whimsy of a monstrous thing. There is a squat cottage built intothe side of the hill where the battle had taken place, not far but not close. The Witch was heading there. The windows glowed with a fierce blue light and sparkles of energies and lightnings played about the window frames.
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Jan 27, 2015 05:24
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins "Perhaps rather than charge into a hive of killer giant insects we should find a way out of these caves. Who can say that this is even part of the test? For all we know this is coincidence or perhaps a trap set up by Yig to kill us before we get very far."
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Jan 27, 2015 05:31
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Kan Deishu - Some ruined town "You assume a great deal. Pater told us before that the test is a celestial law, that it is required by the universe itself. The test may not be of his design, and he is simply the one that transported us here." Deishu said quietly, with a calm detachment and considered the situation. Normally he would be the first one to suggest a good solid beatdown with whatever was there. However he knew it was a test, and that his martial prowess was not really in question. That would suggest that as before, something else was being tested and he doubted it was patience this time. "A city full of people could not prevent what transpired here. Those that lie dead here are all of one people, so we are quite possibly the first ones to tread here since then. We have been placed in a dangerous situation and surrounded by a great foe that we cannot contest head on. Escape may be the prudent course of action. It seems likely that we will still be in great peril even in doing that." The dragon-man said continuing to deliberately speak softly.
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Jan 27, 2015 05:40
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins Davos smiles slightly, "It's good to see that at least one other of us has some sense. I say we find our way out of here as quickly as possible. If we have to come back, let's at least do it with an army."
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Jan 27, 2015 06:12
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Gwendolyn stepped down onto the ground around the tree to get a better look at the two skeletons, with just the barest hint of emulated regret, in an attempt to retain what was left of her humanity. She'd never loved. She was always needed on the battlefield, where comrades needed to be just comrades; people died far too often to form meaningful relationships, and Gwendolyn was needed to be a leader anyway. Looking at the two corpses made Gwendolyn wonder if she had ever been more human than just a soldier. What was that saying? Love conquers all? And here, in front of her, two people had probably chosen to die together. The golem idly wondered whether she would have chosen to die if she had been with her lover back then. The whole sentiment was silly to her now. Maybe this wasn't even a decision, but that an unknown force had caught them unaware while they were basking in the sun together. Still, looking at the couple, Gwendolyn said, "Rest in peace." It seemed appropriate. Reminiscing, and inspecting the two skeletons and tree. TastyLemonDrops fucked around with this message at 07:40 on Jan 27, 2015 |
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Jan 27, 2015 07:33
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Gwendolyn - The Garden The skeletons looked like they were blasted where they stood. They looked like they didn't stand a chance against whatever did this. The area looked like force had been equally and indiscriminately applied. These people had loved each other that much was true. This was...punishment. As she examined the remains and tree further Gwendolyn sifted some of the ash near the bodies and found a curious thing. A lizard's skin, as if it had shed it long ago. Or perhaps fish scales. It should have decomposed by now, looking at the age of what she found. There was something vaguely unnatural or supernatural about it. It faintly radiated a kind of magical energy. But not one she was familiar with. Discovery ~
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Jan 27, 2015 07:56
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The Sentinel - Ruined City "Quite right, the both of you. There's no need to go hunting for things that lurk in the darkness. It's disadvantageous to us, counterproductive for anything we're trying to achieve, and just plain suicidal. Were it up to me, I'd suggest we stick together and explore the western spire and eastern compound. They seem the most likely places for anything of import to be kept. Plus, they may contain a key to getting us out of here."
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Jan 27, 2015 08:11
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins "The Skull had said that the bugs were 'in the palace'. What would you wager that one of the two structures your describing is said palace?"
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Jan 27, 2015 10:00
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Jacob - Hive City, S.E. He couldn't help but smile. "Well...Whatever we do, we'd best do it quick. Our only advantage is surprise. We can't maintain that for very long here." He looks at the light all around them. "Nor is it something that I think we'll retain if we go to one side, and Then the other. As for escape...it sounds great, but I think if the test was about survival we would have passed it in the Tower." He turns to Davos. "Gardens need light. If one has lights, I'd say the other one is the castle." He looks askance at The Sentinel. ////////////////////// As he talks, his stomach begins to tingle with realization. The first fight we get into, I'm getting knifed in the back
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Jan 27, 2015 12:09
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Xozo - The Ancient Buried City/Ruins? “Pardon, but would the idea of finding something besides an exit be also worth considering?” The Cryptomancer rasped to Deishu with a question, his eyes taken off the map to the rest of the party, starting with Deishu. There was also the two humans and the discussion where to go and not go, and the expedient motion he got from listening in. “Pardon, but I think the palace may be the compound in the east Caleb mentioned. It would make more sense for a garden to be there than in a spire. Not unless there is another floor to this city, which I doubt. But let us keep moving. We may be losing time...” The Cryptomancer waved to the rest of the party, urging them to follow before navigating the corridors of this city. Some paths looked blocked - and probably made traversing the labyrinth faster if they were not caved in - but the route he memorized from the map had no such blockage. The assurance game him time to think. They had to be sent here for a reason; this was meant to be their test that Xozo had no foreknowledge of. That meant that they were meant to do something in this sprawling cavern; Pater could not have just sent them all here if there was not a task to accomplish. The easiest thing to start on was to dismiss what the task was not. Survival seemed unlikely to him despite the niggling figments of a rationale, and teamwork seemed more like a convenient by-product than the goal itself. It certainly could not be combat either as an entire city could not fight these bug-creatures, and the weapons they had could not harm them. Then again he would enjoy tinkering with what the city did have that made them think they could trump their foe; the brainwork would be very welcome. His mind went back to what answers the possessed Pater gave, about how they would be meant to find these Fate-Stones should they pass. Logically this would mean that the test should be to scavenge for something out of the ordinary; a little obvious for him but that had the most reason and solidity. The second theory was what the nonhuman Deishu had said: that he and the party had to make their way back to the Tower. It was more of a stretch than the scavenger hunt but plausible; Xozo could admit that he was biased on that idea. He did not know how Pater’s tower worked and the knowledge he would get from the Puzzle Sphere would vanish before he could understand it on his own terms. What bothered the Adojurugani was that there was nothing to show besides their own survival; it was enough maybe for the rest of the party, but not for Xozo. His face gradually scowled as he wrestled with his thoughts, and what would happen after the test. The idea that this test would be passed was not in question. Apologies for being ponderous in this post. Anyway, Xozo shall traverse the maze to the Western Spire, urging the others to follow out of confusion to why they’re standing if they are o the clock.. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 22:45 on Jan 27, 2015 |
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Jan 27, 2015 22:11
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Lucien - A field of swords To say Lucien was terrifed beyond belief was an understatement. He fell once again to his knees as the witch - a what? A witch of what? what is happening! - slowly oozed off into the distance. He considered turning tail and fleeing, but the idea of having his legs cut off was far too terrifying to make him make such a bold move. Instead, he terrifyingly hurried along to catch up, desperately trying to find some kind of way to get away from this, this thing, that seemed to have taken him prisoner. What was Pater thinking - he was a guide, not some kind of monster slayer. What was he supposed to... ... what was that she had said about words? He piped up, quiet and sure, as he responded behind her, careful with his phrasing. "I never said I would help... for free."
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Jan 27, 2015 23:36
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Kan Deishu - Some ruined town "A test is a test. What you choose to do, and how you choose to do it, are both as important as whether you succeed or not." Deishu said simply, ignoring the fact that failure here probably meant death.
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Jan 27, 2015 23:45
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins "Both of you seem to be operating under the assumption that this locale must necessarily be part of the test Pater spoke of. Why? We know Yig can at times control Pater's actions. Who can say it wasn't Yig who sent us here as a distraction from Pater's test. Regardless, I have no interest in a suicide mission. There's no point in passing the test if you're dead."
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Jan 28, 2015 00:05
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Kan Deishu - Some ruined town "Perhaps." Deishu said, looking at Davos and considering him for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting his senses extend outwards again. "Listen." He said simply. "The chorus swells where there are more voices. Surely they must gather around their queen. That will be our guide for where they are most numerous." Deishu is trying to figure out which direction has more sound, and logically more bugs contributing to it.
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Jan 28, 2015 00:40
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Jacob - HIve City, S.E. Jacob digested Deishu's words. When he asks for silence, Jacob gives it to him. "I can't allow insects to enslave hominids in such a fashion. It's just not in me. If there's any objective here for me, that's it. They will be freed. To find a new home, or to drive the queen back into the deep hollows in the earth. I do not know, but they will be freed." "Xozo, can you take us somewhere safe before we go to the spire? We need to talk, but we need to get out of here more."
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Jan 28, 2015 05:20
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Gwendolyn tentatively picked up the shed skin and held it up to the sun. Could its former owner have caused this destruction? The golem set the skin aside and started digging the soil underneath with her bare hands, not to search for more relics, but to provide a grave for the two skeletons. For all she knew, this could have been desecration, but Gwendolyn dug anyway, to give them respect in the only way she knew how. She worked tirelessly until the grave was wide enough to place the two sets of remains side by side, and deep enough that nothing else would disturb the bones. She took the time to place each individual bone as she had found them; another silly human sentiment, but one she continued to cling to. She climbed out of the pit and started to pile the soil upon the corpses, leaving the burned tree as their grave marker. She slung the skin over her shoulder and started a slow march back to the stone sentry, this time content to take her time and think about things. Walking, not engaging in ridiculous shenanigans, back to where she saw the guardian, skin in tow.
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Jan 28, 2015 05:44
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Lucien - A field of swords The Witch stops dead in her tracks. Her head rotating until she's looking at you over her own back. "Clever. Smart. True." Her teeth are horrifying carnivorous. Like a shark's. She tisks. "Ok not a slave then. Follow me. We shall talk....price for a service." She returns her head to front and reduces in size and fearsome dread. But only slightly. Good. Just the type of response I like in this kind of game. Everyone - The Ancient Underground City Deishu can feel a massive amount of vibration coming from the palace, a large amount under the streets, and quite a bit on the ceiling of the cavern. The spire has alot less in comparison to these areas. The vibrations are however, everywhere. Xozo walks and begins leaving the group behind. Jacob's question barely heard of at all. It seems if the group wants to stay where they were without a map, they had little time to make a choice before it was effectively made for them. Xozo heads towards the spire I am Communist fucked around with this message at 06:05 on Jan 28, 2015 |
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Jan 28, 2015 05:54
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Gwendolyn makes the journey all the way to the massive gate without incident. The figure had its back to her. She immediately saw her mistake in assuming it was made from stone. It wasn't made from any material she had seen before, the figure didn't move or acknowledge her presence. However she could almost feel it's awareness of her. The gravity of its charge whatever that may be or have been. It wasn't a machine or a golem, that much she did know. She felt power from it and also a resolute wariness. Gwen is behind the figure. It is standing outside the gate.
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Jan 28, 2015 06:00
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Kan Deishu - Some ruined town "There." Deishu said, pointing to the palace. "That is where they gather most, along with beneath the ground and above us. We should move in the middle to avoid them. These ropes and rooftops will aid us." Gesturing to each as he mentioned them. "The spire is not free of them, but it is one of the places least inhabited in here."
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Jan 28, 2015 06:56
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins "Then let's go. Maybe we'll find something there that can get us out of this damned place."
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Jan 28, 2015 07:42
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Gwendolyn remained silent for the moment, peering through the gate of light in an attempt to see whatever it was that was beyond the sentinel and this paradise.
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Jan 28, 2015 08:57
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The Sentinel - Abandoned City "Sounds like a plan to me." With a start, he's off to the rooftops, keeping a close eye on Xozo as he rushes along them.
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Jan 28, 2015 16:18
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Jacob - Hive City, S.E. He stares off towards the palace, seeing only darkness. He can see himself running towards it, surrounded by darkness. He comes to a dead-end. There's an oily sheen to the darkness, which gives it form. Half-seen claws, the rustle of wings, the savage gnashing of pincers. He's surrounded. No plan. No map. No friends. He turns around and starts walking towards the spire, looking for an easy way to get off the ground.
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Jan 28, 2015 18:30
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Gwendolyn - The Garden Stars. The road goes dark and then turns into a path through the stars. She could see them, twinkling beyond. The path out is dark, black but she can see its outline clearly through the stars. The group at - The underground ancient city Xozo is walking along the ground. The Sentinel and
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Jan 28, 2015 22:07
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Deishu will go along the rooftops as well, unless he cannot for some reason.
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Jan 28, 2015 23:53
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Gwendolyn - The Garden "I don't suppose you can speak? What can you tell me about this place?" Striking up a conversation with a potential enemy wasn't a particularly bright move, but there were enough stars out there to make up for it.
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Jan 28, 2015 23:54
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Lucien - A field of swords He wish he could have given a sigh of relief that he was no longer on the menu to be shackled and tied, but her change of tone scared him more than when she was a terrifying voice at the back of his ear. This Witch of Skin, whatever she called herself, strangely seemed to be on the same path of thought as he was. Something that living a city of books, however boring, instills in a man. Words have a price. Whatever Pater sent him here for, whether it was to re-learn that rule or to use it, he had to take a step into territory that he was unprepared for: he had to learn to hold his tongue. He followed her along, careful not to speak, or say anything. Not even a mumble, nor a sigh. If he was going to live through this, he had to watch his step.
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Jan 29, 2015 01:27
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Jacob - Hive City, S.E. Jacob isn't athletic the same way the Sentinel and Deishu are. The spire's a ways off. He won't be ready for action if he has to jump from roof-top to roof-top. Having them ready to drop is good enough for him. He stays close to Xozo
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Jan 29, 2015 04:23
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Davos - The Ancient Underground City/Ruins Davos follows along with Jacob and Xozo, his two surviving thralls keeping close. The roof path is far to physically demanding for him to possibly complete
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Jan 29, 2015 07:10
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