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Xozo - Pater’s Tower His face took on a scowl - or as close to one as his face could make - as he took in his new surroundings; his right arm checking his pockets to make sure his Sphere was on his person and safely concealed in his sack. The reality occurred that there were many humans with non-humans being a clear minority, and that it may be problematic for him if not dangerous. A low muted snort escaped his mouth at the noise, but not loud enough to hear. An idea entered in Xozo’s head that perhaps through these strangers would he learn of this greater magic Pater spoke of. The frown twitched upwards into a neutral smile - again as close to one he could make. There was no need or want to aggravate the others. That courtesy did not appear to be followed by at least one person, acting far too boisterous in contrast to the others. The mention of a ‘test’ from this human caught his attention, and he wondered what exactly he knew. On one hand, he would not have just said utter nonsense without reason; he would have to be some kind of nincompoop if that were true. But if he was brought forth for this test, what exactly was it? Escape the room they had all found themselves in? Pondering this secret was put on hold, as one more person spoke up with intent to fight; an oddly colored human that stood out more than the others to him. Xozo moved to this strange human. “Be at peace, I do not think that is our ‘test’ here.” the Cryptomancer rasped out. His left arm was raised in a soothing gesture. Once more the mention of a test was thrown in the air. “My name is Xozo. If I could ask why do you think there is a test taking place here?” He asked. Going in this fully blind, and hoping this stone-human can settle down and explain herself... AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 00:16 on Jan 15, 2015 |
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Jan 14, 2015 20:30
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Xozo - Pater’s Tower The Cryptomancer was relieved that the human - Gwendolyn - calmed down. What she had mentioned aloud raised further questions. He knew absolutely nothing about this test that Pater had summoned everyone here to fulfill, and yet Gwendolyn did. While the others who have introduced themselves have not quite said it outright, they had admitted to knowing this test as well. Some of them have even voiced out the idea he had, and for that the Cryptomancer was grateful. Then there was that one human - Jacob - who dodged the question entirely; could be as much in the dark as Xozo was and waited to see what worth his knowledge had. That is until the human gave one interesting comment before trying to emulate what the previous human did. The people who were speaking up had directed the topic to the nature of that test before the… occurrence with one of the walls. It was unusual to see a man vanish with affecting a few stones. Incident aside, people resumed their introductions and conversation on Pater’s test. He could feel the cold and rough surface of the Puzzle Sphere underneath his fingertips. The temptation to cut through the mystery was there, and it appeared that the people were starting to have contentions over what the test even was. Perhaps Jacob was on to something, and this was indeed a test to escape the room. Yet something about that answer seemed too… simple. It seemed too obvious, which made Xozo dismiss the idea now that a solution had been presented. There was random chance, and then there was bait. Which made tapping into the Sphere all the more tempting with this clear path that Jacob was following, and Gwendolyn to a lesser extent. Of course that meant exposing people to his source of power... With a sigh, the Cryptomancer planted himself to the cold hard ground, and took out his Puzzle Sphere. His hand already manipulating it to the starting position the Adojurugani familiarized himself with. Asking about the nature of the test or how the human managed to leave the room would be a mistake; Pater knew of the Sphere and what it could do. He could feel the clicking beneath his grasp with each movement he made against it, and his eyes darted between the other humans and his Sphere. A better matter to focus on was the nature of the room they were all in - how it was built, how it could summon people to it, and what special purpose it had beyond the test. “I’m not sure if they could all be answered, but my head is full of questions.” Xozo croaked aloud. His stay had given him plenty of time to familiarize himself with the methods he knew unlocked the first secret. That kind of memory left his mind free to contemplate - and vocalize - other things. “What if that human leaving the room is part of the test? As if Pater picked him to spirit away to elicit a reaction from us? Another matter that confounds me is what his relations were with the rest of you... I wonder if he is basing our 'test' on how he'd think we would react as individuals. Does he expect us to act as we usually do, or to go against his expectations?” Turning to the Sphere of Ojijiki for insight on the room the party is in, and hoping nobody tries anything crazy... Also, Xozo is letting his mouth run loose for a bit.
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Jan 15, 2015 11:26
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Xozo - Pater’s Tower A small smile inched on his face as he deposited his Puzzle Sphere back into the sack, which quickly vanished as he saw Gwendolyn attempting to leave the room. There was also the odd pool of blood, but that seemed tertiary to him. He moved to where she was standing and placed his left hand on her right shoulder. “Gwen please wait! You may not be able to come back here if you choose to go through.” Xozo hissed out, his eyes looking right at her, glowing slightly. “There is also the question as to whether or not there is any path to follow beyond. If that human is still awake then this may be a dead end.” His gaze tilted to the spot on the wall Gwendolyn was situated at for a moment before turning his gaze to the rest of the humans. He had better get the information out to them before it leaves his mind. “Excuse me, there’s a false wall here that will not let us come back the way we came if we pass through normally. Would you help anchor us here in case the wall pulls any of us in?” Xozo will keep a grip on Gwendolyn in case she disappears, and try to convince the others to form a human chain or something.
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Jan 15, 2015 21:56
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Xozo - Pater’s Tower, The Banquet Hall The Adojurugani coughed and cleared his nostrils as some of the flour that smothered the room had made it up his nose and through to his throat. What that one human did - this Deishu - had not been helpful and he half-suspected that the scream came from that one human who may be in dire straits if not dead. It still stuck to him after they were in this new Hall. A disappointed frown drooped on his face as he still wanted to see if he had outwitted the wall. It did not matter that the information had already vanished from his head and could no longer recall how the fake wall worked, his self-imposed challenge had been taken away from him. He had pummeled this frustration down by getting as much of the flour off of him as possible. He took a seat, on one of the banquet tables, near that one dragon-human and one of the others who seemed to be intently reading over something. He’d take a couple of fruits and some beef - served much larger and more tender than what he was used to - and pocked a large green apple in his sack for later. Beyond that false ‘test’ Xozo was confounded by Pater’s demeanour and his offer to answer any question The Cryptomancer had in mind. There were already a portion of the humans who had already given their questions - some more personal than others - but Xozo could not quite fathom what the purpose of this was, or what this had to do with the test that’s still hanging over their heads, especially as some of the questions have shed some light on what passing the test entails. The scowl had not left his face, it was not like he had suffered in that enclosure. Jacob’s outburst, questions, and… display raised an eyebrow and now a new question came to mind, though he was not certain if is should be used on this. Then again a lot of what he had went through was not at all typical to his usual interaction - or lackthereof. “Forgive, but much of your behavior seems strange Pater.” Xozo spoke up. “Why are you drinking this poison at such a time?” Certain actions and details just beg for a question... Time to ask a $64,000 question, and determine its value... AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Jan 18, 2015 |
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Jan 18, 2015 01:03
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Xozo - Pater’s Tower, The Banquet Hall The answers he got were… not at all what he was expecting. If it was not the second voice in the old man, it was the other non-human who seem afflicted with strange tattoos that appeared out of nowhere. If it were not either of those two, it was the voie that seemed to have came from within his own head. And the more Pater spoke the more that other voice spoke as well, and all of a sudden the weight of this test he had little idea to start on fell on him like a freshly killed bison. And yet a grin crept onto the Cryptomancer’s face. Part of him relished this challenge, welcomed this temporary change from his usual day-to-day schedule of plinking away at his Puzzle Sphere; the only regret is that he had to work this out in his head when so simple a challenge could have easily been spelled out. And yet this was back before there were consequences; as strict as his people were to him as a child before he was initated, they did not kill him for failure. At least, judging by Pater’s sudden shift he felt like his life was in the balance if this test was ignored by him. Despite that he still felt… alive with this knowledge; he felt a purpose that called to him. Challenge me. The Cryptomancer could have sworn he heard. The fragments of knowledge that the old man gave, the conclusions that came from them - either by his mind, or by the rest of the people here, the new questions that spawned from the lens of understanding he had; Xozo’s mind swam with it. Challenge me. His gaze turned up to gaze at the rest of the congregation, his peers. Gwendolyn, the human - Caleb - were gathered around Jacob as he was clearly enacting some kind of ritual, one with… blood? The only other nonhuman seemed to be standing as if he was awaiting… something. The rest seemed to be playing the audience as he was, possibly waiting for their chance to prove themselves as well, including one who seemed very intent on starting this test. The Cryptomancer asked himself how he paid no heed to that one. Most humans seem alike to him, but then there are people whose presence feels like a feather against the skin... If Xozo was being honest, for most of his time he had forgotten to keep track of them all when they were all out, but now he noticed some missing faces; three of them... Xozo shook his head vehemently, instead focusing on gently urging the nonhuman Deishu along. “Excuse, but we should leave. We shall have more time to ourselves once we leave. Shall you join us?” He rasped out to the others, his gaze going specifically at Gwen, Caleb, and Jacob. He knew better to ask where those other three humans are; if he just wasn’t looking hard enough, they’ll chime in soon enough; if he was then the old man took them away. Wait a minute... "Farewell, Pater. May you find what you are looking for." He turned his head to look at the old man to pay respects. It was the polite thing to do all things being considered. Xozo will try to move Deishu out of the building and help with the plan on leaving the building. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 09:19 on Jan 20, 2015 |
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Jan 20, 2015 08:47
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Xozo - Pater’s Tower, The Banquet Hall He snorted at the nonhuman’s stubbornness before the others chimed in. He nodded to the human - Pablo - and that one sneaky human in thanks before trying to relay that to Deishu in case he did not understand. “Pardon Deishu, but it is as the humans say: the moment we leave this room is when the test begins. If you still want time to find yourself before leaving, we would understand.” He paused to look at the new tattoos sprawled over his body. “Yet the humans are right that we should leave. We would be wasting Pater’s time as well as our own if we stay.”
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Jan 20, 2015 21:22
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Xozo - Pater’s Tower, The Banquet Hall He sighed as he ushered the nonhuman to the door. “Be at peace Deishu. It may be Pater’s intent to test us on our wits by not telling us what the test is.” Xozo hissed to him. “He would have seen fit to tell us if such a trial of… mind... were not the case. Your insistence on waiting for his answers shows the trust you have in him.” As Xozo neared the door, a new thought occurred. “It should also be noted that we could have asked about the test itself in this question, yet we all chose not to. Pardon, but I think it is because we all have greater concerns than this test we all face, with some concerns being more important than others.” I guess Xozo will leave; I’m not sure if this needs to be said or not... AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 23:10 on Jan 21, 2015 |
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Jan 21, 2015 21:46
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Xozo - The Ancient Buried City Both his hands had clutched the Puzzle Sphere, keeping it close in his sight. Even though he could make out something in the corridors, he still had little bearing in the haze his eyes could see. He focused on the hidden power of the Sphere to try and bolster his sight. It had helped make out more of his surroundings, seeing more developed halls over the more naturally formed corridors. ‘Perhaps our test is to navigate this maze?’ Xozo thought to himself, as he kept up with the rest of the party. He had thought to inform the rest of the party before the screaming. ‘This is the consequence for failure!?’ The Cryptomancer’s eyes looked like they were about to pop from his head and his jaw clenched. He could see the human, Caleb readying his knives for battle; he could hear the shady human and Jacob bicker about what they should do.The closer and closer they walked and the longer that hum went on, the more and more he fidgeted with the Sphere. He felt in danger and did not want anything to do with whatever it was that made that sound. He had just finished arranging the sphere to give him knowledge of the layout when he saw a mass grave lightly illuminated by the glow of the Sphere of Ojijiki. His nose closed at the horrible smell that would’ve came from the pile and focused all the more on the knowledge the Sphere had given. Especially since the rest of the party was in discussion over their plans here. “I think I know how we can navigate this place, and we can use that for our advantage as well.” The Cryptomancer spoke up at last. With whatever chalk he could find he drew out the rough layout of the cavern as best as he could on a stone slab, making sure not to leave out any details before the knowledge vanished from his eyes. So focused on constructing this map that he did not realize that the rest of the party was leaving him. When he had finished he high-tailed it back to the party before he lost them. By now the knowledge had left him and all he could use as the map he drew out. One of the humans, Jacob had let his mouth run loose, talking more about himself. “It would not be difficult to say that Pater intends to harm us here.” Xozo had answered him. “Yet I suspect that this may be a distraction from our actual test. Perhaps we are supposed to find something here. Like one of the Fate Stones you spoke about.” Catching up with the rest of the party with a crude map in hand, and keeping close to Jacob for the time being. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 22:01 on Jan 25, 2015 |
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Jan 25, 2015 21:57
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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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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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Xozo - The Ancient Buried City/Ruins? His hackles rose as he continued his pace. His extrapolations were taking him no closer to progress in his head, while trying to gain insight from the others had not went well. Still they could agree on one task at a time. Maybe the test was about teamwork and cooperation, picking out apprentices that Pater knew would clash in one way or another. The three loud humans, Dave, Dan, and that other one would have been key hints about that objective. Xozo’s mind wandered again and groaned at another dead end in his head; teamwork would have been the lesson, not the goal itself. He did not even realize the reality around him till he felt his Puzzle Sphere knocked out of his hands. The Cryptomancer cursed as he searched the passage for his Sphere. Thankfully he was not taken too far in the labyrinth; he still kept sight of the party - or at least those who took the ground. Then he heard the scrattling of insect feet, and Xozo immediately fled. It was gratifying to him that there was help here. Perhaps this person could hold some interesting insight to this land. As he kept up, he kept focus on tapping the Puzzle Sphere on this figure - who she is, what its origins were, or her strengths and foible. He felt pressured to do it, but there was little time to waste. “The speed of this!” He rasped as he kept his chase. Oh, Puzzle Sphere… Oh Puzzle Sphere… I wish to know our rescuer…
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Feb 1, 2015 09:04
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Xozo - The Ancient Buried City - Before the Spire The Cryptomancer’s frown had not left his face as their would-be savior had warned them of a hitch in the plan. He could not help but wonder why she would try to save people if she could not save them all, or rather why she would settle for that conclusion when she could have done better. Her motives seemed clouded but for now there was little choice but to believe her. There was little doubt that he could not survive these enemies out here; Xozo balked at the idea of physical labour, let alone combat. It would have been better if the party stayed together instead of having to let one of them go. Perhaps this whole excursion was a test of teamwork after all, but as a less tangible goal instead of physical one. He looked at the rest of the party and put together what information he could on them, trying to posit who has the better chances. The nonhuman looked the most physically adept, and in theory should have the best chances of them all; the human Caleb would come in second; Xozo would have the third best; while Jacob, Dave, Dan, and the shady human would have the lowest - even if they all worked together… The Adojurugani sighed as he mulled over the scenario, reflexively twisting the Puzzle Sphere in his hands, not even looking for answers or a new power, but just to calm himself. There were other uses with Cryptomancy besides the enhancements bestowed on a well-kept secret, but this was far from the test he was hoping for. “Pardon, but does this bother you as well?” He asked Deishu and the rest, though keeping his voice quiet as to not let their savior overhear him. She might pick him out as their scapegoat... AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 09:56 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 09:49
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Xozo - The Spire If this test could be compared to a game of Oware, Xozo swore that the board had just been flipped, and the pieces scattered. His teeth had peeked out as his mouth contracted in perturbation and a breath escaped from his lungs. His jaw clenched as she had responded to the offhand question he had made to the nonhuman Deishu. He was glad that he corrected Xozo’s gaffe before she came to a hostile conclusion. The Adojurugani nodded to Deishu in thanks and said nothing, thinking it to be rude to say anything now. So now there’s a third party here, but she seemed eager to abandon them for her own reasons. Her action to save them was an attempt to get information, yet easily dismissed the party when she learned that they came from the tower. Maybe this Jasa was at her worse; maybe she saw them as a threat. If she does then she might try to predict the party’s own actions. Her conduct seems fragile and prone to one thing going wrong. Or right if she was fanatic enough. Xozo closed his eyes for a second to stabilize his thoughts. He would have corrected his careless adjustments of the Sphere of Ojijiki, but the last couple of moments were tense, and thoughts were popping in and out. Item one: She was here for some sort of treasure in these ruins - that was clear enough - yet she seems skeptical of its existence, either being impossible to find on account of the creatures below, or simply destroyed. Item two; she knew of other civilized areas and how to survive in this plane; meaning she either had to be born in this plane or had lived there for a long time, and the Cryptomancer was inclined to believe the latter. Item three; she despises people who came from the tower, meaning she knows of it in some way. He’d like to believe that she came from the tower just like them to enact the test, but the idea that came through his head were unpleasant if he was right. ’I’ll accept this challenge as well.’ The Adojurugani smiled before turning his gaze back to the Puzzle Sphere which had not left his right hand - first configuring it back to the position he had it to begin with, and then working from there for some insight on the haunting. Time to learn of the supposed haunting or the structure they’re in and how it functions. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 17:07 on Feb 13, 2015 |
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Feb 10, 2015 18:33
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Xozo - The Spire, Hall o' Bones That’s odd... His mouth scowled at the image, and his hand; not the image by itself but how it presented itself in the open. His gaze went to the Puzzle Sphere which he clutched tighter in his hands, then back to where the image was last. Two different things he would need to keep a grip on: how the layout of the Sphere was different compared to the other times, and how much the two humans suspect of him. A breath that the Cryptomancer did not even know he held escaped him, and a shudder. Xozo wondered if they knew the nature of his Sphere or if they would try to take it from him. For now it seemed they had made no move; the image the Sphere gave off garnered enough of their curiosity. Whatever that… thing was, it could camouflage. He kept close to the two ahead of him, not wanting to be left behind or get picked off as the weakling of the pack. There had never been a time like now where the Adojurugani had wished he internalized all the training they gave him long ago. Any moment he could he kept an eye in the darkness watching for any movement; he could still see the bones move and watch for that. He deposited the Sphere of Ojijiki back into his satchel and grabbed whatever bone he could; it would probably break on contact, but it was better than having only his bare hands to defend himself. His forehead felt like something was run through and his legs felt deadened as he kept up. “Pardon, should we not find the rest of our pack?” He whispered. I dunno if the partial vision from the start of arriving here still applies to Xozo at this juncture.
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Feb 26, 2015 00:34
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Bone Room. The corridor had tempted him but he had little in the way of knowing where it would go, especially with the creature so focused on the two humans now. The noise that thing made was sending him on edge. He was not sure if they were harming the creature or merely stymied it but the shriek was some kind of hint of desperation. "No, this way!" The Adjorugani rasped as he made a break for the dark room. He kept his eyes forward for any branching paths or an alcove, or an open door to another corridor, or even a doused brazier; even with that there was a chance to expose the creature. Its only strength was being hidden and it knew that and so its attacks had to be decisive. That would be good to know, but two other ideas had formed. One was to find such a room and trick the creature inside, then flee and lock the door behind. There was obviously some kind of method used to open it - Jasa the non-human did such a thing herself to open one door - and the Puzzle Sphere could help in unlocking the door itself. There was little time to align the Sphere for this new knowledge and hoped that using it like a proper amulet would suffice in unlocking that door when it comes. The other idea involved an old story between Ojijiki, the local god, and a large feral lizard named the Hupia King. While the god was hunting, the lizard hunted him and thought him weak. With the aid of his pack of raptors the King flanked Ojijiki and caught him unawares. The god could kill one, but the Hupia King and its pack got the better of him and wounded him. Knowing himself to be outmatched the shaman fled for a cave he found to the south while the pack gave chase. He made it to the cave and so did the Hupia King who claimed the godkill for himself and made his fellow raptors wait outside. They would wait for two days and one night and there came no sign of the Hupia King. They thought that their King was killed somehow and gave chase in the cave to avenge their fallen leader. They ran as far as they could with their eyes guiding them through the dark and to their surprise they found the Hupia King charging forward, looking for an exit. And they soon realized that they were trapped in an endless passage by Ojijiki who used their own speed and sight against him to create that endless passage, for they paid no heed to their surroundings and so easily led If there was such a branching path, he could try to do the same thing as Ojijiki; use the Sphere as an amulet to lead the creature down an endless corridor like the Hupia King. Xozo will go down the dark room. Also some fluff.
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Mar 3, 2015 05:42
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Bone Room. The Adojurugani pulled the Puzzle Sphere out of the satchel to clutch in his right hand again. His thoughts were on the Puzzle Sphere and the strangeness of its happenings, that confounded scowl had still not left his face. The moment that creature was trapped is when he would take a fine gaze at the Sphere, hopefully in a private room without any prying eyes. Still, there was the way the trap could be set and for now the humans have been playing along with this. This was good but it did not allay his suspicions. As long as they kept a distance from the creature and vanish from his eyes the trap will spring. Xozo kept a focus on building that loop and hoping his feet carry him fast enough. Let’s play along with this tale, and trap ourselves a creature. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Mar 5, 2015 |
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Mar 5, 2015 19:10
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Mystery Room. He was first quiet, mentally spent from carrying out the deed. His hands twisting and perusing the Sphere to ‘fix’ this sudden quirk it had developed. When he discovered the ability to grasp knowledge in the Sphere of Ojijiki, Xozo had felt a pride in knowing something that none of the Adojurugani - not even the best shamans and Cryptomancers - could know. The experience had filled him with a pause that he had only scratched the surface. That was a mixed feeling for him; it meant that he had not destroyed the power of the Puzzle Sphere like some feared he would, but that his sense of control was shaken. His head turned to the exit as he deposited the sphere back into his satchel, and threw the bone that his hand clutched aside, making a clatter against the stone floor. He had expected the creature to start clawing at the door like the nonhuman Jasa had spoken of, and that combat would begin again. Then he realized what he and the party did and out of relief, Xozo laughed. He laughed for a long time; at how they had repeated what Ojijiki had done; at how very close they were to death; at how they were far and away from their own homes in this test that sadistic old man gave to them. The Cryptomancer would eventually relax and his terrified fit ended with a sigh as he took in the situation. “We now have time to think.” He hissed aloud. He wanted to say more like how they and the rest of the party could freely explore the Spire without impediment, but he still recalled how Jasa had overheard his comment the first encounter. The Cryptomancer did not want to chance his voice reaching her ears in case she wants to cash in the favor she said they owed her... Going to examine the Puzzle Sphere for a brief moment before turning his gaze to the front door in case someone enters.
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Mar 9, 2015 01:38
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Mystery Room. Hearing those words would have made Xozo tense with suspicion, but the circumstances left him with a state of quiet; could only nod at the humans’ words in some form of agreement. The lack of a goal beyond simple survival began to frustrate him as events began to take their toll on the Cryptomancer. His mind started to wander for a clear goal when the headaches came. Xozo’s eyes squeezed shut, both his hands clutched his skull in a vain attempt to reverse the sheer pressure against him, and it felt like what he knew was being drained out of his head. The jaws immediately clenched and all the blood that was in his head felt frozen solid. For a startling moment he had forgotten the Sphere that *clacked* onto the floor as it changed and rotated on its own. “Pardon…” He forced the words out of his mouth as the pain tore from his focus. “If Pater has any insight… for this test he gave us… now would be the time…” One eye squeezed open to catch the Puzzle Sphere discarded from his body and moved to put it back in his satchel. His vision felt blurry and it became hard to make out anything beyond the two humans in the room. He wanted rest more than anything else; even if it meant that he had failed this damnable test, a moment to sleep and clear his head would be wonderful. The knowledge of the layout of the maze; the image of the creature from before; even that little detail of that secret wall from long ago had lingered for far too long. He had thought that he had the will to hold on, but again the Cryptomancer was proven wrong. It had been a humbling experience as well as taxing. His body began to lean against the wall in an attempt to give comfort without slipping into slumber. “If he cannot answer this… Then… what is there to start with?” Attempting to nurse the headache without falling asleep. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Mar 11, 2015 |
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Mar 11, 2015 07:29
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Mystery Room. His eyes felt wrung out, but that was the worst of the pain… “May this not happen again...” He muttered to himself. “If father had not felt this pain in his life, he was more fortunate than me....” There was the strange knocking at the door which seemed strange. It could have been their allies but it seemed unlikely as much as Xozo wanted it to be. Then Caleb chimed in with words of an enemy. “We should wait here until this foe grows tired of us…. Unless it knows how to open these doors we should not worry.” Xozo answered. As comforting as it was to say they were safe, the Cryptomancer was cursing Jasa in his thoughts for not describing this to the party at the chance meeting; they had killed the creature that was responsible for the killings… or at least he thought they did! Was that creature a safeguard against… whatever was outside their door? Xozo wanted to keep moving, to take advantage of the free reign they had earned to find what they needed to find, or an exit if that failed, and now felt stymied by this new development. His brothers would have scorned him for not taking into account other dangers. He started to give up on making sense from Jasa’s warnings; they started to counter things more than she had ever did, at least with the one creature that was haunting the halls. His eyes vacantly wandered to the jewels that were on the table curious over why they were here compared to other things, just to take his mind off the frustration he felt. Jacob looked easily interested in the gems, though the Adojurugani did not quite share this enthusiasm. The way the room looked gave the assumption that whomever lived here was either robbed or left in a hurry. But why? His first thought went towards the Sphere of Ojijiki, but after that headache he was not ready to encumber his brain, not without more time to recuperate. No, he could not get insight for the trouble. The Cryptomancer’s eyes turned to the walls and floor for anything that seemed concealed. There was no way he would move the furniture; it looked too heavy for him. “Maybe there’s another way out of this room. In the floor, covered by the table or chairs…. But then I wonder why it was hidden if there is another passage.” Xozo will try to look for secret passages or anything barricaded on the floor or wall. Grasping for straws, but it’s better than nothing. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 09:27 on Mar 14, 2015 |
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Mar 14, 2015 09:18
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Mystery Room. The Cryptomancer bore his teeth and sighed low as his search yielded nothing, it seemed that the only options were to either wait till their stalker was tired, or open the door and fight. Xozo was not prepared for the latter compared to the other two humans with him, and it seemed that Caleb and Jacob made his decision for him. He could not make out what they did, but somehow they blew the door up with themselves in close proximity. The Adojurugani raised an eyebrow along with an angry look as he expected their stalker to barrel into the room right now. A few seconds passed, the smoke started to clear, and he could see the body of the nonhuman Deishu. “What??” was all he could say at the sight. “Why could you not say anything!?” He roared out as he got to his feet and scrambled to the door where the body was. Curses and Insults spewing from his mouth as he had to settle for the realization that they had seriously wounded one of their comrades… and that they may turn on him soon. A chill went down his spine as he realized his mistake. Xozo will go to where the congregation is, while trying to remember anything that could be of help back in his childhood; limited medicine, hunting, whatever that may be pertinent.
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Mar 21, 2015 05:36
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Xozo - Ruined Spire, Outside the Mystery Room. The Adojurugani’s eyes were squinted as he heard the words, and his teeth and mouth twisted into an angry scowl. Only his own childhood stopped him from screaming at the lack of clarity from the old man, Pater. Xozo felt lied to when he described the test back before it began. ’ ’Your final test begins after you leave this very room.’ That’s what he said! What made him think we abandoned his test after saying those words!?’ The frustration had frozen him in his tracks as the rest of the group had formulated their own plans; it had almost made him ignore the duplicate body of the other nonhuman with them, and these things together gave him pause. There were things that the party was supposed to be acquired by Pater as some improvised test - if the old man had been consistent - the party had split from the others, and the only other source of information here - Jasa - does not appear to trust any of them. His eye went back to the Puzzle Sphere in his satchel, his hand touching the cold surface as his nails sank into the small openings. He let out a snort and followed the nonhuman; he could use the Sphere to find the route to get back to Jacob and Caleb so there was no worry of getting too separated. “I will find you.” the Cryptomancer said out to make sure the two heard them. Xozo will follow this Deishu in hopes that it will be helpful or otherwise… He’s not in the right mood to notice certain problems.
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Mar 31, 2015 22:32
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Xozo- Spire, Nearing the top of the Stairways,. His eyes shot open in a mix of pleasant surprise and shock. The statue’s declaration had also confounded him. Much of what had occurred gave a comfortable pause as uncomfortable thoughts ran in his mind about the Sphere of Ojijiki. It had just shown to Xozo how little it understood, or how deeply and widely spread the local god was; being able to be felt in this realm despite how it was sealed from others just declared an exit.; or perhaps - gods forbid - that it was here that the Sphere was made. Yet there were things he wished he could not ignore if that were true; if Ojijiki’s Sphere did come from here, were all the magic all of Adojurugan know not of their own creation? Could the forces that be attempt to control or use the Sphere against him? Would the Sphere come to life and reject him? The shiftings made Xozo pause, fearing for his pride. The speakings of the nonhuman Deishu just shook him from whether or not he was truly gifted. But he could now try to focus on the construct in front of them. It had to be magic with how it had to be capable of interaction; imbued or inherent in the earth to be so created. It would respond, but there was the matter of how specific our reaction would be. With how the Puzzle Sphere changed and brought his mastery, it would mean that it could configure the response. If not then it would mean wounding the life. This kind of interpretation of the construct seemed primitive in mind and constitution. He knew the entire realm the party was scattered here was enclosed from other realms, and that it was fought amongst and invincible foe and self-destructive magic. It was hard to tell what workings were triggered by the magic the party had carried; whether they gave an understanding of magic for Xozo to study - in book or in item - or what dangerous magic that lurked. Some kind of context or point of initiation would be of some benefit for the Cryptomancer. The Sphere had reacted as he and Deishu came to the statues, meaning that it could manipulate them. They would have to serve as guardians to something; one does not put guardians at every point of entrance unless the realm was prone to infighting. These constructs could yield something important or dangerous. Then there was what would happen after using the Puzzle Sphere. The apprehensions he had with the Sphere being corrupted, destroyed, or taken were without good reason. There was also how the construct did not appear to be needing a physical item, which begged the question: What was an ident code? He felt data leaving him and forced Xozo to act quickly. The Cryptomancer presented the Sphere of Ojijiki to the guard, believing the Sphere to be able to interface with it through ways it could not understand. He was certain that it would unlock the way forward or disengage the statues. Xozo will present the Sphere of Ojijiki to the two statue guards, believing that it can work as a skeleton key in this situation.
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Apr 9, 2015 20:06
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Xozo- Spire, Nearing the top of the Stairways,. The Puzzle Sphere found its way back in the satchel, as the Cryptomancer’s hands clutched his head. He suddenly felt his fatigue again as he tried to focus on what the Sphere revealed. The alarms and clatter of noise had added to the resurgent pulsing in his head. He wanted sleep, but he settled for seating himself on the floor back on the wall. “Dentor… Sleevus... Fenrog…” He whispered in between breaths, trying to make sure he got the pronunciation right.. “They want one of those… pass-words… I don’t know what any of those words mean… Must mean something… to whoever ordained them...” He hesitated for grabbing the Sphere that had lied in the satchel with what other items that were stored. Frankly he could not tell what else he kept in there besides the Sphere of Ojijiki.... He felt his nose and brow grow cold as he tried to ponder what any of them could mean. Each probably had an effect on the constructs, but it is uncertain what effects they yielded before he heard a ringing and felt a pain in his right ear. Xozo had to focus on somethign else, something to distract him from the sealed room. Something had happened. Alarms. Either the humans had caused something to activate, or the construct guards may have… somehow sent a warning… It made no sense to Xozo, but with what concepts the Puzzle Sphere had presented the Cryptomancer was going by instinct rather than understanding. There was a guidance in instinct - as it was expected by the hunters and healers back in his home city - but there was a line here between insight and foolery… He let out a breath he had been holding and pulled out the Puzzle Sphere again, looking it closely as it glowed and… shifted? The sudden nonstop flow of data was starting to be a burden. As much as he wanted to take in the mysteries that the Sphere of Ojijiki was alluding to, that flow had to be held back if only for a brief moment. Sounds good.
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May 11, 2015 11:31
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Xozo- Spire, Top of the Stairway,. The Adojurugani picked himself up as the nonhuman Deishu walked past the constructs. It seemed that the data he had received had been correct in some way; Xozo smiled a toothy grin at the progress, and continued forward. He paused a bit to stare at the two sentries as they stood with their heads bowed low. The Cryptomancer wondered if this admittance was temporary or if it meant that anyone could walk past those two constructs. His eyes turned to the Sphere that settled in his hand; the ministrations he made on it had succeeded in repressing the data coming in until he saw fit to tap into it again. He spent a few seconds on tapping into the Sphere of Ojijiki to gather information on the constructs themselves, before shaking his head and continuing onward, though both hands had begun to rest on it. The casket of gold seemed like an odd thing to keep secure. He wondered if what was beneath the casket was the sort of item that no one person could control, like a vengeful spirit or something like the milk of the gods; strong but damning. To taste of such a reward meant fooling the wards so they would not know of this theft. It was not impossible but the wards’ nature still seemed strange. He could have a concept like the constructs outside the room but the dark glyphs gave him pause. The Cryptomancer looked down, his hands shifted the Sphere over and tried to get key glyphs to align in the correct; it was time to test the Sphere of Ojijiki on a different medium again. He pocketed the Sphere again to make sure no one saw, but kept his left palm on it. “Pardon, I want to see these measures.” Xozo rasped out as he walked to the casket, the glyphs becoming more prominent in his eyes as he got closer. Some he could make out, but that just came from back when the data had been raw to his mind. He saw the slot and he pulled out the Sphere of Ojijiki holding it just next to the slot, touching it. He had also stuck one of his nails into the slot to feel around for anything. In the Cryptomancer’s eyes he saw a pink glyph light up... Configuring the Puzzle Sphere and sticking a talon into the slot to fiddle with the mechanism/ward.
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May 25, 2015 07:32
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Xozo- Spire, Top of the Stairway,. ‘That was not what I expected.’ Xozo thought to himself as the Sphere taken a much more direct approach to unlocking the device. His mind went back to the tampering he did in altering the positions of the panels and found himself at a loss. He would be the last of the group to follow, keeping an eye on the rear in case any of those insects are behind them. Perhaps there could be some use to the Puzzle Sphere now that the Cryptomancer has rendered its workings blunt and blatant. Xozo will join the fleeing party, with Sphere at the ready in case of followers. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Jun 11, 2015 |
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Jun 10, 2015 01:45
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Xozo- Pater’s Tower His eyes slitted and his face scrunched. What was there for the Cryptomancer to say? The entire ‘test’ that he had went through had been a humiliation and a waste. Xozo had expected a clear challenge and to have at least had something of value to show. There was guiding the party through the labyrinth, and the trapping of that invisible foe in that world but he had nothing to show for it. Not in the way the rest of the party had. What Xozo had learned was of a need to seize his own test - especially as new powers emerged from his Puzzle Sphere. But that was not something that he wanted to admit aloud. The puzzle that was that realm with the insects, death, and secrets was staring back at him, with only the nonhuman Deishu still trudging on as he had activated some infernal device. He wanted to go back; blame falls on the Adojurgani without proof. He let out a grunt.
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Jul 13, 2015 00:07
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Xozo- Pater’s Tower His eyes went to the Sphere of Ojijiki. Those thoughts of failure and pride silenced as a new idea settled. There were questions, but they had to be pummeled down. Cannot let his imaginings get too close to the nature of the Sphere. He just stood in his place fixed on the Puzzle Sphere like he saw something that shocked him. And in a way, he was. Xozo was stunned when he first found that he could tap into knowledge, and now he found a teacher in the Sphere. Or something like it. He felt awe creeping into him at this finding. The moment that he had a moment of privacy would be when he would tap into this newfound teacher. Answering Pater’s sounded too much like a trap, but with how events have played out within the party, that guardedness was dropped. He took to one the seats, and chose to wait things out. A thought wandered in trying to relocate this… new human who was kicking up a fuss. Why were the others thinking that he was the nonhuman Deishu? ‘These humans are like savages.’ He thought to himself.
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Aug 15, 2015 05:36
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Xozo- Pater’s Tower He had watched as the humans left one by one, some were more satisfied than others. For the Cryptomancer he felt something was unmentioned about the realm. And Pater’s impatience had spurred him to ask. “Why was that particular realm connected to this place?” There may not be much of an answer, but there would be something to mull on should Xozo find himself back in that realm.
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Aug 23, 2015 17:07
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Xozo- Pater’s Tower The Cryptomancer pondered the old man’s words before nodding. The image that he conjured would linger in his head,. Useful should Xozo come back. “Farewell Pater. May you find what you are looking for.” He said before finding his exit, to the ‘quest.’ There would be another time to seek out this realm that should not exist, and either break its mysteries, or make what powers that lingered his own. The Puzzle Sphere had whispered something in his ear; one quick and quiet sentence that breezed in past his earholes, with the last word being ‘madness.’ Let’s get this quest on the road. The whispering is mostly flavor text, but feel free to commandeer it for your purposes..
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Aug 24, 2015 12:17
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Xozo- The Grey Tribes The air felt pleasant to his nostrils compared to the horrid ‘demi-realm’ that he had visited. His feet felt cold and itchy against the grass, and for some reason the Cryptomancer felt cold. That this place would be beyond the old man’s eyes and ears gave further strangeness to the sights. People were here, but not close enough for them to notice Xozo, otherwise they would have been upon him already. His mind went to where he was and what this realm was, before he stopped when they got close to pondering why this realm is outside Pater’s gaze. Too dangerous to do, no reason to waste thought on that, especially if such magic could be learned or taught. A sigh escaped his teeth, and travelled downwind, making sure to keep his distance from the huts, and to keep his scent away from the dog. The grass shuffled and rustled, but the Adojurugan could see no one. Maybe these folk were hunters, or farmers; with such green lands it made some sense. He knew nothing of the people there, nor their purpose. ‘Start with them if there are any, then seek the greater puzzle. His hand reached for his satchel to palm the sphere, mostly as a charm to hope that he would not be seen. A thumb twitched and moved one of the rings once. Twice. Three times. Xozo took his hand out before his nerves made any more work on the Sphere of Ojijiki. His eyes saw a patch of grass that was tall enough to obscure the Cryptomancer, and made his move towards it. Stealth was not something he practiced in, and each step his eyes darted to the huts and smoke trails. But the patch was now before Xozo. He stepped in, and began his watch on what came and left. His hand fell back in the satchel, and noticed something strange in it. He grasped it, and pulled it towards his face. It was an apple, and his mouth curved into a smile. Xozo had forgotten about it. He took a bite from it, it was warm, dry, and musty from the time spent in the satchel, but it was food. Xozo will try to sneak his way around the huts and try to keep the dog from his scent. Also will try to get a further grip on his surroundings rather than an exact location.
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Aug 30, 2015 13:56
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Xozo- The Grey Tribes, The Village Life was… spun out? Thoughts came to Xozo that this was something related to the land. That man in the loom meant something to them, but what it was Xozo had no idea. Rather there were too many ideas to pick from. Maybe it was an old myth of theirs. Or a danger. Or a revered source of magic that its people called upon. Or the form that these folk may see Xozo as. He gave his head a shake and made for where the bickering was coming from. The Cryptomancer could not see anyone and it looked like he had the night to get familiar with the village. He wanted to get closer to the larger hut, but Xozo would first listen more to the argument before heading to the large hut. He at least caught onto a nearby village with a temple. They called it a Necropolis. Xozo will move to the argument to listen in before heading to the large hut.
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Oct 19, 2015 05:04
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