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Author Topic: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread  (Read 64322 times)

mastahcheese

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5
« Reply #795 on: September 12, 2013, 09:35:39 pm »

Be alive.
((A most excellent course of action, sir. I'm trying to find you, I really am.))
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Might as well chalk it up to Pathos.
As this point we might as well invoke interpretive dance and call it a day.
The Derail Thread

Parsely

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5
« Reply #796 on: September 14, 2013, 05:31:41 am »

You all spend the night at the oasis. Alex and Derry do their best cooking the goreby and everyone chokes down the tough, tasteless meat, mixed with some sort of tiny brown fruit that the two land walkers brought with them in wax-sealed cans. The night is freezing and everyone except the two treasure hunters, who despite lending their blankets to the children don't seem to notice the bone-cracking cold, is troubled by a fitful, restless sleep.

The two strangers prepare to leave before the dawn even comes. Everyone rises and the whole group sets off at a brisk pace, hoping to cover as much ground as possible before the sun rises. A day passes. Three. Seven. The children suffer as they have never suffered before, pushed to their very physical limits as they struggle to survive in an environment that for once, offers hostility, and the uncertainty of death rather than comfort and constant safety. One mid afternoon, about the time that the children are finally truly coming to terms with the nature of this cruel place, and the party is just about to stop for one of their regular rests from the crushing heat, one of them notices a small black shape on the horizon. The two strangers stare for a moment, then abruptly begin cheering and slapping each other on the back, offering congratulations towards one another's ability and as the children offer quizzical glances they quickly explain.

That is civilisation. The edge of the Desert. The beginning of the Kingdom of Arrak.

The sand falls away to dry dirt and patches of itchy, brown grass. A large wall stretches around this township, much like the one's about the Oldway on your old home, not as neat, and made of wood and stretched leather rather than cut stone, but just as grand. Guards with long wooden spears that glitter in the afternoon light adorn the battlements, with men posted at regular intervals with every other one watching over the town itself or beyond the walls.

The treasure seekers lead you through the bustling streets, filled with exotic people, noises and smells. The spectacle was fantastic, and the temptation was great to stop and admire the many odd creatures and performers, though the two native men knew better than to stop anywhere in this place. They urge you every few seconds or so to stay close, and Beth gets jerked forward by Dran after she stops to watch a man sliding thin needles into his eyes and throat without bleeding or crying out.

The clamour along with the excitement that went with it as you reach the inner city, and the two adult men lead you into the largest building in the city. The Great Library. A severe-looking middle aged man with short-cropped black hair and a roughly hewn robe approaches to greet the group, and the two strangers ask him something, then argue loudly for a moment before looking around and descending into a murmur as the conversation grows more serious. One of the treasure-hunters says something curious and the severe-looking man's eyes widen and he steals a glance at the group of children, who quickly became distracted when they realised they were not included in the adults' conversation and gathered near a large tapestry on the wall depicting the Wilder Wars.

---

You can't possibly mean tha- Yes Lore, I mean exactly that. These kids came from one of the islands.

Lore splutters, shaking with his unhealthy brand of anxious excitement.

But that's impossible! He says for the third time.

You utter a sigh. You've said that three times now. Now look here Lore, we've already spoken to them. They couldn't tell us much, and it figures. They are just kids after all. How could they tell us how to get onto one of the islands? They don't even know how they got down in the first place. You cross your arms, leaning against a nearby stone pillar.

He opens his mouth, then shuts it, then opens it again, then sighs as well. He rubs the back of his neck. Well, I suppose you're right.. I mean how could they possibly explain how they got down here if they don't even understand how they got up there in the first place.. You did ask them that.. Right Mr. Corrok?

Of course I did Lore, I've been waiting for this just as long as you have. It's an opportunity like no other we've ever had before, a one in a million chance really, especially that we found them before someone else did. I wouldn't have been surprised if there had been some Kishni out there with them halfway into a slave cart.

Right.. Right.. Very fortunate indeed.. He rubs his chin. But if we've gotten all we could have from them..

Then where should they go now that they are of no further importance to us? ..The militia perhaps? They're always accepting parentless children, and it might help them acclimatise to our culture. They might even forget they ever even knew another home.



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Dwarmin

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5
« Reply #797 on: September 14, 2013, 06:00:48 am »

Bethany is for once overwhelmed, due to her utter exhaustion from the heat-she had gotten it worse than the others, the shock of the climate change combined with her new body. She leans against the wall, staring into space, breathing hard.

And yet, all she wanted to do was keep going.

There was so much to do...and they were stuck in this stupid library...being ignored by the adults...probably about to get punted off on someone else...

She had realized some time ago getting back home was not going to be easy. In fact, from what she had absorbed from Drip and Jerk (her nicknames for the two older men), they had excellent reason to seek the islands themselves-and had absolutely no idea how to do so. She began to realize getting home was not just a manner of finding a way...it might be years. Or never. The thought of never seeing her father again hurt her heart badly, but she was tough, and wouldn't cry...where the boys could see, anyway. She would be strong, and not give up hope...after all, she had her friends with her, for now anyway. Though a small and sad part of her said they might not be together much longer. Childhood was coming to an end, and with it the easy relationships they had always enjoyed.

But, deep inside, hadn't her father been preparing his daughter for this every day since they lost the mother? It was true. He had sensed one day, his life would leave Bethany where he could no longer help her. He had trained her, instilled Independence and courage, in many ways hardened her to the world that was, not as it should be. And now this training was bearing fruit. Deep down, Bethany was already prepared for this.

She was ready. And if it came down to it, she thought she didn't need anyone else.

Not even Derry...
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #798 on: September 14, 2013, 07:53:38 am »

Alex was systematically studying the tapestry, taking about an hour, which gave the others the longest reprieve from him pointing out that they had found no clue of Wells since they left the desert.
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kj1225

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #799 on: September 14, 2013, 11:11:09 am »

Kyle was looking around. He eventually got bored and started trying to read a book. He of course can't because he can read in the first place.
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Parsely

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #800 on: September 14, 2013, 03:09:22 pm »

Derry - Gamerlord wrote this, not me.
As they pass the guards at the gate Derry eyes them, feeling the grip of his own spear as he eyes their pathetic wooden ones. Derry keeps his distance from everything around him as they walk through the city. How could he be sure who or what was safe? The desert at least was... alive in a way this city could never be. These men... they could not be trusted. He had seen how they acted and heard how they talked; all they wanted from them was the location of their home, most likely to loot it and make themselves some quick cash.

Derry took a long look at his companions. Alex looked almost comical in his robes, the way he was sweating. Derry had stripped down to just his pants and used his shirt to shield his body from the sun after twenty minutes of walking. A grin crossed his face. Some people just could not take care of themselves. His eyes moved onto Kyle. Probably couldn't be trusted; nobody with that kind of magic could. After all, if you could not trust what you saw, heard, smelled or touched, what good were you in a fight? Next was Cromwell. The same as Alex, Cromwell hadn't taken off his heavy clothes. A chuckle welled up in Derry, but he suppressed it as he moved onto the final person present; Bethany. He still couldn't believe that she had grown those wings. Incredible... and so very beautiful.

Derry hadn't spoken to her much over the past few days. The comments of the others had been playing on his mind... Was Bethany his girlfriend? He didn't think so. Didn't people agree on it together and wasn't he still a bit too young for that? But he really liked her and he thought that she liked him too... Maybe he should ask? But would that be wrong? Gah! Why did all this have to be so complicated? Derry wished he was back on the hill on the island, lying under the tree and watching the clouds go by... Things were simpler then. Even if they were more painful... No. He couldn't think about that right now. He had gotten away, hadn't he? Like he always promised himself. And his friends were here with him! All but Wells... Where was he? Derry should have done it, it should have been him to disappear, he knew it! He couldn't be upset with Wells though. He had set Derry free. Free from... them. Derry knew he would always be thankful to Wells for that, even if he never saw him again. A grin split his face again. Wells probably got sent to someplace nice and cold, while they had to trek through the heat. Lucky bastard.
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Xantalos

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #801 on: September 14, 2013, 04:04:33 pm »

Dran shakes his head.
I've been chasing something like this my whole life, Lore. I can't just forget about it and leave it!
Dran begins pacing.
They mentioned parents, they mentioned friends, they mentioned a City - big C - up there. Don't you realize what this means? There's people up there! Surely they'll be looking for the bunch of kids that went missing. And that means I have a chance to get up there. I can't let that pass.
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OREOSOME

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #802 on: September 14, 2013, 04:18:53 pm »

"However, they don't seem to know how they got to the desert at all. That does not bode well, brother. Perhaps this City of theirs is just as lost to them as it would be to us. A shame that we can't find it. However... They may know a bit more about these islands than we all know. It could open a perspective into the very reasons why all the islands are so... dead. We could use them, brother."
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Xantalos

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #803 on: September 14, 2013, 04:20:36 pm »

Exactly my thoughts! It would be a terrible waste to leave them in the militia...
Dran begins rubbing his hands together.

Derry contemplates hamstringing the grinning adult guy.
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Parsely

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #804 on: September 14, 2013, 08:44:44 pm »

He throws up his hands in exasperation. Their knowledge of the islands hardly matters if we cannot get to them! He stops himself. Wait.. Wait, yes! This could work! You two could take them! Let them see all the places you go to! You're always telling me of those curious symbols. What if these children can read them? I mean I know you wouldn't be able to take all of them. Large groups of children are not conducive to your brand of.. unofficial.. work. But you would only need one to understand the runes!

Er, perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself. Can any of them even read? Have they ever seen the symbols before?
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Xantalos

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #805 on: September 14, 2013, 08:47:10 pm »

One of them was translating some runes when we met them.
Dran looks at the kids, then points to ...
Alex was systematically studying the tapestry, taking about an hour, which gave the others the longest reprieve from him pointing out that they had found no clue of Wells since they left the desert.
That one.
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #806 on: September 14, 2013, 08:47:32 pm »

Alex stiffens and turns.
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Parsely

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #807 on: September 14, 2013, 08:54:05 pm »

The severe-looking man quickly approaches the young boy, his hands clasped behind his back. He stops abruptly, stooping until his face is but inches from the young boy's. He stares at him for a full second, stroking his chin, then turns and strides away. He calls back without turning and his voice carries throughout the cavernous library. You will come with me boy.
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mastahcheese

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #808 on: September 14, 2013, 08:54:32 pm »

Jack started to shake some sand out of his cloak, his control over the breezes had at least kept him cool over the trek, if it did mess up his clothes faster. He watched as they singled out Alex, and continued not to speak, he didn't feel the need.
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Might as well chalk it up to Pathos.
As this point we might as well invoke interpretive dance and call it a day.
The Derail Thread

Dwarmin

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Re: The Land of the Sky: Chapter 0.5 - IC Thread
« Reply #809 on: September 15, 2013, 03:46:55 am »

Bethany rises from her fugue and steps smoothly in between the Old man and Alex-carving a space by pure force of will.

Her jaw is set, legs planted, and her fury stoked.

"He's not going anywhere unless he wants to go. Until you explain what you want from him...from us. We're not just servants to be ordered around." She gives a glance to Alex-if he wants her to step back, she will. Otherwise...
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