<No. He is not exactly a prisoner anyway. Can you send him a message or amplify my foxform's telepathy range? I want to let him know that he is welcome to rejoin us, and that we arent enemies. Also, that I'm concerned that his magic is harming him when he uses it, and would like to be nearby to help prevent problems it might cause.>
Stay awake until Theri gets up, and I've had achance to tell her what happened and ask what River had to say to her, then unless there's a reason not to, I'm going to sleep.
<Amplifying your natural abilities would be best.>You transform into fox. The sword embraces you with a net of fire and light that makes your skin tingle. You close your eyes, focus on your intentions and your words and then transmit the message. There is no response. You try sending it several times, in case he is having trouble receiving it or understanding it.
"Miss Theri? What is going on with miss Irine? Is there trouble?""Oh. No San, I think everything is fine. Everything is OK, right Irine?"You explain what is going on to Theri and ask her if she knows anything or if she's received any messages. She says she remembers feeling River's presence in her sleep, closer than ever before, the sound of tired breathing, like someone was trying to speak but was injured or out of breath, and a feeling of fear and that's about it. She is not sure what to make of it.
((I assumed it is fine for me to answer in Tiruin's place since I believe she would give you this information anyway.))
Unless there's something else you wish to do, I'll say you sleep until around midday. It should be enough to keep you on your feet through the next day along with a promise of an early sleep. Or you could just stay transformed to fox and have Theri carry you like she sometimes does for San, but that would either mean that she'll have to carry your supplies and equipment for you or that you'll have to leave it behind.
"Hot damn, Kodromota? That's exactly who I wanted to see."
"Also, can I arrange an appointment with some kind of loremaster or something if you have one? I do have some mystical stories to relate, and would like to trade for some information in turn."
Try to arrange an appointment with somebody knowledgeable in the expository arts.
Whether that works or not, go find these traders and strike up a chat with them. Ask them about what's going on eastward, and whether they know much about Nether Pass, being from the very near vicinity as it were. Inquire about monsters and such, and any important legends.
Oh, and carouse of course if that's possible. Probably with the traders. The monks can join if they want. My guys get a bit of R&R as well for morale improvement purposes.
"If it is knowledge you seek, then meet me tomorrow at sunrise by the Great Pool for the Morning Cleansing Ritual. I will introduce you to the Headwater. If you wish to discuss matters of magic or legend he is probably the best suited to do so with you."He directs you towards one of the inns where you could find the traders. Walking along the streets, it isn't hard to find. You can hear the shouts and singing long before the building comes into view. Others are walking besides you, most likely workers returning from the farms. When you reach the place, you find it somewhat crowded, with some of the overflow standing around a small fire outside, talking amongst themselves and laughing from time to time.
Inside, a few musicians are playing a fast song, a duet of a male and female singer singing about how maybe in this crazy world full of torment only the people who are considered crazy are the ones who are actually smart. The crowd seems to be enjoying it, clapping to the rhythm laughing as the singer gestures to the crowd and then tries to balance his instrument on his head with his eyes crossed.
Some of the men offer to buy you a drink if you join them, but you decline, saying that you'll catch up with them later. Instead you look around for those traders. It doesn't take a lot of asking around to do so. A patron points you to one of the corner tables, where a group of people dressed in clothes somewhat more expensive than those of the rest are siting around a table. They don't appreciate your company that much at first, but the offer of free drinks is enough to get them to open up.
After some bland ice-breaking conversations about their names and the quality of drinks here (they don't approve, but you think it's palatable), you ask them about what's going on in the east. The mood immediately sours. Though they haven't seen the fighting themselves, from what they've heard it doesn't sound good. Nobody is safe in the occupied territories, not peaceful traders, not even those who surrender and do as they are told. The Sovereignty has gone into all out war with this kingdom, bringing all the troops they can gather, supported by Gliders and other flying machines and siege weapons. They've also heard they've got some sort of unnatural magical bird-beasts under their control, some strange creatures they've never seen before that are going around grabbing people and taking them away to be eaten. The last rumor they heard was that they have employed some beastman called Sword-tusks (some famous gladiator they freed from the Arena) going around with a band of slave-traders and capturing fleeing refugees, killing any who resist. Savages.
The only good news they've heard so far seem to be coming from the south, from beyond the Scar. The Sovereignty has also attacked their country, but they've managed to hold on for now. Rumors say their navy has even made some incursions into Sovereignty waters and struck their trading vessels. Then again, it takes time for news to reach them here from all the way to the south, so who knows how things are down there now?
The traders sound like they're on the verge of desperation. They're managing to get by for now while trying to find any sort of useful rumor or promising deal they can, but if things don't work out they'll either have to join a caravan to the north or head south, beyond the Scar. As simple, small time traders who have seldom left their own kingdom, it is not a prospect that excites them. They aren't certain they could even complete the journey. One of their last hopes was that that they could persuade the monks to let them purchase some of their food at a low price, but it doesn't look like that is happening any time soon.
Asking them about Nether Pass only gets you some laughter.
"You must be crazy if you're thinking of going there."
"Well, actually, Elefos says that you can cross and that he has done so numerous times. All it takes is a system."
"Oh, boy, here we go again."
"Well, that's what he said. You have to cross during the day, you have to keep your eyes down, always facing the road, you need to have an amulet of the Twin Reapers for protection and prey to them constantly, you must be quiet and you must never laugh, even if you do it quietly, you-"
"Oh, come on, that old crook was just trying to impress you with his lies."
"Yeah, those old fortresses are full of monsters. Magical monsters. How else could they have remained standing after all those years. Maybe if you had a mage with you he could deal with them."
"Nah, if you're lucky they'll just kill you. If you're unlucky you will become a monster yourself. Your soul will be denied death and you will be forced to walk those mountains for all time, craving the flesh of the living."
"So, whose fortresses are those anyway?""Who knows? Some crazy old King, probably."
"I heard it was an old Necromancer killed everyone and then put a curse on the place."
"I heard those mountains were already cursed and they slowly drove the masters of the fortress insane, turning them into monsters."
"I heard they dug too deep and unleashed a horrible demon on them, one coming straight from the world's dark heart."
The music players have switched tunes by now, with the male singer singing a somewhat slower and more serious song about how only those who have befriended death in their lives can leave this world happy, those who face dangers to follow their dreams, those who laugh at life and are laughed at. A few of the patrons have stood up and are trying to dance to the song but mostly look like they're stumbling around drunkenly.
During a lull in your conversation with the traders, one of your men comes to talk to you, clearly drunk but also looking somewhat guilty.
"So, uh, me and the guys have been having some fun, talking about how we're going to join the fighting in the east and, uh, some folks asked if they could join us so... We've already... sort of told them they could come, so, uh, I hope that's fine?"
Well, on one hand, that's more meatshields, on the other hand you're not 100% sure you could fit all of them in the wagons, depending on how many they are, so they might have to go on foot. Plus you'd have to rely even more on Alan-generated supplies.
Ask if he's ever heard of hydraulics.
"Have you ever heard of hydraulics?"
"Oh, yes, I know a thing or two about their work. In fact, one of Toads here is a hydraulic. I think he worked on some of the pipes under Ineth before coming here a few years ago. You could find him working on the irrigation of the Garden in the morning.""Tell me this, good sir: are you someone who considers themselves responsible, detail-oriented and/or orderly in character?"
Ominous questions with silly answers
"I... would say so, yes."((Don't you mean ominous questions with silly questions to follow?))
"Damn it. Where are mah clothes? This is bullshit. Speaking of bullshit..." William mutters to himself before closing his eyes and drawing in a breath.
Meditate to find that demon inside me. Use my force of will to take his powers, or bind him to my will, or something like that so I can use his abilities and he can't mess with mine anymore.
Oh dear, we're doing this then? Let's see how the two of you roll...
You can't find the demon's presence inside your mind. You make extra certain that he is not there and then work on building a mental wall filled with traps to protect your mind from it and try to hurt him if he ever gets close to it, making sure that should he ever attempt to mess with your mind, he'll be very sorry.
<You brought this on yourself.> a voice says in your mind. It doesn't sound happy.
Kosak Durar, Staging Area:
Respect.
Kosak bows to the Captain, as he would bow to his former(now dead) martial arts teacher.
"That's more like it, boy. Didn't think you had it in ya."He stands in front of you and inspects you for a few moments.
"At ease, son. That's enough." he finally says.
Honora hesitantly steps out of the room, following behind the man.
Slowly walk out of the room, keep my eyes open.
You quietly follow the man as he makes his way through the hallway. The hallway is filled with doors similar to yours, all numbered. (You take note that your door was number seventeen.) It also has an elevator and an emergency stairwell. The elevator has no call button, just a keyhole next to it. Still no windows, still those white walls and flickering fluorescent lights in the ceiling.
He keeps walking quickly until he reaches a door with the number thirteen. While he uses one hand to unlock it using one of the keys hanging from his belt, he uses the other to speak into a radio.
"On site. Responding to AB on 5-13."There's some indistinct chatter in response to that, the only words you can make out of the distorted voice is :subject: and :proceed:.
He nods, reaches into a pocket and draws a syringe. He takes a deep breath and opens the door. Immediately you can hear the sound of urgently beeping machinery coming from inside. The doors must be soundproof.
The man enters the room. You stand beside the door. You can't hear what's going on inside and you aren't certain you should look. This room certainly looks somewhat darker than the one you were in, like there are fewer lights inside.
"I'll keep that in mind.
We haven't been introduced. My name is Brian Hoss."
"Yes." the man responds without turning to look at you. In fact, he barely moves at all.
ToasterYou wake up back in your personal section of the staging area.
You're lying on an armchair. The fireplace is gently cracking, producing a pleasant warmth. Everything else is quiet.
Through the window you can see light grey skies, gathering clouds.
Hawk132You regain consciousness.
You are standing in the desert you first appeared in when you joined the games. There is a slight wind blowing.
"My champion."In front of you is standing a humanoid form. Though it bears no distinctive characteristics, you can tell she is female from her voice. She is covered from head to toe in armour made out of a substance that reminds you of porcelain in the way that it reflects light, but is slightly greenish, with small ripples of darker green on it. The only part of her body not obscured by armour is her mouth, where you can see pale skin with a few stray freckles. From her waist hangs a thin-looking blade made out of the same material. It is not attached to her in any way, it is merely floating in place.
"You have done well."
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Topic: Special People: Mechanical Syndrome (Read 1128957 times)