TURN FORTY-EIGHT: NIGHTS OF DISCORDANCE, MORNINGS OF SERENITY
Was pretty busy this week in preparing for some upcoming events in real life, so apologies if this update was silent for a little too long.
Also, attempting to get this update out with terrible mountain internet is frustrating, to say the least. It involves a lot of page refreshing and more copy-pasting than I would've liked. Still, internet is internet, and had I not had it, this update would have been delayed to Sunday night.
So here it is.
Lie down on the rocks and take a nap.
Rune((Perfect opportunity for time synchronization.))
Training yourself, creating new golems, upgrading those golems: These three tasks have become like clockwork for you. It was easy enough to settle into the rhythm with the formation of clay into molded statues. Though you had a little difficulty in attempting to find out what you could accomplish with your powers, the overall progress you've made has been nothing short of astounding. At this rate, you figure that you could create enough golems to make a ship for you to take off of this island in... well, let's just say that it wouldn't be too long. The point here is that you've been surprisingly lucky in your ventures, not having encountered a single living soul from the time that you left your volcano at until now.
Well, you're not going to get anything done while you're exhausted. After all,
someone has to run your clay army. You pick a nice corner to lie down in and try to make yourself comfortable, tossing a large rock here, a small rock there, and a couple of rocks for footrests - basically, anything to make your rock life a little more comfortable. After making sure that you're not going to wake up with serious pains in your back, you drift off to the sleepy land of magma, volcanoes, and ash flying over the landscape.
Thankfully, you don't seem to encounter any nightmarish scenarios during your sleep. Perhaps that one dream/nightmare you had was simply a one-time thing. You hope it was, because, for some reason, you felt as if you were vaguely familiar with that girl in your dreams.
The next day, you wake up without any problems. Relatively well-rested, you get up and check the light outside. It seems to be somewhere between dawn and early morning, with dark-grey clouds covering the sky now. You think that it might rain later on. Other than that, nothing has been disturbed in your cave so far.
"You kidding me?" Go right. Don't fall.
Alex RamanYou're going to have to take a chance on something. If you take the other directions, you're most likely either going to get shot up or arrested and thrown back in jail or transported to another area. Frankly, after being given this opportunity by a mysterious lady in the sky, you don't really want to screw this up so early on. You haven't even gotten a chance to enact your revenge upon the Theyins yet! How are you supposed to accomplish anything if you get caught three steps into a city?
With no option other than the unknown one, you take your chances and go right. Still stumbling more than walking at this point, you use some of the buildings to steady yourself as you walk along. Inching your way up the street, you nervously look around you, hoping that no one is around to see you at this time. you certainly look out of place when compared to the Theyin soldiers around here, and no civilians seem to be around at this time.
After an agonizing amount of time, you manage to round the corner and find that the street ahead of you is entirely devoid of life. This street seems to continue on for a ways before splitting off to the left and continuing straight. Halfway to that split, there is another split closer to you that takes off to the right. However, there are a few alleyways that you could hide behind for now if you need to.
As you are contemplating your decision, you are startled by a low whistle. However, it doesn't sound like a natural whistle, perhaps produced by a person or by a projectile in the air. It has a higher frequency, yet is eerily low at the same time. You look all around, trying to find the source of the whistle, but nothing around you seems to produce the sound. Suddenly, the whistling stops, replaced by an empty howl, almost like the sound of the wind. Moments later, you can hear several humans - maybe soldiers - shouting to others. Before you can even move, the sounds of gunshots resonate through the town. An alarm, like that of an air raid siren, is raised. Lights start coming on across the town.
Through all of this, you have no idea what is happening, but you know for sure that this will end terribly for you if you do not move. This may be an opportunity for chaos, for distraction; you can use this to escape.
Eh Ah
Move eastward through the gaps between buildings if possible, stay off the streets. See what's what around here, and try to remain unnoticed.
Eh AhBefore you get yourself harassed or ousted by some brash soldier from either the Theyin Empire or the Magis Kingdom, you think that it would be better if you keep yourself to the shadows for now and observe what has become of the Magis. If things take a turn for the worse, you have a number of avenues for talking to get yourself out of a particularly hairy situation. If all else fails, you still have the protection of the Empress - at least,
for now.You move around and between decrepit buildings, trying to actually find humans instead of locations now. You make a point to keep your movements light and at least mildly stealthy, so as not to attract attention to yourself. It's not a particularly tough task, but it does take time, considering that you have to stop and listen to make sure that you are not going to carelessly step into someone's line of sight.
You're pretty sure that you've made it a fair distance to the east now. In fact, you can clearly hear a couple of people talking; however, due to their proximity to you, you're not sure that you can poke out and look at them, as you would risk being seen. You have a feeling that their conversation will yield more than enough information for you.
One of the persons coughs loudly and sighs with a hint of frustration in his tone. As you were approaching closer to hear, you missed the first part of his sentence, as he says:
"...on this god-forsaken island?" You hear what sounds like crunching, as if one of them is eating a snack.
"Cleanup duty," a much clearer and smoother voice responds.
"Doesn't make much sense to me, though. We go in and bomb the island for what it's worth, then we have a change of heart and start putting on smiles for the locals.""Any idea of when we're shipping out of 'ere?" the previous voice, with a gruffer tone, asks.
"No. We've also no word from our command on what exactly we're doing here. A buddy of mine who was on the Evangelical told me that the fleet ditched us for the Jack Theft, and that only a small detach was left behind for us poor sods.""Wait, so does that mean the Empress is off of this island, too?""Like I said, no idea. All I know is that we're prolly not getting out of here anytime soon.""Dammit.. these locals are starting to piss me off. Pass me the Sangers, will you?"
Warren Drake
Well, look around the town center for a money changer. Three golden balls was the common symbol, wasn't it?
Warren DrakeYou're going to get your damn alcohol one way or another - through rain or snow, half a village or over a mountain if need be. Well, that might have just been hyperbole, but your willpower dictates the truth here. You search around the town looking for a sort of money exchange or bank that would take your Atis currency and convert it to the proper currency of the locals.
Unfortunately, though you search long and hard, you're not able to find anything of the sort. This village may have been a little smaller than you expected, though it still surprises you that they don't have a center of commerce somewhere around here to accommodate you. You're about ready to give up before you hear a voice call out to you. "Hey there, you looking for something?" You turn your head to the left and find that a mobile merchant, complete with his cart and portable stand, is waving his hand at you. You shrug and think that he might have some sort of alcohol you can purchase with your currency, or perhaps that he could take your currency and give you the local equivalent.
You explain to the merchant that you're looking for someone who would be willing to trade Atis currency for local coins. However, if he can't do that, you could also examine his alcohol wares, you tell him. You hand him one of your lower-value coins and explain that it comes from Atis, an island out far away from this land. He examines the coin and gives you a simple "hmm" as an answer. Several moments later, he says, "Well, I don't have any alcohol on me right now, unfortunately. However, I think I'd be able to trick some poor sap into thinking these are rare, out-of-date coins. The design is certainly foreign enough for that, and if I can't get anyone to buy these, I was planning to head to the city anyways. I'll take your coins off your hands, then!"
Relieved that you were able to find someone who would help you out, you exchange enough of your money to cover the liquor, and a little more in case you need to purchase something else. You pocket the new coins and hope that you were not just scammed. Bidding him a good day, you jog over to the liquor store that you were at earlier.
Placing the coins on the counter in Jeb's store, you explain that you have the money now, and that you
need the liquor he presented to you earlier. The clerk shows a bit of surprise that you came back, but takes your money and presents you the liquor anyways.
Time to get drinking.
"Okay, but I need explanation along the way. I'm feeling a bit betrayed right now, and you'll have to forgive me if I don't fully trust you right now."
LirianHe raises his eyebrows when you mention that you feel betrayed by him, but he nods in understanding.
"I am sorry for whatever you've been through," he begins,
"but I don't know everything myself. I'll need your help here as much as you need information from me. I'll try to inform you as I can, though." You begin to walk with him in the hallway, accompanied by Cromwell.
"So, you mentioned 'shadows'. I suppose that is a good topic to start with, then. If you are referring to the same thing that I have been hearing about, then it may be more of a cause of worry than I originally thought.
"Not too long ago, there was a tale circulating around the town concerning these 'shadows.' It was said that they were revolting and horrific creatures that came out of the forests on the darkest of nights to prey on people in their sleep and if they were awake. They wouldn't kill anybody, however: It was said that they came only to take away the security of the mind and the soul. No physical marks, no blood, nothing. All that came out of it was that a few people would end up... strange every time this occurred. They seemed distant. The effects were variable. It could be anything from people suddenly seeming as if they were 'disconnected' for a few minutes before snapping back to reality; or, it could be that they had entirely lost the will to live, as if they were zombies.
"Naturally, I was... very skeptical, to say the least. When I brought this up to some of my peers, they, too, rejected the tale as simple thinking. There was no evidence that these monsters even existed. It also helped that the symptoms of said "attacks" were explainable by various conditions - be it major depression, stressful episodes, and the like. We also noticed a few incidents with drug abusers lately, which might point to something that could be more easily explained.
"But now... now I'm not so sure. My peers still will not believe that these 'shadows' exist at all. But even my daughter has been saying that she's seen and heard these monsters prowling around, and that she was seeing more and more people losing the will to do anything. With a few recent happenings, and the fact that you've just brought up this topic even though you are not a local, some questions are raised."The doctor turns off to the right and approaches a doorway on the left of the hallway. He brings out a key and unlocks the door neatly and quietly. He looks above him and to the right, apparently searching for something with his eyes.
"I have my own doubts here. For the sake of security, I would ask that we discuss things further in my office."
Cecil just shakes his head. "I can't believe this," he says to himself, aloud,"First my home - my father - and now this." He finds a nearby bench and sits down, head in his hands. "What the hell's going on here?" He continues, his otherwise pleasant voice tainted by exasperation and muffled by his hands.
A not insignificant amount of time passes before he raises his head to look about. "Well..." he says with a sigh, "I'm not going to find out by sitting around." He heaves himself off the bench, letting out a noise of not only just soreness, but also maybe sadness, picking a random direction to walk.
"Anywhere's better than here."
((I messaged Diana's player about keeping up, but I've received no response. Whether or not he/she is busy or simply not interested, all is fine. Like I said before, I'm still controlling characters that have inactive players; it's just that their actions take a backseat priority, and they obviously might not have as much depth to them.
However, the story will continue all the same, and all player characters are being accounted for. If inactive players come around again, all the better! I would be delighted to bring them up to speed.
But if not, all is still well.))
Cecil G. PalmerYou begin to walk down towards, well, nowhere in particular. Of all of the things that could've happened to you, you would've imagined that maybe some vestige of fortune would come your way and point you in the right direction. However, it seems that nobody is here to help you. Nothing came your way to maybe even hint at where your former associates are now. It looks like you're going to have to stick it out on your own.
In this way, you continue on, barely looking up to make sure that you're not going to trip and accidentally fall in one of the waterways. You look around you and find people going about their day, eating and chatting at restaurants, or reading books and newspapers. If only you could pull one of these people to the side and ask them where Diana or her brother is! Maybe if you could just take a look at that man's newspaper, or maybe you should go in that restaurant and --
SMACK! Your thoughts are shorty interrupted by reality, as you accidentally bump into someone and whatever she was doing.
"Hey, wh-" You look in front of you to see a girl jolt slightly and her hand move across what seems to be a painting canvas on an easel. It seems that you've bumped into her with more force than was necessary, because now there is an ugly streak across the painting that she was trying to create. She stands back, mouth agape, as she sees what you've indirectly caused. Finally, she looks back at you with confusion and anger in her expression.
"What the flipping hell, man? Do you know how long I was working on that? And now it's... it's ruined!" You realize that you strayed a bit too close to a corner of the cafe, off of the sidewalk, when thinking about going to the cafe and possibly obtaining information from there. The girl stands there with a paintbrush in hand, looking between you and the painting and unsure of what to do.
Well, looks like you now have some explaining to do. As if you didn't have enough to worry about, now you have
this.
Eleri took a deep breath and gave Flynn a smile.
"If we're not yet there, we'll find a good open area, clear of wetland or dense foliage, and make camp there. The higher the ground, the better. At least, that's what I know anyway--I don't want us being swarmed by ants or mosquitos."
She hefted her supplies and gave Flynn a pat, giving her best sincere smile at him. He didn't need to feel her fatigue: It'd wear away anyway, but the smile would carry him longer than her fatigue would make her weary.
An image of her instructor flashed in her mind--she knew that a lasting bout of joy was better than a year of worry and pain. He was her proof of that.
Tally ho! Onwards, dear Flynn! If so ever we not reach the destined point ere dusk, we make camp at most 2 hours before the sun sets, at least 1 hour to ensure safety.
((Don't worry about it, you're fine. Also, happy very late birthday! Sorry I couldn't reply earlier, busyness makes it difficult for me to keep up often.))
EleriWith that reassurance, Flynn voices his agreement.
"Right, that seems to be the best option. If you need anything of me, just ask. I'd hate to be a burden." With that kept in mind, you get yourself ready once again to head out into the wilderness. You feel confident that you'll at least find some sort of landmark that Flynn can use to point the two of you in the right direction. If that does not happen, at least the elevation will allow you to see more of the island, provided that the general vegetation does not obscure your vision.
The next part of your journey lasts for about a good hour. You're surprised that you've managed to go this far without taking a break in the last hour, but you think that is all the better for the overall trip. With the sun beginning to climb down near the horizon now, you start to look around for some shelter, or perhaps some firewood to keep you warm. Anything that helps you survive the night better is more than appreciated.
It doesn't take you long to find something. In the forest ahead, you can the outline of a building. Upon approaching, you find that it's a two-story house that appears as if it's been abandoned for many, many years. Some parts of the mason wall are stating to fall apart, but the overall structure is still strong. On the inside, the house is nothing but an empty shell. Whoever lived here before has either died or moved away from this place a long time ago. Nevertheless, it has a chimney and will provide shelter for the two of you, so you are more than happy that you found this. It's unfortunate that there is no firewood stocked here, but you didn't expect anything other than an empty building, much less a building intact.
You feel like you've made very good progress so far. You've climbed to a decent elevation, enough to where you can see bits of the island above the hillside. However, you're still too far to make out anything other than the forests below and the major town on the coast. This does give you a little bit of orientation now, and you forward this information to Flynn.
"Wait, so the coast with the town is on our left side? If you're right, that's Telenos.. and if that's Telenos, then I think we're approaching the center of the island. There should be a few roads coming up, which lead to a few different places. That's assuming we're near the center, but it should be close enough. I think.. I think we would be on the right track, if we found one of those roads."You take this into account as you mentally begin planning the next segment of your journey. For now, however, you're going to have to think about how you're going to survive the night. It would be advisable to find firewood at the very least, and maybe some water or food if you can manage it. Thankfully, you have plenty of time before the sun goes down, as you planned to stop a couple of hours before sundown.
Try to find an easier to climb tree, one with low branches. Failing that, try to find a defensible position; with the darkness and my injuries running probably won't be very effective, but there's a chance that I could put up enough of a fight to convince any predators to find easier prey.
Jonathan EridisWith time winding down and your ability to stay active diminished, you
have to find a way to get height above the ground floor. If you don't, you might not be able to survive the night with your current physical condition. You continue to limp along through the pain, grasping at different trees and feeling to see if they will be suitable to climb. The first tree is too tall, and the next; the third tree won't be strong enough to support your weight, and the fourth is masked by thick branches and leaves. You're almost about to give up hope on this when you reach the fifth tree.
You feel for the trunk to see if you will be able to climb this one. It seems to be of a suitable size for you. You begin to climb up with abandon, knowing that you won't have much more energy to search for another tree. Finally, you find what you were looking for: There is a group of branches not too far off of the ground floor that will allow you to hide without being too demanding on your physical state. You let out a sigh of relief and sling your bag on one of the branches. At this point, you're totally exhausted and in pain, not really caring for how much noise you make.
You begin to calm down after about ten minutes of silence around you. However, not too long after, you hear light stepping sounds. Something has found you. You hear something prowling around your tree, looking through the bushes around you and attempting to find you. You swear that you can almost see the outline of the creature. You find it strange that you don't hear anything other than its steps. You would imagine that, being near the size of a wolf, it would at least make a growling, or panting, or something to make its presence known. But nothing other than its steps remains, and not too soon, even that is gone.
Finally, you're left staring down at its outline, as it seems to stay in place, staring back at you. The two of you simply stay like that, motionless, for what seems like five minutes, ten minutes - far too long for a creature like this to remain still.
You're not sure what this is, but with your ailments, you might want to stick on the side of avoidance.
reply that i think he woke me up but i don't know for sure what did
Jack WeaslyYou answer in a small tone, not exactly sure about what is happing right now. He doesn't exactly seem believe you very much when you tell him that he woke you up, but he doesn't seem to be entirely concerned with the fine details right now. With a voice louder than he should have right now, he responds to you:
"Look, we are in a lockdown scenario right now. You must stay in your room unless otherwise directed. You are not to follow anyone other than staff members or imperial soldiers. Do you understand me?"You nod, only half-understanding the situation. He doesn't seem to care to provide you with any more information as he jogs down to the next room and tells the same thing to the other children. The same thing seems to be happening all down the hallway. A few minutes pass by, and the staff members of the orphanage now seem to be focused on coordinating with each other and watching the entrances, as you can partially see from your room's entryway.
Shortly after, you begin to hear an alarm, not unlike an air raid siren. The shrill whine pierces through the building and reverberates around, seeming to only add to the confusion and chaos inside of the building. It is not too long before you begin to hear what sounds like the faint echoing of gunshots, yelling, and... howling?
You could be no more confused than you are in this situation. However, maybe you could do something about this, provided you play your cards right...
Author's Note: I won't be able to post anything until Sunday night, considering that I have absolutely terrible internet where I am right now. However, that should not stop you from posting your turns. I will be able to write up something on Sunday or Monday when I get back.
As always, have a wonderful weekend and coming week,
Artemis.
Author
Topic: Roll To Medium: Awakening [Chapter VI] (Read 145396 times)