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Author Topic: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I)  (Read 15948 times)

Samarkand

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Five Gods)
« Reply #75 on: August 08, 2014, 11:05:47 am »

Finished with her shopping, Arlia returned to the vehicle.
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Yoink

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Five Gods)
« Reply #76 on: August 08, 2014, 11:19:36 am »

"Hello, Seeker!"
The Everchild greets the disembodied voice cheerfully, then looks to find a space to sit somewhere in the transport.
"Sit", in this instance, means 'fold the robot body's legs digitrade legs beneath itself, lowering it to a sort-of crouch before locking in place to keep steady'. Once she's safely "seated", the Everchild is content to wait and watch in silence for now.

Seat myself somewhere out of the way, then observe the others as I wait for whatever's going to happen, to happen.
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Draignean

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Five Gods)
« Reply #77 on: August 08, 2014, 01:35:02 pm »

"Thank you, Seeker, I'm honored to meet you."  Kazren said, examining the map of Elysium. "Is there a key and legend provided with this map? I lack the knowledge to interpret it in full, and I do not wish to destroy us all through unnecessary ignorance."

@Buying Power: The cost of food rather varies (not that you have to worry about that, most of the time), but an average farmer in the region could purchase plenty of good, higher-tech tools and maybe even some farm machine with 1500*. It wouldn't make him a rich man, but it's around the profit of a very successful harvest. If you're planning on giving it away to the first starving child you see, it might just give them a chance for a good life.

((I was planning on giving 2/3rds of what I made to the needy. Probably not children, considering that would (in all probability) just make them targets for the more vicious elements as soon as my back was turned. I'd endeavor to find the starving child a home, then distribute 1000* to the surrogate parents on the condition that Gods will be watching.
    While I'd love to stock up on aid supplies, I'm probably the party member with the smallest needs in terms of equipment.))

((Plus I'm not wearing clothes, as far as I know, and I'm not sure where I'd stick oodles of equipment.))
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Digital Hellhound

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Five Gods)
« Reply #78 on: August 08, 2014, 01:45:04 pm »

The Garage Band

Seeker responds to the Everchild's greeting with another hello. It seems to know their names, though most of the time it refers to the 'honored champions' as a whole.

'The gods have provided what knowledge they have thought necessary,' Seeker replies to Kazren's question of the map. That would seem to be a no, then. 'Put your faith in them and the sacred machinery of this vehicle, and you will be safe from all danger.'

With all of them onboard, they are free to leave, unless there are any last-minute matters to attend to...

***

---

((Plus I'm not wearing clothes, as far as I know, and I'm not sure where I'd stick oodles of equipment.))

Glue it on. That or just... get a bag. Actually, there's some space on the Myrmidon if you do want to stock up on aid supplies, and you might be able to produce some onboard with the machines.
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adwarf

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Five Gods)
« Reply #79 on: August 08, 2014, 01:56:52 pm »

Go and search Nilvath's section of the camp for anything on sale, look primarily for ammo for the magbow, utility items, and healing items.
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Digital Hellhound

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Five Gods)
« Reply #80 on: August 09, 2014, 06:05:07 am »

((I was lying when I wrote that 'last-minute matters' bit. Jeez, adwarf, you should've gone when I sent you on your face in the dirt just on the edge of your camp. WE'RE MOVING - I hope no-one else intended to do something still.))

---

The Long Red Road

With surprisingly little fanfare, the Myrmidon and the champions in her hold ride out from the abandoned fortress. The gods do not show themselves, though riders from Aeraimua's and the Weaver's camps form an honor guard to the edge of the approaching dust storm. There they turn and race to get to safety before the howling winds and dust reach them - they disappear, as does everything else, when the storm engulfs the heavy vehicle.

Shutters close and the air takes on a stale taste, recycled again and again to keep them cut off from the cloud outside. The machinery whirrs and clicks without pause - first irritating, but soon a familiar background noise, along the thrumming of the engine. It blasts out behind them, providing ready power for everything onboard. Humidity rises steadily until those of the group who can sweat are sweating and uncomfortable, with the rest feeling little better. The champions have little to do, save Kazren, who has no choice but to drive according to the route chosen, as visibility is zero. Seeker assures them the storm will end soon.

He, or it, is soon proven correct, as light again floods through the cameras and viewports. The shutters open one by one and bathe them in fresher air and cool. The landscape beyond is not yet very different - a seemingly endless red plain, stretching onto the horizon - though not quite flat, despite the best efforts of the relentless wind. The surface of Elysium is scarred, broken, carved full of rifts, craters, holes. Sometimes they see ruins, half-covered by dust, alone in the emptiness. A dried-out riverbed follows the road for a while. It does not seem to have carried water for a long time now. There are signs of life, even here, but only recognizable to experienced eyes. Arlia sees cragbird nests where others only see rocks, stalking, mutated lizards where there only seems to be dust picked up by the wind, territory marks of snow cats and their prey. Insects burrow in the earth - she does not need to see anything to know this. It is a dry land, a hard one, but life holds on. It is a comforting thought, for her mission.

Symbols on the map fall behind or the sides as they drive on, the six heavy wheels of the Myrmidon gouging deep tracks in the earth under them. At some point they have arrived on a road, only packed dirt, though it is barely recognizable as such. If there have been any signs for travellers, they were carried off long ago. Sculpted stones on the roadside sometimes give distance, but the letters and numbers are often too faded to make out. Kazren is thankful for the map - they are approaching the small Baichakl settlement by the lake, though it seems it will take hours yet before they can see any signs of 'civilization'.

***

'There is something ahead,' Seeker says, after they have travelled a while - over an hour, certainly. 'I would advise you to slow down, honored champions.'

[1] From the cameras, Kazren can't see anything. Seeker cannot seem to specify - it points the champions' attention to an instrument on the control board which seems to be flashing 'obstruction on the path'.

---


Spoiler: The Everchild (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Arlia the Shaman (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Fenrik (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Dust (click to show/hide)
---

Skills have been renamed to 'Traits'. It should've been like that from the beginning.

Kazren has taken the Driver's position. There's the main gunner's place behind, but also a sort of co-pilot's seat where you may use the RPD missiles at the front - the Driver can fire those, too, but Kazren may not want to do it, or has to focus on battle manouevering most of the time. That place or anyone can also attempt to boost the systems, get targeting solutions, etc etc. Right now, there's not work for all of you at once - the main gun, the driver and the co-driver/spotter/whatever are recommended, and whoever's left may do what they wish (messing with the engines and such, for example - only 90% chance of blowing everyone up!). One may even pray fervently at the altar during every battle, it might even help!

Not that you'll need battlestations right now. Or will you? Dun dun.

I'll get the Myrmidon's spoiler and information into the next turn at the latest - the stats are on a different computer right now.
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Samarkand

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #81 on: August 09, 2014, 10:59:36 am »

Use my ants to thoroughly inspect or vehicle and it's contents.
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adwarf

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #82 on: August 09, 2014, 12:01:42 pm »

((I will get you for this you lazy bastard DH :I))


Clamber up, and take control of the main gun.
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IronyOwl

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #83 on: August 10, 2014, 06:43:00 am »

Dust simply frowned in idle curiosity, wondering what lay ahead and waiting for their pilot to do something about it.
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Digital Hellhound

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #84 on: August 11, 2014, 04:56:09 am »

(Y'know, Kazren isn't the only person who can make decisions. Bumping this for the others anyway.)
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IronyOwl

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #85 on: August 11, 2014, 05:09:40 am »

((No, but it might be a little rude to grab the wheel or start messing with the pedals right under him. :P

...oh, why not. >:D))

"I agree. Let us examine this obstacle."

Slow down or stop the vehicle, then get out and advance towards the reported obstacle.
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Quote from: Radio Controlled (Discord)
A hand, a hand, my kingdom for a hot hand!
The kitchenette mold free, you move on to the pantry. it's nasty in there. The bacon is grazing on the lettuce. The ham is having an illicit affair with the prime rib, The potatoes see all, know all. A rat in boxer shorts smoking a foul smelling cigar is banging on a cabinet shouting about rent money.

Draignean

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #86 on: August 11, 2014, 06:31:27 pm »

((No, but it might be a little rude to grab the wheel or start messing with the pedals right under him. :P

...oh, why not. >:D))

((Gwrg. Sorry for the delay.))


   Kazren hit his own brakes a split-second after Dust hit the co-pilot's brakes. The long drive over monotonous terrain had given his mind too much time to worry over abstract topics, and his reactions were slower than they should have been. It was a fault he couldn't allow, not when it might get the group stranded in the middle of the Elysian wastes.

   "I will join you," Kazren said to Dust as soon as the transport came to a full and complete stop. "Though, as far as obstacles go, I'm not even sure what 'it' is."

Back Dust up in the field. Also, prevent any unnecessary immediate bloodshed if the obstruction is biological in nature.
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Digital Hellhound

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #87 on: August 12, 2014, 05:37:20 am »

Arlia

Arlia spreads out her ants from her body. They swarm across the inside of the Myrmidon, rather alarming Fenrik and the Everchild when they appear at their feet without warning. There's all kinds of little holes and places her ants can get where she couldn't. As they're making their way towards the engine and the cooling system - a good place for plants to grow - however, Seeker's voice pops up, alarmed.

'Honoured champion, please! You are not to touch the machines of the gods, in any way! You will draw your patron's displeasure with this!'

Whether that's true or not is hard to tell.

Spoiler: Arlia the Shaman (click to show/hide)

***

Road Runners

The vehicle draws to a violent halt as both Dust and Kazren do their best to stop them. It approaches enough before they manage to halt so they can make out the obstruction in the distance. It seems to be a pole, with another set crosswise on top of it. And there's something hanging from it.

Dust and Kazren move up, cautious but brisk. Fenrik covers them from the safety of the APC. [5] There doesn't seem to be any ambush waiting - the wastes are still, and there's little cover for anyone to hide in. Kazren keeps his eye both on the terrain and on Dust to make sure she doesn't attack the first thing that moves. Only the wind and the Myrmidon's engine make any sound, however. They are alone.

Kazren sees the obstruction for what it is when they come close. A man, stripped of clothing, is hanging from the posts, spikes driven through his throat and arms. He is long dead, dried blood staining the wood under him. His torso bears signs of torture - whip-marks, flayed skin, burn wounds - and his hair and scalp appear to have been haphazardly cut away. This is no random victim of wasteland brutality, though - it's a warning, he's sure of it.

He's sure when he sees the wooden placard hanging from his neck. This close, they can smell the rot. Scavenging animals have made off with most of his feet and birds plucked at his face. The words on the sign are shaky, the language poor, but the message is recognizable; 'Thess land is taken bye the Unbegot,' it says.

What they thought were torture marks are that, but more. On his chest have been carved the words 'NO GODS, NO MASTERS' with a butcher's blade. [5] On the ground beside the road, barely visible after days of dust and wind, are faint trackmarks going off into the distance. At least two cars have been here.


Spoiler: The Everchild (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Fenrik (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Dust (click to show/hide)

***
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IronyOwl

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #88 on: August 12, 2014, 07:20:44 am »

Dust cocked her head at the corpse for a bit, waiting to feel something. She furrowed her brow in disappointment a few minutes later, before realizing disappointment counted. She smiled and began trotting cheerfully back to the Myrmidon.

"Well that was productive," she said on getting back inside, sounding pleased. "Shall we go around and continue?"
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Quote from: Radio Controlled (Discord)
A hand, a hand, my kingdom for a hot hand!
The kitchenette mold free, you move on to the pantry. it's nasty in there. The bacon is grazing on the lettuce. The ham is having an illicit affair with the prime rib, The potatoes see all, know all. A rat in boxer shorts smoking a foul smelling cigar is banging on a cabinet shouting about rent money.

Draignean

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Re: Elysium - A World of A Thousand Gods (Chapter I: The Long Red Road)
« Reply #89 on: August 12, 2014, 08:41:17 am »

   "Dust, please ask Arlia if she would would join me while you're on your way back," Kazren said as he inspected the corpse. The shaman would be helpful in picking up the trail, and he suspected that she would be able to see things in the corpse that he could not. Without the Shaman, he settled for taking in the macroscopic analysis.
   Perhaps most importantly, this body was a message that seemed to be explicitly meant for them. The waste was vast, and the odds of anyone else coming across this gory totem before the words had either decayed to illegibility or been stripped by the animals and elements of the waste were slim. It would not, however, be terribly hard to calculate the most likely path for the Transport to take between the God's meeting ground and Atropol. This meant that there was a group that knew at least as much about their mission as Kazren and his companions did. The age of the corpse seemed to further indicate that those who placed it had a significant lead on them. Of course, this was conjecture. It was possible that the encounter with the corpse was random and meant for no one in particular, but that was a coincidence that Kazren did not, and would not, accept easily.
   The corpse's wounds were a secondary concern, made with passion but without intelligence. Those who tortured for fun had the tendency to learn a number of vicious tricks; thin barbed spikes driven through involuntary muscle groups, burning pins at the base of the skull, caustic ashes placed between the toes and inside the nose. This wasn't torture for fun, this was more likely to be torture for punishment and vengeance. Sloppy, and reeking of haphazard mob violence more than planning. The message on the body's chest further reinforced the idea that this was a crime of hate rather than any particular degenerate proclivity. The edges of the letters were broad but clean, dipping noticeably towards the end of the cut. A heavy but sharp blade, probably that of a butcher or similar profession. Further evidence that this group had more common folk and passion than skilled devotees and training.
   Decay and animal damage made it difficult to tell whether the words on the sign differed from those carved into the corpse. However, the phrase 'No Gods, No Masters' seemed of a much more philosophical candor than would normally be produced by the same individual who crudely worded the sign. Of course, even an individual of such little education that he could barely spell would still be easily able to repeat the slogan's of those he followed. The words on the sign revealed much of the same information that could be deduced from the corpses savage wounds, but the word 'Unbegot' was of particular importance. Capitalized, so it was a name of some kind. In this context, it seemed likely that it was a group rather than an individual.  'Unbegot' was a strange word in and of itself, assuming that it was spelled correctly. A first guess would take it to mean 'those who have not been made', when taken in the context of a group, but the further context of the slogan carved into the body's chest changed the meaning further. This was an entire group that believed itself to be not only without Gods, but to have been made without Gods. An unusual distinction that could very well mean that they had a religion based around not having a God.

Kazren waited for Arlia to either arrive or send a message that she wasn't coming, spending the meantime digging a shallow grave for the corpse using his hands and shield.

((DH: Are those tracks still heading in the general direction of our goal?))
« Last Edit: August 12, 2014, 08:44:51 am by Draignean »
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I have a degree in Computer Seance, that means I'm officially qualified to tell you that the problem with your system is that it's possessed by Satan.
---
Q: "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
A: "No, not particularly."
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