Month 0: Hard HittingPrior to your grand launch, the headmistress of this mission, Fang Axefeather, is invited to say a few words. What follows is a two-hour concert, largely of synthetic instruments and voices.
Fang Axefeather, your associate and friend, is not known for her subtlety. Existing, as far as anyone can tell, purely as mystical energies and lights, she most often takes the form of a catgirl, shifting her coloration as whim demands. She's a peerless and terrifying Augmentation Mage, known for preferring unstable creations to more modest enhancements.
In any case, her concert does eventually end, paving the way for actually launching the things.
Barig the Iron Lord
[4, Malus]
The trip between planes is a strange one. Everyone, including you, is placed into stasis chambers to protect from the worst aspects of the void, but "stasis chamber" is something of a misnomer. It doesn't render the targets completely unconscious, and even less so in your case- you're sort of the one piloting this thing.
So you have some advance warning of the... thing you're about to run into, and some advance warning that your plan is failing and you're probably going to run into it. So when you do, it's all the more impressive that the screaming energies wracking your ship startle you. It's difficult to describe what they do, presumably similar to the way snow behaves would be difficult to describe for somebody who's never seen it before, but suffice to say your vessel catches quite a bit of it before making it through safely.
[16, Good]
The landing is considerably better; there's a deep thuddering as your vessel careens into the soil, but it's designed to do that. The locks disengage, and your people begin to emerge.
What follows is mixed news. A river runs through the land not far west, and the land seems decently hilly to boot. It doesn't seem you'll have much difficulty finding a good spot to settle, particularly as all of your initial gear- tents, campfire cookware, and so on- is perfectly fine.
Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends. For one, the world you've landed on is truly alien. The soil is a sort of dark orange color, and a variety of predominantly purple mushrooms and
things grows all around you. Initial prodding suggests they're analogous enough to more normal fare to serve the same functions plant life typically does- as wood and food for
something- but it might take some time before you get acquainted with everything.
The other bit of bad news concerns your people. Some of them have come out of the pods changed, presumably by that mishap in transit. They are sullen and their hands twitch, but the most noticeable effect is that their eyes now appear solid gold. Various methods
can get them to talk, usually rather irritatedly, which confirms they're still themselves to some extent, but they're otherwise incredibly surly and unmotivated. Estimates seem to indicate that every one in ten of your people is now afflicted with this malady; preliminary testing doesn't reveal anything overtly dangerous about it, but doesn't seem to suggest that it's temporary either.
Mayborg
[17, Bonus]
On an ill-advised pass through some particularly fascinating voidstuff, you and your people are subjected to a truly breathtaking view of some connected... well, constellations probably isn't the technical term, but it's close enough. On popping out of their pods, your people are ecstatic over "really seeing everything" like that, and interest in your new home's astronomy goes through the roof.
[8, Poor]
They don't even mind that the ship landed on a beach. On, you know, the watery part of the beach. It landed in four feet of standing water and hauling stuff out of it is now a pain, is basically what you're getting at, here. The tides help sometimes, but other times they bring that to sixteen feet of water; this place does not appear to screw around with regards to tidal strength. Which is curious, as it lacks a visible moon...
Ms. Pretty Obvious, The Lady Ozarcanus
[10, Poor]
You experience turbulence en route, but it just makes the flight more fun.
[17, Bonus]
On the bright side, preliminary scouting efforts reveal a lush, idyllic area fed by waterfalls and then crisscrossed by rivers. It's perfect, or at least as perfect as red-mud mushroom land is going to get before you add your people to it.
Arivaris the Wolf of Trokken
[19, Bonus]
Knowing what you do about the mind and the void, you're a bit less inclined than most to buy into the obvious origins of "The Wolf's Howl," as your people would later call that particular planar anomaly. However, even you were startled when it began resonating, your people echoing it throughout the ship in a chorus of purpose.
Regardless, on exiting their pods, your people were incredibly united in purpose, and in very high spirits. They now feel this expedition has received The Wolf of Eternity's blessing.
[20, CRIT!]
And of course, that was
before evidence started cropping up of real wolves. Well, "real" might be slightly more tenuous than your people are familiar with; the tracks you were shown had a strange quality to them that you couldn't place, but would wager meant something magical. Possibly more concerning is their sheer size; assuming normal proportions, these things are probably larger than horses.
You try to convince your people to be careful, but they don't seem to be having any of it, and are now ecstatic about this new place.
Kee Ti Lax the Thorn Ghost
[13, Good]
The trip is mostly uneventful, at least for your passengers. You see a lot of neat things that are a lot neater from a safe distance, though your people get some occasional glimpses of same as well.
[3, Malus]
Sadly, your landing is not so smooth. The ship kicks as it lands, and on a slightly disorienting exit, it becomes clear why- this place is flooded. You've landed in a marsh, and while scouting reveals more and less marshy areas in your vicinity, dampness definitely seems to be a prevailing feature.
Savaul Havrius
[4, Malus]
Your journey is pleasant and uneventful. Very pleasant and uneventful. Really nothing more to say on that note.
...
Oh! The violet fire, yes. Hardly worth mentioning! But, ah, it did envelop the entire ship, so, you know, maybe a little footnote here or there. Really, fine though, ship's fine!
Though... about one in ten of your
citizens are now flaming incandescently, often in a fire-inappropriate color, and seem to show an odd predilection towards watching things burn. They seem fine, just... preoccupied. And on fire. It doesn't always hurt what they're holding, but they seem poorly disposed towards stopping it, so...
[8, Poor]
Also the landing's a bit rough and the land's a bit rocky, though compared to being so alien in general you suppose neither thing is much to complain about. You mean, yes, the whole ship splits open a bit and everyone complains about the impact, but it's not like you were expecting either to do that again.
Once you've all had a chance to get your bearings, you note your lack of communication with anyone else. According to Fang, she'll work on re-establishing contact once you've arrived; meanwhile, all you need to worry about is yourself. She also said not to start worrying that anything had gone wrong until several months had passed without word.
Barig the Iron Lord (adwarf)
Earth Mage
-
100 Ironclad Farmers
200 Ironclad Miners
95 Ironclad Warriors
50 Ironclad Foresters
25 Ironclad Masons
25 Ironclad Carpenters
5 Ironclad Apprentice Stonesingers
[10% Goldeye Syndrome]
-
Ore Surveyer
3000 Food
Mayborg (Baldman)
Information Mage
-
100 Taunsfolk Raider-Scouts
100 Taunsfolk Farmers
98 Taunsfolk Herders
50 Taunsfolk Craftsmen
50 Taunsfolk Prospector-Miners
30 Taunsfolk Bards
25 Taunsfolk Foresters
20 Taunsfolk Scholars
15 Taunsfolk Wizards
5 Taunsfolk Healers
5 Taunsfolk Career Citizens
2 Taunsfolk Consuls
-
Low Tools
High Amenities
3000 Food
Ms. Pretty Obvious (Ozarck)
Precision Mage
-
75 Human Hydroponicists
50 Human Electronicists
50 Human Magitechs
40 Plains Elf Animal Husbandrists
25 Assorted Entertainers
20 Charming Officers
20 Rock Troll Laborers
10 Thorian Managers
5 Charming Elite Magitechs
5 Collective Lawyers
60 Human Special Infantry
20 Human Magical Combatants
15 Human Special Heavy Weapons
5 Human Special Demolitionists
-
2400 Food
Good Tools
Arivaris the Wolf of Trokken (Detoxicated)
Mind Mage
-
100 Human Miners
80 Human Farmers
70 Human Warriors
50 Human Foresters
30 Human Stonemasons
30 Human Carpenters
30 Human Berserkers
30 Human Apprentices
20 Human Hunters
20 Human Smiths
5 Human Wind Whisperers
20 Human Animal Trainers
3 Human Mind Magic Generals
2 Human Earth Shamans
Kee Ti Lax the Thorn Ghost (VoidSlayer)
Biomancer
-
100 Kobold Farmers
100 Kobold Miners
100 Human Peasants
50 Human Smiths
50 Human Craftsmen
50 Human Warriors
50 Kobold Trappers
-
2000 Food
Quality Mining, Smithing Tools
Badly Damaged Living Wood Building
Savaul Havrius (Nirur)
Enchanter
-
100 Salamander Soldiers
75 Salamander Farmers
75 Salamander Smiths
50 Salamander Miners
50 Salamander Masons
40 Salamander Specialist Crafters
25 Salamander Rangers
25 Salamander Entertainers
20 Salamander Golem Articifers
10 Salamander Bureaucrats
10 Salamander Enchanters
10 Salamander Healers
10 Salamander Pyromancers
[10% Consuming Flame Condition]
-
2500 Food
Good Tools; Golemcrafting/enchantment-heavy
Small herd cattle
Small herd horses
Small flock chickens
((Haha, me and deadlines. Oh man.))
Author
Topic: Masters of a New World [Month 1: Till] (Read 5064 times)