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The Artifact of Atomos Companion Powers

2015-01-18T19:57:47Z

Marduke:

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<big>'''The companions'''</big>

==Rydia== NO LONGER AVAILBLE

Bonus: Hey I found this! Rydia has the power of the seer and just happens to know things. She is always finding things and using them. Rydia will on occasion find something useful to the party, potentially even a key item.

Cost: Play time! Rydia never goes anywhere without her pet Malboro Snuggles. The party will be required once per arc to spend at least an hour playing with the very friendly Snuggles.

==Fusoya==

Bonus: Black Sorcery. Fusoya is one of the oldest and most powerful black sorcerers in the world. One per arc he can step into a battle and cast Ultima on the enemy.

Cost: He’s Old. Fusoya is old, very old even by Lunarian standards. Because of this he is slow. All travel times are doubled and the party cannot leave him behind.

==Cecil==

Bonus: Archeology. Cecil is a highly trained archeologist and can find his way around old ruins. Once per arc he can find a hidden chamber in some ruins or locate an objective location in a area.

Cost: Archeology. Cecil just has to have time to study things! Any set of ruins the party enters Cecil will insist on spending some time to study. This will initiate a holdout encounter where the party will need to hold off a few waves of monsters while Cecil does his research.

==Rosa==

Bonus: The Healers Touch. Rosa is a white wizard by trade and a caretaker. Between battles the players will get a passive regenerations as they are tended by Rosa.

Cost: Do no Harm. Rosa refuses to stand by and let innocent people get harmed. Once per arc she will find a situation and insist the players step in and help.

==Kain==

Bonus: All Aboard. Kain has a airship, and he can get you just about anywhere with that airship. All overland travel times are reduced by half.

Cost: Is that a plane? The problem with a airship is that it is easy to spot. Somewhere along the trip you will be spotted and an event will occur. Can be friendly, can be the Archadian Royal Navy, you never know.

==Edge==

Bonus: Born in the shadows. The presence of this Ninja is rarely seen but always felt. Edge is always watching and has the uncanny ability to eavesdrop on the enemy and overhearing their plans and intents.

Cost: Can I trust you? Every secret has a price, you want what he has learned you have to offer something of your own in return. A character must give up a secret to get a secret.

==Edward==

Bonus: The Bards Tongue. Once per arc Edward can step in and talk the party out of nearly any situation.

Cost: What that a right, or a left? The Moogle is brilliant at getting lost. Once per arc the moogle will find a way to get himself lost and the party will have to go find him.

==Gau==

Bonus: The Scouts Way. Never get lost at anytime during the Arc.

Cost: Unknown

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The Artifact of Atomos Companion Powers

2015-01-18T19:57:24Z

Marduke:

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

<big>'''The companions'''</big>

==Rydia== NO LONGER AVAILBLE

Bonus: Hey I found this! Rydia has the power of the seer and just happens to know things. She is always finding things and using them. Rydia will on occasion find something useful to the party, potentially even a key item.

Cost: Play time! Rydia never goes anywhere without her pet Malboro Snuggles. The party will be required once per arc to spend at least an hour playing with the very friendly Snuggles.

==Fusoya==

Bonus: Black Sorcery. Fusoya is one of the oldest and most powerful black sorcerers in the world. One per arc he can step into a battle and cast Ultima on the enemy.

Cost: He’s Old. Fusoya is old, very old even by Lunarian standards. Because of this he is slow. All travel times are doubled and the party cannot leave him behind.

==Cecil==

Bonus: Archeology. Cecil is a highly trained archeologist and can find his way around old ruins. Once per arc he can find a hidden chamber in some ruins or locate an objective location in a area.

Cost: Archeology. Cecil just has to have time to study things! Any set of ruins the party enters Cecil will insist on spending some time to study. This will initiate a holdout encounter where the party will need to hold off a few waves of monsters while Cecil does his research.

==Rosa==

Bonus: The Healers Touch. Rosa is a white wizard by trade and a caretaker. Between battles the players will get a passive regenerations as they are tended by Rosa.

Cost: Do no Harm. Rosa refuses to stand by and let innocent people get harmed. Once per arc she will find a situation and insist the players step in and help.

==Kain==

Bonus: All Aboard. Kain has a airship, and he can get you just about anywhere with that airship. All overland travel times are reduced by half.

Cost: Is that a plane? The problem with a airship is that it is easy to spot. Somewhere along the trip you will be spotted and an event will occur. Can be friendly, can be the Archadian Royal Navy, you never know.

==Edge==

Bonus: Born in the shadows. The presence of this Ninja is rarely seen but always felt. Edge is always watching and has the uncanny ability to eavesdrop on the enemy and overhearing their plans and intents.

Cost: Can I trust you? Every secret has a price, you want what he has learned you have to offer something of your own in return. A character must give up a secret to get a secret.

==Edward==

Bonus: The Bards Tongue. Once per arc Edward can step in and talk the party out of nearly any situation.

Cost: What that a right, or a left? The Moogle is brilliant at getting lost. Once per arc the moogle will find a way to get himself lost and the party will have to go find him.

==Gau==

Bonus: <fong color='black'>The Scouts Way. Never get lost at anytime during the Arc.

Cost: Unknown

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Atomos: Interlude 2

2015-01-16T23:07:59Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The main party takes it leave following the directions of the librarian. This allowing Tirsta…'

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The main party takes it leave following the directions of the librarian. This allowing Tirstania slip out from behind the group to start seeking her own direction in the library

The Dryad has some time; and she's not about to pass up an opportunity of this magnitutde, especially since she seems not to be needed with the group. They'll fill her in later. She begins to wander on her own, gazing at the various tomes as she passes by them; she knows what she's looking for, more or less, but finding it may be another matter.

Giggles, very familiar giggles can be heard a few rows of books down. The current section of book is a verity of titles but nothing relating to anything interesting.

Tritania's eyebrow perks upwards behind her mask; she turns, and bare feet carry her around the corner, to peer at where her sister is busy... giggling, at something. The dryad crosses her arms, and inclines her head. "Rydia," she intones. "What is it, that is so amusing?"

Only when Rydia is found she seems well to be in ther thirties, taller, and a full fledged woman. She turns and glances back to Tristania with sad syes, "Sister." eyes leveling on Tristania and still wears no mask. "What you seek here will set you on the path you seek, but there are prices that must be paid. The price for this knowledge is high, but I am one of the choosen of Andromeda. I can guide you to this path. I cannot tell you the price, only that it is high and painful. Will you pay this price?"

About to say something else, Tristania looks wholly taken aback. She gazes at Rydia, looking her up and down, top to bottom. "...This is an illusion, or a trick of the library," she murmurs. "Is it? I am correct? ...You cannot possibly have skipped a portion of your life and aged so quickly." Her voice sounds both hopeful, and an ounce... fearful, all at once. The question asked of her, she doesn't answer, just yet.

Rydia offers sad smile, "I live both as the innocent girl you know, and as the woman you see before you. My past and my future sometimes get confused with each other. Makes dinner parties such a hassel." The joke slipping out before she turns serious again, "This is no illusion. Time in the library is not as static as it is int he prime material, and I am certain my younger version is helping my very confused daughter with her homework." A touch of a smile before the sad expression returns. "What is your answer?"

Tristania closess her eyes, and sighs heavily. "I'll make the sacrifice," she murmurs. "Doesn't matter what it is, Rydia. I already lost my grove, it withered and died one tree at a time while I watched, helpless to stop it. It tore my heart asunder, and there remains only one thing in the world that I truely care for; and that's you. So if I can make a sacrifice to stop the same fate befalling you, I'll make it."

"And that is the sacrifice that is made. Tristania, from this day forward you will never cross paths with me again. To save my sister, this is the choice I have made as well Tristania. I am here to set you on the path you will walk anyways, and I hope this time it will be different. I hope you find the right answers this time around in time. Good by dear older sister, maybe someday a path can be found where ours meet again. Until then, I love you." The imsage starting to fade as Rydia reaches down and tapps the floor. Which opens up into a hidden staircase.

"WHAT?!" Tristania shrieks out loud, and dives forwards, seeking to throw her arms around her sister. "You can't be serious! You couldn't tell me?! I would have... I would have cut off my *arms* for you!" She catches nothing but air, and collapses to her knees. A lump comes to her throat, and she bursts into tears; unable to touch her face through the mask, she sits where she is, weeping and shuddering.

The ghostly image of Rydia still fading and turns to where you landed on the floor. Rydia offering a sad smile and a tear dropping from her right eye and landing on the ground where it suddenly crystalizes before you. Her voice can be heard after she disappears completely, "Nothing is truly lost sister dear. Find the right answers you seek, amid all the wrong ones. Find them in time to save yourself... from yourself. Only then can we see each other again." With that the voice is gone, the only thing left is the crystalized tear on the ground.

Tristania watches the single tear splash on the ground, and crystalize. She sucks in a deep breath, letting it out slowly; ginger fingers reach out to touch the tear drop, and after making sure it isn't also going to vanish, she picks it up. The small object is held in her hands, like some vastly important treasure; carefully, she wraps it in a bit of cloth and tucks it into her clothes, against her breast. "I love you, Rydia," she murmurs. "And I'll still give my life to protect yours." She pulls herself up to her feet, and wills herself forwards; down into the trap door, and down the stairs.

The hallway is dark and dusty. As you get off the last step you end up in a long hallway where the books are covered in dust and the shelves are made out or of rib bones. Several books line the shelves, each one relating to death, undeath, cycle, and dying.

Tristania stares at the forbidden library she has found herself in, and inclines her chin. This is, afterall, what she came for. She sacrificed for it; she damn well ought to have a look, now that she's here. She peels the mask off her face, and drops it on the floor behind her as she approaches the shelves. Uncertain as to what to look at first, her fingertips brush along the spines of the tomes, before she selects one and carries it to the lectern, letting it fall open as it may.

The book falls open and flips on its own through several pages, only to come to a stop near the end. "The binding of the spirit to a body can create a intelligent and sustainable undead. As described in earlier chapters with the creation of Skeletons, zombies, and other basic undead. The next chapter will describe how to make intelligent forms of undead base on the following principles..."

Words flow past Tristania's eyes, and it doesn't take long before she realizes what she's reading. She slams the book shut so hard she knocks it off the lectern, and staggeres back away from it, breathing heavily. She looks up, and around, as if suddenly fearful that she is being watched, somehow, by... someone, something, the walls, who knows?

The room stays quiet, only the surprised dust from her movement is any indication of something living is there. The book she slammed shut lifts up and moves back to its spot on the shelf and settles in. The title on the book, "The Living Book of Undead."

Tristania pants softly, reaching up to rest one hand on her chest. She gulps audibly, and her expression looks... strained. "Why... why send me here, Rydia?" She shakes her head, "I don't understand... but you wouldn't've..." She trails off, and moves to pick a different book. This time, she eyes the title, before letting it fall open as she did the one before, sinking down to sit cross-legged with it.

The first book that seems to have the most reasonable title is "Cheating Death". This one seems to not have any unnatural life about it as you flip through the pages. The chapters are all on different methods of escaping death. Immortality potions, body snatching, and various other techniques.

Well. This one seems relatively safe. Tristania's brow furrows, and she flips back to the beginning of the book. It's quite unlikely she'd be allowed to take it with her; but Rydia did say that time is fluid, in the library. She licks her lips, and mmms softly, settling in to read the book... if undisturbed, she'll go through it cover to cover, all in one go.

You will find out you only have a hour with the book before things start to get wierd. With eyes starting to show up between the books watching you and things moving on their own. A feeling of being watched and unwelcome quickly starts to fill the chamber along with longer and longer shadows. What you do get to read is part of the first chapter, "What is Death?" The chapter unfortently has no answers as to why death happens only that it does and some of the theories behind the spirit and hows.

The Dryad stands, slamming the book shut. She stands, and puts the book back where she found it; around her shadows gather, do they? "I didn't come down here to be chased off by apparitions," she snaps. "Remain in your shadows and observe." She picks a different book off the shelf, this one at random; feeling time growins short she flips it open, and starts reading, furiously scanning the page as quickly as she can.

The book she opens the first words on the page are, "Your time down here is up." Then slams shut and attempts to bite at her hand before it flies back to the shelf. The shadows grow longer and one of them covers over a foot. The foot starts to feel icy cold and dead the very life seeming to be drained out of it.

"Damn you... Damn you!" Tristania recoils from the shadow; then she snatches up her mask, hurriedly afixing it in place.. "I made a sacrifice... I... I deserve more time! I *need* it!" She snatches at another book and attempts to rip out a page; this time she does get bitten and her fingers bleed openly. In a burst of rage, she braves the shadows to hurl as many of the books on the floor as she can in one furious motion, before turning to run back for the stairs.

The shadows chase after you until the light from the library hits. Where you step out though is not where you stepped in from. At least you are able to figure that out once your eyes are no longer being blinded. You are at the entrance again and the librarin stands before you frowning. Then lets out a heavy sigh, "I do not know what is going on but it seems you are to be rented a book." Reaching under the desk and holding out a book to you titled, "The Book of Death."

Tristania stares at the man, waiting for her eyes to adjust. At first, she doesn't fully comprehend his meaning; she looks at him, then the book, then back to him. "...I see," she murmurs. She reaches out numbly, to take the book off his hands; she gazes at the title, and nods once, the beak of her mask accenting the motion. She gazes at the librarian for a moment, before she tucks the tome under her arm and turns to go, feeling... dizzy, and numbed.

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

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The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2015-01-16T23:03:01Z

Marduke:

Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot

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--The Beginning--

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 5]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 6]]

[[Atomos: Interlude 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 7]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 8]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 5]]

--Act 2--

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 5]]

[[Atomos: Interlude 2]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 6]]

[[Atomos: Cardia Islands Part 1]]

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2015-01-16T23:02:31Z

Marduke:

Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

--The Beginning--

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 5]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 6]]

[[Atomos: Interlude 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 7]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 8]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 4]]

--Act 2--

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 5]]

[[Atomos: Interlude 2]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 6]]

[[Atomos: Cardia Islands Part 1]]

Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 5

2015-01-16T22:57:46Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The Party has just reached the Akashic Library. Bookshelves reach as far as the eye can see f…'

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The Party has just reached the Akashic Library. Bookshelves reach as far as the eye can see from the entrance. Mephisto was standing on a upper balcony and offered a smile to Ainsley before stepping backwards and disappearing from sight. Rydia and Snuggles are currently no longer with the part having stayed behind back in the real world. Talen is also currently missing from the party having been split and not reuinated.

Zhgir, for his part, seemed to be rather upbeat about the whole tag business. Even though one of his arms were sticking out oddly, one of the others were bandaged heavily and he had and obvious bruise discoloring his ashen grey skin by the side of his temple. "Zhgir thinks we should do that again!" He comments to the rest of the party cheerfully, with only one arm raised up above his head.

"...Hn," is Alba's reply to Zhgir's exuberance. "Then I wish you joy of it." Peering at Zhgir's disjointed arm, then at Ainsley, the Viera looses a quiet huff. "...When my Shaman returns, Zhgir, he will need to see to your wounds." Though for all her bluster and standoffishness, the shelf upon shelf upon shelf of books seems to catch her eye, more than occasionally.

Ainsley is, in contrast with Zhgir, winded by the game of tag and pretty much done with the whole idea of traps. She had gone through the whole thing and gotten a few bruises and cuts along the way, but found that she had avoided getting slimed /too/ much by the disgusting stink monster. Once they reached the library she let out a soft sigh... and looked up at Mephisto. A little wave is given in his direction before he disappeared from sight. Alba's comment gets a lazy, "If you insist he should do it," Ains being apparently not as concerned about everyone's injuries since none of them require immediate attention from her viewpoint. Even Zhgir's wounds were a low priority thanks to his cheerful attitude. Instead, she wandered into the library proper and began examining the spines of the books stocked on all of the shelves, distracted by the sheer volume of literature.

Talen steps into the library itself, from an entirely different direction than the others, yawning loudly and at length as he stretches. He pauses to shut the door hidden behind a swinging bookshelf, and then steps back to marvel at the vast store of knowledge. "Hnn. So where's the librarian then?" The Viera rubs at the back of his head, his ears turning towards the others, and he glances to them and waves. "Hey, you made it!" Talen bounds to Alba, and then skitters to a stop before her, wrapping his arms about her in a hug.

The books Ainsley is looking over start with childrens tales ranging from the One Bomb Two Bomb Red Bomb Blue Bomb to the Little Airship That Could. The Library soon appears and sits down at the reception desk. Looking over the group the creature nods and motions for them to come over, "How can I help you?"

Zhgir waves his broken hand assuringly towards Alba. "It is fine, Zhgir thinks he only snapped his exoskeleton." He assures the female viera. Then, after a moment. "But Zhgir will do as queen commands either way!" He adds with a hurried rush and then quickly bounds away, soon instead hovering by Ainsley and staring at the books she is studying with blank-er looking eyes.

Alba stiffens slightly as Talen throws his arms around her, but it is by now reflex, not opinion. Cupping the Summoner's head, she returns the hug briefly. "All is well, my shaman?" she murmurs, then nods to Zhgir. "That one, injured. Our companion's.... pet... is altogether over-free with his... affections." As the Librarian appears, her eyes flick to Talen, then Ainsley, then back to the counter, nodding in curt, silent greeting.

Ainsley sticks her tongue out, briefly, as she notes that none of the GOOD books are readily available for locating. She returns to the group as the Librarian shows up, and offers a friendly wave in that direction. She notices that Zhgir is following her around, though, and turns to look at him quizzically. She doesn't say anything to him. To the Librarian, she says, "We're looking for oooold old maps of islands in the ocean. We're looking for a chain called the Cardia Islands." She flashes a big toothy smile, "Do we need a card or token or is our only responsibility staying quiet and not disturbing the other visitors?"

Talen enjoys the return hug, however brief, "I can safely say that I have been better, though, I have been a lot worse. The journey here has not be entirely kind." His ears stand straight up as he looks over at Zhgir and notes his condition. "Give me a few minutes then, and I shall see to his hurts. Are you well, my Hunter?" The male Viera begins eyeing Alba more closely, searching for injuries and not finding any. He steps away presently to begin fussing over Zhgir, though his ears remain focused on the female Viera. A white glow envelopes one of his hands, while the other tugs carefully at bandages. "Which of your wounds hurt the most, Zhgir, I'll start with those to ease the pain." As the feathered lizzy wizzy steps forward to talk with the Librarian, he watches carefully, eyeing the Librarian with great curiosity.

The Librarian pauses at that, "A name I have not heard in a very long time, in oh say... 8 ages I think. Before the moon fell, before even the time of Mako. A intereting request you ask of me, though permission to see those maps I cannot give you. You will have to obtain permission from one of the spirits who hold power over this realm. Either Mephisto, or Ramah. You are in luck though, both are in the library at this time, and both seem to be waiting for you. Pick your path" Motioning first to the stairs up to the second platform, and another down a aisle of books.

Zhgir seemed to momentarily attempt to walk over Talen as he appears in front of him, so focused he was on his goal - but then he snaps back to the reality. Twitching his palps, he then reaches out with one of his uninjured hands and then begins to guide Talen's healing, mostly towards areas that didn't seem to require healing. Free glowing things! "Zhgir thinks Libraries are quite strange."

Alba remains silent as the choice is offered, once again looking from Talen to Ainsley, ears cocking in such a way as to suggest the two most inclined to deal with the Spirits, make the decision. For herself, the Viera is clearly torn between her fascination with the printed word, and her disdain of all things beyond the mortal realm.

Ainsley looks at the Librarian only for a second. She blinks once. And then she turns and starts wandering down the aisle of books. Seems like it took only a moment for her to decide where to go. She hums a soft song to herself as she walks. "Ramuh must be this way. Mephisto is on the upper floor, I saw him a minute ago," she says to the others, almost as if she only just remembered she was along with a party of people. "I've never actually gotten to speak with him..." she muses aloud, almost at a whisper, "This should be nice."

Talen blinks at Zhgir, and gives the arachnid a swat on the shoulder. "None of that." He thrusts his hand into Zhgir's chest, and one white flash later, most of Zhgir's hurts are on the mend. His eyes stray to Alba a moment, watching her fascination with the row upon row of bookshelves. The male Viera's ears perk up though, and he turns to look at the Librarian at the mention of Ramuh. He goes to say something, and then watches Ainsley wander off. Talen gestures to the lizard woman, "Quickly, we should follow her." He gives Zhgir a nudge side and then trots off after Ainsley. "Thank you for deciding upon Ramuh.", he says to her as he falls in step behind her.

The maze of books and book shelves goes on for a while. From books of history, of magic, of monsters and fiends, and even of into books of cities. As another corner is rounded you all walk upon a old man with a very long beard sitting at a table. He is leafing through a book titled, "Talen." Several other books rest on the table before him titled, "Zhgir", "Ainsley", and "Alba". The old man glances up and smiles to the group then goes back to his reading, "Welcome to the Akashic Library. Let me see, we have the One Who Despises the Spirits, the Unrestratined Curiosity, the Inconsitant Mind, and the one Chasing the Mist." Ramuh glancing back up, "Sound about right?"

Zhgir raises up his hands in wild gesture to toss away his binds, before following after the other. He didn't seem to have much more to add to the discussion, before suddenly he notices the books on the table. And he grows very distinctly pale, about instantly disappearing from the immediate sight behind the party. A more observant figure might notice a set of peering eyes hovering from atop a nearby bookshef.

"Hn," Alba says, a noncommittal noise that could be assent, or illustration. Apparently somewhere along the line she managed to pick up the value of silence over uncivility. Talen's hand gets squeezed once, briefly; this job, she leaves to him.

"Pfft," Ainsley replies to Ramuh's comment, flippant to his words, "Read the part near the end of the Whisper arc there. There's some restraint now. Some." She points at the book that has her name on it in particular. Though she seems to be taking the whole judgmental eyeballing pretty well. "I'm a scholar, sir, if I didn't have wild curiosity, I wouldn't be very good at discovering new or forgotten knowledge, would I?" A beat. "We're looking for an old map, from a previous age. The Cardia Islands. They probably aren't called that anymore, if they even exist in the same form."

Talen slows to a stop just short of being in polite speaking range, eyeing the book in the Spirit's hand. The male Viera looks rather disconcerted for a few moments, but shortly steps forward to stand beside Ainsley. Ramuh is given a rather deep bow. "We are honored, Lord Ramuh, by your presence. And we would ask of you the knowledge that Boundless Curiosity here speaks of." He quickly hides a hint of a cheeky smile. "And you are correct, you name us well. There is much I would ask of you, at any other time, and supplicate myself on a pilgrimage. But if you know our stories, then you know we've a more pressing deed to attempt."

Ramuh offers a smile, "A two edge sword, one that you learn from but also one that cuts you. The wording was descriptive, not insulting." Ramuhs' voice soft and gentle as he smiles towards Ainsley. Reaching over and tapping the book titled "Ainsley" then saying, "It also says you are quick to anger." A glance then to Talen as he stands up and offers a bow back, "Emissary of Ifrit, a pleasure to have you here. Please take a seat." Putting the book titled "Talen" down. "Of your desire to find the Cardia Islands, a interesting task. Though you know not the path you walk, even the stars shake in what paths they show. All lead to one, the summoning of Atomos in this world. No path can lead from it once the events were set in motion. If you desire to continue to walk this path." Ramuh look to each in turn, including the spider hiding up on the bookshelf. "Know this." Eyes looking back to the group as a whole, "The great spirit Atomos grows restless in his prison and the mask serves his will. He will awaken into the world through the Aritfact. If you walk this path it may even be by your hand, but at least you will have a hold of it and perhaps the ability to do something with it after to prevent it again. Do you accept this?"

Zhgir simply hangs above the bookshelves, slowly crawling around the mysterious figure down below in an attempt to find a blind spot. The talkin gis left largely to the rest of the group for the moment, as the sneaky arachnid continues to be sneaky!

From behind the mask, comes a slow, slightly impatient breath. "If it is a thing that must be, then let it be, and let it be done with as soon as it is needful."

Ainsley sticks her tongue out at Ramuh, which is a bit rude, but... "Nyeh~" She seems unaffected, beyond her mild negative reaction to his second comment toward her past. "All of my anger is well-contained now. What could I be angry about now, anyways? You read the book, after all, you should know." She crosses her arms, becoming more serious, though not grim in the slightest. "I'm willing to do this. If it's going to happen anyways, it may as well be by the hands of people who are going to clean up any messes it's going to cause. Right?" She glances over at Talen. She thumbjerks at him. "And I can help him out with some trials, if you allow me to." Her eyes sparkle with mirth and curiosity, hoping for a positive reaction.

"It seems an unfair task set before us, and I have often wondered, in the darker moments of this journey, if it might be better that the Spirits reach out and pluck the Mask from its place and hide it away again. Being this close to the precipice colours one's judgement though." Talen rubs at his chin, his ears laying almost flat to his head. "But I started this journey, and I am determined to finish it, despite doubts and worries, and wishing that I could run and hide, and keep my mate safe." He glances at Ainsley, raising an eyebrow at her suggestion, not to mention her cheekiness towards Ramuh. "I suppose I could suffer through her assistance.", he says, again hiding a smile before it becomes too broad. "We will do what we must do, and prevent the ending of everything. Will there be Mists to Seek, once this is done? I... I do dare to seek Exodus, but then, you would know that, yes?"

Ramuh offers a smile towards Ainsley, "If he wishes for my pact, he must be tested alone. Which." Glancing to Talen, "Has the option to do if he so wishes. In his journy further though he will need help from many friends, including yourself if you wish to give it. Your determination Ainsley has proven strong in the task you have already faced." He taps the book titled "Aisnely and it vanishes. Then Ramuh offers a sad smile towards Talen, "We have done such, we have even destroyed it a dozen times over. Each time it returns, and each time it proves to be impossible for us spirits to find by ourselves. We can only find where it has been used for obvious reasons, but not where it is going or who has it. The task is unfair, there is truth in that." Ramuh returns to sitting and smiles again to the group, "The task it set. I will grant you permission to enter into the 3rd Era Archives. Touch nothing but the maps, and take nothing from the archives." A glance to Zhgir, "There is a special key in it for you if you follow those rules." Then looking back to Talen, "To seek Exodus you have many trials before you, one of which stands next to you. Exodus will only consider those who walk together seeking the spirits, not one who disdains and one who seeks."

Zhgir slowly withdraws his hand from towards the book laying on the table; "unwittingly" the one with his title. "Zhgir has no concept what is being referred to, but he will agree to this barter." He says nonchalantly as he straightens and crosses his arms across his chest - though one of his eyes visibly shift towards the spirit, as if to see how well his facade was holding up.

Ainsley glances over to Alba uncertainly, thinking on the woman's reaction and Ramuh's words. Being someone who wasn't a huge fan of the Spirits at one point, Ainsley is put into a fairly thoughtful mood by the idea of helping someone cope with just... accepting the Spirits and their oddities. She shakes her head slowly. To Talen, she says, "While it feels as if the Spirits are neglectful, I believe that they try different approaches each Age, like an evolving government." She gestures at Ramuh, "It's just the way the world works, and how the laws were set up. To change that, there would need to be an upheaval so grand that we would be unlikely to remember, if we even survived, what we were even so fussy about. The Spirits have their hands tied, I'm afraid, keeping the natural order intact. As long as Atomos has any tie to the mortal realm, I gather the Mask will continue to exist, just to act as one of the few tokens to show he still exists. He doesn't have the temples or minor shrines the other Spirits do." She blinks a couple times, realizing she was rambling... then shrugs her shoulders and browses the shelves again, at least until everyone is done talking to Ramuh.

Talen's ears flatten against his head also, almost at the same moment as Alba's, and while SHE might be wearing a look of anger or annoyance behind her mask, Talen's is one of sadness. "It is something I have hoped that would never come to be. I cannot fault her reasons for disdaining spirits. And I do not know if I could even dare ask her to find it in herself to forgive what has happened, or to change what a lifetime of pain has taught her. I had hoped I had enough in me to be worth two." He takes a breath, his ears slowly standing tall once more. "But that is not here or now. To the third era archives we go." The male Viera looks to Ainsley then, and nods slowly at her words. "I don't think they are neglectful, not really. It has just been a long journey, and there have been moments of darkness." He pauses as she blinks, and then he peers to Ramuh. "Would a shrine or Temple to Atomos change things any?"

Ramuh looks sad as well, "There is some truth in what you said Ainsley, we do have our rules. The reasons and complications are a long discussion and a painful one. Both for us and for you." Ramuh's smile stays sad as he stands up moving over to a bookshelf. "We do not interfer with the affairs of the world, but we would never abandon it. We have our ways of helping the world indrectly. The Priest follow our ways and our teachings, while the summoners earn our favors to call upon our powers. Yet, they can use their gives from us as they wish in the world. Think of it this way, Ifrit gave Talen a gift, a pact, because he believes in Talen and what he stands for. As such I will offer Talen a chance to earn my pact, because I believe he has the value needed to wield some of my power. Should you choose to accept the test." Ramuh looks to Talen smiling a bit. "As for a shrine to Atomos, a bad idea. Atomos is the spirit of gluttony, apathy, and consuming hunger. The less the world knows of him the better. A temple or shrine will only make him appear more. The Artfact makes it way back into the world every time, this is the longest it has been absent and we do not know what or why we got this long break. If you could figure that out and use it that would be best." Then the spirit pulls a book and a click is heard, a hidden set of stairs appearing in the floor leading down."

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Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 3

2015-01-16T22:52:19Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The Bandits prove to be no easy fight. Several of them step back to quickly regroup and draw …'

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The Bandits prove to be no easy fight. Several of them step back to quickly regroup and draw swords, proving at least somewhat organized. One of them comments, "I was hoping we were playing dice." The one Alba hit attempts to break away from here while another one steps in to help seperate the two. The one breaking away pulling out a potion. The others are all drawing melee weapons to start circling around those who got up close. In all there are about six bandits.

Zhgir holds up his hands. "We are not playing dice?" He asks, hanging upside down from an convenient branch, two of his other hands holding his polearm. "Hey, one with the bottle goes first!" He then quips as he notices the glint of a potion - and with his deft fingers, flicks the cube shaped bone at the potion, perhaps trying to knock it away from the bandit's hands, or perhaps merely trying to play a game.

The Potion gets knocked out of the bandits hand and falls to the ground a couple of feet away.

Talen grunts as the bandits start to organize, and the fire in his hand sputters, his voice changing slightly as he begins a different spell. A small, starlike matrix begins to form instead. [Spell Burst] "I shall watch your flanks as best I can, my Hunter." The flicked cube draws a grin from Zhgir. "Nice shot, add it to your collection if you can!"

Alba's daggers flash and flicker as she darts from one target to another, her voice a cackle, just audible above the din of battle. Harrying tactics, it seems, she's using at the moment; attacking to wound, lightly or heavily matters not, and moving on to the next.

"Fools," Tristania hisses, seething as she backs away from the bandits. She gestures at them with her knobkerrie like she really means it, taking another step back before pushing the weapon back through her belt. "They are fools. And they will die like fools." She pulls a crude doll of burlap and straw from her belt, along with a small collection of bone needles; and at the bandit she had attacked moments before she gazes, as she stabs the doll straight through the stomach with one of the carven spikes. [Poison]

The bandits are quickly working to circle around Alba and Tristania, their blades starting to slice out at the two. Zhgir is mostly ignored as he is hanging from a branch and throwing what appears to be dice right now. Talen is to far away for them in the moment in the darkness. The bandit who lost his potion breaks out into a run and works on trying to get away.

Zhgir continues to stare at the chaos with his wide round eyes, holding onto the dice. "... Zhgir?" He lets out, then swings off the branch and moves to pick up the potion, before chasing after the bandit. "Hey! Zhgir thinks you dropped this!" He helpfully flails at the bandit, while trying to catch up to the figure and take him down. With webs; if he needs to. It's so awful to lose things.

Talen grumbles audibly as the bandits begin to surround them, and he thrusts his hand out while voicing another spell, and several gouts of fire arc towards the bandits, even the one running away. "Fire in the hole!", he calls out in warning to Alba and Tristania.

On her second circuit of the outer edges of the group, Alba skids to a halt opposite Tristania. "Hehhh," she breathes, "if fools they are, and like fools they die, fitting it is, perhaps, that they fight like fools." As she speaks, the carvings on her mask seem to... skitter, and crawl, rearranging themselves into a spiky, swirling-star pattern remeniscent of the 'face' of a Malboro. Drawing in a deep breath, she lunges forward, loosing a foul, terrible gust of poisonous back wind; the sort that Rydia, specifically, may find familiar.

Tristania arches a brow behind her own mask, gazing back at the similarly concealed Viera. She merely steps back, lowering her hands as she watches the terrible black vapors washing over the bandits. "Appropriate," she states, signalling her approval. Her gaze goes to Zhgir, and the one fool that he chases; her lips quirck upwards, and she stabs a different needle into her doll as she stares at the spider's quarry. [Slow]

The bandits get hit by fire, poison, and then slow all pretty much at once in their perspective. They all stagger backwards and start to drop down dying well, slowly. The one that Zhgir is chasing will fall over dead just as the spider catches up with a arrow in his back. Gau is sitting nearby on a hill watching it all, "Humpf." All he offers as he stands up, "Letting one potentially get away is foolish." A glance to Zhgir, "At least you are smart to chase. Now put out your fire and get ready to move, the main camp is headed this way." The man turning to start walking.

Zhgir stares at the corpse, and the reappearance of the mysterious stranger from before. He then turns around to face the rest of his party, and raises two of his hands. "Zhgir is smart!" He exclaims, before making sure to [Scavenge] the body for anything of not-importance.

Talen watches Gau as he turns and starts walking way, and his gaze shifts to Alba, peering at her, no doubt wondering what her response will be. "I suppose that's probably best, I guess. At least, getting away from here before the others show up."

Alba draws herself to her full height, ears lowering slightly as Gau takes a walk. "Hn," she snorts, and turns toward camp. "Blind wetlander believes it was *allowed* to escape? He knows not Zhgir." Which, at least in the minds of Talen and Zhgir, have to be the closest Alba has ever managed to come, to admitting that Zhgir is more competent and reliable than he seems. "Come, let us break camp."

Tristania calmly withdraws the needles from her doll, and tucks the lot back where they were before hte fight started. She hhnnhs softly, a sound closely immitating the one Alba made moments earlier. "I suppose we shall find out if this Gau is trustworthy," she mutters. The dryad wanders back to the camp, and crosses her arms. "Rydia! We are going."

Moiraine walks back over to the party, twisting the haft of her hammer, the metal components whirling back into each other, packing back down until by the time the blouse and dress sporting moogle reaches the party it is once more a cane. "This was most... convinient for you Master Gau... a bandit attack just were you can show up to offer us your help...." she tilts her head, pom-pom swaying, "I hope you are truew to your word master Gau."

Gau glances to Alba, "Sandlander, escape or not, he was about to use a call horn. I know not Zhgir, but I know them. Your arrogance will get you killed here." The man's voice direct and a softer more friendly smile offered to Moiraine, "As for the convience, if you believe in the worst of people you will always find it. Make what connections you will, but your being lost was not my fault. You can follow, or you can stay, if you do follow keep up." The man still walking not bothering to stop the entire time. Rydia offers a yawn and a pout, "But I waaaanaa sleep." She offers in a pouty voice, but gets up and pokes Snuggles, who is a much deeper sleeper until the Malboro wakes up.

Zhgir turns to stare towards Alba, watching her walk past him. It takes him a moment further, as he slips his illgotten goods, a horn and yet another potion, into his everpresent satchels. Sidling closer towards Talen, he whispers to the summoner, "The queen feeling light in the head?" As for Gau, he just offers helpfully to the conversation, "Zhgir trusts this obviously smart man smartly."

Talen raises an eyebrow at Zhgir's question, and he shakes his head. "She does not trust him because there are too many coincidences. There are those who prey upon people heading on pilgrimages or hunting parties. Gau approached us in a way that has raised Alba's suspicions. If he is truely a decent person, she'll eventually settle down. But she will watch him."

Alba does not comment further, only beginning to throw dirt onto their fire, and gather up what little of the camp they'd set out. The meat, rolled up in a separate bundle to sling over her shoulder. "It matters not; move we must, for if there is not the great camp of bandits coming to us, it may be that they will be led. It angers me greatly, but if we are to go on, we must follow the Gau."

Tristania grunts softly at her sister. "It doesn't matter. We are moving. Survival first, you should understand this." She pauses, and visibly glowers. "And we are in the company of people we do not trust. You should *Wear a Mask*. I have a spare. I will not complain if you take it off later, just... for now. It is important."

Moiraine leaves Tristania to deal with Rydia and her Malboro friend and walks over to join Alba and walks alongside her, the moogle's cane proving to be an effective walking tool as she moves in quiet contemplation after Gau.

Gau leads the way through the wilderness and up several cliffs until you are on top of a large hill. Glancing back you will see the valley starting to light up with fires everywhere are bandit search paries are looking for you. Gau glances back, "The Crimson Ears, foolish, but deadly. I am heading to the Steppe, you can follow, keep up." Turning to continue on his way. Rydia glares daggers at Trsitania then sighs and accepts the mask, only to toss it over one of the cliffs with a whoops and a unapologetic sorry.

Zhgir holds up the dice between his outstretched fingers. "Can we then finally play the game? Zhgir is eager to fatten his keyload." He grins widely from ear to ear (which in his case, veers towards the literal). Beyond that, he simply waits for an opportunity to climb into something, this whole lack of proper hiding places in the landscape is very unnatural for him.

Talen lets out a bit of a giggle watching Rydia 'accidentally' lose her mask, and he stifles the rest with a hand. He moves to walk at Alba's side. "It seems my quests do much to anger you, my Hunter." His ears do a little bit of a dance before angling back on his head. "Had I any choice in the events I would not have it this way." The male Viera looks back to Zhgir, "Erm, you probably won't find many bandits with many keys, I would guess." His gaze then settles on Moiraine. "I am still surprised to see the High Priestess galavanting around on a pilgrimage. Especially one such as ours."

"It is not the fault of my Shaman," Alba mutters, her voice a sullen growl. "The sands blow as they will, and all that may be done is to take care that they do not scour us away in the passing." Blowing out a breath beneath her mask, she watches Tristania try and impose her will on her sister, and shakes her head. "As am I, wife of my Captain. I had not thought that the cities would grow so dull."

Tristania grinds her teeth, and scrambles down the embankment to retrieve the mask. "As you wish," she states, quite calmly as she reclaims her ground, and dusts herself off. "if we encounter a Judge, or any of similar ilk, then once they have seen your face I shall simply have to slaughter them, Rydia. You leave me no choice." The Dryad quirks her lips upwards in a pleasant smile and picks up her pace, passing her sister and watching to see where Gau leads the group.

Moiraine smiles at Talen, "I may be High Priestess but I still can learn much from a trip like this." She gestures toward the valley behind then continues the trek upwards, "And sometimes it makes more sense to send me then one of my Neophytes, I have skills others do not." she flicks her wings and glances at Alba and Talen, "It has nothing to do with being bored but I am here because my Lord has told me this is a good place for me to be."

Rydia sticks her tongue out at Tristania, "How many hundreds of years ago was that? Dont wanna live in fear!" Crossing her arms as she rides on Snuggles keeping up with the group. Gua glances back, but he offers no comments to the group. The man does not stop for hours until he comes to a rocky path and then he stop. "Here you, head that way." He offers pointing north, "Stay alive." Before he turns south to start walking off.

Zhgir stares up towards the rocky path, and then the retreating back of the stranger. "Zhgir thinks he likes the nice person." He offers to the group, before he then begins to head along, the arachnoid not pausing for conversation.

Talen grins to Zhgir and offers a shrug. "Oh, you can like him, just be careful is all I am suggesting." He looks to Alba then and nods, "Well, the only fault of mine is convincing you to come with me. Which I accept full responsibility for." Tristania's casual suggestion at murdering Judges has him raising his eyebrows. To Alba he says, "That is no mean feat to say it so casually." The male Viera smiles to Moiraine then, nodding. "Oh, it is not to say your skills are not needed or that you could not learn. I am just surprised someone so prominent is allowed to leave practically unattended. I would have thought there'd be a half dozen attendants and guards hurrying after you."

"Shaman," Alba snorts, "she has married a Sky Pirate. Well you know what this means. As well I know what it means, to walk the Shaman's path with him." One last, narrow-eyed glare is thrown at Gau's retreating back, then she turns north. "So, and so. Now we shall see how worthy of trust this one is."

Tristania lifts her hands in the air, an act of exasperation. "Sister. I do not live in fear. I have *never* lived in fear. I simply follow the traditions and do what is *sensible*." She shakes her head, and is apparently content to let the matter drop there, at least for now. "We should spread out," she suggests, looking back to the rest of the group. "If it is an ambush it would be well if all of us were not caught in it."

Moiraine chuckles softly and shakes her head, "My guards where not happy to let me go on my own. But when Lord Mog commands we obey kupo and he comamnded and so here I walk... besides I left Leetle at home with the children. He needed some bonding time with the kupo-fluffs." she glances at Tristania and ods, "Sensible words," and breaks to the left, walking level with Alba still but now with some distance between them.

Gau fades off into the distance never breaking away from the path. Rydia sticks her tongue out at Tristania, "A tradition built on fear." Offering another pout before she bounces off to the side of the road and disappears for a bit. The areas on both side of the path appear to be clear and lacking any hostile people of any kind. Just over the next ridge is a vast sear of grass. On a hill in the center of this sea of grass is a marble grey temple with four huge towers.

Zhgir for his part, disappears into the grass. A deft eye could see that some of the grass starts to move by itself in a singular direction, up until a pile of it suddenly raises out of nowhere. "Steve thinks temple is this way." Someone who is definitely not an arachnid offers, pointing towards the temple.

Talen's face gets a thoughtful look and he nods at what Alba suggests. And Moiraine gets a grin. "I hope he is having fun." He looks off into the distance at the temple in the distance, and he looks back to Alba. "We shall see indeed how worthy a guide he is."

'Steve's' guidance prompts a snort from Alba, but for a moment she just stands on the edge of the ridge, taking in the sight of the vast, moonlit grassland. Drawing in a deep breath, she resumes her journey, glancing toward Tristania now and again, a speculative set to her ears.

The dryad resumes her walk, and glances over towards 'Steve', before turning her gaze to the marble temple. "Interesting," she mutters, speaking to nobody in particular. Her hand rests on her knobkerrie, and she briefly returns the look from Alba. Tristania checks her spacing from her other companions, and merely continues. "Rydia, be careful," she urges, speaking to the air in lieu of her sister's face. "It is dangerous here. Please do not make it difficult for me to protect you if need be."

Moiraine looks up and kupo-pos softly and tilts her head, "Well that looks like the right temple kupo... it's still quite a walk away though kupo-po... four towers, marble, certainly looks like the Library."

Rydia hopes out of the grass and walks over to Talen, holding out a set of marbles, blue, green, yellow, orange, and violet. She then skips off, "Get to see Uncle Rammy soon!" Giggling as she does so. A storm is starting to gather and the winds are slowly picking up. A couple of acolytes greet the party at the gates, "Greetings Pilgram and guardians, welcome to the Temple of the Sage. Best be getting inside, a storm is coming in."

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Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 2

2015-01-16T22:45:56Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos There is not much excitment in the port city. The streets are bustling with people coming and…'

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There is not much excitment in the port city. The streets are bustling with people coming and going, the tarverns are all crowded with plenty of drunk people. Rydia makes her way to the front gates almost immediently, not feeling comfortable in the city and Malboro's do not make good first impressions on most people. As the party gets ready to leave the city at the gates a stranger aproaches them. Wearing a straw hat and a dusty brown pancho. He lifts up his head and tips his hat. A piece of straw btween his teeth as he smiles to the group. "Leaving for the north are you, and a varied lot you are. Pilgrams I would say, and heading to the Cerobi steppe. Your going to need a guide then. Names Gau, and I am your guide."

There is not much excitment in the port city. The streets are bustling with people coming and going, the tarverns are all crowded with plenty of drunk people. Rydia makes her way to the front gates almost immediently, not feeling comfortable in the city and Malboro's do not make good first impressions on most people. As the party gets ready to leave the city at the gates a stranger aproaches them. Wearing a straw hat and a dusty brown pancho. He lifts up his head and tips his hat. A piece of straw btween his teeth as he smiles to the group. "Leaving for the north are you, and a varied lot you are. Pilgrams I would say, and heading to the Cerobi steppe. Your going to need a guide then. Names Gau, and I am your guide."

Alba's ear flicks sharply out to one side at the appearance of the stranger, eyes narrowing behind her mask. Turning her head to look at Talen, Zhgir, and Moiraine in turn, she slowly turns back to face the stranger, hands droppng toward her belt. "...It must be greatly talented," she mutters, "that it knows the who, the what, and the where of passing strangers come to a busy, busy port. To guide must be in its bones... perhaps we shall simply take one or two of these with us, so as not to inconvenience the rest of it."

Talen takes on a rather guarded expression as the stranger seems to know of their purpose and direction. He looks to Alba with a strange expression on his face, and his ears angled back towards his head. "It must indeed, it must indeed." The male Viera gives Gau a look, eyeing him for some time before speaking. "Our purpose is not for common ears, nor our direction. One could walk a while perhaps, and speak to your experience?"

Zhgir for his own part, was tilting his head upwards and backwards, eyeing the skies with some intent, up to the point that the commotion down on the earth nearly passes him by. Which is when he drops his head down and looks at the Vieras and the stranger. For a moment, there is a silent tic, and then he holds up (two of) his arms. "Gau!" He exclaims, quickly making his way between Alba and the stranger. "Zhgir is... uh, Gau!" He continues and then suddenly leans in very close towards Gau, whispering very silently, "No eye contact, speak frankly, her blades hurt." He continues to hold his hands up in the air. "Also, Zhgir thinks you should be less suspicious to be better at being suspicious."

Moiraine tilts her head and reguards the stranger, "I could simply be going to the Temple of Mog, a stranger who has met these kind people on the transport over." she tucks her hands into her sleeves and turns to her companions. "Far be it for me to impose myself but I have found it is rarely wise to hire the first person to approach you upon disembarking. As master Talen suggests we should check what credentials we may. Perhaps a check the local guild, before we hire anyone. I'd dislike to hire a guide, get ten miles out of town and have to fight off our supposed protectors brigand friends... I've done that once in my life and have always made it a life goal to avoid doing it again. It destabilises the local economy, wiping out entire bands of oppurtunistic brigands, bad for local business."

Gau's gauded expression turns a bit guarded at the veiled threat leveled to him. A glance to Talen and a touch of a smile, "Then you hide it poorly by announcing it." The young man narrows his eyes a bit as he considers the group, "There is only one location a group heading north would go, I am the best ranger and scout out here. Head north towards where you are going, I will find you when you get lost." As zhgir comes up so close Gau does not blink but stares the spider kin right back and not breaking eye contact. "My bow never misses." The man glances to Moiraine, "I would never seek to do harm to a high priestess of the Temple of Mog, a honor High Priestess Moiraine." Then he turns around to start walking off.

"...Then it is courteous that it has told us where we shall find it," Alba snarls under her breath into Talen's ear. "For now I shall know when there will be need to secure it to ensure our success. Feh," she spits, rising from her crouch. "Come. Let us continue upon our errand."

Talen's mouth forms a thin line as the situation doesn't resolve itself quite the way he was thinking it would. "Perhaps then we shall see you once more, Gau." An ear flicks slightly, and Talen straightens himself. "Hmm, perhaps not the most auspicious start. Let us hope we do not get lost.", he says to the others. To Alba he shrugs, "One hopes we shall not be too needy of his services."

Zhgir does not blink either. Or break eyecontact. Or indeed, stare much at any particular direction. "But then how can Zhgir find the bow if it is never missing?!" He shouts after the man, then rubs his twitching palps together. "Don't worry, Zhgir is very good at finding lost things! Even weird people!" He grins cheerfully at the party then, before going on forth first. And he finally remembers to lower his hands.

Moiraine watches Gau walk away and shakes her head, "He must know that is not an auspicious introduction kupo," she adjusts her small bowler hat and checks on her cane and adjusts her skirts. "The fact he knows who I am is disconcerting kupo-po.... not many people would recognize me"

"Rydia." The name is spoken by a figure who steps out of the crowds, and is suddenly just... simply, there. Tristania moves to stand beside her younger sister, not acknowleding the presence of anyone else just yet. "...I see you have brought your companion," she adds, nodding towards the Malboro; the beak on her mask moves in an exagerated fashion as she does. After that she glares once more at the younger dryad; no words spoken on a certain subject, but the weight of her disapproval painfully palpable. At last it lifts, and she glances towards the rest of the group. "The errand continues, then?"

Rydia peers at Tristania and offers her a hug and giggles, "Your mask looks silly." Then hopes back onto her Malboro and follows the party along. When ask where to go she shrugs her shoulder, "Uhh, that way, maybe? Nope nope that way, err which way is north?" Clearly the girl has no clue where to go. The wilderness is rough and rocky and tree's are sparse and far inbetween. Alba leads the way north along what at first appears to be a well traveled path. Her skill at survival avoiding any fiends or dangerous encounters. After several hours though the trail goes cold as the terrain becomes more rocky and impossible to follow anymore. A few more hours traveling north and the sun is starting to set. Rydia wonders up to Talen and holds out a perfectly round red marble, "Here ya go!"

"Hhhhh," Alba says, sucking in a breath between her teeth as she scans the horizon. "Faugh... I think that I shall have to cut the guide, for the sake of principle." Turning, she flicks her eyes over the rocky terrain nearby, then points to a hollow in a sheared-off hillside, almost as good as a cave. "There," she says. "There is where we shall sleep. If a fire is desired, it shall be out of the winds that pass this land."

Talen travels along in silence, his faith in Alba well placed. When it comes time to sleep, he nods, "A fire might be helpful, the hollow will keep most of the light hidden. I doubt we have much to fear, though a wandering fiend may find us. We shall take turns keeping watch, yes?" That directed to the group as a whole. When presented with the marble, he looks at it curiously, and then to Rydia. "What is it, Rydia?"

Rydia shrugs her shoulders, "A red marble, you should keep it." Then skips off to the designated camp site to help with setup.

Zhgir lowers himself from the trees with his freshly spun web and reaches out to grasp the held out marble. "Zhgir thinks this is his, yes. Yes?" He looks towards Rydia, then towards Talen. "Yes? Zhgir well known for his red round thing?" Despite his probable upbringing in the wilderness, he still struggled with keeping up; obviously not enough trees. Except the one he was hanging from, because it was conveniently there.

Moiraine adjusts her coat and looks around with a warm sigh, "It is nice to be outside again, it has been too long since I last got to walk and travel without a retinue of others." She sits down on a rock, resting her cane on one shoulder and smiles out at the setting sun. "A fire would be good, I'd be happy to cook for you all."

"We should maintain a fire for only as long as it is necessary." Tristania has been silent for much of the trip, walking alongside her sister, rather... protectively, as much as possible. Overbearingly so, at times, but a course of action she seems unwilling to be dissuaded from. "Even in a hollow it is a risk. Though I grant that the thought of eating raw flesh might be unpleasant to some of you." Her teeth flash beneath the bottom of her mask as she grins.

Rydia glances up to Tristania, "When did you start eating meat?" Popping a few berries into mouth as she eats. Then turns to Zhgir, "No no bad bad zhgir. That belongs to Talen, I gave it to him. How very rude of you. Give it back." Scolding the spider-kin. The afternoon quickly turns into night as the sun sets beyond the horizon and the stars come out in a perfectly clear sky. The fire for the camp is started, tents are put out and snuggles finds a place nearby to start snoring and goes to sleep. Alba notices a few nearby fiends approaching but when the party goes to deal with them finds them all dead along with a few scattered arrows.

Alba's ears pin back sharply at the sight of the dead fiends, a low growl rumbling in her throat. Without comment, however, she sets about dressing the more edible ones on the spot, wrapping up the heart and a few of the choicer cuts of meat on the flayed hide, an offering for the slayer of the beasts. The offal, carried a couple dozen paces away from the kills and heaped for scavengers, and the rest of the haul taken back to camp... along with the head, and when the meat is set to roasting, she begins to lever the teeth out of the skull to pass the time.

Talen peers at Zhgir as the spiderkin lusts after the red marble, and said marble is hidden away inside the summoner's robes. He nods to Rydia and smiles, "Thank you, Rydia." He nods to Moiraine and the smile brightens, "A cooked dinner would be a welcome respite, though I really only have trail mix and dried meats and fruit. They don't stand well to cooking." Later, when the fiends are spoted, Talen accompanies Alba to investigate, and drops a hand on her shoulder when she growls. "Perhaps Gau wishes us to trust him?", he says quietly, almost a whisper. "At least someone has done the hunting for us." Meat's back on the menu, boys.

Zhgir folds his palps at being scolded. "But it could have been Zhgir's..." He mutters as he disappears to do his own thing. When the call for arms comes and goes, he goes wandering through the field of battle, peeking around the corpses and in the bushes in apparent search of something. Then finally, at last: "No bow!" He either curses or exclaims. It is hard to tell about the arachnid holding his hands up in the air.

Poor Talen, good thing he didn't suggest meats back on the menu boys outloud, the boys are scarce in this party, what with all the ladies and Zhgir.. well who knows for sure what gender he is! Moiraine however thanks Alba for dressing the meat she brought back and sets to work making a stew out of the vegetables in their supply. "How many days is it to reach the Temple Library? I'll admit I've never made the journey before"

Tristania tilts her head, and turns to gaze at her sister. "For years," she replies. "A lone lobo attacked me once, mangy and weakend. But I was meat, I suppose; and so was it, as I was also hungry. So I ate it, and found the act agreeable. Hunger is a powerful motivator when you live somewhere that is not a place of plenty." She shrugs, and settles down around the fire. The interaction between her sister and Zhgir is observed with merely a look; when Alba returns with her prize, the elder of the dryads watches her for a time, as well. "Give me some of the teeth," she offers, "And I will carve them for you, if you wish."

Suddenly several dozen arrows fly through the sky at the party attempting to injur them. Fortunetly the range from where the arrows are being fired at is a good distance off and in the dark so most will miss. Several shouts can be heard, "Surrender or die!" A group of banga bandits coming out from over a nearby ridge, the same direction the original arrows that killed the fiends came from. Bows being notched for another volly.

A handful of teeth are passed over to the Dryad, as an ear turns toward Talen's hypothesis. "If it is so," she grunts, "he is being agreeably distant for it." Both ears snap up, however, at the sound of hissing arrows falling and clattering against the stone. "....It is, however, not so." Uncoiling from her crouch and putting the rest of the teeth aside, she draws her daggers, moving to stand at the entrance to their hollow. "Which of these, then, shall you choose?!" she roars out into the night, in reply to the bandits.

Talen's ears wiggle agreeably to Alba's suggestion that Gau is remaining distant, and looks to Moiraine a moment, "I do not know how far it is to the Temple Library, for I too have not made the journey... at least, not from this direction." His ears snap to attention as well at the sound of the arrows, and he stands beside and just behind Alba, squinting. Turning back to those by the fire still, he says quietly, "Smother the fire."

"Zhgir can die, Zhgir can die! A six or a snake eye? Is double or split a rule? How many keys per wager?" The arachnid asks from the group instead, before tilting his head towards Talen - and then disappears into the darkness. There is a brief puff, and then the fire is nothing more than purple smoke.

Moiraine looks up from her stew pot and sighs, "Oh dear kupo-po... this is most inconvinent." she reaches for her wakking cane and picks it up, twisting the grip so the base clicks sideways, extending, shifting, a ratcheting of unfolding gears and cogs and the priestess is left holding a moogle sized hammer. "This is incredibly inconvinent, you boys run along now kupo-po before Mistress Alba has to hurt you or Snuggles does more then hug you."

Tristania has no sooner accepted the teeth from Alba, than she must tuck them away in a pouch. There are, afterall, bandits. She sighs audibly, and rises to her feet. Her knobkerrie is brought to hand, and she moves to stand alongside Alba and Talen. "Stay there, Rydia," she instructs. "Remain hidden until we have dispatched these fools." She whirls the knobkerrie in a wide circle around her wrist, catching it in hand at the apex. "Face them head on, or flank them?"

One of the bangaas calls out, "We choose surrender." Another one reaching over and smacking the first one, "No no we are not the ones choosing you fool." A third bangaa calls out, "Doubles of course! Err wait keys for wagers? Dat make no sense!" The bandits already being thrown into confusion and some of them are starting to fight among themselves over dice rules. Giving a perfect oppertunity for the party to walk up on them.

"All that we may bring to bear," Alba says, ears cocking forward, "we shall hurl into their teeth, for Zhgir has proven they are as stupid as the Fiends they kill." With a quiet cackle, she crouches, dashing forward in a blur of preternatural speed, eating up the distance between the hollow and the bandits much more rapidly than even the average Viera could normally manage.

Talen's dagger comes out of its sheath, and he agrees, "All that we can bring to bear, we shall bring to bear. Smash them while they are arguing amongst themselves." His right hand becomes sheathed in flames, and he whispers the slippery words of magic, the flames dancing higher. As Alba races off, Talen lopes along behind them, throwing a gout of flame once he is close enough. [Fire]

Zhgir, for his own part, was now more interested in the dice game. "Of course keys! And we are not playing with the fire bet! And all kupos must be declared before shooting. No! No you cannot gnaw the dice!" The dark shape continues to yell, and then argue loudly when he hits the clearing - probably too late before Alba is already smacked into something. "Teeth are only acceptable as stakes if backed!" [Annoy]

Moiraine moves forward quickly, not as fast as Alba but she has a turn of speed, skirts swishing around her feet as she hefts her hammer. Her wings buzz propelling her forward and she jumps up, hammer swinging around toward one of the bandits, not swinging as hard as she can as she lines him up for her next swing. [Heavy Blow]

Tristania joins the charge, rushing as fast as her feet will carry her, following the point of her mask just as much as Alba. Into the fray she leaps, winding up a mighty strike with her knobkerrie; she visualizes the image of a bangaa's face after his jaw has been broken and knocked askew from the rest of his face, and then wings her blunt weapon about as hard as she can, in an effort to make it so. [Bash Upside the Head]

The bangaa's are taken by complete surprise as the group rushes up on them. Alba is able to find nice fleeshy spots to stick her knives into on one and having the back up and drop his bow to draw a dagger of his own. The one Moiraine hits is dazed as he stands there and rubs his head not sure what is going on anymore. The one Tristania has rubs his head and backs up dropping his bow and muttering, "This aint no dice game." The other three are quicker to react droping their bows and drawing various weapons getting ready for a fight. Meanwhile back at the campsite Rydia is sound asleep next to a snoring snuggles, both without a care in the world.

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The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2015-01-16T22:33:09Z

Marduke:

Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot

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--The Beginning--

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 5]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 6]]

[[Atomos: Interlude 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 7]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 8]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 4]]

--Act 2--

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 5]]

[[Atomos: Cardia Islands Part 1]]

Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 1

2015-01-16T22:32:12Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The weeks have been quiet, with only a few rumors making it out of Arhcades. The biggest one …'

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The weeks have been quiet, with only a few rumors making it out of Arhcades. The biggest one of note is a couple of airships have been sent out past Gran Ferra and never heard back from. The group has been tasked with getting ready to make a trip to the Akashic Library to do research. Fusoya needing time to translate the book and obtain the possible locations of where the party would need to search. The book as old as it is already marked as having locations not found on any modern day map.

The airship Enterprise has recently come back to port and letters requesting everybody who has been previously involved has been asked to come join. The drawing of the room of the ship is very crowded as everybody arrives. Professor Fusoya is sitting at a table reading over the book the party got from the Library of Memories. Cecil and his wife Rosa sit at the other side of the table waiting for everybody to arrive. Edward is playing a game of checkers with the young dryad girl Rydia. Somehow Snuggles, Rydias pet Malboro, is sitting behind her snoring quietly. In the back corner of the room in the shadows sits Edge. Kain sits at a table to himself watching the Malboro clearly not sure what to make of it. Anybody who arrives at the ship is shown to the room and offered refreshments and drinks.

Talen strides along through the aerodrome, slowing occasionally to read through a letter he holds. Eventually he finds his way to the Enterprise, where he pauses to view her. "Well, here we are again, my Hunter. Do you have it in you to forgive me once more for dragging you off somewhere once again." His grin belies the seriousness of the question, though his ears twitch nervously. "And I do promise to keep my bargains ... smaller this time around."

"It can perhaps be managed," Alba mutters behind her mask, an ear trained on the airship. "So long as my shaman keeps to his promise. Else, when next he returns to himself, he shall find he has left some of his ear along the way." With a quiet huff, she turns her mask toward the airship, hefting a brace of waterskins. "Come... let us descend into the belly of madness yet again."

Zhgir sidles down by Talen's side suddenly, bumping into the viera. The outrageously dressed arachnid could have passed for a bumbling merchant or a tailor, he had so many layers of the fabric that it was hard to even see his hand. "Don't worry, Zhgir will cherish it forever!" He whispers to the male viera and grins toothily - before continuing to mingle into the crowd, leaving a trail of clothes, gasps and yes, even screams in his wake.

The Viera are shown up onto the ship and lead into the drawing room. Cecil stands up and offers a nod, "Good to see you two again. I…" Coming to a pause as the outrageously dressed Zhgir makes his way in. "oh my. I thought Alfir was trouble enough." The young spiderling suddenly poking his head up over one of the Malboro's tentacles, "Alfir not trouble!" Then going back into hiding in the creature. Professor Fusoya glances up slowly, "Are you ready to head to the Akashic Library?"

Something clicks gently on the deck behind all of the people gathered aboard the airship in the professor's chamber, "I do hope you were not all planning to leave without me dears, kupo." stepping through the door from outside is a moogle lady. She is dressed in a crisp white dress, with a black cummerbund around the waist, a top hat delicately tipped atop her head from which her pom-pom emerges. In one hand she has ivory handled walking cane and the other is holding out a crystal and beribbonoed seal that glows gently. She pauses as behind her the door swings shut, a momentary glimpse of someother place, a temple, a statue of Mog, a circle of ritualists and then the portal winks out and it is just the rest of the ship. "I do apologise for being late," she walks forward gently, moving with more poise then one might usually expect from a moogle. "Alba how pleasent to see, Master Zhgir how nice and Talen as well, my this is a lovely gathering now isn't it." she stops before Professor Fursoya and holds out the seal, "My credentials, Moirane McLeod ne Rider, High Priestess of Mog from Emberstrand, my lord sends his compliments and my assistance to your endeavour."

Talen grins at the others and offers a nod to Cecil, and a grin to Alfir, and then turns on Zhgir. "What exactly did you mean out there? While you were terrorizing the crowd on your way in." He blinks then at the portal opening up, offering a glimpse of the internals of the Temple of Mog. "Oh. Uh. Moiraine, was it? High Priestess, I mean. How are you and your children doing?" The male Viera offers the woman a polite bow.
NOP

"Moiraine, wife of my Captain," Alba greets the Moogle, inclining her masked head, then turning to regard the Professor. "I am not, Zhgir it is possible never shall be. But my Shaman is, and my Captain's wife, also. Thus, let us make haste."

Zhgir drops, with a firm thud, a firm load onto the floor - and as the cans, screwdrivers, icepicks and variety of other things begin to roll out along with the rolls of clothes, he /slowly/ leans back towards Talen. "Rabbit ear for luck, yes? Can Zhgir have it now? Zhgir thinks he needs all the help now." He then calls out to Alfir, "No! You are not trouble because trouble as a term has not been properly defined to adequately address the kind of activities you indulge in, Alfir! Poison the weak points, don't just hide behind tentacles!" He chides, sternly.

The entrance of the priestess earns reactions from nearly everybody in the room. Edge is suddenly gone from the corner and several of the others were getting up and looking worried for half a moment. The Malboro lets out a burp and continues to stay asleep. Rydia jumps up and rushes over to Moiraine and offers her a piece of paper, a childs drawing of Moiraine and her family. "Drew this for you!" Then runs back to her cheeker game and does a series of moves with a giggle, "King me!" Edward just staring and reaching up to rub his head, "Kupo..." Professor Fusoya looks at the seal and offers a smile, "We are glad to have you." Then turns his attention to Talen, "I have the first location from the translation. The Cardia Islands, or the dragon caves. Did not find them on any maps and that seems to be where the eldest brother went. The twins split as well where the male twin went to the Yahnikurm Desert, and the feamle went to the Mount Duergar." The professor sitting back down. Alfir peaks his head out again and peers at Zhgir, "Snuggles and Alfir friends! Rydia is Alfir's queen. Daddy Zhgir doens't need to approve!" Then sneaks back behind the Malboro and into hiding.

Moiraine says, "Thank you Talen dear, please Moiraine will do nicely," She adjusts her top hat, "I've left the children at home with Leetle, it's about time he spent some time bonding with them without me around to help with everything." she grins, "I've left a couple of strategically placed novices to rescue him in emergencies." she nods to Alba with a smile before focussing on Rydia and accepting the drawing, "Thank you my dear, that was very kind of you." she then turns her attention to the professor, tucking her seal away into her cummerbund and leaning on her ivory cane."

Talen looks about the room as different people speak up, and he nods at what Alba says first of all. "Indeed, as my Hunter points out, time is of the essence." As Zhgir leans in, the viera goes silent, an ear twitching oddly. "It's rabbit's foot for luck, as the saying goes, not Viera. And why would you want the foot of a rodent for luck... the rodent's now missing a foot and how is that lucky at all?", Talen whispers back to Zhgir before straightening once more. "So your suggestion is to head to the Cardia Islands first to try our luck?" He rubs his chin, his facial expression thoughtful. "I can't see why not." Moiraine gets a nod from Talen, and a grin, "I do wonder what condition the Doodlebug will be in when we return."

"It is simpler to arrive and leave from an island," Alba notes, settling down on her haunches next to an open chair. "Better to make speed and be slowed, then to begin slow and race to catch up. I would agree to find first the island, and seek its secrets."

Zhgir stares at Talen, then at his feet. "Zhgir will take foot, Zhgir is not picky." He then turns towards Alfir, making gestures with his hands, "But... but... she is queen!" He attaempts to mouth under his breath so that Rydia doesn't pick it up, before he finally lets out a long exhale.

Cecil stands up now and looks over the party, "Then you shall head to the Akashic Library and seeks where the Cardia Islands are, or at least where they used to be on some ancient maps there. We shall leave the trip details up to you. Also, it would be advisable to take one of us with you on your trip. We bring different skills to the table. The rest will head past Gran Ferra to find out what is going on there. Haste is needed, pick who you are going to take then get moving." Cecil sitting back down. Alfir calls out, "She hasn't tried to eat me, yet!"

The young girl squeels as she is picked and jumps up and climbs up on Snuggles, "Yea we get to go see uncle Rahmy!" Giggling she prepares to follow along with the group.

Moiraine says, "Well this will be interesting I am sure," she smiles softly at Rydia and her... malboror, "It is... nice to have you along dear kupo. I am sure we'll get to the end of this soon.""

Talen grins at the young girl's enthusiasm, and looks to the High Priestess. "Ah, Rydia, we have someone new for Snuggles to meet! This is Moiraine, High Priestess to Mog. Moiraine, this is Rydia. She's helped us out on previous legs of our journey." He looks to Alba, his ears twitching.

While one can't actually see Alba's eye twitch, the set of her shoulders is unmistakable, as is the way one ear flicks sharply out to the side. "Helped. Yes. This is what was done. ...Helped." As the Enterprise gets underway, the Viera settles down next to Talen, searching through her satchel for some bit of a dead thing to keep her occupied during the journey

Zhgir continues to make pointy gestures, that fall halfway, as Zhgir both opens, closes, splits, and then encroaches his mouth and mandibles alike. "You are not allowed logic anymore." He replies to Alfir, before with a grump he picks up his things from the floor with an exaggarated huff. "Zhgir will retreat to cargo box now."

The rest of the companions make their way off the ship and onto Kain's own ship to depart for Gran Ferra and beyond. Snuggles find a nice place in the cargo hold to sleep for most of the trip. Rydia wonders around all over the place and continously pokes her head inside doors asking what is going on. The trip to the port of Balfonheim takes several days. Alfir can be spotted on occasion wondering the ship barrowing things. He also has a key around his neck, which looks a lot like one of the ones Zhgir used to have. The comes to a landing in the port and the rest of the trip will have to be made on foot to the Cerobi Steppe. Cecil offers a wave to them all, "I am off to join the rest in Gran Ferra, good luck. You should have no problem getting a ship back here to Emberstrand. We will meet back up there in say two weeks?" With that said he takes the Enterprise and heads back west. Leaving the party in the city of Balfonheim to do last minute purchases and preperations for the jounry ahead.

Moiraine rests her cane against one shoulder, looking out at the city of Balfonheim, "It has been a very long time since I came here kupopo...." she turns to the others and smiles, "So.. what is the next step Talen? Alba? I'm still playing a bit of catch up here"

Talen enjoys the trip for the most part, chuckling at Alfir's and Rydia's antics most of the time. He waves to Cecil when they are dropped off, and nods vigorously to the man. "Good luck!" To Moiraine he grins. "We're off to the Library to see if we can't find the location of the Eldest brother. Amongst other things. There's a story to relate, which we can do along the way." He looks to Alba, and grins. "So now we hunt one of the most elusive beasts of all. Information."

Alba blows out a breath, rolling her eyes. "Yes, an exciting hunt it shall be," she grumbles. "A Library of the Spirit, and thoughts to be carefully guarded lest you step upon the path that drops you within a pit of forever, and a hunt where all is riddle and mystery..." The snort can be heard by all in the room. "But it is what my Shaman wishes, and I would not he walked alone."

Zhgir has, thankfully, left most of his 'belongings' in the said cargo box. Only thing he has is a finely crafted polearm and an orange cloack attached diagonally from his chest. "Zhgir thinks we should find the nearest sewer." There is a bit of a pause, before he adds, "Or a tavern."

Moiraine smiles softly and adjusts her hat and starts to walk forwards, "Yes.. Lord Mog said it would be a mystery, a tour and a head thinky type of journey. It has been some time since I got to go on a trip that required thoughts and brains. Usually it's go have dinner with the Archbishop, talk to the civic leaders, try to sneak to the bazaar to go shopping surrounded by temple guards and ninja. Drag the husband home, get interupted by the children." she clicks her staff and starts forward, heeled boots clicking, "It is nice to be out and on my own for a change and not surrounded by people. So lets go solve us a mystery."

Talen chuckles at Alba and shrugs. "I never said it would always be exciting. At least we're not on the knife's edge, a hair's breadth from death, yes? Sometimes boring is better, you get a chance to breath." He reaches around the female Viera's waist, and squeezes. "I am sure there'll be some excitement coming along, we do have the crazy bitch and the Archadeans to worry about, right? You'll be able to work out your frustrations on them." He looks to Zhgir and shakes his head. "Your tavern idea is miles better than your sewer one. Let's leave the sewers for last, if at all. No one is likely to recognize us right off in this place." The male Viera grins at Moiraine, and nods. "I hope that you will get some enjoyment out of this trip, even if it's technically business."

"Hn," Alba grunts, resting her head on Talen's shoulder. "My shaman should know, by now, that upon the knife's blade is where his hunter is most at home. All is simple, there; kill-run-hide-leap or die. If there are things to enjoy upon this journey, I think that they shall be in spite of it."

Zhgir spreads his hands, "But sewer is where all the action is! The life, the keys, the excitement! None of this... this." He gestures in vain towards the milling crowds, before, turns towards Moiraine. "Zhgir can take you there, yes?"

There is not much excitment in the port city. The streets are bustling with people coming and going, the tarverns are all crowded with plenty of drunk people. Rydia makes her way to the front gates almost immediently, not feeling comfortable in the city and Malboro's do not make good first impressions on most people. As the party gets ready to leave the city at the gates a stranger aproaches them. Wearing a straw hat and a dusty brown pancho. He lifts up his head and tips his hat. A piece of straw btween his teeth as he smiles to the group. "Leaving for the north are you, and a varied lot you are. Pilgrams I would say, and heading to the Cerobi steppe. Your going to need a guide then. Names Gau, and I am your guide."

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Atomos: The Linguist Part 3

2015-01-16T22:21:44Z

Marduke:

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The house has suddenly gone quiet as the yelling of Cecilia fades off into the distance. There are no guards, no servants, and no signs of life in the area of the house you are in. The room is still very brightly colored in contrast with the black of the rest of the house. Fusoya stands there by the door looking out thoughtfully, the old Lunarian suddenly seems very tired as he glances back, "We should walk out while we have the chance."

"Yes, Zhgir." The arachnid thief quickly replies and begins to back out the way he came from. But after a moment, he peeks his soot covered head back out. "Anyone following Zhgir?"

A sharp slash of Alba's hand negates Zhgir's question, followed by a jab at the door, eyes and ears flicking about nearly randomly as she strains to listen for approaching noises. Cracking the door open, she picks up one of Fusoya's arms, looping it over her shoulder. Clearly, the silent hunter expects speed to be a necessity, and aid required for Fusoya to keep up.

Talen stands there for a few long moments, looking around and shaking his head. "She doesn't see it, and he's happy to play along. Such a tragic couple." The male Viera shakes his head at Zhgir's question. "No, Zhgir, you go up and follow on the rooftops. Let us know if you see any guards who are moving to intercept us. Use your webs like before." He looks over at Fusoya then, and nods at what Alba does. "Okay, I'll lead us out then. Ainsley, you keep an eye on our backs, okay? If you want, I can carry you if we have to run. Alba, can you manage him if we have to run?"

The old Lunaian suddenly pushes away from Alba and her attempt to help him, "What do you think I am? Some old cripple. Humpf I can make my own way along." The mans stubbornness coming out in full force as he starts marching ahead of the group in an angry huff and out the front doors. Where the guards step in to try to stop him, "We are sorry Master Fusoya you are not allowed to leave." The Lunarian only getting angrier as some red comes to his face, "Who are you to give me orders, when I was your age two hundred years ago I knew how to respect my elders!"

Zhgir silently siddles up the chimney when that sharp gesture is flung towards him. ". . . Zhgir should retrieve his cat, yes." He can be heard saying as he slowly makes his way up back to the rooftops, surveying the scene.

Alba's eyebrow rises as the Lunarian shoves her aside, glancing back at Talen and Ainsley, and simply shrugging. Following behind the cranky old scholar, she steps smoothly to one side as the guards bar their way, one hand coming to rest on the hilt of her dagger. Her narrowed eyes and the set of her ears speak volumes. 'Keep being an obstacle,' her expression says, 'I have been in dire need of something to stab for a while now.'

Talen clears his throat quietly as the guards bar their way. "Gentlemen.", he says quietly, "If you wish, you may try to stop us, and then we will be forced to violence. Stand aside and the failure lies not with you, but your commander. But one way or another, the professor is leaving with us, and now."

The guards are not about to back down, one of them already singling for more to come up. Fusoya shakes his head, "Ahh children, I remember my days of youth. Always thinking I could take on anything. I shall leave them to you." The old man glancing to Alba suddenly chipper again as his anger fades. He suddenly steps around the three guards and starts towads the front gates. The guards looking only a bit confused as the two look to the Viera drawing their weapons. Leaving the eight guards at the front gate to the Lunarian.

Alba's eyebrow rises again at Fusoya's back... a habit, beginning to form as the hunter interacts with less a person than an implacable force of nature. Glancing at Talen, she shrugs, then turns her attention back to the guards, dropping into a low crouch. Slooooowly, her blades slide free of their scabbards, bilious green light limning the curved mythril blades, her mouth spreading into a wide killer's grin.

Zhgir drops down onto the courtyard from above, then looks around for the dogs he saw dashing somewhere. "Kitty cat! Long ears! Silly paws! Come back to Zhgir!" He calls out, as the arachnid meanders away to try and look for the feline. And probably create a ruckus of his own in the process.

Talen watches in surprise as Fusoya just walks around the guards, and after a moment, simply shrugs, one of his hands crackling with electrical energy. "Still time to back down, and survive the day, gentlemen."

The guards do not offer any more word as two of them swing their swords at Alba. The third guard holds up his shield and marches towards Talen quickly getting ready to shield bash the Viera in the face with it. Zhgir will find his cat easily enough, the poor creature hissing and growling from atop a statue in the garden. The dogs have all backed away from it as a woman in black and crimson red walks up to it. "So this is what has gotten all my mutts in such a roar. Must be some kids idea of a practical joke." Her hand reaching down to her waist where a bull whip is. Fusoya is still walking towards the front gate his stride decently fast for such a old man, the guards have all formed a shield wall to prevent him from passing.

Zhgir was nearing the statue in all subtlety, until he hears the voice. Head snapping, color briefly drains from his already colorless face. Doves, doves. He should have used doves. Twisting his hands in the air for a moment, he suddenly leaps out in front of the woman... and rushes the statue. "Gruut! Stop running away from Zhgir! Zhgir may even get perplexed!" He attempts to scoop the feline in his hands.

Alba hurls herself backward away from the swords, crouching and charging forward, moving almost too quickly to track as her poisoned blades lick out, seeking chinks in the guards' armor. Finally, after all the frustration and stupidness and Spirits... something that can *bleed.*

Talen also moves backwards, away from the shield that might have smashed him in the face. He shrugs and balls his hand into a fist, pulling said fist swiftly downwards, moments later there's a loud crack of thunder as a bolt of lightning streaks down. Aimed right at that nice, big shield and the man holding it.

The guards here are for more then just show. One of the two attacked by Alba manages to parry the dagger and step to the side and reverses the swing of his sword in a attempt to counter attack Alba. The other guard attacked has the dagger slide between the armor and into his side. The man staggers back and starts to look a little bit green. The guard is not out of the fight yet as he regains his bearings. The one attacking Talen misses his first shield bash and was getting ready to cmoe in when the lightning strikes him and staggers back with a grunt and clear pain. The guard stops coming at Talen as he reaches to his belt and pulls out what appears to be a grenade, and then tosses it at Talen. The woman in crimson and black turns and stares at Zhgir in a moment of susprise and shock, something she clearly is not used to going through. This delays her use of the whip just enough to let Zhgir get by without getting hit. The statue behind him shattering from the whip blow. The cat in Zhgir's arms though is very unfriendly and starts to try to claw and scratch at him wanting to be let go.

The cat clawing at Zhgir's armor, arms and his clothing is not particularly appreciated. But he can barely feel it as he momentarily feels the blow of the explosive statue - or rather the shock of the fact. "Gruut! Don't make Zhgir get the leash!" He hisses sharply at the creature, doing his best to put the creature in a light hold with his four arms. "Oh, hello! Thanks for finding Zhgir's cat. Zhgir is very happy." He does his best impression of a 'happy' grin with his sharp teeth, while trying not to think too much about being blown apart by the whip or torn apart by the dogs. "Zhgir will be going now, yes?"

Alba's head jerks to one side as the blade kisses her face. The blood flowing down her cheek glimmers white, the cut already beginning to close, and the hunter touches the corner of her wound, and points at the as-yet-unhurt guard, grin widening. 'Your turn.' Surging forward, both of her blades lunge out and up, targeting the guard's soft, fragile organs behind armor and bone.

Talen's eyes track the object thrown at him, and aims a kick at it. He connects, and watches as it careens off through one of the windows of the house behind him. Blinking, he covers his ears with his hands.

The grenade hits the window and bounces off from the bars covering it and explodes in a fireball in mid air with a loud explosion. The guard glares at Talen and decides not to grab another one and instead reaches for his sword and starts to charge the Viera. The one Alba is targeting lets her come right at him and even stab him. Stepping forward right into the blow he attempts to grapple her and hold her in place. Meanwhile the first one guard that got poisoned he regained his bearing enough and is charging up on Alba from behind his sword intent on stabbing her. Zhgir is fortently saved by a timely explosion from the front of the house. Terra was about to lash out her whip and attempt to capture him, "Oh but I have a nice corner of my dungeon for..." turning back as she hears it. A sudden curse and the woman is rushing off towards the front.

Zhgir tilts his head towards the explosion as well, then back towards the woman turning his back towards Zhgir. The arachnid looks down at 'his' pacified cat. "Zhgir is very sorry." He says quietly, before he flings the feline at the retreating woman's back. "Augh, no Gruut, NO! BAD GRUUT, NO LEASH FOR YOU!" He shouts as he rushes after the woman, pulling out his cloak to try and confuse the chaotic situation even further.

Alba allows herself to be grappled, swinging her legs to one side in an effort to use the momentum to accomplish two things; turn the pair of them around to put the guard in the path of the blade, and do yet more damage to her grappler by jerking poisoned blades around in the poor man's guts.

Talen growls as the guard charges with his sword, and the viera quickly spits out several words of magic. A jet of frost, snow and wind blasts downwards from his open hands, causing a slippery patch of ice and water to form. With Talen conveniently stepping to one side to allow the guard by.

Terra lets out a angry shriek as the cat is launched onto her back. She makes a single motion with her whip and cracks it around and latches around the cats neck. Another motion and the whip hurls the cat across the yard. The poor cats neck snapped from the force and the body starting to be surrounded by half starved dogs. Terra glances back towards the spider, "Your next if you try anything again." Before turning to start off for the front again very angry at a second delay. The guard grappling Alba is no lightweight but does managed to get twisted around a bit. The guard charging up see's the changing of position and instead body slams the pair seperating them. The one guard falling backwards on the ground breathing slowly and bleeding from his side where the dagger had stabbed into him. The body slaming guard not giving his companion a second glance as he turns back to focus on Alba, faces still looking a bit green. The guard charging Talen did not expect the ice and does indeed slip as and slide past Talen. The guard offering the Viera a icy glare as he passes him. Once past though he reaches down and attempts to toss another grenade hoping the viera doesn't notice in time.

Zhgir stares blankly at the poor kitten. Mental note, never try that again. Pulling two of his hands out of his pockets, he snaps two orb like objects against each other. "Zhgir thinks you just made a big mistake." An ominous hissing sound soon following with colorful smoke trailing after him, he begins to take a few running steps after Terra. "FOR GRUUUUT--!" He then bellows, slamming his 'bombs' of paint at the woman's face. Because nothing brightens a grim situation more than rainbows.

Alba hits the ground fairly hard as the grapple is separated, rolling once and flailing back to her feet before she can stop her backward motion. In the space of a breath, she darts forward, blades lashing out in a rapid series of cuts across any exposed flesh she can find or reveal.

Talen is indeed watching the tricksy guard, giving him a grin as he turns at the last moment to PUNT the grenade... over his head, where it rolls to a stop close by the half-starved dogs. Talen looks over his shoulder a moment, and then looks back to the guard. Once more the Viera covers his ears. "Could you really stop throwing those?", he says just before it explodes.

The entire residence hears the shriek this time. The woman over confident the spider would just back off and let her be. She turns as she hears the call for grut and stares as two paint bombs slame into her face and blinds her. Her whip slices through the air and cracks along the ground tearing up the land scape as she tries to hit the spider she cannot see. A hand reaching up to start rubbing the paint away so she can see. Zhgir had best get out of there before she regains her sight. The guard Alba is attacking is fairly proficient with his sword and shield and manages to block most of her blows, only getting a few more cuts under his armor, yet the barrage finnaly wears him down and he collapses from the cuts and the poison. The tricky guard on Talen just grins as he collapses from the earlier thunder and the ice sliding. Fusoya is almost to the gate, he is a tall man but still a old man and does not move that fast. he has been chanting the whole time he has been walking up to the gate.

Zhgir throws his sooty cloak over the woman's head for good measure, just to make her more busy before he knocks her down. Zhgir was hoping she'd be way more subdued than that - but the lash across the ground dissipates his urge to get more revenge. At this time. Running away at speed, he runs towards the front gate, attempting a forced entry at the front - just in time to see Fusoya step out. "We have to go, we have to go now! The queens are insane!"

Alba digs her foot into the side of the newly fallen guard, and stalks toward Talen, jerking her head toward the gate and Fusoya. Turning to give the old man a look, she flicks an ear as the distance between him and the guards diminishes, the chanting apparently running close to its end. With a sigh, she whips off her sleeveless longcoat, herding Taen and Ainsley in behind it. Perhaps not much protection against the light and noise of what's about to occur, but it's something.

Talen sticks his tongue out at the fallen guard he'd been battling, adding to the effect by using his middle finger to pull down on his cheek, baring the whites of one eye. He sees Alba coming, and looks over his shoulder at the front gate. "Thinking we can take on the whole world, what?", he grumbles. He looks at Alba a moment when she pulls her longjacket off, and then shakes his head. Whispering a few words of magic, he reaches out to touch Alba first, then Ainsley and lastly himself. A faintly green shimmer surrounds each person in turn. "Perhaps we should cover our ears for a moment, yes?" He does so.

Fusoya finishes off his chanting and points to the wall of eight guards blocking his way. To him they had plenty of time to get out of the way. He offers one word, "Flare." The guards only get half a second as a small red glowing marble appears in middle of them, then it explodes in a dazzling display of orange red light that engulfs the whole of the front gate and singing some of Zhgir's hairs in the process. The guards are half missing and a crater stands where the gate used to be. Fusoya continues to walk along, "You guys coming on what?" Glancing back, "Younglings, done with your lot yet? Come come" The old man offering a crooked grin only to turn around and find himself being swarmed by a bunch of constructs shoutting, "The master of fire! We have found you!"

Zhgir stares blankly at the red marble, and then at the dark spot that covers the various retina of his eyes. "Okay, Zhgir. I can deal with plenty - but... nope." He wipes off his hands, stretches his arms and then tosses his hands up in the air as he begins to walk away from the mansion, just in time as the constructs swarm the lunarian.

Alba shakes out the singed tatters of her jacket, tossng the ruined fabric aside with a shrug and rubbing the base of one ear. Glancing at Talen and Ainsley, she nods her thanks to the summoner, then turns to follow Fusoya... only to find the old Lunarian swarmed by constructs, and squeezing her eyes shut, she gestures to Talen, then points fiercely at the mob.

Talen pats a few stray tufts of his hair back into place, and smoothes down his ears before letting them stand up tall once more. He blinks away the last remnants of the bright flash from his eyes, and begins to move forward. The male Viera stops, pondering the sudden mobbing, before he strides forward. "Adherants of the Flame, it is indeed the master of Fire returned. And as his first lesson after his incarceration, he asks that you tend to the destruction by fire of this mansion!" He gestures to the recently fled house behind him. "Only those who most creative in their use of fire will be allowed to study at the feet of the master. Go and show the house fire's wrath!" With that, he tugs on Fusoya's arm, "We have to go, now. Especially with your demonstration. They won't be using normal guards to stop us now."

The constructs swarm Fusoya who looks rather confused, "no no that was a flare spell." the constructs start to drag the Lunairan off, "Off to the Utility and rational applications of Fire to everything conference!" The constructs all stop as they turn to peer at Talen. Then their glowing eyes turn towards the Mansion. The Lunarian is suddenly left alone as they all rush up towards the Mansion starting to cast fire spells at it. Fusoya glances to the constructs and then Talen, "Clever, lets hope they know when to run. She will not be happy with this." The Lurnain turning and starting off towards the wrong direction in town. Zhgir in his walk off will find a kitten rubbing along his legs and offering a meow, it looks a lot like Grot but younger.

Zhgir seemed be set in walking away with his back turned towards the soon to follow explosions, but then he notices the kitten. Kittens! He carefully reaches down and puts the kitten into one of his satchels, before continuing to walk away with the equal grump. "Don't bother flaring Zhgir!" He calls out to the rest of his party, before ascending onto the rooftops.

Alba turns to stare at Talen for a moment, shaking her head and snorting in amusement. Clapping the summoner's shoulder, she turns to jog after Fusoya, eyes and ears once more alert for coming danger.

Talen watches in utter amazement as the constructs begin to toast the house. "Well, I didn't expect that to be as successful.", he mumbles to himself. The clap on the shoulder from Alba has him grounded once again, and he trots after the two, snagging Ainsley on the fly and setting her atop his shoulders. "This is one of those times running is advised.", he says as he catches up to Alba and Fusoya.

Marduke glances back to the others with a chuckle, "Run why would we do that? A plesent city, come come. We have to head to the university pick up my stuff and you all can help me carry it back to wherever your ship is docked." The Lunarian glancing back to the others with a smile, "So no hurries, enjoy the city and its sights. May stop for a bit of lunch to, I am a bit hungry now that I think of it."

Fusoya glances back to the others with a chuckle, "Run why would we do that? A plesent city, come come. We have to head to the university pick up my stuff and you all can help me carry it back to wherever your ship is docked." The Lunarian glancing back to the others with a smile, "So no hurries, enjoy the city and its sights. May stop for a bit of lunch to, I am a bit hungry now that I think of it."

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Atomos: The Linguist Part 3

2015-01-16T22:19:53Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos'

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Atomos: The Linguist Part 2

2015-01-16T22:09:34Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The ship took off the following week after plans were figured out. From the spider roof top r…'

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The ship took off the following week after plans were figured out. From the spider roof top running to the crazy religious figures everybody would be playing to fool the townsfolk and guards. The trip itself is pretty quiet and calm. You see several other airships, along with military ships, but are left alone the entire ship. The ship sets down outside of the city of Archadies at a airship warhouse dock. Cecil talks to a man at the dock, gives him a hug and motions to the group, "Everybody I want you to met Edge, a old friend of mine." The man wearing all dark molted greys and a mask nods to the group, "Hello. I hear you are trying to infiltrate the city to rescue Fusoya?"

Ainsley displays a mildly distracted look at Edge. The name is a bit odd to her, and the combination names is mildly familiar in some capacity. She just can't place why. She may have read something a few years ago, or experienced something along those lines. "Hello," she says, "That is the truth, yes. I gather you're going to assist us, judging by your aesthetic and the way you are being introduced to us," after which she crosses her arms. She thinks it would be nice to have someone along to help round out the general lack of 'behind enemy lines' experience the group has, so she manages a smile at him.

Zhgir has all the behind the enemy lines experience. All of it. He hoards it jealously, as he holds up his hands. "Zhgir did not do it. Do not listen to their lies. Zhgir will talk and has no intentions of betraying you when time is convenient." He leans over his head and whispers towards the rest of the group, holding up one of his extra hands over his mouth."Zhgir has this under control, yes. No worry required." He nods sagely, before looking like a proper caught spy.

Talen eyes first Ainsley and then Zhgir as they speak in turn, before he turns his gaze back to Edge. The male Viera seems to be considering the man's mode of dress, the large ears doing a small, twitching sort of dance. He looks to Cecil for a moment, and then back to Edge. "Greetings. It is as she says.", Talen says, gesturing to Ainsley.

Alba has already gotten into costume, apparently to practice moving and acting like someone other than herself. White hides are wrapped around her knives' scabbards, and her dress has changed to lightly armored leathers, with a sleeveless white robe atop. Capping off the disguise is an old, bloodstained thick gauze bandage, wrapping around her throat. Glancing at Talen's twitching ears, she raises an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes at the male that suggests the movements may have just meant something at her expense.

Edge looks the group over, "I hope you are prepared, the situation has changed. Fusoya has actually been detained in the Black residence, seems your coming here has been figured out somehow, or she is just assuming. Terra has always been clever like that." Edge glancing back to Cecil, "We can get to the residence and then find a way to sneak in from there. Getting out will be a bit tricker I think." A glance to Alba, "You bought a leper? Interesting that will help keep people from bothering us on the way there."

The look that Ainsley gives Edge directly after the word 'leper' is something of bewilderment. She follows his gaze to Alba, and if she could go pale, she would. "Uh." She looks over at Edge. "She is not a leper," she tells the mistaken man. "Let's... just... yes. Let's go." She gathers her disguise components out of her pack, putting the mask on so that she doesn't get recognized on the way over by any laymen who has seen a Wanted poster. "We should not dally."

Zhgir walks over Edge, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Then, without a word, he reaches and taps the man's mask with his fingers, looking nearly as if he was ready to peel it away - until he turns around. "Zhgir will run up to the rooftops!" He then looks around, trying to spot Alfie from the mess - just in case. Because spiders get everywhere.

Talen grins at Ainsley's reaction, though looks slightly disappointed as Ainsley corrects his observation. Zhgir's reaction furthers Talen's amused look, and he glances over at Alba. He nods to her, and then looks back to Edge. "It matters not, for people will decide for themselves, and if she is perceived to be a leper and if this is beneficial, then it works in our favor for people to believe wrongly. A moment please." The male Viera returns to the ship, and presently a black mage returns, the only evidence of whom it may be are the two ears that poke out through the top of the hat. "I am glad for the temperate climate here.", comes Talen's muffled voice, "This would be unbearable in the desert, I think."

Alba peers at Edge, then rolls her eyes, letting a short huff of breath out through her nose. Having been practicing her walk since before boarding the airship, she manages to move in something other than a catlike slink, but a keen eye could spot her gait as something other than she's used to; possibly attributable to injuries other than that around her throat. Once Talen emerges in his disguise, she nods her readiness, an ear turned toward Edge's update of the situation. Her lips purse, but she makes no other comment regarding the difficulty spike the party has stumbled over.

Edge holds out a map to Ainsley, "of the city, you may need this." A glance to the spider and then a shrug seeming unbothered by the creature. "The Blacks are dangerous, we should move quickly I will meet you there." Then just as Edge was there, he is gone. Cecil shakes his head, "He does that to show off I swear. We will be waiting here, be careful and prey you do not run into Terra." The man heading back to the ship, leaving the party to their own devices now.

Zhgir simply does as he was told; as in, runs towards the rooftops. It seemed he was more eager about this mission than rest of his party - but that usually meant very little. The arachnid barely breaks a sweat as he does too do a disappearing trick, leaving the rest of the group fend for their own until they find his signals.

Talen chuckles at the disappearance of both Edge and Zhgir, and the male Viera peers at the two females. "I suppose the map has where we're to meet Edge again, correct?" Leaning over the shoulder of the Leezard, he peers at the map, before looking off down one of the streets leading from the docks. Gesturing briefly at it, he begins heading towards it. "The map indicates this is the best route, so let us go, yes? Hopefully Zhgir will not lead us astray should we be confined to using his signals."

Alba falls into step next to Talen, back straight, hands lose at her side, attempting to project the image of a career adventurer simply strolling through the city on business. Her ears flatten a bit against the unfamiliar noise of Archades, but she does her best not to show her discomfort otherwise.

The city is a bustling metropolis of people everywhere. Merchants, beggars, guards, and the occasional rare race like a construct can be seen. The streets quickly become a maze of interwoven houses and blocks. The noise is constant background talking and people passing by. A few judges are cleverly avoided by Zhgir's markings and the map helps navigate the mash of streets. Alba manages to keep a good eye on the markers while Talen and Alba avoid any guards. As the Mansion of the Blacks come into view you see a large ten foot razor wired wall and can hear the occasional bark behind the wall. The mansion itself is impressive and perhaps one of the biggest houses in the city. Several guards are at the gate keeping watch with a few patrols going up and down the streets. As you take in the mansion a woman walks up behind the group and stops as she looks at Alba, "Oh your poor poor thing." Running over and offering the Viera a sudden and unexpected hug, "You should let me heal of your affliction. Come come with me we shall take care of it."

Ainsley has a map in her hands. Her behavior is suitably strange and not typical of a scholar, and her robes are modest enough. She carefully avoids guards with Talen, making sure to point them out with wordless nudges and little code words, if they need to get around them. Once they get to the Mansion, she looks up at the top of the walls and notices the razor wire. "Money breeds paranoia," she murmurs faintly, frowning behind her mask. Once she hears the woman, she turns her head, cocking it in surprise and bird-like confusion. She tries to get a good look at the lady, but doesn't stop her... because it might be a decent way of breaking into the place, if Alba is smart about it.

The sudden voice behind the group causes one of Alba's ears to snap back toward the direction of the voice, and she stiffens visibly at the sudden hug, face going flat and ashen for a moment. Looking down at the offender, she glances Talen's way, touching the bandages at her throat, and moving her hand through a couple of signals. <<Throat, cripple. Seasons and seasons past.>> A final gesture toward the woman makes the meaning clear; 'tell this woman it's too old to help.'

Zhgir seems to have an endless supply of critter skulls that he keeps hanging across the rooftops. But when they reach the mansion, Zhgir was already about to make his entrance - before he sees the woman hugging Alba. Waving his hands frantically, he attempts to voicelessly tell the others he has noticed the predicament - before his multitude of eyes turn around and he slowly rotates on his pieces of web strand to look to see if there has been any other reaction in the crowd. Like sneaky looking people trying to ambush the party

The male Viera is as surprised as the female at the sudden hug, and friendly voice. And for several long moments, Talen remains still and silent, his face hidden by the robes and hood of a Black Mage. A long and ragged breath can be heard, and the Black Mage extends a shaking hand. "Miss Black, her wounds are many summers old, and as to her current affliction, we are questing for its removal. You would not wish to offend the spirits who have been so kind as to offer their guidance. It will be alright." He draws closer, another ragged breath drawn. "Cecilia. You healed me once, remember? Long ago and far away, and I stood watch over you many a night afterwards. Would you serve me once, if I were to ask?", the black mage speaks, in a voice low, and sounding weary of the world.

Cecilia giggles and holds up a finger to waggle it at Talen, "Now now mr viera construct, your ears are sitting out of your hat you know, no need to lie to me. If you need help you simply had to say so! The only construct I have helped heal was this one that kept trying to set things on fire. Good fellow, was fun." The woman giggles again, "As for old wounds, piss pah, they can be healed if you know how. come come come lets get inside for some crumpets and tea. You will miss mother though, she is out on business." The woman starting off towards the front gate, "Well hurry up now!"

Zhgir has no idea what is happening down below. Expect that fire was mentioned. So he slowly, very subtly, slithers back onto the rooftop and looks for an alternative way to get inside the mansion. Maybe there was a clothesline? Maybe he could pose as a guard? Maybe he could simply vanish like Edge did? Actually, how did he do that? Zhgir pauses and rubs his chin, in deep thought. So many questions.

Alba blinks, glancing at Talen, frowning in puzzlement... then looks to Ainsley as Cecilia bustles off back into the Mansion, lifting a shoulder in bemused confusion. Her eyes flick up to Zhgir's general area, and she twitches an ear toward the gate, then shrugs, moving toward the open gate.

Talen is silent again for long moments, silent save for the ragged intake of breath. "We would be delighted to enjoy a crumpet or two. Please, do lead the way." He gazes at Ainsley and Alba, and follows behind the female Viera.

Cecilia walks up to the gate and waves everybody in. The guards look to each other, the leper, the viera construct, and then to Ainsley. Then shrugs their shoulders and step aside. One of them can be heard whispering to another, "Should send word to Terra, I think these may be who she is waiting for." Cecilia mentions in passing, "OH I think there was a forth with them, a spidering. Oh I just want to hug him and squeeze him." Giggling again she heads into the mansion. The inside is grand, and dark. The primary colors used are black and deep reds in all the designs. Cecilia leads her way through a few rooms an into a suddenly brightly colored room of soft whites and blues. "Ahh my room. Make yourselves confortable and remove those bandages so I can get a good look at you." Over to Alba. Then she glances around, "Oh where is that grumpy old man, my other guest. You will like him, never stops complaining." Giggling the womans skips off through a door mentioning something about getting tea.

Zhgir disappears from the rooftop for a while. It doesn't take him too long to find what he is looking for - soon to be very unfortunate stray cat. Making his way over the wall, he holds the feline tight in his arms as he silently mills along the crowd around the corner - before with near careless motion, he tosses it over the wall, hoping to distract the dogs in the most natural way possible. He wishes he could disappear like Edge, as he waits for an opportune moment to climb over and sneak into the mansion.

Alba's eyes follow Cecilia out the door, and with a sigh, she slips a pad from her pocket and a stub of charcoal, scribbling furiously. (Our disguise was wasted. We are known.) Closing her eyes, she shakes her head and moves to lean against the wall next to the doorknob, slipping a knife free from its scabbard and waiting for Cecilia to return.

Talen nods to Alba, and looks to Ainsley and then back to Alba. "So we must find what we came here for, and get out while we can. Though I do wonder who this old man she speaks of is."

Cecilia steps back in with another, "Found him! Everybody meet Professor Fusoya, the grumpiest old man alive." giggling and then stopping by the door to balance the trey of tea cups and kettle she is carrying. The old lunarian man just grumps at her, "I am not grumpy young lady, how many times do I have to tell you that?" Meanwhile outside the dogs are immedinetly distracted by a poor soon to be dead cat. As the cat has nowhere to really run it skitters about avoiding the dogs and proving a excellent distractino for the spider to sneak across with.

Zhgir takes the moment to dash across the courtyard after a momentary glance around. Seeing the windows are all barred, he decides to climb up onto the roof instead, laying really low as he looks for any way in - even if it happened to be a (hopefully) cool chimney. He was already ashen grey to begin with!

Alba's foot snakes out, closing the door behind Cecilia, her free hand coming up to tug the bandage from her throat, her dagger hidden behind her other arm, eyes narrowed in silent speculation. For the moment, she makes no move -- after all, a falling tea service makes noise -- but she gives Fusoya a once-over, then looks to Talen, eyebrow rising.

Talen draws in a breath, and can only stare from the depths of the Black Mage's robes. "Professor Fusoya, it is a pleasure to meet you. Cecil sends his greetings." The male Viera's ears twitch a few times before he continues. "Miss Black, would you allow us a walk with the professor while you tend to tea? Perhaps a few laps of the courtyard would brighten his mood?"

Cecilia glances back to the door and smiles, "Oh thank you for closing the door for me. Such a sweat heart you are." Then glances to Talen and ahhs, "but I just brought the tea. Should have a sip now. Oh Locke!" Glancing to another door as somebody steps in, somembody you all reconize. The captain you ran into back in the mining town when all this began stands in the door way. "Cecilia, I see you have guest." Eyes looking everybody over with a touch of a fown. "Yes, sit down and have tea." A sharp glance to the professor who clams up and nods slowly as he moves to a seat, "Yes I think you all should sit down and have some tea."

The chimney leads down and there is no fire set. The spider kin will find himself entering into a very brightly colored room wher everybody is currently standing

Zhgir peeks inside the chimney's opening, and then he sees people. He quickly withdraws, and instead dangles a familiar looking small bone key amidst the soot - hoping that somebody will recognize it, and not make much of a fuzz about it. Meanwhile, he just clings for dear life.

Alba returns Locke's stare at first, her hand slipping backward just slightly... to return the knife to its scabbard, both hands coming up to rake her nails through her waist-length black hair. Inclining her head, she moves toward the table, one ear twitching first toward the fireplace, then further to its side, another orienting on Fusoya's breathing. As she passes Talen, she squeezes the male's shoulder, tapping with the finger closest the fireplace.

Once more the male Viera is silent, staring out at the scene as it unfolds. Alba's touch seems to shake him out of his reverie, and his ears twitch in reply. But then he draws in that ragged sounding breath once more, and he reaches up to draw back the hat and hood of the robes he wears. "Cecilia.", he intones deeply, "Locke loves you, more deeply than a brother, and has so since you two first met. When you gave him bread even though you had nothing else. When you tended his wounds when he fell. Everything you two did together further strengthened the bonds. And deep down, you know you love him." The viera raise up a hand, gesturing to Locke, turning to face the man. "You know it to be true. You are only here because you love Cecilia, and since you are denied her, you are content to remain at her side, watching her grow. You let the spiderling go, on purpose. You let Edward go, on purpose. You failed, knowing that it would cause you pain and agony, because you knew it to be right. Even now you hope that your failure will cause the Mask to remain hidden, unfound." He draws another breath, sounding pained doing so. "If you want the Mask to remain out of the hands of people who would use it to wreak ruination upon the planet, well, it comes down to what you decide to do in the next few minutes, sir. Ask Cecilia to come away with you, let us purchase the freedom of Professor Fusoya with the promise of your own freedom. If you act NOW, things can be made right. Time is short, and the odds are against us, sir. What say you?"

Cecilia peers over to Talen as he speaks and shakes her head with a gentle smile, "Silly, of course he loves me. What best friend doens't?" The woman turns and puts the tray down and starts pouring tea, "Leave? Now now I cannot leave mother, this is my home." offers cecilia. Locke on the other hand has gone a bit pale from Talen's speech. He glances to Cecilia and makes a motion over towards her, "The situation is more complex then that. I have spent years trying to convince her." A rueful smile and then a glance to the professor who has oddly remained silent. "Professor, Terra will be requesting your presence when she arrives home." Eyes looking back to the group, "I resent those accusations you have made at me and my character. There are no secrets that are kept from Mother. Such acusations would cost me my life were they true." Eyes narrowing as he reaches down and pulls out a whistle, "I am left with no choice but to call the guards and have you detained until mother gets home." Lifting up the whistle, but taking his sweet time doing so giving pelnty of opertunities to be stopped.

Cecilia peers over to Talen as he speaks and shakes her head with a gentle smile, "Silly, of course he loves me. What best friend doens't?" The woman turns and puts the tray down and starts pouring tea, "Leave? Now now I cannot leave mother, this is my home." offers cecilia. Locke on the other hand has gone a bit pale from Talen's speech. He glances to Cecilia and makes a motion over towards her, "The situation is more complex then that. I have spent years trying to convince her." A rueful smile and then a glance to the professor who has oddly remained silent. "Professor, Terra will be requesting your presence when she arrives home." Eyes looking back to the group, "I resent those accusations you have made at me and my character. There are no secrets that are kept from Mother." His eyes glancing to Cecilia to make his point. "Such acusations would cost me my life were they true." Eyes narrowing as he reaches down and pulls out a whistle, "I am left with no choice but to call the guards and have you detained until mother gets home." Lifting up the whistle, but taking his sweet time doing so giving pelnty of opertunities to be stopped.

Alba does not look amused at the verbal and mental dancing about the topic, and the moment Locke begins to lift the whistle, she acts. Her outline blurring with preternatural speed, the first thing to be hurled at Locke's face is the sugar bowl, her free hand already grasping for her steaming-hot cup of tea.

Zhgir slowly sidles down the chimney opening. "It is already too late, Locke. Always the story with you, yes?" The arachnid strangely solemnly states - and then holding a small coin in his hands, attempts to nick it at the whistle Locke is holding. (Throw Stone)

Alba does not look amused at the verbal and mental dancing about the topic, and it shows on the deepening, impatient scowl on her face. The moment Zhgir speaks, she acts. Her outline blurring with preternatural speed, the first thing to be hurled at Locke's face is the sugar bowl, her free hand already dipping toward the tea tray as she hurls herself sideways out of her chair.

The coin hits the whistle soundly and knocks it out of Lockes hands who watches it fly across the room with a amused look. Eh suger gets more of a reaction as he holds up a arm to keep it out of his eyes and backs out the door, "Guards!"

Talen raises an eyebrow at the sudden chaos, and he claps his hands together, a loud crackle sounding in the air as frost gathers on his hands. With a wave of his hand, the area around the door become a blinding mess of wind, sleet and ice. "The chimney, now!", he whispers urgently, gesturing at the Professor, Ainsley and Alba. "Zhgir, help them up." To Cecilia, he offers a nod, "I am sorry to have caused you trouble. But... Locke loves you more than a friend. He loves you as a husband and wife might love each other. Search your heart and your history. You've been blind to his love, and Terra's unkindness to him, for far too long."

Cecilia lets out a shriek as the sugar goes flying across the room, "Noooo!" Ignoring everything else as she suddenly chases after Locke, "Locke the guards will not protect you from me! You know how I hate wasting food. Come here you!" Rushing out the room and forgetting about everything else. Fusoya stands up slowly and chuckles, "Sweatest girl you will ever meet, but forgets about everything else when food is wasted. She grew up on the streets after all. She tells Terra everything, but that little sugar fiasco will probably make her forget. Though Locke I was unaware was trying to undermine her. Oh I am missing things, getting to old." Eyes glancing to the chimeny, "I cannot climb up that, to small to fit into it." looking back to the others, "We have two options of escape. The front door, your disguises are so good taking them off will hide you even better. Or there is a sewer connection below." A shiver, "I know from the torture I endured there." Locke pokes his head back in the door, "Hurry, Terra will be home soon. The guards outside will leave you be if you are quick about it." then is running off again with Cecilia chasing after him, "Locke get back here!"

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Atomos: The Linguist Part 1

2015-01-16T21:58:11Z

Marduke:

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Three weeks have gone by since the adventurers and several things have happened. Edward in all of the Mix has wondered off and does not appear to be in the city anymore. The book that you had to experience a attack of Atomos to obtain has wondered off with the crazy lady wearing a mask. Tristania has not been heard from in all of this time. At the end of the third week the Enterprise flies its way into port and Cecil puts out a call if anybody from the adventuring party has been seen in the city.

The three weeks have not been altogether uncomfortable; Unable to speak when in Talen's vicinity has been an annoyance, but a bearable one... if expensive in paper. The arrival of the Enterprise, seen from but a couple berths over, is met with a heavy, aggrieved sigh, and once her watch is over, she sets out to collect Talen and bring him the good tidings.

Talen is easily roused from his slumber, having been taking turns watching the skies from the Doodlebug's Crow's Nest. Rubbing at his eyes, the Viera grins at the news. "So they've returned. Hopefully this is good news. Though.. where did Tristania go, I wonder, with that book?" Once upon deck, his grin becomes brighter, and he heads down the gangplank. "Let us see how the Enterprise fared on her journey back here, shall we?"

The lizard woman finds herself heading to the Enterprise again. She flips through a notebook on the way, reviewing her notes about the Atomos crisis as a whole. She sighs as she toddles along the dock. She's got no one to speak to along the way. Seems Ainsley is ready to begin her journey, by the looks of things. She has a backpack for luggage to carry her travelling gear.

The last to arrive is Tristania; the dryad approaches barefoot and leisurely, bearing a duffel upon her book with a large, square-shaped object contained within it. The dryad's hummingbird mask is firmly in place, but she has certainly not been idle since she was last seen. Two more wooden masks grace her form, one held over ehr right shoulder, and the other dangling from her belt over her left hip. She walks towards the Enterprise, glancing about to note the presence of the other members of the party.

Cecil has anybody who comes to the enterprise show into the meeting room. "Hello everybody, I am glad most of you made it back to Emberstrand safely. Though where is that spider kin? Alfir has been... a pain." Holding a hand to his head, as the mentioned spider kin crawls over the Cecils wings, "Queens! Where is Pappy zhgir?" The young spider-kin peering at the queens. "Anyways, did you find anything through that doorway that we can use to track down the artifact?"

Talen chuckles at the long sigh from Alba, eyeing her with a light smile. "I know, my Hunter, I know." Turning to eye the wee spider-kin, he points. "Zhgir is hiding in that sack over there." Turning back to Cecil, he offers a nod to the approaching dryad. "Tristania has a book, which she has been studying I hope, that will lead us to the Mask. Which is what we require, I believe, to summon Atomos."

Tristania pulls the duffel off her back, and extracts the book, which she's kept wrapped in leather for protection. She unwraps it, and it lands on the table with a heavy 'thump', and a bit of a cloud of lingering dust. "The book," she states. "Which these last three weeks has resisted my attempts to read it." She pauses, inclingin her chin. "I am getting closer, however."

Cecil pulls up the book and flips it open only after a moments hesitation. He blinks and flips to another page and then another his frown becoming deeper with each flip, "This is... ancient very ancient, I can see influences of both Hi-Lunarian and Elven. You got this from the library?" Glancing up to the group and then back to the book, "beyond my skill to read, but I do know somebody who may be able to translate it. My old professor back in Archades, Professor Fusoya."

Alba's mask tips up to the ceiling for a moment, another heavy sigh heard. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turns to look at the rest of the group, flicking her fingers toward the Aegyl.

Talen blinks and covers his mouth with a hand, stifling the giggle that was sure to pop out had he not. "It would be Archades, wouldn't it, Cecil? And how do you propose we get to your old Professor? Who may be of a disposition to help, however, the nation he lives in will surely try to prevent our arrival, yes?"

Tristania reaches out to gather up the book, and starts wrapping the leather around it once again. "When entering the den of Lobos," she states, "One who does not wish to be eaten would do well to kill all the Lobos, first. If this is beyond their means..." She shrugs lightly. "Then pretend to be a Lobo."

Cecil motions over to Tristania with a frown, "Pretend to be a lobo, probably the best course of action. We will have to charter another airship or sneak in by land or sea in some shape or form. Unless you can find another master of ancient languages like Professor Fusoya." The agyle offering a hmm as he glances back to the book as it is wrapped up, "I will have to travel with you on this one, the professor is old and picky in who he talks to these days. A old student would be the best in. so, we need to come up with a plan now?"

The mask is pushed up, a stub of charcal and sheaf of notepaper pulled from her hip pouch. A few moment's furious scribbling, and she hands a densely-scrawled note to Cecil. [If we are to do this foolish thing, there is little room for mistake. The disguise must be perfect.]

"Is there a way to perhaps convince him to come to us? Find a neutral spot, and send a moogle mail?" Talen rubs his chin, his ears dipping low. "To go into Archades is incredibly dangerous, even with a good disguise. And are you sure that he would see you, without tipping off the Archadean authorities?"

"The professor is old, and picky with whom he talks to," Tristania immediately points out. "He is not going to just get up and go travelling because someone writes a note and claims to need help." She snorts. "I will cloth myself as a leper. I have seen them in the city. That way I may wear a mask and none will question why I do so." She pauses, and tilts her head. "And perhaps people like guards will be less quick to accost us if they think their limbs may rot off as a consequence of our meeting."

"Wait, what," Ainsley speaks up, as she realizes where the conversation had gone since she had gotten absorbed in her notes. She looks at Cecil, and then the others. "Okay, I am going to say it: I am a fugitive in Archades because their Princess is crazier than a Terrorsaur with a back itch. My presence would be a profound risk during this trip because any Archadian authority has a good chance of recognizing who I am."

Cecil just listens to everybody for a long moment and hmms faintly, "A few things here, you are right, the professor is not going to get up and leave on just a note. He is very stubborn honestly." A glance over to Tristania and Ainsley and the Aegyl closes his eyes a moment. "Disguies are a possibility, Ainsley here could go as a construct or something that would cover her face. Though I have honestly never seen a dryad before in Archades." Glancing over to Tristania, "Sneaking is posisble though, as I do not think the authories would think you have the gall to walk right into the city." Eyes directed at Ainsley, "The rest of you could go as you are i am sure. We would just have to be careful not to get noticed by the Judges. There is another option, one very risky as well. As Archades is a very old city, there are the underways, crawling with fiends, low lifes, and a maze of tunnels and turns. I know there is a entrance to leads to the Academy. Also, they double as the cities sewer system."

The stub of charcoal skitters rapidly, one side of the paper filled, then the other, and a fresh sheet. [Wiser to disguise ourselves until the warrens are found, then remain quiet and dangerous until we reach the house of learning. Fiends, thieves, these are lesser concerns and a simpler road, one I would trust our fortune to with more certainty.]

Talen looks a little wary and shrugs. "Both choices are undesirable and dangerous. Are you sure you couldn't perhaps encourage him to leave his cosy place of study, and come out into the field to translate something you've found, Cecil?" The male Viera tugs lightly at one of his ears. "If I had to choose one, I suppose it would be the sewers. Yick."

Tristania shakes her head. "I cast my vote for the disguise," she states. "If we are questioned we can at least try to talk our way out of trouble. If we are caught skulking about in the sewers, we are likely to lose that option."

Cecil offers a wane smile to Talen, "If you have a way to encourage an over 200 year old Lunarian to leave I am all ears. I will send him a letter just in case, but cannot promise anything." Cecil looks to the others, "So I am hearing a mix. If any of you can think of other options I am more than willing. The sewers is not the route I want to go either. I have already been tagged by our enemies in this and am wanted myself for crimes I didn't commit. So disguise for me as well. Right now as it stands, two for sewers, one for disguise."

[Disguise would be well, to allow us entry into the nation. I think not that we will wish ourselves into the underways. A message would be well, and a place that we may retrieve an answer determined, once we are within the city. Leave little to chance if it may be helped.] Alba glances up at Tristania, and lifts an eyebrow, before writing her final message. [If we must venture into a den of Lobos too numerous to slay, best we leave no chance we shall be torn apart.]

Talen rubs at that ear further, letting out a breath. "I suppose mixing the two ideas could work. But.. we're walking into the lands of an enemy that wants us dead." He looks to Cecil sadly, "Does your professor friend really want Archades to have this weapon, to use improperly? This goes far beyond attempting to harness the Mists for ill, or waging war against people who have little chance of fighting back. Would not the idea of Archades using this to eradicate the very memories of things be at odds with any professor of antiquities?"

Cecil hmms, "oh I am sure he would not, I think. He has gone a bit senile these days, but more importantly. Would you risk sending a message with that kind of information to him? He is a known associate of mine, his mail could be monitored. As it has been stated, we must leave nothing to chance." The Aegyl picking up a glass of something and taking a sip, "We may have to end up smuggling him out of the city, as he may not be allowed to leave even. By chance, did anybody ever catch what the first book Edward before it was stolen written in?"

Tristania watches the debate beginning between Talen and Cecil, and leans back in her chair. She spends the time arranging her hair, after she has pushed the book back down into the duffel. "Meaningless conjecture," she interjects. "What the professor wants or does nto want is irrelevant to our concerns. We reach him, we have him translate the book, and then we leave as swiftly as possible." She pauses, and smiles lop-sidedly. "And we are caught, we claim to be bounty hunters bringing the lizard-girl in as our capture. ...With luck we will even be able to rescue her again before she is executed."

Cecil hmms, "oh I am sure he would not, I think. He has gone a bit senile these days, but more importantly. Would you risk sending a message with that kind of information to him? He is a known associate of mine, his mail could be monitored. As it has been stated, we must leave nothing to chance." The Aegyl picking up a glass of something and taking a sip, "We may have to end up smuggling him out of the city, as he may not be allowed to leave even. By chance, did anybody ever catch what the first book Edward before it was stolen written in?" Cecil blinks and glances over to Tristania, "Err resucing her from the military in middle of the captial would be impossible. That would be a death sentance, even if it would save the rest of us. Look." He offers standing up, "We got a couple of weeks to plan this. talk among yourselves, decide what you feel is the best course of action, and be mindful, we will probably have to smuggle the old professor out. I am going to go write my letter."

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Atomos: The Linguist Part 1

2015-01-16T21:57:26Z

Marduke:

Atomos: The Linguist Part 1

2015-01-16T21:56:38Z

Marduke:

Atomos: The Linguist Part 1

2015-01-16T21:55:37Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos Three weeks have gone by since the adventurers and several things have happened. Edward in al…'

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

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Three weeks have gone by since the adventurers and several things have happened. Edward in all of the Mix has wondered off and does not appear to be in the city anymore. The book that you had to experience a attack of Atomos to obtain

has wondered off with the crazy lady wearing a mask. Tristania has not been heard from in all of this time. At the end of the third week the Enterprise flies its way into port and Cecil puts out a call if anybody from the adventuring

party has been seen in the city.

The three weeks have not been altogether uncomfortable; Unable to speak when in Talen's vicinity has been an annoyance, but a bearable one... if expensive in paper. The arrival of the Enterprise, seen from but a couple berths over, is

met with a heavy, aggrieved sigh, and once her watch is over, she sets out to collect Talen and bring him the good tidings.

Talen is easily roused from his slumber, having been taking turns watching the skies from the Doodlebug's Crow's Nest. Rubbing at his eyes, the Viera grins at the news. "So they've returned. Hopefully this is good news. Though..

where did Tristania go, I wonder, with that book?" Once upon deck, his grin becomes brighter, and he heads down the gangplank. "Let us see how the Enterprise fared on her journey back here, shall we?"

The lizard woman finds herself heading to the Enterprise again. She flips through a notebook on the way, reviewing her notes about the Atomos crisis as a whole. She sighs as she toddles along the dock. She's got no one to speak to along

the way. Seems Ainsley is ready to begin her journey, by the looks of things. She has a backpack for luggage to carry her travelling gear.

The last to arrive is Tristania; the dryad approaches barefoot and leisurely, bearing a duffel upon her book with a large, square-shaped object contained within it. The dryad's hummingbird mask is firmly in place, but she has certainly

not been idle since she was last seen. Two more wooden masks grace her form, one held over ehr right shoulder, and the other dangling from her belt over her left hip. She walks towards the Enterprise, glancing about to note the

presence of the other members of the party.

Cecil has anybody who comes to the enterprise show into the meeting room. "Hello everybody, I am glad most of you made it back to Emberstrand safely. Though where is that spider kin? Alfir has been... a pain." Holding a hand to his

head, as the mentioned spider kin crawls over the Cecils wings, "Queens! Where is Pappy zhgir?" The young spider-kin peering at the queens. "Anyways, did you find anything through that doorway that we can use to track down the

artifact?"

Talen chuckles at the long sigh from Alba, eyeing her with a light smile. "I know, my Hunter, I know." Turning to eye the wee spider-kin, he points. "Zhgir is hiding in that sack over there." Turning back to Cecil, he offers a nod to

the approaching dryad. "Tristania has a book, which she has been studying I hope, that will lead us to the Mask. Which is what we require, I believe, to summon Atomos."

Tristania pulls the duffel off her back, and extracts the book, which she's kept wrapped in leather for protection. She unwraps it, and it lands on the table with a heavy 'thump', and a bit of a cloud of lingering dust. "The book," she

states. "Which these last three weeks has resisted my attempts to read it." She pauses, inclingin her chin. "I am getting closer, however."

Cecil pulls up the book and flips it open only after a moments hesitation. He blinks and flips to another page and then another his frown becoming deeper with each flip, "This is... ancient very ancient, I can see influences of both

Hi-Lunarian and Elven. You got this from the library?" Glancing up to the group and then back to the book, "beyond my skill to read, but I do know somebody who may be able to translate it. My old professor back in Archades, Professor

Fusoya."

Alba's mask tips up to the ceiling for a moment, another heavy sigh heard. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turns to look at the rest of the group, flicking her fingers toward the Aegyl.

Talen blinks and covers his mouth with a hand, stifling the giggle that was sure to pop out had he not. "It would be Archades, wouldn't it, Cecil? And how do you propose we get to your old Professor? Who may be of a disposition to

help, however, the nation he lives in will surely try to prevent our arrival, yes?"

Tristania reaches out to gather up the book, and starts wrapping the leather around it once again. "When entering the den of Lobos," she states, "One who does not wish to be eaten would do well to kill all the Lobos, first. If this is

beyond their means..." She shrugs lightly. "Then pretend to be a Lobo."

Cecil motions over to Tristania with a frown, "Pretend to be a lobo, probably the best course of action. We will have to charter another airship or sneak in by land or sea in some shape or form. Unless you can find another master of

ancient languages like Professor Fusoya." The agyle offering a hmm as he glances back to the book as it is wrapped up, "I will have to travel with you on this one, the professor is old and picky in who he talks to these days. A old

student would be the best in. so, we need to come up with a plan now?"

The mask is pushed up, a stub of charcal and sheaf of notepaper pulled from her hip pouch. A few moment's furious scribbling, and she hands a densely-scrawled note to Cecil. [If we are to do this foolish thing, there is little room for

mistake. The disguise must be perfect.]

"Is there a way to perhaps convince him to come to us? Find a neutral spot, and send a moogle mail?" Talen rubs his chin, his ears dipping low. "To go into Archades is incredibly dangerous, even with a good disguise. And are you sure

that he would see you, without tipping off the Archadean authorities?"

"The professor is old, and picky with whom he talks to," Tristania immediately points out. "He is not going to just get up and go travelling because someone writes a note and claims to need help." She snorts. "I will cloth myself as a

leper. I have seen them in the city. That way I may wear a mask and none will question why I do so." She pauses, and tilts her head. "And perhaps people like guards will be less quick to accost us if they think their limbs may rot

off as a consequence of our meeting."

"Wait, what," Ainsley speaks up, as she realizes where the conversation had gone since she had gotten absorbed in her notes. She looks at Cecil, and then the others. "Okay, I am going to say it: I am a fugitive in Archades because their

Princess is crazier than a Terrorsaur with a back itch. My presence would be a profound risk during this trip because any Archadian authority has a good chance of recognizing who I am."

Cecil just listens to everybody for a long moment and hmms faintly, "A few things here, you are right, the professor is not going to get up and leave on just a note. He is very stubborn honestly." A glance over to Tristania and Ainsley

and the Aegyl closes his eyes a moment. "Disguies are a possibility, Ainsley here could go as a construct or something that would cover her face. Though I have honestly never seen a dryad before in Archades." Glancing over to

Tristania, "Sneaking is posisble though, as I do not think the authories would think you have the gall to walk right into the city." Eyes directed at Ainsley, "The rest of you could go as you are i am sure. We would just have to be

careful not to get noticed by the Judges. There is another option, one very risky as well. As Archades is a very old city, there are the underways, crawling with fiends, low lifes, and a maze of tunnels and turns. I know there is a

entrance to leads to the Academy. Also, they double as the cities sewer system."

The stub of charcoal skitters rapidly, one side of the paper filled, then the other, and a fresh sheet. [Wiser to disguise ourselves until the warrens are found, then remain quiet and dangerous until we reach the house of learning.

Fiends, thieves, these are lesser concerns and a simpler road, one I would trust our fortune to with more certainty.]

Talen looks a little wary and shrugs. "Both choices are undesirable and dangerous. Are you sure you couldn't perhaps encourage him to leave his cosy place of study, and come out into the field to translate something you've found,

Cecil?" The male Viera tugs lightly at one of his ears. "If I had to choose one, I suppose it would be the sewers. Yick."

Tristania shakes her head. "I cast my vote for the disguise," she states. "If we are questioned we can at least try to talk our way out of trouble. If we are caught skulking about in the sewers, we are likely to lose that option."

Cecil offers a wane smile to Talen, "If you have a way to encourage an over 200 year old Lunarian to leave I am all ears. I will send him a letter just in case, but cannot promise anything." Cecil looks to the others, "So I am hearing

a mix. If any of you can think of other options I am more than willing. The sewers is not the route I want to go either. I have already been tagged by our enemies in this and am wanted myself for crimes I didn't commit. So disguise

for me as well. Right now as it stands, two for sewers, one for disguise."

[Disguise would be well, to allow us entry into the nation. I think not that we will wish ourselves into the underways. A message would be well, and a place that we may retrieve an answer determined, once we are within the city. Leave

little to chance if it may be helped.] Alba glances up at Tristania, and lifts an eyebrow, before writing her final message. [If we must venture into a den of Lobos too numerous to slay, best we leave no chance we shall be torn apart.]
Talen rubs at that ear further, letting out a breath. "I suppose mixing the two ideas could work. But.. we're walking into the lands of an enemy that wants us dead." He looks to Cecil sadly, "Does your professor friend really want

Archades to have this weapon, to use improperly? This goes far beyond attempting to harness the Mists for ill, or waging war against people who have little chance of fighting back. Would not the idea of Archades using this to eradicate

the very memories of things be at odds with any professor of antiquities?"

Cecil hmms, "oh I am sure he would not, I think. He has gone a bit senile these days, but more importantly. Would you risk sending a message with that kind of information to him? He is a known associate of mine, his mail could be

monitored. As it has been stated, we must leave nothing to chance." The Aegyl picking up a glass of something and taking a sip, "We may have to end up smuggling him out of the city, as he may not be allowed to leave even. By chance,

did anybody ever catch what the first book Edward before it was stolen written in?"

Tristania watches the debate beginning between Talen and Cecil, and leans back in her chair. She spends the time arranging her hair, after she has pushed the book back down into the duffel. "Meaningless conjecture," she interjects.

"What the professor wants or does nto want is irrelevant to our concerns. We reach him, we have him translate the book, and then we leave as swiftly as possible." She pauses, and smiles lop-sidedly. "And we are caught, we claim to be

bounty hunters bringing the lizard-girl in as our capture. ...With luck we will even be able to rescue her again before she is executed."

Cecil hmms, "oh I am sure he would not, I think. He has gone a bit senile these days, but more importantly. Would you risk sending a message with that kind of information to him? He is a known associate of mine, his mail could be

monitored. As it has been stated, we must leave nothing to chance." The Aegyl picking up a glass of something and taking a sip, "We may have to end up smuggling him out of the city, as he may not be allowed to leave even. By chance,

did anybody ever catch what the first book Edward before it was stolen written in?" Cecil blinks and glances over to Tristania, "Err resucing her from the military in middle of the captial would be impossible. That would be a death

sentance, even if it would save the rest of us. Look." He offers standing up, "We got a couple of weeks to plan this. talk among yourselves, decide what you feel is the best course of action, and be mindful, we will probably have to

smuggle the old professor out. I am going to go write my letter."

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2015-01-16T21:54:55Z

Marduke:

Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

--The Beginning--

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 4]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 5]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 6]]

[[Atomos: Interlude 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 7]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 8]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 3]]

[[Atomos: The Linguist Part 4]]

--Act 2--

[[Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 1]]

[[Atomos: Cardia Islands Part 1]]

Atomos: The Beginning Part 8

2015-01-16T21:46:59Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos They had found the location Edward had pointed out. A set of pillars standing about twenty fe…'

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

They had found the location Edward had pointed out. A set of pillars standing about twenty feet high. Along with some ruined walls and rocky outcroppings. The place otherwise was barren with very little life. The group decided to split up to look for the wondering doorway. Tristania and Ainsley went up on the airship to keep an eye above. Only to see half a hour later the rest on the ground making a mad scramble for a doorway. Cecil quickly ordered the ship down and let Ainsley and Tristania off to make their own scramble for the doorway. The moment they step through the doorway they find they are not in Ivalic anymore. The void spreads out before them. Dark inky blackness that seems to be pulling at the soul and trying to suck them in. Tristania is able to resist the call, but still feels queasy to the stomach. The rest of the party is nowhere in sight. A dark cobblestone path is before here. With the occasional wall or shelf along the way, and always are they empty. The only source of light is from a exploding supernova in the far distance.

Tristania pauses to catch her breath inside the doorway, only to find... this. The dryad really does need to pause, and not just to catch her breath; but she is, at least, able to keep her soul well guarded, it would seem. "You are... nothing," she hisses, standing up straight and drawing her knobkerrie. She brandishes it in front of her, and starts walking forwards. "Nothing to me," she clarifies. "Worthless." Wether or not there actually is any prsence here or if it really is just inky blackness, she isn't sure, but a little threatening never hurt anyone. Bare feet carry her across the cobblestones, weapon at the ready, as she makes a deliberate, purposeful pace.

"Nothing are you, worthless are you." A shadow exact copy of Tristania appears off the path and out of the way, "Always hiding, behind a mask both physical and metaphorical. You call nothing nothing, but fail to understand how nothing you are yourself. I remember when I was you at this point. We were nothing…" The shade fading away, "Worthless… scared and always hiding behind a mask… Remember to take only what was requested." then it is completely gone.
The clone is stabbed between the ribs, only to be met with no resistance. The image blurs a moment then reforms complete and hole. "I am nothing more than a memory, a visage of what you were, what you are, and what you can become at the edge of the void for all time. Of knowledge you seek, of knowledge you shall have. Walk that path." The image points up to a different direction then the one Alba was going, 'And you shall find what you seek. Be wary of the guardians. Take only what you requested."

The well-dressed man chuckles, "Oh my good baron, you always were a kidder. Your son is much more eager, you know there are some very pretty ladies here that are eligible for a man of his stature." As Zhgir puts on the mask his form changes into a fourteen year old boy. His clothing rich and posture that of a noble. The man looks back to Talen holding out the mask, "Come your Excellency, this is your celebration after all. You should enjoy it." The dancing behind him comes to a slow, then picks up again with a new song. "This empire will last forever."'

Alba's lip curls up behind her mask, a soft snort heard against the carved bone. Shaking her head, she turns toward the indicated path and begins to walk. One step after another, deliberate and cautious and eyes locked to the path, both wary of holes in the walkway, and leery of the yawning chasm in reality that serves as horizon.

Talen growls at the mask being offered, but manages to take it good-naturedly, slipping it on and following the man. "Time is short, I am afraid good sir. Just enough time for what is necessary, and not much more, if you take my meaning? But lead on, sir, lead on."

Tristania pauses, and eyes the shadowy-version of herself as it speaks, repeating her words and taunting her. She perks an eyebrow upwards... and laughs, a cruel and mirthless sound. "Correct," she snaps, and continues walking. "I am nothing. Just a jaded dryad of no consequence to anyone, wandering without purpose. Perhaps that will change while I am here." She tightens her grip on the knobkerrie, and continues on her way along the path, towards the supernova of light.

Zhgir had no trouble in popping on the mask - even though the physiology momentarily made the whole process awkward. Extra set of eyes after all, did not lend much in the way of support. But when he turns into a fourteen-year-old, he suddenly holds his hands out. "Zh... gir?" He asks, waving his arms experimentally in front of him, like a person momentarily blinded. And then he yells, "How can you people see like this?!" Stumbling forwards, he grabs Talen's shirt. "What is that? What empire is this? Why are you a baron and Zhgir is blind?" He asks, in that needlessly high pitched voice.

"Huh," is what Ainsley says when she sees the bright supernova in the distance. She squints at it, like 'I know what you are, b****, and I hate you and your friends.' "I wonder what part of the spirit realms we're in," she remarks, to no one in particular. She looks over at Tristania, and then over her shoulder, and for a moment she's disoriented. The darkness makes her face scrunch up like she ate something gross, her tongue sticking out. "Wherever this is, we seem to be trespassing a bit." She crosses her arms and hurries along with the dryad woman.

The path Alba walks will slowly start to turn to dirt, and grow larger. The dirt starts to turn grassy and flowers starting to show by the side. Quickly the path turns into a walkway along a garden, beautiful flowers and brush from walkways. Cobbled streams of water make lovely patterns along the walkways and through the gardens itself. The sky even changes from a black to a bright blue with a afternoon sun. The only reminder that you are in the void still is the supernova in the distance, ever out of reach. After a turn past a hedge Alba will walk into a small gathering of ladies. "Oh you're Ladyship" They all quickly stand up and offer a bow, "How delightful, we were just sitting down for tea. Please join us, though we expected you to be at the Barons Ball? I heard his son will be there, he is fourteen and eligible for marriage now. Are you not still looking for a husband yourself?"

The mask Talen puts on makes his form change, he is now a nobly dressed Baron entering into the ball room. The other man follows after the Baron, "Of course of course, I know you might find this a bit much. You did just get promoted from commoner to Baron. You should have known the King was going to do that when you invented a farming magic to end world hunger. Or, are you just that eager to present it in an hour? The man chuckles at Zhgir's antics, "Well masks do take some practice if you are not used to them. Oh looks like you have company young man, not often a handsome new bachelor comes onto the market." Several beautiful young ladies are hurrying up to Zhgir, then start to try to get the first dance in with him."

The path Tristania and Ainsley walk starts to shift and become a solid walkway path. Walls start to appear along the path and in some parts a roof. Then passing through an archway they find themselves in an aero dome. Massive airships, bigger and more complex, line the aerodome in all directions. The initial glance would show the mechanics matching designs like those found before the folly. A shadow image of Ainsley appears and looks around then at Ainsley, "The void, where all that has been, is, and can be exist but does not exist. A lost memory has been request, knowledge to find that which you seek. A memory that must be lived to be found. You are all welcome here, but stay to long and you will never return home. Just like how I never returned home." The image of Ainsley fading out of view. The Aerodome is suddenly busy with hundreds if not possibly thousands of people. A group of soldiers walks up, "Your Majesty," Addressing Tristania, "And Lady." To Ainsely, "You are early, you should have had your guard with you. Come, your ship awaits."

As the nothingness becomes something, and from something to the height of wetlander decadence, Alba looses a slow breath through her nose, ears folding back. "Spirits," she mutters sourly, straightening as strange women approach her as someone known to them, and speak of things that only have what scraps of meaning she's managed to glean from her life within Emberstrand. "Many concerns I have," she says slowly, as if tasting their meaningless meaning on her tongue. "Better, perhaps, to... see to my people... than dance and smile elsewhere." Snarling mental imprecations against the lunacy of all things not properly mortal, she sits at the offered chair, stiffly, hoping whatever fantasy she's stumbled into might fill in the cracks.

Talen shakes his head to the man speaking, his path slow and purposeful. "Not that I am overeager, just that there is more work to be done. Some of the duties of a Baron will get in the way of my work, but at least I can use my powers to improve people's lives. I just... don't wish to pat myself on the back like this. This...", he gestures around him, "Was not the reason why I work magic."

Tristania glances down at herself, to see if her attire has changed; finding that she is still clad in her leather outfit and still carrying a unicorn's thigh bone, she appears to be quite satisfied. She nods to the guard, and begins to follow, albeit at a relaxed pace. "Very good," she replies. "We will be ready to depart shortly." She glances sideways at Ainsley, and perks an eyebrow upwards. "We play along, or we do not. We do not know enough to choose."

Zhgir was grinning ear to ear as he was watching one particularly dashing lady in the corner - up until he was informed there was whole group of them. His face grows pale and his mouth falls open, as he is soon swarmed by those women. "ZHGIR CAN'T DANCE." He informs with a sudden loud voice - hands up in the air. "Quick, quick! Fire! Fire to everything... augh not the arm, Zhgir only has two-! Hello, Zhgir is Zhgir..." He attempts as he is forcibly pulled away from Talen.

Ainsley looks at the shadow with some incredulity, and uncrosses her arms as the scenery changes. She perks her brows at the idea of pretending to be someone else, and lets out a tired sigh at Tristania's comment. "Yes," she replies in a tired voice, evidently already aware of the theme here. She smiles briefly over to the soldier that addressed her, "That bore? Mmh, maybe next time, if you really insist." She does a really good job with haughty, snobby nobility. She also plays a good tired and impatient noble lady, by the way she carries herself. It's... not actually a huge change from her normal demeanor. A stiffer posture, mostly.

The ladies around Alba all offer a laugh, "Well yes of course, seeing to your people is good. The Queen is leaving today on her tour of the country to make sure the commoners are well, and the Baron just created new farming magic which will double crops. Always working that one." The man with Talen chuckles, "Oh of course of course. The king is eager to see what other wonders you can create. Title for resources, isn't that why you accepted it?" The man just grinning. One girl grabs his arm, "Can't dance, I can help teach you how to dance! It's fun." The guards nod to Tristnia, "Of course your Majesty." They turn, circle around the group and lead the way aboard the biggest airship in the docks. The name on the ship though is a blur of text and unreable, the name still forgotten to time.

A sudden shake of the earth happens and the windows of the ballroom shatter. The ships in the aerodome rock in place. The skies outside darken into a dull colorless grey and the winds pickup to a guest. Oddly, the winds offer no sound but can be felt. The guards on the ship look to each other than yell out, "Captain take off immediately! You Majesty, you should get below decks." The ladies in the garden all start to panic not sure what to do, "Whats going on?" is screamed, but their voices become only whispers in the eerie wind. The ballroom the man next to Talen glances around looking a bit pale, "Are we being attacked?" The lady dragging Zhgir off to the dance floor suddenly clings to him, "Be my hero and protect me?" Offering a flirty wink, but still looking very worried.

"Indeed," Alba murmurs, assuming that her uncertain half-smile translates into something more fitting for the scene. "I doubt not his work shall slow much, even still."

"Indeed," Alba murmurs, assuming that her uncertain half-smile translates into something more fitting for the scene. "I doubt not his work shall slow much, even still." The teacup set before her is raised, and an ear twitches as the wind picks up, head snapping upward as the sky blackens. "....Something is wrong and strange." The words spill from her mouth without thought, and she knocks her chair backward as she shoots to her feet. "Inside! Now!" she shouts to be heard over the muffling, silent winds.

Talen looks to the man beside him, "Take our guests to a safer room, without windows if you can manage it.", he says, leaning so that he can speak directly into the man's ear. The man walks over to the now shattered windows, to peer up and out, scanning the skyline, and then the courtyards below.

Tristania jumps as the wind picks up, and her hand grips her knobkerrie ever more tightly. The wooden beak of her mask whips from side to side as her gaze snaps from one side to the other. "Yes," she agrees, with the guard ushering her below decks. "Bring the Lady and I to the bridge, immediately." She walks swiftly, moving with the guards, and tucking her knobkerrie into her belt so she may have both hands free, just in case. "Keep up, Ainsley," she snaps. "We have no time for weariness."

Zhgir's hands attempt to translate into action; but quite failing at as there is suddenly a queen sticking to him. "B-but Zhgir is not a queen like you." He explains, his face stuck in completely other kind of horror; hand still flailing limply. He was quickly attempting to scan something he could take though - this time, just looking for anything he could as a rope. During which, it probably looks completely awkward to the woman in question, as he suddenly begins to coat the girl in white webbing, to prevent her from moving too much. "Shush. Zhgir is actually a spy of your dreams." He tells the girl as sternly as 14-year-old can. While holding his hands up in the air. Because damn it, panic.
Ainsley frowns when things start to get out of hand. She doesn't panic, but that's because her natural reaction to fear is belligerence and anger. She'd make a great priestess to Ifrit, maybe. But then the dryad woman is leading her, and she lets out an exapserated noise at the way it is phrased. "Fine, I will listen to you, but at least stop with the impetuous biting." She follows readily, but she doesn't seem happy about it.

The winds continue to pick up and soon reach a gale force strength. With the winds this strong no sounds can be heard, everything having become completely silent. The gardens outside are being torn up, various objects being picked up by the silent wind and flying off southward. The color of each object that starts to fly off also starts to fade into a dull grey. One of the Ladies next to Alba gets picked up and starts to fly off, her face pure fear. She is also very clearly screaming but nothing can be heard. The docks are a riot of panic. The airship Tristania and Ainsley are one rocks with the picking up winds and is already pulling away from the docks. Tristania's words come out as nothing more than a whisper and then there is silence all around the two. Ainsley's also fade from a whisper into nothing, the last of them never to be heard. They are lead to the bridge where the captain is piloting the ship. Hundreds of people can be seen rioting and scrambling for any ships still in docks. Dozen of them along the edge where Tristania's and Ainsley's ship is taking off from. They are offering silent cries for help and to be saved. A few of them being picked up by the wind and thrown off southward. The ballroom is a panic, people rushing out trying to escape. Cracks start to forma long the upper walls as the very building is starting to become at risk of being pulled apart. The upper parts of the room are also losing their color, fading into the dull grey. The girl Zhgir webs up offers no resistance, just falling to her knee's in complete panic.

To the south where everything is being blown to a massive creature can be seen. Floating just above the ground level and towering hundreds of feet up is a massive wide open mouth. The gaping maw of Atomos himself. Everything that has started to fly off is flying straight into the maw of Atomos.

The lady picked up and drawn into the mouth of the massive, horrific creature, ignored in favor of the two that remain. Grabbing a wrist in each hand, she pelts toward the closest structure, stomach churning as *color and sound* are leached away from all not bodily dwarn into that terrible maw.

Talen stares in horror at the giant maw that leeches away sound and light and color. He grabs a hold of the wall, and simply observes the destruction wrought. "Where is this place?", he muses aloud and unheard. "It will start here, now as in the past, yes?" Tears well up and roll down his cheek. "Who would ever use such a thing for such pettiness?"

Tristania stands in the bridge of the ship, and watches to make sure that Ainsley makes it in, and that the door is shut behind them. She doesn't bother speaking; clearly, there is no use in such. The Dryad simply finds something to grab hold of and holds on to it, while the crew of the ship around her go about the task of flying it. Her knuckles whiten as her grip tightens, and her muscles tense; she has nothing to do but wait and see.

Zhgir has known true terror. True terror has even touched him; mere seconds ago. But as he realizes he can't hear his voice, he drops all pretense. This was Terror, and the arachnid didn't have a senseless quip left for it. Hands falling down onto the bundled woman, he hoists her upon his back and sprints forward, heart beating unheard in his ears. He suspected there was nothing he could do, but he attempts to grab Talen regardless, his voiceless shouts burning in his throat. "Viera, we've to go now!"

Ainsley realizes she's on an airship, in the bridge of it, and she's grasping onto a railing that is attached to a vehicle likely hurtling to its doom, once they get there. She stares at her own hands, and then over to Tristania, and then to everyone else as they panic. She suddenly has this realization that playing the part in this memory may get her killed with everyone else. She tries to keep aware that it's a flicker of history, and that the people that died here, died long ago. She frowns sadly, instead of freaking out, despite every indication that she should panic. Her eyes turn to try to spot whatever may be causing this, a clue to the memory, some sort of point behind all of it. It's a lesson, imagery like this is always teaching something.

There is no escape. The airship attempts to fly away, but the engines are not strong enough, and the more color the ship loses the weaker it seems resist. Every structure is torn apart and flies into the maw, taking with it those who were inside. Everything done to resist, magic, webs, ropes, and holding onto things proving futile. Everybody is drawn into the gapping maw of Atomos by the soundless and colorless vacuum. The destruction of the kingdom takes less than three minutes to complete. As each person enters into the maw everything goes black, entering into a realm of nothingness. There is no feeling, no sight, even your own limbs feel lost. This state last for an untold time as all sense of time is lost. Then you all wake up next to each other, no items lost and returned with all color and sound (Except Alba). The landscape around you in a dull grey rocky area. Only two tall pillars have been left after the devastation of Atomos. The same two pillars that were outside when you found the door. Six shades stands around you, each a copy of one of the party, this includes Edward. They all have looks of either pain, sorrow, or anger depending on who they are a shade of. None of those looks are directed at the party, but at the two pillars a little distance off. The Talen visage speaks up, "Here at the edge memories can be found, even those that are lost. Knowledge is experienced here before it is written. Watch, the end of this memory is near." Holding up a finger the visage points to the pillar, tears coming down the shades face.

Alba crawls to her feet, pushing up her mask and knuckling the bridge of her nose, blowing out a weary, unhappy sigh through her nose. A quick check to either side shows that all are more or less present and acounted fore, and she reaches out to grip Talen's arm and squeeze, slightly. As the Edward shade speaks, it gets her attention, and though resentment is clear in her eyes, she pays attention.

Talen sits bolt upright when his arm is squeezed, the male Viera suddenly panting and looking around. "Well. They certainly do work in mysterious ways...." He looks towards the two pillars, an eyebrow raised, and then back to the shades. "So that was a memory not yet formed?" He looks back to the space between the pillars, expectantly.

Tristania slowly awakens, and sits up. She shakes her head, and checks to make sure that her mask is firmly in place, before slowly rising to her feet. "I do not think that is quite what he means," she comments, in answer to Talen's question. "Close, but not quite. It is possible that we are witnissing the future. That would be the memory that has not yet been written, yes?"

Zhgir's hands were attempting to hold onto something that was not there. Wriggling his arms stiffly, he then lays his hands onto his laps, peering over at Alba as he reaches for Talen. "Or perhaps everything, including memories was sucked into that... thing." The arachnid points out, before suddenly shutting his mouth. "Zhgir." He lets out, quickly staring towards the shades.

Ainsley looks around toward the others as they make their inquiries or comments, once the lost memory has faded. She just spends some time reacquainting herself with her limbs, making sure everything is attached, while remaining prone on the floor. She's the last to sit up, and the only one the simply chooses not to speak. She barely pays attention to what the shade said, beyond the mention of memories. "Memories are Carbuncle's purview," she remarks, as an aside. "I don't see the turqoise rabbit creature anywhere around here, though." She's certainly looking around for him.

The Tristania shade speaks up, "No, this is a memory of what has happened. It is completing now." There is a man standing between the two pillars looking over the devastation. Then he starts to cackle and dance, "It works, it really works! A great test run, such beautiful destruction!" The masked man continue to dance cackle. "oh what wonderful joy, more, must consume more!" The masked man starts to fade out of view leaving only a book behind. The Ainsley shade speaks up, "Indeed it is, though memories are many and some best forgotten. Carbuncle knows of this place, but even he as a spirit treads not in these lands of the lost and fading. Look, the knowledge you seek awaits. Your time in these lands is short, stay to long and the void will keep you for its own. Any door will lead you back, but to where we cannot see. As this part of you is forever lost." The shades start to fade out of view. Past the pillars a single wooden door appears.

In silence, Alba listens to the shades, watches the cavorting lunatic and the book he becomes. Squeezing Talen's arm again, she stoops to take Edward's hand, dark eyes looking onto the Moogle without much evident emotion... but without the sneering resentment that could be seen when looking upon anythng but her fellow adventurers. Nodding once, eyebrow rising in question, she tips her ears toward the book and the door as though to ask if he wants to be first.

Talen looks over to Alba, reaching up to squeeze her hand. He notes the look between the two, and he'll slowly stand. Slipping out of her grasp, he walks over to the door, and stops a short distance away, waiting. "Do you want to be the first to see what's out this door, Edward? Might make for a good song, don't you think?"

The dryad, too, watches the man's cavorting and dancing, and his subsequent vanishing act. The book left behind siezes her attention, and she waits only for a moment before crossing the distance. She kneels to claim the tome, and stands, cradling the book in both arms. Her fingertips brush over the cover, and then she opens it, taking a moment to flip through the pages. "Choose a door," she comments, without looking up. "We should leave."

Zhgir's on his feet too, brushing at his back restlessly, still half expecting to find someone there. It was eerie thought. Shivering, he looks after the departing shades. "Zhgir still thinks Zhgir should have gone with Zhgir..." He mutters by himself, as he waits for the rest of the group to go through the door, his eyes instead focused on everything else. Just in case there was a key lying about.
=
Ainsley nods gently, easily understanding the words that the shade speaks. "This would leave a bad taste in any spirit's mouth, then," she says, softly, "If even the spirit of memories shuns this image." She closes her eyes for a beat. Then opens them, and steps toward the door with single-minded purpose. There are no other doors, and no alternative actions she can perform. "Best not to dilly-dally," she murmurs to herself.

The door leads to a street, a very familiar street to everybody in the party. It is the promenade of Emberstrand. A few people passing by wave as they recognize individuals within the group. Once everybody is through the door, the door disappears. The book Tristania is looking at is of no language recognizable to anybody within the party. It is old, and will take a dedicated linguist to decipher and read.

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The Artifact of Atomos Cast

2014-09-21T22:13:42Z

Marduke:

The current known cast. More will be added as they are met and discovered with the series of plots. Information on each cast member will also be updated as new information is learned!

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

<big>'''The cast'''</big>
==Professor Cecil Baltemore==

Race: Aegyl

Biography: A young adventurous man from the city of Kandala. He grew up in the merchant district and attended university for archeology in Arcadia. He has been employed by the Kandalan crown to investigate the matter of the artifact of Atomos and do everything needed to prevent it from falling into Arcadian hands. Cecil is seen to be a quiet man of few words.

Specialties: Whip, firearms, and ancient ruins.

Job: Lore Master, some training in warrior.

==Kain==

Race: Burmecian

Biography: Little is known about this sky pirate or where he is from. Rumors have it that he is from Bur-Omisace. Incidentally, he is wanted in Bur-Omisace for stealing his current airship the Falling City. Cecil and Kain have been long time friends. Kain often escorts him with his airship.

Specialties: Firearms, piloting airships.

Job: Gunslinger, Brigand

==Rosa Baltemore==

Race: Human

Biography: Rosa was born and raised in Arcadia where she met Cecil during her University days. She has since moved to Kandala after marrying Cecil. She accompanies him on many of his explorations due to her training in black magic.

Specialties: Black Magic, keeping Cecil in check, and cooking.

Job: Black Wizard, some training in green.

==Rydia==

Race: Dryad

Biography: Discovered knowledge has learned that Rydia lives in the Golmore jungle. She was last seen traveling the mountain passes of Mt. Bur-Omisace where she met the moogle Edward. The gave Edward a magical charm bracelet that would guide him in his travels. Rydia is now known to also be Tristania's sister.

Specialties: Prophecy ?

Job: ?

==Yang, Palom, and Porom Fang==

Race: ?

Biography: The three legendary monks who took the artifact of Atomos and hid it away.

Specialties: ?

Job: Monk?

==Edward Songkupo==

Race: Moogle

Biography: Edward is a simple musician who studied music down in Rossaria. He was digging through ancient texts in a library looking for inspirations for new music. One of those pieces was the Legend of Atomos, which sparked the search. He was found in the city of Gran Ferra by a adventuring group of Ainsley, Tristania, Talen, Alba, and Zhgir. After being rescued from near death by the Archadians he then led the group to Golmore jungle to find Rydia. It is also noted that musical instruments might explode around him, nobody has asked him why yet.

Specialties: Music, dance, getting lost.

Job: Bard

==Terra Black==

Race: Elf

Biography: Terra comes from a minor noble family in Arcadia. She is known as a dark malicious woman. She has worked her way up the ranks of special tasks with the Arcadian military. Her unit has been tasked with the retrieval of the Artifact for the Arcadian military.

Specialties: Torture, dagger, and green magic.

Job: Time Mage, Gunslinger

==Locke Smith==

Race: Human

Biography: A street urchin that Terra picked up one day off the streets for amusement. Locke proved so apt at escaping that she decided to keep him. Locke has a complete hatred of Terra and her tortures ways. He stays around and obeys because the love of his life refuses to leave.

Specialties: Lock picking, manual labor, disguise

Job: Thief

==Celese Black==

Race: Human

Biography: Celese is an aspect of all that is good in the world. She was born on the streets of Archades and taken in and adopted at a young age by Terra for her prodigy abilities. Celese proved at a young age to have a natural talent for healing magic. She is also naïve, optimistic, and see’s good in everything. To the point that she never see’s danger or an enemy in anybody, helping all that ask. This makes it easy for Terra to manipulate Celese, and use her to keep Locke under control. Celese is also the only person Terra has ever shown a soft spot for.

Specialties: Healing magic, optimism

Job: Healer

==Edgar and Sabin Smash==

Race: Ogre

Biography: Two ogres who like to pound people into the ground like nails.

Specialties: Hammers, brute strength and vitality

Job: Gladiator

==Shadow==

Race: ?

Biography: All that is known is that he works for Terra.

Specialties: Information Gathering, stealth

Job: ?

==Setzer Skyfall==

Race: Goblin

Biography: A goblin from the Nalbina region. Setzer is a brilliant engineer and in charge of Terra’s airship, Black Widow. He is never seen away from it. Terra also never tortures or threatens Setzer, being one of the few people she shows any fear from.

Specialties: Airships, weapons, firearms.

Job: Engineer.

-----

==Gau==

Race: Human

Biography: A guide to the wilds around the port of Balfonheim

Specialties: Survival, Pathfinder

Job: Ranger

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The Artifact of Atomos Cast

2014-09-21T22:13:15Z

Marduke:

The current known cast. More will be added as they are met and discovered with the series of plots. Information on each cast member will also be updated as new information is learned!

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

<big>'''The cast'''</big>
==Professor Cecil Baltemore==

Race: Aegyl

Biography: A young adventurous man from the city of Kandala. He grew up in the merchant district and attended university for archeology in Arcadia. He has been employed by the Kandalan crown to investigate the matter of the artifact of Atomos and do everything needed to prevent it from falling into Arcadian hands. Cecil is seen to be a quiet man of few words.

Specialties: Whip, firearms, and ancient ruins.

Job: Lore Master, some training in warrior.

==Kain==

Race: Burmecian

Biography: Little is known about this sky pirate or where he is from. Rumors have it that he is from Bur-Omisace. Incidentally, he is wanted in Bur-Omisace for stealing his current airship the Falling City. Cecil and Kain have been long time friends. Kain often escorts him with his airship.

Specialties: Firearms, piloting airships.

Job: Gunslinger, Brigand

==Rosa Baltemore==

Race: Human

Biography: Rosa was born and raised in Arcadia where she met Cecil during her University days. She has since moved to Kandala after marrying Cecil. She accompanies him on many of his explorations due to her training in black magic.

Specialties: Black Magic, keeping Cecil in check, and cooking.

Job: Black Wizard, some training in green.

==Rydia==

Race: Dryad

Biography: Discovered knowledge has learned that Rydia lives in the Golmore jungle. She was last seen traveling the mountain passes of Mt. Bur-Omisace where she met the moogle Edward. The gave Edward a magical charm bracelet that would guide him in his travels. Rydia is now known to also be Tristania's sister.

Specialties: Prophecy ?

Job: ?

==Yang, Palom, and Porom Fang==

Race: ?

Biography: The three legendary monks who took the artifact of Atomos and hid it away.

Specialties: ?

Job: Monk?

==Edward Songkupo==

Race: Moogle

Biography: Edward is a simple musician who studied music down in Rossaria. He was digging through ancient texts in a library looking for inspirations for new music. One of those pieces was the Legend of Atomos, which sparked the search. He was found in the city of Gran Ferra by a adventuring group of Ainsley, Tristania, Talen, Alba, and Zhgir. After being rescued from near death by the Archadians he then led the group to Golmore jungle to find Rydia. It is also noted that musical instruments might explode around him, nobody has asked him why yet.

Specialties: Music, dance, getting lost.

Job: Bard

==Terra Black==

Race: Elf

Biography: Terra comes from a minor noble family in Arcadia. She is known as a dark malicious woman. She has worked her way up the ranks of special tasks with the Arcadian military. Her unit has been tasked with the retrieval of the Artifact for the Arcadian military.

Specialties: Torture, dagger, and green magic.

Job: Time Mage, Gunslinger

==Locke Smith==

Race: Human

Biography: A street urchin that Terra picked up one day off the streets for amusement. Locke proved so apt at escaping that she decided to keep him. Locke has a complete hatred of Terra and her tortures ways. He stays around and obeys because the love of his life refuses to leave.

Specialties: Lock picking, manual labor, disguise

Job: Thief

==Celese Black==

Race: Human

Biography: Celese is an aspect of all that is good in the world. She was born on the streets of Archades and taken in and adopted at a young age by Terra for her prodigy abilities. Celese proved at a young age to have a natural talent for healing magic. She is also naïve, optimistic, and see’s good in everything. To the point that she never see’s danger or an enemy in anybody, helping all that ask. This makes it easy for Terra to manipulate Celese, and use her to keep Locke under control. Celese is also the only person Terra has ever shown a soft spot for.

Specialties: Healing magic, optimism

Job: Healer

==Edgar and Sabin Smash==

Race: Ogre

Biography: Two ogres who like to pound people into the ground like nails.

Specialties: Hammers, brute strength and vitality

Job: Gladiator

==Shadow==

Race: ?

Biography: All that is known is that he works for Terra.

Specialties: Information Gathering, stealth

Job: ?

==Setzer Skyfall==

Race: Goblin

Biography: A goblin from the Nalbina region. Setzer is a brilliant engineer and in charge of Terra’s airship, Black Widow. He is never seen away from it. Terra also never tortures or threatens Setzer, being one of the few people she shows any fear from.

Specialties: Airships, weapons, firearms.

Job: Engineer.

-----

==Gau==

Race: Human

Biography: Specialties: Survival, Pathfinder

Job: Ranger

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The Artifact of Atomos Companion Powers

2014-09-21T19:36:06Z

Marduke:

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

<big>'''The companions'''</big>

==Rydia==

Bonus: Hey I found this! Rydia has the power of the seer and just happens to know things. She is always finding things and using them. Rydia will on occasion find something useful to the party, potentially even a key item.

Cost: Play time! Rydia never goes anywhere without her pet Malboro Snuggles. The party will be required once per arc to spend at least an hour playing with the very friendly Snuggles.

==Fusoya==

Bonus: Black Sorcery. Fusoya is one of the oldest and most powerful black sorcerers in the world. One per arc he can step into a battle and cast Ultima on the enemy.

Cost: He’s Old. Fusoya is old, very old even by Lunarian standards. Because of this he is slow. All travel times are doubled and the party cannot leave him behind.

==Cecil==

Bonus: Archeology. Cecil is a highly trained archeologist and can find his way around old ruins. Once per arc he can find a hidden chamber in some ruins or locate an objective location in a area.

Cost: Archeology. Cecil just has to have time to study things! Any set of ruins the party enters Cecil will insist on spending some time to study. This will initiate a holdout encounter where the party will need to hold off a few waves of monsters while Cecil does his research.

==Rosa==

Bonus: The Healers Touch. Rosa is a white wizard by trade and a caretaker. Between battles the players will get a passive regenerations as they are tended by Rosa.

Cost: Do no Harm. Rosa refuses to stand by and let innocent people get harmed. Once per arc she will find a situation and insist the players step in and help.

==Kain==

Bonus: All Aboard. Kain has a airship, and he can get you just about anywhere with that airship. All overland travel times are reduced by half.

Cost: Is that a plane? The problem with a airship is that it is easy to spot. Somewhere along the trip you will be spotted and an event will occur. Can be friendly, can be the Archadian Royal Navy, you never know.

==Edge==

Bonus: Born in the shadows. The presence of this Ninja is rarely seen but always felt. Edge is always watching and has the uncanny ability to eavesdrop on the enemy and overhearing their plans and intents.

Cost: Can I trust you? Every secret has a price, you want what he has learned you have to offer something of your own in return. A character must give up a secret to get a secret.

==Edward==

Bonus: The Bards Tongue. Once per arc Edward can step in and talk the party out of nearly any situation.

Cost: What that a right, or a left? The Moogle is brilliant at getting lost. Once per arc the moogle will find a way to get himself lost and the party will have to go find him.

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The Artifact of Atomos Companion Powers

2014-09-21T19:30:57Z

Marduke:

Rydia

Bonus: Hey I found this! Rydia has the power of the seer and just happens to know things. She is always finding things and using them. Rydia will on occasion find something useful to the party, potentially even a key item.

Cost: Play time! Rydia never goes anywhere without her pet Malboro Snuggles. The party will be required once per arc to spend at least an hour playing with the very friendly Snuggles.

Fusoya

Bonus: Black Sorcery. Fusoya is one of the oldest and most powerful black sorcerers in the world. One per arc he can step into a battle and cast Ultima on the enemy.

Cost: He’s Old. Fusoya is old, very old even by Lunarian standards. Because of this he is slow. All travel times are doubled and the party cannot leave him behind.

Cecil

Bonus: Archeology. Cecil is a highly trained archeologist and can find his way around old ruins. Once per arc he can find a hidden chamber in some ruins or locate an objective location in a area.

Cost: Archeology. Cecil just has to have time to study things! Any set of ruins the party enters Cecil will insist on spending some time to study. This will initiate a holdout encounter where the party will need to hold off a few waves of monsters while Cecil does his research.

Rosa

Bonus: The Healers Touch. Rosa is a white wizard by trade and a caretaker. Between battles the players will get a passive regenerations as they are tended by Rosa.

Cost: Do no Harm. Rosa refuses to stand by and let innocent people get harmed. Once per arc she will find a situation and insist the players step in and help.

Kain

Bonus: All Aboard. Kain has a airship, and he can get you just about anywhere with that airship. All overland travel times are reduced by half.

Cost: Is that a plane? The problem with a airship is that it is easy to spot. Somewhere along the trip you will be spotted and an event will occur. Can be friendly, can be the Archadian Royal Navy, you never know.

Edge

Bonus: Born in the shadows. The presence of this Ninja is rarely seen but always felt. Edge is always watching and has the uncanny ability to eavesdrop on the enemy and overhearing their plans and intents.

Cost: Can I trust you? Every secret has a price, you want what he has learned you have to offer something of your own in return. A character must give up a secret to get a secret.

Edward

Bonus: The Bards Tongue. Once per arc Edward can step in and talk the party out of nearly any situation.

Cost: What that a right, or a left? The Moogle is brilliant at getting lost. Once per arc the moogle will find a way to get himself lost and the party will have to go find him.

The Artifact of Atomos Companion Powers

2014-09-21T19:30:20Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Rydia Bonus: Hey I found this! Rydia has the power of the seer and just happens to know things. She is always finding things and using them. Rydia will on occasion find somet…'

Rydia
Bonus: Hey I found this! Rydia has the power of the seer and just happens to know things. She is always finding things and using them. Rydia will on occasion find something useful to the party, potentially even a key item.
Cost: Play time! Rydia never goes anywhere without her pet Malboro Snuggles. The party will be required once per arc to spend at least an hour playing with the very friendly Snuggles.
Fusoya
Bonus: Black Sorcery. Fusoya is one of the oldest and most powerful black sorcerers in the world. One per arc he can step into a battle and cast Ultima on the enemy.
Cost: He’s Old. Fusoya is old, very old even by Lunarian standards. Because of this he is slow. All travel times are doubled and the party cannot leave him behind.
Cecil
Bonus: Archeology. Cecil is a highly trained archeologist and can find his way around old ruins. Once per arc he can find a hidden chamber in some ruins or locate an objective location in a area.
Cost: Archeology. Cecil just has to have time to study things! Any set of ruins the party enters Cecil will insist on spending some time to study. This will initiate a holdout encounter where the party will need to hold off a few waves of monsters while Cecil does his research.
Rosa
Bonus: The Healers Touch. Rosa is a white wizard by trade and a caretaker. Between battles the players will get a passive regenerations as they are tended by Rosa.
Cost: Do no Harm. Rosa refuses to stand by and let innocent people get harmed. Once per arc she will find a situation and insist the players step in and help.
Kain
Bonus: All Aboard. Kain has a airship, and he can get you just about anywhere with that airship. All overland travel times are reduced by half.
Cost: Is that a plane? The problem with a airship is that it is easy to spot. Somewhere along the trip you will be spotted and an event will occur. Can be friendly, can be the Archadian Royal Navy, you never know.
Edge
Bonus: Born in the shadows. The presence of this Ninja is rarely seen but always felt. Edge is always watching and has the uncanny ability to eavesdrop on the enemy and overhearing their plans and intents.
Cost: Can I trust you? Every secret has a price, you want what he has learned you have to offer something of your own in return. A character must give up a secret to get a secret.
Edward
Bonus: The Bards Tongue. Once per arc Edward can step in and talk the party out of nearly any situation.
Cost: What that a right, or a left? The Moogle is brilliant at getting lost. Once per arc the moogle will find a way to get himself lost and the party will have to go find him.

The Artifact of Atomos

2014-09-21T19:29:10Z

Marduke:

The search for the artifact of Atomos is a planned series of plots. The adventures will take the pc's all over the world to prevent the Arcadian special procurement task force, ASP, from obtaining the artifact. There are no requirements to join in the plot. This will be a role play heavy series of plots with the occasional request for a stat check. Any range of characters can join in, and effort will be made by the story teller to give all players activity and utility within the plot. Groups will be averaged 4-5 players, and capped out at 6. Scenes will be run on a regular schedule and adhere to a pose order. What job a player is in will be documented and locked in for the duration of the current arc. This is done in regards to job passive bonuses. All other skill categories, passives, and reactive skills can be used within reason. Within reason is subject to the story tellers whim.

*[[The Artifact of Atomos Introduction]]

*[[The Artifact of Atomos Cast]]

*[[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

*[[The Artifact of Atomos Plot Arcs]]

*[[The Artifact of Atomos Companion Powers]]

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2014-09-21T19:23:36Z

Marduke:

Atomos: The Beginning Part 7

2014-05-03T19:32:45Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The viera Talen would notice that there is a man wearing grey robes standing on top of one the…'

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The viera Talen would notice that there is a man wearing grey robes standing on top of one the tree's watching the group leave. The moment the viera blinks or looks away the man is completely gone. Alba will notice that the tree Rydia lives in, is completely missing, it should be there along the horizon but just is not to be found. The ship flies off west making the quickest exit it can from the jungle. Cecil leans against the railing and looks the party over, "Well you look like you have been through hell. What happened, did you learn anything?"

Alba's mask turns to regard the area they'd traveled from, ears pinning back against their head. With a soft huff of a snort, she clambers over the airship railing and looks up to Cecil, nodding once, slowly. Then, pointing to Talen as if to say 'ask him.'

"I swear I know that man there...", Talen says, pointing over at... "Odd... he was there a moment ago." He slips over the railing last of all, peering down at the devilsaur. "I want one...", the male Viera murmurs. His ears perk straight up, focusing on the others in turn before the Viera turns to Cecil. "As to what happened, I think it will be said differently by all who were there, and best retold as a group later. But we have a direction, west, to Rozarria. The Wandering Library, if you've heard of it?"

Zhgir for his part, is busy trying to get the spiderling settled. "If you take too many keys, they will take them all away..." The arachnid can be hard telling Alfir, "Oh, and you must learn how to fly. To fly with the wind, like Zhgir-!"

Cecil raises his eyebrows and his wings shift, "Another legend? The wondering library is a legend as old as the artifact itself. Cast out to the void, with only a single doorway connecting it back to the world. That doorway travels never to be found twice." Reaching up to rub his head" Cecil glances over the edge, "Who? I do not see anybody there. Regardless, Kain we head west!" Edward flies up to Cecil, "Kupo, I am going to go give Kain directions. The rest of you should all kupo up." The moogle then flying off. Alfir sticks his tongue out at Zhgir, "You didn't want this key, you can't tell me what to do!" Then the spiderling runs off, only to be seen sneaking up behind Cecil attempting to lift one of the Ageyls keys."

Alba grunts, straightening and arching her back, to the tune of the occasional crackle and pop as her spine settles. As the crew begins to get moving, she stands, waiting on Talen and Zhgir to shift from the deck.

Talen shrugs lightly at the mention of legends. "What is old is new again, what is lost can be found. The Wandering Library is the key we need, and the wee Moogle there can help us find it. In time, even we may be legends, if we can stop the use of the artefact." Talen looks over to Alba, and moves to her side, "Shall we rest a bit, then?" Zhgir gets a look, as do the others, a smile sneaking onto his face as he sees the antics of the wee spiderling.

Zhgir's hands raise up in the air as he stifles a frustrated groan. "Zhg-ir!" He hisses underneath his breath, watching the spiderling run off. Then his hands return to his hips. "Fine, Zhgir'll just take his keys back when he is caught." He waves his hand distractedly, then turns back towards the viera. "You two need new masks, yes? Fresh colors?"

Alfir runs off when he is caught and goes into hiding on the ship. The trip itself is quiet for the next two days as the ship makes its way towards the west. A set of ruins comes into view, mostly just two pillars standing up in the lands. The ship lands and Cecil looks around, "Well there was once something here. Where to Edward?" The man looking towards the Moogle, the moogle shrugs, "Well the door last time I was here appeared on a rock wall. May just need to spread out and see if we can find anything by luck?"

Alba pushes up her mask, casting sullen brown eyes on the bare ruins below. Her lips thin, then her gaze turns to Talen, a single eyebrow arching.

Talen peers about and rubs at his chin, looking at Alba with a casual shrug. "Perhaps you could raise the ship back up, and have the lookouts working from above while we fan out down here, Captain?" The male Viera eyes the Moogle, "Edward, was there anything odd about the doorway that might give us some clues? Something that was out of place that we could look for? Lights, plant life, sounds, that sort of thing?"

Zhgir stays by the railing, and spreads his hands. "Zhgir could fly! And find the Wind gotten library. That is close to what we are looking for, yes?" The arachnid offers helpfully, looking around the deck. "Zhgir really should have taken his wings with him..." He mutters by himself and eyes the Aegyl thoughtfully, wiping some of the blown sand away from his eyes.

Edward shake his head slowly, "Not at all honestly. I just saw a simple wooden doorway, didn't even know what it was. Just opened it up wand walks through it... what was beyond was... well scary. I saw some books, grabbed one and ran. No idea what I had at all." The moogle steps off the ship and glances around, "This is where it was before. Only two tall standing pillars and some broken walls crumbling in the dust." Pointing over to what appears to be rocks, but closer looks show there to be a wall side of things. Cecil gets back on the ship, "We can circle around, you guys can stay on the ground. Good luck."

Alba crouches, gathering up a handful of sand and letting it fall, slowly, to see which way and how hard the wind is blowing. Glancing up at Talen and Zhgir, she lifts a shoulder, pulling down her mask and gesturing in the vague direction of the area surrounding the ruins.

Talen nods to Alba when she points to the ruins. The male Veira squints, looking about. A few steps are taken towards the ruins, but then he stops, glancing over at Edward. Fire flares up in the Viera's left hand, and he gestures with his right. "Edward. Come. NOW." Talen strides towards where the Moogle stands.

Zhgir stares after Talen. Then the arachnid quickly moves so that Alba is between him and Talen. "Maybe Zhgir will go ahead and explore, yes? Zhgir is very good at finding things?" He suggests, already heading that way - and far away from the fire wielding summoner.

Before the party, along the rock wall, appears a door. A simple wooden door with no marking or anything significant. Edward Kupo's and backs up, "Well good luck! You guys can go on without me right? I will let Cecil know to meet you in Emberstrand."

Alba's hand reaches out, snagging Edward by one stubbly arm. Talen did, after all, request his presence in a language she knows well, and whether she has to struggle with the Moogle or not, she is going to keep her grip and trot to Talen's side. An ear tracks Zhgir, the set of her shoulders betraying her overpowering urge to drop her face into one hand... But miraculously, she refrains.

Talen chuckles at Edward's expected reaction, and nods to Alba. "Careful, he strikes me as a squirmier" He raises an eyebrow at Zhgir's reaction and shrugs. "Edward. Remember what is at stake here, and bring that legendary Moogle bravery to the fore, yes?" The male Viera continues towards the door, spell at the ready, and carefully places his other hand upon the door. And gives an experimental shove.

Zhgir holds by Talen and Alba, his dark orblike eyes peering into the darkness. "Zhgir goes first, yes?" He says, before he attempts to slip inside, to check for any potential traps - or keys - that may lay within.

Edward squirms, thrashes and attempts to bite Alba with his sharp teeth. "Let me Kupo! I will not go back in there kupo!" Almost to the verge of tears as the door is opened and people start to go through. Zhgir is the first one through...

The void stretches out before the group. A massive expanse of nothing but inky blackness, with a super nover bright start off in the distance offering the only light. The ground is a cobblestone floor, but there are many holes that drop down into nothingness. Bookshelves are scattered around the area. Showing that this was once the library it is claimed to be.

Alba's arm jerks and thrashes with the Moogle's struggles, but she says nothing, even as her ears lower further and further. Tearing her gaze away from the starlit void, she focuses on the floor and its holes, thrusting Edgar in front of her toward Talen, as if to say 'you talk to him.'

"By all the spirits...", Talen curses. "So it does, in fact, exist. Mind the holes there though, you don't want to fall." He reaches back to take Edward from the female Viera, holding him in one hand, and with his other hand, takes Alba's hand. To the squirming Moogle, he says, "You've been here before, Edward, we've not. Show us where you found the book... you need to lead us here." He gently sets down the moogle, nudging him slightly foward, and then looks back at Alba with a reassuring smile. He nods to Zhgir, "Walk with the poor Moogle, and keep him safe, yes?"

Zhgir takes a step back at the sudden exposure of the library, and instantly he is hiding behind Talen, clutching onto the summoner's waist. "... does Zhgir have to?" He complains, and then stiffly, walks up to the moogle. "Zhgir can sing 'The one that fell but was not food' for you, yes? Much better than this phr'ezgh place?" He offers as he holds up his hands, about to snatch the moogle up to his shoulders, letting the creature lead him otherwise.

Edward just curls up into a ball clearly scared and not liking the place. "I... need to find the librarian." He offers his voice meak. He points off along one of the pathways, "He was up there last time. He can help you find what you want..."

The hand slipped into Alba's is, for a moment, squeezed with painful pressure. Her eyes, it seems, are glued to the floor; if she can't take the sight of their environs, and can't speak to aid them in their quest... then she'll watch their path, and ensure they don't fall.

Talen squeezes Alba's hand as well, not liking the place much at all. He sighs at the poor Moogle, and nods to Zhgir, "Go on, help him up Zhgir." Talen looks at the pathway pointed at by Edward, and starts striding towards it. "Well, we can start with the last known place the Librarian was scene, and then spread out from there if we cannot immediately locate him."

Zhgir hoists Edward up on his shoulders with two of his hands, and then the two others stretch out to grab onto the wall, the arachnid starting to crawl upwards towards the pathway. "Zhgir Zhgir, felt a knocked tree~ they crept up as three, couldn't set him free~" The arachnid sings away, palps twitching nervously. He really wished there were keys in here. "A web or two, may make them lay 'em too..."

A little bit of walking and you come unto a circular area. Where there are pathways going in eight different directions. Standing in the center are three figures, each of them a exact copy of yourself. The Talen figure comes forward, "We are the librarian, what can we help you find today?" It is noted there is no moogle one at this time. the shadowy figures all appear quiet real, every detail exact and perfect.

For a moment, Alba seems a bit more herself; her ears slam down at the appearance of the shadow copies of three of their four, and her free hand curls faintly into a claw, overpowering annoyance of all things Spirit ruining her view of how the world is supposed to work. Drawing a deep breath, and letting it out, she nudges both Talen and Zhgir with a foot, unable to answer.

Nudged forward, Talen slips free from Alba's grasp, taking a few more steps towards the copy of himself. "Greetings Librarian. We have come far to seek knowledge of the Artifact of Atmos. There are those who would see it used for ill purpose in the world, and we wish to find it before they do, and hide it so that it may lay forgotten until needed. The wee Moogle here found a book that spoke of it, one that has been taken from him, I think. Would you have a copy?"

Zhgir stares at Talen curiously, before he too steps up, holding up his four hands - and a moogle. "Greetings, Zhgir. We seek the keys to world destruction." He looks uncomfortable for a moment, shifting from foot to foot. Almost as if he was forgotten something - but suddenly he ahs, and he adds proudly, "And sing songs."

The Talen copy nods at that, "Indeed, that is the knowledge you see, that is the knowledge you find. be weary of the guardians of such knowledge. That path." Pointing to one of the exist, at which point the visage fades into nothingness. The zhgir one steps forward and points to a different path, "The knowledge you seek is on that path." Then to does the spider fade away.

Alba's mask turns to face Zhgir, in silence. Long, long, pointed, meaningful, *seething* silence. Her free hand flicks out, rapping a knuckle sharply against the back of his head, followed by an explosive sigh. Turning, she starts to head down the path indicated by the Talen clone, but pauses before her foot can return to ground. Looking from one indicated path to the other, she crosses her arms and drops to sit on the stone where she is.

Talen reaches over to grab one of Zhgir's hands, and tugs him towards the path that leads to where the Talen clone pointed. He stops before Alba, and then looks up at the Alba clone, and back to Alba. "She's your clone. Ask her in the manner in which you can still speak to me, yes?"

Zhgir tilts his head this way and that at the knocking on his head. "Zhgir? Zhgir?" He asks, then turns around and sees Alba there, letting out heavy sigh - he seems to jump up into the air, however, gravity does not allow him. But as he was about to drop Edward into Alba's lap, he is pulled by Talen. "But Zhgir said Zhgir should go that way-!" He protests, gesturing towards the other exit, palps twitching rapidly. "Zhgir wouldn't let Zhgir down, because he's Zhgir!"

The Alba clone watches Talen and Zhgir start down their path. The circular room shifts a bit and the doorways are all new directions, impossible to tell which one leads to where. Edward sighs and shakes his head, "I didn't know about this!" Circling back up into a ball with only a red pom sticking out. The Alba clone steps up and speaks, well outside of ear shot of Talen, "Once a path has been taken, it is lost until found again. Only one doorway leads in, but many lead out. Only once can you ask for knowledge here. Though I can point you in the direction you should start will you follow the same path as your mate? Will you seek out your mate, or will you seek out a prize of your own?" A pause then speaking again, "Or will you sit here, waiting and waiting unsure if minutes, hours, or even days go by in the blink of a eye. Gaze upon the visage that you will become should you linger to long." The Alba clone changing into a old hag like viera, the voice now raspy with age, "Never a child did I have, while I waited never to be found. Never a child did I have, while I searched." The hag version of Alba letting out a cackle as she walks back to the center of the room.

The path that Talen and Zhgir start onto is smooth and solid. The path behind them is lost the second they both leave the platform, leaving only a black void behind them. Each step along the path it grows more solid, walls start to form, eventually even a ceiling. The only clue that there is a void still is seen in the occasional window. Torches now line the wall giving plenty of light and music can be heard ahead. A massive double wooden door block the source of the music. Once they are within a few feet they open on their own, showing a gigantic ball room before Zhgir and Talen. A masquerade ball is in the process, with classic dance music on the far side from a orchestra. A well dressed man in gold and silver colors approaches the group holding out two masks, "We are so glad you could make it. Come dance with us. Dance with us and forget your worries, forget your woes, forget the very passage of time. That which you seek is in this very room, as it now remembers what it once was. From stone to dust to stone again. Come, dance with us."

Talen blinks at the man in gold and silver, "I would stay and dance a while, good Host, but the world outside is in danger. I could not in, good conscience, idle away having fun when every moment counts. If I dance one dance, would you show me what I seek then?"

Alba's mask tilts up toward her shadow clone in silence, slowly standing once the Librarian turns to rejoin its fellows. "If it is as my Shaman says," she mutters, moving to stand before the trio, "then you know what I shall do. And this, also, you shall understand." One hand lashes out, two talon like finger claws jabbing into the flesh between the copy's ribs, before she turns to catch up to Talen and Zhgir, fuming.

Zhgir grabs the mask before Talen manages to utter a word. "Zhgir will dance!" He grins with two of his hands held up in the air, before he tilting towards Talen, offering one of his other hands to the viera. "May Zhgir?" He was grinning ear to ear - though soon hidden away beneath the mask, "It will be better this time, Zhgir promises!"
... and the arachnid continues to hold his hands up in the air. Because dance.

The clone is stabbed between the ribs, only to be met with no resistance. The image blurs a moment then reforms complete and hole. "I am nothing more then a memory, a visage of what you were, what you are, and what you can become at the edge of the void for all time. Of knowledge you seek, of knowledge you shall have. Walk that path." The image points up to a different direction then the one Alba was going, 'And you shall find what you seek. Be weary of the guardians. take only what you requested."

The well dressed man chuckles, "Oh my good baron, you always were a kidder. Your son is much more eager, you know there are some very pretty ladies here that are eligible for a man of his stature." As zhgir puts on the mask his form changes into a fourteen year old boy. His clothing rich and posture that of a noble. The man looks back to talen holding out the mask, "Come your excellency, this is your celebration after all. you should enjoy it." The dancing behind him comes to a slow, then picks up again with a new song. "This empire will last forever."'

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Atomos: Interlude 1

2014-05-03T19:08:59Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos'

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2014-05-03T19:08:25Z

Marduke:

Atomos: The Beginning Part 6

2014-05-03T19:07:30Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The green girl is waving from way up high on her tree, "Take care! Travel quickly, your path …'

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The green girl is waving from way up high on her tree, "Take care! Travel quickly, your path is a long one. Always remember who you are, and what you are. Also walk at least a hour before you signal your ship, else you will not be found!" The dark forest is before them at the edge of the groove. Rydia also mentioned the Viera can take to the tree's this time. The darkness within the jungle is as thick and suffocating as it was before, and any light sources seem dampened, but work well enough to keep anybody from running into the tree's or getting tangled in the underbrush. A constant feeling of being watched from the jungle. A few eyes shift here and there, moving each time they are spotted.

"... so take a key and to make a path, you must always be wary of kerosine. Understand?" Zhgir tells the younger black widow spider with utmost severity in his voice. "And when you are in the jungle, you always carry your keys. They are hammers, understand, hammers to heart and soul." The arachnid continues, tapping one of his own for pointed example. But for all it was worth, he did not seem to be... any more concerned about their eerie surroundings, as he was about educating the spiderling.

Tristania climbs down from the tree, and looks back up at her sister; she gazes for a long moment, before she turns and, without a word, starts off into the jungle once more. As she walks, she adjusts her mask, as if ensuring that it is in fact still there, after everything that has transpired. The Dryad's lips press into a thin line, and she sets a brisk pace, one hand resting on the handle of her knobkerrie as she moves.

Though the Viera might have been told that the trees are open to them, Alba, it seems, has chosen to keep to the ground regardless. Her mask is pointed down at the road ahead, ears to the party's flanks -- now and again twitching toward Zhgir, at a particularly nonsensical bit of 'advice' -- and one hand on Talen's shoulder, as though to remind the Summoner of her existence. All in all, Alba is distinctly unhappy, the loss of her own voice being the least of her concerns.

Talen has a hand on Alba's, squeezing from time to time, his face showing a mix of sadness and determination. "I'm never going to be able to say sorry enough, am I?", he asks quietly of her, his eyes seeking hers. "I sincerely hope that this ... adventure has a fruitful ending, for all the concern and anger it has caused already."

Edward speaks up as he holds up a light source, "You seek the Hungering Mask, the artifact that I read Atomos himself created to seed the world with destruction, greed, and gluttony. The path offers no light but the ones you bring yourself, and those lights can be lost along the way." Edwards voice is distant as he starts forward into the jungle. Alfir listens to every word Zhgir speaks and blinks all his eyes at him. "Kerosine? Isn't kerosine a oil used to burn in lanterns?" The young spiderinling asks confused, "But I have my key!" Holding up the one he snagged off Zhgir earlier, "see see! It is your key, but now it is my key, but your key, so now I am yours!" The jungle starts to get lighter the further away you get from the groove, with cracks of light coming in through the tree's. Half a hours walk out the feeling of being watched is gone, the eyes in the jungle having disappeared completely. A thin layer of Mists covers the ground, and the further you go the higher it is getting.

Zhgir points at himself, as well as at the key. "That is Zhgir's key? No, noh no no. Zhgir has never had such a key." He firmly states. "Zhgir is very aware of queen keys. They are the most precious, and most sharpest." He nods firmly, then pats Alfir on his head. "Besides, Zhgir's queen would never forgive him for interloping." He nods his head once again.

The Dryad continues walking, though she gives little indication that she is paying attention to Edward's chatter; she glances in his direction once, but that is all. It is not that Tristania seems to be cold, or aloof, merely... pensive. She remains alert, keen to the sounds of the forest and the presence of her companions, but for the time being, she continues to remain silent.

Ainsley cannot help but stare at Zhgir the whole time he speaks, as if trying to puzzle out what the hell he's actually saying. She looks over at Edward distractedly as he speaks of the mask. She doesn't bother looking over at Talen and Alba, who have their own concerns, and Tristania's presence is barely acknowledged either. She makes sure not to lose where everyone is, though, so that nobody ends up wandering off into the dark or the mists and getting lost in an inhospitable forest.

Under other circumstances, silence would be an ominous response to Talen's quiet question. Briefly, however, she lets her free hand do the talking; hand drawn over her chest, fingers closing, then pushed out toward the trees. At Edward's note, one ear turns toward the Moogle, then bobs her understanding. Her other ear, now and again, tracks Tristania, the bone mask making the hunter's expression something the rest can only guess at.
Alba pages, "'It can be gotten' 'Away from here'" to you.

Talen does snort at what the wee spiderling says, and grins at Zhgir. "So are you keeping him then, Zhgir? Teach him the tricks and ways of Emberstrand?" Alba's hand signals are studiously observed, and the male Viera nods in agreement to something amongst what the female signs. His eyes fall upon the Dryad and the wee lizard girl, a colder look reserved for Tristania, and a softer, happier look for Ainsley. "At least we are in decent company, my Hunter, and not total strangers. Hmmm... I do not like how the mist thickens."

The Mist continues to thicken, and it is only a few more minutes of walking that the party finds themselves walking into a small clearing. The light comes down from the highnoon sun and the tree's around the clearing are vibrant green with life. The Mist though is holding thick on all sides, including the side you just walked out of. The shifting patterns making the Mist seem alive. Edward has gone completely silent as he looks around in each direction, "Something is wrong, be on guard." The young spiderling Alfir sniffs as Zhgir says he isn't his. Though at the clearing the spiderling takes one look around and ducks away suddenly going into hiding. The Mist starts to rise in the clearing, and grunts can be heard coming in from the jungle, the party is clearly about to be attacked.

Zhgir shakes his head at Talen, "Nope, it is not a good place for a young spider to be, yes? Corruptive elements, Zhgir thinks Talen knows this." He reaches out with his hand to try and shelter the arachnid "Alfir!" Zhgir calls out as the youth suddenly runs off, and then he looks towards the grunts and growling coming from the jungle. "Zhgir will go search for the Alfir, yes?" He offers - and then dashes in an attempt to hide himself.

The beak of Tristania's mask snaps around to face Zhgir, as the spider makes a dash after Alfir... or perhaps just to hide himself? She grits her teeth, and moves purposefully towards the center of the clearing. "Spread out," she hisses, "It could be malboros." She retrieves a crude doll from her belt, along with several carved bone needles, that she arrays between her fingers on her opposite hand. She stands ready, waiting, gazing this way and that into the mists.

Ainsley halts when the mist seems to rise as if alive and hoping to devour the party. She doesn't need Edward's input to know something isn't right. She turns her gaze passively to look toward one of the shapes in the mist, and one of her hands lift, mana sparkling across her form as she prepares a spell. She focusing on getting her mana shaped so she can cast the spell should an enemy come lurching out of the white curtains that is worth blasting with a stream of fire.

The rising Mist is very evidently making Alba twitchy, and the lack of high ground has her ears set in clear frustration. With short, sharp jabs of a taloned finger, she points at Talen, then Edward. Tristania, then Ainsley, apparently on the spot assigning pairs to cover. Zhgir -- is already gone, and she spends a bare instant swiping a clawed hand after the spider-kin's trail. Slipping her knives out, the blades seethe with unhealthy streamers of magic, as the carvings on her mask skitter and dance to reassemble themselves into a crude representation of a Malboro's maw. Despite reservations, Alba is ready for battle.

Talen watches the wee spiderling hide himself, and then frowns as Zhgir disappears after the little one. He looks to Alba then, and nods at her instructions, the male Viera moving to stand near Edward. "I'll watch your back, wee Bard." His reaction after is similar to Ainsley's, small flames gathering around his left hand in preparation for the battle to come. He does look over at Alba apprehensively, not happy as she's standing alone.

The Mist is thick now, limiting vision to less then twenty feet out, the tree's at the edge of the clearing nothing more then dark shapes. The sky is still bright but even the sun has become obscured. The moogle pulls out a sling and gets ready to at least try to protect himself. The shapes in the mist are still obscure, but as they get closer it can be discerned why. They are dark skeletons! The lifeless monstrosities seeking out the nearest living with a supernatural life sense. This includes the two hiding spideringlings who will find a skeleton each moving up to attack them. Ainsley will find several fireball prospects starting to surround her. The viera are not quiet in their minds anymore, Talen in particular finds the effects of the Mist very strong! Several skeletons charging towards Alba and the currently paralyzed Talen.

"Asch, Zhgir...!" The arachnid hisses, quickly attempting to find anything of use in his variety of pockets. But they were skeletons. "Not again!" Eyeing his chain of keys, and a length of rope, he devises a cunning plan - he quickly ties the two together and attempts to sling the contraption at the nearest skeleton to have the mess tangle in the bony creature. "Zhgir, Zhgir! Where is Zhgir's polearm now..." He breathes rapidly to himself.

Tristania perks an eyebrow sharply upwards. "So the dead walk," she observes. Interesting. She eyes the female viera, but apparently understands her gestured instructions, as she moves two steps closer to Ainsley. Her lips quirk upwards into a humorless smile, as she holds out her doll and pushes one of the bone needles into it, straight through the center. The dryad holds her hand up afterwards, palm outwards, and a flash of light bathes one of the skeletons, closest to Ainsley, in healing light; well, healing to the living, at least. [Cure]

The awful skeleton creatures are not quite what she expected, but Ainsley rolls with it. With Tristania striking the nearest skeleton with cure magic, the lizard girl instead turns her spell to the second closest skeleton, aiming to fling the fire spell into its middle, trying to torch the awful creature as it approaches her and her Dryad ally. "I heard grunts, I do not think these are the only creatures out there," she warns the others, apparently believing skeletons cannot make grunting noises. Hmm!

There is a reason, why Viera avoid the Mists whenever possible. There is a better reason, why anyone fond of breathing avoids Viera in the Mists, at all costs. Warnings, proclamations, and frantic requests for help go ignored, as Alba hunches further and further over, as the Mists continue to rise, her breath heavy and ragged, as of someone fighting a great battle. Then, all at once, the magic *snaps* away from her blades, and she stands up straight. For a moment, she tilts her head at the approaching skeletons, her posture one of curious interest... and then Alba is a blur of motion, a granite-eared comet streakiing knives-first toward Tristania's target.

Talen simply stands in place as the skeletons come on, his eyes staring off into space, seeing things that no one else can. He looks from left to right at times, and steps back in surprise, again at things not seen by the others. And then he turns around, heedless of the impending troubles from behind.

The skeleton attacking Zhgir quickly finds itself taking a trip. Crashing hard first into the jungle ground and impacting it hard. The head snaps off. The head then starts to bite its way towards Zhgir still attempting to harm the spiderling. Alfir, out there somewhere manages to dodge and escape to someplace safer. The cure spell causes the dark skeleton hit to pause in its tracks, enough for Alba to rush up and slash it to pieces in a berserk rage. Ainsley's fireball hits the skeleton squarely in the chest and staggers it back, then it starts to charge forward attempting to claw at the lizard girl. Two skeletons come up behind Talen, one of them clawing into him, the other grabbing him to start draining the vieras life away. A process that will take a few minutes, provided the viera doesn't try to get away. Edward seeing Talen frozen though flies up to the viera, and snags the flare gun off him, "Kupo, Ainsley is right! Something bigger is out there! We need to get out of kupo!"

Zhgir does the next sensible thing - after reeling in his keychain - and carefully steps around the snapping head, circling around to try and pin it under his hands. He had a snapping skull at his grasp! "Zh-gir!"

"NO!" Tristania snaps, "We have not walked far enough! Heed my sister's warning and do not use that, or we will die here!" As she speaks, she shifts the doll to clutch it and the needles in one hand, while she draws her knobkerrie with the other; and now, it seems, it is time for the skeletons to know this bone of unicorn. The dryad glances at Aisnley, who seems to be doing just fine, and then swiftly crosses the space between herself and Talen. There is nothing fancy, or showy; she simply whirls the weapon around to bring the business end of it to bear against the skull of one of the skeletons currently picking on the viera.

And then Ainsley is left near Alba, the berserking Viera, and a bunch of angry skeleton undead. She is now going to nearly have a panic attack. She focuses her spell toward the skeleton still lurching toward her, letting out a cry of terror, as her magic doesn't work. She doesn't like getting into melee range with undead beasties! The fire blasts out again, lighting up the clearing!

As the skeleton falls to pieces, Alba crouches, picking up a piece of rib, peering at it... then dropping it back to ground with a heavy, disappointed sigh. Her head turns about the clearing, ears standing ramrod-straight as she spots another likely target. Barely touching the ground, the mad hunter flings herself across the intervening space toward the turned back of the skeleton being spider-handled by Zhgir, daggers poised to fall and rend bone from bone.

Talen seems to snap out of whatever reverie he was lost in when the skeletons jump on him. When the first is beaned by Tristania, he doesn't seem to really notice, simply turning and yanking both arms off the one left standing. Snarling loudly, he backs away a step, and begins to savage the head of the skeleton with its own arms.

The skeleton takes the second blast of fire from Ainsley and falls to the ground turning into dust. Alba is easily able to savage the one Zhgir was attacking, as it was still bound by the rope. Zhgir on the other hand finds the skeleton head turn to dust when Alba ravages the body. The skeleton Talen is attacking is perhaps best described as confused why somebody is attacking it with nothing more then arms. The skeleton chatters a moment and swipes a claw at the Talen, almost seeming a bit unsure now. The grunting noises from the jungle can be seen now. A massive twenty foot tall Devilsaur makes its way into the clearing. Letting out a roar towards the group and then snorting. One of its feet paws at the ground, as the creature gets ready to charge. Edward was holding up the flare gun to fire it, then twirls to face the creature, "Kupo... We can't beat that! We die if we do not!" Holding up the flare gun the moogle fires it, a red streak of light shooting off into the sky!

Zhgir lets out a disappointed sound as his prize turns to dust in front of him. Turning around, he begins to reel his line - up until he notices Alba. "Zhgir." He holds up his hands, staying completely frozen, still holding onto the rope. "Zhgir, just Zhgir. No kill Zhgir, yes?" He takes a careful step forward - reaching upwards with his hands in an attempt to touch the viera on her ears. Meanwhile, he holds the rope loose in front of him - prepared to loop it around Alba's waist, just to keep the mist-mad viera less suicidal.

Tristania pauses in the act of smashing a skeleton to pieces, in time to take in two things. First, there really is something else coming, just like Ainsley predicted, and it's rather large and probably has bad breath. Second, Edward has wasted the flare. "Fool," she snarls, as she leaves Talen to finish beating the skeleton to pieces with its own arms. She crosses the ground swiftly, tucking her knobkerrie back into her belt as she goes. She holds her doll at the ready, and flourishes a needle, before stabbing it straight through both of the legs. Her palm held up, a ray of bluish light lances out to stricke hte Devilsaur, though it doesn't seem to cause any particular damage. [Slow]

The lizard girl recoils away from the rest of the skeletons-- and then a devilsaur shows up. She stares up at it with wide eyes. Ainsley was not expecting to see this, and she knows she's nothing but a funsize snack for the tremendous beast. And then Edward goes and fires the flare, when explicitly told not to. "YOU BLOODY IDIOT!! NOW WE ALMOST CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO DIE!" she practically /roars/ at him. She glares up at the tremendous dinosaur monster, and uses, well, [Focus] to prepare herself, gazing at the tremendous creature. She is trying to eye the magical aura around the beast, sensing it, in preparation of sending a spell through its defenses as effectively as possible.

Fortune, it seems, favors Zhgir. As the spider reaches out to touch her hear, Alba's mask rises, head tilting curiously to one size... And then the Devilsaur breaks into the clearing. Chalky puffs of powdered bone follow Alba as she scrabbles, by all accounts incredibly gleeful, toward the massive reptile, seeking to scale the beast and see what treasures lay under its hide.

Talen takes a few whacks at it, but does eventually remove the skull from the skeleton's body. And then brings down a foot hard to crunch the skeleton's lower jaw off. "BITE THE DUST BONEBREATH!" A maniacal gleam appears in his eyes as the devilsaur thumps into the clearing, and he races towards it as well, his dagger being drawn from its sheath. "DEVILSTEAKS!"

The Mist begins to shift as the wind picks up a little. Something can be heard, perhaps a air ship, approaching off in the distance. Edward glares at both Tristania and Ainsley, "We have a second flare!" He offers as a counter point, "Can't kupo to try..." his voice going softer as he flies out of the way of another skeleton. A few more starting to enter in from the jungle into the clearing. Ainsley may of just had her life saved. The Devilsaur charging down the lizard woman, but much slower then it normally would and giving the lizard girl a chance to get out of harms way. The slowed creature will also be easily to climb for the moment for the viera, but it is starting to fade already as the creature is starting to speed up again.

Zhgir breathes a sigh of relief as Alba suddenly has other things in her mind - the time-tested distraction working as always. However, then he is suddenly yanked after Alba, and the arachnid suddenly realizes that all those sounds and lights coming from the clearing were very soon part of his sphere of interest. "Alba-queen, no! Bad Alba-queen!" He calls out as he struggles to stay on step with the loping Viera, wrapped keys jangling around her waist. "No skulls for you!" Well, perhaps the pair at least distracted the skeletons some.

Alfir, who had been hiding on Zhgir's back pops up his head, "Wee!!!"

"Having two does not make it acceptable to *waste one*," Tristania snaps. But she gives no further reproach to the moogle; there is still a devilsaur to consider. She notes the female viera attempting to scale the side of it, and... that might just work. "Go for the eyes!" she shouts. Meanwhile, her spell appears to be wearing off; that will not do. She flicks the end of a needle, and then jams it into the doll through the legs, beside the first one; her hand comes up, and another blast of energy bathes the devilsaur (and thankfully not Alba in the process). [Slow]

And Ainsley manages to scurry away from the giant dinosaur thing before it gobbles her up! She scrabbles to the side, and reaches up with a hand. "Destruction's spark, the dancing light of life, FIRE!" she incants, throwing up both hands as she tries to shape a spell as best she can, aiming it for the core of the great big monster's mass, hoping to blast it effectively with a fireball! Mana dances around her as she casts, as well.

Heedless of the spider trying to keep pace with her, Alba scurries up the side of the devil saur in the best way that she knows how; toe-claws and daggers as climbing aids, right into its flesh. It's only when she's about halfway up, that the tugging on her waist slows her down... but still goes unnoticed, forcing her to merely dig in harder on her way up.

The Viera Alba will quickly find that the devilsaurs hide is very tough and very thick. Her daggers having to be forced in and taking far longer to climb up the creature then she would of expected normally.

Talen climbs up the opposing side of the great beast, sharpened toeclaws and one knife digging into the Devilsaur's flesh. He's down one stabbing implement, but he doesn't have the dangling arachnids to slow him down. The mad male Viera is aiming towards the head. Did someone mention go for its eyes, Boo?

The Mist is being blown away now as the familier airship Enterprise can be seen. Cecil looks over the deck and quickly orders rope ladders to be thrown over the side for the party to grab a hold of. Alfir is quickly seen already climbing up one and disappearing over the side of the ship. With the Mist gone the Viera will find their minds starting to clear up. The party will also notice the jungle around them is full of dark skeletons, perhaps even hundreds of them. The fireball hits the Devilsaur and staggers it for a moment. The spell hit for full impact clearly did hurt it, but the creature is big and can take a beating. The devilsaur lets out a roar as it feels creatures climbing up its legs. The tail of the creature suddenly whiping around and attempting to snap at Alba to knock her off. Edward kupo's again and flies towards one of the ladders grabbing it to start climbing up. The winds from the ship making it impossible for the moogle to try to fly up.

Zhgir's out of breath by the time he reaches the beasts side. Legs burning from the immense burst he did to hang onto Alba, he lifts his hand up towards the airship. "Alfir, not you too...!" He cries out, then lets out less than manly chirr as that tail slaps at him. "Zhgir, Zhgir!" The arachnid hisses as he scrabbles past Alba to ascend the creature on its back, waving two of his hands to try and grab one of the floating rope ladders. "Emergency evacuation! Emergency evacuation!"

"Move, lizard! To the ladder!" Tristania hurriedly stows her doll and needles, before directing a rough but not entirely unkind shove to Ainsley, in the direction of the ladders. With that done, she makes haste for one herself; no time to waste, after all. The airship actually found them. "You're still an idiot," she comments to Edward, as she makes haste to ascend. A forest full of skeletons? Definitely time to be leaving.

Ainsley tries to hurry toward the ladder, but before she attempts to climb up, she'd throw another fireball back at the great big devilsaur, trying to make it hurt as much as possible. Burns are not fun and can impede movement, so she's going to give her berserking allies as much of an advantage over the monstrous creature as possible! Because it would suck to lose two friends this abruptly.

It's fairly easy to tell when the Mist has cleared itself from the Viera's mind; dangling from the side of the devilsaur, she pauses, shaking her head for a moment... Then is crushed against the creature's side by the force of its tail, very nearly losing her grip on her daggers. With a wordless, noiseless snarl she gathers herself up against the Fiend's body, mask tilted up toward the airship. A moment's shifting position, and one hand is free to point at one of the rope ladders and wave it outward.

"AAAYOOOO SILVER AAWAAAA... huuuuuh?" A very confused Talen clings to the back of the raging Devilsaur. He looks around and then up, having seen a dangling ladder go by. Then he sees Alba hanging on, and he reaches a hand down to help her. "Stupid mists how on earth did I get up here stupid mists dammit..."

Everybody manage to be able to grab a ladder. Alba jumps off the creatures back and does a flip grabbing the ladder with a experts grace. Talen has to jump off the creatures back after a few moments and grabs one with his own grace. Ainsley, Zhgir, and Tristania all manage to grab a ladder as they swing by. Once everybody has a ladder the airship starts to take off and the rope ladders are pulled in. The skeletons are converging on the devilsaur and a new fight happens below the party, at leastone they can observe before the airship gets out of view. The devilsaur was clearly winning though. As the last of the party is pulled onto the deck Cecil looks them over, "So... did you find Rydia and learn anything?"

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Atomos: The Beginning Part 5

2014-05-03T18:56:53Z

Marduke:

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Edward picks up the lute that is handed to him by the three imps. He looks it over and strings a few bars on it. The music is clear and the instrument tunned perfectly. He offers a soft kupo, a bitter sweet sound from the moogle. Floating over he finds himself a elevated seat and closes his eyes. His fingers moving over the instrument like one might caress a lover. Then he starts to play, the melody soft and sweet, with a amused tone behind it all. The moogles voice comes out in a tone and clarity nobody here has heard him use before.

Its noon day on a Saturday
The Regular crowd shuffles in
There's a old viera sitting on the hill
Watching everybody come and go

They say, "Viera can you hunt with us today, we have families to feed."
Bits its sad and its sweet, and they know the answer complete and the answer is no.

La la la di dee da
La la di dee da da dum

Rydia has gone quiet at this point, leaning back in her vine covered seat and closing her eyes to quietly listen. Alfir stays curled up in Alba's lap listening to the music and pretending to be asleep.

Baby spiderling on her lap, surrounded by hostile vegetation, a pet Malboro, in the tree of a Dryad whom Alba suspects is as mad, or more so, than herself... But the moment the 'famous bard' begins to play, none of that matters. Her masked face tilts to one side, then she settles back, ears locked so hard on the Moogle her eartips quiver faintly.

Talen has drawn his knees up, resting his chin upon them, and listens without complaint as the music starts up. An eyebrow raises up at the quality of the moogle's voice, a puzzled looked there upon the male Viera's face. A sideways glance is cast Alba's way, and a smile slowly creeps upon his face.

Zhgir, in the interim, is busy rummaging through his slightly different keyring, one hand idly rubbing at his chin. But when the music starts that fades away, and turning towards Talen he grins widely, sharp teeth shining in the darkness for a moment. Yes, his dark features seemed to say, nodding along the music. Amazing song. His head turns back towards the moogle playing, hands idly rummaging through his things.

Ainsley is not as interested in the music as everyone else is, so she's just writing down on a notepad while the song plays. She is surprised that he's as good as his reputation may have suggested, but she simply does not seem to enjoy music very much. Perhaps a side-effect of some... poor experiences with music during adventures in general.
Tristania snaps her head around when the music begins, pointing her mask's wooden beak straight at the musician. She sits up, breaking her attention only once to glance at her sister, who is still not wearing a mask of her own. Nevertheless, the tune is good, and a smile graces her lips. "I approve of this viera," she murmurs.

Edward continue to play, the music played in a way only a true master could. His voice having that bardic quality that can sooth even the most savage of fiends. The imps start to play along with Edward now. The musical compliment taking on a magical property as the room fades away. Talen will find himself being approached by the people in the music asking for his help before fading away for the next one. Alba will find no changes about her, perhaps so the sleeping spider kin does not get woken up. Zhgir will find his keys illusioned into a hammer, and Ainsley's notebook into some dirty laundry. Tristania will find herself suddenly dressed as a merchant, with some random pottery goods before her on a merchant stall.

Work us a task you the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

Now Paul at the hill is a friend of ours and He watches the walls for us
And he's quick with a fire or to-light up a fiend But there's someplace that he's rather be

He says "Viera I believe this is killing me" As a fiend runs away from his place
"Well I'm sure that I could be with my family If I could get out of this place."

Now Jerry is a house builder Who never had time for a wife
And he's working with Berry, Who's still in the guard And probably will be for life

And the women are working laundry As the merchants slowly go broke
Yes they are having their troubles but there is someplace they would rather be

Work us a task you're the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

Not only is the music first-quality, but the lunacy surrounding her doesn't even seem to touch her. Life, to Alba at the moment, is good. *Very* good.

Talen does not appear to be too enthralled by the music, watching instead the others and how it affects them. Alba takes much of his attention, seeing first hand just what a decent bard can do. A look that starts off happy, but becomes rather sad as the song goes on.

Zhgir gasps as his rings are suddenly a hammer - but then he peers peculiarly at the former keys, now hammers. "Zhgir believes this is just alright." He responds to no one in particular, as he gives a testing smack at the table with the hammer - and in no time at all, he is drumming along with the song, or at least, a song. At some point, he turns towards Talen and whispers agitatedly, "Zhgir always knew keys held secrets!"

Tristania starts as she finds herself... considerably overdressed, by her standards. Her hands shoot up to her face, confirming that her mask is still in place. A soft sigh of relief, and she slowly relaxes. Afterall, clothes can be changed easily enough, if they don't return to normal after the song. While other people might be joining into the song, the Dryad chooses to have nothing to do with such activity. Instead, she crosses her arms, adopting a rigid stance as she simply continues to listen.

The illusions continue to follow after the music. A crowd now approaching Talen, each one of them sneering and looking unfriendly. As the song accuses him of being lazy they start to throw rotten fruit and vegetables at Talen. Several of them getting in the way to block his sight of Alba, and to block Abla's view of what is happening to Talen. One of the imp grins over to Zhgir as he plays with the keys now illusioned as hammers. "Keys hold many secrets indeed! Music is a key itself, do you hold that key?" Winking over to the spider kin before floating back to the ensemble. Everybody will find the illusions fading and focusing around Talen. Hammers return to keys, laundry back to notebook, and Tristania is no longer a merchant.

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday and the travelers give him a smile
All of them coming with their problems to see, help they could get
To learn about peace for a while

And to the viera they suddenly walk up, to ask an to sneer lazy are you viera
And they stand at the hill and throw rotten fruits to his side
And they say "Man what are you doing here?"

Oh la la la di dee da
La da di dee da da dum

Work us a task you're the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

The villagers blocking her view of Talen does give Alba pause, and one hand rises to poke at the nearest villager, to check the solidity of the illusion. However, between the music and the sleeping spiderling, the masked Viera doesn't seem willing to rise, just yet.

Talen hmmphs as the world around him is blocked from his sight, and he stands up, looking at the crowd. "Fine.", he's heard to say, to no one in particular. "I will help you, though the tasks are many. I can hunt and work for you. Just... one at a time alright?"

The imps all offer chuckles at Talen's response and Edward has a pause in the music as he himself cannot hold back a chuckle. Then he picks up the music again to finish off the song.

And the viera stands up before the crowd And says, "Problems you must face,"
And solve them I will not. Lazy are you who ask another.

Only one problem I have, solve it I will, gone I become
Who then will you call lazy, who then will you lay your problems before

Work us a task you're the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

The illusions fade and everything in the room returns to normal. Edward looks down at instrument to see that it has turned completely black. "Even my curse effects this?" Breeze flys over and takes it, "Yes, break this curse we hope you do. For now we must be on our way. Farewell Bard." The imps turn towards the rest, "We hope you enjoyed the music! Good luck in your quest." The imps then fade from sight and are gone. Edward floats over to a seat and goes quiet, clearly happy and sad that he could play again. Rydia jumps up and giggles, "Business time right? To each of you I can answer but one question, and I will answer as best I can. Though a price must be paid for the question. So think carefully both on the price, and the question." The dryads eyes taking on a faint glow as she looks to each person in turn, "Edward your question has already been given, another I cannot give you." Edward just offers a mute nod.

Talen looks vaguely annoyed or irritated, and falls to thoughtful silence, looking curiously at Alba, and the others. When Rydia offers to answer one question each, he looks at the others to see what they might ask.

"Well played," Alba murmurs, peering at Talen as the illusions fade; as if to check him for wounds or damage. But, finding him merely annoyed, she nods once... Then her eyes slide to the window over his shoulder, ears standing straight up, then back. Her mask remains pointed in the direction of the window, but her ears turn to face Rydia. "The Mist," she says, drawing out the last word in a sibilant, displeased hiss. "It *watches* us. Why does it watch us?"

Zhgir's smiling ear to ear when his keys are reaffirmed of their importance. He slides them back into his pocket, about to ask a question of his own straight away from Rydia - but he falls silent when Alba asks, the arachnid quickly disappearing from sight.

Rydia glances to Alba, "What will you pay for a answer to that question?" Her voice is very serious on this, and her glowing green eyes never leaving Alba.

Tristania tilts her head to one side. She looks back and forth between Rydia and Alba, waiting to see what price will be offered, and wether or not it will be accepted.
Ainsley stopped being invested in writing in a notebook when they decided to mess with her notebook with illusion bullshit. That's exactly how she sees it, by the look on her face. She isn't happy. She's actually quite unhappy. She looks over at Rydia with some interest, and back over to Alba.

Rydia continues to watch after Alba, seeing if she has a price to pay for her question. "You can pay in many forms, from abilities, items, to even knowledge in return. Services can be rendered in the future, if you are ok with owning a dept." Anybody who looks tot he window Alba is is watching, will notice a collection of Mist, but it is fading away and is soon just a normal mid-afternoon clear sky.

"The coin of silence," Alba shoots back; and now Rydia has her full attention. "The Mist is a thing no sane Viera may trust; those who are mad, know well why this is truth. That this is a matter of the Spirits annoys me no end, but it is the path my Shaman walks, and I walk beside him. Thus, I pay in silence. Hear your words I shall, and accept them. If a greater price must be paid, then ask it."

Rydia suddenly flares up with a geeen and white aura about her. "Then the price shall be paid! Of silence you will be, speak again you cannot while in the presence of any who walk with the spirits! A price that shall be paid for two seasons time. Answer now you shall have." The little green girl flaoting in the air, "That which appears to be as Mist is not always Mist, it it Exodus himself who watches with eyes unseen. Judging and evaluating you." A finger lifing up to point at the Viera, "Who would seek him, for in turn each viera must earn their place. He watched as you were tested, to be at peace with a creature of the wilds, and through the test of your patience, both of which you passed. A new test you shall be given, a hint you will receive, should you dare taste the deepest of the Mist." With that the girl falls back down to the ground and glances to Alba and Talen with a sad smile, "A difficult path, but if your feet walk true, one you will tred."

Talen looks rather shocked at the offer Alba makes, but doesn't interfere. His anger is reserved for the cost Rydia sets. Two seasons. Of not hearing his Hunter's voice? FUME. "Two seasons? And not being able to speak in my presence? This is two costs, Rydia, two!" He takes a deep breath and huffs. "I do dare test the deeper mists. However, I do not know what question I would ask. Some will come with a greater price than I can imagine." He looks to Tristania, Zhgir and Ainsley. "Have you your own questions to ask, that I might have more time to ponder mine?"

Alba's ears slam back as her offered price is misheard, and she opens her mouth to protest... but not even a squeak comes out. Hunching her shoulders, she curls her fingers into claws for a moment, then one hand moves in a brief flicker of signals, as she scoots closer to Talen. Oh the Viera is very, very, very much irritated... but she did say she would accept this, and so it seems she does.

Zhgir slowly lowers him from around the ceiling, carefully peeking his head through. "Zhgir will ask after queen's. It is only appropriate." The arachnid replies, carefully. Mostly because there is apparently plenty of angry queens in the room now, and a queen with a power over queens. Too many queens for the Zhgir.

The lizard girl frowns more when she is prompted, putting her on the spot. Ainsley shrugs at Talen and makes a 'i dunno???' kind of face, with wide eyes and a creased brow, the shrug exaggerated quite a lot. She looks over at Rydia again, though. "I will be honest: I do not trust these kinds of situations, and I am not quick to ask questions anymore unless I have a particularly good one. Which I don't."

Rydia smiles over to Ainsley, "A prudent answer, and one that shows experiance as well. Yet you seek knowledge to stop a ancient weapon from being found. You could ask where to look, a easy answer with a low price. You can also ask no question at all, or a personal one."

A low chckle comes from where Tristania is sitting. The Dryad's mirth picks up in volume, until she reaches full blown laughter. "Look at the heroes," she crows, "Proud and strong, fit to face the Archadian Army and Spirits know what other horrors? Are you really? Lobo dung!" she snaps. "Each of you terrified of a little girl and a simple price. But know this." Her tone turns serious, and she glares at Talen in particular for a moment. "Lift one finger against this sister of mine, and your skull," she draws her knobkerrie and slams the business end of it down on the table, "Shall know this bone of Unicorn, once wielded by our Mother." She twists the weapon, grinding it this way and that. Slowly, she turns to face her sister once again. "I have my question," she states, "And will ask it of you in private, after my comrades have departed."

Rydia glances and watches Tristania with a frown, then shakes her head slowly. "Know this sister of mine, I can also ask for a price, and the price I shall ask of you shall be your ability to wear a mask. Be certain you wish to ask me what you will ask me." Her voice serious on this, then she glances to the others and then focuses her eyes on Talen, "A double price you say, but it is still one price, that affects many. Yet, you also got a answer of that as it was directed at you as well. So the price was paid, and you still have a question. Think carefully before you act, or ask." Her smile returning, "And no violence, Snuggles gets upset when there is violence." Rydia then turns towards Ainsley, "You have a question yet?"

Ainsley looks at Tristania incredulously. "I have braved more than you can know, and done things vastly unwise to end up in that predicament. Please do not presume to know the extent of my bravery based on what little you have experienced of my behavior," she tells Tristania, cooly. "It is vastly offensive, and makes you look like a child." She looks over at Rydia with some surprise, afterwards. "Oh." She pauses. Her arms cross. "Simply the location of what we seek, or a piece of it at the very least. In exchange... the color of my eyes. Not my sight, none of that riddlemaster crap, I would prefer not to be colorblind, or just plain blind. If you can think of a better price, though, we can negotiate." She frowns. Yeah she is VERY stubborn about the Spirit Deal stuff.

Rydia smiles thoughtfully over to Ainsley as she considers the offer, then shakes her head, "The color of your eyes is a interesting price, but one that cannot be paid as no color is a color still black or white." The little girl leaning forward, "I also want you to draw a picture of me." Glancing to the notebook Ainsley has. "Please, pretty please." Then leans back and closes her eyes, "The color of your eyes is to high a price to pay for the information you request, as what I can give is limited. Draw me a picture while the rest ask their questions, and I will answer yours with that payment."

Talen's eyes are on Alba's hands as they signal, a grin forming. "Indeed, my Hunter, indeed." His ears wobble slightly, and he looks over at Tristania. "I've faced opponents that would humble the Archadians, and indeed, I have rained fire down upon them from the heavens. I have smashed their ships. I've been through the belly of the beast, and crawled my way out, and trapped him in a bauble. A companion uses that bauble still." He looks to Rydia and then back to her sister. "I'm sorry, but she's not just a little girl. And if you cannot tell that now, you have the worst kind of blindness: willful. Her price is daunting." The male Viera's ears flatten to the sides. "Also, your threats are ridiculous, your sister is in no danger from anyone here." Talen looks again to Rydia. "I would know the number and nature of the others who aim to have the Artefact of Atmos for themselves. To know who we are dealing with, without them knowing we know, is powerful knowledge. I would give you, for a time, my memories of all who are /not/ currently present. Family, friends, enemies, everything."

Alba's ears slam back down, her mask turning to lock onto Talen in stunned, seething silence, one hand shooting out to grab hold of Talen's arm and squeeze. Even if it can't be voiced aloud, her feelings on Talen's price are clear enough to speak for themselves; 'ARE YOU MENTAL?!'

Rydia stares at Talen, just simply stares trying to make sure he is serious about all of this. She starts to float into the air the aura around her growing even stronger then it was with Alba's question. "Your memories you will sacrifice, your memories you offer. A powerful price you pay! Of that price I shall take, only to regain your memories when you hear the voice of your current mate again! I take from you your memories of your friends, both alive and gone. I take from you your memories of your family, both alive and gone, I take from you your memories of enemies, both alive and gone, I take from you your memories of the spirits, only the two that are present of Andromeda and Ifrit. In turn, I give you memories of new friends, new allies, and new enemies. To be recalled like they always existed. Your best friend Locke, your cruel mother Terra, your swooning over Cecilia, brawls with Edgar and Sabin, of the three lonely sibling Monks and what each of them holds. Know this these memories become your own, they will be a part of you, this has been answered!" With that Rydia reaches out and points a finger at Talen's head, the green energies around here focusing on her finger, and then shooting into Talen's head.

Talen does indeed look quite serious about the offer, though as Rydia's litany of memories taken and replaced is said, he begins to have doubts. It is obvious in his eyes. He's about to say something when the finger comes up, his eyes straying to Alba, his ears quirking in a particular manner before the green light flashes into his head. Which causes the male Viera to promptly fall to the ground.

Zhgir crawls out from under the table, eyeing Talen and Alba with his wide orblike eyes. Tapping his hands together, he seemed to be contemplating approaching, but the arachnid instead turns his head towards Rydia. "Zhgir were going to ask a question of the queen," He begins, then pauses as he tilts his head. "Yes, Zhgir desires." He crawls out from under the table and crouches on the edge of it. "Where can Zhgir find a meal for the queen? Zhgir has coins, he has plenty of coins don't take his brain away! Or Zhgir's looks! Zhgir has really nice eyes don't touch them please!" He frantically speaks, flailing his coinpurse defensively with enough force to spill those coins over the table.

Rdyia reaches over and pats Zhgir on the head, "We will meet again crawly one, you can save your question for later. For food, there is already food fit for a queen here. Worry not." Chuckling. Alfir is suddenly up and over collecting the coins and stuffing them into a bag of his own. The young spider kin also has a key around his neck, the necklace spun out of spider silk.

The lizard scholar had only given a gentle, "Okay," and begun to scribble down on a large piece of paper that she pulled from a spot in her robes. The pen had scribbled carefully, drawing a sketch of Rydia as presented to the group as a whole, in this scenario. It takes a bit, and she has to erase a mistake or two, but she manages it fairly easily by all considerations. She holds the sketch out to Rydia, and smiles. "Fairly accurate, I think," she says, modestly smiling.

Rydia takes the drawing and squeals with delight. She bounces along her feet as she runs over to a wall and hangs it up. "Oh it’s beautiful! You got my face perfectly, thank you thank you thank you!" The girl running back over to Ainsley and throwing her arms around the lizard for a quick hug. "As for your question. You must find the wondering library. An old kingdom whose name was lost to time, whose magic was high and technology great. The artifact was won and used, destroying their greatest city and along with it their proudest library. This was the last time the artifact was used. To save their civilization they cast their library to another part of the world, but the magic was incomplete and instead the library was thrown into the void. A single door is all that is left in this world. The three monks who obtained the artifact after left the last of their knowledge and the only clues where to look in that door. Yet the door itself did not stay in place for long, it wonders the world. Changing locations every hour, sometimes it appears next to where it was, others all the way across the world. To find this door, I foresee you must travel to Rossaria, to the place Edward found it before. He knows the way."

Tristania glares at Talen for a moment longer, and slowly puts her knobkerrie away. "You speak like an only child," she states, tilting her head to glare at Ainsley. "One who has never had a younger sibling for whom they care deeply, and for whom they worry. Powerful beyond words my sister might be, but she is still my sister, and I will still bash the brains from anyone who menaces her, regardless of wether she needs me to or not." She stands, and crosses her arms beneath her breasts. "And if laughing at the rest of you and cajoling you has led to the asking of questions, then useful it was, was it not?" She eyes Talen where he has passed out, and hhhnhs. "I would answer him, but he has passed out. Small wonder, with what he asked for." She turns to face Rydia once more, and perks an eyebrow behind her mask. "I will ask, but if you insist on taking my mask from me, I must have my privacy another way. When the others have left, I will linger, and ask."

Rydia sits down looking exhausted at the moment, "Such powerful questions and answers. I did not expect to be so tired so quickly. At least I got a pretty picture!" The girl beaming over to the drawing of her on the wall. "Tristania my dear sister, you may have your question, when the time is right. For now though the day grows past noon, and you must be on your way. Time is of the essence, and if you do not leave now, your door way will not be found. Edward." The moogle blinking up from his own eternal thoughts, "The bracelet will glow when the door way is near. For the rest of you, we will meet again in time, be it you seeking me out or me seeking you out. Be sure to give Snuggles a hug on your way out!" The dryad jumping up and offering a smile, "Now hurry hurry, you have not much time!"

Finding her lap free of spiderling, Alba sighs behind her mask, and sets about gathering Talen up for travel; not a terribly simple task, when of the two of them *he* is the brawnier one. Now and again, as Tristania speaks, a poisonous glare is shot her way through the polished bone mask, and one gets the idea that could she speak, she would be doing so in language fit to curl a Malboro's vines. As it is, she simply secures Talen's arms to her shoulders, his legs to her hips, and struggles to stand with the Summoner on her back.

Talen rouses himself shortly afterwards, finding himself being lifted up. After a few tries, he manages to get his feet under him, leaning against Alba lightly. "Thank you, my Hunter. I... how did I get down ... oh. Oh I see. Erm. I guess we should be off then, yes?" One of his hands raises up, and he flashes Alba a few hand signals. "See you again soon then, Rydia?"

Zhgir looks about to combust when Rydia pats his head - enough for him to not see Alfir just go up and pickup his coins. When Rydia shifts away, Zhgir silently attempts to pick up Alfir with his hands, sliding down the table, chastised. "Zhgir can carry the silly long ears?" He offers to Alba silently, giving a similar pat to Talen as he just received.
Ainsley frowns momentarily at Tristania. "You are unpleasant," she remarks to the Dryad woman, briefly, and then she turns to leave as normal, nodding and smiling at Rydia once. She doesn't really help Alba with her problem because, surprise, scholar lizards are not known for their upper body strength. It's a moot point when Talen wakes up anyways, and Zhgir's offering to help.

"Which books?" Tristania declares, apparently unsatisfied with waiting until later and willing to ask her question while others are present, rather than risk missing her opportunity entirely. "Which books, my beloved sister. I wish to know the names and locations of the tomes that will give me the knowledge that I must have. The knowledge that I require to become what I wish to become." Her eyebrow perks behind her mask. Ainsley's remark and Alba's dagger-filled gaze are, for the moment, ignored. "That is my question. We go to the greatest library the world has ever known; what do I read there, in order to become a mage the likes of which the world does not trifle."

Rydia glances to Tristania, eyes considering her carefully. Then she recoils away from her sister and winces at something, "The answer to your question, I am obligated to give it to you. Though I care not for what will come of it. You will find no books of what you seek in this library, I will answer that. Yet to answer your question, a price must be paid. A dear one, as that is the sacrifice you wish to make. When we meet again, be parpared." Rydia's eyes harden over as she continues to watch Tristania, "Now begone from my house, I have no desire for you to be here any longer." The group will find the climb down the rope ladder friendly enough. The Malboro is sleeping next to the tree trunk and seems rather content with life. The forest beckons to them. Rydia calls down one last time, "Oh the tree's will let you walk upon them now Viera. Safe passage be with you, when you are a hours walk away signal your ship, it can find you then."

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

Atomos: The Beginning Part 5

2014-05-03T18:55:57Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Edward picks up the lute that is handed to him by the three imps. He looks it over and strings a few bars on it. The music is clear and the instrument tunned perfectly. He off…'

Edward picks up the lute that is handed to him by the three imps. He looks it over and strings a few bars on it. The music is clear and the instrument tunned perfectly. He offers a soft kupo, a bitter sweet sound from the moogle. Floating over he finds himself a elevated seat and closes his eyes. His fingers moving over the instrument like one might caress a lover. Then he starts to play, the melody soft and sweet, with a amused tone behind it all. The moogles voice comes out in a tone and clarity nobody here has heard him use before.
-
Its noon day on a Saturday
The Regular crowd shuffles in
There's a old viera sitting on the hill
Watching everybody come and go
-
They say, "Viera can you hunt with us today, we have families to feed."
Bits its sad and its sweet, and they know the answer complete and the answer is no.
-
La la la di dee da
La la di dee da da dum

Rydia has gone quiet at this point, leaning back in her vine covered seat and closing her eyes to quietly listen. Alfir stays curled up in Alba's lap listening to the music and pretending to be asleep.

Baby spiderling on her lap, surrounded by hostile vegetation, a pet Malboro, in the tree of a Dryad whom Alba suspects is as mad, or more so, than herself... But the moment the 'famous bard' begins to play, none of that matters. Her masked face tilts to one side, then she settles back, ears locked so hard on the Moogle her eartips quiver faintly.

Talen has drawn his knees up, resting his chin upon them, and listens without complaint as the music starts up. An eyebrow raises up at the quality of the moogle's voice, a puzzled looked there upon the male Viera's face. A sideways glance is cast Alba's way, and a smile slowly creeps upon his face.

Zhgir, in the interim, is busy rummaging through his slightly different keyring, one hand idly rubbing at his chin. But when the music starts that fades away, and turning towards Talen he grins widely, sharp teeth shining in the darkness for a moment. Yes, his dark features seemed to say, nodding along the music. Amazing song. His head turns back towards the moogle playing, hands idly rummaging through his things.

Alba is currently 11 minutes idle and may not get back to you soon.
You page, "Oh I am about to really single Talen out >.<" to Alba.
In a page-pose to you, Alba snickers.

Ainsley is not as interested in the music as everyone else is, so she's just writing down on a notepad while the song plays. She is surprised that he's as good as his reputation may have suggested, but she simply does not seem to enjoy music very much. Perhaps a side-effect of some... poor experiences with music during adventures in general.
Tristania snaps her head around when the music begins, pointing her mask's wooden beak straight at the musician. She sits up, breaking her attention only once to glance at her sister, who is still not wearing a mask of her own. Nevertheless, the tune is good, and a smile graces her lips. "I approve of this viera," she murmurs.

Edward continue to play, the music played in a way only a true master could. His voice having that bardic quality that can sooth even the most savage of fiends. The imps start to play along with Edward now. The musical compliment taking on a magical property as the room fades away. Talen will find himself being approached by the people in the music asking for his help before fading away for the next one. Alba will find no changes about her, perhaps so the sleeping spider kin does not get woken up. Zhgir will find his keys illusioned into a hammer, and Ainsley's notebook into some dirty laundry. Tristania will find herself suddenly dressed as a merchant, with some random pottery goods before her on a merchant stall.

Work us a task you the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

Now Paul at the hill is a friend of ours and He watches the walls for us
And he's quick with a fire or to-light up a fiend But there's someplace that he's rather be

He says "Viera I believe this is killing me" As a fiend runs away from his place
"Well I'm sure that I could be with my family If I could get out of this place."

Now Jerry is a house builder Who never had time for a wife
And he's working with Berry, Who's still in the guard And probably will be for life

And the women are working laundry As the merchants slowly go broke
Yes they are having their troubles but there is someplace they would rather be

Work us a task you're the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

Not only is the music first-quality, but the lunacy surrounding her doesn't even seem to touch her. Life, to Alba at the moment, is good. *Very* good.

Talen does not appear to be too enthralled by the music, watching instead the others and how it affects them. Alba takes much of his attention, seeing first hand just what a decent bard can do. A look that starts off happy, but becomes rather sad as the song goes on.

Zhgir gasps as his rings are suddenly a hammer - but then he peers peculiarly at the former keys, now hammers. "Zhgir believes this is just alright." He responds to no one in particular, as he gives a testing smack at the table with the hammer - and in no time at all, he is drumming along with the song, or at least, a song. At some point, he turns towards Talen and whispers agitatedly, "Zhgir always knew keys held secrets!"

Tristania starts as she finds herself... considerably overdressed, by her standards. Her hands shoot up to her face, confirming that her mask is still in place. A soft sigh of relief, and she slowly relaxes. Afterall, clothes can be changed easily enough, if they don't return to normal after the song. While other people might be joining into the song, the Dryad chooses to have nothing to do with such activity. Instead, she crosses her arms, adopting a rigid stance as she simply continues to listen.

The illusions continue to follow after the music. A crowd now approaching Talen, each one of them sneering and looking unfriendly. As the song accuses him of being lazy they start to throw rotten fruit and vegetables at Talen. Several of them getting in the way to block his sight of Alba, and to block Abla's view of what is happening to Talen. One of the imp grins over to Zhgir as he plays with the keys now illusioned as hammers. "Keys hold many secrets indeed! Music is a key itself, do you hold that key?" Winking over to the spider kin before floating back to the ensemble. Everybody will find the illusions fading and focusing around Talen. Hammers return to keys, laundry back to notebook, and Tristania is no longer a merchant.

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday and the travelers give him a smile
All of them coming with their problems to see, help they could get
To learn about peace for a while

And to the viera they suddenly walk up, to ask an to sneer lazy are you viera
And they stand at the hill and throw rotten fruits to his side
And they say "Man what are you doing here?"

Oh la la la di dee da
La da di dee da da dum

Work us a task you're the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

The villagers blocking her view of Talen does give Alba pause, and one hand rises to poke at the nearest villager, to check the solidity of the illusion. However, between the music and the sleeping spiderling, the masked Viera doesn't seem willing to rise, just yet.

Talen hmmphs as the world around him is blocked from his sight, and he stands up, looking at the crowd. "Fine.", he's heard to say, to no one in particular. "I will help you, though the tasks are many. I can hunt and work for you. Just... one at a time alright?"

The imps all offer chuckles at Talen's response and Edward has a pause in the music as he himself cannot hold back a chuckle. Then he picks up the music again to finish off the song.

And the viera stands up before the crowd And says, "Problems you must face,"
And solve them I will not. Lazy are you who ask another.

Only one problem I have, solve it I will, gone I become
Who then will you call lazy, who then will you lay your problems before

Work us a task you're the lazy viera work us a task tonight
Well we're all in the need of some help But you've yet to help us alright

The illusions fade and everything in the room returns to normal. Edward looks down at instrument to see that it has turned completely black. "Even my curse effects this?" Breeze flys over and takes it, "Yes, break this curse we hope you do. For now we must be on our way. Farewell Bard." The imps turn towards the rest, "We hope you enjoyed the music! Good luck in your quest." The imps then fade from sight and are gone. Edward floats over to a seat and goes quiet, clearly happy and sad that he could play again. Rydia jumps up and giggles, "Business time right? To each of you I can answer but one question, and I will answer as best I can. Though a price must be paid for the question. So think carefully both on the price, and the question." The dryads eyes taking on a faint glow as she looks to each person in turn, "Edward your question has already been given, another I cannot give you." Edward just offers a mute nod.

Talen looks vaguely annoyed or irritated, and falls to thoughtful silence, looking curiously at Alba, and the others. When Rydia offers to answer one question each, he looks at the others to see what they might ask.

"Well played," Alba murmurs, peering at Talen as the illusions fade; as if to check him for wounds or damage. But, finding him merely annoyed, she nods once... Then her eyes slide to the window over his shoulder, ears standing straight up, then back. Her mask remains pointed in the direction of the window, but her ears turn to face Rydia. "The Mist," she says, drawing out the last word in a sibilant, displeased hiss. "It *watches* us. Why does it watch us?"

Zhgir's smiling ear to ear when his keys are reaffirmed of their importance. He slides them back into his pocket, about to ask a question of his own straight away from Rydia - but he falls silent when Alba asks, the arachnid quickly disappearing from sight.

Rydia glances to Alba, "What will you pay for a answer to that question?" Her voice is very serious on this, and her glowing green eyes never leaving Alba.

Tristania tilts her head to one side. She looks back and forth between Rydia and Alba, waiting to see what price will be offered, and wether or not it will be accepted.
Ainsley stopped being invested in writing in a notebook when they decided to mess with her notebook with illusion bullshit. That's exactly how she sees it, by the look on her face. She isn't happy. She's actually quite unhappy. She looks over at Rydia with some interest, and back over to Alba.

Rydia continues to watch after Alba, seeing if she has a price to pay for her question. "You can pay in many forms, from abilities, items, to even knowledge in return. Services can be rendered in the future, if you are ok with owning a dept." Anybody who looks tot he window Alba is is watching, will notice a collection of Mist, but it is fading away and is soon just a normal mid-afternoon clear sky.

"The coin of silence," Alba shoots back; and now Rydia has her full attention. "The Mist is a thing no sane Viera may trust; those who are mad, know well why this is truth. That this is a matter of the Spirits annoys me no end, but it is the path my Shaman walks, and I walk beside him. Thus, I pay in silence. Hear your words I shall, and accept them. If a greater price must be paid, then ask it."

Rydia suddenly flares up with a geeen and white aura about her. "Then the price shall be paid! Of silence you will be, speak again you cannot while in the presence of any who walk with the spirits! A price that shall be paid for two seasons time. Answer now you shall have." The little green girl flaoting in the air, "That which appears to be as Mist is not always Mist, it it Exodus himself who watches with eyes unseen. Judging and evaluating you." A finger lifing up to point at the Viera, "Who would seek him, for in turn each viera must earn their place. He watched as you were tested, to be at peace with a creature of the wilds, and through the test of your patience, both of which you passed. A new test you shall be given, a hint you will receive, should you dare taste the deepest of the Mist." With that the girl falls back down to the ground and glances to Alba and Talen with a sad smile, "A difficult path, but if your feet walk true, one you will tred."

Talen looks rather shocked at the offer Alba makes, but doesn't interfere. His anger is reserved for the cost Rydia sets. Two seasons. Of not hearing his Hunter's voice? FUME. "Two seasons? And not being able to speak in my presence? This is two costs, Rydia, two!" He takes a deep breath and huffs. "I do dare test the deeper mists. However, I do not know what question I would ask. Some will come with a greater price than I can imagine." He looks to Tristania, Zhgir and Ainsley. "Have you your own questions to ask, that I might have more time to ponder mine?"

Alba's ears slam back as her offered price is misheard, and she opens her mouth to protest... but not even a squeak comes out. Hunching her shoulders, she curls her fingers into claws for a moment, then one hand moves in a brief flicker of signals, as she scoots closer to Talen. Oh the Viera is very, very, very much irritated... but she did say she would accept this, and so it seems she does.

Zhgir slowly lowers him from around the ceiling, carefully peeking his head through. "Zhgir will ask after queen's. It is only appropriate." The arachnid replies, carefully. Mostly because there is apparently plenty of angry queens in the room now, and a queen with a power over queens. Too many queens for the Zhgir.

The lizard girl frowns more when she is prompted, putting her on the spot. Ainsley shrugs at Talen and makes a 'i dunno???' kind of face, with wide eyes and a creased brow, the shrug exaggerated quite a lot. She looks over at Rydia again, though. "I will be honest: I do not trust these kinds of situations, and I am not quick to ask questions anymore unless I have a particularly good one. Which I don't."

Rydia smiles over to Ainsley, "A prudent answer, and one that shows experiance as well. Yet you seek knowledge to stop a ancient weapon from being found. You could ask where to look, a easy answer with a low price. You can also ask no question at all, or a personal one."

A low chckle comes from where Tristania is sitting. The Dryad's mirth picks up in volume, until she reaches full blown laughter. "Look at the heroes," she crows, "Proud and strong, fit to face the Archadian Army and Spirits know what other horrors? Are you really? Lobo dung!" she snaps. "Each of you terrified of a little girl and a simple price. But know this." Her tone turns serious, and she glares at Talen in particular for a moment. "Lift one finger against this sister of mine, and your skull," she draws her knobkerrie and slams the business end of it down on the table, "Shall know this bone of Unicorn, once wielded by our Mother." She twists the weapon, grinding it this way and that. Slowly, she turns to face her sister once again. "I have my question," she states, "And will ask it of you in private, after my comrades have departed."

Rydia glances and watches Tristania with a frown, then shakes her head slowly. "Know this sister of mine, I can also ask for a price, and the price I shall ask of you shall be your ability to wear a mask. Be certain you wish to ask me what you will ask me." Her voice serious on this, then she glances to the others and then focuses her eyes on Talen, "A double price you say, but it is still one price, that affects many. Yet, you also got a answer of that as it was directed at you as well. So the price was paid, and you still have a question. Think carefully before you act, or ask." Her smile returning, "And no violence, Snuggles gets upset when there is violence." Rydia then turns towards Ainsley, "You have a question yet?"

Ainsley looks at Tristania incredulously. "I have braved more than you can know, and done things vastly unwise to end up in that predicament. Please do not presume to know the extent of my bravery based on what little you have experienced of my behavior," she tells Tristania, cooly. "It is vastly offensive, and makes you look like a child." She looks over at Rydia with some surprise, afterwards. "Oh." She pauses. Her arms cross. "Simply the location of what we seek, or a piece of it at the very least. In exchange... the color of my eyes. Not my sight, none of that riddlemaster crap, I would prefer not to be colorblind, or just plain blind. If you can think of a better price, though, we can negotiate." She frowns. Yeah she is VERY stubborn about the Spirit Deal stuff.

Rydia smiles thoughtfully over to Ainsley as she considers the offer, then shakes her head, "The color of your eyes is a interesting price, but one that cannot be paid as no color is a color still black or white." The little girl leaning forward, "I also want you to draw a picture of me." Glancing to the notebook Ainsley has. "Please, pretty please." Then leans back and closes her eyes, "The color of your eyes is to high a price to pay for the information you request, as what I can give is limited. Draw me a picture while the rest ask their questions, and I will answer yours with that payment."

Talen's eyes are on Alba's hands as they signal, a grin forming. "Indeed, my Hunter, indeed." His ears wobble slightly, and he looks over at Tristania. "I've faced opponents that would humble the Archadians, and indeed, I have rained fire down upon them from the heavens. I have smashed their ships. I've been through the belly of the beast, and crawled my way out, and trapped him in a bauble. A companion uses that bauble still." He looks to Rydia and then back to her sister. "I'm sorry, but she's not just a little girl. And if you cannot tell that now, you have the worst kind of blindness: willful. Her price is daunting." The male Viera's ears flatten to the sides. "Also, your threats are ridiculous, your sister is in no danger from anyone here." Talen looks again to Rydia. "I would know the number and nature of the others who aim to have the Artefact of Atmos for themselves. To know who we are dealing with, without them knowing we know, is powerful knowledge. I would give you, for a time, my memories of all who are /not/ currently present. Family, friends, enemies, everything."

Alba's ears slam back down, her mask turning to lock onto Talen in stunned, seething silence, one hand shooting out to grab hold of Talen's arm and squeeze. Even if it can't be voiced aloud, her feelings on Talen's price are clear enough to speak for themselves; 'ARE YOU MENTAL?!'

Rydia stares at Talen, just simply stares trying to make sure he is serious about all of this. She starts to float into the air the aura around her growing even stronger then it was with Alba's question. "Your memories you will sacrifice, your memories you offer. A powerful price you pay! Of that price I shall take, only to regain your memories when you hear the voice of your current mate again! I take from you your memories of your friends, both alive and gone. I take from you your memories of your family, both alive and gone, I take from you your memories of enemies, both alive and gone, I take from you your memories of the spirits, only the two that are present of Andromeda and Ifrit. In turn, I give you memories of new friends, new allies, and new enemies. To be recalled like they always existed. Your best friend Locke, your cruel mother Terra, your swooning over Cecilia, brawls with Edgar and Sabin, of the three lonely sibling Monks and what each of them holds. Know this these memories become your own, they will be a part of you, this has been answered!" With that Rydia reaches out and points a finger at Talen's head, the green energies around here focusing on her finger, and then shooting into Talen's head.

Talen does indeed look quite serious about the offer, though as Rydia's litany of memories taken and replaced is said, he begins to have doubts. It is obvious in his eyes. He's about to say something when the finger comes up, his eyes straying to Alba, his ears quirking in a particular manner before the green light flashes into his head. Which causes the male Viera to promptly fall to the ground.

Zhgir crawls out from under the table, eyeing Talen and Alba with his wide orblike eyes. Tapping his hands together, he seemed to be contemplating approaching, but the arachnid instead turns his head towards Rydia. "Zhgir were going to ask a question of the queen," He begins, then pauses as he tilts his head. "Yes, Zhgir desires." He crawls out from under the table and crouches on the edge of it. "Where can Zhgir find a meal for the queen? Zhgir has coins, he has plenty of coins don't take his brain away! Or Zhgir's looks! Zhgir has really nice eyes don't touch them please!" He frantically speaks, flailing his coinpurse defensively with enough force to spill those coins over the table.

Rdyia reaches over and pats Zhgir on the head, "We will meet again crawly one, you can save your question for later. For food, there is already food fit for a queen here. Worry not." Chuckling. Alfir is suddenly up and over collecting the coins and stuffing them into a bag of his own. The young spider kin also has a key around his neck, the necklace spun out of spider silk.

The lizard scholar had only given a gentle, "Okay," and begun to scribble down on a large piece of paper that she pulled from a spot in her robes. The pen had scribbled carefully, drawing a sketch of Rydia as presented to the group as a whole, in this scenario. It takes a bit, and she has to erase a mistake or two, but she manages it fairly easily by all considerations. She holds the sketch out to Rydia, and smiles. "Fairly accurate, I think," she says, modestly smiling.

Rydia takes the drawing and squeals with delight. She bounces along her feet as she runs over to a wall and hangs it up. "Oh it’s beautiful! You got my face perfectly, thank you thank you thank you!" The girl running back over to Ainsley and throwing her arms around the lizard for a quick hug. "As for your question. You must find the wondering library. An old kingdom whose name was lost to time, whose magic was high and technology great. The artifact was won and used, destroying their greatest city and along with it their proudest library. This was the last time the artifact was used. To save their civilization they cast their library to another part of the world, but the magic was incomplete and instead the library was thrown into the void. A single door is all that is left in this world. The three monks who obtained the artifact after left the last of their knowledge and the only clues where to look in that door. Yet the door itself did not stay in place for long, it wonders the world. Changing locations every hour, sometimes it appears next to where it was, others all the way across the world. To find this door, I foresee you must travel to Rossaria, to the place Edward found it before. He knows the way."

Tristania glares at Talen for a moment longer, and slowly puts her knobkerrie away. "You speak like an only child," she states, tilting her head to glare at Ainsley. "One who has never had a younger sibling for whom they care deeply, and for whom they worry. Powerful beyond words my sister might be, but she is still my sister, and I will still bash the brains from anyone who menaces her, regardless of wether she needs me to or not." She stands, and crosses her arms beneath her breasts. "And if laughing at the rest of you and cajoling you has led to the asking of questions, then useful it was, was it not?" She eyes Talen where he has passed out, and hhhnhs. "I would answer him, but he has passed out. Small wonder, with what he asked for." She turns to face Rydia once more, and perks an eyebrow behind her mask. "I will ask, but if you insist on taking my mask from me, I must have my privacy another way. When the others have left, I will linger, and ask."

Rydia sits down looking exhausted at the moment, "Such powerful questions and answers. I did not expect to be so tired so quickly. At least I got a pretty picture!" The girl beaming over to the drawing of her on the wall. "Tristania my dear sister, you may have your question, when the time is right. For now though the day grows past noon, and you must be on your way. Time is of the essence, and if you do not leave now, your door way will not be found. Edward." The moogle blinking up from his own eternal thoughts, "The bracelet will glow when the door way is near. For the rest of you, we will meet again in time, be it you seeking me out or me seeking you out. Be sure to give Snuggles a hug on your way out!" The dryad jumping up and offering a smile, "Now hurry hurry, you have not much time!"

Finding her lap free of spiderling, Alba sighs behind her mask, and sets about gathering Talen up for travel; not a terribly simple task, when of the two of them *he* is the brawnier one. Now and again, as Tristania speaks, a poisonous glare is shot her way through the polished bone mask, and one gets the idea that could she speak, she would be doing so in language fit to curl a Malboro's vines. As it is, she simply secures Talen's arms to her shoulders, his legs to her hips, and struggles to stand with the Summoner on her back.

Talen rouses himself shortly afterwards, finding himself being lifted up. After a few tries, he manages to get his feet under him, leaning against Alba lightly. "Thank you, my Hunter. I... how did I get down ... oh. Oh I see. Erm. I guess we should be off then, yes?" One of his hands raises up, and he flashes Alba a few hand signals. "See you again soon then, Rydia?"

Zhgir looks about to combust when Rydia pats his head - enough for him to not see Alfir just go up and pickup his coins. When Rydia shifts away, Zhgir silently attempts to pick up Alfir with his hands, sliding down the table, chastised. "Zhgir can carry the silly long ears?" He offers to Alba silently, giving a similar pat to Talen as he just received.
Ainsley frowns momentarily at Tristania. "You are unpleasant," she remarks to the Dryad woman, briefly, and then she turns to leave as normal, nodding and smiling at Rydia once. She doesn't really help Alba with her problem because, surprise, scholar lizards are not known for their upper body strength. It's a moot point when Talen wakes up anyways, and Zhgir's offering to help.

"Which books?" Tristania declares, apparently unsatisfied with waiting until later and willing to ask her question while others are present, rather than risk missing her opportunity entirely. "Which books, my beloved sister. I wish to know the names and locations of the tomes that will give me the knowledge that I must have. The knowledge that I require to become what I wish to become." Her eyebrow perks behind her mask. Ainsley's remark and Alba's dagger-filled gaze are, for the moment, ignored. "That is my question. We go to the greatest library the world has ever known; what do I read there, in order to become a mage the likes of which the world does not trifle."

Rydia glances to Tristania, eyes considering her carefully. Then she recoils away from her sister and winces at something, "The answer to your question, I am obligated to give it to you. Though I care not for what will come of it. You will find no books of what you seek in this library, I will answer that. Yet to answer your question, a price must be paid. A dear one, as that is the sacrifice you wish to make. When we meet again, be parpared." Rydia's eyes harden over as she continues to watch Tristania, "Now begone from my house, I have no desire for you to be here any longer." The group will find the climb down the rope ladder friendly enough. The Malboro is sleeping next to the tree trunk and seems rather content with life. The forest beckons to them. Rydia calls down one last time, "Oh the tree's will let you walk upon them now Viera. Safe passage be with you, when you are a hours walk away signal your ship, it can find you then."

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2014-05-03T18:49:55Z

Marduke:

Atomos: The Beginning Part 4

2014-03-31T20:15:05Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The airship has lifted off, leaving the group at the edge of the Golmore Jungle. The winds di…'

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The airship has lifted off, leaving the group at the edge of the Golmore Jungle. The winds die down when the airship gets out of range. The Mists at the edge of the jungle swell up, almost as if watching the group and waiting. Edward holds up his bracelet and glances toward the jungle, "This way." The moogle staring to lead the way flying slowly. The Mist seem to part leaving the moogle a safe path, though here safe is realtive.

"Mist," Alba says in a tone of mingled disgust and unease, ears lying flat as the fog parts, mask tipping upward toward the jungle trees. "We follow from above. It will do our journey no favors to walk within. Come, shaman." Crouching, the hunter leaps toward the nearest tree, scrabbling upward toward the closest branch to be found above the mistline.

Talen looks rather in awe of the Jungle, his eyes noting the mists that lay within. "Leviathan himself told me that the solution of the riddle of Exodus begins in Golmore Jungle." His ears perk up when Alba heads to the trees, and he tightens the strap of his satchel. His leap isn't as sure or as high as Alba's, but the shaman scrabbles up behind her nonetheless. "We shall be your eye and ears from above.", he calls down to those below.

Ainsley seems somewhat unhappy with the idea of wandering into the Golmore Jungle. When the two Viera decide to take to the trees, the lizard girl makes no complaint, simply waving. From there, she silently tags along with Edward, frowning at the mist as it parts as if alive.

Tristania stretches, standing tall and squaring her shoulders. With the mists at bay for the time being, she breaths deep, filling her lungs with the forest air and exhaling slowly. "We move," she murmurs. A nod is given to the viera following from above, before she draws her knobkerrie, holding it at the ready as she follows the moogle, quietly enjoying the feel of bare ground beneath bare feet.

Zhgir could just tie you two up too!" A distant, yet quite familiar voice calls out from a nearby bush. Then breaking through the vegetation, he rustles his hips and head. "Should Zhgir go ahead and potentially bait monsters, or should he just follow silently and be a brooding reminder of their existence?" He asks from Edward with a toothy smile, flicking off a leaf from his hair as he follows the group.

The brances the Viera go for shift out of way offering no place for the Viera to land. The highground being denied to them, and each attempt to try to get up, the tree's move just enough to prevent landing. The Mist continues to stay low and dances around the group, the forest growing darker the deeper the group goes. Which is odd considering it is morning and the sun is rising, it should be getting brighter. Various sounds can be heard in the woods, from a few nearby fiends to the russling of a rabbit or two. Some sounds are heard by one member of the party while others do not. The monsters of the forest appear to be leaving the group alone. Edward glances to Zhgir, "Best stay with the group." With the fading light and dense foilage of the jungle, soon it will only be the faint blue light of the moogles bracelet that can be seen. The loud breathing of a creature can be heard in the direction the group is going.

"Sssschah!" Alba spits, after the third attempt to climb a tree is rebuffed, by the *tree itself.* "Trees do not move," she grumbles she relents, dropping to the canopy and stalking after the rest. "Trees *stand* and *grow* and *no more,* else they are not trees, they are Ochu and Malboro and Fiends which crave flesh..." Her grumbling continues in this vein for some good time, subsiding into near-inaudibility after awhile, eartips quivering as they orient on the sound of breathing ahead of them.

Talen's attempts are just as frustrated as Alba's, and he doesn't bother trying after the first couple. Silently, he falls in line with Alba once she returned to walking along the path. His ears perk only a little at the noises up ahead, instead, he seems to be focusing on what comes behind. "The trees are just trees, their ... animations are of something larger than themselves. Perhaps the forest as a whole is a living creature. I am both eager and dreading to discover what this may be."

There's some surprise out of Ainsley as the two Viera are rejected by the local trees. She didn't expect as much, and so she more closely scrutinizes the trees... but only for a short time, as they seem to be outside of their range of vision soon. She frowns as the forest gets dark. She pulls something out of her clothing... is that a ruler made of steel? She taps it against her palm a few times, as they head toward the Spooky Breathing Noise. She has seen so much that she only looks mad that they have to walk toward the potentially huge beasty.

"Trees are much more than you give them credit for," the dryad observes, in response to Alba's complaints. She taps her knobkerrie against her palm as she walks. "But this jungle is alive in ways most woods are not. I would advise against doing things that a tree would not like... casting fire magic, for example." She smiles wrly as she walks, still following confidently after Edward. "Or," she adds, "They may crave flesh. Who knows?"

Zhgir stays with the group then, though he does lean towards Talen and says, "Zhgir can still find enough rope." He nods sagely then, but he doesn't seem too unnerved by their strange surroundings otherwise. He just tilts his head towards Tristania, then nods along as she explains. "Yes, trees sometimes sing too." He adds, before falling silent as they approach the thing that is breathing very loudly and do they really have to go and bother its rest?

The darkness gets suffocating, making you feel like you cannot breath. Then suddenly it is blindingly bright as the group steps out into a clearing. A giant tree is in the center of the clearing standing at least twice the height of the jungle around it. Some stones have been laid arond the clearing, each one engraved with a rune. The tree has a vine ladder leadingup into its branches. The branches are to high and to far from the jungle to attempt any kind of jumping. Before the ladder rest a giant malboro, which appears to be asleep. Around the Malboro is a collar, with a tag reading "Snuggles."

"...Snuggles," Alba reads from the tag, ears lowering so far, it's clear they'd like the flexibility to wrap over the back of her head. "It is a pet Malboro, and its name is Snuggles." Drawing in a deep breath, she looks from Malboro, to ladder, to the rune-inscribed stones. "...Hn," she grunts, turning her back on the clearing and taking a step toward the suffocating darkness.

Talen thrusts an arm out to impede the retreat of Alba. "Come now, you are not so easily defeated are you?", he says in a whisper. "We can carefully walk around it, and see what lies above, yet?" He looks to see what the rest of the group thinks, wrapping an arm around Alba's waist.

The lizard girl sees... a Malboro. She taps the ruler against her palm a few more times, and approaches, as closely as she is comfortable with. She looks back into the encroaching darkness, her brow knitting. Her head turns to look back at the Malboro. And then Ainsley begins to pace around the clearing, to try to read the runes without waking the beasty. It's a pet, so someone went to the trouble of taming it. She hums a song as she does this, very gently.

Tristania sighs heavily. "We are at the correct location," she observes, taking a step closer to the clearing, and... Snuggles. "Those," she gestures, pointing her weapon at the stones, "Are Rydia's runes." She pauses for a moment, and pushes her knobkerrie back into her belt. "Do not antagonize the malboro. Come, we must climb the ladder." Cautiously, she takes another step forwards; even pet malboros can be unpredictable. Especially if they haven't been neutered.

When Tristania warned them off antagonizing the marlboro, Zhgir suddenly pulls back his stick. His lips quiver for a moment, before he puts the stick away. "Fine, Zhgir. Zhgir knows everything about malrboros. They are not gentle webs." He mutters underneath his breath, apparently somewhat soured by this discouragement, hands in his pockets. He takes a step forward after Tristania, mimicking her careful step.

"Oh Snuggles will let you pass!" Offers a high pitched girly voice from above. A young green haired woman can be sitting sitting on one of the branches swigning her legs. She is clearly a dryad and without a mask. She then waves to Tristania, "Hey sister! How ya been?" A giggle escaping her and she motions to Snuggles, 'Snuggles let them pass, and as promised the Viera will play with you!" Eeping a moment, "Oh I forgot to mention, Talen and Alba cannot pass yet, they need to play with Snuggles. It is because you tried to climb the tree's without permission. Have fun! Oh watch out, Snuggles likes to burp." The Malboro offering a hiccup of noxious gas and snorts, moving out of the way for those who can pass. Turning face the Viera with a grin. One of the Malboro's tentacles reaches over and pets Zhgir on the head, another giggle escapes Rydia, "Oh he likes you zhgir!"

"*Moving trees* and *Mist* and *Malboros named Snuggles,*" Alba hisses in Talen's ear, voice high with fury. "*No.* *Enough.* Rather I would be within the dead town of madness and murder than here." The hunter could go on, at length, and clearly means to, but is interrupted by the high voice from the treetops. Whipping around, she simply stares in shocked silence as her fate and Talen's are tossed off like a used handkerchief. "...What say your liver, shaman. Eager is it still, to meet the challenge?"

Talen's ears wiggle under the fury of the female Viera, the male looking quite nervous indeed. He too looks upwards, and goes through a variety of emotions such as shock, and anger, as the unmasked Dryad expresses joy at having a Marlboro ''play'' with the Viera. "It will take more than a marlboro to turn me from the path, hunter of mine. We have been in far worse scrapes, yes? My liver says to see this through. Will you stand by me, now, as before, and as needed in the unknown future?"

Ainsley looks pretty uncertain about this whole scenario. She looks at the other Dryad, and then to the pet Malboro, and her companions. She lets out a sigh and motions at Alba with the ruler, "Be sure to plug your nose, and be sure to wash up when you're done," she suggests over toward the unhappy knife-wielding woman. "It could be worse!" She smiles brightly. Surely someone with an imagination like Ainsley's can think of hundreds of ways this could be worse, by the confident way she says that. "Ahh." She turns to speak toward the Dryad named Rydia. "Hello, my name is Ainsley," she says, happily.

"...Rydia!!" Tristania's attention snaps upwards, te wooden beak on her mask pointing straight at the other dryad. "What on... HAS YOUR MIND GONE TO WORMWOOD?!" The dryad marches past her companions without a word to any of them and directly to the ladder, past Snuggles (who apparently is harmless enough?) and she immediately begins her ascent. "Cover your face! Are you daft? Where is your mask? You are *NAKED.* In front of outsiders. What is wrong with you?"

Zhgir tilts his head towards the Viera. "Liver? Why is Zhgir never offered liver?" He mutters underneath his breath, before the tentacle pats his head. "A-ahh-!" He exclaims, then turns towards the marlboro. "Fine! I'll play your stupid game!" He mutters underneath his breath and then with a knitted brow, pulls all four arms and two hands of his, weaving something in the middle - before he splays them up and open for the creature. "There, pick your poison!" He grunts, an ornate netted pattern weaved between all his thirty fingers. He nearly even manages to ignore the angry dryad tirade happening somewhere next to him. But as his kind say back in his jungle - less you interfere, the more bonjour.

Snuggles grabs a large brance with its mouth, lobs itself over to Talen and drops the branch. The Malboro then stands there panting waiting for the branch to be thrown. The Malboro does not appear to be paying attention to zhgir, wanting to play fetch instead. "Oh he likes to play fetch, and loves hugs! Toss it for him a couple of times, then give him a snuggle, then you can come on up! Tea will be ready!" Rydia then turns towards Ainsley, "Oh hey Ainsley, knew you were coming. Taking a break from prison hunting are you?" Rydia calls down before hoping up to her feet. She giggles over to the frantic Tristania, "Oh hush you, I am perfectly dressed. Masks are for silly adults afraid of their own shadows!" The young dryad then starts to climb up the tree into the branches and out of view. Zhgir will find that he has another friend, a smaller that crawls up onto the webs and peers at Zhgir, "Oh new! Want to come meet queen?" A local spider kin it seems!

"...Always," Alba grumbles in answer to Talen's question, though her sensibilities are, quite clearly, no less offended by everything in the entire clearing. Turning, her ears track the progress of the Malboro, fingers spreading wide and slowly curling, as it blorps to a halt in front of the pair. "...Hear you the dryad," she says, with the sort of petty glee usually reserved for the fruits of major upsettings. "It enjoys to fetch, and to hug, my shaman."

Talen's ears turn to the sides, an eyebrow raised at the idea of playing fetch, and more so at the unbridled glee heard in Alba's voice. "Tis unbecoming to jab a finger in the wound, and prod so.", he says, stooping to grab an end of the stick that does not have slobber. "Here Snuggles, you want this stick?" The male Viera turns and heaves the stick towards the darkness from whence the group traveled. "FETCH!", he yells. Assuming the creature does indeed love a good game of fetch, Talen takes the few moments he has free to look again at the so-called naked Dryad. "Perhaps the mists affect other races too, just at a slower rate than we Viera, hmm?", he says to Alba.

Tristania continues her ascent, making her way swiftly up the ladder, following Rydia up into the folliage. "I am not afraid of any shadow, mine or otherwise!" she snaps. "It's not a question of fear, it's... it's Taboo, Rydia! You've forgotten who you are." She disappears into the branches as well, though her progress can still be tracked by listening to her voice. "Put a leaf over your face! Do *something!* You are indecent!"

"Zhgir?" The arachnid asks, tilts his head, then looks down at the much smaller arachnid-kin hanging off his webs. "Zhgir is not new, Zhgir is Zhgir, zhoor'ling!" He says though with an exasperated sigh he adds, "Zhgir /supposes/ he should trade scents with her." He adds with a grunt, appparently not looking too much forward to the fact. "Up, down, under?" He asks as he attempts to bundle the smaller spider into a kind of a cradle he can hang off his shoulders.

Rydia can be seen climbing down onto another branch into view, while she lets her sister climbing up the wrong side. The girl holds a finger up to her lips and motions for everybody below to say nothing. Though her giggling will reveal her location regardless. The Malboro chases after the stick and launches up to grab it with its mouth. Then turns around and lobs back dropping it at Alba's feet, offering a pant and attempting to lean in and offer her a friendly body slup with its tongue. The smaller spider chuckles, "Zhgir is new Zhgir! I am Aflir! Queeny will be so happy, you taste better and fill her up. Aflir left because Aflir did not want to be eaten, Aflir offer you instead!" The smaller spider crawling all over Zhgir in circles with youthful energy.

The slurp is.... mostly avoided, though the side of her arm and one of her long, poose pigtails are now coated in noxious, bilious drool. The branch, snatched up without a word, and Alba hops forward, turning a circle in three dancing steps, using the motion to help her hurl the branch as far across the clearing as it can go, between her admittedly noodly arms and the laws of physics.

"A good throw, my Hunter.", says the male Viera, who only smiles when her head is turned away from her. Talen's eyes follow the stick for a brief time, before he peers over at Zhgir. "Perhaps I understand more now why Zhgir left his Queen."

The Malboro hopes over to Talen, and using its tentacles tries to grab Alba and Talen, bring them both in for a Malboro bear hug. Then lets them go and bounces off towards the stick to play, the Malboro completely oblivious to anything else. Rydia just offers a giggle, "You can come up now!"

Tristania tilts her head, tracking the sound of her sister giggling and... calling out to people. She mutters curses an imprecations, as she jumps to a branch, and climbs around the tree trunk to reach the other side. "Damnit, Rydia," she snaps, coming to a stop crouched on a branch somewhere above where the other dryad is situated. "Enough nonsense. Explain this madness."

Zhgir continues to attermpt to bundle the exorbitant arachnid-kin with his webs; with such casualness that it felt like he has done it before. "Ah, youth and their tricks, to be young again, Zhgir... no, Zhgir wouldn't want to be young again it was horri- hold on, eat Aflir?" He pauses briefly, twisting his head towards the black widowling. His palps twitch in the air, as he tilts his head this way and that, before he suddenly pulls up the netted web blanket over the smaller arachnid in an attempt to cordon him. "Aflir should know by now that isn't how you find sacrifice for the queen." He chastises, before moving to climb the tree. "Zhoor'lings nowadays..." He mutters underneath his breath.

Rydia stands up and giggles again, "Well lets see, Talen and Alba just passed a test. A minor one but for one seeking Exodus, but a very important one. Though Alba almost ended it for both of them with her impatience, tsk tsk. Talen, you should take note of that, patience." Giggling again, "Oh Zhgir has met one of the younglings from a local spider-kin tribe, who was trying to offer him as lunch so he wouldn't be eaten." Aflir scurries up along the webbing managing to escape, "To slow oldie!" Rydia continues, "Though he may now be adopting. As for you." Rydia glances up and grins, "Your chasing your twelve year old sister through her turf, rather vainely silly!" The young dryad runs up along the branch and out of view, "Now everybody come up here, time for tea!"

Alba stands stock-still, as the Malboro slithers away, fingers curled into claws as she stares off int the middle distance. "Teeth," she says faintly, "next to my face. And now a youngling chides me." Eventually, her muscles loosen, and she begins to slouch toward the ladder. "If my knife does not find flesh to bite in short time, I shall be sore displeased."

Talen makes a face as the Marlboro ''hugs'' him, and shudders as the thing lopes away with its stick. His ears quiver at Alba's mention of teeth and faces, and reaches out to gently squeeze her shoulder. "Not all tests are of strength and speed and tenacity, but of willpower and patience. You are a silent, stalking hunter, waiting for your prey to grow complacent. Use that patience now, yes?" Talen follows behind Alba, climbing upwards only after she has gotten some distance up.

Tristania sputters in frustration. "I have lost my grove," she mutters, "But you have lost the wilds. Tea? Tea. Tea indeed." She watches the other dryad making her way up the branches, and shakes her head before following. "We will talk about this later," she adds. "*Try* not to let anyone see your face too much. *Please*."

Zhgir hisses underneath his breath, "Z-Zhgir!" He flails as he attempts to grab the fleeing spiderling with his hands. "Zhgir is not oldie! Aflir is oldie, if he were old!" He shakes his head and then starts to ascend the tree, to follow the rest of the group for tea. "And next time don't mention the part about the heads and lack of heads!"

The house itself is made of vines, branches and leaves. Chairs made out of branches circle arond a central table. Rydia is wondering around humming to herself, and pouring tea for everybody. As Talen and Alba make their way in they will find any traces of smells removed from them magically. Alfair rides up on Zhgir's back and waves to everybody, "Alfir is here with Zhgir who be here! Alfir is son, zhgir son!" The youngling nodding like that made the most sense in the world. Rydia just gigles and makes her way to a hammock and jumps up into it, "Oh oh!" Jumping out of it, "I have other guest to! Edward meet Gust, Breeze, and Draft! Imps of Valefor who are visiting, they love music." Edward makes his way in last, still laughing a bit himself from all that happened below. He blinks towards the imps and waves, "Uhh hi."

Talen ponders the forest below, once he has reached the top of the ladder. "Such a fine view from up here.", he says in awe. "Hah, make a good impression, young moogle, imps are known emissaries of the many spirits. When they aren't causing mischief."

"Spirits," Alba mutters, blowing out a sigh against her mask. "Trees which move and Mist and Malboros named Snuggles and Spirits. My shaman is dearly fortunate he is loved so." With that, she finds a corner of the house near the door, dropping down and leaning her back against the wall, her own mask quite firmly placed between herself and the room's occupants.

Tristania climbs up into the tree house, and finds a spot where she can sit, comfortably. She makes a point of adjusting her mask, to make sure it is firmly in place, before crossing her legs and clasping her hands. "I see you have been busy," she observes. "Do you always have so many visitors? It is enough to make any normal Dryad feel... invaded." She tilts her head to watch the others making their way up, and briefly contemplates offering a helping hand. In the end, she stays exactly where she is. "There are local spider kin tribes? Interesting. I should like to observe."

Zhgir had his hands full in trying to keep Alfir in check, muttering as he waddles with the exurbant youth atop his head. "Zhgir will give Zhgir-son to Talen-queen while we discuss adult things, yes?" He says, and then attempts to pluck the quarter-sized arachnid-kin off his head - and pretty bluntly just drop him in Alba's hands. "No biting, no sacrifices, and absolutely no mention of Talen-queen's quirks." He warns.

The three imps named are actually not visible at first. Alba will find one of the imps sitting in front of her and offering a smile, "You like music?" With a tilt of his head, "I am Gust!" Another imp appears sitting on top of Tristania's mask, "your sister is grumpy, she needs to loosen up. Oh I am Draft by the way." The last imp appears by Talen and tugs at one of his ears gently, "Your woman is grumpy, shouldn't you be trying to soother her? I am Breeze!" Edward finds his own seat and nods slowly, "I umm hello all." Rydia giggles again and smiles, "Oh sister I enjoy gusts. Gets lonely at here, and the spiders keep trying to eat me. Silly creatures, after I burned several of them and fed more to Snuggles, they are bugging me less." Rydia offering a big smile, "I am no ordinary dryad, I am a super seer dryad!" Alfir blinks with all of his eyes as he is plucked up and dropped into Alba's lap. He glances up to Alba and his lips quiver, "Are you my new queen?" The imps all offers chuckles, "We have to go soon, music first! Edward you should play for us! Play for us!" The imps start chanting in unison, "Play...play the Lazy Viera! That is one of your best!"

And now Alba has a spiderling in her hands. The day simply cannot get any more upsetting to a Viera who, at the best of times, struggles with giving in to random impulse. "....No," she says simply to the wibbling little arachnid, ears twitching toward the Imps and their chorus of demands for song.

Talen's ears try to flatten themselves to the back of his head, and he shakes his head. "If the young moogle wishes to enjoy our company, I would suggest the Drunken Galka, or the Windgotten's Song over the Lazy Viera. Since the Windgotten's Song is pleasant, and there are no Galka here to take offense. There are, however, two Viera here who would be happy to ''explain'' the misconceptions and errors in the moogle's Lazy Viera. Explanations that will require the use of knives and fire." The male Viera steadfastly refuses to look at Alba, for the moment, perhaps concerned about a stray giggle and the effect it would have on his ... enjoyment of certain perks.

Tristania reaches up to shoo the imp off the top of her mask. "I do not need to lighten up," she grumbles. "I am exactly the way I am meant to be." She adjusts her mask once again, and rests one hand on the handle of her knobkerrie; meanwhile, her gaze turns to the two Viera, just as Zhgir deposits the smaller spiderkin in Alba's lap. She tilts her head, and waits, to see if there is going to be bloodshed or not.

Zhgir wipes off his palms and lifts his hands. "Zhgir is Windgotten." He states firmly as he turns his back onto the arachnid-kin. The darkness would be foreboding, if it weren't just the shade of his skin. But still he makes his way over one of the chairs and perches upon it at a crouch, tilting his head between all the imps. After a moment, he holds up his finger, 'Will we be eaten after the song or during?"

Rydia offers a smile to Talen, "You speak of what you know not Summoner. Explainations you offer with threats and violence poorly masked." Rydia sounding twenty years older and very unhappy, "The song had not even begun, and you..." Only to have Rydia cut off as the three imps fly up and clamp their hands over her mouth, "Now now! Silly oracle, quiet quiet!" The imp known as Breeze looks at Talen, "We are servents of the spirit Queen Valefore, and you a summoner, dare throw threats on our request for music? We have made our request. You have two choices, you can sit and learn, or you can leave and know what words we will sing in the spirit realms. Make your choice now." Edward speaks up, "but I cannot play..." Another one of the imps chuckles and pulls out of the air a silver colored lute, "You can with this, while we are here. Worry not." Alfir in Alba's lap curls up and makes himself comfy, clearly eager to listen to music.

Talen looks to Alba for a long, long moment, the grin that's more teeth than smile. He glances back to the three imps, and the moogle, a similarly toothy grin on his face now. "Play on, MacDuff, let us hear your rendition of the Lazy Viera then." He settles back against the wall, and crosses his arms. He'll listen, but he doesn't look particularly pleased about it.

Tristania glares back and forth between those gathered, and a scowl crosses her lips. She holds that look for a moment, before turning her gaze back upwards to the imps. "Do the moogle a grand favor," she states, "And allow him to keep the lute when he is finished. You should have seen his face when his last one broke." She tilts her gaze forwards once more, before turning to face her sister through the eyeholes of her mask. "...And since when have you been an oracle?"

Zhgir turns his head towards the Viera, then back towards the imps. "During, Zhgir presumes. But Zhgir really likes the song, it's very thematic! " He grins very widely and toothily himself, and then begins to undo his satchels and fetch this and that knick knack from his precious pockets. One of them is a coin with a thin strand of web hanging off it - something he less than subtly tosses in Alfir's way.

One of the imps turns towards Tristania and offers a sad smile, "This is a curse we cannot lift or interfer with, only offer a short repreive. Valefor favors him, but cannot interfer." The imps each pull out their own instruments out of the air, to play along with the imp. Rydia clams down and sits back down turning back into her giggly girl self, "Oh since I was born sister. Just never told you, forsaw it was a bad idea." giggling again. Alfir is quiet happily asleep in his new queens lap, not noticing the coin at all or caring for it really. Though it might be noticed he is holding tight one of Zhgir's keys, the spiderling having some talent. Yet the music begins as Edward strums a few strings and smiles happily, "I will take what oppertunity i can get to play. Please everybody sit and relax, judge not the song until it is played out."

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2014-03-31T20:13:47Z

Marduke:

The Artifact of Atomos Cast

2014-03-15T22:14:19Z

Marduke:

Atomos: The Beginning Part 3

2014-03-15T22:09:02Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos Tristania looks dangerously like she means to use her knobkerrie in a more... direct fashion, …'

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

Tristania looks dangerously like she means to use her knobkerrie in a more... direct fashion, for a long moment, before she slips it back into her belt and takes a seat at the table. "It does not know its plants," she declares, clearly quite offended. "Anyone with any eye at all could see I am related to the willow. Asparagus indeed. What a rude creature. Find out what it knows quickly so we may be finished talking with it."

Big fan? This time the moogle hears the words, and it changes the moogles attitude dramatically. "Well why didn't you say kupo earlier? Being kidnapped by fans, I should have known. My greatness is that kupo!" Reaching into his bag relaxing visible with the change in topic, "Oh that artifact? Let me see, the Hungering Mask? There is a kupo story behind that! We can talk kupo after, I have a fan to attend to, much more important than some world ending artifact, kupo agree?" The moogle peering over to Tristania, "A willow? Huh, you may be related to Rydia, she is the dryad who told me where to find the library." Edward then pulls out a lute and grins up to the spider, "What song did you want to hear? The Less Then Moderately Attractive Human? The Clipped Aegyl" Cecil blinks and frowns as he reaches for his gun, the man broken from his thinking and watching. Edward continues on not noticing, "or perhaps my most popular song, the Lazy Viera?"

Talen blinks at the Moogle's sudden change of topic, and direction, and attitude. He looks at Cecil with a shrug, and then back to Edward. "How about where to find Rydia, hmm? Do you have a song about that? And uh, you might not have time to tend to your fan, if Archades catches up to our ship."

Zhgir waves his hands towards Talen and Tristania. "Yes yes, very important, willows eat many-a poor soul and Atomos explodes many-a time before people learn." He rubs his chin while pondering this, palp twitching. "How about the Lazy Viera? Zhgir knows that one well, he can drum along! Zhgir is not only very good at finding bards, he is also a very good drummer." He nods his head.

Tristania raises an eyebrow behind her mask. "Rydia. My mother had a sister with such a name, but I have not seen her since I was very young." She crosses her arms, and leans back in the sit where she is sitting. "Did she wear a mask carved in the likeness of a rabbit, charcoal-blackened one one side and scraped as white as the moon on the other?"

Edward reaches to pull up a sleeve, showing a lapis lazuli stone bracelet, "Oh you will not find Rydia without this. She bonded it to my life force she kupoed." The moogle grumbling at that, "Said it was my fate kupo." The moogle cheering back up after that, "Mask? Nope she didn't have a mask, was pretty beat up when I found her. Huh kupo." The moogle tapping his chin, "She did mention losing her mask." The moogle starting to strum his lute, completely out of tune and haphazard notes. "The bracelet let me find the library to!" The moogle chuckling as he grins over to Talen, "Ha! If they catch us we are dead anyways, so what better time for a song, then to take our minds off of the chase!" Then he turns towards Zhgir, "The Lazy Viera it is! I have never seen or met a viera, though I hear they breath Mist out of their ears and snort fire in their rage. Scary beings I tell you kupo! Oh kupo." Glancing to Talen, "I have found rabbite kin tend to take offense to this song, you may want to leave!"

Talen slams his hands down upon the table. "I /am/ a Viera. Not a rabite. My /mate/ there is Viera as well. And Viera are not lazy." His eyes narrow and a hand of his edges a little closer to the knife sheathed at his side. "Could ye at least set us on the path to Rydia before getting into your song? We could better enjoy it then, knowing we were making good time, yes?"

Zhgir leans closer towards Edward, "Don't worry of him, he gets confused sometimes. It is the ch'taghn, you must understand. He is a brave trooper, but you know..." He finishes his sentence with a vague roll of his hand. Tilting his head from side to side, he then proceeds to drum his hands against his thighs and chest, humming a completely different song and pattern to the kupo's one. He occasionally hyuks.

Tristania coughs suddenly, as it she had something stuck in her throat. "Without her /mask/?" She sits up straight, and crosses her arms across her chest. "I certainly hope you were not so rude as to look at her face. That is *Taboo*." The dryad leans a little bit closer, and the tip of her own mask's beak edges close up to the moogle. "And if someone who might be a relative has been in danger, I must hear of this. You can sing afterwards."

Edward kupos and backs away from Talen, "You are a viera?" The moogle staring blankly at Talen and nods slowly, "Oh my, I was told people like you were rabbit-kin. Me and my brother are going to have a long kupo." Edward glancing up to Zhgir and smiles weakly, "No no I believe him kupo." Then edges back from Tristania, "It was hard not to look at her face! She grabbed me and pulled me right up to it as she started at me when we first met! Rather pretty though." His strumming of his lute, suddenly turns very skilled and pretty as he stops thinking on it. The lute suddenly explodes in his hands and the moogle lets out a screech of pain and holds his hands. The moogle is starting to cry but manages to edges out between sniffles, "Golmore, head to golmore."

Talen can only stare at the continuing change of events, and offers a shrug, before reaching out to pat the Moogle upon the back. A few words of magic has his hands glowing with a pale light, Talen reaching out to sooth his wounded hands. "Shhh, it's alright. We will get you a new lute, yes? And your hands can be made as good as new."

There is not much commentary from the ceiling department. Though the sudden lack of beatboxing was perhaps telling enough, as the arachnid peers at the wounded moogle from a crevice near the ceiling, keys poised out in an attack position.

Can any heart not melt at such a sight, once the intial shock of pyrotechnics has worn off? Apparently not Tristania's, as the dryad stands rigid as a-- no, wait, she visibly softens up as the moogle starts crying. She sighs softly, as she manouves herself forwards; she pulls the crude doll from her belt, and then produces an elegantly carved bone needle that she stabs into it. "Your wounds be soothed," she murmurs, casting the curative spell. "We shall see what can be done for your lute, as well." [Cure]

Edward stares at his hands as they start to heal and knit. He stays quiet the whole time and glances up to Talen still tears in his eyes, "Thank kupo. As for the lute, it was a cheap one. Worry not, it does not matter you know my secret now." He kupos again as Tristania's healing helps heal his hands fully. His voice quiet before glancing to Zhgir, "Another time sir, another time." Then he looks over to Tristania, "As for Rydia. I was traveling with a group out of the city of Bur-Omisace through the mountain passes. They had abandoned me due to my horrible singing and playing. So I was attempting to find my way back when I ran across her. She was walking along the path, bleeding and beaten from the fiends who inhabit the passes. I approached her and offered her one of my potions to help her out. Instead she grabbed me and pulled me right up to her face." He shivers at that, "It was like she was looking right into my soul. She said I was the one, and before I could react she slapped this bracelet onto my wrist. She said her name was Rydia, and that the charm would guide me on my path and other things." The moogle reaching up to rub the bracelet along his wrist, "She then turned around and said she was heading back home to Golmore Jungle, and to seek her out. Let me think here. Seek me out when you alone walk no more, surrounded by those who know the words of the Hungering Mask, but know not the meaning. They will know you for your truth, but know you not for you. I will be waiting, and tell my sister I am fine. I never did understand that last part. At least until now." Edward looking towards Tristania.

Talen peers from Edward to Zhgir, to Tristania and then back. He lets the Moogle tell his story, with a few more glances to Tristania to gauge her reaction. "It sounds awfully cliche, however, perhaps we are those whom she spoke of while peering into you?" The hair stands up on the back of Talen's neck. "Golmore. Golmore Jungle. We are walking in step to several prophesies at the same time. Will you lead us there then, Edward Songkupo, and see what lies in wait for us?"

Tristania leans back, and nods to the moogle. "We will make haste to Golmore, then," she declares, as though somehow she had just become captain of the ship. Which, of course, she hasn't. "I will be able to find Rydia." She glances at Zhgir and Talen, as well as the actual captain of the ship. "Be careful not to antagonize her. Dryads are wild, feral, and dangerous." She says that last part with a definite air of satisfaction.
NOP

Edward peers up to Zhgir, and blinks over to the new corner, "umm leather… that is a terrible kupo for a lute." Still seeming depressed and glancing to his hands on occasion. He then looks over to Talen, "Fate and prophecy often are cliché, the world flows along unseen strings does it not?" Edward kupos and glances to Tristania, "She said this bracelet was the only way to find her, and Golmore is a very big jungle. Though she seemed very gentle and kind, with an air of sadness about her." Cecil stands up as he nods slowly, "Captain Kain, can you set course for the Gomore Jungle. We will reach it by nightful. The rest of you rest up, Edward will join you in this." Turning to head out, musing to himself, "How does a lute just explode like that?" The ship soon turning to a new course, the green of the jungle seen in the distance.

Talen stretches. "Rest well, Edward, and if you feel troubled, please be sure to tell someone. We are concerned for you, and will do everything we can to keep you safe, alright?"

Zhgir peeks from behind Talen. "Leather is just fine for a lute. It is firebreathing Vieras bard should be wary of. They are very lazy, and promiscuous." He nods to himself, starting to shuffle away from the room for the time being.

Tristania inclines her head, and her lips can be seen quirking upwards at the corners. "A wolf is kind to its pups, but it is a wolf nonetheless, and will steal eat you." Her teeth flash as she grins. "You must have endeared yoruself to her in some way you were not aware of, Edward. I will look after you in the jungles as best I can." She turns, to make her way out of the room. "If any of you wish to endear yourselves to a dryad," she adds, looking over her shoulder, "Wear a mask."

The rest of the ship ride is quiet, the sun sets and the night settles in. Cecil leads the way off the ship and glances around the jungle then steps quickly back onto the plank. "I am not supposed to be here. Something in the air, I can sense it." He reaches into his belt and hands Talen a flare gun, "We will be circling over head. Send up a flare when you need us to pick you up or support." Cecil spreads his wings and flies back up to the deck. Leaving the group on the jungle grounds of Golmore in middle of the night. Edward holds up his hand with the bracelet, which is now glowing a faint blue. "This way." The moogle pointing off in a direction, towards the darkness, where a thin layer of Mist can be seen shifting along the ground.

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Atomos: The Beginning Part 2

2014-03-15T22:05:01Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs Return to The Artifact of Atomos The night goes smootly, the ship proving comfortable despite the warship class. The morning c…'

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs]]

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The night goes smootly, the ship proving comfortable despite the warship class. The morning comes and breakfest is served to each room and a hour later everybody is called to the deck. The ship landing in the mining town of Gran Fera. The city is old style design, with short houses most nor more then a story high. They are tightly compacted with narrow allys and narrow streets. The aerodome is well sized, and has dozens of landing ships, many of them white ships with red dots on the front. Moogles pouring out of them and flooding the aerodome. A couple of moogles fly on by and wave, "Hey I reconize you! From emberstrand Kupo! you comeing to the annual Mog Mail seminar kupo to!?" (Opening!)

"...Of course," Alba murmurs, watching the crowds of Moogles pass by. "...Of *course* it would be the one moment that the town is stuffed to bursting with Moogles." Ears tipping back, she lets a long breath out through her nose. "So. Shaman, Zhgir, Dryad, a riddle is before us; how does one find a single grain of sand upon a beach?"

Zhgir spreads his arms in four different directions. "You stay well connected!" He grins brightly, beneath the veneer of the web he has spread in front of himself - and dangerous near the moogle that piped up. After a moment though, he starts to pull the fabric towards himself. "... Why is Zhgir Zhgir, and not Windgotten?" He asks then, palp twitching.

Talen stares at the sudden explosion of moogles, and then looks up at a sky. "Lord Mog, you certainly have a sense of humor." At Alba's question, he shrugs. "Our moogle is safe in the city with all these other moogles around. Chances are, he'll just stay put, mingling in the crowd, and will probably be trying to get out on one of the ships when this Mog Mail seminar thing is over. We could probably ask around... how many moogle bards can there be? And if this one is terrible at singing and playing, and is still telling his tale about the Atomos artefact, we just might be able to find him."

Tristania makes her way with the others, and rests her hand on the handle of her knobkerrie as she observes all the moogles out... doing their thing. Her eyes narrow behind her mask, and she sighs audibly. "It is like diving into the rabite warren to try to find just one particular, mediocre and un-interesting example of their number." she complains. "I supose we can't even eat any of them." The dryad glares at the moogles that comes flose, pointing the beak on her mask straight at the pair of them, waiting for them to vacate.

The moogles that came close suddenly back off kupoing to themselves, "Scary kupo!" Then fly off completely forgetting their worries just as fast. THe docks do not take long to start to become more quiet. Though a group of people come off another ship, one dark grey. It is infact the third ship from Emberstrand that was at the docks when you left. The people getting off march in step, despite their civilian like orders. Making their way by they talk among themselves, "Ok you have your orders, she wants the moogle dead. Spread out, start searching for Edward."

Cecil starts off the ship himself and sighs, "I... this is... I am... well by Ifrits sober gaze, we are in trouble here." The Agyle looking back and offering a weak smile, "You mentioned the temples, the city does have a shrine to Fafnir, and a temple to Mog. A good sized one i think."

"I know not what Windgotten is," Alba mutters, eyes following the completely inconspicuous people who are not at all plainclothes military. "I know very well what Zhgir is." Upon hearing that they want their quarry dead, the masked Viera simply nods to herself, as if this were a wrinkle expected from the start. "It is my thinking, that perhaps it would be wise if one or two uf us should draw the ire of the soldier-hunters. Or, at least, their attention."
[Public] Does Death Kupo?, Kupor gonna have to kill someone to keep his title as The Moogle I see.

Zhgir holds up one of his hands in front of him. "Shh. Yes. Zhgir knows. Subtlety, daggers, cloaks. Zhgir has everything but daggers." He then turns around, and eyes the mysteriously conspious group; and then he is gone, disappearing into the flow of the people. Scant moments later, he approaches the group from the different direction, flailing his hands. "Hey, hey, listen!" He shouts at the group. "Zhgir is very good at finding people named Edward! Are you looking for Edward? Then you need Zhgir! Hey...!"

Talen looks at Zhgir, "Didn't you say you were Windgotten? So why are you now not Wind..." His ears, like others, did pick up the orders to kill a certain moogle. And before he can even wonder at the reversal of the reversal of their fortunes, Zhgir does what Alba asks. However unintentionally. He looks at the others, and then Alba pointedly. "Dear... did you have to say that out loud?" Talen chuckles and reaches up to pat her shoulder. "You have your distraction."

Tristania tightens her grip around the handle of her knobkerrie, while her other hand brushes over the crude doll hanging off her belt. "...The spider is rash," she observes, "And is likely to get himself killed in a moment. We should be preparped to come to his aid if he draws ire in a violent manner." She arches her spine, and squares her shoulders. "Perhaps we should even strike first," she muses. "If we leave those who are trying to kill our target with their bones bleaching in the sun, it will certainly reduce our hurry."

These are the kind of soldiers who generally are the bottom of the barrel. The one in charge blinks and steps back from Zhgir, reaching under his cloak only to stop. "You can find Edward? You wouldn't be offering if you didn't know where he was. How much?" Another soldier pipes up, "No no we cannot pay him. He isn't military, you knowt he rules captain." The captain glance to the others and nods, "Of course right as ever. Yet if we get the task done, we will all be rewarded. So we need his help." The other man pauses as he considers, "Well captain, we could accept his help, if he were to be comissioned." The captain snaps his fingers, "Excellent idea!" The captain turning towards Zhgir, "Zhgir was it then? YOu are now Private Zhgir of the Archadian Military. Lead the way, private."

"No," Alba says, ears splaying as Zhgir moves off. "Dryad, you know not Zhgir as we do. Come. Let us move swiftly, and let Zhgir do what he is most skilled at; infuriating the hapless to incompetence." Patting Talen's shoulder, she straightens, looking about. "The temple, you say," she says to Cecil, "where is it?"

"Zhgi-" The arachnid begins, lifting his finger. "That is, a-" He attempts to break in, then, "Maybe if we-" And then he is a private. There is something of a pause, before he lifts his finger higher. "Will Private Zhgir receive a nice cap, at least?" He wonders, before the rest of his hands stretch out in his pockets and toss out ropes. "Hold on, the crowds can be thick and treacherous!" He grins over his shoulder, before starting to lead the group towards the nearest bar.

Talen grins at Alba, and makes his best effort to not smile as Zhgir leads the group off on their quest for ale.. Edward. "I... I think that's totally not fair for those poor bastards. Zhgir means well, but man, they have no idea what they're in for." He looks to Cecil, nodding at Alba's question, before looking to the Dryad with a shake of his head. "Killing their soldiers will not make Archades stop."

"Perhaps killing the soldiers will not make Archades stop. I know nothing of the ways of mighty nations. But I know that it will slow them down considerably." She pauses, gazing after Zhgir. "But if it is as you say, then letting the spider do his work may slow them down even more. We should make haste, then." She hefts a leather backpack she's picked up from the ship, slinging it over one shoulder. "Or we waste the advantage he gives us."

And so a lizard woman scrambles off of a ship quickly. She runs into a group of Moogles, who get fussy at her, but she apologizes profusely in Moogle speak and they are stunned enough to just accept she's here for a reason and leave her alone. She manages to locate the group, with Alba, Zhgir, and the rest, and stops, wheezing some from the run over. "Hi! Oh my goodness I am late aren't I? Ahh--" she digs through her robes and produces a comically oversized map. "Okay!" She looks at the soldiers, and hesitates.

The soldiers are starting to follow after Zhgir. One of them glances around and hesitates a moment spotting Ainsley, but redirects his attention. A closer observation would show they are not so incompotent after all. "Private Zhgir, yes yes we should make haste." The captain offers as the group leaves the Aerodome. Cecil looks to the group, "I only know that there is one. I can go and have a map...or we can use hers." Motioning over to Ainsley. "The temple does sound like a good starting point."

"...Scholar," Alba says, guardedly, as Ainsley joins them. "Your timing is... fortuitous. If this is a map of this town you hold, then we are in need of the way toward the temple to Mog, within this place. Quickly, for I trust not to fortune in keeping our movements hidden."

Zhgir lifts up two of his hands. "Haste, yes, but we must be careful. Edwards can be very treacherous to the unwary." He quells the urge of the others, "We must tighten the net first, yes? There are the wings, and the wind, and sometimes they can just hide." He explains, as he leads the group through the mingling crowds, holding the strands of the group in his hands. "It just happens Zhgir is aware of a specific drinking fountain that is highly in favor of Edward..." He continues as he leads the group of soldiers past the more popular and crowded bars, soon disappearing into the more dusty and less reputable looking alleyway; and the not-too-flashy entrance with the sign 'The Blue Chocobo' written above it.

Talen watches Zhgir lead the soldiers off, and lets out a huff of breath. "I do hope he will be alright." He smiles at the arrival of Ainsley, waving to her and then blinking at her presentation of the map. The male Viera moves to where he can peer over her shoulder, reading the map, his lips moving silently as he does so. "So.. temples. And perhaps prominent bars where a bard may sing?"

Tristania shrugs her shoulders lightly. "I know nothing of temples," she states. "Nor do I have any great knowledge of bards. But perhaps I may be of some use in spotting a moogle who sings badly." She watches Zhgir lead the soldiers off, and shakes her head slightly. "The spider will be fine, or he will not be, and it is his skills that will determine which. ...Speaking of which, what defines a moogle that sings *well*? I do not think I have heard this, for comparison."

The Archadians, thankfully, do not notice Ainsley too much, or don't really feel the need to divert from their task, and so she lets out a heavy sigh like she just escaped the guillotine inches from being beheaded when they leave with Zhgir. "We are in Rozarria why are there Archadian soldiers here," she hisses with barely-contained frustration. She reaches up to rub at the side of her face, looking over at Cecil. "Ah! Yes. I can guide us wherever we need to go in the city," she tells the group. "The temple, then..." she unrolls the map, and glances over it, then jabs her finger in the right direction, "This way." She begins ambling along cheerfully. She's always liked travelling.

The soldiers follow Zhgir along cordially until they reach the bar. Then the pretense of being incompetent drops, "Captain." One of the men offers as they all quickly cut the webs attached to them, "We are heading out." The men splitting off leaving the captain with two others. "One of the people back in the group, Ainsley. Wanted for attempted assassination of princess and murder of nobles." The captain shakes his head pausing a moment, "If we get the chance. Otherwise we follow Tera's orders. As you Zhgir." The man smiling, "We can either torture you, or you can answer. Just how much does Cecil Baltemore know?" The other two men holding their hands under their cloaks should the spider kin try anything.

Cecil nods to Ainsley and starts to following along. The city is busy, moogles everywhere of every color. The kupoing could be madening to some. The temple of Mog though is the worst, by being the very center of the Mog Mail seminar. The priest are busy, tables are set up, and there is the occasional moogle flying into another moogle from the crowded skies. One moogle dressed in silver robes approaches the group, "Oh kupo! You do not appear to be here for the kuponair! How can I kupo you?"

"They seek the quarry we seek," Alba murmurs into Ainsley's ear as they begin their... leisurely... pace. "It is a race, scholar, and a quiet one." WIth the hope that this information brings a bit more hurry to Ainsley's step, she subsides, moving back as they reach the temple, nudging Talen ahead of her when the silver-clad Moogle approaches.

Zhgir turns around when he feels the ropes cut off. He looks a bit dumbfounded for the moment, head tilting as he briefly watches the rest of the group head out. After a moment, he points to the bar. "Certain Zhgir can't get you a drink, yes?" He offers then, with a twitch of his palp. Another hand shoots upwards. "Or maybe a bite? Torture does give quite an appetite, yes?"
Talen follows along with the group as Ainsley ambles along. His ears wiggle slightly as Alba lends some encouragement to Ainsley, "It is as she says, speed is good. Zhgir might be in danger if the doofuses he leads figure out his intentions, and this poor moogle we seek is being hunted by Archades." As they reach the Temple, and he is nudged forward, he moves to speak to the moogle in silver. "Ah, good day to you, sir. We seek the temple head, though we would like to speak inside, for the matter is urgent and requires some secrecy. It does involve a threat against one of your own kind, a moogle who may be seeking shelter here."

Tristania turns her head, to gaze incredulously at Talen. She stares at the viera for a moment, before glancing back at the others. "Perhaps," she quietly suggests, moving up to stand beside Alba, "Our secret mission might remain more secret if we did not go about announcing that we are on a mission that we cannot discuss because it is secret. You may wish to suggest this to your esteemed male at some more opportune moment."

Ainsley looks at Alba briefly, blinking once at her. It does have an effect of speeding up her pace, but she doesn't have the absurdly fast gait that Alba does. In fact, a four-foot tall scholar tends to move a little slowly, even when she's hurrying. She's a bit winded by the time they get to the temple, the map already stored away in that pocket. She smiles at the moogle in the robes, trying to place the specific rank of the moogle by their appearance. She's pretty quiet, right now.

The priest pauses a moment, then lets out a kupo, "Oh dear, you must mean Edward." The name along sends a ripple through the nearby crowd, "Oh kupo, he isn't singing is he?" Along with other cries of anguish and laments about how horrible the moogles music is. The priest shakes his head, "We uhh...kupo. He was here less then a week ago. Mumbling he was attacked and his life was in danger. We just kupoed it was for his horrible singing. We kupo him on his way yesterday after he insisted he started practicing his ummm craft. kupo." Another moogle priest flies up and offers Ainsley some water, "You look winded there, you feeling ok there miss?"

The Captain narrows his eyes at Zhgir, "Your a bit... not right in the head." The captain motions to his men, "I doubt torture will do any good. Cannot let him go warn his friends." The nearby tarven, the Blue Chocobo suddenly breaks out into a loud echo of booing, "Get out of here! Never play here again." A moogle bard is kicks out of the tavern. The moogle stands up turns around and shakes his fist, "You just do not understand my genious! You will regret kicking out the famous Edward Songkupo!" The captain turns and stares at the moogle, "Well what do we have here?" attention on Zhgir forgotten for a moment.
.
"My shaman knows his trade," Alba murmurs in response to Trisania's caution. "What mistakes are made, may be covered for and learned from." Falling silent as the priest speaks, there is a hollow *thok* as the heel of her hand meets the upper third of her bone mask. "...The taverns, he will be within, then. Tchah, of course it must be this way."

Zhgir looks with degree of confusion playing out on his face. "Zhgir just knows that torture is-" He pauses, as there is sudden commotion to his left when the bar actually bursts in activity. He then turns his head sharply towards the captain, then back towards the moogle, slooowly eyes the captain, before snapping his attention onto the moogle. Considering how many eyes he had across his skull, he actually didn't move his head whole lot. "... that's not the Edward you are looking for." He then says - before darting forward, trying to grab the moogle with four hands before the soldiers react!

Talen glances at Tristania for a moment, his ears lowered slightly, and then stares at the moogle priest as he relays the story. "Erm, did he relay the reason as to why he was attacked? Whether you believe him does not matter. Archades does, and they've sent people to learn his secret and then kill him. What... do you propose to do if the poor mog is right, and his secret is real... and Archades gets there first?"

Tristania coughs softly, to clear her throat. "Perhaps now is not the time to debate the matter," she points out. "As it appears the moogle we seek is in the taverns. We are in the temples. Your spider is in the taverns. ...With a band of archadean soldiers." She takes a step back towards the door, and turns to start striding in that direction. "When a bear is chasing your children, it is a time for haste," she adds, as she marches straight back towards the exit.

As the threat at hand occurs to Ainsley, she only spares a second to get some water to drink, and then turns and starts /running as fast as she can/ to the tavern Zhgir was headed to, her eyes wide with panic. She still isn't in the mood for talking, and now she really is in a hurry, picking up more speed than one might expect of someone of her size or occupation. She... really seems to get her motivation up when a friend is threatened.
NOP

Edward kupos as he is grabbed and immediently bites down onto zhgir's arm. The moogles teeth proving to be a razor sharpness. The captain lets out a growl, "Kill him, kill them both." Reaching under his cloak and pulling out a pistol to take aim at Zhgir and the moogle he is carrying. The other two are starting to run after them pulling out guns themselves.

The priest just offers a blank look to Talen, "Kupo? Have you ever tried talking to Edward? We only ever got that he was attacked, something kupo about stealing his music and robbing him of his fame. You will never meet a more stubborn moogle anywhere"

The priest just offers a blank look to Talen, "Kupo? Have you ever tried talking to Edward? We only ever got that he was attacked, something kupo about stealing his music and robbing him of his fame. You will never meet a more stubborn moogle anywhere" As the group starts to break off to go towards the tavern it will become clear they are not sure which one. There are dozens of taverns along the mains streets with signs pointing towards the alleys for more. A few gun shoots are suddenly heard off to the left through one of the allys.

"Then we must ensure this does not happen, my shaman," Alba murmurs, as the rest of the group breaks off. "Come. We must make haste." Nodding to the priest, she tugs the summoner away. As they pelt toward the line of bars, the Viera's ears orient hard upon the gunfire. "This way!" she barks, changing her course toward the source of the shot.

Zhgir lets out an inhumane, bonechilling, perhaps even terrifying sound as his bicep is bit onto. "ZHGIRBIGFANZHGTAN." He hisses through his clenched, equally sharp looking teeth as he ducks and weaves, his flowing cloak obscuring his silhuette to obscure the soldier's aim. And he does the next best thing he can think of - he leaps in through the first open window he can see, out of the fire and hopefully not into the frying pan!

Talen's ears lay flat to his head as gunfire breaks out, the last words of the moogle priest lost in the commotion that ensues. He follows on the trail of Alba and Tristania, and as he catches up Ainsley, he bends to hook his hands under her arms, lifting her so that she is sitting upon his shoulders. "Forgive me, Ainsley. I'll make up the indignity of being carried later, yes?"

Tristania breaks into a run at the sound of gunfire, not needing to be told to do so. She pulls her knobkerrie off her belt as she charges forwards, bare feet slapping on the cobblestones as she pushes her way roughly past people; those who don't recoil at the sight of the onrushing wooden bird-beak on her mask, anyway. She skids around a corner, coming to a crouch for a moment, getting her bearings, before she launches herself forwards once more, eyes peeled for any sign of the annoying spider or the Archadian soldiers.

SQUEAK. Ainsley is picked up and almost goes into a panic, but realizes it's Talen and quickly relaxes. She smiles gratefully at him, making no particular protests at him. Instead, she says, "Thank you." And holds on tight to the Viera man in a way that won't impede his run terribly much.

The spider kin is able to jump through the nearest window right into a family lunch. The family stares at the spider kin and the moogle for a moment before the moogle starts to scream, "Kidnapper! Save me save me!!" The wife grabs a broom, and the husband goes for a axe. The three kids all rush away from the table wailing. Meanwhile, the streets are become less quiet. The gunshoots has gotten the attention of the city guard, the people are shuffling out of the way making the running easier. This also makes the group easier to notice, and easier to notice they are being followed by the three soldiers that broke off from the other group. The group as it turns towards the ally way in which they heard the gunshoots will also find themselves face to face with the captain and his two soldiers. The captain is standing near a open window and appears to be searching for the spider kin, which he has momentarily lost track of. The screaming from the window though will make that lost spider soon to be found.

Alba's ears splay, as they round the corner to come face to face with the Captain and his soldiers. "Hehh," she breathes, the carvings on her mask writhing over and around each other, to form an eight-pointed star, its arms bent to more closely resemble tentacles. "Cunning, you are... but too soon you act. Breathe deep of the stench of failure!" Drawing in a deep breath, she lunges forward, exhaling a poisonous, roiling black miasma down the close confines of the alleyway, to engulf the soldiers in its crippling stink. [Bad Breath]

Zhgir rolls off the table, kicking off the hapless family's meal whilst holding onto the moogle with all four arms of his. "Zhh-!" He breathes at the moogle, waving a piece of chicken at the end of a fork he stole from the table. "Big fan, big fan! Sing if you want to live!" He eggs the moogle on through gritted, very agitated and not at all pleased looking grin, before he attempts to elbow the table over for cover.
In a page-pose to you, Alba notes, that's got a chance of laying down [Blind], [Sleep], [Poison], [Confuse], and [Slow]

Talen slows and comes to a stop behind Alba, breathing a little heavily. He gently plucks Ainsley from his shoulders, and sets her down lightly on her feet. "Your fiery skills are needed, Ainsley. I'll keep an eye on our backs, if you want to help Alba and Tristania?" The male Viera glances back whence they came, before hearing screaming coming from inside one of the windows. "Huh. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on Zhgir being up there."
Tristania pages, "Do we know yet where Zhgir is?" to you.

Tristania skids to a halt, coming to a stop just shy of where Alba is busy poisoning everything. "Beast mage," She murmurs, lifting an eyebrow behind her mask. She files that piece of information away for later consumption, and drops once more to a crouch. She tightens her grip around her knobkerrie, as she waits for the cloud to clear enough for her to continue heading for Zhgir.

And soon Ainsley is set down, after witnessing something very gross from Alba. She winces at the sight, but then she's reminded that she should probably help out, and so she begins to weave some magic with a few motions of her hands, and points a finger toward the soldiers... and sends a rather significant gout of flame in that direction, directly at them, because she knows the party can't risk Edward getting captured by these guys.

The bad breath washes over the captain and his two men engufling them and hiding them from sight. The fireball comes soon after exploding and sending a terrible sentch throughout the ally. Only one figure stands after the explosion, the captain. His two men are down and out for the count, while he is does not appear to be all that injured. He just offers a sneer and steps back to pick up his two men with ease, "I do not like reporting failure." With that he turns around and starts to wakl off. The three soldiers behind you also step back and break off making to leave. The city guard though can be heard rising the alarm nearby. Meanwhile, zhgir is able to tip over the table. which saves him from getting a broom to the face. The man of the house comes to the table and peers over it down to the spider, "Get out." Is all he offers and points to the window, ax held ready in his other hand.

"So, and so," Alba sneers in reply to the Captain's turned back, and starts to trot after Tristania, to the window from which emanates the crashing, banging, and menacing of a family interrupted. "All must act in ways disliked, soldier," she mutters to herself. "Perhaps he should ask his General of the fine ponts of this..."

Zhgir spreads his two arms on either side of him. "... Zhgir likes the tapestry, a comfortable conversational atmosphere? Maybe less axe, yes,?" He offers, tilting the fork in his hand. "Okay, Zhgir knows how this goes." A mere moment later, he grabs the probably-rabid moogle by the scruff of his neck and leaps over the table, straight out the window again, rolling across the dusty alley. "... hngh, Zhgir hurts."

"Right on time...", quips Talen as the spiderling leaps out of the window from whence much noise has come. Casting another glance down the alleyway, his ears suddenly perk up high. "Our time grows short, lest we wish to spend more of it speaking with the city guards about this disturbance." He extends a hand to Ainsley. "Your chariot awaits.", he says with a grin. To the others he says, "Let us find a place to hole up, and let the furor die down a little, yes?"
Tristania slips her knobkerrie back into her belt, and stands to approach Zhgir, at a more leisurely pace. "The spider lives, and he has the prize," she mutters as she walks. She unslings the leather pack off her back, and takes a moment to undo the strap holding the top closed. She flips it open, puffs it out a bit, and holds it out to Zhgir. "Place the prize in here, so we may bring it back to the ship without fuss. I see that it bites."
"'It' is a /person/," Ainsley protests at Tristania's words, kind of astounded by the way she's referring to the agitated moogle. She lets out a sigh, though, relenting the agitation because she has to climb back onto Talen's shoulders, in preparation for their speedy exit of the area.

Edward starts to scream, "Kidnappers! Kidnappers! Let me go! I am to important to die like this!" Attempting to bite Zhgir again, but is unable to because he is being held by the scarf of his neck, "Torture!" The angry little moogle doing everything he can to try to escape. Cecil catches up with the group and points towards the Aerodome, "Ship is the best place we can get to. Try to keep him quiet would you?" The moogle does notice the bag, and manages to find a way to squirm even more. "Somebody save me!!"

"You *are* being saved, fool," Alba hisses. "We are of Emberstrand, and Archades chases us to claim you. In the sack, and you shall be taken to safety with *speed.* Run, and we must give chase to you *and* those who seek to kill you. *Which would you wish?*"

Zhgir stares upwards at the druid wearing a pointy beak mask. "Zhgir sorry, you must save yourself." He replies to the moogle as he drops the moogle into the bag, even stuffs him in, just to make a hasty retreat from the scary looking woman. "Zhgir... Zhgir will be over there. Bleeding. Yes. Zhgir." He gestures, then crawls towards Cecil, trying to make his less glorious escape from the situation, fork in hand.

Talen looks 'round as Ainsley settles down, nodding at what Alba says. "It as my Hunter says, Edward. We are here to save you." He notes Zhgir's condition now, and moves to his side, speaking words of magic that cause his hands to glow with a pale white light. The male Viera carefully stoops down to apply the soothing healing touch to the worst of Zhgir's injuries. "Calmly, Zhgir, calmly, we've got you. That was well done, and we are fortunate to come by here in time for you to make your escape."

Meanwhile, Tristania does her best to stuff the moogle named Edward down into the pack. "If it bites," she hisses at him, showing her teeth, "Then it understands that *so do I*." And with that she flips the lid of the pack shut and pulls the strap as tight as it goes. Calmly, she shoulders the burden over her back, and starts walking once more, in the direction of the ship. "We move," she states. "Lest you wait for the lobo pack to return in force."

"Onwards, trusty stead," Ainsley says, in jest, just to lower the level of Serious in the air a bit. She smiles and ruffles the top of Talen's head, too. It looks like they might actually get away from this without getting further accosted by Archadian soldiers, and that means she doesn't have to deal with escaping capture or certain death by the hands of greedy soldiers looking for her head. This has her in a pretty good mood.

The moogle squirms inside the bag, pushing at it on occasion attempting to find some weakness to escape with. The walk back to the airship is mostly quiet, the guards not knowing who created the commotion leave the group alone. When you arrive at the air ship the word of a spider invasion is spreading and the guards are starting to catch up. Cecil waste no time in ordering Kain to get the airship airborn and on its way. The Archadians nor their ship are anywhere to be seen, seeming to have left already. As the air ship takes off Cecil orders everybody into the confrence room. It is time to let the moogle out of the bag. (Cliffhanger)

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Atomos: The Beginning Part 1

2014-03-15T21:57:59Z

Marduke:

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The aerodome is uncommonly quiet this evening. Most ships have already left for the day or docked to stay over the night. Three ships appear ready to leave, a bright white ship with a giant red dot at the front, a dark grey one, and another white one with blue stripes and highlights. An aegyl wearing a light brown leather jacket, a leather fedora, and a whip at his side waits by the blue and white ship dock. The Aegyl is currently reading some paperwork and muttering to himself.

A pair of Viera walk through the Aerodrome, their destination apparent as the Aegyl comes into view. The male is rifling through a satchel that hangs from his shoulder. "I think I have what we need in here, besides copious amounts of food. I will miss the Porchlight, my Hunter.", the male says to the female Viera. "Perhaps it is a good thing though."
"Attention, shaman," Alba murmurs through her mask, ears bobbing toward the Aegyl at the desk. "The time for packing is done, the time for speaking begun. What we have not, we shall see to upon the journey."

Walking along the deck comes a barefoot woman with green hair, rough leather clothing, and a mask pulled down over her face. Tristania's visage is replaced by that of a carved hummingbird, behind which her eyes gaze disapprovingly at most of what she sees. The dryad comes to a halt near to where the Aegyl is busy... doing... whatever it is that he is doing. She gazes at him, watching and waiting.

Every now and then, a paper leaves the desk, and is replaced with another. By a very crafty looking hand. Everyone else could see the shrouded figure beneath the desk doing that; though in a passing, the dark shape looked like an obscure chair. Mostly because of all the limbs sticking out, as the arachnid continues to do his very silent job of reshuffling the Aegyl's papers for him.

The Aegyl reaches over and taps Zhgir's hand as he switches out a paper, "The others are here, you arewelcome to come out now." The aegyle then stands up and offers a wave to everybody else. "Welcome everybody, I am pleased to have you join us. I am Professor Cecil Baltemore and you are all here hopefully to join me down to Gran Ferra. I will explain the details of the mission once we are on the ship, Enterprise, behind me. Kain." At the mention of the name Kain, a man suddenly jumps off the ship thirtyfeet into the air and lands on the dock. "Ship is ready, all aboard." A side glance to Cecil as if to question his selection of help. Then Kain turns around and jumps back onto the ship. Before the party can be shown onto the ship a sudden crowd burst into the aerodome. Dozens of moggles come flying in and kupoing among themselves. A group of them fly over towards the party and ask, "Is this the Moogle Express kupo?" Before another one of the moogle pokes the moogle asking the question and points over to the white ship with the big red dot at the front. The group of moogles all fly off towards the other ship.

Talen raises an eyebrow at the Aegyl's rather abrupt introduction, and the Tigger-like crewman, and slowly rolls his shoulders in an extended shrug. "Er, this is the rescue mission, yes?" His ears twitch at the arrival of the moogle horde, and he can't help but smile as they fly off towards the other ship. "I guess we should board then, yes?", he asks of the Aegyl, before looking at Alba, "Heh, was your Captain ever like that bunch of mogs who just flew by?"

"I would not know," Alba replies, bemused at the crowd of fluff and kupo passing by, "for I knew not my Captain until he was much older than they." Nodding to the sillent dryad, the Viera turns to Zhgir, both ears pointing towards the gangplank. "Come, Zhgir. I think that this journey shall not be the boring one, much longer."

Tristania rests one hand on her knobkerrie, and waits stoicly while the moogles charge past. Fortunately they make their way sufficiently around her that none of them are impaled on her mask. Once that is done, she returns the nod from the female of the two Viera, and glances up at the Aegyl. Rescue mission? She knew of no rescue mission. Rescue is an alien concept. The strong survive and the weak die. "Yes, I am here for the rescue mission," she answers at last, and boards the ship, all with absolutely no idea of what she is getting herself into.

The spider's fingers claw at the paper he was holding, and he looks around in brief alarm. After a moment, he carefully siddles out, then smooths out the paper out on the desk. "Zhgir was... Zhgir was just looking for worms, yes." He mutters, coughs, adjusts his raggedy hood over his face. It looked definitely moth eaten. "Zhgir." He then meekly adds, as he falls in line after the vieras.

Cecil chuckles and smiles to Zhgir, "It is all right, you proved your skills rather well with that. Very stealthy, I did not notice you at first until my papers shifted." Then he leads the way onto the white ship. The white ship with blue highlights and stripes, Enterprise, turns out to be a war ship. The Enterprise is a heavier ship not built for speed and lined on port and starboard sides with cannons. The crew of the ship is only slightly more than a minimal skeleton crew, but they all appear to be expertly skilled. The adventurers are shown to their own personal quarters. The quarters explains the reason for the smaller crew. The ship has been converted from a mass barracks style common on war ships to a series of small personal quarters. Each of the rooms is the length of a bed on one side and a storage chest on the other. Above the chest and bed reside shelves for more storage space with railing to keep things from falling over. At the far end of the small room resides a desk. The adventurers will be given a hour to settle in before they are called up to the captains dining room. During this hour the ship will take off to the sky and begin its slow journey southward. The captain's dining room is moderately sized and doubles as a conference room. A series of three rectangular tables forms a U around the center. The captain, Kain, sits in the middle, with Cecil on one side. Appetizers have been set out and drinks are available.

Talen peeks into the Captain's mess before stepping in proper, looking around at the room. "I still think the T-rexaur head makes for a classier place to sleep.", he says quietly. He offers Kain a polite bow, "Good evening, Captain." Talen moves to one side of the table, pulling back a chair for Alba, before slipping into the one next to it. "I see that you have Tristania and Zhgir on board as well, are there any others on this trip, or are we it, sir?"

Alba takes her chair, slipping off her mask and stowing it into her hip pouch. As Talen handles the job of talking to the Captain, she makes her selections from among the appetizers, portioning out for two. Among the drinks, she seems to prefer the water, but a small measure of red wine is poured into a glass for Talen, to taste. One ear remains oriented on Kain and Cecil, the other, Zhgir and Tristania.

Tristania follows the others, and after a moment, takes a seat. She eyes the appetizers and drinks suspiciously, and surrepticiously watches what Alba takes. The dryad mimics what the viera takes, putting appetiezers onto a plate and placing them in front of her. She tries one, and eats it; then she claims a glass of water, and as Alba has done while Talen is speaking, she pouts a little bit of wine. She eyes it with no reduction in suspicion, before deigning to put it to her lips beneath her mask, and have a sip; no sooner does she do so, than she spits it back into the glass. She glares at it for a moment, before putting it back down, and reaching for the water, instead.

Zhgir, meanwhile, straddles a nearby chair, standing on its back, while reaching forward to loop a bottle of wine with a string of webs. It seems that is the only thing he craves for, beyond a glass, as he more than lessly discreetly pours himself glassful after a glassful, sipping it all in while trying to be inconspicous as possible. Seeing the ear pointed at him, he waves at Alba. "Very good, yes. Zhgir is well poisoned." He slurps down another mouthful, palps twitching as he peers around the room restlessly.

"Well, I was warned you were a interesting mix of people in Emberstrand. I admit, you are beyond my expectations." Cecil offers his voice friendly as he sips a bit of wine. "Oh it is, but this ship is designed for battle. It has been altered a bit, but not much. As for others, I belive we have a lizard, Ainsley who will be meeting us there. As for the rest of.." stopping as he watches Tristania and then offers a smile, "Not a fan of wine are you now?" A glance to Zhgir, "Try not to get to drunk. The crew will lock you in the quarters if they have to." A jest but also a warning. Cecil then leans back, "A rescue mission is correct. We are looking for a Moogle, Edward Songkupo. He was last seen in the the Rossarian city of Gran Fera. Little else is known, other then a Archadian special forces team has already gotten what they want from him. We are hoping, he will have a good enough memory to direct us. Tell me, who here is familiar with the Artfact of Atomos legends?" (Int+Knowledge)

Talen brings the glass poured by Alba to his nose, sniffs curiously, and sips down the wine. He wrinkles his nose, and follows the wine with water. After rearranging some of the food on the shared plate, he nibbles at one choice piece before replying to the Captain. "What I remember of my studies, Atomos is a great spirit, and the Artefact was a rumour, a means to bring him into the world and use him as a weapon." He leans forwards slightly, a frown working its way onto his lips. "Something a spirit would not take likely, even great summoners take care in bringing them into the world. But, they are rumours. And now I fear that you might now shatter such hopes that they are rumours, and instead, you will say such a thing exists...?"

"Of course it is a thing," Alba mutters sourly. "No sane thing would allow such a weapon to be, yet few thinking things upon this world are sane. But why does Archades place this bard within a Rozarrian town? I did not know such friendship lay between them, to allow this."

"That," Tristania intones, pointing at the wine, "Has the flavor of rotted berries. It is poison upon the tongue and that bodes ill for the body, should you deign to swallow it." She glances about, looking at the vieras who are drinking wine, the spider who is drinking wine, and then Cecil. "I do not understand how you drink it. ...The Archadians and Rozarrians are like packs of wolves that have grown too large and do not have the sense to split into smaller packs." She draws herself up to her full height, as she picks up one of the appetiezers in front of her. "The artifact I have heard of, but have never had interest in."

Zhgir grins widely at Tristania's words. "It is very fine poison, yes? Should Zhgir save up a bottle for the queen? " He gurgles more of the liquid down, before twisting his palps at the direction of Cecil. "Zhgir thinks it's not very wise to try find something that's been long destroyed, yes? It's very unlikely you'll succeed, he's found. Does the bard play nice music? Zhgir's met many bards, maybe he knows his music?"

Cecil offers a sad smile, "Miss I did not mean to offend, it you wish another drink bought I can. Though our selection is limited, this is admitedly a cheap wine." Cecil leans back and sighs again, "No mere legends I am afraid. The grand Summoner Lother of Andromeda predicted the return of the artifact. The legends say it cannot be destroyed, Zhgir right?" Glancing to the spider then a glance to Talen, "The moogle discovered a key to its whereabouts, a secret buried in some ancient library in Rossaria. Where it is or what we do not know, we are hoping the Moogle can point us in the direction. The Archadians, have already stolen the one book he has." A glance to Alba, "They are not friends, this was done without their knowledge. As for the moogles playing ability." A smirk at that, "I hear he is actually pretty terrible. He only got noticed because he was claiming to know where to look for the artifact."

Talen sighs, his ears wobbling ever so slightly at the news, his eyes shifting to Alba. "It is far too often people think if a thing can be done, my Hunter, before thinking if it should be done, with expected consequences. And it is left for people like us.. ", he gestures to those seated at the table, "To make things right." He looks over at Tristania and shrugs, "Poison it may be, but in small quantities it is good. It becomes poison when drank to excess." He looked pointedly at Zhgir before looking back to the Captain. "Does anyone else know of these events, Captain? Are we merely in a race against time with the Archadians, or do we need to be ever mindful of who may be behind us, catching up under cover of cloud and darkness?"

Alba's eyes drift to Tristania as she extolls the evils of wine, and pointedly picks up her glass of water and takes a token sip. "I shall then assume, Captain, that in secrecy this bard will need to be taken from Gran Ferra? Shall there be a place within the desert, that we are to meet this ship?"

Tristania glances back and forth between Alba, Talen, Zhgir, and the Captain. She sips her wine, and eats one of the appetizers. "Water is fine, thank you," she replies to the offer of something else to drink. "I am used to eating what I can catch, cooked over a fire until it glistens with fat and tastes of charcoal. I need nothing else." She eats another morsel, and makes no further comment, evidently content to leaving the mission specifics to others to discuss and for her to merely listen to, for the time being.

Zhgir's palps fold tightly against his chin as fire is mentioned, and he drowns his worries into the wine. Talen gets a hurried headshake, as if to try and divert attention away from him, before he turns to look at the captain once more, the glass still held against his lips. "Why is the winged captain interested in the atomic bard?" He asks then, voice burbling away at the red liquid in his drink.

Cecil hmmms a moment and shakes his head, "At the moment probably just us, but word is spreading. I would not be surprised if we had every faction you could think of after this eventually." Cecil frowns again at the next question, "Edward doesn't even know we are coming. He was attacked and has been hiding out since. We need to find him, save him, and get him out of town before anybody the Archadians hire find him first. We will have no problems getting into Gran Fera. We have a pass and will simply land at the aerodome there." Cecil glances to Zhgir thoughtfully, "Edward may have they information needed to save the world. Find the moogle, save the world basically."

"I think what he is suggesting is that we walk into Gran Ferra, find the wee mog, and walk out with him, my Hunter." Talen's eyes narrow slightly. "It is never as simple as that, when Archades is involved, as we have learned the hard way. I assume the Captain has some knowledge, a clue or small secret he has not let on... as to where in Gran Ferra the bard in question is hiding?" The male Viera's eyes peer questioningly at the Captain. "And I assume that you have a means to convince him to leave with us, let alone divulge the secret he claims to have? I know that moogles are small folk, but I would scarely dare to stick my face near a cornered weasel or badger in their dens... a cornered Moogle is considerably more dangerous, yes?"

"Ah," Alba says, settling back in her chair and rearranging the food between her plate and Talen's. "So it is an adventurer's errand as any other. Much unexpected to go disastrously, much panic to be had, possibly a great fire at our heels as we run into the sands. Hn."

Tristania coughs softly, clearing her throat. "It sounds as though you are asking four wolves to march into the cave bear's den in order to rescue another pack's pup," she observes. "Much will go wrong if we do not tred very carefully. Much will likely go wrong anyway. ...And as we are going to a city, I am rather under the impression that your impressive warship's cannons will be of little use. Please, tell us what advantages we have upon our side?"

Zhgir continues to sip his drink in silence, which wasn't really about silence, but then he begins to slowly sink into the chair, and partly under the table as Alba speaks. "... she shouldn't sound so happy about that fire part, Zhgir thinks." He mutters underneath his breath, before he waves his hand at Cecil. "It is fine. Zhgir is very good at finding things. A moogle's pom is a key like any other." He grins at no one particular, before he quickly swallows another mouthful of the wine.

Cecil at this point just offers a forwn, "Honestly, nope. We have no clue where in the city is. Just the prediction he would be found there. We have no idea how to get him to help us, nor do we know what dangers the Archadians are sending our way. We are rather blind in all of this, but that is why we are hiring help. We just needed more hands, more eyes, more ideas of where to look. he is a bard, figured the taverns and related buildings would be a good place to start. As for adventages, we have the element of the first start. We are the first group after the Archadians to try to start on this path. We also have a ship most others would not attack."

Talen rubs at his cheeks and frowns a bit more. "I was afraid of that. Well.. while my experience with hunting is rather recent, Alba is quite experienced. Zhgir can climb very well, and he has more eyes than the rest of your hired help put together. I am afraid I do not know Tristrania very well so I cannot attest to her skills, but she did join up so that is something to consider there. If you think he may be staying at places bards may... wait." He leans forwards, "Does Gran Ferra have a temple dedicated to Mog, or Fafnir? Archades might not violate their neutrality, and I think moogles in danger just might seek solace there."

"If this bard is as poor of talent as it is said, Captain," Alba murmurs, "then it may be that to find him, should he not be seeking sanctuary among the temples, it is simply that we must find the place which I wish to be, the least. At any rate, Captain, it would seem that you have your hunters. All that remains, is to discuss price."

Zhgir waves his bottle from under the table. "Zhgir's key-rates are very reasonable! World saving reduces the amount of keys!" He cheerfully yells out, before rattling under the tables to find a conveniently dark corner - one that is conveniently on the opposite side from Alba. "Zhgir misses his old keys." He mutters by himself.

Cecil nods slowly, "Yes price. What would your asking price be?" His voice slow and words careful in this matter, but his lack of experiance at negotiating such things is quickly clear. Yet, Kain the captain of the ship speaks up, "Prices are set. Assistance in the search and rescue is 500 gil each, with a extra 1000 gil bonus to be split. Any procurement off defeated Archadian or other factions seeking the moogle will be yours to keep and claim as you see fit, provided the items do not pertain or contain clues to the whereabouts of the artifact or insight into enemy movements." Kain appears to be more experianced in the negotiation area.

Talen's ears wiggle at that, and stand up straighter. "While I am not one to argue over price, considering the nature of the task we are set upon, it is a bit much to expect people to risk life and limb for five hundred gil. I think a thousand gil each, plus a bonus of two thousand gil, is more in line." He looks to Alba for a moment before looking back to the Captain. "Riding herd on a convoy for a weeks time will earn you a thousand gil, and though you might still die, the world does not end if you fail."

Alba picks the last of her food from her plate, transferring the rest to Talen's. At the summoner's bargaining, an ear flicks, an eyebrow rising, but it seems that of the pair of them, she feels the negotiations to be his task, not hers.

Zhgir peeks his head out from under the table. "If Zhgir finds pretty keys, he can give his pay to long ears? Yes? Acceptable? Acceptable." He nods his head, then withdraws under the table, the audible sound of another bottle being opened briefly filling the room.

Kain humpfs at that, "They why are you not working at a caravan? You said weeks, what I said was per day. 500 gil per day of work, to a max of three days to find the moogle. I will offer a bonus on finding at a max of 1200 to be split. If you do not like it, we can set down and find you a caravan to go working. I doubt you will find another job offering you 1500 gil in three days." Kain seems far less friendly then Cecil as he leans back and crosses his arms. Kain glances to Zhgir, "You can do what you want with your share there, doesn't bother me."

Talen raises an eyebrow at the Captain's answer and leans forward. "You did not say it was per diem, sir, as I will respectfully point out. But I can accept the offer of five hundred per day, and your bonus is more pleasing than before. Indeed, I doubt I could find such an offer on such short notice." Talen gestures at the gathered group, "However, I submit to you that you would have trouble finding more of us on short notice either, and would have to pay even more for such notice. So let us agree on those points and move on to the matter at hand, yes?" The male Viera grins toothily, his ears turned sideways.

Alba reaches out a hand, resting it upon the summoner's arm. "Shaman, your teeth are sharp, but there will be little gain in bleeding this Captain and his ship, for goodwill shall flow away more freely than coin. His price is fair, and a ship of this size and crew has much need, to keep it flying."

Zhgir peeks his head out, and then waves his empty glass at the large tigger. "You may give Zhgir wings, but you shan't take the keys away from me. Zhgir means, that keys must be on table if he returns with moogle pom." He then gestures towards Talen. "Don't worry about him, he gets his strange moments." He adds in a lowered tone, before he rolls back under the table, clinking his glasses away.

"you are right, getting less adventurers would mean we could pay each one individually more. If any of you wish to leave so we can do that, please let us know when we land in the morning." Kain offers as he stands up, "As for now, yes let us agree to those points you made and get to the matter at hand. Which is that it is late, and I am going to bed." Kain turns to start leaving the room. Cecil just kinda stares at him and then turns towards the group, "Forgive my friend, he is a bit abrupt. I hope everything is agreeable? We are paying what I can, but it is coming out of my pocket directly. I can try to get something from the treasury at Kandala if you want more, but I cannot promise anything."

Talen's reaction changes the instant Alba's hand touches his arm, whatever angry response is forgotten. Though his eyes still narrow, and his grin is more teeth than is comfortable in a smile. "Pleasant dreams then, Captain. We can get to work in the morning." After the Captain is gone, his ears wilt noticeably. "We were to be hired, yes?", he asks of Cecil. "I can accept the terms, I am not trying to beggar anyone."

"I would believe," Alba says with a mild upturn of her lips, "that if the Captain meant not to hire, he would have thrown us over the railing. We are thankful for the hospitality of your ship," she says, bodding her ears toward Cecil, "and it shall be that your friend is found, however it must be done."

"Zhgir will accept Kandalan keys." A voice from below the desk says, along with a silent burp.

Cecil peers at under the table at Zhgir, "You want to be paid in keys? Well I think that can be arranged." Though still a bit confused. Cecil looks back to Talen and Alba, "Kain is the type to get a job done, not carring about the pay. He has little patience for those who appear to want to milk all the money they can get out of people. Still we are agreed. Let us get to bed." Cecil himself standing up and turning to make his way out.

Talen rubs his cheeks and shrugs, "I was only trying to get fair pay, that's all. And he really did not say it was per day, else I would not have gone as high as I did. I was assuming it was weekly, or for the entire job, since on the face of it... it should be quick, yes?" He leans back heavily in his chair. "Sleep well then, and see you tomorrow."

Alba pats Talen's arm, then leans over to peer under the table. "Zhgir," she says, "the business and meal are done. Sleep, now, for tomorrow we court danger. Come, shaman," she says, slippng out of her chair. "Let us sleep, and be ready."

There is a brief sound, perhaps of great things to come, or perhaps merely disappointment, and the arachnid starts to audibly rattle along under the table. "Zhgir doesn't court danger, he prefers his head in one place..." He mutters underneath his breath as he casually straightens out from under the desk, pulling on his vest with two hands whilst sneaking the bottle into the folds of his cloak. "Atomic moogles don't sound more dangerous than queens..."

The night goes smootly, the ship proving comfortable despite the warship class. The morning comes and breakfest is served to each room and a hour later everybody is called to the deck. The ship landing in the mining town of Gran Fera. The city is old style design, with short houses most nor more then a story high. They are tightly compacted with narrow allys and narrow streets. The aerodome is well sized, and has dozens of landing ships, many of them white ships with red dots on the front. Moogles pouring out of them and flooding the aerodome. A couple of moogles fly on by and wave, "Hey I reconize you! From emberstrand Kupo! you comeing to the annual Mog Mail seminar kupo to!?" (Cliffhanger!)

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Atomos: The Beginning Part 1

2014-03-15T21:57:24Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Return to [[ The aerodome is uncommonly quiet this evening. Most ships have already left for the day or docked to stay over the night. Three ships appear ready to leave, a bri…'

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The aerodome is uncommonly quiet this evening. Most ships have already left for the day or docked to stay over the night. Three ships appear ready to leave, a bright white ship with a giant red dot at the front, a dark grey one, and another white one with blue stripes and highlights. An aegyl wearing a light brown leather jacket, a leather fedora, and a whip at his side waits by the blue and white ship dock. The Aegyl is currently reading some paperwork and muttering to himself.

A pair of Viera walk through the Aerodrome, their destination apparent as the Aegyl comes into view. The male is rifling through a satchel that hangs from his shoulder. "I think I have what we need in here, besides copious amounts of food. I will miss the Porchlight, my Hunter.", the male says to the female Viera. "Perhaps it is a good thing though."
"Attention, shaman," Alba murmurs through her mask, ears bobbing toward the Aegyl at the desk. "The time for packing is done, the time for speaking begun. What we have not, we shall see to upon the journey."

Walking along the deck comes a barefoot woman with green hair, rough leather clothing, and a mask pulled down over her face. Tristania's visage is replaced by that of a carved hummingbird, behind which her eyes gaze disapprovingly at most of what she sees. The dryad comes to a halt near to where the Aegyl is busy... doing... whatever it is that he is doing. She gazes at him, watching and waiting.

Every now and then, a paper leaves the desk, and is replaced with another. By a very crafty looking hand. Everyone else could see the shrouded figure beneath the desk doing that; though in a passing, the dark shape looked like an obscure chair. Mostly because of all the limbs sticking out, as the arachnid continues to do his very silent job of reshuffling the Aegyl's papers for him.

The Aegyl reaches over and taps Zhgir's hand as he switches out a paper, "The others are here, you arewelcome to come out now." The aegyle then stands up and offers a wave to everybody else. "Welcome everybody, I am pleased to have you join us. I am Professor Cecil Baltemore and you are all here hopefully to join me down to Gran Ferra. I will explain the details of the mission once we are on the ship, Enterprise, behind me. Kain." At the mention of the name Kain, a man suddenly jumps off the ship thirtyfeet into the air and lands on the dock. "Ship is ready, all aboard." A side glance to Cecil as if to question his selection of help. Then Kain turns around and jumps back onto the ship. Before the party can be shown onto the ship a sudden crowd burst into the aerodome. Dozens of moggles come flying in and kupoing among themselves. A group of them fly over towards the party and ask, "Is this the Moogle Express kupo?" Before another one of the moogle pokes the moogle asking the question and points over to the white ship with the big red dot at the front. The group of moogles all fly off towards the other ship.

Talen raises an eyebrow at the Aegyl's rather abrupt introduction, and the Tigger-like crewman, and slowly rolls his shoulders in an extended shrug. "Er, this is the rescue mission, yes?" His ears twitch at the arrival of the moogle horde, and he can't help but smile as they fly off towards the other ship. "I guess we should board then, yes?", he asks of the Aegyl, before looking at Alba, "Heh, was your Captain ever like that bunch of mogs who just flew by?"

"I would not know," Alba replies, bemused at the crowd of fluff and kupo passing by, "for I knew not my Captain until he was much older than they." Nodding to the sillent dryad, the Viera turns to Zhgir, both ears pointing towards the gangplank. "Come, Zhgir. I think that this journey shall not be the boring one, much longer."

Tristania rests one hand on her knobkerrie, and waits stoicly while the moogles charge past. Fortunately they make their way sufficiently around her that none of them are impaled on her mask. Once that is done, she returns the nod from the female of the two Viera, and glances up at the Aegyl. Rescue mission? She knew of no rescue mission. Rescue is an alien concept. The strong survive and the weak die. "Yes, I am here for the rescue mission," she answers at last, and boards the ship, all with absolutely no idea of what she is getting herself into.

The spider's fingers claw at the paper he was holding, and he looks around in brief alarm. After a moment, he carefully siddles out, then smooths out the paper out on the desk. "Zhgir was... Zhgir was just looking for worms, yes." He mutters, coughs, adjusts his raggedy hood over his face. It looked definitely moth eaten. "Zhgir." He then meekly adds, as he falls in line after the vieras.

Cecil chuckles and smiles to Zhgir, "It is all right, you proved your skills rather well with that. Very stealthy, I did not notice you at first until my papers shifted." Then he leads the way onto the white ship. The white ship with blue highlights and stripes, Enterprise, turns out to be a war ship. The Enterprise is a heavier ship not built for speed and lined on port and starboard sides with cannons. The crew of the ship is only slightly more than a minimal skeleton crew, but they all appear to be expertly skilled. The adventurers are shown to their own personal quarters. The quarters explains the reason for the smaller crew. The ship has been converted from a mass barracks style common on war ships to a series of small personal quarters. Each of the rooms is the length of a bed on one side and a storage chest on the other. Above the chest and bed reside shelves for more storage space with railing to keep things from falling over. At the far end of the small room resides a desk. The adventurers will be given a hour to settle in before they are called up to the captains dining room. During this hour the ship will take off to the sky and begin its slow journey southward. The captain's dining room is moderately sized and doubles as a conference room. A series of three rectangular tables forms a U around the center. The captain, Kain, sits in the middle, with Cecil on one side. Appetizers have been set out and drinks are available.

Talen peeks into the Captain's mess before stepping in proper, looking around at the room. "I still think the T-rexaur head makes for a classier place to sleep.", he says quietly. He offers Kain a polite bow, "Good evening, Captain." Talen moves to one side of the table, pulling back a chair for Alba, before slipping into the one next to it. "I see that you have Tristania and Zhgir on board as well, are there any others on this trip, or are we it, sir?"

Alba takes her chair, slipping off her mask and stowing it into her hip pouch. As Talen handles the job of talking to the Captain, she makes her selections from among the appetizers, portioning out for two. Among the drinks, she seems to prefer the water, but a small measure of red wine is poured into a glass for Talen, to taste. One ear remains oriented on Kain and Cecil, the other, Zhgir and Tristania.

Tristania follows the others, and after a moment, takes a seat. She eyes the appetizers and drinks suspiciously, and surrepticiously watches what Alba takes. The dryad mimics what the viera takes, putting appetiezers onto a plate and placing them in front of her. She tries one, and eats it; then she claims a glass of water, and as Alba has done while Talen is speaking, she pouts a little bit of wine. She eyes it with no reduction in suspicion, before deigning to put it to her lips beneath her mask, and have a sip; no sooner does she do so, than she spits it back into the glass. She glares at it for a moment, before putting it back down, and reaching for the water, instead.

Zhgir, meanwhile, straddles a nearby chair, standing on its back, while reaching forward to loop a bottle of wine with a string of webs. It seems that is the only thing he craves for, beyond a glass, as he more than lessly discreetly pours himself glassful after a glassful, sipping it all in while trying to be inconspicous as possible. Seeing the ear pointed at him, he waves at Alba. "Very good, yes. Zhgir is well poisoned." He slurps down another mouthful, palps twitching as he peers around the room restlessly.

"Well, I was warned you were a interesting mix of people in Emberstrand. I admit, you are beyond my expectations." Cecil offers his voice friendly as he sips a bit of wine. "Oh it is, but this ship is designed for battle. It has been altered a bit, but not much. As for others, I belive we have a lizard, Ainsley who will be meeting us there. As for the rest of.." stopping as he watches Tristania and then offers a smile, "Not a fan of wine are you now?" A glance to Zhgir, "Try not to get to drunk. The crew will lock you in the quarters if they have to." A jest but also a warning. Cecil then leans back, "A rescue mission is correct. We are looking for a Moogle, Edward Songkupo. He was last seen in the the Rossarian city of Gran Fera. Little else is known, other then a Archadian special forces team has already gotten what they want from him. We are hoping, he will have a good enough memory to direct us. Tell me, who here is familiar with the Artfact of Atomos legends?" (Int+Knowledge)

Talen brings the glass poured by Alba to his nose, sniffs curiously, and sips down the wine. He wrinkles his nose, and follows the wine with water. After rearranging some of the food on the shared plate, he nibbles at one choice piece before replying to the Captain. "What I remember of my studies, Atomos is a great spirit, and the Artefact was a rumour, a means to bring him into the world and use him as a weapon." He leans forwards slightly, a frown working its way onto his lips. "Something a spirit would not take likely, even great summoners take care in bringing them into the world. But, they are rumours. And now I fear that you might now shatter such hopes that they are rumours, and instead, you will say such a thing exists...?"

"Of course it is a thing," Alba mutters sourly. "No sane thing would allow such a weapon to be, yet few thinking things upon this world are sane. But why does Archades place this bard within a Rozarrian town? I did not know such friendship lay between them, to allow this."

"That," Tristania intones, pointing at the wine, "Has the flavor of rotted berries. It is poison upon the tongue and that bodes ill for the body, should you deign to swallow it." She glances about, looking at the vieras who are drinking wine, the spider who is drinking wine, and then Cecil. "I do not understand how you drink it. ...The Archadians and Rozarrians are like packs of wolves that have grown too large and do not have the sense to split into smaller packs." She draws herself up to her full height, as she picks up one of the appetiezers in front of her. "The artifact I have heard of, but have never had interest in."

Zhgir grins widely at Tristania's words. "It is very fine poison, yes? Should Zhgir save up a bottle for the queen? " He gurgles more of the liquid down, before twisting his palps at the direction of Cecil. "Zhgir thinks it's not very wise to try find something that's been long destroyed, yes? It's very unlikely you'll succeed, he's found. Does the bard play nice music? Zhgir's met many bards, maybe he knows his music?"

Cecil offers a sad smile, "Miss I did not mean to offend, it you wish another drink bought I can. Though our selection is limited, this is admitedly a cheap wine." Cecil leans back and sighs again, "No mere legends I am afraid. The grand Summoner Lother of Andromeda predicted the return of the artifact. The legends say it cannot be destroyed, Zhgir right?" Glancing to the spider then a glance to Talen, "The moogle discovered a key to its whereabouts, a secret buried in some ancient library in Rossaria. Where it is or what we do not know, we are hoping the Moogle can point us in the direction. The Archadians, have already stolen the one book he has." A glance to Alba, "They are not friends, this was done without their knowledge. As for the moogles playing ability." A smirk at that, "I hear he is actually pretty terrible. He only got noticed because he was claiming to know where to look for the artifact."

Talen sighs, his ears wobbling ever so slightly at the news, his eyes shifting to Alba. "It is far too often people think if a thing can be done, my Hunter, before thinking if it should be done, with expected consequences. And it is left for people like us.. ", he gestures to those seated at the table, "To make things right." He looks over at Tristania and shrugs, "Poison it may be, but in small quantities it is good. It becomes poison when drank to excess." He looked pointedly at Zhgir before looking back to the Captain. "Does anyone else know of these events, Captain? Are we merely in a race against time with the Archadians, or do we need to be ever mindful of who may be behind us, catching up under cover of cloud and darkness?"

Alba's eyes drift to Tristania as she extolls the evils of wine, and pointedly picks up her glass of water and takes a token sip. "I shall then assume, Captain, that in secrecy this bard will need to be taken from Gran Ferra? Shall there be a place within the desert, that we are to meet this ship?"

Tristania glances back and forth between Alba, Talen, Zhgir, and the Captain. She sips her wine, and eats one of the appetizers. "Water is fine, thank you," she replies to the offer of something else to drink. "I am used to eating what I can catch, cooked over a fire until it glistens with fat and tastes of charcoal. I need nothing else." She eats another morsel, and makes no further comment, evidently content to leaving the mission specifics to others to discuss and for her to merely listen to, for the time being.

Zhgir's palps fold tightly against his chin as fire is mentioned, and he drowns his worries into the wine. Talen gets a hurried headshake, as if to try and divert attention away from him, before he turns to look at the captain once more, the glass still held against his lips. "Why is the winged captain interested in the atomic bard?" He asks then, voice burbling away at the red liquid in his drink.

Cecil hmmms a moment and shakes his head, "At the moment probably just us, but word is spreading. I would not be surprised if we had every faction you could think of after this eventually." Cecil frowns again at the next question, "Edward doesn't even know we are coming. He was attacked and has been hiding out since. We need to find him, save him, and get him out of town before anybody the Archadians hire find him first. We will have no problems getting into Gran Fera. We have a pass and will simply land at the aerodome there." Cecil glances to Zhgir thoughtfully, "Edward may have they information needed to save the world. Find the moogle, save the world basically."

"I think what he is suggesting is that we walk into Gran Ferra, find the wee mog, and walk out with him, my Hunter." Talen's eyes narrow slightly. "It is never as simple as that, when Archades is involved, as we have learned the hard way. I assume the Captain has some knowledge, a clue or small secret he has not let on... as to where in Gran Ferra the bard in question is hiding?" The male Viera's eyes peer questioningly at the Captain. "And I assume that you have a means to convince him to leave with us, let alone divulge the secret he claims to have? I know that moogles are small folk, but I would scarely dare to stick my face near a cornered weasel or badger in their dens... a cornered Moogle is considerably more dangerous, yes?"

"Ah," Alba says, settling back in her chair and rearranging the food between her plate and Talen's. "So it is an adventurer's errand as any other. Much unexpected to go disastrously, much panic to be had, possibly a great fire at our heels as we run into the sands. Hn."

Tristania coughs softly, clearing her throat. "It sounds as though you are asking four wolves to march into the cave bear's den in order to rescue another pack's pup," she observes. "Much will go wrong if we do not tred very carefully. Much will likely go wrong anyway. ...And as we are going to a city, I am rather under the impression that your impressive warship's cannons will be of little use. Please, tell us what advantages we have upon our side?"

Zhgir continues to sip his drink in silence, which wasn't really about silence, but then he begins to slowly sink into the chair, and partly under the table as Alba speaks. "... she shouldn't sound so happy about that fire part, Zhgir thinks." He mutters underneath his breath, before he waves his hand at Cecil. "It is fine. Zhgir is very good at finding things. A moogle's pom is a key like any other." He grins at no one particular, before he quickly swallows another mouthful of the wine.

Cecil at this point just offers a forwn, "Honestly, nope. We have no clue where in the city is. Just the prediction he would be found there. We have no idea how to get him to help us, nor do we know what dangers the Archadians are sending our way. We are rather blind in all of this, but that is why we are hiring help. We just needed more hands, more eyes, more ideas of where to look. he is a bard, figured the taverns and related buildings would be a good place to start. As for adventages, we have the element of the first start. We are the first group after the Archadians to try to start on this path. We also have a ship most others would not attack."

Talen rubs at his cheeks and frowns a bit more. "I was afraid of that. Well.. while my experience with hunting is rather recent, Alba is quite experienced. Zhgir can climb very well, and he has more eyes than the rest of your hired help put together. I am afraid I do not know Tristrania very well so I cannot attest to her skills, but she did join up so that is something to consider there. If you think he may be staying at places bards may... wait." He leans forwards, "Does Gran Ferra have a temple dedicated to Mog, or Fafnir? Archades might not violate their neutrality, and I think moogles in danger just might seek solace there."

"If this bard is as poor of talent as it is said, Captain," Alba murmurs, "then it may be that to find him, should he not be seeking sanctuary among the temples, it is simply that we must find the place which I wish to be, the least. At any rate, Captain, it would seem that you have your hunters. All that remains, is to discuss price."

Zhgir waves his bottle from under the table. "Zhgir's key-rates are very reasonable! World saving reduces the amount of keys!" He cheerfully yells out, before rattling under the tables to find a conveniently dark corner - one that is conveniently on the opposite side from Alba. "Zhgir misses his old keys." He mutters by himself.

Cecil nods slowly, "Yes price. What would your asking price be?" His voice slow and words careful in this matter, but his lack of experiance at negotiating such things is quickly clear. Yet, Kain the captain of the ship speaks up, "Prices are set. Assistance in the search and rescue is 500 gil each, with a extra 1000 gil bonus to be split. Any procurement off defeated Archadian or other factions seeking the moogle will be yours to keep and claim as you see fit, provided the items do not pertain or contain clues to the whereabouts of the artifact or insight into enemy movements." Kain appears to be more experianced in the negotiation area.

Talen's ears wiggle at that, and stand up straighter. "While I am not one to argue over price, considering the nature of the task we are set upon, it is a bit much to expect people to risk life and limb for five hundred gil. I think a thousand gil each, plus a bonus of two thousand gil, is more in line." He looks to Alba for a moment before looking back to the Captain. "Riding herd on a convoy for a weeks time will earn you a thousand gil, and though you might still die, the world does not end if you fail."

Alba picks the last of her food from her plate, transferring the rest to Talen's. At the summoner's bargaining, an ear flicks, an eyebrow rising, but it seems that of the pair of them, she feels the negotiations to be his task, not hers.

Zhgir peeks his head out from under the table. "If Zhgir finds pretty keys, he can give his pay to long ears? Yes? Acceptable? Acceptable." He nods his head, then withdraws under the table, the audible sound of another bottle being opened briefly filling the room.

Kain humpfs at that, "They why are you not working at a caravan? You said weeks, what I said was per day. 500 gil per day of work, to a max of three days to find the moogle. I will offer a bonus on finding at a max of 1200 to be split. If you do not like it, we can set down and find you a caravan to go working. I doubt you will find another job offering you 1500 gil in three days." Kain seems far less friendly then Cecil as he leans back and crosses his arms. Kain glances to Zhgir, "You can do what you want with your share there, doesn't bother me."

Talen raises an eyebrow at the Captain's answer and leans forward. "You did not say it was per diem, sir, as I will respectfully point out. But I can accept the offer of five hundred per day, and your bonus is more pleasing than before. Indeed, I doubt I could find such an offer on such short notice." Talen gestures at the gathered group, "However, I submit to you that you would have trouble finding more of us on short notice either, and would have to pay even more for such notice. So let us agree on those points and move on to the matter at hand, yes?" The male Viera grins toothily, his ears turned sideways.

Alba reaches out a hand, resting it upon the summoner's arm. "Shaman, your teeth are sharp, but there will be little gain in bleeding this Captain and his ship, for goodwill shall flow away more freely than coin. His price is fair, and a ship of this size and crew has much need, to keep it flying."

Zhgir peeks his head out, and then waves his empty glass at the large tigger. "You may give Zhgir wings, but you shan't take the keys away from me. Zhgir means, that keys must be on table if he returns with moogle pom." He then gestures towards Talen. "Don't worry about him, he gets his strange moments." He adds in a lowered tone, before he rolls back under the table, clinking his glasses away.

"you are right, getting less adventurers would mean we could pay each one individually more. If any of you wish to leave so we can do that, please let us know when we land in the morning." Kain offers as he stands up, "As for now, yes let us agree to those points you made and get to the matter at hand. Which is that it is late, and I am going to bed." Kain turns to start leaving the room. Cecil just kinda stares at him and then turns towards the group, "Forgive my friend, he is a bit abrupt. I hope everything is agreeable? We are paying what I can, but it is coming out of my pocket directly. I can try to get something from the treasury at Kandala if you want more, but I cannot promise anything."

Talen's reaction changes the instant Alba's hand touches his arm, whatever angry response is forgotten. Though his eyes still narrow, and his grin is more teeth than is comfortable in a smile. "Pleasant dreams then, Captain. We can get to work in the morning." After the Captain is gone, his ears wilt noticeably. "We were to be hired, yes?", he asks of Cecil. "I can accept the terms, I am not trying to beggar anyone."

"I would believe," Alba says with a mild upturn of her lips, "that if the Captain meant not to hire, he would have thrown us over the railing. We are thankful for the hospitality of your ship," she says, bodding her ears toward Cecil, "and it shall be that your friend is found, however it must be done."

"Zhgir will accept Kandalan keys." A voice from below the desk says, along with a silent burp.

Cecil peers at under the table at Zhgir, "You want to be paid in keys? Well I think that can be arranged." Though still a bit confused. Cecil looks back to Talen and Alba, "Kain is the type to get a job done, not carring about the pay. He has little patience for those who appear to want to milk all the money they can get out of people. Still we are agreed. Let us get to bed." Cecil himself standing up and turning to make his way out.

Talen rubs his cheeks and shrugs, "I was only trying to get fair pay, that's all. And he really did not say it was per day, else I would not have gone as high as I did. I was assuming it was weekly, or for the entire job, since on the face of it... it should be quick, yes?" He leans back heavily in his chair. "Sleep well then, and see you tomorrow."

Alba pats Talen's arm, then leans over to peer under the table. "Zhgir," she says, "the business and meal are done. Sleep, now, for tomorrow we court danger. Come, shaman," she says, slippng out of her chair. "Let us sleep, and be ready."

There is a brief sound, perhaps of great things to come, or perhaps merely disappointment, and the arachnid starts to audibly rattle along under the table. "Zhgir doesn't court danger, he prefers his head in one place..." He mutters underneath his breath as he casually straightens out from under the desk, pulling on his vest with two hands whilst sneaking the bottle into the folds of his cloak. "Atomic moogles don't sound more dangerous than queens..."
The night goes smootly, the ship proving comfortable despite the warship class. The morning comes and breakfest is served to each room and a hour later everybody is called to the deck. The ship landing in the mining town of Gran Fera. The city is old style design, with short houses most nor more then a story high. They are tightly compacted with narrow allys and narrow streets. The aerodome is well sized, and has dozens of landing ships, many of them white ships with red dots on the front. Moogles pouring out of them and flooding the aerodome. A couple of moogles fly on by and wave, "Hey I reconize you! From emberstrand Kupo! you comeing to the annual Mog Mail seminar kupo to!?" (Cliffhanger!)

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2014-03-15T21:56:10Z

Marduke:

Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

--The Beginning--

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 1]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 2]]

[[Atomos: The Beginning Part 3]]

The Artifact of Atomos RP Logs

2014-03-15T21:53:05Z

Marduke: Created page with 'Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot --The Beginning-- Atomos: Gran Fera Part 1 The First Clue Part 2 The First Clue Part 3'

Rp Logs for the Aritfact of Atomos Plot

--The Beginning--

Atomos: Gran Fera Part 1

The First Clue Part 2

The First Clue Part 3

The Artifact of Atomos Plot Arcs

2014-02-12T02:41:49Z

Marduke:

This is a page to list all of the plot arcs for the Artifact of Atomos storylines.

==The Beginning==

The streets of Gran Ferra were peaceful this evening. A party has recently just ended and the streets were busy with people going home. One drunk white moogle with a red pom was flying towards the inn he was staying out. The moogle was to drunk to notice that he was being followed by extra shadows. The moogled greeted people as he passed them in the streets, waving merrily. A flick of the lights and suddenly the moogle was gone. Not a sound was made, and not a trace left, the extra shadows receding at the same time.

The woman in leather tapped her fingers along her leather covered arm impatiently, "These alleys, so dreary. Oh what do you think Locke dearie?" A man stepped forward from the shadows and glares at the woman, "I think we are chasing a myth." The woman reacts with a sidelong glance to Locke and reaches up to trace a nail across his cheek, "oh dear sweet locke, this is no myth." The muffled kupoing of a bagged moogle could be heard coming down one of the alleys.

The woman in leather reaches up and grabs the bag as it is handed to her. Opening it up she pulls out the moogle, "Hey let me kupo! I paid back the money I kupoed! I didn't take that last candy... kupo?" The moogle blinking to the woman holding him, "Who are you kupo?" The woman holding the moogle smiles down to the moogle, "oh dear Edward, I hear you came by some information. We can make this simple, give me what I want to know, and I will only torture you a little."

Edward pauses a moment, "Torture Kupo?" Then the moogle opens his mouth and chomps down onto one of the womans fingers holding him. A screech of pain and Edward is let go, who takes to the air and starts to fly away. Locke steps forward holding up a bow ready to take aim. "Locke dear, let him go. A brave little moogle, but I got what I want." The bitten finger to her mouth and tasting her own blood, "Tasty, and we got what we needed." reaching into the bag and pulling out a ancient leather bound book titled, "The Legend of the Artifact of Atomos." "Come dearie, back to the ship. Celese is making dinner."

The shadows were gone now, the alley empty the next moment. Edward Songkupo, the moogle, had escaped back into the night.

Meanwhile elsewhere...

King Kittemer sat in his throne chamber, drumming his fingers impatiently. A Aegyl walked in and offered a polite bow, "Your Majesty." The king glanced up and nodded, "Dr. Baltemore, your late. I have a mission for you." Dr. Baltermore stiffens and sighs, "I was hoping it was for pleasantries." The man reaching over and taking a folder from and flipping it open. The king continues, "The Archadian special forces is moving after the listed legend. I am authorizing funding, you will get a team and track down the only lead we have, you the best we have for this Cecil. Hire some adventurers and tracking." Cecil sighs as he flips through a few more pages, "So wait." The Aegyl glancing up, "So... the artifact of Atomos. We are talking world destruction here, and you are telling me." The Aegyl pausing a moment, "That to save the world, find the moogle?"

----

The Artifact of Atomos Plot Arcs

2014-02-12T02:39:22Z

Marduke:

This is a page to list all of the plot arcs for the Artifact of Atomos storylines.

==The beginning.==

The streets of Gran Ferra were peaceful this evening. A party has recently just ended and the streets were busy with people going home. One drunk white moogle with a red pom was flying towards the inn he was staying out. The moogle was to drunk to notice that he was being followed by extra shadows. The moogled greeted people as he passed them in the streets, waving merrily. A flick of the lights and suddenly the moogle was gone. Not a sound was made, and not a trace left, the extra shadows receding at the same time.

The woman in leather tapped her fingers along her leather covered arm impatiently, "These alleys, so dreary. Oh what do you think Locke dearie?" A man stepped forward from the shadows and glares at the woman, "I think we are chasing a myth." The woman reacts with a sidelong glance to Locke and reaches up to trace a nail across his cheek, "oh dear sweet locke, this is no myth." The muffled kupoing of a bagged moogle could be heard coming down one of the alleys.

The woman in leather reaches up and grabs the bag as it is handed to her. Opening it up she pulls out the moogle, "Hey let me kupo! I paid back the money I kupoed! I didn't take that last candy... kupo?" The moogle blinking to the woman holding him, "Who are you kupo?" The woman holding the moogle smiles down to the moogle, "oh dear Edward, I hear you came by some information. We can make this simple, give me what I want to know, and I will only torture you a little."

Edward pauses a moment, "Torture Kupo?" Then the moogle opens his mouth and chomps down onto one of the womans fingers holding him. A screech of pain and Edward is let go, who takes to the air and starts to fly away. Locke steps forward holding up a bow ready to take aim. "Locke dear, let him go. A brave little moogle, but I got what I want." The bitten finger to her mouth and tasting her own blood, "Tasty, and we got what we needed." reaching into the bag and pulling out a ancient leather bound book titled, "The Legend of the Artifact of Atomos." "Come dearie, back to the ship. Celese is making dinner."

The shadows were gone now, the alley empty the next moment. Edward Songkupo, the moogle, had escaped back into the night.

Meanwhile elsewhere...

King Kittemer sat in his throne chamber, drumming his fingers impatiently. A Aegyl walked in and offered a polite bow, "Your Majesty." The king glanced up and nodded, "Dr. Baltemore, your late. I have a mission for you." Dr. Baltermore stiffens and sighs, "I was hoping it was for pleasantries." The man reaching over and taking a folder from and flipping it open. The king continues, "The Archadian special forces is moving after the listed legend. I am authorizing funding, you will get a team and track down the only lead we have, you the best we have for this Cecil. Hire some adventurers and tracking." Cecil sighs as he flips through a few more pages, "So wait." The Aegyl glancing up, "So... the artifact of Atomos. We are talking world destruction here, and you are telling me." The Aegyl pausing a moment, "That to save the world, find the moogle?"

----

The Artifact of Atomos Plot Arcs

2014-02-12T02:32:23Z

Marduke:

This is a page to list all of the plot arcs for the Artifact of Atomos storylines.

==The beginning.==

The streets of Gran Ferra were peaceful this evening. A party has recently just ended and the streets were busy with people going home. One drunk white moogle with a red pom was flying towards the inn he was staying out. The moogle was to drunk to notice that he was being followed by extra shadows. The moogled greeted people as he passed them in the streets, waving merrily. A flick of the lights and suddenly the moogle was gone. Not a sound was made, and not a trace left, the extra shadows receding at the same time.

The woman in leather tapped her fingers along her leather covered arm impatiently, "These alleys, so dreary. Oh what do you think Locke dearie?" A man stepped forward from the shadows and glares at the woman, "I think we are chasing a myth." The woman reacts with a sidelong glance to Locke and reaches up to trace a nail across his cheek, "oh dear sweet locke, this is no myth." The muffled kupoing of a bagged moogle could be heard coming down one of the alleys.

The woman in leather reaches up and grabs the bag as it is handed to her. Opening it up she pulls out the moogle, "Hey let me kupo! I paid back the money I kupoed! I didn't take that last candy... kupo?" The moogle blinking to the woman holding him, "Who are you kupo?" The woman holding the moogle smiles down to the moogle, "oh dear Edward, I hear you came by some information. We can make this simple, give me what I want to know, and I will only torture you a little."

Edward pauses a moment, "Torture Kupo?" Then the moogle opens his mouth and chomps down onto one of the womans fingers holding him. A screech of pain and Edward is let go, who takes to the air and starts to fly away. Locke steps forward holding up a bow ready to take aim. "Locke dear, let him go. A brave little moogle, but I got what I want." The bitten finger to her mouth and tasting her own blood, "Tasty, and we got what we needed." reaching into the bag and pulling out a ancient leather bound book titled, "The Legend of the Artifact of Atomos." "Come dearie, back to the ship. Celese is making dinner."

The shadows were gone now, the alley empty the next moment. Edward Songkupo, the moogle, had escaped back into the night.

Meanwhile elsewhere...

King Kittemer sat in his throne chamber, drumming his fingers impatiently. A agyle walked in and offered a polite bow, "Your Majesty." The king glanced up and nodded, "Dr. Baltemore, your late. I have a mission for you." Dr. Baltermore stiffens and sighs, "I was hoping it was for pleasantries." The man reaching over and taking a folder from and flipping it open. The king continues, "The Archadian special forces is moving after the listed legend. I am authorizing funding, you will get a team and track down the only lead we have, you the best we have for this Cecil. Hire some adventurers and tracking." Cecil sighs as he flips through a few more pages, "So wait." The agyle glancing up, "So... the artifact of Atomos. We are talking world destruction here, and you are telling me." The agyle pausing a moment, "That to save the world, find the moogle?"

----

The Artifact of Atomos Plot Arcs

2014-02-12T02:31:48Z

Marduke: Created page with 'This is a page to list all of the plot arcs for the Artifact of Atomos storylines. The beginning. The streets of Gran Ferra were peaceful this evening. A party has recently ju…'

This is a page to list all of the plot arcs for the Artifact of Atomos storylines.

The beginning.

The streets of Gran Ferra were peaceful this evening. A party has recently just ended and the streets were busy with people going home. One drunk white moogle with a red pom was flying towards the inn he was staying out. The moogle was to drunk to notice that he was being followed by extra shadows. The moogled greeted people as he passed them in the streets, waving merrily. A flick of the lights and suddenly the moogle was gone. Not a sound was made, and not a trace left, the extra shadows receding at the same time.

The woman in leather tapped her fingers along her leather covered arm impatiently, "These alleys, so dreary. Oh what do you think Locke dearie?" A man stepped forward from the shadows and glares at the woman, "I think we are chasing a myth." The woman reacts with a sidelong glance to Locke and reaches up to trace a nail across his cheek, "oh dear sweet locke, this is no myth." The muffled kupoing of a bagged moogle could be heard coming down one of the alleys.

The woman in leather reaches up and grabs the bag as it is handed to her. Opening it up she pulls out the moogle, "Hey let me kupo! I paid back the money I kupoed! I didn't take that last candy... kupo?" The moogle blinking to the woman holding him, "Who are you kupo?" The woman holding the moogle smiles down to the moogle, "oh dear Edward, I hear you came by some information. We can make this simple, give me what I want to know, and I will only torture you a little."

Edward pauses a moment, "Torture Kupo?" Then the moogle opens his mouth and chomps down onto one of the womans fingers holding him. A screech of pain and Edward is let go, who takes to the air and starts to fly away. Locke steps forward holding up a bow ready to take aim. "Locke dear, let him go. A brave little moogle, but I got what I want." The bitten finger to her mouth and tasting her own blood, "Tasty, and we got what we needed." reaching into the bag and pulling out a ancient leather bound book titled, "The Legend of the Artifact of Atomos." "Come dearie, back to the ship. Celese is making dinner."

The shadows were gone now, the alley empty the next moment. Edward Songkupo, the moogle, had escaped back into the night.

Meanwhile elsewhere...

King Kittemer sat in his throne chamber, drumming his fingers impatiently. A agyle walked in and offered a polite bow, "Your Majesty." The king glanced up and nodded, "Dr. Baltemore, your late. I have a mission for you." Dr. Baltermore stiffens and sighs, "I was hoping it was for pleasantries." The man reaching over and taking a folder from and flipping it open. The king continues, "The Archadian special forces is moving after the listed legend. I am authorizing funding, you will get a team and track down the only lead we have, you the best we have for this Cecil. Hire some adventurers and tracking." Cecil sighs as he flips through a few more pages, "So wait." The agyle glancing up, "So... the artifact of Atomos. We are talking world destruction here, and you are telling me." The agyle pausing a moment, "That to save the world, find the moogle?"

The Artifact of Atomos

2014-02-12T01:03:39Z

Marduke:

The Artifact of Atomos

2014-02-12T01:02:02Z

Marduke:

The Artifact of Atomos Cast

2014-02-03T20:41:44Z

Marduke:

The current known cast. More will be added as they are met and discovered with the series of plots. Information on each cast member will also be updated as new information is learned!

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

<big>'''The cast'''</big>
==Professor Cecil Baltemore==

Race: Aegyl

Biography: A young adventurous man from the city of Kandala. He grew up in the merchant district and attended university for archeology in Arcadia. He has been employed by the Kandalan crown to investigate the matter of the artifact of Atomos and do everything needed to prevent it from falling into Arcadian hands.

Specialties: Whip, firearms, and ancient ruins.

Job: Lore Master, some training in warrior.

==Kain==

Race: Burmecian

Biography: Little is known about this sky pirate or where he is from. Rumors have it that he is from Bur-Omisace. Incidentally, he is wanted in Bur-Omisace for stealing his current airship the Falling City. Cecil and Kain have been long time friends. Kain often escorts him with his airship.

Specialties: Firearms, piloting airships.

Job: Gunslinger, Brigand

==Rosa Baltemore==

Race: Human

Biography: Rosa was born and raised in Arcadia where she met Cecil during her University days. She has since moved to Kandala after marrying Cecil. She accompanies him on many of his explorations due to her training in black magic.

Specialties: Black Magic, keeping Cecil in check, and cooking.

Job: Black Wizard, some training in green.

==Rydia==

Race: Dryad

Biography: Rydia is said to have grown out of the jungles of Golmore, otherwise nothing else is really known about her.

Specialties: ?

Job: ?

==Yang, Palom, and Porom Fang==

Race: ?

Biography: The three legendary monks who took the artifact of Atomos and hid it away.

Specialties: ?

Job: Monk?

==Edward Songkupo==

Race: Moogle

Biography: Edward is a simple musician who studied music down in Rossaria. He was digging through ancient texts in a library looking for inspirations for new music. One of those pieces was the Legend of Atomos, which sparked the search. His current whereabouts are suspected to be in the Rossarian mining town Gran Ferra. He is the most wanted on both sides for potential information he may or may not have on the whereabouts of the artifact.

Specialties: Music, dance, getting lost.

Job: Bard

==Terra Black==

Race: Elf

Biography: Terra comes from a minor noble family in Arcadia. She is known as a dark malicious woman. She has worked her way up the ranks of special tasks with the Arcadian military. Her unit has been tasked with the retrieval of the Artifact for the Arcadian military.

Specialties: Torture, dagger, and green magic.

Job: Time Mage, Gunslinger

==Locke Smith==

Race: Human

Biography: A street urchin that Terra picked up one day off the streets for amusement. Locke proved so apt at escaping that she decided to keep him. Locke has a complete hatred of Terra and her tortures ways. He stays around and obeys because the love of his life refuses to leave.

Specialties: Lock picking, manual labor, disguise

Job: Thief

==Celese Black==

Race: Human

Biography: Celese is an aspect of all that is good in the world. She was born on the streets of Archades and taken in and adopted at a young age by Terra for her prodigy abilities. Celese proved at a young age to have a natural talent for healing magic. She is also naïve, optimistic, and see’s good in everything. To the point that she never see’s danger or an enemy in anybody, helping all that ask. This makes it easy for Terra to manipulate Celese, and use her to keep Locke under control. Celese is also the only person Terra has ever shown a soft spot for.

Specialties: Healing magic, optimism

Job: Healer

==Edgar and Sabin Smash==

Race: Ogre

Biography: Two ogres who like to pound people into the ground like nails.

Specialties: Hammers, brute strength and vitality

Job: Gladiator

==Shadow==

Race: ?

Biography: All that is known is that he works for Terra.

Specialties: Information Gathering, stealth

Job: ?

==Setzer Skyfall==

Race: Goblin

Biography: A goblin from the Nalbina region. Setzer is a brilliant engineer and in charge of Terra’s airship, Black Widow. He is never seen away from it. Terra also never tortures or threatens Setzer, being one of the few people she shows any fear from.

Specialties: Airships, weapons, firearms.

Job: Engineer.

-----

Return to [[The Artifact of Atomos]]

The Artifact of Atomos Cast

2014-02-03T20:39:25Z

Marduke:

The current known cast. More will be added as they are met and discovered with the series of plots. Information on each cast member will also be updated as new information is learned!

[[The Artifact of Atomos]]

<big>'''The cast'''</big>
==Professor Cecil Baltemore==

Race: Aegyl

Biography: A young adventurous man from the city of Kandala. He grew up in the merchant district and attended university for archeology in Arcadia. He has been employed by the Kandalan crown to investigate the matter of the artifact of Atomos and do everything needed to prevent it from falling into Arcadian hands.

Specialties: Whip, firearms, and ancient ruins.

Job: Lore Master, some training in warrior.

==Kain==

Race: Burmecian

Biography: Little is known about this sky pirate or where he is from. Rumors have it that he is from Bur-Omisace. Incidentally, he is wanted in Bur-Omisace for stealing his current airship the Falling City. Cecil and Kain have been long time friends. Kain often escorts him with his airship.

Specialties: Firearms, piloting airships.

Job: Gunslinger, Brigand

==Rosa Baltemore==

Race: Human

Biography: Rosa was born and raised in Arcadia where she met Cecil during her University days. She has since moved to Kandala after marrying Cecil. She accompanies him on many of his explorations due to her training in black magic.

Specialties: Black Magic, keeping Cecil in check, and cooking.

Job: Black Wizard, some training in green.

==Rydia==

Race: Dryad

Biography: Rydia is said to have grown out of the jungles of Golmore, otherwise nothing else is really known about her.

Specialties: ?

Job: ?

==Yang, Palom, and Porom Fang==

Race: ?

Biography: The three legendary monks who took the artifact of Atomos and hid it away.

Specialties: ?

Job: Monk?

==Edward Songkupo==

Race: Moogle

Biography: Edward is a simple musician who studied music down in Rossaria. He was digging through ancient texts in a library looking for inspirations for new music. One of those pieces was the Legend of Atomos, which sparked the search. His current whereabouts are suspected to be in the Rossarian mining town Gran Ferra. He is the most wanted on both sides for potential information he may or may not have on the whereabouts of the artifact.

Specialties: Music, dance, getting lost.

Job: Bard

==Terra Black==

Race: Elf

Biography: Terra comes from a minor noble family in Arcadia. She is known as a dark malicious woman. She has worked her way up the ranks of special tasks with the Arcadian military. Her unit has been tasked with the retrieval of the Artifact for the Arcadian military.

Specialties: Torture, dagger, and green magic.

Job: Time Mage, Gunslinger

==Locke Smith==

Race: Human

Biography: A street urchin that Terra picked up one day off the streets for amusement. Locke proved so apt at escaping that she decided to keep him. Locke has a complete hatred of Terra and her tortures ways. He stays around and obeys because the love of his life refuses to leave.

Specialties: Lock picking, manual labor, disguise

Job: Thief

==Celese Black==

Race: Human

Biography: Celese is an aspect of all that is good in the world. She was born on the streets of Archades and taken in and adopted at a young age by Terra for her prodigy abilities. Celese proved at a young age to have a natural talent for healing magic. She is also naïve, optimistic, and see’s good in everything. To the point that she never see’s danger or an enemy in anybody, helping all that ask. This makes it easy for Terra to manipulate Celese, and use her to keep Locke under control. Celese is also the only person Terra has ever shown a soft spot for.

Specialties: Healing magic, optimism

Job: Healer

==Edgar and Sabin Smash==

Race: Ogre

Biography: Two ogres who like to pound people into the ground like nails.

Specialties: Hammers, brute strength and vitality

Job: Gladiator

==Shadow==

Race: ?

Biography: All that is known is that he works for Terra.

Specialties: Information Gathering, stealth

Job: ?

==Setzer Skyfall==

Race: Goblin

Biography: A goblin from the Nalbina region. Setzer is a brilliant engineer and in charge of Terra’s airship, Black Widow. He is never seen away from it. Terra also never tortures or threatens Setzer, being one of the few people she shows any fear from.

Specialties: Airships, weapons, firearms.

Job: Engineer.