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Part 32: Green Hell
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Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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The heat strikes like a physical blow, and the humidity is all but
unbearable. On all sides, visibility is strictly limited by the
dense vegetation, none of which looks particularly healthy. The
air is filled with the stench of decay and the sounds of insects.
The insects... wasps and flies and beetles and grubs which would be
recognised as such in just about every Shadow, save for one difference;
here they are bigger. Something the size of a housecat rushes at
Aaron from the undergrowth, only to die on the point of Ilsefranvir.
A scorpion of sorts, but the stinger has been replaced with a barbed
tube. As it twitches through its death throes, a number of
orange, pea-sized spheres are expelled from the tube... eggs!
The only things worse than the insects, are the reptiles. All of
them seem to be covered with spines, and have large, venomous fangs and
a voracious appetite for anything that moves.
In a nearby tree, a large lizard has captured a smaller one, and is
attempting to swallow it whole. The smaller lizrd, still alive,
continues to devour the hand-sized spider it has caught.
Jack studies an oddly designed mark on one of the tree trunks.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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“Ulag-Karak” Jack says glancing at the
critter Aaron speared, “Good work Aaron, that thing would have laid
it's eggs in one of us. The gestate real quick, the next Ulag-Karak
that burrow out have the key genetic survival traits of the host. “
Jack smiled tracing the mark “Painful… Usually lethal… I can’t stress
enough be careful, this world will kill you in a heart beat. It almost
killed me…Keep you wits and eyes about you.”
“There is a trail over there, it leads to the Pyramid. The
sign says so ” He says pointing off in a direction. “Keep close, a
tight pattern.Do we want to go there or to what little help we may have
here? There are natives, and they are friendly.” Jack moved over to
Cyan and Dorian placing his hand on Cyan’s shoulder.
Dorian, are you alright” He asked the dark man, his voice concerned. “What happened back there?”
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Berd, hissing angry at first, lapses into silence, knowing full well
he's nothing more than a mouthful to most creatures in this place...and
the things to which he isn't will just take more time to tear him apart
before feeding. Immediately, his eyes begin to glitter as he
stares around.
Cyan, still assisting Dorian, unsheathes Kirilinde, trying
to ignore Berd's nervous movements upon her shoulder. She stares
at Jack for a moment, a questioning look in her amethyst eyes, and it
doesn't seem to be about the mark the man examines. But after a
moment, the bard looks away, studying the world around them.
"Midworld," she whispers. "I hope there are no acadi, or Silversith."
On her shoulder, Berd shudders.
"Let us not touch the plants, either," Cyan finishes, not raising her voice, but pitching it to carry to the others.
Jack...hurry. We need a place of safety.
Why Kallika, now? she wonders on the heels of that thought. Why?
Then Jack moves to her after giving them the instructions, and she
gives him a quick, nervous smile, her sword still drawn. "The
natives, I would think - we need to find a place of safety...but that
is up to Aaron."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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Dorian stiffly pulls away from Cyan, and grips his staff with with both hands. "I
am fine and I don't know what happened. Argus and I were having a
confrontation when the connection to it's power source disappeared. It
even disappeared from my memory, for the most part. I tried to use my
sorcery to reprogram my mind to counteract what I thought was a memory
alteration, but it was something more. Then everything started to
change, things started to disappear... then there was a moment of pain,
and then nothing."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
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James draws his sword. He was almost as effective in combat
without it but years of training in jungle combat have taught him it
just doesn't pay to make skin contact with the native critters.
For a moment he finds himself wishing for his old fatigues rather than
his current rather smart attire, which isn't really suited to the
terrain, but he doesn't want to tinker with Shadow in such a hostile
environment.
"Will these natives be any use if it comes to a fight?"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Dorian's experiences interested him, and he made light his own thoughts on it.
"I think Luke was manipulating time in some way. Remember when he drank
the soda, and ants poured out of the can instead?" A curious
expression, as he gazed out towards the path where Jack had gestured. 'That won't happen until later, when I drop the can by the nest...' "A curious man, and very powerful, in his own way. We should be wary of him, but not too much."
Moving Ilsefranvir's blade closer to eye-level, Aaron examined it with
a frown apparent on his face. His voice became all business as he
answered James.
"I wouldn't want to put the burden of combat on a local population,
especially considering both the nature of this world, and the enemies
we face." Shaking off what bits of ichor remained on Ilse's blade,
Aaron clenched the hilt of his weapon and lowered it to his side.
"However, they may know more about this world than even Jack does, not
only of its flora and fauna, but also its current events."
To Jack and Cyan he nodded.
"I agree, then. We should make contact with the natives and find a place to prepare - or retreat, if necessarry."
A great sigh escaped him, and he nodded.
"I'm glad we've got an experienced guide, though. Lead the way, Jack."
Then he thought about Vesscuzz, and added: "Oh, and please, keep us
mindful of any social issues we may need to be aware of. I'd prefer not
to make a faux pas." Again.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack looked to Dorian “It’s alright Dorian,
if you can use help let Cyan help you.” He smiled at the dower and dark
man. “We all need help sometime even if you think it may show
weakness.” He gave Cyan’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"The natives could be useful, they are hearty and tough like the
Chunchee." Looking at everyone he spoke “The Pyramid is closer,
much closer then the village. The natives are some hike out. If that
makes any difference in your choices. The Work cam is the closest safe
place. If we go in helping and trying to infiltrate, it should be
safe enough.”
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan glances grimly at James, noting the man is ready to defend the group. So far, so good, as they say. Now, I must hold up my end.
Settling herself on the opposite side of the group from the big man,
she keeps sword drawn, listening to Dorian, Aaron, and Jack discuss the
world. On her shoulder, Berd peers around almost myopically, as
if searching for something in the misty air.
Perhaps he does.
"Luke was altering the flow of time, Aaron. That
much is certain," Cyan confirms, with a look to the drake. "With
some effort, Berd can do much the same...and has, in the past."
She turns her sapphire eyes toward Jack. "I fear it might be
better if Dorian managed on his own, or if someone other than myself
assisted him. I am better suited for guard." It's true -
while Jack might know the world, a guide does not have to lead, but rather can direct. Cyan's talents lie in the same direction as James', in this place. Defense.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
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Jonnee studies his surroundings with care, noting the details of the place. Then he pops his blades.
"Aaron, even if we don't use these natives in combat, we might be able to get some advice from them, or intelligence."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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"I am fine," Dorian says. "The pain was fleeting and it has passed now."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack glanced at Aaron “You think Luke was do you Aaron? What ever gave
you that idea? Shall I hand you one of my boots now? Instructions are
printed on the heal.” Jack grinned at Aaron, knowing that this
was the we it was to be. “Okay to the native it is… Lead us to
the game trail that way, but avoid that group of vines and flowers
there, they could be a problem.”
He flashed a smile to Dorian “Well I know I am not as pleasant as Cyan
to lean on, but let me know if you need help.” He gave the man an
impish grin before lastly looking to Jonnee. “Jonnee, I know it’s a
long shot and probably not useful, but can Hunter sniff for anything
familiar, Cylla has probably been here, perhaps the broken god himself
as well. Let's go guy's”
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan nods, still giving the undergrowth the eye. She is ready to
move out, with Berd on her shoulder, once everyone is prepared.
"We should have people with blades in front, each side, and to the
rear. It leaves few of us in the center - Jack, Dorian, and
Aaron." Currently she, herself, covers one side while James is
keeping the other safe. Cyan is reasonably confident her clothing
will provide basic protection against small, weak assaults, and Berd
will warn her against the larger ones.
Or deal with them himself. Ruby eyes flick a glance at the dragon for an instant.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Though Jack made an attempt at humor, Aaron wasn't amused by it. It
felt more sarcastic than anything else, and Aaron was in a negative
mood as it was. He just wanted to get in, learn what he could, and get
out.
He kept seeing Jadus fly over that railing...
"Let's get to the work camp, then." He sighed, and moved off in the direction of Jack's pointing finger.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack removed his leather
duster, rolling it up he put it in his pack. Working away he got ready
to move out, tucking Lenore into the relative safety of the pack. He
out some rope and made a strap for the cooler which had suddenly became
a lot more important. The meal he had promised Berd may now be the only
fresh food and drink in this place, other than the natives. All of the
time he spent getting making ready his eyes met Cyan’s.
Pulling his own sword he stayed near Cyan
ready to go, he would take his lumps like the rest of them. Sparing a
glance to Aaron and shaking his head. How
ever would he get their leader thinking, concerned with his
people and asking questions instead of with drawing into a world of his
own. Perhaps his sarcastic comment was not the best, Aaron may have
just been stating the obvious. That may have led to deeper questions
though. He put a hand on Aaron’s shoulder “Sorry Aaron, it’s just a
frustration when you state the obvious rather than asking deeper
questions. I know you are trying…. I'm just trying to remind you that
you have people here with an amazing array of talents. You’d be better
off asking them what they saw in Luke, what they felt about him and
what they made of his. Better they just telling them the facts. You may
be surprised what they come up with, and how differently each of
them saw him. Make use of that, Aaron…It’s you best tool. ”
He favored the man with a sheepish smile. Following in his place at Cyan’s side.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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At Jack's touch, Aaron held in the urge to yank himself away. His
attentions were on the trail ahead - perhaps more for his own peace of
mind; the desire to forget, even for a small moment, his own mistakes.
"You're right, of course." he responds after a small moment. "You of
all people should know though, that change is the hardest thing for a
man to attempt." Gritting his teeth, Aaron swallowed the remainder of
his words. "Forget it. Let's just focus on what we're here to do."
"What do you know about the presence of our enemies on this world? Do
you have any idea how long they've been here?" He hesitated, then added
what he was really thinking. "Jack, could this just be a giant trap? I mean, it's always a
possiblity... but I'd like to know your thoughts on the situation,
given your wide range of experience."
Glancing over his shoulder, he added: "And that goes for the rest of
you, also. Especially you, Dorian, if you've still got the mind for it.
We vary in experience, but I know your qualifications."
I know more than some of you think I do...
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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"Unfortunately, I can't be of much help this time, Aaron. I learned
a great deal, but then I also forgot it all. I think it affected me
because I was psychically attuned to Argus when it started happening. I
can tell you it was no manner of sorcery, nor do I know of sorcery that
can do that... unless.... Well, I know of nothing, though I could
experiment under less extreme conditions. I do know there was something
significant about Jadus, but I don't know what it was. Whatever it was,
it never happened."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan, emerald eyes reflecting the foliage around her, scans the
undergrowth, keeping prepared for any more assaults, be they from the
air, the ground...or beneath the ground.
Now listening to Jack and Aaron, with Dorian bringing his own
perspective to the table, Cyan closes her eyes for a brief
instant. There are certain things happening of which they should
speak, but the bard no longer knows the right path. Would
speaking help? Or would it make things worse?
But that isn't for her to decide. It's for Aaron, Dorian, and the
others. She doesn't have the right to make that choice.
Later. When they stop.
Berd, on her shoulder, glances back toward Aaron briefly, then continues his own observation.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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The trail, for it can (barely) be called such, leads through dense
undergrowth, where even the plants are hostile. The ground
alternates between tangles of thorn-covered roots, pools of quicksand,
and clinging mud. Then there are the insects: thumb-long ants,
with jaws twice the length of their bodies, wasps as large as pigeons,
things which might be beetles, but match no sane description of any
known insect.
Conditions get worse as the day heats up, and soon every step seems to
be accompanied by a sword-stroke against some hostile forest denizen...
... and then the man-thing appears on the trail, silent as a ghost he
steps out of the forest, without disturbing the vegetation. He is
tall, with dark grey skin, mottled with green and brown. His
bestial face is a mass of scar-tissue, lipless and missing any sign of
a nose. His whole body, for he is almost entirely naked, is
scarred and tattooed and mutilated.
In his hands he carries a crude spear, tipped with something yellow and black that looks to be edged as keenly as any razor.
Standing square in the middle of the trail, he says, "Ack! I' i' 'ou?"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Heat. Insects. Memories. Purpose. Frustration. Aaron was doing all he
could to keep his eyes forward, his wrist moving of its own accord
whenever something tried to bite or poke or prod. Ilsefranvir
practically did the work herself, though lately her attentions had
been... elsewhere.
Then... it appeared, and Aaron's eye rose to become more
aware of their buzzing surroundings. He halted, causing everyone else
behind and around to halt also. Sparing even the smallest glance behind
him, he gestured as non-threateningly as possible to Jack.
"We have company."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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Dorian eyes the creature for a moment, looking unconcerned, then
surveys the surrounding area quietly. His dark eyes seem to gaze
through the vegetation.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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“Cargach I said I would be back.” Jack said as he led Cyan up to the
thing “I’ve brought friends seeing shelter and safety as I did. This is
My Lady Cyan. Cyan this is Cargach a friend and the Chief. Cargach
saved my life and put up with me rambling incessantly about you.”
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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'Jack, is it you?' Cyan's mind translates automatically. A
smile blossoms on her face at the words. "You make an impression
wherever you go," she says quietly, seeing no threat in the body
language of the man before them.
When Aaron motions them forward and Jack tugs at her arm, she gladly
follows, eager to see a friend of her lover's. Reaching Cargach,
Cyan bows. "If you have given Jack aid, if you helped him, I owe
you a great debt," she says, clearly. "This is Berd, a companion
and mentor of mine." Berd nods his head gravely to the man,
staring at him with his glittering eyes.
Straightening, Cyan waves back to the rest of the group, amber eyes as
pleased as her smile. "Perhaps, Jack, you might introduce the
others?" she inquires.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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“Ah once again I forget my manners.”
Jack smiled at Cyan “Than you love” he nodded or pointed to each in
turn “Cargach, The wolven Nai is Hunter and his Sidekick with the
blades is Jonnee, The Gentle Giant Andrej, who’s hart is larger than
himself. James is the man there, the ever level head amongst us,
voice of reason, also a man of hart and spirit much like Andrej.
The Dark one is Dorian, he uses his hard gruffness to hide
behind. The dour one is Aaron, our esteemed leader. And you have
of course met Cyan, who’s spirit and beauty out shine them all.”
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
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Anyone unfortunate enough to be reading James's mind at this particular point would find the highly uncomplimentary Man, he got hit hard by the ugly stick. uppermost, but underlying that is respect and admiration. It took
real skill to move that quietly and to avoid disturbing the vegetation
bordered on the supernatural.
The latter consideration led to a very important question: Did they
have an effective insect repellant? Fangmir's blade now ran with
the ichor of innumerable insects, bugs and (for lack of more accurate
description) creepy-crawlies. But James resolves to wait and
merely nods as he is introduced to Cargach by Jack.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
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Jonnee's first reaction when the creature appears on the trail is that
it must be some sort of animal. It can not be a person.
And then it speaks, and he realises that it is a human, but scarred and cut, maybe to make it, him, seem more feirce. He tangles his fist in Hunter's fur and holds the wolf steady in the face of this apparent threat.
Except, to add another surprise to the mix, the man is no threat, but a friend of Jack's.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Jack proceeded then to introduce everyone to the newcomer, and Aaron
was glad for it. The last thing they needed now was a servant of the
Archons discovering their presence, especially in such a hostile
environment.
Needless to say, Aaron relaxed somewhat, though he was still conscious
of their surroundings, and Ilsefranvir remained unsheathed. When Jack
mentioned him, Aaron merely nodded in response, and waited to see where
this meeting would lead them.
"I assume he can lead us to the work camp, right Jack?"
I wonder... is there more to this than I'm seeing? Perhaps this man
leads some sort of minor resistance. He certainly looks fierce enough
for it...
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cargach (NPC)
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Cargach nods to each of them in turn as they are introduced, then pulls
Jack to one side and speaks to him urgently in low, gutteral
tones. He keeps jabbing with the point of his spear, along the
trail in the direction that Jack had been leading the group.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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"Gruffness, Jack? I think it'd be expected when your friend more
than a hundred other friends surrounding us, some of whom wait merely a
couple of feet from members of our expedition. They express no
hostility, to us anyway, but I suggest we endeavor to keep it that way,
if at all possible."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack stood apart from the group listening to
Cargach his face growing grim as he nodded his understanding. He looked
over at Dorian and simply asked “You were expecting lais perhaps?” he
grew quiet and spoke to Cargach in hushed tones.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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One hundred people around them? Cyan stares around, her amethyst eyes wide. These people would put Erchamion to shame...well, perhaps not.
But so many of them, and some no doubt within sword's reach! She
doesn't think that Dorian is the type to exaggerate - they must be
wizards at concealment.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
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Well, that's certainly a reality check. 100 people.
James freezes, it is not the stillness of uncertainty or hesitation,
rather he is poised. Working on the assumption that he will not
be able to see or hear the surrounding tribesmen (or women) he prepares
to react to the first hint of movement.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Aaron's eyebrows rose at Dorian's statement. Simultaneously,
Ilsefranvir's eight blades rotated in opposing directions... she sensed
no danger, yet.
Nothing?
No. I believe they're more than likely waiting for word from Cargach as to our intentions.
Logical, and no doubt assumed by the remainder of the group, as well. At least, he thought, Jack seems to have the situation under control. Not surprising... he's pretty easygoing in almost every circumstance. Which, Aaron knew, wasn't always a good thing.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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Dorian snorts. "I never expect lais, Jack." He smirks.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack half turned from the leader his
long hair hanging limply in the moist heat and beads of sewat rolling
down him. You would have never guess it by the way he carried
himself casually in this living hell. His eyes met Dorian’s, “Then
please stop acting like you need to get laid.” he said evenly in soft
calm tomes that carried. “All of you would do better to worry
less with our friends and more with the people from the temple that
hunt them even now. Listen and watch for anything coming please. People
are dying even now, slaves are being driven into the forest to keep the
beasts busy while the masters hunt our friends.”
“ They seem to have captured someone important in their
last raid….” Jack looked at the group of seekers imploringly. “Please,
you don’t think these people can’t see you all getting ready? Just
relax and they will. I’m asking you calm down, these are my friends.”
With that he turned his attention back to his native friend.
"I'll help you even if they choose not to, but can you help us?"
It probably said alot about the shadow prince that he seemed to have
more respect for these natives than and Amberite, any Chaosite, any
royalty or even someone like Luke.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Still somewhat startled by the situation, Cyan ensures her sword is
carefully sheathed, and slings it over one shoulder. Her hand
twitches toward it once - not due to nervousness regarding their
'hosts', but rather uncertainty as to whether their hosts can protect
them from all of the dangers of the world.
Possibly they can. Better to trust, for they knew more than
she. If they were indeed allies (and Cyan had no reason to doubt
Jack!), and they could not, no doubt they would tell her to draw her
blade.
"If slaves' lives are sold as bait," Cyan says quietly, "we must stop
it. You say they have captured someone? And the Enemy is
hunting them?" Cyan considers this for a long moment.
"Better that they deal with the Enemy hunting them, IF they can.
The longer the Enemy is unaware of our presence, the greater the
surprise when we finally strike. But if your associates are
having difficulties with the Enemy, that is a different matter."
She grins, ferally, amber eyes glittering in the dim light.
Oddly enough, she isn't perspiring nearly as much as one might expect in the heat.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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"Watch for other coming? That's exactly what I was doing when I
spotted them; someone would have scolded me had I not mentioned them.
As far as this world goes, the course is obvious-- We must conquer it
and submit the population to our will. It is too chaotic."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Aaron agreed with Jack, as far as their purposes went. This man,
Cargach, fought the Archons just as they did, and Aaron felt he didn't
need, nor want, to antagonize them. The sheathing of Ilsefranvir was
just one result, and his attentions turned to Jack for a moment.
"I agree with both you and Cyan, Jack. I see no other choice, as of
yet, but to help Cargach and his people. However, as Cyan said, we
should find a place to hole up before we can continue." Catching Cyan's
grin, Aaron had to allow himself a small smile as well. "If they need
us to resolve any issues they're currently troubled with, then I'm sure
we can help. It should allow us to get a larger viewpoint as to the
Archon's capabilities on this world, from what I see."
Sighing, Aaron turned and faced Dorian. His posture and features seemed
to be exuding patience, but there was an underlying aggression to it
that seemed contained for the moment.
"You may be used to the subjugation of a weaker force when faced with
their confusing or unpredictable nature or environment, but I will not
stand for such a thing as long as you exist in this group. The only way
to get this situation under control is by eliminating the source of the
threat, rather than the victims of it."
Glancing at the sky through his matted hair, Aaron wiped the sweat from his brow before it could obscure his vision.
"Even then, this world may simply revolve and exist around a base or
force that is, in itself, naturally chaotic. Halting that may result in
the nullification of life on this world, but that's an extreme
circumstance, and one I'm not willing to take part in."
Exhaling hard, Aaron nodded to Jack.
"Cagarch and yourself have the support of the group, as far as its
leader is concerned. But as you asked, we need to know if they can help
us as well."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
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"Hey, I'd like to see you try. These dudes'd just fade back into the jungle and let the bugs wipe out your army." Jonnee says in answer to Dorian's recommendation.
"They look like they know this place like the
backs of their own hands, but an invader would have to do recon every
step of the way. And before they could worry about Cargach and
his boys, they'd have to look out for poison ivy and ant nests and
who-knows-what."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack quirks a smile, a deeper
understanding made things easy to take in stride. “Some things are the
way they need to be Dorain. Yet others are not…You have not the time
nor desire to subjugate this world. Now how about getting on with
something real like giving us details, how far away are these others,
tell us all you can.”
Jack could have changed this world, but he didn't. Everything was
in balance just the way it should be, everything except for Callisto.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
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James doesn't look to have relaxed much if at all, he shrugs almost apologetically, "Sorry, Jack, no can do. This terrain just makes me jumpy. Short of a direct order, Fangmir," James indicates his blade with a quick nod of his head, "stays." On the other hand, James is careful to keep the point of the blade lowered.
"I'm with Jonnee on this one, Dorian. Short of nuking the planet, I doubt you'd ever subjugate this place."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cargach (NPC)
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Cargach nods at Jack, then raises his left hand and spreads all three
remaining digits before clenching them into a fist. Part of the
jungle seems to come to life, and there are suddenly more people on the
trail.
They use weapons to force back some of the foliage and expose a new trail. Cargach beckons, "'ollow.".
The men hold the trail open before the group, allowing it to close
again behind them, for perhaps fifty yards into the heart of the green.
Cargach steps out into a clearing, where a great tree has toppled and
no other has yet managed to usurp its place in the opening torn in the
canopy. Walking up the sloping corpse of the fallen giant,
Cargach steps carefully to avoid thorn-studded vines and patches of
luminescent moss which spray puffs of vinegar-scented vapour as he
passes. Once a few droplets splash onto his bare foot, and the
flesh smokes for a few moments...
From a higher point on the slope, the native leads the way onto a thick
bough, where there is no moss and the thorns have been cut from the
vines. The way rises higher into the foliage, until it seems they
tread through a green-walled tunnel, with the ground invisible beneath.
Once they halt while voices are heard calling from somewhere below,
interspersed with screams of pain and a droning sound reminiscent of
angry bees. When all is quiet again, the passage through the
overhead path continues.
It is perhaps three or four hours before the road descends, and the
final step is onto an acid-etched stone staircase which leads down from
the jungle into the ruins of an ancient city of carved granite.
The green has reclaimed much of the place, but there are clearings
where wooden buildings are clustered, either on the ground or lashed
onto the broken wall of some antediluvian structure.
There are people here of all ages, though age is not easy to judge when
so many are mutilated and scarred. Certainly there are children
present though, a few even unmarred as yet by their life in this place.
At the heart of the largest clearing stands a large, stilt-supported
building of wood, so old that a tree of respectable size has grown upon
its sagging roof. Lashed to one of the supports with lengths of
thorn vine is a man who is clearly not one of these people. He is
too well-clothed for a start, and does not bear enough injuries to have
been in this jungle realm for long.
Two of Cargach's people stand guard over him, beating the larger
insects away from him with their spears. Before him, on the
ground, is a stoppered urn of unglazed clay, from which a gentle
tapping can be heard.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
By this point, of course, Cyan is feeling the effects of four hours
under the heat and tension of this world. Were it one or the
other, she might be doing just fine; but between the oppressively humid
temperature (against which her constantly cool clothing has only
limited effect) and the tension of watching out for danger (with which
the world abounds), the hours of walking have tired her. Feet
aching, she stares at the prisoner with tired, emerald eyes.
The village itself, though, is enough to garner more attention, and the
bard straightens slightly, studying the structures, the people,
memorizing it for later conversion into prose. Ruins...a civilization of people from whom these are descended? Or something different? Who knows? Possibly the people before them, but for now there are more pressing concerns.
Berd, on her shoulder, stares with some interest at the captive. His forked tongue flickers out.
"An interesting walk, Jack," Cyan manages, turning to look at Cargach
and bowing. "My thanks for the safety of your village."
Though, realistically, it still isn't safe, not even here.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
-----------------------------------------------------------
James relaxes somewhat as more tribesmen appear from the jungle, taking
it as a good sign they're not going to be attacked. He still
keeps his blade drawn until they reach the fallen tree at which point
James decides it would be more useful having both hands free for
balance.
At some point during the walk he falls back into Army route step.
The march that will cover miles with the minimum of exertion by the
traveller. As a result, taking into account the effect of the
heat and humidity, James feels pretty good when they reach their
destination. Except for his feet. There are blisters down
there, James can feel each one, but there's nothing he can do about it.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
After the first two hours, Aaron simply fell into a state of
nullification. He could feel the tension from his comrades, all except
for Jack, who seemed more determined than tense.
By the time they reached the village, Aaron had a pounding headache,
and he wasn't in the best of moods. However, he decided to keep to
himself for the moment, and despite the pain in his head (it always seemed to start behind his left eye... or what remainde of it, anyway)
he absorbed a good amount of their surroundings. He figured he'd want
to tell Chrissie of their journey.
If he survived.
Dragging his hand down his face, he reversed the motion and ran his hand through his long, damp curls.
Then his eye found the man, flanked by two of the villagers, and his
attention was placed solely upon him. Aaron awaited commentary from
either Jack or Cargach, for he felt the spotlight was on them at the
moment.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack followed along, his armor light and chitinous
though it was, was still hot and uncomfortable. Though you would have
never guessed it by the mans attitude, he seemed driven. It was not
that he was not tired and hurting. He kept going inspite of it never
giving it a second thought. To some strange extent he seemed to be
almost enjoying this.
Once inside the city he did not rubber neck
near as much as the others, having already been hear himself
before. Instead he looked at those faces here and those missing,
waving greetings to individuals amongst the tribe.
Coming to the man Jack looked up at him, and nodded. “Isn’t it
though, still not quite the worst I have ever seen.” Jack answered
Cyan. Then looking between the group he spoke softly. “This is of
course the man they captured, he is an important master, important
enough for them to spend time hunting him in this mess. Losing time,
land lives of both slave and their own men.”
Jack waited a moment letting that sink in “That is
very important indeed, considering that they have stepped up work on
the temple. It seems they work the slaves as hard as they can to
complete it, bringing in new daily.”
Jack nodded to the bound man “He will be sacrificed to
return the sun five days hence, on the Day of SunLoss. Dorian…if you
are as good as you say you are, now is the time to prove it. Get this
man to share everything he knows without killing him.”
Jack turned back to the native
“Cargach, Dorian here is going to ask the man questions, I will keep an
eye on the proceedings.” Doing this he slipped a hand behind Cyan
to rest on the small of her back. The cool of her clothes felt so good
that he was tempted to... well... some thoughts were best left
untouched.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dorian quirks an eyebrow. "Childs play," he sniffs. "It
will take some time, since I am not prepared-- unfortunately, torture
or pain will not be necessary... if there is time, I would also require
a few hours rest and preparation afterwards."
With a flourish of his black cloak, Dorian pivots on a heal and
approaches the man, gazing down his hooked nose with a look both
appraising and condescending.
"You should tell your friends, Jack.... I could reprogram him
to be the perfect spy... or even assassin... for their side. I could
even implant a copy of one of their minds into his body."
Turning again, Dorian finds a comfortable place to sit down next to the bound man and furrows his brow in concentration.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Not the worst for myself, Jack, but nearly so," Cyan whispers in
return. Bending, she massages her ankles through her high boots,
not daring to take them off. Who knows on what she might place
her sole?
Aaron, to her amber eyes, seemed quite displeased, though James was
doing well enough. Impressive, that, and far better than
she. Glancing at Jack, she frowns. Sacrifice?
How? I would know that, though I know not how to prevent such a
thing. Living creatures should not be sacrificed...not at all.
Berd stirs, and she hushes him. Jack's hand touches her, pushing
cold, wet silk against her skin, and Cyan shifts, shooting him a wry
look.
Then Dorian makes his announcement, and Cyan's lips thin. Torture...no,
there should be none of that, I would say. But is what he does
any better? Have we not done the same to the Enemy?
She doesn't quite know what to think.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack cast a glance at Dorian as he moved over by the man,
“I think they can hear you quite well.” Jack said showing neither smile
nor frown, “why don’t you ask them? Though I am not at all certain they
will take you up on it. If they do not make this sacrifice then they
believe the sun will not return. Who knows, perhaps the are right. I
don’t know.” Jack finished softly “Do what you need to
Dorian, just please let us know when you are ready to do it.”
He glanced over at Cyan, he had known that
the man was to be sacrificed, yet he had not told her until now. Not
certain how she would see it, though it wasn’t that he didn’t care. It
was just the was of things, it was the balance. He could not find it in
himself to look down on them, even for this. In this world that was so
broken and so out of balance. They had found the balance.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Jack," Cyan whispers, tugging at his arm, "what sort of sacrifice will
this be?" Her voice is quiet, but urgent; it's taken a bit of
thought, but the more she considers it....
It's one thing to execute an enemy soldier. It's quite another...
"And...how often do they make these sacrifices?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The bound man, head bowed at first, suddenly looks up and gazes
intently at Dorian. Then he nods, before slumping again.
His voice is quiet when he speaks, ragged, as if his throat is raw, "My
name is... is... Dorian? No! My name is Tobias. Yes,
Tobias. That's it. What do you want with me?"
He coughs, and something mouse-sized and bloody lands on the ground in
front of him, before wriggling away across the ground. James
makes to crush it beneath his boot, but one of the natives stops him
with a shake of his head, then impales the thing with his spear.
The thing squirms and hisses furiously, opening an improbably wide gape
lined with needle-like teeth, and is still alive, right up to the point
where the man thrusts it into a nearby cooking fire.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dorian's thin lips crease with the faintest trace of a smile. He clears his throat quietly and sits up straight. "My friends have some questions; I would like you to be as helpful as you can." He gives Jack a quick nod to proceed with questions.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack watched the man spit up
the vile parasite shaking his head sadly, it was a shame. . .
“Sacrifices are not a regular here,” he said softly with a hint
of remorse “an eclipse is coming and in a world where night fall brings
out the worst beasts this place has to offer… That’s a big thing to
them, scary as hell. I don’t know if even we could have survived the
trip in the jungle at night.”
“There is a thing in the urn,
a particularly nasty little critter being starved..” Jacks eyes are
dull and his face devoid of emotion. “It will burrow into the
prisoner’s chest… Tobias’s chest and eat his heart. Unless some one can
show them a better way?” He looked at over Cyan. only to refocs
on the doomed man.
He himself did not particularly want to
step forward and ask questions, he had hoped that they would discuss it
ahead of time. That Aaron would direct and lead them. Such was life….
“Who is the priest that oversees the Calisto
project Tobias?” He figured it best to start with something he knew.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
-----------------------------------------------------------
James looks down at his boot sadly. Rookie mistake. In a
place where nearly everything is venomous the cardinal rule is 'flick,
don't swat'.
James takes note of Jack's earlier comment and turns to ask Cargach. "Is there a place nearby where I can safely go to rest? I want no part in this."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan's lips thin as Jack explains how the prisoner will be killed, and
she turns toward Cargach, quickly moving to where the man stands.
"Please, do not do this," she implores him. "I understand this is
war, and prisoners must sometimes be slain for their crimes against
your people. So you choose to have his death fill a role as
well, as a sacrifice? I do not agree, but I am not of your
people."
"But like this? In agony and fear? Is it needful that he
die like that? I think not - it sounds more like something his people would do. You object to his people murdering and enslaving
- how then can you condemn him to a slow, torturous death?" Ruby
eyes beg their guide for understanding. "A cliche, perhaps, but
it leaves you no better than he."
"Is it so necessary to even have a sacrifice? Have you survived one of these nights before without the murder of another?"
Berd, on her shoulder, regards the forest-dweller for a long moment, then turns his head back toward the prisoner, studying him.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tobias chuckles, an odd sound considering his circumstances.
"Priest, eh? You confused me fo a second
there, until I remembered that Jordan passes himself off as a priest in
some places." He grins, and glances from left to right, then continues, "I always thought that whole Great Prophet Tarquin thing was pretty pointless... If we need more workers, why not just send an army of wheels to a world and take them? But no, His Ever-So-High-and-Mighty Highness likes to show
off that he doesn't need the wheels' help, so he uses the prophet
shtick to get more laborers. It takes longer his way, but I guess
that if Tirtera Calisto thought we were working too slowly to free him,
then he would soon let Jordan know, the same as he let Kristen know."
Cargach looks at Cyan, his ruined face perhaps showing puzzlement,
though without lips, and with so much scarring, it is hard to be
sure. Then he starts laughing, along with those of his people who
are nearby. Even Tobias joins in...
"You think 'e 'elei'e that so'e god hides the
sun, and 'e 'ust gi'e sacri'ice to 'ake it return? No! This
is 'arning to his 'eo'le. The sun did not hide 'e'ore they ca'e
here. They hide the sun, 'ut it co'es 'ack all
ti'es. 'en it returns, 'e send this one's cor'se to the', to let
the' see 'e are here still. Sacri'ice not to thank, 'ut to
threaten."
James is led to a stone wall, one of the three that remain from some
ancient building. Atop the structure, some ten feet off the
ground, is a wooden cabin, fixed to the wall with ropes of woven vine,
and reached via a ladder. A small fire burns below the cabin, the
fuel still green and damp judging by the amount of smoke it is
producing. To enter the cabin, a person must pass through the
cloud of acrid smoke, and James notes that the various winged insects
in the area seem reluctant to do that.
Behind the smoke is a more substantial barrier, a curtain of thin
cords, each of them weighted with a stone. As he enters the hut,
the stones clatter and rap against each other.
Inside, the hut is clean and tidy, with the walls, floor and roof
calked with dried mud. There is a woven sleeping mat, a loaf of
bread and some kind of sliced meat, and a stoppered jar which sloshes
when he lifts it and proves to contain water.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan fumbles for a moment, blinking. Jack certainly didn't give
that impression with what he said. But she rallies. "My
apologies...I misunderstood. But if I understand you," the bard
continues, "you wish to send a warning, rather than make a
sacrifice. But can you not send an equally potent warning by
simply excecuting the man, and returning to them his head?" This she understands. It's ugly, but it's war, and should an enemy,
one so despicable as this man - and despicable he is, for Berd has
already verified his part in this - need to die, so be it. For
his crimes alone, this man deserves excecution.
But...torturing him to death. That is different.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by James
-----------------------------------------------------------
In the relative security of the cabin, James clears the floor space by
carefully moving the bedding, food and water to one side. He lays
his sword next to them. Moving back to the centre of the room,
James takes a guard position and visualises in his mind the Pattern of
Amber. As he mentally places his first foot on the Pattern he
starts to move.
To the uninitiated his movements would look like a strange dance, a
sequence of turns, dips and swings. He is in fact moving through
the elaborate and formal rhythms of his kata. James has worked
hard over the last few months to reach the point where he can
synchronise his physical movements, parries, holds, strikes and throws
with the intricacies of the Pattern in his head.
It doesn't allow for physical recuperation the same way as simply
sleeping would but it hones his body and mind to work together and it
allows him to leave the events below far behind. He understood
all too well what was going on down there and it was a part of James's
life he'd prefer not to revisit.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dorian leans back and smiles smugly, please with his work. He makes no
sound as the others speak. In truth, he does understand Cyan’s
sentiments, and while he could understand the reasoning of these
people, he saw no need for senseless torture. He agreed that merely
returning his head should be enough.
”Knowing that a comrade has suffered unnecessarily might only serve
to enrage them, instead of instill any fear in them; and yet, as I
mentioned, he might serve an even greater purpose as a spy or assassin,
under my control. Yet, these are your ways, honored leader, and I will
not interfere. I merely offer my humble opinion, as a man experienced
in psychological warfare and intelligence.”
He could only assume that Cargach stood as the leader, but he knew it
was best to recognize the man’s authority in offering advice.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cargach (NPC)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cargach glances from Cyan, to Jack, then to Dorian, before beckoning
them a few paces away from the prisoner. In a low voice he says, "The
'east lays eggs in the 'ody. 'y sending hi' 'ack, 'e attack their
camp. The eggs hatch and the 'aggots look 'or so'ething to
eat. 'ut his idea" he jerks a thumb at Dorian, "is good too. Sa'e thing, send hi' 'ack, and his 'riends su''er."
"I like it."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Paling, Cyan nods. "I...understand. No doubt the masters of the Art of War would approve."
I cannot.
This sickens her. This war, in this place, threatens to reduce
everyone involved to nothing more than beasts, savage animals tearing
at each other, claw and tooth, seeking out every advantage no matter
how twisted or cruel, until...nothing remains worth fighting
over. Certainly she can understand Cadrach's wish to defend his
people, at any cost.
But to Cyan, that cost is too high to pay.
"I am not suited to warfare of this sort. I fear I make a poor
general." Cyan turns away, staring up into the leaves, feeling
the heat, the nausea.... Slowly, her sapphire eyes close.
Berd yawns, crackingly. Reaching up, the bard scratches him
under the chin. "Thank you," she whispers. Berd shrugs,
once, then relaxes.
"I think...it might be best were I to follow James."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
“Enough! I think it's best if you stay!” Jack says
flatly stepping up where Aaron had not. “Cyan…We do not have to fight
this type of war. Win loose or draw we fight how it is right for us.
You want this poor soul to have at least a quick death. Then help me
earn it.”
Deep blue eyes regarded her “We need information, which
means we must ask him the right questions. With that information we may
find a key. To give up now is to give up on him <b>and</a>
all of the meant being sacrificed to find him. Frankly I am
disappointed that James walked away… We need all of the minds that we
have! Using this man, <b>we <b> ourselves could have a
direct invitation into the enemy camp. We are a lot more dangerous and
discriminating than any beasties we could put in him. We can hit
where hurts most. ”
“You!” He pointed to Tobias, “Tell me everything you can about
Tirtera Calisto, the pyramid project here and the eclipses.”
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
"I am beginning to realize something, Jack," Cyan says quietly.
"I am not suited to fighting a war at all." She offers him an
apologetic smile...but stays where she is. "I am not a general,
nor am I a soldier. I understand the Art of War, but I cannot put
it into application. My way...would fail."
Dropping down into a crouch, an oddly animalistic motion, Cyan runs one
hand through her damp hair. "But on the other hand, I will not
give up. You are correct - we need to use what we have. I
am...a scout. I am..." She swallows, heavily. "A
spear. Hopefully I can aim myself at the Enemy's heart." Assassin.
You might say that. You seek to cut the Enemy's throat, bypassing
the armies and battles, fighting only those which you have to...because
you are a poor warrior, Cyan. Oh, you can fight...but you are
soft, compared to Kaelyn, Aaron, Andrej, Jonnee, or Jack.
"You are wise...as always, Jack. I will stay, listen, and
ask. And perhaps we can find a way to cut to the heart of this
matter without a battle. Berd...might you assist Dorian with the
questioning?"
Berd sits up a little straighter. It's obvious his wounds still bother him, but he looks less exhausted, despite the heat.
Or perhaps it's BECAUSE of the heat.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack moved over and his hands found
Cyan’s shoulders massaging them. “War is not easy…War is hell…But
remember you did put it into application Cyan.” Jack said in soft
encouraging tones. “On primes world, I could not have succeeded without
your tactics. You just doubt yourself to strongly when not in the thick
of it.”
Jack crouched down behind her “I say
we have this man lead us into the belly of the beast so we can do
maximum damage. What are your ideas my love?”
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
"You cannot have a war without subjecting people to the results of it.
The result, more often than not, is death. Without the deaths of
people, innocent or otherwise, war isn't war."
Aaron's voice is dull, mostly due to stress and lack of sleep than
anything else. His eye is somewhat clouded, distant, as if staring
through everything rather than taking it in.
Then that eye moves to Cyan, and it focuses in an interested way.
"You're correct. You're more the general behind the lines than the frontline grunt. That's a good thing, and something I need in this group. A stable person is always better to have than a
raging, blood thirsty maniac." A small smile hinted at the corner of
his mouth, "Despite that though, I still do find your other interesting
talent quite necessarry, my fair berzerker."
Crouching, Aaron sighed and stared at the ground between his feet for a moment.
"Cagarch's ways may not be subtle, but they do have a history on many
worlds of actually working. When you fight in war, you must take every
opportunity to get an advantage against your opponent, even if it means
being shunned by the people you're supposed to protect." His gaze
rising to look upon Tobias, Aaron frowned distastefully. "I think his
death would be ironic. Host to a parasite that will eventually kill
him. Quite similar to the workings of his masters, is it not?"
He sighed, and then turned his attention to Jack.
"We may be able to use Tobias to lead us in, as you say, but is that
the only idea you have? Can you think of any other way to damage our
enemy?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
"I have an idea. No offense, Jack, but one that I think may be even more effective than leading us in there...."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Do not listen, Tobias," Dorian commanded.
"Please," Dorian began as he stepped aside with the others. "Bear
in mind that I know very little of the nature of this place, or of its
history, or even the nature of the enemy. You all will need to fill in
for my lack of knowledge. I'm not even sure of our objectives here...
"Normally, a spell has an effect only at the location where it is cast.
For instance, consider the lava-summoning spell I used against the
shapeshifter. It open a portal to a spot where there is pressurized
laval, but the lava appears where I am, making it dangerous.
"However; I believe I can bend the rules, a bit. Tobias' psyche is
weak; too weak to even handle a simple spell. I can, however, imprint a
spell into his mind, which he could not normally use. Then, when the
time is right, I can open up a mindlink to him and use him as a sort of
anchor to cast the spell by remote. Essentially, use my psyche to power
the spell when he casts it-- I can link the spell with a mindlink
spell, even-- there are details I need to work out....
"The thing is, though, this won't be a portal to just pressurized lava.
This will be something much more deadly. All of the variables will need
to be preset into the spell, because it can be a bit tricky-- but
nothing I can't handle. The spell will open up a very tiny portal, for
only a microsecond, to the center of their sun. The effect will be that
of a tactical nuclear blast centered in middle of their camp... or
city... I don't know what we're attacking, this is where I need
information.
"And no... I've never done this before, but I do feel confident I can
do it with great precision. There is no risk to us. The plan is
failsafe, since there will be only minmal tampering to his mind. The
link will only be active a moment before we execute the spell, so no
one will detect me in his mind before that. I will only need to leave a
few small impulses and we'll have to let him think he escaped on his
own.
"The only problem is if there is someone in their camp you want to take alive...?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Or if we want to try and free the slaves." Jonnee adds, his face grim, "But I guess you can't make omelettes without breaking eggs."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan nods to Jack, then slowly shakes her head. "No, Jack...there
is a difference. I can...fight when need be. I can fight to
defend. I can fight against an enemy, when straits are
desperate. And yes, in this case I can find a way to get us into
that camp." A smile up to him, and she puts one hand over
his. "But what I can't do is carry out a war - a campaign against
the enemy."
Her topaz eyes flick up toward Aaron. "You misunderstand,
Aaron. I fear that part of me you call berzerker - the coldfury
taking me away in conflict. But...there are times when it is
needful. I have used it to fight, to defend, for I remain capable
of planning, of carrying out tactics. And I do not shun fighting,
when necessary - if there is blood on you at the end of a battle, it
means you have taken responsibiltiy for your actions - you have been in
the thick, 'getting messy' as someone I once knew put it." A
faint smile touches her lips at the memory of the One-Handed.
"It is WAR of which I speak. Being a general. Making the
'hard decisions'. Other people's opinions does not concern
me. What concerns me is that I cannot take 'every advantage', for
some I will not take. It has nothing to do with 'honor', but everything to do with life."
Slowly standing, the bard holds up a hand, fingers outstretched, and
begins to tick them off. "There are five critical faults for any
general. Recklessness, leading to destruction. Cowardice,
bringing about capture. Fury, leading to provocation.
Honor, which paralyzes. Over-care for the men and the civilians,
controlling the general's actions*. Thus spoke the sage."
Cyan stares directly into Aaron's remaining eye. "I suffer from
the last. I cannot...no, will not wage a war of agony, torment,
and unwilling sacrifice."
She crouches again. "I am willing to fight, in pursuit of the
head of the enemy. I am willing to seek that head, and slay
it. But I do not believe anything good can be saved through
evil. I will have no part of any such means of using Tobias - to
make of him into a weapon as you suggest...." A sickened
expression crosses her features, and Cyan bows her head.
"No. I will see him dead, first."
Dorian's suggestion puts a look of horror on Cyan's face; horror at the
possibility of such power more than at the thought of using it.
While such violence is not unknown to Cyan, who watched the conclusion
of the War of Wrath from afar, who saw two armies ground to dust by
Berd's will, who directed Jack's revenge against the Archons, it is not
something with which she is familiar,
as would be a person of Earth, with their nuclear weapons. Even
using Tobias is not so repugnant to her - it is no different than an
execution, quick and clean, and this death would serve a purpose.
But...such power? In a single creature? Can all mages do so?
For an instant her eyes turn to Jack, then Berd. She knows they
are capable of the most terrifying displays of might, given the right
circumstances. Her eyes rove around the group, taking in Aaron as
well, wondering about the strange magics he hides within, the power of
the Pattern. Suddenly Cyan feels very small and young amidst the
people around her.
So be it. But I can be so and remain true to myself.
"Jonnee is correct - there are the slaves to think of." With a
glance to Jack, Cyan paces. "My opinion has been requested, and I
will give it. For myself, I would survey the camp, then, armed
with whatever knowledge we could glean from Tobias, infiltrate the camp
to find the leader. Capture him, bring him out, and gain more
information, then decide from there."
*Paraphrased from Sunzi (Sun-tze).
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
"There are slaves, then? And they are near the leaders camp? Yes,
that does interfere. As I said, I do not know the situation here."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Don't know the situation? What have I been
talking about all of this time?" Jack shakes his head cluckling his
tongue, not at Cyan but at Dorian. “Sometimes I feel like people pretty
much ignore me around here.” He flashed Cyan a smile nodding to
her. “I’d pretty much told everyone about the slaves. Sometimes I
wonder….”
“Out and out I feel like that trick of
yours Dorian, though interesting and creative. May be useful at some
point in the future, right now it is far to risky. You’d nuke the area
and the slaves, making it where we could not gain anything further from
it. Without any guarantee that it will even effect the pyramid. I have spoken
of it and it’s ability to nullify power. If it can null the powers of
order and chaos…Well what would it do to this?” Jack asked the
rhetorical question.
“No, I regret destroying the archon hold on
Primes world without getting more information. Knowledge and
information is our best chance of being able to remove the head of the
beast. We can not gain that without going in there, it’s a fools gambit
to think otherwise. Infiltration is our best tactic right now, not one
world, not fighting an unwinable war.”
“I don’t mind saying it’s pissing me off a bit. We have a source
of knowledge right there and people are more focused on making plans
with only bit’s of information, rather than trying to get what
information they can to make informed plans.” Jack shook his head
giving Cyan’s shoulders a soft squeeze. “Can we get all of the
information we can before we run off half cocked?”
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Your pride speaks once again, Jack. Yes, you mentioned slaves, but
you mentioned nothing of their location or proximity to the high
leaders. In most cases of slave labor camps, the real leaders are far
from the slaves, and only underlings control the slaves. It is not
logical for so many slaves to be so near the highest leaders, should a
revolt occur. Once again, you assume to much and speak to us as if we
were children. If you wish us to know what you know, you need to really
share what you know, and not just scraps. You ask for opinions and then
scorn them, only in a childlike attempt to make yourself look better,
by means of twisted words and games. Since I know you have a
deep-seated need to have the last word in all cases, I will let you
retort and then take my leave of this sham of a meeting. I am
embarrassed to even be associated with you."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
"This again..." Aaron mumbled, unable to even consider what to do in this situation.
A deep sigh escaped him, Aaron's eye closing to further dwell upon the
uprising that once again threatened to fracture his, extremely
necessarry, group.
"How, in the name of all that exists, can anyone expect me to even
learn to lead a group that can't learn to work with eachother, despite
our differences?"
Shaking his head, Aaron cast his gaze skywards, and wondered what Cargach was thinking of this mess.
We can't go in and be seen. The slaves would get axed the moment our
enemies saw us. Despite what I said, those casualties would be
pointless. Reaching into his jacket, he removed a cigarette from an inner pocket, lit it, and began to smoke.
And with the way things are going... I don't think I'm going to have
much of a group left after we leave this world. Damnit... I wish I
wasn't so awkward in these argumentative situations! I don't know how
to be a mediator! He sighed again, smoke rising from his exhalation.
"Cyan, do you have any idea how we can get into that camp and free
those slaves?" His eye turned, roving the rest of the group. "How about
the rest of you? If Dorian and Jack want to stand here and converse
about the whole mess, they can do that to their hearts' content. I'm a
man of action, and that's what we need right now." Reaching behind him,
he unsheathed Ilsefranvir again, her silver-blue blade glinting in the
light. "I'm going to go get those slaves. We'll plan on the way, if
anyone is interested in following me."
And he rose, his blade twisting in his hand as he awaited both an answer, and a response.
After a moment, he chuckled slightly as a stray thought struck him.
Now that I think about it... I'll have to ask Cargach for directions.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan watches with dismay as the bickering erupts within the
group...again. She had hoped, HAD, that with time things would
grow easier, that people would learn to relax amoung one another...but
it appears time is not a luxury they have, with regard to such things.
She doesn't even want to begin to speculate on the reasons for this
particular breakdown. Instead, Cyan puts her head in her hands
for a moment, then stands.
"Enough!" Her voice cracks. It cracks, for the first time
since anyone has heard her speak, shout, or sing. "I am...I am
done with this madness. It has been quite sufficient, thank
you!" Ruby eyes flick to Aaron. "Aaron, I will require
answers from Tobias, first, as to the disposition of the enemy. A
map, and then time to study. I will be going, and soon, with the
purpose of garnering as much information as I can regarding our enemy,
and disrupting their operation."
She stares around the group at the others. "Then I will be
proceeding to the next place afforded to me by whatever information I
receive. Failing that, I shall backtrack, and take a new
path. Whether or not people will accompany me will be up to them,
but I swear to this -"
Berd suddenly looks alarmed.
"-I will tolerate no more wrangling! People die while we
wrangle. Worlds fall while we wrangle!" Her fingers tighten
upon her sheathed sword, knuckles turning white. "We are not the
center of the universe! There are others, no doubt, who are
battling against this threat! The Lords of Amber. The Lords
of Chaos. We can dance about on the head of pin, searching for
the perfect plan that does not exist, but one fact remains! WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES." Breathing heavily, she brushes back her hair from her face.
"If we die...we die! Others will rise up. Perhaps the
Universe will fall, perhaps not! And if it does, perhaps it will
rise up again, newborn like the phoenix, and challange the despot who
controls it. A thousand, a million years, the light will shine
again! But it dies now, and while we hunt, search, and try to
find the perfect place and method to apply our force, our arrogant,
presumptuous, 'we-are-the-only-possibility' force, it dies further."
Her voice drops, only a touch, but it does. "Act with
purpose. Act with care. Act with sincerity and
conviction. But ACT. And if we act incorrectly...I would
rather act and fail, than watch the world pass by for wont of a
plan. We have been lashing out in every direction since we last
met with Fiona, willy-nilly, without any focus. I am done with
this. I will do what I will do, and hang the consequences.
Hang my honor and my oath to Fiona, if need be! My spirit is more
important, my purpose is clear, and this how it will be."
Sacrifice others? Never. Myself? Well, that is open for consideration.
Turning, the Bard marches to where her pack lies on the ground, kicking
a hand-sized spider from the top and reaching in. Pulling out a
bottle of brandy, she takes a long drink from it, coughs once, and then
marches to where Tobias sits.
"You. Tell me everything. Everything. If
you hold back, my friend here will know. If you tell me
everything, I will let you live - I will place you somewhere safe, and
comfortable - a world from where you will not escape. I promise
you this. If you fail to tell me everything, I will simply give
you a clean death after my friend extracts the secrets from your
head. Do you understand?"
On more deep breath, and then Cyan raises a thin eyebrow at
Tobias. "Brandy?" she asks, holding out the bottle, ready to help
him drink.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
Thank God... someone who speaks my mind. Aaron nodded firmly at Cyan's agitated statements. He agreed completely, on all parts.
On all parts.
"Very good, Cyan. I'll assist in any way I can."
He watched as she and Berd questioned Tobias on their own terms, and he had to agree, he preferred her methods.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tobias regards the brandy with more than a little apprehension, but his
thirst wins out over caution. He accepts a drink, then a second,
then starts to talk.
"Where should I start? There are currently
upward of eight thousand slaves at the site, and the pyramid nears
completion. There are two hundred human overseers, and a dozen
wheels, sometimes twenty, if more have arrived to inspect the work, or
been called to solve some problem."
"The slaves use barracks at the east of the site, though most don't
spend much time there as the work schedule accelerates. The
overseer barracks are nearer to the Great Work itself, raised on
pillars, and they... Look, if you release me, I can draw a map
for you."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan nods at the information, then shakes her head. "Your
information is useful, and I will return to that anon. First, I
wish to know how you were brought into the fold. Tell me, from
the beginning, how you became aware of this, and how you grew to stand
where you now do. Tell me what they are doing in that camp.
Tell me the purpose, give me names of people higher than yourself, and
tell me everything you know of the entire faction we face. Then
we will discuss the camp itself." She grins, humorlessly, eyes
catching the sunlight and throwing back topaz flashes.
"Where to begin? At the beginning."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
With a chuckle, still driven by the presence of whatever force Dorian
has used upon his mind, Tobias answers the bard's question, "My, but we're inquisitive as well as beautiful, aren't we?"
"Very well, since you asked so nicely... I joined this group
because I was born into it, I suppose. My father and grandfather
both worked on this sort of project, though in other places, not
here. I am an overseer of the fifth order, which makes me among
the lowest-ranking people here. Apart from the slaves, of course,
but they don't count."
"Just about every other overseer outranks me, and the wheels outrank them, which is why they don't live here I suppose. They get to go home whenever they like. I did hear that they don't
like places where it rains a lot, which is why they come to us for jobs
like this."
Tobias thinks for a few moments, ordering his thoughts, "The
Great Work is the doing of the wheels. They tell a story that
their leader, Tirtera Calisto, was defeated in battle a thousand years
ago, and scattered across all the worlds, and they are trying to put
him back together again. Trouble is that there are places they
can't go, I guess, which is why they need us. I also heard we
were considered as a slave race when we first met them, but they
realised we could be more useful as partners than as thralls."
"We work there to build a pyramid. The wheels say that doing so
will allow a fragment of Tirtera Calisto that lies beneath the
structure to grow in strength until it can contact other
fragments. It all sounds like nonsense to me, but the pay is
good, and Kristen believed the story, and Jordan - that's the High Priest Tarquin to you, says he believes it."
The only bad thing about the job is the jungle. Oh... and the
fact that sometimes the wheels fight each other. When that
happens you duck and cover, and hope that none of the local bugs have
picked the same hiding place."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jonnee looks at Jack and grins as Tobias spills everything he knows,
without so much as anybody having to twist even his pinkie. "This is my style of interrogation. Torture is such hard work, and blood stains can be tricky to get off the furniture."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack stood passive as Dorian lost it
only getting it half right, but half was close enough he guessed. Then
he stood through Cyan’s tirade, she was again correct though much of
what he had said he himself had been trying to get them pointed
towards. Yet much of what she had said was to close to
home as well.
He moved off a little way from the
group, listening to Tobias spill his guts. Lot’s of information,
interesting information. Information that no one had seemed concerned
with until Cyan burst. But it was important, information they may not
have gotten without Dorian.
Jack nodded at Jonnee in silence, he wanted
to smile at Kalika’s old friend but he couldn’t. He contemplated the
trouble that had surrounded him, the trouble he had probably
caused. He had brought this to the quest… Alienating
allies, It was unacceptable.
Yes Jack had questions, but he would not ask. It was not his place. He
moved back more focusing on the broken pattern pulling it to mind.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan frowns rubbing the bridge of her nose with one hand. She
offers their prisoner another drink from the Brandy, ignoring his
'compliment'. "I see. So. You have travelled the
worlds, yes? Do you know of a world that seems to be closer to
the home of the Wheels? Or any other worlds, worlds of
significance? Worlds where there are other pyramids, where pieces
of your Broken God might lie?"
Glancing over her shoulder, she stares at the group for a moment with
emerald eyes, wondering if any of them have questions of their own,
then goes back to the interrogation.
"If you can remember such a world, think on it for a time. Consider it."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Hey! I got a question for him too, while we're all such good buddies here." Jonnee takes a step forward, and his strange eyes stare directly into the prisoner's own.
"Why do you do it? Not you, personally, you
see? Your people, what do they get out of all this? These
wheels, archons we call them, are wrecking worlds. Now there's
some that will tell you that those worlds don't count anyway, but not
me."
"So, tell me, why do you folks help them?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tobias had much to say, and Aaron's attentions were as much on him as
they were on his questioner. One thing stood out for him, the fact that
the wheels attacked eachother as well as their enemies interested him
quite a bit.
But he was also paying attention to the rest of the group, and the fact
that Jack had so suddenly withdrawn into himself had him alarmed.
As of now, Aaron wasn't even sure if he wanted the job anymore, but if
he could figure out a way to at least minimize the damage between his
comrades, he'd try it.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
As Jack slowly drifts farther out from the group he speaks briefly in a hushed voice “Ask him about the eclipse please…. And how they block the powers using the pieces?”
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
Perfect.
"Ask him yourself, Jack. You're a part of this group, too." Aaron speaks up, his attentions mostly on Cyan and Tobias.
"Actually, Jack, did you or Cyan witness the Wheels attacking one
another during your raid on the Archon's complex? If they have
factions, perhaps they can be manipulated in one way or another."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan nods along with Jonnee...a good question, indeed. Jack even
chimes in with one of his own. "Add that question, about why your
people assist the Wheels, please, and tell us if you know anything
about the eclipse, or how the pieces of the God weaken the powers of
the worlds, rending them impotent. Do you control that?"
Her sapphire eyes flick to Aaron, but Cyan decides to allow Jack the
answering of that question. He witnessed the Wheels more than she.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack found a spot to settle in away from the group “Yes I did mention it, I had noticed it multiple time times. He continued speaking softly I mentioned using dissention the factions of the against each other and using Dorian’s talents to take advantage of that.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Sadly the wheels do not allow anybody to visit
their home, and I am not so widely travelled as you imagine. I
have seen one of their fortress mountains, though, but only from a
great distance."
"It was on a world were the sky shook and the ground flowed like
water. The air was the colour of a scream, and the wind carried
the song of ten thousand voices, all singing the praises of the wheels
to a melody whose rhythm was pain incarnate."
Tobias drops his voice, becoming grim faced as he continues, "I would not willingly return there."
"As for why we help them in this work of theirs... We have seen
worlds scoured clean because their people refused to help. We
would bnot risk such a thing for our own world."
He at least has the decency to look ashamed of himself, as he adds, "It
seemed far better to help kill other worlds than to have ours killed, I
suppose. But as the years passed, we cooperated more willingly."
"We don't use the item. I don't even know what it is, to be
honest. Personally I think it uses us, but don't ever say that to
the wheels."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Ah, yes. I remember you mentioning that now, Jack." Aaron nods in
response. "My question must have been a snippet of that memory. Thank
you for reminding me."
He seems distracted, his thoughts more on what Tobias has revealed than
anything else. Vague flashes of memory repeated themselves behind his
eyes as Tobias mentioned 'fortress mountains.' That was one thing he
was grateful for. At least his memories weren't half-blind.
Just half-concealed.
Raising his head, he suddenly caught upon something, and spoke his
question with a curious tone. "Tobias, how do they move from world to
world? Do you understand their methods of traversing reality?"
Perhaps it's beyond his ken... nonetheless, the unasked question is usually the most important.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jonnee
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ah, the old 'help us destroy them or we will destroy you' spiel, eh?" Jonnee says, grinning just a little too wide, and with a few too many
teeth showing. The pupils of his eyes narrow down to slits as he
continues, "And I don't suppose it occurred to
anybody to ask, 'well, if they need our help to destroy these others,
then maybe they're not so freakin' powerful' eh?"
"And I'm betting that nobody even considered joining forces with these
others to hit the archons? I'm guessing you all just sat back and
took all the crap they were shovelling your way, right?"
All the usual levity has gone from his voice, and there is a tone to it
which suggestd the deep, rumbling snarl of some predatory beast, "Think about it, man. Those bastards use humans to enslave humans. What would happen if all the humans, slaves and overseers alike, turned against them? They
spend their days fighting between themselves, while you do their work
for them."
"If the slaves here revolted, with the backing of the overseers, they
could do nothing. This place is too wet for them to stay,
yeah? So they have to give up on this chunk of their God, or find
some other hired help, and if nobody else will help, then they're
screwed!"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan slowly turns her head to regard Jonnee for an instant, letting
Aaron's question go, certain that, in his present state of mind, Tobias
would answer. Her emerald eyes are sad as she stares at the
deadly man. "I am certain that some of them thought of it,
Jonnee. But fear...fear is a terrible thing. It makes
people do terrible things. It makes them join forces with evil,
to do evil, to be evil, when they think there is no other way
out. Rationalization becomes a way of life. This is likely
the only time Tobias has ever considered this without the veil of lies
and deceit he places over his own eyes."
She looks back to the seated man. "It matters not who suffers, so long as it is not them.
I am young, yet, but have seen this story played out a half-dozen times
in a half-dozen different worlds...and a thousand times between
people." The bard's voice drops to a whisper. "Would that
it were not so."
"But can you blame them? Yes. And can you also understand
that this is the way most peoples, throughout the myriad worlds, would
be? I know. I have seen it. These-" and she points at
Tobias "-are the people we struggle to save. For many of the
worlds through which we have Walked in pursuit of this quest would
react similarly, if given the same choice."
A long pause, then Cyan looks back to Jonnee. "I know the men and
women of my world, no better, no worse than others, would do the
same. Oh, I would like to believe otherwise, but...with their
world being destroyed around them, with their children dying, with
their cities crumbling and families tortured...they would give in to
their fear."
She sighs, heavily. "Disappointing. But true."
Berd continues to sit silently on her shoulder, staring at Tobias much as one might clinically stare at a specimen in a jar.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
"No... No, Miss, he is right. I
realise now that we could have stood against them, I guess. They
are few in number, and depend on us to do their dirty work. Many
of us would have died, but not everybody, and if the Great Work is ever
completed, I suspect it will be worse than I could ever want to
imagine."
Tobias looks shame-faced, almost close to tears, as he continues, "Let me make it right. Tell me what I can do to stop them."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack watch the whole thing passively up till
now, they needed Dorian for this one. He himself just did not feel up
to it. After all everything he had touched or done himself had turned
to dust. That which had not was surly only a matter of time.
“Do you really want to trust him?” the shadow man asked softly, shoulders slumped where he stood.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
"No," Aaron sighs in answer to Jack's question. "But I see no other option, save allowing Cagarch to sacrifice him."
Raising his eye and staring at Tobias, Aaron spoke firmly.
"Would you be able to get us to those prisoners without the necessity for bloodshed? If we can accomplish that, we may be able to infiltrate further, if opportunity allows."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan reaches out, puts a hand on their prisoner's shoulder.
"Everyone," she says quietly, "should be given a chance to make up for
their misdeeds. Everyone. You can assist us, Tobias, make
amends for the blindness and fear of your people before. It may
be dangerous but...something tells me you are now willing to accept
that danger, in order to do the right thing."
Looking over her shoulder, she gives Jack a sad smile, staring at him
with worried, amber eyes, then turns to look at Aaron. "Berd
trusts him. That is sufficient for me."
Berd's eyes flick to Jack, then, and he raises one eyeridge before yawning.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack stood quietly, his eyes closed and his face devoid of anything.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tobias seems eager to help now. Perhaps Dorian's hold on his mind
makes him more receptive to new ideas, such as rebellion, or maybe he
is genuinely filled with remorse for the actions of his people.
Either way, he has reached a decision...
"Yes. I want to help you. The wheels
travel here through a sort of gate under the structure. I have
seen it only once, when I was brought here. There is a tunnel
which leads down into the earth below it, and a chamber at the end
contains the gate. I think that if the gate were blocked or
destroyed it might hamper their efforts here, at least for a while."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
As Jack stood watching and talking in
hushed tones, his hand had kept coming and scratching one spot under
his left jaw. Even now he seemed to be feeling of something there,
probing it with his fingers.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
"So." Cyan pats the man on the shoulder. "We will require
more information from you, Tobias. The information you have
given, here and now, is a knife aimed at the heart of the Enemy.
Only with knowledge do we have any capability to battle the
Enemy. Your knowledge may well prove the deciding factor."
Cyan turns to face Aaron. "We have two targets, now. Saving
the slaves, and closing this gate. If the gate is left open, we
will battle more than a score of Wheels...and I very much believe that
a score of those devils will be more than we can face."
Berd turns his head back to Tobias, studying the man carefully.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Standing well away from the party Jack stood aloof and
watched in silence. A small bloom of blood had formed where he worried
at the spot on his neck.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
-----------------------------------------------------------
Nodding, Aaron felt affirmation at Cyan's statement.
"I feel that striking at the gate should be our primary concern. If the
guards watching over the prisoners are called to help defend it, then
Cagarch and his warriors should be able to retrieve them."
A heavy sigh escaped him, and Aaron's thoughts mulled deeper.
"However, it's going to be a tough fight. We need to be fluid in our
actions, and take into account that the Archons will more than likely
have contingency plans for just such an event. Our own adaptability and
manipulation of the environment will be our best asset."
Turning to Jack with a question on his mind, his eye took in the man's
introverted state of mind. Then he saw the blood, and concern overrode
almost everything else.
"Jack, what happened? One of the local fauna get inside your defense?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack coughed one short sharp cough covering his mouth “I Don’t know,” his voice had grown rough an hoarse as well as quiet feels like something got me.
He glanced at his hand his face wavering for a moment “What about the piece of Ca-“ He cleared his throat as he whiped his hand on his dark pants. “Callisto ? That has to be a target. Can we get to it? Also what causes the eclipses?” Jack had pulled his arms tightly around himself.
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cyan stares at Jack with emerald-eyed concern, but it's possible he has
just picked up some kind of sickness from this environment.
"Jack, it might be best if you rest," she says, quietly, then turns
back to their prisoner.
"Please, answer those questions as well. And tell me, if you
would, what the effective distance of...neutralization is around the
pyramid. You are aware of the effect it causes? The nulling
of magic and the like?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Magic?"
Tobias seems genuinely puzzled by the word, as if it is something he
has never encountered before. Then realization seems to dawn on
him, "Ah...
you must mean the static field that the item gives off, yes? I
don't know about it damping out magic, but I know radios won't work
inside."
"Outside the pyramid there is no problem, but as soon as you step through that doorway... that's it. Dead zone."
Pausing a moment to consider, and to order his thoughts, he continues, "Radios will work in the gate chamber though, which is beneath the pyramid. I guess the field has a limited range."
"I don't know what makes the eclipses. They have been going on
for as long as I've been here. I always figured they were normal
for this place, though I've noticed that there always seem to be more
wheels about just before they happen, and for a day or two afterwards."
"As for getting to the fragment, I don't know how easy it'll be.
I've never tried to get closer to it than the outside of the
pyramid. Sorry I can't help more."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack pulled a canteen and took a drink of water drinking a bit and spitting some out. “I’m fine.” He said softly the rough edge leaving his voice. “Though we need James out here. How do we do this? I myself still say
that if we come out of the jungle with Tobias in tow and the natives
giving chase. That could get us in… Then could Tobias lead us into the
pyramid?”
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
"No," Cyan says with another worried look at Jack. "I'm sorry,
Jack, but for us to do that would immediately put us under the scrutiny
of the Wheels. Rescuing Tobias or not, we would be questioned,
likely at length. It is perfectly obvious we are 'not from around
here'. We cannot stand up to such a querying." She taps her
lip with one finger. "I maintain that our best bet would be to
actually sneak into the camp. No diversion. Nothing.
Merely sneak in. These creatures are clever - anything putting
them on their guard will have them suspicious of the entire world."
She shrugs. "That is how I plan to do this. Simple is
best." Her ruby eyes flick back toward Tobias, and she
nods. "You are making up for a lot, Tobias. If you can tell
us what you know about the watches, the defenses, how you prevent
people from doing just as I plan, you will have been of immense
assistance."
Pausing, the bard ponders another possibility. "Tobias, are you
granted movement beneath the pyramid? Where the...dead area
ends? Are there guards in that area? If you could get
there, we could join you and move up through the pyramid, already
within it."
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jack shrugged “Good enough, someone still needs to get James… I’ll go.” jack stood and started off looking for their wayward Amberite
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Yes, I can get down to the gate, and there are no
guards. Who would go down there to do harm? All that's
there is a gate to one of the wheels' worlds, maybe their home world." Tobias, still bound, shrugs as best he can.
"Who would want to go there?"
===========================================================
Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
-----------------------------------------------------------
OOC - Somehow I missed this.
IC -
"Well, then..." Cyan nods, slowly. "There IS a way up,
though? From the gate, through to the pyramid? Hence, once
can arrive through the gate and immediately move up into the
pyramid?" She rubs her cheek, then runs one hand through her
hair, thinking furiously.
"I could most certainly go there, first, with our new ally's
assistance," the bard says, amethyst eyes thoughtful. "I could
then bring the remainder of our group directly into the area, without
concerns about us losing the element of surprise due to a misstep or a
trap unseen. What say you, Aaron?"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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"Yes, an access shaft, sloping up to allow the
wheels and any slaves with them to go directly from the gate to the
inner chambers. The best time to go would be at night - the air
gets too damp and cool down there, and the wheels don't like it then."
"They tend to stay away at night."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Cyan's plan formed itself comfortably in Aaron's mind, and he nodded an affirmative at her request.
"Yes, I agree with you." Adjusting Ilsefranvir, Aaron shifted his weight and glanced behind him.
"It sounds like the most plausible idea we've had yet, anyway. It just
mightwork." To Cyan he looked, then. "Be very careful, not that I need
to tell you that." He chuckled slightly, and the smile that appeared vanished almost as quickly.
Aaron turned to Cargach and attempted to catch his attention.
"How much time do we have until sunset?"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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"Perfect, and my thanks" Cyan says with satisfaction, referring to both
Aaron's agreement and their prisoner's words. She rubs her
forehead for a moment, then turns back to Tobias. "Now. I
will need a detailed map of the pyramid and the surrounding
environs. Pay close attention to where the guards might lurk,
where we can find the 'Piece' of the Broken God, and most importantly,
where the slaves may be found." Fumbling in her pack, she hands
him the sketchbook and a quill pen, eyes shining in amber excitement.
"What do you think?" the bard inquires of Berd, quietly. The
little dragon merely makes a 'comme ci, comme ca' motion with his
clawed forepaw.
"Mmmm. Yes. Well, we shall burn that bridge when we cross it."
The drake snickers.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack moved up from the back where he had
been ever so quiet. Watching all the plans be made with a worried
frown. You may not need say that, but I do. His deep blue eyes searched for Cyan’s eyes imploringly Please my love, be careful…Come back to me alright from this task. His hand found her shoulder.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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Tobias gives a slightly lop-sided grin as he starts to sketch the rough outlines of the work camp. "Sorry,
I'm not the world's greatest artist. Anyway, the pyramid is here,
with the overseer houses to the north-east, here, and the slave
barracks down here to the south of the pyramid. Hah! The
scale is way off, the slave barracks should be a bit closer in than
that, but you get the idea. There's a small lake over here to the
west. Good fishing there, but keep your feet out of the water, or
anything else you value... " a quick glance at Aaron, "...
and beyond that there's a trail runs about two hundred paces through
the jungle, to the quarry. If you need to cross the stream, be
sure to use the ford. It's mostly too shallow for the fish, and
there are stepping stones too."
The man hands his map back to Cyan.
"Let's see... if you go at night, there'll be
about a dozen guards on duty near the slave barracks, and that area
will be lit. The rest of the camp will be dark, and there'll be
maybe six guards patrolling. As far as I'm aware there are no
guards in the pyramid or the gate area."
"Oh... forgot to put it in. The entrance to the gate chamber is
to the west of the pyramid, between it and the lake. The pyramid
entrance itself is also on the west side."
Link to "Amber: Shadow Wars"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan, scanning the map as it slowly begins to take shape, pauses and
looks up at Jack. For a long moment, her emerald eyes are
unreadable, but then she gives him a soft smile. Reaching up, she
wraps fingers around his own. "Jack...I will be bringing you all
to me, once we are in this place. And the danger is not so great
- it will be Tobias who is taking the chances. First me, then I
shall bring through all of you. The threat to me, compared to he,
is minimal." A squeeze of the fingers.
"We will all be fine."
She studies the map for several heartbeats, then, and holds it up to
Aaron and Jack. "What do you think? If there are no guards
in the Pyramid, we should deal with the artifact first, then free the
slaves. Once the slaves are freed, things may become a
trifle...loud."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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“I know the plan Cyan, I heard you.” Jack said in soft reassuring tones, no trace of any ill in his voice. I’m just saying be careful , because I have to, because I care. his hand gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze
You already know you will have to
bring us through before you get too close to the pyramid. But yes it
will probably be best to deal with the Pyramid first, find a way to
close the gate. Still we will need to be ready to free the slaves fast
if everything goes bad.” He looked at the map over Cyan’s shoulder.
Shall I watch over you through your card Cyan? Jack asked not trusting the job to anyone else, but also realizing she may not want him to after their talk with Legion.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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"Of course, Jack," Cyan replies, keeping her hand on his. "You have my palanquet.
I have another that Tobias can use. And I promise you, I shall be
very, very careful." A small smile quirks her lips. "I
would rather get out of this alive, of course."
Her sapphire eyes flick to their leader. "Aaron...was there
anything you would add or consider to add to the plan? Jack will
be watching. Berd will see to it that the gate is blocked...to a
certain extent. I do not think the blockage will give us more
than a minute, either way, so I am uncertain as to whether we should
chance the use of power so close to the gate. For myself, I would
ignore the gate, and hope to complete this quickly and silently enough
that we need not worry about it."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dorian
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(NPC'd)
Dorian speaks, his voice distant as he concentrates on Tobias, "Almost done. I can give him just enough mental energy to power your palinquet, Cyan. After that, it is set so that it will fade away, back to his normal level over a couple of days."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan slowly stands. "Thank you, Dorian. Very well, I am prepared." The bard pulls out the spare palanquet of herself and pass it to Tobias, and a moment's work to instruct him on its use.
"Best if you see if you are capable, Tobias. You may attempt to bespeak me now."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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Tobias takes the card and stares at it. "Odd... and extraordinarily lifelike too. Why, I'd almost swear I can see the image breathi - you... it blinked!"
The card flutters to the ground, but the man stoops quickly to retrieve it.
"Remarkable."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan shakes her head, slow. "You should know better,
Tobias. Magic exists, you know that. This is
merely...another facet." Turning away from him, breaking any eye
contact or physical contact, Cyan cocks her head to the side, staring
at Tobias in her mind's eye, her own eyes dark, considering amethysts.
So, Tobias. Do you still believe this to be some form of
hypnosis? Yes, I am familiar with mesmerism, but this is not what
transpires here. Now you use the power of the palanquet.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Aaron thought everything over, his eye closed as he weighed the chances
that Cyan and Tobias were about to take. Knowing that Jack would be
watching them helped lift some of the concern, but Aaron was more
concerned about the things they still didn't know about their opponents.
And he kept seeing Jadus fly over that railing...
"Very well, Cyan. There's nothing I can see that I need to address."
Opening his eye, he placed a hand on her shoulder and then stared hard
at Tobias.
"We will be watching you."
Then he cocked his head to Cyan and lowered his arm, Ilsefranvir shifting in his clenched right fist.
"Go, my bard, be as swift and sure as your blade. We will be ready."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Berd
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Berd watches with amusement while Cyan tries to convince Tobias of the veracity of the palanquet. Pausing, he turns lambent eyes toward Aaron.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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"I'm sorry. The magic I've seen before is
somewhat more... flashy. This is very subtle, with no chanting,
arm-waving, or burning of incense." Tobias smiles, childlike joy shining in his eyes.
"And this is more amazing and unexpected because
it is so subtle. I was expecting something a lot more showy, and
when it happened so quietly, with all the flare of a soap bubble
popping, it caught me by surprise."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Aaron
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Aaron raised a surprised eyebrow at Tobias' state of mind, and then shook his head with the smallest of chuckles.
"Perhaps my concern is somewhat unfounded." he mumbled more to himself.
His eye rose and took on a faraway look, and Ilsefranvir's blades
rotated in place for a moment before stilling with Aaron's nod.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Jack had not fallen back but he had fallen silent again pulling out Cyan's palanquet .
He watched the goings with a seeming passiveness, from time to
time he smiles as he aproves of something. Others he frowns while he
thinks about it.
All of the time he is a silent presence in
the background, watching, waiting for the time when he was needed and
being there for support.
All of the time traveling and sitting
around Jack has been studying the breaks of this world. Preparing for
the time once they have the piece of the broken god and the temple
neutralized. A time for healing after it is ready for it, a time to
heal this world.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan slowly nods to Tobias. "I see...no, I fear you will see
little flash and bang around myself. Perhaps Berd, but not at the
moment. This is a more subtle thing. Very focused, and not
so breathtaking in view, though perhaps moreso in application."
The bard glances over to Aaron, nodding with his comments. "I
shall be as quick as I may be, Aaron, but timing is far more important
than speed, here as in swordwork. Hopefully I will find the
proper mixture of both." A faint smile at that.
"In any case, I shall not be leaving until Tobias can bring me to
him. Tobias should be brought safely back to the camp - hopefully
he will not be questioned too much about his adventures outside of the
camp." Pausing, Cyan turns back to the man. "Tobias...how
likely will it be that you will be allowed to walk the grounds?
Carrying that?" and she points to the card, worry clouding her
sapphire eyes.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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Of course you will not leave until you are comfortable in everything. Jacks hand again found the bards shoulder and he spoke softly “We know speed can not replace care Cyan, and no one wants you to have more care than I. The shadow man stepped around show she could see the mixture of concern, faith and support on his face.
I think all Aaron was trying to
say was, God’s speed Cyan. He is just worried for you, going in alone.
Is there anything else you want or need of any of us before you go?
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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"I can get in there, I think. Overseers sometimes get lost in the jungle and find their way back after a day or two." Tobias replies, "And
if I go back at night, I'm less likely to be seen anyway.
Perimeter guards are less vigilant at night, since they're too busy
making sure nothing bites them to watch the jungle for intruders."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cargach (NPC)
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Cargach's face twists into... something that could be a smile. "Is
true! 'e go there at night. 'ove things... hide the'.
Next day, al'ays 'uch 'ighting. The de'ons say each other
ser'ants do it."
He laughs then, "So'eti'es hurt each other!"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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"I will certainly take care, Jack." She frowns, then reaches out
to touch his hand. "Worry if you must, but not overmuch. It
is not so serious - I will be going, and then bringing you all." Such as we are.
"Need of you all? Only to be ready when Tobias summons me, and I
go to him then summon all of you." She hopes nobody has seen the
rather large hole in her plan, yet. It isn't serious - it's
something they should have built in, but something she definitely
doubts any of them would have thought of, or agreed to.
"Be ready," she repeats, then turns back to Tobias and Cargach.
"Well...if you say you can get in," Cyan begins, topaz eyes doubtful,
"I will believe you. Cargach, if you and your people can bring
Tobias back to the camp, unharmed, we can go about giving these
creatures something more to think about than a dead body.
Tonight." She gives their host a hopeful smile. "Tobias -
go with Cargach. When you get the chance, summon me as you were
shown, using the card, from beneath the pyramid. Yes?"
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Jack
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“Do we know if he can summon anyone using your cards from beneath the pyramid?” Jack asked softly, knowing that some of the effect of the power null
made it a little beyond the structure. He was uncertain for she
meant under the temple near the Wheels gate, of she ment at the base of
it but outside of the temple.
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cargach (NPC)
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The jungle leader starts to call his men to a meeting, using hand
signals as much as spoken words in a language that none of the others
present can understand.
Then he turns back to Cyan, "I' 'e take hi' to the ca'p, 'e can 'ake distraction. Lead guards a'ay 'ro' hi'."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Dworkin (GM)
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"That would certainly help." Tobias readily agrees, "And
Jack, I will go as deep below the pyramid as I can, to the door of the
gate chamber itself. The gate works, and electrical devices work
down there, so I would assume this pala... um... the card will work
too."
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Re: Part 32 - Green Hell by Cyan
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Cyan waits for Tobias to ensure that the palanquet will function below the pyramid, as he speculated before. Then
she waves in his direction, bowing slightly to Jack. Careful, now....
"And there you have it. Of course," she says, looking over at
their turncoat, "should it not function, you will have to remove
yourself from the pyramid and attempt again. We will find a way in."
A quick bow to Cargach, sapphire eyes shining in the dim light.
"Thank you, Cargach - that would be perfect." The man still makes
her nervous in spirit - she doesn't like his methods - but he is helping, and in his defense, they are a people pushed to the wall.
On her shoulder, Berd yawns and falls asleep. Mostly.
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