Through the Portal

Heartshot

Heartshot

Bringing nothin' to the table since birth
<p>


@Moonshadow @Skout64 @Impocractes 


In a busy market street stands a building lined far out the door with waiting customers. The business belonged to aged widow Aila Juba, famed throughout Nontle for her trademark spiced vinegar, a tasty addition to many meals that Nontle natives craved. The highly decorated Captain Tessema is seen exiting the building, waving farewell to the woman whom he'd known as a young ruffian when this area was impoverished. Captain Tessema walks across a crowded street to a few of his men getting the last necessities for the voyage, making sure to flaunt his jar of Juba. A rambunctious people by nature, what would typically be considered a disrupting display of enthusiasm elsewhere would hardly go noticed here in Nontle.


"Booaai!!" Captain Tessema exclaimed the common Nontle expression used in a variety of situations.


"Look here, look here so you are seeing this." The Nontle's had a habit of repeating their intended meaning in a various amount of ways - ironically with the intention of clarity.


"Be ma gran' prize!" Tessema finished as his men gathered around him excitedly.


Juba was a very difficult thing to get, only Aila made it and her batches were sold once or twice a month. At their enthusiastic pleas, Kifle made a decree. "Each one, you all, will have one - I say have it only this time once to dip into my Juba and then it will not be time again, no more. Private get me a loaf."


Kifle let the men rip away at the loaf of bread and each get a single dip of the flavorful Juba vinegar. As the men were finishing their snack, Kifle ran his eyes across the supplies they had gotten. Salted beefs, cured hams, sun-baked fish, and finally he saw the most important item. Seeds. Seeds of all kinds in a tiny leather envelope.


They would have the first ever Field Lanai on an airship, an area dedicated to viable fields for agriculture. Kifle is pleased with his men's competence. The Captain reminds himself of the other crew members. They had both lived in the city for some time, and were used to the training schedule - but were allowed plenty of time for leisure. Adapting the Nontle way of life could prove challenging for many, but over the years Kifle had learned to respect the team he would be risking his life with. Today was the usual favorite of the week. Whatever may lay beyond The Portal, it was decided that the crew touching land was a huge possibility, and that traversing difficult terrain would be aided by the use of the signature Nontle Danemaer. A Danemaer is a canine creature as large as a horse, highly intelligent and capable of more dynamic maneuverability. They were the best companions in the realm. The crew members, over time, had learned to bond with a specific Dane-Mayor. It would soon be time to meet at the stables and take their respectful mounts on a trail circumnavigating the city. Kifle waited at the Danemaer stables for the rest of the crew, leaning into the stall of his Danemaer and stroking its snout,


"Be resting, Toti...Good, good boy. You want to run? Is that what you are wanting, eh?" He chuckles. The Captain notices a figure making its way to the manor...
 
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Having set off, Alejandro grew confused on where he actually even was going. Of course he had to head to the ship, but exactly where? The entrance which he normally took when he was building it had been blocked off ever since work had finished. He could find his way around it to get in but that was clearly not as intended for him to do.


The gnoll searched around the area, trying to find some obvious que where all those boarding the ship were headed. Nothing. A sign, anything at all that read "BOARDERS OF THE CLOUD MASTER COME HERE."


An hour passed of him circling himself, trying to figure out where he was to go, trying to remember if the acceptance letter had any instructions, he left it behind which in hindsight was a dumb thing to do regardless of him being lost or not. They mightn't let him in without it.


As a last resort, Alejandro began to head to the manor, but as he made his way something, or rather someone caught his eye. A native to Nontie he could tell immediately, looking at him. Possibly could he know where to head? He looked like a man of the land and could have heard where this all was happening.


"Uh, hey!" A thick accent for a small man shouted across some ways and the owner of aforementioned sound wave approached Kifle. As Alejandro came closer he spoke more to the stranger. "I am meant to be somewhere, do you know where de meetup of all de guys boarding de Cloud master is at? Hehe, I am a bit lost."
 
Kayden was walking down a particularly busy street in Nostle. He hadn't been in Nostle for a few years. It was always a bit too noisy for his liking. He preferred the quiet solitude of the countryside. "Well beggers can't be choosers, I suppose." Kayden says quietly to himself as he turns a corner. He was desperate indeed, as he had nothing else to go on for his research into the miracle cure. Honestly, the fact that he would be one of the first people to explore what's on the other side of the portal excited him a little bit.


Kayden had been in Nostle for a few weeks while they chose the crew of the Cloud Master. With his free time, he had been cooped up in his room at the inn he was staying at preparing potions for the journey. He hadn't really taken the time to explore the city, so he decided today would be the day to do so. Although now he regretted coming out, he couldn't turn back because he didn't know which way his inn was. So he resigned to his fate and wandered around the city.


While walking around he saw the Danemaer stables. Kayden had heard something about being partnered with one on his journey. He's never really liked animals, generally avoiding them. But today was different. If he was going to be stuck with one for what may be years, then he might as well get acquainted with them while he can. Kayden walks into the stable. His eyes gravitate towards the two beings by one of the Danemaer. He recognized them from the ship. "I guess they're here for the same reason I am." thinks Kayden. He looks around at all the Danemaer, wondering which one might be his. He walks up to one at random, and as it stares at him warily, Kayden thinks "The thing doesn't like me as much as I don't like it. I'm glad we have something in common".
 
"There. That should do it." In her workshop she put the finishing piece on her flying wings meant to aid her on the trip. Nata let out a breath and rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead. She put the wings aside and got everything else she needed for the Cloud Master.


Nata paused at the exit of her workshop and prayed that she had made the right choice. Of course, she didn't go about her life making wise choices either. Though, this one felt life changing. No. It was life changing. She walked out and into the streets of Nontle. She had long adapted to their way of life, but didn't mean she would convert her way of life. She understood them never the less. She looked around a bit before heading in the direction of the stables. She hadn't really paid much attention about who was on the ship at all, she was mainly paying attention to the ship since she would help repair it if it ever needed it. She approached them and frowned. "What are those weird looking horses?"
 
The figure that approaches him only lessens in height as it approaches. The creature introduced himself, and Kifle had to chuckle in disbelief at the little thing's testicular tenacity. "Boaai!" Kifle exclaims, raising one hand so his index finger pointed towards his eye. "Cyaan believe my eyes." He chuckled a bit more before composing himself, patting Toti, his Danemear on the head for a moment.


Kifle was about to explain his bewilderment to the creature, and the amazing odds of him arriving at the correct place. As fate would have it, two more people would find their way into the Danemaer barn. There were a few other Nontle soldiers that passed through with their danemaer, returning it to a stable.


Kifle looks back to address the now three members before him. His memory ran over some of the applications that had come in, attempting to recall and identify the three.


His index finger moved to point towards the three. It hovered slowly over Alejandro to Kayden where it lingered for only a moment before shifting direction towards the woman, "I have seen you." He confirmed to himself. He nodded slowly before his attention went back to the alchemist. "N' heard...of you?" He this time questioned of himself. He flashed a smile to all of them, glancing at Alejandro once more. "I am Kifle." He intentionally withheld the fact he was to be their Captain.


With that, he opens the stall door to his danemaer, Toti. Kifle moves to place the saddle on the canine creature. "De faithful friend - loyal friend to us, to Nontle. Dis' Great Danemaer." He strokes the snout of Toti, who licks Kifle's hand in return, wagging its tail.


"They, the danemaer will keep us alive. They will not let us be harmed, and they will keep us well. But de' masa' mus' be worth the risk, must be the danemaer friend." He explained, constantly reverting from his thuggish slang accent and his proper upper class Nontle.


"So go. Take a saddle from the wall and you wall have a saddle, and you will bring de' saddle with you as you meet the danemaer. You will know which is for you, you will know which is wanting to be your companion. Go." He instructed them, motioning at the many stalls holding various danemaer mounts.
 
Kifle immediately came across as someone from the more rowdy side of Nontle with the way he spoke. Not that Alejandro could look down upon him for it at all, the Gnoll was like him, and the way he was wasn't even that different. They even shared a few accent traits.


Before a response could even be conjured, a pair of a strapping gentleman and lady approached the stables. One appeared to be some kind of witch doctor and the other he could tell, was another engineer by the same make of tool belt she wore across her waist. Of course, only hers was bigger.


From these hints Alejandro took as he looked around it turned out to him that he was actually in the right place, amazingly. For a moment he was confused why all those boarding the ship being brought to a location you had to guess right, but then he remembered the letter he never read past 'accepted'.


Well, by pure luck and coincidence the engineer had arrived at his destination. Maybe it wasn't coincedence? Maybe the word for it was actually hidden in 'destination'? But nah, too cheesy to be real. He chuckled slightly to himself at the thought.


Listening to the instructions given, Alejandro nodded his head then glanced at the two others. The idea of him taking charge of a Dane-mayor didn't frighten him at all, he had rode horses for miles and miles when he first arrived at 'Nontie' and still dealt with his when he wanted to roam around the city. If anything, he should find it easier and better than the rest of them, considering his race, the Gnolls did come from hyenas, making him a canine creature.


After approaching and taking a saddle from the wall (as Kifle would say, so he had a saddle) he began to go down the isles of Danemaer. Began not being the best word considering it ended as soon as it began because he picked the first one after it gave Alejandro a sniff.


"Ey, can I take this guy!?"
 
"Check, Check, Check, and thats it for my list" Jacob said as he checked off his list for things he needed on this trip. He gathered his things and for a second wondered if he'd need this incase that happened or that incase this happened, but he declined the thought and locked his office/room and went to his boss. "Now listen, i need you to protect that ship, we want to see you all come back in that ship and see not a scratch" the boss said, Jacob was already nervous, "yes sir" he said nervously and feeling like he had butterflies in his stomach. "Now leave" the boss said. Jacob left and went to look for the gigantic airship. He grew up here almost his whole life so he knew the streets like the back of his hand. He stopped at a shop and bought some expensive cheese and bread for his crew members and captain. As jacob left the store he ran across streets and gets to the ship. As he gets on board he notices crew members grabbing saddles of some sort. "I brought cheese and bread" he said hoping to get the crews attention.
 
Shoot. Collin hoped he wasn't late. And he didn't dare consider the possibility that he'd miss the group entirely and ruin his chance at the airship. They'd surely wait for him, wouldn't they? Come on now, lets not get ahead of ourselves. For all he knew, they may not even be on the ship yet. Surely it hadn't taken that long to examine the decaying Sicknle Tree. Though Collin did have a tendency to spend hours examining similar specimen...


Well, regardless of what happens today, Collin was definitely going to be investing in a pocket watch when he next had time. Now, lets see... where was it he was told to report to upon arriving in the city? He had been informed of something involving a Danemaer... well, if memory served correctly, the stables were on the way to the ship, so might as well check them out.


As Collin approached the stables, he was relieved to see the apparent crew gathered there. "Sorry if I'm a bit late everybody. I got a bit side-tracked. So we're picking our Danemaers?" Collin then turned to Jacob. "And taking snacks? Thank you."
 
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Nata looked down at the saddle and then at the werid looking horses, supposably Danemaer. She thought she didn't really need the creature when she had a invention of her own that would work as good, if not better than that. But, she didn't want to boost or even show off Angel this earlier on in the game. Mostly because of all the new people coming and seeming to have expertise in building as much as she did.


However, she looked over and saw newcomers. She looked them up and down, but seemed to not have the guts to even mutter a word. She just looked at the Danemaer's and put her saddle on one of them. Though, she did smell snacks. She looked over and saw that a crew member had brought some. Expensive food at that. She walked over to him and took a quick snack before walking back to the Danemaer before nodding. "Okay, this one is mine. I'm not sure what to name it however." She was speaking generally, but wasn't even sure people could hear her.
 
After Jacob stood there, a man and a woman came up, the woman took a little and walked away, she seemed not interested to talk so jacob stood there and smiled while he handed her a snack, she then walked away and went to a strange looking horse. The man came up and asked about the snacks, jacob thought well he looks friendly. Jacob then asked "want a snack, hi I'm jacob"


@Collinbu98


@Moonshadow
 
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Collin nodded in acknowledgment at Jacob as he took a bite of the snack. "I'm Collin, the Botanist."
 
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Lazul was was hopping on roofs long forgetting the road of Nontle because of the....energy filled people on the streets. He was glad about all the years of training his father and the other mercs put him through and better he kept the training habits even training in his armor, how someone can jump across roofs with about 250 lbs of metal on him was because he was on the peak of the physical limit because of his straining training of his father that he shivered from the thought of his father standing over him with a whip in hand.


As he continued jumping he was watching the lively city of Nontle it was definitely diffrent from the continuos traveling of his life but he liked it even though he thought he was getting a migraine from all the obsessive yelling of them. Later on he found the stables that he was suppose to meet everyone that was joining at so he jumped down about a couple buildings down and walked the rest of the way, and that walking almost had him pull his spear from his cloak and do Seppuku even though it would look really wierd. As Lazu made it in the stables he saw a couple people in there and a cat like creature trying to get a saddle "Is this where I go if I am trying to board the Cloud Master".


@ToolorDie (sorry forgot to add you)
 
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"hi collin, pleased to meet you, I'm the airship designer" Jacob said. Jacob then walked over to get a saddle like everyone else and got on the weird animal. Jacob thought this was the weirdest animal he's ever seen and wondered if this thing was a danger even to us. But jacob kept it a thought and offered the last bit of snacks to anyone that wanted it. Jacob then said "So since we'll be on a ship for so long why don't we all introduce ourselves, Im jacob and i am an airship designer, now who's next?"
 
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A young woman entered the stables, and then the Nontle man began speaking to them. Apparently, the crew of the cloud master was having a meeting here. How he had missed the memo, he had no idea. More people had entered the stable, and everyone grabbed a saddle and started looking for their partner for the journey. "What luck!" Kayden thinks. "To go out on a walk and find yourself at the exact location and time that all the other crew members were meeting." Even one of the crew members was offering some expensive looking bread and cheese. Kayden didn't get any. That same crew member, Jacob, he said his name was, had started a round of introductions. Kayden jumped in, saying "Hello. My name is Kayden Pyrrhus. I am an alchemist and this crew's doctor. It's a pleasure to meet you all.".
 
Orville shifted his satchel nervously as he spotted the group of strangers gathered around the stable. His new crew members, the people he would be spending the next... God knows how long with. Now is as good a time as any to begin getting acquainted with them, especially since he had to choose one to like enough to share a room with.


Orville slowly approached the stable and looked at the group, an odd bunch to say the least. Who was he to judge.


"Hello." Orville mutters, barely above a whisper. He had never been this nervous about a job before, must be the new faces.
 
Nata paused as even more people came. Her eyes widened. This people looked like warriors. Actually, all of them did. Also, rich. Maybe she ran into diamonds without knowing it.


She was more preoccupied by giving her Danemaer a name rather than give introductions. Though, she wanted to give herself a name. When she was younger she had a more flamboyant personality, but now that she had been through the ringer. That personality was kept under wraps. Until now that is. She hopped off the Danemaer. She heard Jacob's introduction and following a shy man say hello. He reminded him of herself in a way.


"Hiya. My name is Nata Clauette. Where I had came from doesn't matter since I've been in Nontle for a while and I'm a Mechanic and Fighter." She said pulling out her pistol, which she had made, before twirling it back into her handle again. "It's nice to meet all of you."
 
Alejandro, looking away from his new found friendo, noticed in the time in between him going down the isle and choosing the first Dane-Mayor, the rest of the crew arrived. There was a whole lot of them too. The sight of such an equipped crew was exciting to The Gnoll. As if the co-ordinators of this event grabbed a handful of the best earth had. And that analogy wasn't far from the truth, people from far and wide had came here for this event, to take part. The greatest of the great. It was a privilege to him to be fighting alongside all these people.


He decided to preform a sort of head count, and tried to make out what people were and how many. Going through them one by one, he identified them in his head. Counting, so far...


One kind of scary Nontie local.


One engineer lady


One witch doctor


One blonde chef, starting strong by offering the bread and cheese.


One... Well, he had cool dark hair. Maybe he was the hairdresser? Probably not.


One parkour artist. Alejandro spotted him on the roofs earlier, could be from the circus.


One real shy guy. For some reason he came across as intellectual to him.


And so far, that was it. A bit weird when he took a look at each one individually, but it was only speculation. Especially the hairdresser.


Alejandro looked back at his Dane-mayor, and tried to think of a name. Something cute and pet-like, or something epic, that demanded respect just from the sound of the word. He glanced back at the group. And suddenly his interest completely deviated from his Dane-mayor and over to the people he could be spending months and months with.


Maybe he could ask for name ideas? A way to do both, socialise and get the thing something he could call it by. Which one to go to? The first one that came to mind was the one he could relate to, the other engineer. Looking around for her, he spotted her introducing herself to the group. Taking this opportunity, he hopped over in front of her with the rest of the group, saddle left by the stable. He caught her name and was just in time to watch the pistol twirl.


After letting her finish, he decided to speak to her.


"And it is nice to meet you! My name is Alejandro Holguìn, I see that we have the same tool belt," he said, motioning to his and her waist, pointing out the same item they both wore.


"...are you an engineer too?"
 
As he saw more people walking in and talking about the Cloud Master he decided it was a the right place so he went up and got a saddle for his DaneMare which he had to choose one...he wanted one that was strong enough to carry him and one that could go long distances. As he was looking he saw a DaneMare that was black with a white underbelly also having what looks like a strong enough attire to carry him.


As he was going to get his saddle a female spoke up then an impish cat like thing saying who they were and what they're occupation was so he decided to talk to them to since they were his soon to be new crew mates. As he walked up to them with a saddle over one shoulder.


He wondered if one of the two could help with more finer parts of creating new gadgets, weapons or traps, if he did he would hit the jack pot and his fantasy of creating new weapons that people haven't seen yet even though most of his fails because of his not so expertise in fine detail engineering. As he made his way to them he said "My names Lazul but you can call me Ornstien if you want, I'm an engineer and a weapons expert, it's nice to meet you." As he stuck out a clawed gauntlet for a handshake.


@Skout64 @Moonshadow
 
As jacob sat there and listened to them all, he already established who'd be his friends, he also established who'd be a lot harder to get to be his friend, he knew the girl was going to be a challenge, she looked like she covered her feeling behind a wall so it's hard to understand how she feels, she has a serious look that could scare the strongest man and she always looked ready for a fight, the conversation then got quiet and jacob didn't say anything, there was just stares.
 
Nata made mental note of the name and nodded her head. "Nice to meet you Alejandro. And yes we do!" She looked down at her belt. However, hers looked more dirty than his. Probably because of her working on her Angel. "I'm glad there's a lot of engineers coming. I will have a lot more people to relate to."


She heard the clanging of metal and looked over to see a armored man coming over. She loved metal armor. It wasn't anything she could wear since she could hardly be mobile in such a thing. But, how much care goes into making one is amazing. She looked up at the man, whos name is Lazul. Then down at his clawed hand. How much she wanted to just take the hand for herself and analyze it, but tucked her desires away. She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too. A weapon expert is very neat. Also, you have a amazing suit of armor." She smiled at the two, but saw from the corner of her eye someone was watching her.
 
Orville stepped up and gently rested his hand on one of the Danemaers, one he assumed he could claim for his own. He looked around at his fellow crew members slowly filing in, and watched all the stares that the girl was getting. It must have been uncomfortable for her, but Orville figured she must have been in this position before.


"Well uh... The tension could certainly be split with a knife." He says aloud to nobody in particular, giving a small chuckle and a smile as he took another look at the group.
 
Jacob smiled. "good one" jacob said as he thought the group needed that. "OH!, you never introduced yourself, also did any of y'all like the bread and cheese, what am i talking about y'all better of liked it" jacob said as he laughed. He looked around and he knew from there that this group is going to be a strong, and everlasting.
 
Alejandro smiled at Nata. "It is nice to have engineers around, I agree! You know, it's good to have things you can immediately have in common with someone, I think it will help this team a lot."


Speaking of the team, another member approached them, this time the parkour guy who actually revealed himself to be a weapons expert and also, who could have guessed, another engineer! The Gnoll looked up and give him a smile too, seeing the group come together.


After Nata, he reached up and shook the hand of 'Lazul'.


"Alright, eh... I think I'll call you Lazul. Ey! Nice glove!" He remarked regarding the hand he shook. "So, you being a weapons expert, mind if I ask what artillery deed you bring? Anything big, cool and shiny?" Alejandro chuckled as he asked.


Just then, the chef began talking about his fine selection of high quality cheeses. With this information, Alejandro realised maybe he should have brought that book on advanced engineering tips, but instead had to make room in his bag for food.
 
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Lazul shook hands with both of them having to bend down a little to shake the hand of the new found friend Gnoll, it was actually great meeting two new people that weren't mercs because all they did was grunt at eachother for conversations.


But speaking of team Gnoll wanted to know what kind of weapons he brought, Lazul thought about it for a bit and brought out his goldfish bronze spear that was a little bigger than him he also brought out his curved dagger which the blade was the length of a forearm, and showed his shield that was on his back that covered all his back and went down half his thighs, he also had his tool belt hidden under armor barely out of sight with unfinished traps and such before putting it all under his cloack except his spear which had a sheath on the tip of the blade.


"Hmm I could have brought way more but I didn't know how many weapons were allowed and plus i didn't know how many more people were going to be fighting. And besides I didn't want to upset Smough witch is the name I'm giving my DaneMare." He said scratching the shoulder the saddle was on.
 
Orville springs up a bit when the chef says he has yet to introduce himself. How rude of him.


"I'm Orville. And it seems like I'm the only one here who is not an engineer." Orville says jokingly; trying to break the ice. He was slowly coming out of his shell and getting used to these people. He was excited to start getting to the real task at hand.


He also watched as people compared their various weapons, and all Orville had was a dusty old revolver and five shots. Certainly not on par with his new crew mates.
 
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