[Tumultuous Tides] Chapter 6: Empty Halls, Scene 1

WlfSamurai

WlfSamurai

Maelstrom Engineer
Towards_the_Forsaken_Fortress_by_Prasa.jpg



Outside of the Manse ...


Zhao, Snow, and Ajani, when you left, the Realm troops were tending to their wounded and regrouping. Several men were repitching tents and the commander's pavilion as the spearmen formed a perimeter.


Now, you've climbed up to and passed under the barbican with Yuki following. After crossing the fixed bridge you stand in front of massive gate into the outer wall of the fortress. The portcullis is up and two wooden doors that form the gate are open allowing you to see into the outer bailey.


The walls and towers loom above you as if they're reaching for Luna herself. Moonlight bathes the battlements and ground in a skeletal hue.


It's quite. Nothing is stirring.


Inside the Manse ...


Alek, Zen, and Lorenzo, you've made your way through a new set of hallways that weren't there before. It's clear to you that you are in a keep of some kind.


Now you stand in the entrance hall to the Manse after passing several rooms, all of which were empty.
 
Ajani sighed as he quickly noticed that nobody was around save Yuki as well as his other two members of his group. Ajani quickly banished his large axe into Elsewhere discreetly with a single thought, pulling out his sword as examining his surroundings. This probably was a First Age structure, for what else could be so grand?


Unfortunately that also meant that they would also have extremely highly advanced security systems as well. Most likely this would include Magitech sentinels or a couple of bound First-Circle Demons. Either of them wouldn't be pleasant to deal with.


"Stay close, these kind of structures tend to have the most dangerous of guards." Ajani warned as he scanned his surroundings, checking for anything out of the ordinary with the manse.

Rolling Awareness+Perception to look for threats such as security systems. Rolled 6 sux.
 
Whisper nods to Ajani and moves to Ajani's left, a couple of paces behind him to stay clear of his sword's path. Still moving like a mantis with quick movements of arms and legs, he pulls out his Serpent-Sting staff, the orichalum gleaming palely in the moonlight. He makes sure to scan in a different pattern than Ajani is, eyes taking in the wonder of the newly appeared fortress.


"We should hope that whoever controls this place is friendly, for we will have a difficult fight on our hands otherwise, yes?"
 
"Well... For an ancient treasure cache, it seems surprisingly empty." Alek chuckles softly as he examines the area. "At least we don't have any more undead to deal with so far."


Here the Solar grimaces and looks to his companions. "I have enough power for maybe one or two more spells. How do you all fair?"
 
Snow was enjoying the moonlight as she entered the outer bailey. "Well if its just more of the creatures we just faced I doubt we have much to worry about. I mean we are all capable enough is it too much to ask for a deathknight to tear at?" She had been waiting for a chance to get a bit of revenge ever since she was hunted out of Thorns, but for all the bravado she still moved with caution.
 
Zen's face turned pale and flickered vigorously to make sense of the transformation.


"Alek, enlighten me...what the hell had happened?"
 
- I barely have the power to overthrow a major oligarchy, but in a hour or so I should be back to normal.


...


Alek, even if the fortress is empty, shouldn't have all sorts of powers?


This is exactly what I saw when the Key first gave me a vision...


But maybe the real important thing here is Morinth legacy and all that we learned.
 
"To answer your question Zen, this manse is capable of transformation apparently. When accessing it I found traces of our dear Necromancer, and I fear I might have overreacted by forcefeeding much of my power through it to purge her. I managed it, but I believe a lot of it is damaged now. I could probably repair it, if we had the time. However with the way this entire area is turning into a war zone, we probably dont have the time."


Alek frowns and takes a moment to evaluate what is left of the manse. It would probably be best to loot what they could and leave, so he might at least be able to identify what was useful.
 
Outside of the Manse ...


The air is still, almost dead. Inside the outer bailey lay a few skeletons, frozen in their death.


Nothing seems to be moving.

You guys don't see anything moving at all. The three skeletons the ground are nondescript and devoid of any else but their bones.


Inside the Manse ...


Alek, though the Manse's cores are down, you know the grounds are built to channel the natural flow of Essence in addition to the demesne it sits on. And slowly, you feel the power begin to trickle back in. As soon as it does, you are aware of five living beings just inside the outer gate in the outer bailey. The entrance hall you stand in leads directly out into the outer bailey.


Also, as Essence seeps back into the area, you know the rooms you all had entered the underground complex through are many floors below you. And you're sure the piles of magical materials you saw earlier are still there.
 
Ajani frowned as he looked towards the entrance of the manse before frowning at Yuki's lack of reaction to the orichalcum weapon that Whisper currently bore. Deciding that it was better safe then sorry, Ajani dismissed his sword and bow, before reaching into his interdimensional armory. With a single thought a large Orichalcum cleaver appeared in his right hand. The design was rather simple, yet elegant and beautiful.


It was single-edged and decorated with sapphires, silvers, onyx colors. There was a half-circle like cavity a several inches away from the very tip of the sword, where honed white Orichalcum set the edge with spiraling designs engraved along the blade. Upon the area where the handle met the blade, a single word was written in Old Realm. It was one of the names of Ignis Divine, Helios, but one of the most lesser known ones. But still, it held power as essence infused the blade with energy.


"Let's go on inside then," Ajani stated before heading to the door and pushing it open. Inwardly he was prepared to battle, ready use his essence to allow for the survival of his companions.
 
"Hmm. Looks like we might have company soon." Alek frowns and looks towards where he was sensing the life coming from. "Of the living type no less. "


Hardly surprising considering the amount of commotion the entire fiasco had brought. Hopefully it wouldn't result in a bloodbath.
 
Snow came up beside Ajani and passed the entrance with him. "You seemed to have an idea what this place was when it appeared. Any idea what might have... raised it?"
 
Whisper tags behind the other two, making sure the girl is between him and the other two Exalts. His serpent-sting staff, with its carvings of several of the harder Mantis katas and an Old Realm sigil meaning "Vigilance" all worked beautifully into the orichalum by some process likely long forgotten, is gathered into his left hand, right hand free for other actions if needed.


"Now to find whomever raised this building and find out what they're about. I just hope their goals might be compatible with ours. Assuming our goals are compatible with each other's, to think about it..."
 
"The leader of the undead mentioned that they were looking for the last manse, which was in this area." Ajani explained, glacing at the mostly arisen structure, "It's kind of obvious what this structure should be when you think about it correctly." Ajani frowned, "The bad new is that it's ACTIVE right now. There's probably someone in there, best case scenario, a couple of mortals accidentally activated it. Worst Case scenario... we're going to be in for a long fight."
 
Everyone


Ajani, Whisper, and Snow step into the entrance hall of the Manse. The masonry of the massive stones that make up the walls and pillars is flawless. Glowing orbs line the walls giving light to the massive room. Stairs wind their way up each side of the chamber to a second floor.


Alek, Zen, and Lorenzo, you all are standing in the middle of the entrance hall as Ajani, Whisper, and Snow come in. All six of you are now face to face.

Please write a quick description of yourself in you post so everyone knows what everyone else looks like.
 
The moment Ajani saw the three other people in front of him, his combat sense were on full alert. There were people present in the manse, but he did not know their intentions, whether they were hospitable or hostile.


"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Ajani growled. His ruby eyes underneath veiled slightly by onyx hair almost glowed in a slow intense light. His slightly pale skin stood out in the dim moonlight as the Orichalcum of his weapon almost sparkled.

Pretty sure I don't need to do this, but rolling to figure out what the other exalts are up to. Since it's three individuals I will be making three separate rolls. Six dice each. 5,3,1 sux. Almost botched last roll... That would've been bad.
 
One of the three guys coming from the fortress stands out for being ridiculously clean, shaven and well-dressed, wearing some trendy combination that's all the rage now in the City.


He's lithe, unarmed and decidedly friendly.


Lorenzo glances for a second at the waste of Orichalcum in front of him and notices the fact that the three are just as improbably dressed and improbably together as him and his companions.


Two steps towards the three strangers, and he lets his Caste Mark show.


He bows.


- Hi! My name's Lorenzo la Notte.


We have been fighting against some undead forces, and then we found this.


His thumb points at the fortress on his back.
 
"You always seem to ask the questions people should be asking you." Snow said to Ajani as he growled his demands at the other group.


She felt even more shabbily dressed now and if any had eyes great enough to see her tell they would notice the wolfish ears a top her head give a quick flick of nervousness. She stood at ease one hand still covered in dried blood rested on the Soulsteal chain tied around her waist the other just down to her side.


"Oh great more golden ones." She said with false exasperation as Lorenzo lit his caste mark. She stepped forward "I am Silent Snow of the once great Thorns." She gave a little nod in response to the bow not taking her eyes of these newer strangers.

Also to give people an idea of Snow here is the sketch I finally got round to colouring

http://www.rpdom.com/threads/silent-snow.54922/
 
Feeling a bit more relaxed, Ajani lit his own castemark in response. The golden sunburst marking him as the Dawn flashed upon his brow for two seconds before fading away. "Ajani Zoroastra, Dawn Caste. My companions are Snow and Whisper. Not sure what caste he is though."
 
Whisper bows, his roughly six foot frame surprisingly supple, short blonde hair almost covering his green eyes. His movements are quick, reminding you of a preying mantis moving into the room. His serpent-sting staff bears glyphs and pictographs over most of its surface. He, too, allows his caste mark to shine brightly, identifying him as a Quill of Heaven.


"A pleasure to meet others like myself. Perhaps the over-eager Cathak in charge of the Legion outside these walls will be less likely to do something immediately and stupidly fatal. I assume the three of you own this amazing fortress?"
 
Alek inclines his head at the newcomers. "I bid you welcome. Nominally, I am in charge of the fortress now. There has been a necromancer skulking about, and we've hopefully forced her away. My name is Alek Whisperwind. "


Alek is a slim man, blond haired with blue eyes. Handsome, with almost delicate features, he is currently only clad in a pair of pants and sandals. (Having removed his customary white robes before entering the manse due to it being underwater.)


Around his head a crystalline fairy flits about lazily, but gracefully, and behind him keeping out of the way stands a water elemental.
 
"And I am Zen...a demon hunter..." Zen hissed while his eyes inspected the three suspiciously. "What had brought you here?"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)

Similar threads

Sora No Kami
A vicious dance with death (RP 1x1 based on the song "My R") TW: Self-loathing, Suicune
Replies
1
Views
94
Sora No Kami
Sora No Kami
Back
Top