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| Dungeon Crawl Event - The Drifting Castle; Take Two... | |
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| Topic Started: Jun 10 2012, 11:21 PM (1,492 Views) | |
| Jet Blackbeard | Jun 10 2012, 11:21 PM Post #1 |
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During the height of Queen Teodora's reign over Valua there lived an eccentric nobleman by the name of Baron Jarod Forsythe. He was wealthy beyond measure due to the unusually high concentration of Yellow Moon Stones that existed in the rocky soil beneath his family's ancestral holdings. His home, a palatial fortress known as Castle Forsythe, was built atop a rocky outcropping overlooking the barren landscape of northern Valua. ~ The mining trade kept the Forsythe family at the forefront of Valuan nobility for many generations. And yet their eccentricities assured that their influence within those circles would be severely limited. It was widely believed that insanity ran in the Forsythe bloodline and members of the mining trade who had direct dealings with their patriarch concerning business-related matters would readily endorse this notion. Jarod Forsythe was to be no exception. From an early age it was apparent that he'd inherited more than just his family's fortune. Ever a recluse he withdrew from society and retreated to his isolated castle located in the mountains of northern Valua, leaving his business dealings in the hands of his underlings. There he was free to indulge in whatever bizarre hobbies he had to amuse himself with. Rumors and speculation into the exact nature of said hobbies was a favorite topic of discussion for gossip-mongers. Jarod never married. His only contact with other people came in the form of servants that had been hired to maintain his sprawling estate. There was a high turnover rate for household servants as very few of them could tolerate their employers delusions for any amount of time. He did however offer handsome pay in return for custodial service so there was always someone willing to fill the vacant positions. Yet no matter how many people came and went through the Baron's holdings firsthand accounts of his demented exploits were few and far between. When a servant left his employ they seemed to vanish from society as well. It became widely rumored that they had not actually resigned, but rather met a grisly end at the hands of Jarod Forsythe. Thus the urban legend of the Bloody Baron was born. ~ Shortly after the Rains of Destruction ravaged the Valuan continent all contact with Baron Forsythe were lost. The cartographers who were dispatched to map out the post-destruction landscape reported that the cliff that the baron's castle had been built upon appeared to have sloughed off from the rest of the mountainside and plunged into Deep Sky. Naturally he was presumed dead along with many other citizens and his name was quickly forgotten. Only the fictional tales of the Bloody Baron remained as the proof that Jarod Forsythe had ever existed. Two years passed...... During a routine voyage between North Ocean and the growing colony in Valua a Moon Stone freighter made a startling discovery. Its crew witnessed what appeared to be a large castle floating lazily across the sky, drifting with the winds. From the heraldry that appeared on the tattered pennants that still clung to its aging battlements it was confirmed that the Castle Forsythe had survived the Rains after all. A landing party was sent to investigate the scene but the castle's gates were locked tight and they could not gain entry. Attempts to hale anyone who might be within were made but there was no response. The castle appeared to have been abandoned. Shortly after this startling discovery was made the staff of the newly rebuilt Imperial Library began circulating flyers throughout the various Sailor's Guilds announcing their interest in hiring adventurers to pay a visit to the drifting castle on their behalf. The baron's family had had in their possession many rare and valuable books that the library felt it was imperative that they recover. A sizable bounty was offered to anyone who could acquire these invaluable tomes for them. ~ The Dungeon Crawl has officially begun (again). The posting order for this event will reflect the order in which you agreed to participate. From the date given the first participant will have one week to make his entry post. Each consecutive post will be due one week after the former until all participants have made their entry and then the posting order will repeat until only one of you is left. The posting order is as follows: Bear Daioh Wizard Gord This counts as my opening post so Daioh is up next. His post will be due precisely one week from today on Sunday, June the 17th. The post will be considered late if it is not up by 11:59 PM. Midnight of Monday the 18th is the cut-off point. If you are able to post before your deadline please do so. Waiting until the last minute isn't necessary. I will post in the Chat Box to remind you who is up next and when their post is due. Your opening posts should detail your arrival at the Imperial Library in Valua and contain a brief description of how your character came to be there and what interest they have in the assignment. Feel free to describe your surroundings or converse with NPCs but please refrain from elaborating on the nature of the assignment. I'll be doing that myself once everyone has made their initial posts. My character will arrive last and remain unidentified until the event is underway. With that I leave you to your writing. Good luck to you all! |
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| Daiohma | Jun 11 2012, 01:54 PM Post #2 |
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The Ice Fang
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The Imperial Library Seemed somewhat busy with people all over the place as two figures appeared in the door way. For a moment they stood side by side as they looked into the large hall of books. The man standing on the left turned his back to the Library, tossing his long multi layered cloak over his shoulder. ''Good luck.'' Were the only words that left his mouth as he started to walk away from both the Imperial Library and the other person who stood besides him. This other person was clearly a young woman from the way she stood. Her face was completely covered by a large dark hood which past the neck became like a cloak that covered the whole of her left arm. She did not reply to the man as he left her standing there, but instead just smiled. Her teeth became visible against the darkness of the hood as she grinned. She had not said much herself on the way to Valua. It was not a long journey but the small boat that got her there was not that fun to be in. Not like the ship she she calls home where there was always something 'fun' for her to do. With her partner now gone she made her way slowly into the Imperial Library. Keeping her head down yet still grinning she felt as if she could hardly control her excitement for being there. After a few steps the young woman stopped. The light from the door way cast her own shadow against the floor in front of herself. While it was nothing but her own shadow, to her it started to take on another shape. ''The Bloody baron...'' She could hear the words of her master. ''Find out all you can....'' Her mind repeated to herself the event's of the day's morning. ''A challenge he may be...'' She knew all to well what she was sent for in her master's place. He had leant of the Baron from his crew that had seen flyers in the sailor's guilds. The stories behind the Baron had him interested and wished to know more about the man and if he was indeed a man worthy of his title. Her mind started to relax again as her shadow seemed to become her own once more. This was normal for her to see things such as this, yet while standing there grinning to herself she had caught the attention of a few of the other people in the Imperial Library. ''Hey, you ok there miss?'' A friendly voice asked. The young woman looked up to see a short man dressed in suit holding a collection of books in one hand. She raised her head slightly as she gazed at him with her intimidating red eyes. ''Masira is doing just fine..'' she muttered in a sweet yet creepy voice. ''Er, Ok well if you need anything?'' The man was reluctant to carry on and quickly made out that he had spotted a book he was after on the other side of the hall. Marisa turned her head to watch him leave. No sooner as he had walked away she reached into her back shorts pocket and pulled out a small flyer which her Master had handed her. She looked at it for a moment as she tried to make out the writing. It was not that she could not read it, it was just a matter of if her mind would let her read it right now. She scrunched up the flyer in her right hand as placed it against her left arm, giving herself a little hug as she smiled. ''We can wait here, they will find us.'' She told herself as she took another look at the flyer. She knew she had to wait in the Imperial Library, but she had forgotten who she was meeting. Marisa decided that to past the time she would try and read. Just like a moth to a flame she found herself standing before a large section of books that listed some of the worse event's in Valuan and even arcadia's history. As she reached up and took ahold of a red book titled 'bloody crimes' She was the only one in that section with a smirk on her face. She flipped the book open with twist of her hand, keeping her other arm under the cloak and out of sight. The book opened and landed on a page that talked about some events in Lower Valua only a few years before the rains. Some of the images where graphic, showing bodies in the gutters. Marisa burst out with laugher but only for a quick second, the book remained her of a 'fun' past she had. Realizing other people where now looking at her from the corners of their eyes she too looked around for anyone else who was also holding onto a flyer. |
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| Wizard of Glacia | Jun 11 2012, 05:47 PM Post #3 |
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Arcadian Cryptohistorian
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The Imperial Library loomed before Isaac Flores as he strode towards it with purpose, in his hand was clutched a flyer that told of the Library's desire to gain some rare books that once belonged to a local legend called the Bloody Baron. Isaac could care less about ghosts or legends, what mattered was fact and the fact of the matter is that there was gold to be made here, that and whatever untold knowledge that might sleep inside the lost books. Isaac strode inside the library resplendent in his black Mage Warden armor, a shining symbol of old Imperial Valuan. As he walked in he opened his helm and looked about seeing if other had fliers as well. Many people turned to look at him as he entered but he paid them no mind, mere simpletons not used to seeing a person of station and mental discipline as he. Isaac allowed himself a smirk as he walked to the center of the room, his armor rustling quietly. A female librarian approached him with a nervous look, "How may I help you milord?" Isaac looked her over and smiled, holding up his flyer, "I am here about the search for the Bloody Baron's books, what can you tell me?" His bold statement seemed to pale the woman who spoke softly, "You must wait here for all to assemble, I cannot say more.." and with that she scurried away behind some shelves. Isaac blinked, rather surprised at her reaction. "Ah well." He found a table nearby with some books on it and he pulled up a chair to sit. If anyone were to recover books for the Imperial Library who was better suited than an Upper Valuan Mage Warden? He had the skills, understanding, and appreciation required for such an undertaking. Looking around at the others he frowned, "A motley crew... I wonder how many are here for this job too... the lot of them couldn't even begin to properly value a book of lost knowledge." He sighed and picked up a book to read, the book was about Northern Valuan geology and he began reading. All the while his eyes kept flitting back to the Library's entrance as well as to a cloaked girl near a far shelf who seemed a little TOO happy about being in a section about Arcadia's past atrocities. |
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| Gordreg | Jun 14 2012, 11:27 AM Post #4 |
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Administrator
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The stare that greeted Octavia Gnack as she stepped inside the entrance of the Valuan Imperial Library was met with a chilly return glare; her natural and artificial eyes both glowering over at the portly gentleman who’d looked up from his book and seen her enter. For a moment the man seemed poised to comment, a look of mild disgust etched upon his noble features as he stared at her metal-plated face, but instead he gave a curl of his lower lip and returned to his literature with a haughty huff. Brushing a thin streak of blonde hair away from her, Octavia scowled at the man with the side of her face still able to make such a motion. Was it the metallic plates in her face that had so offended that stuck-up prig, she wondered; or the thought of the burned and scarified flesh of her face beneath them? And in any case, what right did that sybaritic mass of blubber have to criticise her augmentations as deformities? Her gaze turned, and with it she found another face looking toward hers, this one peeking out of a book. The man was armoured, surprisingly, and wearing the uniform and colours of the Mage wardens; even more surprisingly the tome he was reading was one of Geology. Perhaps he was trying to better himself, she considered, broaden his mind enough to transfer himself out of his moribund institution and take one of the Amada's more respectable paths, such as piloting or engineering. But hearing an annoying giggle, she turned from the mage, and gave a glare of contempt toward the cloaked woman she presumed was mocking her with laughter. She’d only come to the library due to the potential offerings afforded by this assignment, not to be gawped at by the fat and stuffy or those without true appreciation for mechanical advancement. Her arm hissed gently as her mechanical digits clenched tight, then dropped open once more as Octavia paced further into the library, seeking out the assigned meeting point for the assignment. The assignment. The only reason she’d been drawn out from her enjoyable tasks beyond the north-ocean fringe and back to the city of her birth. Though the Baron Jarod Forsythe was rumoured by all accounts to be a bloodthirsty megalomaniac, his library had also been rumoured to contained many valuable tomes, and even a few scraps of old-world script beyond price. And more importantly still; Castle Forsythe had been owned by illustrious ancestors before the Baron Jarod. As a family they’d had a long history of eccentricities and insanities; Lord Alger Forsythe was a name that had inspired terror across the continent in the years before the Valuan unifications, and Dame Fabiani Forsythe was historically suspected as the most likely candidate behind the bloody assassination of the second Emperor Francisco. But it was the lesser known Vincenzo Forsythe that had drawn Octaiva’s real interest to the mission. A collector of old world treasures in an age now closer to the old world itself then to the present, he had reputedly owned many ancient devices as well as his more well-known collections of Pyryn tablets and Sylvis pottery, before destroying himself and and and entire wing of his castle in an unknown accident. Most of that collection had been sold by or stolen from later Forsythe descendents in the years before Jarod, and had ended up in the Valuan museum. There were also, however, some items rumoured to have been in the collection that had never been seen or sold. Octavia stopped for a moment, reaching into her pocket and drawing out a copy of the advertisment she had taken from the Sailor's guild. Her real and false eyes flicked across the writing a moment, then she gave the page a fold and returned it. Books, the library had wanted, and she understood why; books could hold many secrets. But it had not been a weighty or a noble tome that had given Octavia her incentive for this mission. Delving her mechanical hand into the bag she had carried since leaving her laboratory, it came up clutching hold of an singed and battered copy of 'Baron Light-thief'. The tale was an old one written in large sinple script overshadowed by the simple picture upon each page, and seemed unoriginal outwardly; a greedy man who made a machine and stole light from all the moons, before overeaching to try and steal the sun itself and gaining only his own demise. But what if 'Baron Light-Thief' and his incredible light-stealing machine had truly existed, in some form? A thin smile passed across the half of her lip still capable of the motion, and Octavia tucked the singed child's tale away in her bag as she continued looking for the meeting room. |
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| Jet Blackbeard | Jun 14 2012, 09:00 PM Post #5 |
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The trio of visitors didn't have to wait long for their host to arrive. Not long after Octavia's arrival a tall man with a gaunt frame and sharply pointed features appeared in the library's lobby. He wore the trappings of one of its custodians and peered about the room through a pair of thick-rimmed spectacles. "Ahem"! Would those who are here for the expedition please step forward." The librarian announced in a chagrined tone. He seemed concerned that his voice would disturb the library's patrons. As the trio approached he silently motioned for them to follow him through a nondescript door that led into the bowels of the building's interior. ~ After leading his charges through a series of hallways the librarian finally arrived at the door to a small, unoccupied office. He opened it and ushered them inside before closing it behind them. Stepping into the room the librarian took his place behind the desk that stood in the foreground and addressed the group. "Thank you all for accepting this assignment. My name is Samuel Burke. I'm the Chief Chronicler here at the Imperial Library. I'll be giving you your...." Samuel suddenly gasped in surprise at the sound of quiet movement from the far corner of the office. It seemed that a fifth individual occupied the room as well. Much like Marisa his identity was concealed behind a heavy cloak of a dull gray color that was so nondescript that it offered no clue about who was wearing it. Only the figure's height and broadness of shoulder suggested that he was male. "Oh...er, there you are." Samuel quickly collected himself, indicating that the cloaked figure had also been expected. "Where was I? Oh yes, about the nature of this assignment. Let me explain in further detail." "As you already know this library is funding an expedition into the castle of the Forsythe Family to retrieve invaluable tomes that were in the patriarch's possession. This may not sound like a difficult undertaking but I must warn you that there is an inherent danger to the assignment that has necessitated the employ of....er, talented individuals such as yourselves." Samuel paused for a moment to direct everyone's attention to a standing blackboard next to the desk. He flipped its face over, revealing a detailed map of Valua's west coast and a portion of the North Oceanic region beyond. Lifting a wooden pointer he gestured at a marked location on the map. "This was the original location of Castle Forsythe. It's no longer there of course as more recently drawn maps will attest. After the Rains it was presumed lost during a landslide but we've recently received reports from credible sources that the castle miraculously survived completely intact, albeit a tad more mobile than one would imagine." "The scientific community here abouts accredits this to the high density of Yellow Moon Stones embedded in the stone that the castle was built upon. Rather than plummeting into Deep Sky it was broken free from the surrounding cliff face and set adrift. As things stand the bedrock beneath the castle is no different than any other island afloat in the skies. But the violent impact of falling Moon Stones that broke it free also set it into motion. Our navigators have charted its most likely course based on its current direction and speed, making allowance for wind sheer and possible obstruction...." Realizing that he was beginning to ramble, possibly losing the attention of his audience, Samuel cleared his throat and continued. He traced a slightly curving line across the map that terminated at a thick black streak that ran across its length. "Well, as you can see Castle Forsythe is on a collision course with the northern arm of the Dark Rift. Once it reaches that point I have no doubt that the castle and all that lies within will be lost to us. Your assignment is to enter the castle, seek out and retrieve the specified books that you find within and return them to this library. We have compiled a list of their titles and made copies for each of you." Samuel rummaged across the cluttered surface of the desk until he had located the promised lists. He handed these out to each of the team members. The gray-cloaked man ignored the offer however, causing Samuel to arch an eyebrow in irritation. Once everyone had a copy he continued. "Now then, we have approximately seventy-two hours before the castle reaches the Dark Rift. A high-speed transport has been prepared to shuttle you all to the location and then bring you back safely. Unless any of you have any questions or concerns I will escort you all to the docks where it is moored." Samuel waited politely for any among them to speak up. (OOC - The actual event will begin after this round. My next post will transport everyone to the castle and kick off the action. Daioh is up next. His post is due on Thursday, June the 21st.) |
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| Daiohma | Jun 15 2012, 09:29 PM Post #6 |
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The Ice Fang
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Marisa slammed the book closed in her hand as her eyes caught sight of an armored man whose own eyes met hers for a split second. As her body turned to face his direction she pushed the book against the wall, not bothering to see if it had gone back or not which it did not as she released her grip, letting the book fall to the ground. A grin appeared over her face as the man's attention seemed to move away from her and back to his book. She remembered how armored Valuan men had once taken her away to the cells, telling her how she was going to face the executioner. With these thoughts running in her head she slowly moved across the room, the thought of lashing out for no reason and starting a fight only excited her. Just as she got a few steps closer her eyes locked onto the flyer that the man had on the table with him. Marisa stopped and took hers out again, opening it up to see if they where the same. As she looked up again she spotted another with a flyer, this time a woman who had a look of concern on her face. Marisa looked over her shoulder back at the book that now rested on the ground. With a smile she turned her head back to the woman, realizing that it was her laughter from moments before that got her attention. Wanting to run over to her and start 'playing' she found herself just staring at the woman. She appeared to have metal parts where her arm was, something Marisa knew a whole lot about. Marisa placed her hand against her arm that was covered by the half cloak. With a smile she stared into nothingness as she thought about how much fun she was going to have on this 'mission' of hers. "Ahem"! Would those who are here for the expedition please step forward." A tall man called out across the Library, getting the attention of Marisa. She found herself approaching the man, her un cloaked arm stretched out in front of her with the ripped flyer between her cut fingers. The man motioned for the small group to follow him into a door that she had not noticed until now. The tall man took them down a series of hallways which Marisa only just managed to keep herself from losing track of what she was there to do. Soon they came to a room with a desk which the librarian stood behind. "Thank you all for accepting this assignment. My name is Samuel Burke.'' The man started to introduce himself. Just then he was taken by surprise as another member join from out of the shadows. Marisa's grin quickly disappeared as she looked the man over. She had a cloak that covered her head and left arm, yet this guy had one that covered his whole body. Samuel, after the shock, seemed to know the man and so continued with his speech. He explained how the library was funding the expedition into the Forsythe Family Castle. He also went on to explain how they where to retrieve invaluable tomes. This was mostly lost on Marisa as under her hood she was thinking of other things, like is anyone still alive down there like her Master hopes and how many lives she will claim before the day was out. "This was the original location of Castle Forsythe. It's no longer there of course as more recently drawn maps will attest.'' Samuel pointed out a map on a standing blackboard. ''No longer, hehe.'' Marisa chucked to herself under her breath. The librarian went on talking more about the castle, which started to make Marisa lose attention as she turned her head and stared at the armored Valuan. With her un cloaked normal yet cut arm she raised it to her head and made a hanging motion, tilting her head to one side. She was just playing around with the fact this was almost her fate as a child and the library man was talking about stuff that went over her head. "Well, as you can see Castle Forsythe is on a collision course with the northern arm of the Dark Rift.'' Samuel drew a line across the board which got Marisa's attention back. He soon started to hand out lists of book names, the very ones he wanted the group to find and return to the library. As he came around to Marisa she took the list with her hand and quickly pulled it close to her hood. Her eyes widened, the menacing red stared at the list. The first few names she could make out but after a few she giggled to herself before putting the list away. It could be that reading them all was too much right now for her or that one of the books had a name that she found funny. However even she was not sure of what it was. Samuel then went on to tell them that they only had seventy-two hours before the castle would hit the Dark Rift. ''Seventy-two...'' Marisa's voice was a little more serious as she repeated the number. It was something she would need to know and so she told herself that she had to remember anything important. ''Marisa has no questions, we just want to....retrieve...'' Her sentence broke up as she did not really know what she wanted, only what her master wanted. With no more questions she followed the group as Samuel escorted them to the docks. |
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| Wizard of Glacia | Jun 18 2012, 04:15 AM Post #7 |
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Arcadian Cryptohistorian
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As Isaac gazed at the girl giggling by the books she turned and returned his gaze, however her look gave his heart cause to beat more rapidly. Without breaking eye contact she simply dropped the book without care she began walking towards him. He quickly looked back down at his book and peeked up to see that she was slowly getting closer, a creepy look in her eyes. Just then a rather strange looking woman entered the library, she seemed to be wearing some sort of metal mask over half of her face as well as bearing some sort of prosthetic arm. Isaac looked from her to the girl and noticed they both bore fliers like his. "Just great." He thought, "A bunch of creepy weirdos are here with me..." "Ahem"! Would those who are here for the expedition please step forward." Came a voice from a custodian which caught Isaac by surprise. He chided himself for being put on edge by these... people, and he stood to follow the man. The three were led through a series of hallways into the bowls of the library, curious about what secrets were kept deep in this building Isaac looked about but only saw the two strange women who walked much to closely to him for his liking. They soon reached a room with a desk and the custodian moved behind it. "Thank you all for accepting this assignment. My name is Samuel Burke.'' He introduced himself then gasped in surprise as a new figure, apparently expected though, appeared from the shadows and stood silently. Isaac frowned and inspect this new person but his cloak prevent any sort of profiling except that he was male. Isaac went back to listening to Samuel explain about the castle and its many valuable tomes, Isaac planned on getting every one for each one of these people with him didn't seem the type to really appreciate such things... they most likely came for money or perhaps to pillage the castle for their own ends. As Samuel began talking about how the castle had managed to float instead of fall into Deep Sky, the half-cloaked girl with the creepy expression turned to look at Isaac and pantomimed being hanged with a noose. This threat was not ignored and with a grimace Isaac snapped him helm shut to hide his face. Being at a haunted castle was going to be hard enough... but he had a feeling that this girl was going to cause a lot of trouble for him. Just them Samuel made a mark on his map, "Well, as you can see Castle Forsythe is on a collision course with the northern arm of the Dark Rift. Once it reaches that point I have no doubt that the castle and all that lies within will be lost to us. Your assignment is to enter the castle, seek out and retrieve the specified books that you find within and return them to this library. We have compiled a list of their titles and made copies for each of you." He brought out a few lists and handed them out to everyone present, however the newcomer in grey silently refused the list and remained still. Isaac opened his helm to better view the titles, a few looked familiar but most were foreign to him. "Now then, we have approximately seventy-two hours before the castle reaches the Dark Rift. A high-speed transport has been prepared to shuttle you all to the location and then bring you back safely. Unless any of you have any questions or concerns I will escort you all to the docks where it is moored." Samuel then looked at each of them, the girl who referred to herself with plural nouns and the name Marisa said that she had none. Isaac spoke up, "I have but one question Mister Burke, do we all have to work together or is this an every man for himself affair?" He secretly hoped to do things on his own and far away from the others, but on the flip side it may be wiser to be able to keep an eye on them. One thing was certain though: they could not be trusted. |
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| Jet Blackbeard | Jun 21 2012, 07:47 PM Post #8 |
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(OOC - Gord is on vacation this week and has cleared the absence with me ahead-of-time so he won't be penalized for missing his turn. As such I'll be writing for Octavia in this post.) Samuel merely nodded quietly at Marisa's declaration, doing his best to pay her no mind. He could tell right from the start that she was going to be a troublemaker and was happy that he wasn't required to oversee this assignment in person. "I have but one question Mister Burke, do we all have to work together or is this an every man for himself affair?" The armored Valuan spoke up. Samuel glanced at Marisa out of the corner of his eye. Privately he realized that Isaac probably didn't want to deal with her either. "Once the assignment has begun you are free to proceed entirely of your own volition." Samuel answered. "You may work as a group or split up and proceed on your own. It's entirely up to you." Samuel waited a moment longer to see if there were further inquiries into the nature of the job. A soft metallic click indicated that Octavia's hand had been raised. "Yes ma'am?" The librarian responded nervously. It wasn't so much the sight of the woman's metal faceplate that was affecting him. It was the dour look on her remaining human features that caused sweat to bead on his forehead. "You've done such a good job of explaining the perils of this mission. Yet I find it odd that you've only glazed over one very important aspect of it." Octavia said in a cold voice. "So tell us Mr. Burke. What of the castle's inhabitants? Surely if it survived intact then some of its occupants did as well." "Well....ah, an excellent question milady." Samuel stammered. "And on that subject....er..." Octavia's cold glare bore into him, forcing the answer out of him at least. "The truth is....well, we don't know." "You don't know." Octavia hissed. It was not a question. Merely a cynical observation. "After the initial sighting we've kept track of Castle Forsythe via several reliable sources, mostly volunteers working on commission. Such generous contributions from our patrons has been of immeasurable help in rebuilding....." Octavia cleared her throat, indicating her impatience at Samuel's rambling. "Well in any event there's been no sign of activity from within the castle. Nor has anyone responded to our attempts to contact them. That's not to say that...." "Your speculations don't interest me." Octavia cut him off. "Just the raw facts if you please." "I'm afraid I have no solid evidence that will confirm or deny the presence of survivors within the castle." Samuel sighed. "And if we encounter any of said survivors how should they be dealt with?" Octavia persisted. "Use your own discretion. Anyone you encounter within should be considered a citizen of Valua so you would be expected to render any aid you could to them." Samuel explained. "However, if you are subject to hostilities or feel threatened in any way...." Samuel cast a furtive glance at Marisa. "Just use your best judgement." He finished with a voice thick with uncertainty. "Now then, any further questions?" Samuel asked again. When none were forthcoming he stepped out from behind the desk. "Very well then. I will show you to the ship and see you off. ~ After a brisk walk down to Valua's port the expeditionaries were invited aboard a small pleasure craft piloted by an older man who had the look of one who had once been counted among Upper City's elite. But to look at him now, one would not have known it. His clothing looked to be of common style and his face bore a sheen of razor stubble. "This is Lor...er, Mr. Cambridge. He'll be escorting you to your destination." Samuel tripped over an old title that no longer held relevance in Valua. Cambridge smiled and motioned the quartet aboard. "Hello all and welcome aboard." Cambridge greeted them in a jovial voice. His eyes bore the spark of one who had found hope and purpose in the wake of Valua's destruction. Gone were the trappings of nobility and the reproach of the well-to-do. In their place was a common man who had accepted the fate he'd been dealt with humility. The cloaked man was the first to board. He slid past the others to occupy a seat at the very rear of the craft. From somewhere he'd picked up a shoulder pouch, probably containing his belongings. He lifted its lid, peering within and then closed it just as quickly. Whatever was inside the pouch was of obvious value to him, as he sat it down on the seat beside him and rested an arm protectively across its top. "Alright, everyone take a seat and stow your gear." Cambridge announced. "We'll be departing shortly. After a few minutes of situating themselves everyone was ready to leave. Cambridge walked the length of the cabin, securing a window here and tightening a cargo strap there. When all was ready he took a seat at the helm and engaged the ship's engine. It awoke with a low rumble, sending a mild tremor across the deck plates. "Okay, hang on. Here we go!" Cambridge called out as his ship lurched forward and left the docks. ~ After two and a half hours of steady travel Valua's coastline fell away into the distance and the vast expanse of North Ocean opened up around the ship. Still beneath the Yellow Moon's light the sky was overcast with clouds and a cool wind was blowing in from south, buffeting the ship with a gentle breeze. Cambridge had been regaling his passengers with amusing anecdotes and interesting stories about North Ocean's history to help pass the time. He'd offered them all refreshments, chilled loqua and sandwiches that his wife had made herself. It was simple fare but satisfying. Thus far the journey had been made in solitude. The only other ship they'd sighted had been a Valuan cruiser sailing its usual patrol route along the coastline. A school of Red Sardis had also made an appearance, swimming through the air so close to the ship that one could almost reach out and touch one. There'd also been one tense moment when a large Dracolurg had gotten a little too close to the ship for Cambridge's comfort. Opening up the engine's throttle he'd managed to leave the reptilian predator in his wake. Finally, just as the sun was beginning its descent towards the horizon, a dark shape loomed in the distance. "There it is. Castle Forsythe in all its glory." Cambridge announced, pointing it out. The shape grew steadily closer, resolving itself into a large structure standing atop an outcropping of rock. As the ship drew near its individual towers stood out against the light of the setting sun. And surrounding them was a high wall of stone. Cambridge kept his distance during their approach and circled the castle once. "It looks deserted from here but you all should keep your wits about you in there." He suggested as he guided his ship over the castle's wall and brought it down in the courtyard outside of its main entrance. "If half of the stories that are told about the Bloody Baron are true then you have good reason to be wary." Cambridge continued. He rose from his seat and opened the hatchway. "There's no telling what you'll see inside so be careful." Extending the gangplank Cambridge stood aside to allow the expeditionaries to exit. "I wish you all luck and a speedy return." He added as the hatchway closed behind them. And rising before them was the imposing structure known as Castle Forsythe. After this round everyone will be free to proceed as they wish. For now just enjoy the ride and make your final preparations. |
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| Daiohma | Jun 22 2012, 01:42 PM Post #9 |
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The Ice Fang
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Marisa followed the group as the made their way towards Valua's port. As they approached from a distance she thought to herself how wonderful it would be to be aboard a Valuan war ship once more. She grinned to herself as she remembered the chaos and death she had caused the last time she was on such a ship. Her grin quickly disappeared when the port came into view. There where no such ship waiting for them, just some small craft piloted by an old man. Marisa did not understand much about how Valua had changed since the rains, to her it was just a pretty sight. "Hello all and welcome aboard." Cambridge greeted them after Samuel introduced the old man to the group. Marisa smiled, only her pointed teeth showing under her hood, ''Hello.'' Her response was simple yet the way she spoke was somewhat twisted. Right away before any of them could board the craft the cloaked man was first on. Quickly he took up the seat at the back of the craft while looking over some kind of pouch that he kept close to himself. "Alright, everyone take a seat and stow your gear." Cambridge announced. "We'll be departing shortly.'' Hearing this Marisa made her way onto the craft after the cloaked man. She walked up the center of the craft as she eyed the seats, ''Which one which one oh which one should we have?'' She sang to herself in a very soft and gental voice. Nothing like how she had spoke so far. About half way down the craft she sat down on the left hand side of the craft. Her cloaked arm up against the side of the boat keeping well out of sight while the right side of her body was on show. Her right arm and leg covered in cuts, some as fresh looking as only a day or two old while others had seemed to of been there for much longer. Marisa looked down at her belt, twisting it around her waist until a small pouch came into her view. She flipped open the top and took a quick look inside with a smile. ''seat and stow your gear." She repeated Cambridge's words under her own breath in her soft gentle voice once more before closing the pouch and twisting her belt back around. She then placed her right arm against her self as she placed her hand under the cloak that covered her left arm. She moved her hand up and down under the cloak as a smile grew across her face. The Valuan girl seemed to be enjoying checking what was under that cloak a little too much. Finally Marisa took her right hand back out from under the cloak and placed it in her leg. Her hand made a claw like motion as her fingers dug into her own leg, the smile on her face seemed to only grow. Marisa quickly sat back up as her attention was brought back by Cambridge as he walked down the cabin, checking the windows and cargo straps along the way. The ship's engine came alive with a rumble, "Okay, hang on. Here we go!" Cambridge called out as the ship moved out from the port. ~ An hour had past while Cambridge had been talking about stories to do with North Ocean and it's history. Most of this was lost on Marisa as she sat and stared out of the window next to her. She was too busy thinking about what she was looking for, for her captain. Marisa was offered some loqua which she declined but she did take one of the sandwiches. She held it in her hand for a moment as she looked it over. It was odd to see food that looked like time and care had been put into making it. She had been so used to Kikiora's cooking that she expected all food to look like it had only just been killed and shoved onto a plate moments before it was ready to eat. Marisa placed the sandwich on her lap to free her right hand, making sure that her left arm had not move since she got on the craft. With her free hand she removed the hood of the cloak to reveal her head. She gave her head a quick shake side to side, causing any flat hair to spring back up into the messy way she liked it. Her face was now on show and it was not the messy hair that was the worst part. Her eyes locked onto the sandwich as she picked it back up, eyes that where unnatural red. ''Marisa enjoyed that, yes she did.'' She told herself as she finished her snack. She then raised her right hand up to her mouth in a motion not unlike that of a cat. Without hesitance she closed her eyes and started to lick at the back of her hand. This went on for a few moments before she opened her eyes again. Looking around she gave a smile to anyone who had been watching her. As the journey went on there was a short moment of excitement as a Valuan patrol boat sailed on by. Marisa almost stood up with excitement before realizing it was only passing by. Another tense moment passed as a Dracolurg started to get a little too close to the craft. Marisa just sat there not giving any attention to the Dracolurg at all as if it wasn't there. "There it is. Castle Forsythe in all its glory." Cambridge announced. Marisa stood up to get a better view of the castle as it stood against the sunset. ''People come to die.'' She muttered to herself as her eyes fixed on the castle. Cambridge repeated what Samuel had once said that the castle could very well be deserted but none could know for sure. ''Deserted we hope not.'' Marisa told herself as the craft came around the castle. Cambridge opened the hatchway and extended the gangplank. "I wish you all luck and a speedy return." Marisa ran out of the craft and came to a stop at the bottom of the gangplank. She had decided to keep her hood down now so to get a better look at the castle and the wall that stood before her. ''Pretty...'' She muttered as she grinned up at the structure, making a very small sniffing motion as if to smell blood. Marisa turned to face the others as they set foot onto the island. ''Were here.....''She smiled at them. Edited by Daiohma, Jun 22 2012, 01:43 PM.
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| Wizard of Glacia | Jun 27 2012, 06:50 AM Post #10 |
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Arcadian Cryptohistorian
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As they made their way to the port Isaac came to wonder by which ship they would using to reach the castle for surely such a mission would take a quick one. His suspicions were clarified as they came to a small craft piloted by an old man who Samuel introduced as Mr. Cambridge, a former noble. As they got aboard Isaac bowed to the old man, "Thank you for your aid Milord." While the old man no longer cared for titles Issac could not help but to show some form of respect. The cloaked man quickly got on board and checked his item as the creepy girl picked a seat in the middle. "Alright, everyone take a seat and stow your gear." Cambridge announced. "We'll be departing shortly.'' Isaac picked a seat near the front and made sure all his effects were in order. Staff, crystals, book satchel... indeed all was here. He smiled to himself at how perfectly this was going so far; as long as the other kept out of his way things would be simple. The creepy Marisa began fidgeting in her seat and giggling evilly which made Isaac's skin crawl, he just couldn't get over how uneasy she made him feel. Thankfully the launch of the ship caught his attention and they made their way off. ~ Isaac listened to the former lord's stories and took part in the food and drink provided, while not fancy by any means there was something to be said about a home made meal. Along the way they saw a patrolling cruiser, a group of Red Sardis, and a Dracolurg which drew close. Isaac made himself ready in case of combat but Cambridge was able to leave the beast behind and the rest of the trip was made in relative peace. They arrived soon at the castle which loomed into view. Gaunt and dark like a skeleton, the castle sat upon its drifting rock silently. "There it is. Castle Forsythe in all its glory." Cambridge announced, pointing it out. It almost seemed alive on its own but that didn't matter. All that mattered to the mage-warden was the books inside. "It looks deserted from here but you all should keep your wits about you in there." Cambridge warned them as he brought the ship about to land. Isaac peered at the castle. "Indeed... there might be all sorts of ghosts and goblins in there." "If half of the stories that are told about the Bloody Baron are true then you have good reason to be wary." Cambridge continued. He rose from his seat and opened the hatchway. "There's no telling what you'll see inside so be careful." He lowered the gangplank and everyone disembarked. "Thank you again Milord." Isaac bowed then set foot on the fabled grounds of the infamous Bloody Baron. |
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2:36 PM Jul 11