So I figured I'd take Mortis' advice and try starting an RP (with the same character, at the same time? Blasphemy!). I wanted to further develop this imaginary nation of Cartes I'd mentioned on my character, and thought there ought to be a nice, simple way for them to have a little influence on Felayra without totally changing the way things work. And then, it hit me. A little bit of travel RP would do us some good!
So, the rules are:
-No killing another player's character without their consent, be it through violent or voracious means. That aside, any sort of violence or conflict short of a mortal wound is fair game. -Preds are welcome to join, but must adhere to the above rule- likewise, if the players try to kill a pred, they must also adhere to the above rule... and while I enjoy conflict, I'd like to avoid it for at least the first page or two. -Please don't godmod or make your character extremely OP or perfect or blah blah blah blah basically, if you're too Sue-like, I reserve the right to boot you, because only Sues like Sues. -FINALLY, feel free to RP any third party locals, expendables, or what have you, just don't rp any of the Cartesians that may or may not show up- those are all mine for now, until I get their info fully established and available for public use.
Other than that, have fun, and join whenever or however you like. There are no limits, but I will set a minor predator ratio of 1:3, aka only 1 minor pred per 3 normal humans, and a 1:6 ratio for major predators. As for any human-sized or generally smaller enemies, anyone is allowed to play them, so long as you don't use stupidly overwhelming numbers (more than 15 at a time) or make them incredibly difficult. If difficulty needs to be scaled up, please, leave that to me.
ALSO, though this RP has many active elements, passive RP is VERY encouraged.
Oh, and again, please link, or post a spoiler of, the character or characters you wish to use. Thank you. Below is some info you may want to read through to have an idea of the background of the RP, and what's gonna be going on.
And for the sake of chronology, this takes place, we'll say, a couple weeks AFTER the RP "What lies beyond the portal?" For whoever is involved in that one.
The Nation of Cartes is fueled by a technology called technomagic, the fusion of rune-magic and mathematical functions, taken from a scientific approach. While often more conditional than the use of traditional magic, technomagic is potentially much more powerful, versatile, and both available to and usable by the common man. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to figure out how to work a machine, afterall. Push this button here, pull that lever there... This is what lead it to becoming a pillar of Cartesian society.
The primary Cartesian explorers of Felarya have been frontier teams, supported by the national government and military, but mainly fueled by an expendable and vast number of mind-controlled slaves. This, however, has not stopped third parties and independent interests from partaking in the exploration of this fascinating new world. Thus, Cartesian technomagic is very slowly making its way through Felarya.
The majority of this is in the form of mass transit vehicles. When the first Cartesians arrived, they discovered, much to their dismay, that despite great magical advances, the people had failed to address simple technological issues and needs, transport being one of them, and one of the main third-parties to be employed on Felarya was, oddly, the NTC, or National Transit Committee, the government committee responsible for managing all the nation's transit. The NTC couldn't risk sending official workers after hearing of the dangerous conditions on Felarya. Instead, they offered monthly pay to all commercial transportation services, temporarily organizing them as a government-sponsored frontier transport agency called the "Cartesian Trans-dimensional Express," or the CTE, as a general purpose expendable transit for the wild and untamed lands of Felarya, among other worlds they intend to visit through Felarya's dimensional phenomena.
The CTE's workers, in addition to their government paycheck, are free to charge whatever fee they see fit, though they've been advised to follow the established conversion rate. This does not apply to Cartesian citizens of any kind, and government officials or members of the military are free to commandeer them as they please. That aside, the drivers mainly roam free, offering faster, and slightly safer travel to any wanderer who's willing to pay the fee. Not many can always pay the price, but to those few that can, a speedier, and somewhat safer journey, along with peace of mind, is their reward.
The vehicles utilized by the CTE are called Magically Automated Caravans, or M.A.C.'s. The term itself has become a slang word, and Mac is the Cartesian equivalent to the term 'Bus.' They vary in size, and can rage from the size of a common automobile, to the size of a bus, to the size of a commercial diesel truck. Macs are often made of a mix of metals, wood, stone, and leather, with only a few synthetic materials, a technology that Cartes has just recently begun to explore. They look like oversized and toughened metal caravans, and carry both people and cargo. The back has one large set of double doors that can swing open for both people and cargo. There are some side-doors, and plenty of handles. Seating lines the interior of the carvans, often along the sides, leaving the center isle mostly open. Due to the long nature of the journeys, Mac operators may carry around a small fridge and have a miniature restroom inside. The much larger ones tend to be more luxurious, but that can be left to the imagination.
Macs primarily travel on land, though they can be outfitted for sea travel, sometimes even air travel if magic levels and safety regulations permit it. They operate on Cartes' universal technomagic principle, the Magic Acceleration Field, which needn't be detailed here and now, other then that it can create a large magical imprint, and likewise, power large magical vehicles. Its effectiveness tends to vary based on the latent magical energies of the area and whatever power source is being used, but due to Felarya's naturally magically rich environment, the Mac's just seem to run on thin air. It's considered almost miraculous. Because of this, Mac's have been able to achieve incredible speeds with little to no energy expenses of their own. The drawback to this system is that it becomes a big target for predators with magical senses, though some might get fooled into thinking it's just another predator, or something big and nasty, due to the size of the signal. The plus, however, is the sheer speed- lots and lots of speed, enough to greatly discourage a predator and possibly outrun one if fully utilized, and if the terrain permits.
This is where we join our party of adventurers who have, by choice, or by coincidence, run into or chosen to ride a mid-sized Mac venturing through the Akaptor desert. The journey is mainly by land and will be avoiding going through or along any major or minor rivers, and there will be very few stops. The travel time will be very long, and everyone aboard can expect to see a lot of different places within a day, though the entire trip will take several days. Safety is probable, but not guaranteed, and the Mac operator may have to rely on his passengers from time to time for defending the Mac from sudden attacks. The starting area is in the middle of the Akaptor desert, and the intended final destination of this journey is the city of Negav.
-------
Spoiler:
Kain wrote:
Kain Redwell
"...Why did it end this way?"
---Basic---
Age: 27 Gender: Male Race: Human Birthplace: Cartes, though he's forgotten which city. Affiliations: The Cartesian National Bank
---Personal---
Description: Kain stands a good six feet in height. In truth, he was actually taller, but the burdened life he's led has caused him to lose some of his original attributes. Interestingly, though, he's been regaining height since he arrived in Felarya for what he believes is the soil's effect on him. Over time, he may return to his original height of 6'2".
Kain's hair is jet black, and his eyes are an equally dark brown. His hair has a few stray gray strands coming out of the back , which fall out, only be replaced by other lone strands. His hair and eyes matches his cloak and armor, intentionally, of course- Kain dresses to take advantage of the darkness, which is when he often acts.
Beneath the cloak, he keeps a short-sleeved shirt and comfortably loose pants on, and over those, armor and equipment. Nothing of import need be said about this armor and weaponry, except that it seems both familiar and outlandish.
Personality: Kain is a lot of broken dreams and swallowed regrets in the form of a witty, cynical, arrogant man. He, like anyone else who's been hurt, keeps personal things locked deep away. But if provoked, he's quick to bring them up, if only to prove a point. Generally speaking, he's not interested in his own well-being, or the well-being of others. While he'd hate to admit it, he does have a soft spot for women and girls, oft reminded of his wife and daughter. But usually, Kain likes to treat the world with the same unfairness it treats him with. All of this packed up into a die-hard in every sense makes for a very difficult and unreasonable man. He does, however, have his moments of weakness. Memories are one of the few things he clings to, for being enslaved and indoctrinated requires a partial memory wipe, in order to ensure obedience and remove a person's ties, and Kain has long since been attempting to resist each wipe, holding dearly his memories of his wife, daughter, and old life. At times like these, Kain manages to remember his humanity, and may show a rare act of kindness and understanding.
History: Kain's life was a good one. Growing up, he had plenty of friends throughout his years. They came and went like the years did, but never was he lonely. His standard of living was high for a middle-class man's son. His education, top-notch. In his early adolescence, he met a girl, and before he could understand what he was feeling, love had struck. It wasn't the first girl he'd become infatuated with, but it would be the last. They married soon after, and had a child- a beautiful daughter. Life was good, and it looked like life couldn't get any worse.
Then, a few years later, reality struck. Kain soon learned that miracles came with a cost. His family had taken several loans to manage to give him that kind of incredible life. Why they would continue to take loan after loan to keep the lie going, Kain would never know. But his parents were dead now, and the reality of their debt had finally reared its ugly head upon Kain's doorstep. He inherited nothing from them but their debts. Kain's wife, seeing the predicament that was now upon her family, did what she felt was all she could do as a mother: she took her daughter, some belongings, whatever money was left, and fled. Kain was left alone.
Bankruptcy didn't exist in his homeland. No, the process was far more different with increasing magnitudes of debt. When you fell into the pit Kain did, the bank took legal and brutal action: they enslaved you, and forced you to work to pay off your debts. Kain's life was torture the first two years he'd been indoctrinated into a life of slavery. Things looked hopeless... then, his nation had happened across the world of Felarya, and the bank saw this as a good opportunity for their slaves to work off their debt: by searching for and retrieving lost artifacts and riches on the mysterious new world. Suddenly, things became even more hopeless for Kain.
Kain was among the first Cartesian explorers thrown into Felarya, considered expendable due to his slave status. Miraculously, he and some of his fellow slaves, and their few remaining handlers, survived long enough to discover the city of Negav, and through some negotiation, established a post and portal in the capital city. From their, Kain's handlers took permanent residence and now had the power to control their slaves from afar.
Though there were many slaves, and they were oft sent in groups after treasure, or in some rare cases, giants, Kain himself was always kept to one or two partners, but most of the time, just by himself. While he was capable, his recklessness often brought everything around him in to harm's way, thus, even his slavers decided he ought to remain alone.
Now, Kain wanders Felarya alone, rarely staying in one place, always caught up going from one assignment to the next. He tries to stay alone and on the move, because it earns him a little freedom. Even then, he was always a little more resistant to the mind-control than most of the slaves. Oddly enough, his ability to resist has only been getting stronger since his arrival in Felarya. Perhaps, in time, he will break free. Until then, he will continue to hunt for his masters and put on a false guise.
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Goals:
Listed in terms of priority;
1. Free himself. - In Progress "I'm not yer fuckin' servant boy..."
2. Get some allies. - Not Started "Need more cards t' play."
3. Find enough treasure and artifacts to pay off his enormous debt. - In Progress "How the fuck did mom n' dad borrow this much?"
4. Find a weapon to give him an edge against his captors. - Not Started "First thing I'd do is shove it up Eldrige's ass..."
5. Leave Felarya - Not Started "No place like home. Sorta."
6. Find his wife and daughter - Not Started "..."
---Skills and Inventory---
Melee Combat: 7 - Very Skilled |||||||\\\ Kain had learned self-defense in his youth, and practiced it semi-regularly up until his marriage. It had given him a good foundation to work off of. It was only after he was enslaved that he had been able to develop a working and practical knowledge of combat. Through what few means he's had, Kain has taught himself mixed-martial arts, and a couple years of live combat experience has hardened him and sharpened his skills further. He's suffered some loss from depreciated physical attributes, but his time in Felarya is somehow slowly rectifying this.
Firearms: 5 - Average |||||\\\\\ Kain hasn't really explored his talent with guns of any sort, but with practice, he's come to learn the basics and how to fire without hesitation or losing his stance. There's potential for some growth, perhaps, but his handlers have never allowed him to use traditional firearms, so his skill hasn't improved much.
Magic: 4 - Below Average ||||\\\\\\ Traditional magic is something only practiced by the upper-class and privileged of Cartes, Kain's homeland. Kain, having received a good education, was blessed with the foundations of magic, but due to his lower standing, didn't have the opportunity to practice or put it into use. In addition, his knowledge has faded a little with his years spent as a slave. Perhaps if Felarya rekindles his interest in magic, he may take it up again in full.
Technomagic: 8 - Exceptional ||||||||\\ Kain's primary skill, one he prides himself on. Cartes runs on the basis of technology powered by magic. It's a highly advanced form of runic magic, practiced and developed for years to mimic electronic equipment, mechanical equipment, and so much more, with some subtle and not-so-subtle differences. Even before being enslaved, Kain had chosen Technomagic as his main career path. While advanced technomagic requires more precious materials, like metals, plastics, crystals, power sources, and whatnot, very basic technomagic can be performed with most any solid surfaces, a few simple tools, and enough time. Most of Kain's equipment runs on technomagic, and he knows how to use it very, very well.
Survivalist: 7 - Very Skilled |||||||\\\ Often being on your own or lacking in resources means you have to fend for yourself. Kain isn't exactly MacGyver, but being on his own for a while, he's learned a few tricks and general rules to follow, along with basic methods of shelter, traps, and security. Above all, he's learned to rely on himself for these things.
Desert.. forests.. this place had everything. Kain Redwell sat along one of the many seats in the rumbling Mac, amongst only a handful of others- there weren't many that traveled the Akaptor desert, if he remembered the name right. He turned away from the little porthole window and eyed a young, cocky man to his left- Jason, his present handler, assigned purely to piss Kain off, as far as Kain knew. Well, whatever, with any luck, one of those giants would show up, and Kain could accidentally forget to protect the bastard. If only. He turned back to the porthole with a sigh, watching the landscape move past him as the dusty Mac trudged on.
Last edited by Kain on Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:24 pm; edited 6 times in total
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:52 am
I think that I too will commit the blasphemy and use Mortis too. So if you don't mind I will join the rp.
"I hate the desert." Grumbled Mortis as he wearily walked through the sand. He thought that the desert would be safe from predators because it was so hot, but after his guide was eaten by a sandfall lurker not 2 metres away from where he was standing, he quickly changed his mind. Since then he has been wandering the desert for days looking for a way to get back to the jungle. He didn't have a clue where he was and without a guide he couldn't find his way back.
All of a sudden he heard the familar sound of a vehicle rumbling through the sand. He ran towards the sound and saw a strange vehicle making its way across the desert. He didn't know if they were pirates or slavers, but he decided to take a chance and flag it down. He stood in its path about 50 metres away from it and jumped up and down and waved his arms.
"Hey whoever you are! Stop! I need to catch a ride!"
Boris92 Felarya cartographer
Posts : 1520 Join date : 2009-08-03 Age : 31 Location : 'Merica
Subject: Re: Homebound Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:56 pm
((I hope you don't mind me using this new guy of mine. However, if it doesn't work right, it is the last post on the page.))
C574-L947-O513-N886-E210, or CLONE as he amusingly called himself because of the letters in his number-name, was wandering through some desert. This was his first time in Felarya, and somehow he managed to make it into the desert. During his several hours of traveling, he learned that some contact with the sandy ground beneath resulted in random teleportation to somewhere else that didn't seem too harmless at first, but at a closer look becomes extremely dangerous to ones well being, and so stuck to hovering just above the sand. After a little while longer he saw someone standing on the sand and a strange vehicle he hasn't seen the likes of since the invention of hover-vehicles. It took him a moment, but he remembered the round things that helped it move were known as "tires". He hovered over to the other person before landing on the sand beside him quietly and began to speak. "I am C574-L947-O513-N886-E210. Assistance required. Resistance will result in termination," he said in his almost computerized voice. He looked to the vehicle and prepared to stop it with his psionic power if needed.
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:56 pm
Welcome aboard. It's gonna be weird RPing that I know Mort even though we've only known each other for a short time in the other RP. Lol, this should be fun.
Welcome to you, too, Boris. The character's fine, so have fun.
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The Mac slowly lumbered to a halt beside the two men. The magic-sensitive, or simply the energy-sensitive, would note that the field of energy around the vehicle was incredibly thick, fast, and difficult to manage. It would almost feel like their energy would be draining away. Then, the powerhouse of a generator that made the thing run would weaken, idle, and dull the strength of the field.
The double doors would open, much like bus doors, and the driver would get out of his seat and greet the men. "Howdy! Mah name's Micky Dee, n' this's mah big mac!" He was short and skinny, and seemed to be composed of no more than skin and bones. Micky was dressed lightly and had a half-used cigar in his mouth, one of clearly foreign design. "You folks need a ride? The fare's low, jus' two kopeks- oh, wait, tha's right, ya don't use those- Uh, what's the conversion rate fer skev's tah ko's, again, Jim?"
A voice, apparently dubbed Jim, shouted back "One tah twen'eh two, Mick!"
"Ayep, there y'go. Guess tha' makes the fare, uh.. le'me see.. fourty.. no, fourty four- Fourty four.. skev.. thingies..."
Other than Micky, and the yet identified Jim, there were worn and burdened faces staring out the windows, and a few faceless helmets as well. One armored Cartesian soldier stood guard at the front of the bus, and another at the rear. Both were visible from the double doors, and both were eying the two individuals with scrutiny. They were covered from head to toe in thick, but flexible armor that looked similar to heavy kevlar, but had strange, metallic circuitry patterns visible on the edges, insides, and collars. That, and their guns were rather large, blocky, weapons that appeared similar to assault rifles. They had a stony look, and more intricate engravings all along the stone. How they worked was a mystery, but those familiar with runic magic could guess: mostly magic.
Kain stared out the porthole, wondering who the lucky pair outside was, this time. To his surprise, he found the familiar face of Mortis, and despite the looks of disdain from his handler, he leaned over to toward the inside of the bus and shouted at Micky. "Mick, let the first guy in, my treat." He then eyed the bald man, quietly observing.
"Eh? First time a slave's bothered tah pay fer anybody! Hoo hoo, it's a free world af'erall, ain' it, Jimbo?" His friendly look took a jollier turn.
Again, the only response was a voice that sounded about the same as Mick's. "Sure is, Mick! Suuure is, heheheh." And all the while, the soldiers and occupants idly stared at the newcomers.
-------
Micky Dee's big mac. Hur hur hur.
Last edited by Kain on Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:24 pm
Mortis wearily climbed into the vehicle and sat down near Kain. "Oh hey Kain! I had no idea you were riding this thing. Good thing you said something actually, because I haven't got any money." He chuckled. "So... where is this thing headed? As long as it is anywhere but here I will be fine."
He looked around and took note of the various armed personnel aboard the vehicle. They looked capable of defending themselves.
"Im suprised your buddies didn't make more of an effort to stop me. Usually most people don't trust me because of my weird eyes. But that is fine with me."
He used his red and blue eyes to look out of the porthole at the strange individual who had landed beside him. Would they let him in as easily? He didn't look like the kind of guy who carried alot of money with him.
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:21 pm
Kain sighed. "They won't care... no one here will. Don't call them my buddies. When I said I was a servant, I didn't mean by choice. Everyone with this mark..." He pointed to the lowest crest among the three on his right shoulder "...is a slave, property of the Bank, and by extension, the government. I'm no different, and-"
"Shut it, Redwell. And you, stop talking to the slaves!" Jason, the handler, gave Mortis a look of disdain. "Or I'll have you thrown out." The other slaves turned to face the conflict with a mix of fear and interest. A few had the courage to glare at their handler.
Kain turned away from the handler, rolling his eyes. He mumbled to Mortis "So, that's how it is..." He shrugged. "No one here cares about you, and they'll sick the whole mac on you if they want you dead. They're arrogant like that."
Micky kept waiting for an answer from CLONE, if there was one. His jolly appearance began growing neutral and confused.
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:46 am
Mortis glared at the man sitting next to Kain. He seemed to be pretty annoyed that he was talking to a slave. Slavery wasn't something Mortis agreed with, and he certainly did not like being threatened by slaver scum.
"As far as I'm concerned I am talking to a friend, not a slave." He said with a patronising tone. "But if you have such a big problem with that, I guess I will talk to you instead. May I ask what exactly stops the slaves from disobeying orders? Mind control maybe? Or perhaps blackmail?"
He looked around the MAC as Kain had called it, and saw that everyone was looking at him with mixed emotions. He got the feeling that he had asked too many questions. His eyes flicked back to the man and awaited his answer.
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:59 pm
Feel free to respond whenever, Boris. Mac's not gonna move until you do.
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Jason jeered at Mortis with the usual scowl. "You're annoying, sand crawler. If you must know, it's one of our nation's grandest creations." Jason leaned over and tapped Mortis on the top of his head. "A finely crafted gem matrix, embedded into the skull. If crushed or tampered with, it will explode and fragment. The matrix filters and adjusts the thinking pattern of its host. So, like it or not, they simply can't resist, and trying to magically dispel it won't do you much good. It's all grafted in!" He spread his arms wide. "Call them friends if you wish, but you're no different than a child playing with the neighbor's dogs. However you treat them, they're still the property of another- our property." And it went without saying that this entire explanation earned him looks of hatred of almost all the slaves- the ones that hadn't stopped caring, that is.
Kain was too busy thinking about how ugly Jason was to listen to what he was saying. He found that thinking insulting thoughts about his handlers made it easier to tune them out. The matrix simply stopped the actions that came from thoughts, after all. It couldn't stop all the thoughts, themselves, though it could attempt to dampen them. No such dampening was happening for Kain, though. So, while his mind would allow it, he would casually tossed a used paper napkin, rolled up around a loogie he'd mixed it into, at Jason's general direction.
When it hit, Jason swiveled around with a snarl. "Who threw that?!" He'd bark and glare, but he wouldn't get any answers. All eyes had been on him, so it didn't do much good. With a snarl, he sat back down, not wanting to waste more effort.
Kain mumbled in range of Mortis. "Don't pay too much attention t'him. 'E's been brainwashed in'is own way. That's jus' how the country works. How they keep order."
Last edited by Kain on Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:22 pm; edited 2 times in total
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:18 pm
"So it is mind control after all! You can dress it up in any fancy words you like, but it is still the same." Mortis laid back and got comfortable.
"The last thing that tried to control my mind was a rather mischevious fairy. She thought she would have some fun before she ate me and she used a mind control spell on me. I tried to resist and I ended up passing out on the floor. Next thing I know, I wake up with a fierce migraine and achy bones. I looked around and I saw what was left of the fairy. She was in pieces, scattered over a wide area in a spectacular sea of gore. I never did figure out what happened."
He looked out of the porthole at the other person who was standing outside the mac. Was he just going to stand there all day?
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:54 am
Kain just gave Mortis an odd stare. Kind of like the stares CLONE would be receiving, but less judgmental, and more confused. He smirked and shrugged, though, amused by the story. There wasn't much he could add to the conversation. So, he offered Mortis some of his sweet bread. About half a loaf was left, and it still looked soft and fluffy, for the more or less.
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
Mortis thanked Kain for the bread and took a bite. It tasted just as soft and fluffy as it looked. "That guy has just been standing there for ages." He pointed towards CLONE. "Maybe he is trying to think of a way to get in without paying." He closed his eyes and reflected on how he ended up here.
He had made his way to the Akaptor desert for 2 reasons. 1st of all he thought that because of the unstable nature of this land and the intense heat, no predators would roam here. 2nd, he had heard rumours about an ancient building that had sunk underneath the sand and he wanted to check it out. A very experienced guide, by the name of Jeffrey, had offered to take him to the sunken palace for the "modest" price of 100,000 skevs. Mortis couldn't afford that so he made the guide a deal. If the guide took him to the palace, he would loot enough treasure to pay him and help him carry it back to his encampment. Jeffery accepted and they set off. After narrowly avoiding being eaten by a huge earth mouth and fighting off several other desert fauna, the guide finally succumbed to a sandfall lurker who leapt on him from behind a large sand dune. Before Mortis could even react, Jeffery was already eaten. He then killed the lurker after a lengthy battle and wandered the desert for days looking for a way to get back to Negav. He didn't care about the sunken palace anymore. He just wanted to get back to civilisation. Finally, he heard the sound of the Mac and now here he was, sitting next to his new comrade. Kain.
He still hated the desert.
(Boris92 has not been online since he posted. Shall we continue to wait for him?)
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Sat Sep 11, 2010 11:11 am
(Let's wait a day. I'll PM him.)
Boris92 Felarya cartographer
Posts : 1520 Join date : 2009-08-03 Age : 31 Location : 'Merica
Subject: Re: Homebound Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:19 pm
((Sorry about that. Something got me sick and I only sleep when sick.))
CLONE eyed the "big mac" while thinking of what the owner, Micky Dee said. He had neither "kopeks" or "skevs", whatever those were, which would make access in the land vehicle difficult for an average person. He approached the double doors of the machine and began speaking to Micky Dee. "I am C574-L947-O513-N886-E210, and I require information," he said with his pretty much robotic voice. "To start with, where am I currently? This land is quite unfamiliar to me and I must either return to my home planet. If you can not give me the information I require, I suggest, for your own safety, you let me aboard without conflict." He was prepared to defend himself if anything should happen.
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Sat Sep 11, 2010 5:14 pm
Micky stared blankly at CLONE as he was met with a stream of numbers and letters, and then, after he was sufficiently confused, he was also given questions. "Say wha?... This's Felarya, buddy, and y'won' get nowhere throwin' 'round them threats, no sir-ee." The soldiers had now aimed their weaponry at the man, though, they weren't really taking him seriously. Mick just continued as before, not sure how else to respond, other than provide the poor, confused man- if it was really a man?- with some information. "We, uh, we're in the Akaptor desert, y'see, big stretch'a dry sand fer... well, civilization's a few days away, even on this dingy mac. Now, uh, seein' as yer.. lil' lost, we can give ya a ride, but y'gonna have t' stop that floatin' business, a'righ', sonny?" He pointed out that CLONE's feet weren't touching the ground. "Tha's gonna make ya fall out the window're hit someone in the head, somethin' like tha'... and don't be so, uh, formal, see, we're all well mannered folk 'ere, nothin' t'be polite 'bout. Ain' that right, Jim?"
"Sure is, Mick!" Apparently, Jim was Mick's wingman.
"Well, alrighty. Now, you come on aboard, son, and we'll let you by for free this time, but you better git yerself situated 'roun' these parts 'cause kindness n' goodwill's a finite resource, y'know." With a chuckle, he motioned odd man aboard. The soldiers angled their weapons down, bu remained ready until they would be sure the stranger wasn't going to try anything.
"Well, well... Check out automaton o'er there." Kain leaned on a leg and set his arm across his hip. "Seen a few slaves like that, y'know, but nothin' that bad. Looks more like a case'a personality drain, don'cha think? Guess you we're right, though, since 'e managed t' get on without payin'."
Boris92 Felarya cartographer
Posts : 1520 Join date : 2009-08-03 Age : 31 Location : 'Merica
Subject: Re: Homebound Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:57 pm
CLONE had acknowledged the weapons being aimed at him and was getting ready to pull them from the grasps of the guards aiming at him when he heard Micky Dee say where they were. "Akaptor Desert in Felarya," he said, making a note in his head. He looked down when he heard Micky speak next, this time about CLONE's levitating. He lowered himself so his feet touched the ground. He shifted his gaze to where he thought the one known as Jim was located to match a face to the voice he just heard before returning his gaze to Micky. "I thank you for your kindness," he said as he entered the vehicle. He looked for an available spot to sit as he walked, quickly glancing at everyone he could.
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:15 am
Kain, being the resident oddball, troublemaker, and all-around anti-socialite, tended to scare off the other slaves, even some handles, and any other normal passenger that would hop on the mac. As such, the seats around Kain and Mortis were the emptiest. Jason was the only one willing to disturb this pattern, and that was purely because he was suffering from a case of greenhorn.
The other passengers, guards especially, stared at CLONE as he entered the mac. Micky returned to the driver's seat, where Jim was standing, though all that was visible of Jim was his left arm. The rest of Jim was hidden behind a divider. As Mick got into his seat and started the mac up, the mac's M.A.F. slowly whirred and came into being once more. The inside of the magic became an exceptionally magically-rich area. The vehicle started to move again, down into the dusty desert, scaring off smaller creatures with its loud rumble and exceptionally large M.A.F.
Jim's voice was transmitted throughout the large vehicle, as if through some invisible speaker. "Remembers, folks, find a seat if y'can, n' if not, jus' hold on'a one'a the safety posts. We'll be tryin'a keep the pace just over eighty, but if some nasty bugger shows up, we'll have to bump it up t' one-ten, and if that happens, remember t' hold tight. Well, that's everythin'. Ya'll take care now n' enjoy the trip." His voice was cut off by a crackle, and the mac just rolled on.
"Forgot to say, but, uh, this mac's goin' back to Negav. Cartes was out here lookin' for one giant worm things, they brought me this way t' help, but there's not much luck in findin' one, so we're headin' back; I think they're tryin'a kill it and use its corpse somehow. But forget that, what're you doin' out here, Mort?"
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Sun Sep 12, 2010 8:56 am
"Well I was trying to find a place called the Sunken Palace so I could explore its library archives, but my guide got devoured before I got there. I ended up getting lost in the desert. I would probably still be wandering around in the sand if you and this MAC hadn't turned up." Answered Mortis.
He paid very little attention to CLONE as he boarded the MAC. Despite the tension between the gaurds and Clone, he was confident nothing would get out of control. He instead stared out of the porthole and watched as the sand dunes went by at high speeds. It was like he was fast forwarding time. Negav was the only place where Mortis felt any safety so he wanted to get there soon. However, Micky had said that it would take days to reach Negav even at this speed. He sighed and reached into his satchel, pulling out a silver canteen adorned with several blood red glyphs. He took several sips of the mysterious concoction inside. It tasted really bad but the result was worth it. 5 seconds later, he felt energy surge through his body and his aches and pains fade into non-existence. Replacing the lid, he stuffed it back into his satchel. After doing that, he closed his eyes and tried to get some rest. It was going to be a long and perilous trip.
Last edited by Mortis on Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:25 am; edited 1 time in total
Boris92 Felarya cartographer
Posts : 1520 Join date : 2009-08-03 Age : 31 Location : 'Merica
Subject: Re: Homebound Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:24 am
CLONE could feel everyone in the vehicle staring at him and was tempted to use his stealth suit to sneak away from their sight so only he would stare at them, but he felt that would raise too much suspicion and get everyone to distrust him, so he resisted. He looked up at the ceiling of the mac when he heard the voice of the one called Jim. He noticed an empty seat near the first person he saw and took it. He sat down in time to hear what the one called Mort had to say and had to enter the conversation. "I too am interested in these 'library archives'," he said. "The more information I know about this... 'Felarya', the more help I can be when I return to my home planet."
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Sun Sep 12, 2010 12:21 pm
"You want to know more about Felarya do you? Well I haven't been here for that long either but I can tell you this. Nearly everything native to this place wants you in their stomach." Said Mortis with a serious expression on his face. "There are giant nagas that are roughly 100ft tall, mystical beasts that are rumoured to live deep and dark in the tombs and dungeons of this place and lots of other voracious animals around every corner. Even most of the plants want to eat you."
"You seem like the kind of guy who has a good memory so please answer a question for me." He pulled out the dark blue leather covered book, bound by red string and decorated with cryptic silver glyphs. "Have you ever seen any book like this before?" He asked, with a hopeful tone.
Boris92 Felarya cartographer
Posts : 1520 Join date : 2009-08-03 Age : 31 Location : 'Merica
Subject: Re: Homebound Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:05 pm
"Nearly everything here is a threat," CLONE said, making another note in his head. "That could be problematic for any group divided based on power." He stopped for a moment to search his mind to see if he knew what a naga was. It took him a moment, but he remembered something a person said before being punished for studying anything unrealistic. They had described a naga as being a snake-human combination. "Anything of such a size could be difficult to avoid, if they do indeed exist. I have seen some plants that have been known for eating insects, but never ones that could potentially devour a human." He looked at the book, studying it for a few seconds. He squinted his eyes a little while he thought of anywhere he might have seen it before. "Unfortunately I am unable to determine anything other than it looks like something someone would use as a prop for a wizards costume. However, two things come to mind. First: if what you claim exists in this land does, it could be more than a prop, possibly even a very powerful weapon in the right hands. That is my assumption. Second, if I could get a closer look I might be able to determine anything useful, such as what language these glyphs, runes, or whatever are written in." He began reaching for the book.
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Sun Sep 12, 2010 5:05 pm
Sunken Palace? Sounds like it would be loaded with treasure. Kain almost regretted his return to Negav when presented with another opportunity to settle his debt. Ah well. He opted to listen to the other two for now, glancing out the porthole to his side from time to time.
Overlooking a faraway dune were a few silhouettes of men on horseback. The glint of their metallic armor was barely visible among the desert sands. They seemed to have their attention on the Mac and something else nearby. Who and whatever they were wasn't clear, nor would it be made clear, as they disappeared behind the dunes again.
Most of the people on the Mac didn't or couldn't see them, and the presence of the figures went largely unnoticed. An arm, Jim's arm, signaled for one of the armed guards to come to the front, where they engaged in a hushed conversation.
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Tue Sep 14, 2010 12:08 am
Mortis let CLONE take the book but he kept a close eye on him. He couldn't afford to let anything bad happen too it.
"So... have you seen something like that before or not? I don't mind if you haven't but don't lie to me."
Boris92 Felarya cartographer
Posts : 1520 Join date : 2009-08-03 Age : 31 Location : 'Merica
Subject: Re: Homebound Tue Sep 14, 2010 11:44 am
CLONE looked up at Mortis. "No, I have not," he said. "However, if you are curious as to where it came from, I am going to look at some of the symbols to see where it might have come from. Perhaps if I can read it, I can give you information." He opened the book and glanced at the lettering on a few pages. After a moment or two, he closed the book. "Unfortunately, I can not understand what language it is written in, which means I have not changed my mind about what I said earlier. I'd still pass it off as a mere prop. It could be some sort of code, but I am not good at codes. Perhaps wherever we are headed has a library easier to access than a sunken palace." He turned his attention to Kain. "You, you seem like you know where we are headed. Does it have some form of library, or better yet someone good at breaking codes?"
Kain Newbie adventurer
Posts : 71 Join date : 2010-09-04
Subject: Re: Homebound Tue Sep 14, 2010 12:38 pm
The figures from before had again emerged at the edge of the horizon, but they appeared to be mere specks of color to the eyes of the passengers. They were still on horseback, but as they neared, the size of their group was revealed. It was rather large, and one might say there were easily a hundred of them. How they all managed to survive traveling in a group in Akaptor of all places was a miracle in and of itself. Still, the riders were far, far away, and only those paying attention to the horizon would notice the desert cavalry on the approach.
Kain happened to be of the few that noticed. Unfortunately, he didn't care enough to inform anyone else. When his name was called, he looked away from the glass. "What, Negav? Negav's the only place ya could really call a 'capital in Felarya, from what I've heard. If ya need anythin' magic-related, and it's not there, the chances'a findin' it elsewhere are worse than slim." He then glanced at the book, and looked at Mortis. "Wait, can't ya read this thing? Why would ya carry around a book ya couldn't read?" He made it sound more like a rhetorical question than not.
Mortis Great warrior
Posts : 449 Join date : 2010-08-04 Location : Britannia
Subject: Re: Homebound Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:20 pm
"Well actually, I CAN read it, don't ask how because I don't really know myself. I need to know where it comes from, who made it and why. If I knew someone else who could read it or if I found another copy it would help. More information would bring me one step closer too... err, nevermind."
Mortis quickly ended the conversation and turned his gaze away from Kain and CLONE, looking out the window. He had already told them both far more than they needed to know. Telling them more would have unpredictable results. He had enough people who wanted him dead and he didn't want to add to that list. Maybe they would be sympathetic and help him on his quest? No..., he had thought that way about people before and it had always turned out very wrong. There was no way he could risk it.
He struck the horrible thoughts from his mind and watched the world go by. Would he ever find a solution? Probably not, but a man without a dream is like a bird without wings.
Subject: Homebound 
Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:21 am
