SBURG - Round 2: Another Homestuck RP

==>

"find out why we're here. maybe see if we can buy time by turning this battle into a stalemate. i know Someone who can help get us there..."

======>

8< Is there really a need to search for a bigger purpose? We're here to play a game many of us willingly wanted to play.
8< And what time could we possibly be buying by turning Prospit and Derse's battle into a stalemate? It's their conflict, not ours.

==>

"after They're done, we're the next target... pleas, just trust me when i say that My Friend will be able to explain things. She'll have the Answers You want."

He hoped Nita remembered that he was only pretending that he wasn't going to take her to the person she was looking for.

Beat: Oh no he di'int.

Tossing a pair of sunglasses next to you into the air, you turn to the Eager Duelist, pointing a finger at his face.

Hey, Eager Duelist, now listen here~

You dress like the vomit of Frankenberry~

You play yourself up, but likely show fear~

When a situation begins to get hairy~

You're prob'ly getting mad because you can't do shit~

But just buck up, buddy, and-

The sunglasses return to earth, landing over your eyes.

Deal with it.

Now leave me alone~

You've been vanquished by my words~

The inside of the Vault is dark, and it's hard to see what is happening inside. A large screen in the far wall flickers and turns on, but displays only a monochrome spirograph symbol and the words 'PROPERTY OF SKAIANET. PLEASE STANDBY.'

Then, a synthesised, smooth, feminine voice speaks. It apparently emanates from the screen, but it is badly distorted by crackling static.

[is that the mage]

[is anyone there]

[whoever it is i need help]

[use the keyboard. i cant hear you from down here]

[you want to kill hemera right]

The griffon is, apparently, not convinced.

if you are here for the reasons you say, you should come with me.

if youre lying, youll have to come with me. that will be far less pleasant.

The griffon looks Renner up and down, studying him critically.

say, have you ever heard of the COUNT OF DEATH?

> ED: Get your Rap on.

You look over at the young Duke. You wrinkle your brow at him and smirk, unimpressed.

—-

YOU SHOULDA COME PREPARED,

YOU BETTER BE SCARED,

LIKE YOUR FALLING DOWN THESE STAIRS,

CAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO BATTLE RAPPING YOUR LYRICS DONT COMPARE.

GET THE ARCHAGENT IN HERE,

CAUSE ITS ABOUT SERIOUS,

YOULL BE QUAKING IN FEAR,

MY LYRICS ARE DELETERIOUS

YOU SHOULD KNOWN, DEAR

THAT WHEN IM IN DA HOUSE THATS WHEN BIZNASTY GETS DELIRIOUS!

WHEN IM DONE,YOULL WISH YOU NEVER

WOKE UP ON PROSPIT!

YOUR STREET CRED? YOU LOST IT!

YOU DROPPED IT LIKE THESE BEATS,

ITS LYING AT MY FEET,

A SIGN OF YOUR DEFEAT,

SO BITCH TAKE A SEAT

I REPEAT, TAKE A SEAT,

IM ELITE BUT I DONT CHEAT,

BUT IN ALL HONESTY,

ITS REALLY PLAIN TO SEE,

YOU SIMPLY CANT BEAT ME,

CAUSE I MIGHT BE NAMED ED,

BUT IT MIGHT AS WELL BE MC.

IM A DUELLIST, IM READY FOR VERBAL PISTOLS AT DAWN,

AND I MIGHT BE A PAWN,

BUT WHAT COUNTS IS BRAINS NOT BRAWN,

YOU THINK YOU CAN TOP THIS?

DUDE, COME ON!

IM HERE TO PUT THIS DUKE BACK INHIS PLACE,

IM JUST TELLING IT STRAIGHT TO YOUR FACE,

YOU GONNA LOSE THIS LYRICAL RACE,

BOY, ILL BEAT YOUR SORRY ASS ACROSS PARADOX SPACE!

—-

You pause, and look over at him with the smuggest asshole grin you can imagine.

ID BETTER GET A TIP FOR THIS, CAUSE YOU JUST GOT SERVED.

edited 10th Mar '12 6:17:22 AM by MadeOfAxes

'>Tom: Use console.

You warily approach the console and start typing. Let's see if you can't figure this out.

...i guess i do.

who are you.

and what do you need me for.

>Renner: Respond

This shit sounds pretty important. Putting on your BRAVE FACE, you try to look as dignified as you can, considering the situation.

T-the C-COUNT OF D-D-DEATH? I-is he o-oppressing y-your r-r-race or s-something? I c-could p-probably t-try to h-help y-you.

Naturally, this fails miserably.

As the synthesised voice projects itself from the speakers, so too does the corresponding text appear on the screen. The tag 'INTERFACE-2' appears before the entity's writing, and 'INTERFACE-1' before Tom's.

[im locked down here]

[i need you to help get me out]

[im not going to lie to you mage]

[im not going to because i dont need to]

[i am hemera]

[and youre going to release me anyway]

The griffon sighs and looks at his claws, pulling the net off of Renner.

i BetteR be WronG aBOUt ThiS

bUt NO iTs NoT oPPRESSINg US. hEs CominG to SavE us.

I hATe TO tELl YoU tHIs. BuT hEs ProbablY yOu.

He looks at Renner glumly and bundles the net up, securing it under one wing.

===>

You blink, frown, then continue typing.

that's not what i (ame here to do.

from all the propheti( business i've pi(ked up so far, i (an tell that you are the reason this pla(e has problems.

why should i release you. killing you is part of how i progress, if my guesswork is about right.

edited 12th Mar '12 2:00:26 PM by l3wt

Mike: Arrive at the outpost

Your metallic wings bring you slowly and silently to the ground a few yards away from the outpost. You move stealthily towards the camp, glancing at the pits and trenches filled with chained monkeys, working tirelessly away to fulfill some grand scheme.

The compound is filled with tents. There are many underlings moving around between tents, ferrying supply crates and so on. However most of the work here is done by slaves. You see ogres with whips, forcing monkeys to pull carts of rock from the trenches. Basilisks hover above, watching the slaves work and overseeing the operations.

However all are unaware as you slip quietly into the base and work your way through the tents. You have to find the leader's tent. You spot a rather large tent far ahead, guarded by ogres.

Mike: Assasinate

No! That would alert them to your presence, you'll just have to sneak past. Unfortunately for you your suit probably won't protect you if they see you, and at that range you're not sure if it will keep you hidden either.

You do however have an idea.

Mike: Pull the oldest trick in the book

You stalk over to one side of the tent and pick up a stone on the floor, then throw it over into the distance. You hope that the ogres will hear it and go off to investigate.

>Renner: Be surprised

O-oh. I-I s-see... um, c-can y-you help m-me o-o-out h-here? I'm k-kind o-of l-lost.

>Renner: Follow

You get up and get ready to follow the griffon wherever he may take you, assuming that the creature decides to take pity on you and show you where to go next. You're starting to feel a little excited at the prospect; after all, the COUNT OF DEATH is a pretty badass title. And - if you're hearing things correctly - the griffon implied that you were going to be a hero. Score!

>Alexandra: Answer the Angel

It all comes down to moral support, it seems. To be able to say the right word at the right time, to bolster confidence and boost morale. But...

I think I understand. My role seems to be one of great importance, and if given the means, I will accept the duty to watch over all of my allies, and aid them in their moments of difficulty and hardships. But that will require that I attain the means swiftly, for already I fear that some may be in need of it, and thus far my only contribution to assisting the others have been through my duty as a Server Player and luck.

Indeed, Robin would perhaps have been lost to despair already, had not ERICSPRITE intervened and informed you of what went wrong in the past. You hope that the MEANS that the angel in shape of your FATHER will assist you in identifying other important moments before it's too late.

However, before we get to that...is something the matter?

>Steve: What were you doing again?

Ah, you were about to fight your way through a constantly growing horde of monsters.

It seems that in your sleep, your great server player Mike has aided in building up your house to an optimal height. Hopefully you can ascend and escape before you're absolutely swarmed.

So, let's get this started, shall we?

[S]: Quickly move in an upward fashion.

You start to ascend the plethora of stairs leading towards the shining, pale green gate. The first things you have to deal with is a gaggle of imps clogging the way. Of course, by arranging themselves in a narrow path, they've made it much easier to blast them with your LASER POWER. If they weren't obliterated into grist, they at least fell off the staircase, effectively getting out of your way.

Of course, this easy ascension can only last so long. After climbing up a few stories. You only find the hostiles increasing. Both in numbers and in size...

Oh, and now there seems to be two, rather large, burly guys taking up roof space. You don't think you can just run past them...

And so, you BLAST through to your heart's content.

...It doesn't seem to be doing much though.

One raises it's hand up, balling it in a fist...

You can already tell this is gonna hurt, as readily swings at a blinding speed...

>: Protect.

Only, the punch never connects, as in front of you is your trusty buddy, SUPERALIENSPRITE, who takes the blow completely without budging an inch.

It then fires it's own beams at the towering Ogre in it's way. And this time, the creature is damaged by quite a bit. In it's weakened state, the ALIEN SPRITE can steadily raise it, and, with one, flickering instance of power, slams the creature into the counterpart beside it, knocking both of the towering beasts to their deaths.

>: High-five your sprite.

You would, but he seems to be pretty stressed at the moment. He doesn't look so good...

He immediately turns his attention, wordlessly, towards the gate still some considerable stories above.

He then looks to you.

You think you can tell what he's planning.

>: Brace yourself.

You get ready, as more monsters start to climb to your position.

You look up towards the night sky, and can only wonder if this will go well. You feel psychic energy focus around you. With only seconds of time remaining, you hope that your friend gets a fair amount of rest after this.

[S]: Enter

Flying through the gate, and carrying on at the same pitch velocity, you can only feel lucky as you conveniently crash into a deep, sandy mound. As you slowly climb out, something rockets overhead. You quickly tug your head out and look back into the pastel-lit night. You only see a thin, streak curving down the horizon, before finally crashing far out.

You take a few moments to take in the sights, lightly hearing the croaks of various-sized amphibians hiding within the grasslands.

You have finally arrived in the Land of Meteors and Frogs.

Now, you might as well investigate the newly formed trail that has also crash-landed on to these plains.

edited 14th Mar '12 7:04:45 PM by lightdarkhero250

======>

8< ...
8< Fine. I'll trust you.

Oh hey, sorry that took so long. I've been misinterpreting that line for ages now.

[oh but you dont know the whole story]

[you dont have to kill me]

[youve always got a choice]

[dont try to hide behind the game to excuse your actions mage]

[thats not how morality works and you know it]

[but if you still want to kill me you cant do it unless you let me out]

[im locked in but youre also locked out]

You grasp the basis of your role, yes.

I believe I may have the solution. A way to allow you to reach and help others in need. However, it may make it difficult for you to proceed through your own land.

The angel appears not to notice that Alexandra has continued to talk. When he realises she is still talking, he double-takes, blinking rapidly. Startled, he puts a hand up to his temple to rub it.

I'm sorry. I... I'm afraid for all our supposed omniscience, I don't understand what you mean."

The two ogres at the entrance to the tent are indeed foolish enough to fall for this cheap trick (they weren't created for their brains, after all). With a grunt to each other, they step away from the door to the tent and head down the gravel path to investigate. That leaves no-one visibly guarding the entrance to the overseers desk. Sounds of movement from inside, however, indicate that someone is in the tent.

oKAy. IF yOu ArE wHo I tHINk YoU aRe ThougH yOULl NeeD to SeE tHe TowN sHERIFf.

The griffon leads Renner towards the village. It is a collection of wooden huts with thatched roofs built into the side of a ravine of rock leading from the oasis out onto the great glass desert. Dozens of other griffons of various sizes and ages seem to be out and about, although they all stop what they are doing and shy away as Renner approaches, lurking in doorways and looking down from rooftops. They all eye him nervously.

The griffon leading Renner calls out to a smaller griffon (possibly a child) sitting under the eaves of one of the houses.

BoY. gEt ThE sHERIFf. TelL hIm ThE cOUNt OF dEATh IS hERe.

The boy gulps, but the fishergriffon stares hard at him, and the boy scurries away. The villagers mutter to each other, eyes darting from each other to the entrance of the ravine, and then back to Renner. He can't make out what the whispers mean from this distance, but they all seem to be worried.

Mike: Sneak

You enter through the tent entrance (Where else?) and proceed inside, hiding near one of the walls.

>Tom: Be... Surprised.

The witch is aware of the game. Disturbing.

and you are one to di(tate morality, of (ourse.

but if i'm not seeing the bigger pi(ture, then please.

fill in the missing pie(es.

i need to know more. about the game, my role in it.

that is all i want.

if you have answers, then i will consider this other (hoi(e of yours.

edited 20th Mar '12 5:53:11 PM by l3wt

The town seems simple and primitive, but you can't deny that there's something oddly charming about it. It's also kind of cool, especially because it's a town set into a cliff face populated by griffons. It can't get any cooler than that, right? Still, you can't shake the feeling that something's up - something that your impromptu guide has not told you about.

In fact, you feel positively nervous.

>Renner: Shake feeling of anxiety

Swallowing hard, you try to convince yourself that they're only behaving strangely because humans aren't a common sight around here. Yeah, that's it. Once they get used to you they'll calm down and then everything will go swi -

Okay this isn't working.

>Renner: Ask your guide

You turn to face the griffon and speak.

U-um, I-I don't m-m-mean t-to be r-rude, b-but w-why i-is e-everybody w-whispering a-and a-a-acting s-strangely?

N-no o-offence.

[the game is a front]

[its a facade to hide something far bigger and far more dangerous]

[the apocalypse wasnt the start of it and it wont be the end either]

[ever wonder 'why the chess analogies?']

[why black king and white queen and so on?]

[the things which made this thought it was funny]

[you see everything in the medium is the pawn of something or other]

[prospit and derse are in the middle of a proxy war for beings even i have trouble comprehending]

[the stakes are the highest possible of course]

[youre gambling the fate of universes]

[yes plural]

OH tHEYRe WorrieD bECAUSe IvE cALLEd ThE sHERIFf.

DiD i MentioN tHAt ThE tOWn IS uNDEr HostilE oCCUPATIOn AnD tHe SherrifF is AN oGRe?

The griffon adopts a look of sarcastic nonchalance.

ProbablY sHOULd HavE mENTIONEd ThaT.

Any further conversation is immediately cut off when their is a very loud roar and one of the huts at the far end of the ravine explodes outwards, the ogre apparently not bothering to use the door. The massive, bio-mechanical monstrosity stares through the dust at Renner, then starts charging towards him.

Inside the tent is remarkably sparse, save for a few chairs and a desk table at the far end of the long tent. Apart from these, the only objects in the room are a few heaped piles of various random items. Despite the noises that Mike heard, there is not apparently anyone inside the tent. Several documents and stacked heaps of paper, as well as a few pens and stationery. It would appear that if there is anywhere in the tent the documents Jack requires might be found, it is likely on the desk.

>Tom: Fondly regard revel-

No. STOP.

You are NOT in the mood to rehash/ruin this meme again.

You are too busy failing to wrap your head around the scope of the Witch's claims.

that's...

sorry. i'm having some trouble pro(essing the stakes here.

you're saying prospit and derse are fighting a proxy war, between someone, but who are they.

i don't understand. how do we as players fa(tor into something that's happening on su(h an enormous s(ale.

what do i do now?

[im not sure of the specifics but i think i have the gist of it]

[the horrorterrors out in the furthest ring are one of them i think they support derse though im not sure]

[the angels are another but they are backing prospit and by extension you]

[then theres the man in green and his gang of timetravelling psychopaths]

[ill be damned if i know what they are working towards]

[finally there are the other players]

[you see sburg has been run many hundreds of times and there are dozens of sessions floating around]

[one of them is inhabited by some ex-players who for some reason want to help you out]

[they are also trying to manipulate events but they seemingly arent very good at it]

edited 23rd Jul '12 3:01:38 PM by MadeOfAxes

O-oh.

You feel afraid (not to mention hurt that the griffon decided to betray you), but at the same time you are quite displeased with the ogre's decision to destroy the building. The nerve of it! At least the hut is going to the great village in the sky...

>Renner: Strife!

Clutching your crappy scythe, you know that shit has just got real. You run forth to meet the ogre, though you know that you can never match it in a contest of strength. Jumping upward, you try to blind the monstrosity or at least make it flinch with a well-timed swipe of your weapon.

===>

i haven't seen anything of these ex-players.

so far, anyway.

(an they be (onta(ted.

edited 25th Mar '12 5:18:54 AM by l3wt

...it's nothing. Please, do not think more of it.

>Alexandra: Progress!

Well then, what is the suggested solution you have for me?

[they should be contacting you right about now i should think]

Tom's pesterchum, as if on cue, registers that he is being pestered by another handle.

nexusOrganizer [NO] began pestering inherentlyProblematic [IP] .

NO: I'm lAte AgAin, Aren't I?

NO: God, I hAte it when I miss All the cues.

NO: I'm not opening this conversAtion very well, so I guess I'll stArt over.

NO: SAlutAtions! WhAtever nice things your denizen hAs just sAid aAbout us Are true. Everything else she sAid About us is nothing but lies And slAnder.

The Angel shuffles through the pockets of his jackets, as if searching for something. Then he draws it out: a plain, unadorned silver mirror.

I had some doubts about the use of a mirror for the further of your allotted role. I didn't think it was quite humble enough. An instrument of vanity, in my view, shouldn't really be involved in the occupation of the Maid. But I made do with making it as simple and serviceable as possible, and I think you'll agree I got across the point fairly well.

He holds the mirror out flat on his palm, and it floats up off his hand, righting and aligning itself as it slowly floats towards Alexandra. The Angel's hand returns to its pocket, and he takes a drag of the cigarette.

Simply put, this device will allow you to see others. If one of your compatriots is in danger, they will be reflected in the mirror. Again, I felt it was intruding to far into the territory of the Seer at times, but since a Maid's duty is to always come when she is asked for, I felt it was a small issue.

Sometimes, the situation to be resolved will only require you to speak with them, or otherwise not require your presence in person. If that is not the case, your powers will suffice to help cross the gap.

The cigarette nearly burnt out, the angel flicks it away, and it disintegrates in midair.

The Maid is perhaps the most mobile class, but you can only move n certain ways. If you are asked of, you will always find a way to answer your call. But that is something you will have to discover for yourself, I suppose.

Sheriff: Walk Smash Walk.]

You pull off the first one (although you run more than walk), but you don't quite get round to the smashing, what with the pesky hero jumping up and springboarding off your shoulder. It takes you a moment, as you wheel round to face him again, before you realise that you can't see in one eye. Then the sharp shock of the pain hits you, and you yell a threat at the Count of Death that you can't quite make out through the dust and the blood dripping into your good eyes.

IM GONNA POUND YOU INTO A PUDDLE OF MEAT FOR THAT, Y'HEAR?

Not want to charge in directly, you turn and raise your mechanical arm. Splaying your metal claws wide, a bulky box unfolds from your forearm. With a wicked grimace, you activate your STRIFE OPERANDI: SO MANY MISSILE WE FORGOT TO GIVE IT A FANCY NAME.

A dozen or so small, red-tipped missiles launch themselves, corkscrewing out to cover the field of battle in death. Thankfully, they don't track or follow the target, but rely more on firing in every direction to maximise the chances that one of them is going to hit something.

> Viktor: Try and locate the Servant.

"if Youre willing to trust me then follow me. i think i know where this Someone might be found."

You turn and lead Nita away from the Archagent's residence, and back through the maze of sidestreets to the little back alley where they bumped into the Concerned Servant earlier, on their way to meet with Mr. Noir.

edited 31st Mar '12 3:51:10 AM by MadeOfAxes