Character Dig Site

[lair] finally!

{ That is why it is easier to ignore them and their biases at large. If there is anything going for them, it is their work ethic. }

Vince studied the figures and inscriptions with mild interest, discerning that it was treated more as the creation of bodies for an undead soul rather than the brutal violation of another's wishes in the name of mad love. It seemed that the Lich merely chose to keep to himself.

{ I am most unfamiliar with your brand of necromancy. The cases that I have heard of merely include the brutal act of reviving those passed, usually grieving men towards their fallen lovers, and the few 'successes' that have been attained have all resulted in damage to the victim's character beyond recognition. The notes of these offenders do not even allude to any sort of art, yet he way you speak of it says otherwise. }

[Entry hall]

Marion paused for a moment to headbutt a wall a few times. Why, why, why? Why did people so often feel the need to be needlessly antagonistic?

She whirled on both Blossom and Elisif, flaring her wings. "Shut up," she said to both of them in a soft voice. "Both of you. I've done my best to keep this group together so far, and I don't want it to fall apart now because some people decide that they want to take potshots at each other." She grinned broadly, showing an awful lot of teeth, and stroked her claws against each other, making several clicking noises. "Got it?"

She pointed to Blossom. "You. You might not have noticed it, but people don't exactly think you the picture of sanity. My advice is to try not to be so obviously autopsy-happy and to antagonize as few people as possible. You'll give everybody here less of a reason to kill you or ask for you to be thrown into the desert."

She pointed to Elisif. "And you. She might be an asshole, but deal with it. If she keeps it up, walk away or ignore her. Don't just fly off the cuff and start screaming at her. It doesn't exactly say 'professionalism', 'maturity', or 'restraint' to me. What happens if you do that again and solve the wrong problem by accident?"

Addressing both of them again, Marion said, "I'm not asking you to like each other. Just tolerate each other and be able to work together without a chance of one of you slitting the other's throat."

edited 19th Dec '12 9:31:22 AM by TeraChimera

[Pit interior]

Thomas shook his head. "No, sir. I actually came to check on the children." He looked over at Nick, Adam, and Jackson. "I'm Nick's father. John, here, is his uncle. I was worried about letting my son travel far from home again-"

Nick shook his head, "-Like he always does. Since he thinks I'm not capable enough."

The man shot his son a glare. "...However, I see that they're all safe with you guys, and I hate to abruptly end your exploration. So I won't."

Nick turned away, "Whatever. Is anyone ready to move on now?"

edited 19th Dec '12 10:58:08 AM by Masterofchaos

[The Lair]

Cain listened to the conversation, content at spectating instead of being thrown into the limelight, but a question bothered him, and since the Lich seemed so talkative, perhaps it would humor his questions.

Why were you sealed away? The Aegis Knights that the Lich mentioned probably thought of it as enough of a threat to be sealed away, but too strong an enemy to be destroyed. Cain was interested in its life story, although he would never admit it. The reality he lived in meant that Cain usually would end up as a servant to some rich or powerful person, forced or compelled to slave at their every Dark Magic-related whim; if he wasn't killed first for being as someone once said, "A walking Chernobyl waiting to happen." What was different about the life (and undeath) that the Lich lived?

[Pit Edge]

"I don't think so," Haruka said. She was slightly disappointed that she would have to search for Cain by herself. "But if you want to, I can anchor that hook so that you don't have to constantly attend to it."

[Pit Bottom]

Kaidza shrugged. "Well, there's still the problem of getting back up, but we can go on if you guys want to."

[Pit interior]

"We have our ways, don't worry." John said, "I can gaurntee that my brother and I know what we're doing."

Jackson crossed his arms. "Alright, without further ado, let's go on ahea-" He stopped when he saw Nick already stomping ahead. "Hey, you prick! Wait!"

"Watch the language." Thomas warned, pulling back out his flashlight. "I'm pretty sure my son can't go very far; he hardly knows this place."

[Pit Interior]

"Ready." al-Faddil said. "Getting out shouldn't be too hard, though it might require carrying some of you."

He saw Nick walking away and made a face. "Smoke."

"Tagged," that was loud enough for everyone to hear and probably notice the whispery voice came from about where al-Faddil's blade was.

"Better." al-Faddil said. "Let's go."

[Tomb: Bottom of Pit]

Rune furrowed his brow at Thomas's answer. "...travel far from home." He repeated, then asked, "Are you two from Egypt? Or is this a vacation?"

He couldn't help but wonder about the boys presence alone at the dig site. It was not, in his opinion, a particularly safe or even recommendable environment for a group of teenaged boys, though they were more inexplicably equipped for the environment than most. But even after descending into the pit's considerable depths, Nick's father seemed quite unconcerned to find his son in the hands of strangers, some of which with potentially surprising appearances.

Perhaps it was a planned event. But then why did Nick seem so surprised to see his father and uncle there? Rune was adding two and two and kept getting one. One questionable situation. And what did he care? He didn't- or at least he shouldn't have.

And now people seemed to be moving on without a hitch. Rune thought he could perhaps continue as well if he traveled slowly. Resting against the wall had made him feel slightly more capable of moving on his own. Rune cursed mentally, almost wishing he'd still had a broken arm and a body flowing with energy and adrenaline.

[Bottom of the pit]

"I wish we were from Egypt." John said as they continued on, "But no; we're from Georgia. When Nick heard about Jackson coming here, he wanted his father to let him come with. It took so much convincing from me and his wife, but eventually, he let him go." He looked back at his brother and sighed, "But then he started getting paranoid, so we took a plane to come and check on the children."

Thomas didn't seem to be paying attention to the conversation, much to John's relief.

"So Mr. Rune, has anything happened before we got here?" He finally asked.

[Entry Hall]

Blossom looked at Marion warily, but then sighed. Marion had a point. So Blossom just bit her lip and gave a quick nod of assent.

[Pit Edge]

With an appreciative nod, Okul said, "that would be greatly appreciated — but I still wish to keep an eye on it. Misfortune has a way of striking when you first avert your eyes." Then, considering the boredom that such a task ensured, he reconsidered. "Although... if you permit me to test this 'anchoring' first, I suppose I can trust it."

[Pit Interior]

Amu looked between Thomas and Nick, and sighed. "The father and the son," he said, as if to himself, but loud enough that both could hear. "I do not know which underestimates the other greater."

[Outside the Lair —> Branching Hallway]

This wasn't getting anywhere. "Enough," Raptor said. "We leave now, return later, bring those with power, and destroy the beast." Without waiting for others to agree or disagree, he left.

edited 26th Dec '12 8:26:30 AM by KillerClowns

The Lich nodded slowly along with Vince's comments on the biases of mortal minds, seeming to Vince to have quite a bit more to say on that particular subject, but it stayed silent as he continued. When Vince had finished, the Lich spoke with a rather droll tone.

{My perspective is uncommon even within the necromancy community, but then, few necromancers have attained Lichdom- and few among them have attained such a mastery of necromancy. I say community- it isn't much of one, really. About as social as a group of criminals and renegades can afford to be.}

It's angular, bone-white head shook once more in what might have been an expression of disgust.

{The Empire disagreed with the theological implications of necromancy. Short-sighted fools. The clergy of the Arcana religion contend that the afterlife should be the sole domain of God. Hah! Why the state of the art and, by extension the rest of the realm, should suffer on account of their stifling lack of imagination is beyond even me.}

The Lich's tone had lost it's geniality, and was now becoming downright vicious.

{You speak of the irrationality of mortals. So often life is wasted on the living.}

Elisif, teeth set, tone and expression defiant, yelled back at Marion. "Deal with it-!? What do you think I've just been-!?!"

Elisif fell suddenly silent, at a loss for words, and figured shutting up was more dignified than having her speech degenerate into sputtering incoherency. Anyone who had known or worked with Elisif for any appreciable length of time would be familiar with her temper.

She fumed. What was Marion thinking!? All she had done was reprimanded Blossom- that was what you did with insubordinate team members. Marion ought to know this...

She looked as if she were about to voice her protests out loud but in the end, like a good little soldier, Elisif chose to zipper up and instead marched on in silence.

[Entrance Hall]

Inside the armor, he resisted the desire to shake his head. What the hell sort of army did Elisif come from, anyways? Even the Argentinians he'd fought in the Polar Wars usually saw better ways of asserting command authority. Unless she didn't have any. Simple Code Red behavior. Or what? PMC? Some indig bunch from west of nowhere?

He had a horrible urge to open his visor and try pressing on his temples to hold the headache at bay, though he knew from experience it didn't work. The K-12Z's hands were dexterous enough but the visor aperture wasn't the right size, and there was no way he was popping the whole faceplate here. He still catches himself raising his free hand towards the faceplate.

[Pit Interior]

al-Faddil came noticeably close to cracking a smile at Amu's comment. "It is a good time to be wrong about how much another can do, here. At least so far."

edited 26th Dec '12 11:26:18 PM by Night

[Pit Edge]

"Well, I can use my telekinesis to embed the hook deep into the rock...although now I think about it, it might be a problem to try and take it out..." Haruka said thoughtfully. "But I guess I or some other mage or some guy with a pick could dig it out later. Do you like waffles?"

[Pit Interior]

Kaidza looked back to see Rune propping himself up against the wall, "You sure you don't need help? You look as if all the energy in you died."

[The Lair]

Cain gazed at the murals. He could not understand the conversation between the Lich and Vince, although the words felt as if their ghostly understanding was just beyound him. Somehow, the eldritch tongue was...familiar. Like a memory of a dream from beyound the Veil.

Lichdom was never something he seriously considered. For some reason, he felt that if he were to become immortal, it would not be by undeath. Even so, he wasn't sure if he'd really be happy if he were immortal. All the time in the world for introspective thinking and the constant reminder of what an asshole he really is. Like what he was doing now.

He blinked. It wasn't a necessary motion in his shadow form, yet he felt it was needed. He needed to stop this kind of thinking before it got to him and started the domino-cascade of the realization of how fucked up he was.

edited 27th Dec '12 12:47:15 AM by Tehpillowstar

[Pit interior]

Thomas only quirked an eyebrow at Amu and al-Faddil. Nick, on the other hand, groaned at the fact that everyone, including his dad, was following him.

Adam walked over to his friend. "That wasn't nice of you, Nick; Mr. Riverson came a long way to see us." He whispered.

"Yeah, after he said he'd let me be an adult." Nick whispered back, "He can't even keep his damn word."

"Nick!"

The other teen marched ahead, away from Adam. The redhead sighed, before walking back to al-Faddil, Jackson, and Thomas.

"Let him calm down, Adam." Jackson whispered, "He can't stay mad like that forever."

edited 27th Dec '12 10:24:07 AM by Masterofchaos

[Entry hall]

"I think you've been turning into a passive-aggressive asshole," Marion said to Elisif. "I don't know about you, but I don't find blowing off someone who wants to apologize to you, even if it's insincere, to be dealing with it. By deal with it, I mean something like..." She put on a forced smile. "Grin and bear it. Ignore it. Not, you know, try to make things worse."

Throwing a quick glance at Blossom, Marion leaned in close to Elisif and lowered her voice so Blossom couldn't hear it. "I don't like her much, either," she muttered as her tail twitched restlessly, "but I've learned to tolerate people I don't like. If she keeps it up and..." She coughed. "...becomes a problem, I'll solve it, but otherwise, don't do anything to her. Besides, she said she wasn't a warrior. I'm betting she'll want to leave the tomb soon."

Having taken point, Des slowly advanced down the entry hall, helmet swivelling to and fro. It was looking for anything that stood out - odd drawings, out-of-place stones, wires, or just leftovers - and its hand was held near the haft of its axe. Its body language - inasmuch it had any - was terse.

[Entry Hall]

Blossom looked between Marion and Elisif. Then, while looking vaguely in Marion's direction with a defeated expression, she mumbled an awkward but sincere, "...thank you." She opened her mouth as if to speak more, but sighed and bit her tongue.

[Pit Interior]

Amu glanced over at al-Faddil and nodded in agreement, then rolled his eyes at Nick's behavior. He considered offering a word of agreement to Jackson's advice, but thought better of it. Having never had a proper family of his own — aside from his sister — Amu had no idea on how to deal with such matters.

[Pit Edge]

Okul studied the grappling hook with a mischievous grin. "In truth? It's not my hook. So the problem of removing it from whatever enchantment you use to secure it is not my own. Do as you will. Now..." he turned to Haruka with a dubious expression, "what in the spirits' names is a 'waffle'?"

edited 28th Dec '12 7:04:01 PM by KillerClowns

[Pit Edge]

Haruka's initial impulse was to troll Okul and give him a very silly and ridiculous answer, possibly in the lines of "lawful", but she suppressed it for the sake of spreading such important knowledge.

"Well, um, a waffle is this kind of sweet pastry cooked in a waffle iron that you put goodies such as syrup or fruit or fruity syrup that you eat traditionally around breakfast," Haruka said, after thinking for a moment. "I don't think we brought any though. Maybe someone else does? You should really try it, it's tasty and delicious," she added with a goofy smile, appearing for the moment to have completely forgotten the original subject matter in exchange for the more pressing matter of waffles.

Changing the subject right back to the original subject matter in one great subject double-mobius reacharound, Haruka's face turned somewhat more serious, and said, "Well, okay." She picked up the grappeling hook and aimed it at the stone wall, then blasted it into the stone, embedding it so that only the small loop where the rope was tied to stuck out. She then placed a hand to the stone and muttered some words under her breath, and the cracked, somewhat pulverized stone healed it self, entombing the hook. She tugged at the rope experimentally, but the hook did not budge.

[Pit Edge]

Okul didn't know what a "waffle iron" was either — the name seemed to imply that one needed to know what a waffle was first. As such, the description was incomplete to him, but he did at least feel closer to discerning the true nature of this enigmatic "waffle". Enough to make him want to try one for himself, if only to discover what sort of pastry one could possibly eat around breakfast.

And then he beheld the grappling hook consumed by stone. He felt very relieved, both that Haruka seemed to consider him a friend, and that he was not the one doomed to remove it. He briefly imagined a human ended in a similar way — swallowed and suffocated by solid rock — and shuddered. But he doubted Haruka would be able to come up with such an assault, and he wasn't about to mention it. The uses of such a power, and the first one I think of is killing people horribly. What is wrong with me?

He shook his head. Too many thoughts, not enough talking. Finally, he said to Haruka, "ah, sorry, just contemplating... these 'waffles'. Yes, I shall certainly have to try one. Now, you wished to go somewhere? Do something?" Amu could take care of himself, after all. "I'm listening."

Elisif turned to Marion. For a split second, she could see an expression of hurt flicker across Elisif's face. Then it was gone, replaced by that same grim, bitter visage that she was fast becoming familiar with.

She gave Marion a single businesslike nod, the anger seeming to melt out of her. Directing her eyes forward, she settled back into the role of Marion's lieutenant and stood on her to lead them on.

[Entry hall —> branching hallway]

Upon seeing the look cross Elisif's face, Marion groaned internally. Had she come from a place where you could yell people into submission? Where infighting was a good thing? Where even a slight insult was sufficient provocation for blowing people off completely? I'll need to talk to her. Find out what caused this, in one way or another. Either get her to open up or make sure this doesn't happen again.

But Marion brushed the thought aside for now and continued on. Leaving the entry hall, the group came to the three hallways. When Marion had first come down here, her group had found the armory down the middle. She didn't know what lay down the right or left ones, but she suspected the thing was down the left.

Coincidentally, someone was coming out of the left hallway. He didn't feel powerful enough to be the whatever, though. He wore a wooden mask, a robe, and... a crossbow? What kind of moron would bring a crossbow indoors? It'd take too long to reload after you shot a bolt off. Maybe he hadn't planned on being inside or it was designed like one of those Chinese repeating crossbows. "Hey," she said to him. "Seen anything interesting?" That didn't rule out benign or ambivalent things.

[Branching Hallway]

"Interesting?" Raptor said, with a disgusted half-laugh. "Certainly. There is a twisted thing that should not exist that way," he pointed towards the lair. "You'll know it when you see it, I assure you."

Blossom recognized her husband's voice as soon as she heard it, slipping through the crowd. "There you are," she said, with a smile of relief. "I do hope you haven't caused anyone any trouble."

"Blossom? What in the Law-Giver's name are you doing here?" He slung his mask on his back by its strap, then continued, "and you're really one to talk about causing trouble. Given all the strange people here, especially. Did you...?"

Finishing the sentence was unnecessary, as Blossom replied, "once! But she seemed perfectly agreeable to it, and how could I not at least try? I mean..."

"...Blossom..."

"...the possible contributions to science, medicine..."

"...dear..."

Blossom sighed. "Fine," she muttered.

Raptor stepped forward and said, "although I'm not sure exactly how difficult she was, I must formally apologize for anything my wife may have said that might have offended, disturbed, or unnerved any of you. I assure you, she is not a violent woman, and her intentions are only to seek the betterment of the health and well-being of all humanity. She just has difficulties expressing this desire from time to time."

Blossom cleared her throat and said, "and speaking of all humanity, dear, I imagine you also have something to say?" Seeing Raptor look warily at her, Blossom added, "and when we get out of here, I could really do with a nice nautilus fry..."

Raptor seemed to understand some underlying meaning in the phrase. He seemed to deflate, becoming very apologetic and embarrassed. "...of course. I may also have been... hasty in some of my judgments of the people here." He seemed satisfied with this apology for a few moments, but Blossom's stare continued to burn into him. So he finished, "and I also may have overestimated my own skills. For which I also apologize." Another pause, and Blossom continued to stare him down. "...and since apologies are but words, I shall endeavor to make my future actions a suitable display of my penitence." Finally, Blossom nodded in satisfaction, and Raptor breathed a sigh of relief.

After a moment of thought, Blossom added, "and I shall do the same."

I realize this is a lot of bouncing off each other — this will be the last time they do so to such a grand extent — but it seemed necessary to establish just how much Blossom and Raptor are different when together.

edited 30th Dec '12 11:16:45 AM by KillerClowns

Des shrugged and waved to the new person, not saying anything. It hated when it messed up first encounters. It made it feel clumsy.

[lair]

Yes, they shunned him. That was fairly obvious by now, but Vince did not exactly have much more to say on the subject of mortal versus immortal minds; communing with unknown beings in topics that angered them, even indirectly, was a risky business.

He began to stare off at some other part of the mural.

{ I feel that we both understand the nature of mortal behaviors and their shortcomings, do we not? }

[Branching hallway]

One: the thing is down there. Two: this guy seems perfectly coherent, so it's not so abominable as to be soul- or mind-shattering. Three: he's alive, so either it's not hostile or it's not as powerful as we thought. I'm leaning towards the former; being not as powerful seems pretty unlikely, based on what I felt. It seemed to Marion like her theories, surprisingly enough, had some validity. She had expected it to be evil and merely presented the "maybe it's not hostile" theory because, well, it might not be.

On the other hand, that might just be because it was luring more people towards it. Putting a smile on its face so you would let your guard down and come in range of the knife it was holding behind its back. Just because this guy had made it this far didn't mean the thing was all rainbows and sunshine and smiles and ponies.

"Interesting," she said vaguely, glancing down the hallway. "And this... thing. Has it tried to kill you at all? Invade your mind, roast you alive, that sort of thing?"

edited 31st Dec '12 8:43:20 AM by TeraChimera

[Branching Hallway]

Raptor considered this question thoughtfully. "Well, it was more than happy to trick us into slaying its guardians at risk to our own lives, but it has not directly attacked us itself." He decided not to mention his own contribution to its escape beyond this much. "Nevertheless, it is safe to say," he continued as he absentmindedly toyed with the mask he now held at his side, "that if it deceived us and put us at risk for its own gain once, we can fully expect similar behavior again in the future."

For the rest of the evening, New Years awaits! I'll be back when the hangover wears off.