General Prehnite Alive enough to whine about it, and surprisingly unharmed! Inspecting the Handheld Tablet with Kama.
"It's Alright Kama, I'm fine -- I think..." spoken loud enough to be of note to everyone, greatful that his eyes were still his own and that he could move seemingly without issue. He hadn't been turned into a literal ghost -- this wasn't like the last mission to the scar -- and he couldn't help but touch over his own clothes, mesmerized by the guise. It felt real as it looked to his own eyes, and the colors nagged brutally at the back of his mind, reminded him of a certain current princess recently born of blight. All those purples, whites, greens, and floral ---- <********> -- Just. No. He was dropping the thought with a withered, thorny sigh even as he was moving to near enough Kamacite's shoulder to offer aid with the fritzing Handheld Tablet which he prayed contained a tad more info. "You know, this is actually going much better than last time? Far less screaming and fire. I've not yet turned into a horrid amalgamation of a plant..."
Ah, and that reminded him, Faustite was expecting a check in. Some signs of life. He knew Aqua had relayed a bit -- but -- "General Faustite, I'm starting to think the Rift's got something personal against me. I'm also thinking we'll need to soon get a move on from this space, between the flooding, the ghostly apparitions -- Oh, and apparently touching the glowing stars makes one a ghost? Just saying, If I die down here I'm haunting you..." slipped onto the coms, witless wording and a smile that felt like his own and not all at the same time. He thought maybe he'd haunt Kamacite as well, just a tad. Though far less menacingly then he would Faustite.
Lieutenant Zultanite Wondering if their in a 'War Room' while still exploring all the neatly stacked sharps.
"D'nwrry Kamacite, I ain't afraid of no ghosts," he didn't intend to become one either. Not that touching the blades seemed like a death sentence from where he stood. The more time passed and the more he looked on 'where they stood' became an even more intriguing venue.
He wondered if maybe they weren't seeing ghosts at all, but holograms? Some view of a long dead, overly grand past. Some magically sprung echo of a distant time...
Was this place a factory, a testing site, a war room? N the slosh water lapping at his own feet startled him back outta musing into reality. Even if his feet didn't quite yet feel the seepage into his socks, the pooling water raising at a trickle edged his nerves into wanting to get moved along. Getting trapped down a shaft n drowned was not his ideal way to go. Spelunking was for the fish.
Strickenized
Checking in with so much love in his pointy, purple heart! Also if Prehnite can aid Kamacite in Inspecting the Handheld Tablet
Guine
Sunshine Alouette
tefla
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 9:10 am
"Weapons," Faustite echoed over Aquamarine's communicator, heavily laden with static. "And stars. Best we assume we're not alone, then, until we can confirm that we are. Shouldn't be any way for knights to survive down here, though — they'd be drained dry. See what you can learn from those symbols."
When Aquamarine [4] approached the star symbols, they glowed brighter, and so did the white apparition of a chair. It seemed nearly solid now, and so blindingly bright that staring directly at it might sear one's retinas. Perhaps if he got closer to the star sigil, or even touched it, whatever process was taking place would then finish.
What Zultanite [7] would sleuth out was that the glyphs on the pommels and handles of these weapons were markedly different than the scattered symbols around the room. They didn't glow, for one, which hopefully meant that nothing would come of touching them. For two, the symbol looked more like a signature — like a crescent moon that had opened towards their feet. Trapped between the two points was a starseed. It wasn't terribly unlike the glyphs or stylizations seen around the Dark Kingdom, if the lieutenant spent much time there.
The weapons themselves seemed far more reliably solid than the ghostly furniture or the symbols on the ground.
The handheld tablet that Kamacite [1] had gotten from Zultanite was unresponsive to the Eternal's touch. As he turned it this way and that, it only showed him his own reflection. There were no buttons to speak of on any part of the terminal, and only one port that was made for a plug-in unlike any he had seen before. However, after a few moments of sitting in his grasp, the terminal began to boot on its own.
As Prehnite examined the tablet with Kamacite, the pair witnessed the rest of its booting process. WELCOME, ETERNAL KAMACITE it had read, then the screen went dark once more as it ran through its cycle. FIVE MESSAGES, TWO UNREAD. ENTER ARNAUD'S PASSWORD TO CONTINUE.
"Nothing you're saying makes any sense, Prehnite. If there's flooding, look for a way to stop it."
General Prehnite Try all the passwords Kama! - Prehnite's Investigating The Console.
"I don't understand, Cosmos insignias -- Cosmos magic -- and Citadel tech?" Whatever he knew of the Rift felt comparable to a drop of oil in the ocean, it coated the smallest bit of the surface and yet was never deep enough to give him answers when they needed them most. He knew -- once -- that it'd belonged to someone other than their Queen -- expected to find Earth Kingdom ruins or the like, but this? Fresh weapons of war all dumped in with images of the past. It was an intriguing conundrum; something he'd rather pry apart slowly if only they had the time.
"Kama, I want to say try 'Cosmoslover69' -- but? Maybe 'Metalliarulz' is more apt, all things considered," words huffed as half tease, half earnest, because even if nothing he said made sense to Faustite. The firebug was right for them to try n stall out the source of the flooding. "I'm going to check The Console quickly, do yell if something changes from it.
"The weapons r'ours too," the words tossed casually over a shoulder, he dug into the pile of neatly arranged weapons and chose whatever looked like it had the most heft attached to it's handle. He thumbed the dark star and moon briefly before hauling the mace out; fainting a sweep or two at the air just to feel it's weight in his grasp. The thing was well balanced, untouched, a nice bit of smashemup to hold -- better then a damn cinnamonstick for sure, "not that any of that makes a lick'a sense, but here it is on the pommel n such. Dark crescents n stars clear as day."
Strickenized
Zultanite's Taking a Mace - Just in Case! Prehnite is investigating The Console next to The Forcefield.
Guine
Sunshine Alouette
tefla
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 2:22 pm
Eternal Kamacite Contacting Faustite about ‘Arnaud’s password’ and NOT entering ‘Cosmoslover69’.
Kamacite frowned at Prehnite’s reminder that this time was better. He was grateful that no one on his team had been seriously injured last time, and he hoped it would remain that way again.
He was brushing his fingers over the tablet once more when it started to power up, and he was startled to find it knew who he was.
How was that possible? He almost dropped it into the water, or whatever liquid was around them, but held onto it… especially when Prehnite suggested a… possible password.
He liked Prehnite, but that didn’t stop him from giving him the most exasperated look. Instead of immediately trying any attempts at ‘123456’ or ‘password1’ or even what Prehnite suggested, Kamacite pulled his communicator pen from his subspace and spoke into it to Faustite.
“Are you doing okay?” he asked first, because he was worried about him, but didn’t want to make it seem like it was a big deal when Faustite could obviously ask for help if he needed it. “Came across a tablet. It knows my name and is asking for ‘Arnaud’s password’,” he explained, hoping it pronounced like the French version of the name, because that was how he said it. “Does the name ring any bells?”
General Aquamarine Relaying more info to Faustite; touching one of the five-pointed stars. (6 + 1 = 7)
“I’m stuck with a bunch of ******** idiots,” Aquamarine muttered to himself, tossing Prehnite — or the person that once was Prehnite (Was still Prehnite beneath whatever made him look different?) — an unimpressed glare for his password suggestion.
To Faustite, Aquamarine explained, “Prehnite doesn’t look like himself. Could be a Knight, by the way he looks now. I don’t ******** know what’s going on, but at least he still seems to be himself even if he doesn’t look it.”
At least Prehnite went to investigate the console, which meant Aquamarine didn’t have to do it himself. He could devote a little more time to the ghost furniture and whatever Cosmos bullshit these stars were supposed to be. ******** tacky, if you asked Aquamarine.
No one asked Aquamarine.
The chair seemed almost solid, like it might actually be real, but it was so bright Aquamarine couldn’t look at it directly. His gaze went to the glowing stars instead. He crouched by the nearest one to get a closer look.
“See what you can learn about those symbols,” he muttered again, low and derisive. “******** Cosmos s**t. ******** knights. We ******** better be alone. I swear if I find any Cosmos ******** down here, being drained dry’ll be the least of their worries.”
First the Negaverse drove him to drink. Now he was talking to himself.
Aquamarine scowled and brushed his fingers over the five-pointed star.
Into the communicator, he added, “Zultanite says the weapons’re ours. They have markings on them. So we’ve got a room that looks like Cosmos barfed stars all over the place, some ghost furniture, a mystery box of Nega weapons, and whoever the ******** Arnaud is.”
Better not be a ******** Knight.
Strickenized
Touching a star and relaying more info.
Shiningamisgirl
Glaring at Prehnite for that password suggestion
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 4:13 pm
Captain Siegenite
This place was strange.
Siegenite often found himself wishing he remembered more than bare fragments from his time as a Knight--looking around, he suspected it might have been of use. He'd been Mercury, not Cosmos, but--still.
At least it didn't seem actively dangerous. Yet, at least. Strange, for certain, though.
But there was something he understood. Magitech or not, a tablet was a tablet. so he stepped over to Kamacite, and politely extended a hand.
"May I?" He asked. "There might be a way to brute-force the password, given enough chances."
Lieutenant Sodalite - Deciding to attempt crossing the islands to get to the green glowing symbol
Getting one's feet wet, making a splash. Oh the irony of wading around in ankle deep water while trying to get across the islands. Sodalite couldn't help but grimace at the liquid that lapped at his ankles even as he passed the nondescript box on the nearest island to investigate further away from where everyone was gathered. He knew that everyone else was busy and when a green glow caught his eye he decided then and there that it would be his mission to find out what exactly the symbol so very far away meant to this section of the building that they were currently investigating.
Whipping his weapon from side to side wasn't actually doing anything but the agent was perhaps just a little bit full to the brim of anxious energy. You wouldn't catch him utilizing his weapon in the manner for which it was created but that would have been helpful to siphon off the jitters that he found himself having. Instead Sodalite did perhaps a reasonable thing and yelled back to those investigating the room with him.
"If no one objects, I'm going to see if I can get to that glowing green thing way across the room," he really hoped that no one would object as he'd already managed to hop to the next "island" in the chain.
Strickenized
Sodalite (5) + 1 (recon bonus) = 6 ... is crossing the islands to try and reach the green glowing symbol
Hylonome frowned as the data flowed over her tablet before she clicked it off. At Prehnite's question she looked up quickly before standing up. "There's something at the bottom of the channel that looks like an spherical broken egg. I'm reading from the data analyzed that the substance seems to be an odor-less fuel. However that's all I can really tell you at the moment."
Looking back down at the channel and the broken-open spheres that lay innocently at the bottom of the gouge did her eyes lock on a target. The analysis of the substance hadn't indicated any danger that it knew of. Sensing a person passing by her on the way to the closest island Hylonome caught sight of their newest teammate before sighing at his words. It would have been better to stick together but she wasn't going to be the one to chastise him for being reckless. Kneeling down again Hylonome made her own rash decision and reached for one of the broken-open spheres - hoping that it'd prove useful.
Strickenized
Hylonome's attempting to grab an sphere/egg = Roll - 3
The console to the right of the five-pointed star booted up as Prehnite [3] inspected it, against all odds. The shattered thing read out WELCOME, GENERAL PREHNITE across its broken screen. MODIFY PRODUCTION? The options YES and NO were both supplied, but they were both on shattered pieces that had been floating just above the console, as if time had been frozen for it when it was originally destroyed.
"Fine. Tech nerd said the building had enough power to run for a couple hours, so I'm stretching my legs." Faustite echoed back over the private link to Kamacite. "Arnaud? Don't recognize the name. I'll check with the other teams, see what I can find. Hold onto that tablet in the mean time."
Aquamarine's [6] report added more to the story. "I see. I'll get back to you when I learn more."
As Aquamarine touched the Cosmos star, he would feel a familiar burn on his fingers – one that echoed the knights who wore the same symbol. As he had done so, however, the discharge in energy caused the nearby chair to pop fully into being. It seemed like it was an article that should not have been. Once the chair became real, the nearby detritus had likewise disappeared. Aquamarine's touch had caused the remnants of the chair to be restored to what it once was.
With the floors knitting together, Sodalite [6] would find crossing to the glowing green symbol in the distance an easy task. The waters had not yet touched him the way they had the others, and no glowing apparitions of office furniture had obstructed the path. As he drew closer, he would find that the glowing symbol was one that looked similar to a P, and like the rest of the room, glittering stars speckled and fell from it as it glowed. Perhaps touching it may yield some clues to the purpose of this room, or to whatever had happened here.
Hylonome [3] was able to scoop up one of the broken-open spheres with little issue. However, she was unable to make sense of the nature of the object – perhaps it would take further investigation to understand what these spheres were onced used for. It was clear, however, that some of the remaining mix of fuel and infinitesimal stars remained cradled in the bottom of the thing.
As time went on, more of the gouges in the floor knit back together, until they were merely scrapes. By now, the water level had risen once again to about two inches above the floor level. The water grew cloudier, with the embedded stars in its murk growing fainter as they were closer to the floor.
The water level hadn't impeded the apparitions, however. The table and several chairs had been rendered back to existence in a blinding flash and a puff of stars, as if an echo to Aquamarine's actions. The table was itself pristine – an elegant metal frame and glass inlay with strategic stripes of obsidian to lend it a sophisticated flair. Atop the table lay a single note on old parchment. The chairs that appeared had matched – each looking graceful in their metal construction, but they were, one and all, as uncomfortable-looking as the table. Apart from the one with a symbol that looked like a P gouged into it, they were all perfectly serviceable.
Below the table, a stout, round cylinder no bigger than a smoke alarm had begun to form out of white light.
As the team lingered, more of the minuscule stars had begun to work their magic. Siegenite and Hylonome had likewise been cursed with visions of a bygone era, now dripping with strange magic.
Quote:
If combat is triggered, Zultanite gains a +2 damage bonus.
Siegenite and Hylonome have gained the appearance of their most recent past life. If your characters do not have a past life or you are uncertain how that past life may look, you may also describe them as looking like they've been painted over with an iridescent, starry sheen.
The next story post will occur on 12/26/22 at 10PM EST or later. (( I work 28 hours over the weekend, and won't have time to post on the 48 hour schedule! ))
Guine rolled 1 6-sided dice:
2Total: 2 (1-6)
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2022 7:08 pm
Eternal Kamacite Putting the tablet in his subspace and checking out the old parchment. 2
When Siegenite approached to offer to take the tablet from him, Kamacite gripped it a little tighter.
“Thank you, but I would prefer we wait to enter a reasonable password. We do not know how many attempts we will be allowed,” he explained, but didn’t have to say they were also waiting to hear back from Faustite when the General responded.
Kamacite let out a small sigh of relief to hear the other was still doing okay, and Faustite’s suggestion to hold onto it only furthered his resolve to keep it safe from any brute-force attempts at breaking into it. At least for the moment.
“We should inspect the furniture, or perhaps General Prehnite needs assistance with the console?” he suggested to Siegenite as he tucked the tablet safely in his subspace pocket, not wanting to trip and drop it in the water, and made his way over to the newly appeared furniture.
When he reached the table, he picked up the old parchment to inspect.
General Aquamarine Giving orders; noting the P symbol, checking out the round cylinder.
Aquamarine hissed and pulled his hand back, muttering a long string of curses under his breath as the star burned.
“Probably should’ve ******** expected that,” he said.
What he should not expect was for the chair to leave its ghostly past behind and pop back into existence, but that was exactly what it did. Aquamarine frowned at it, rising from his crouch with a brief dirty look for the ******** star. It was magic, clearly. Something like rebirth? Making what was broken new again.
He followed Kamacite to the table, glancing around to check on the rest of his and Prehnite’s teams.
“One of you who isn’t already occupied with something, go with Sodalite. I don’t want a Lieutenant wandering off on his own.”
To himself, Aquamarine continued to mutter — something about agents who couldn’t be bothered to wait for permission, which seemed as if it might be a running theme. That half youma girl from their last mission hadn’t bothered to wait for permission either. It seemed some superior officers were getting too lax with their subordinates. (Or perhaps they simply didn’t respect Aquamarine. Neither option would surprise him. Not that Sodalite was on his team. Maybe it was Prehnite he didn't respect.)
At the table, Aquamarine noted the symbol that looked like a P on one of the chairs.
“That’s Pluto’s,” he observed.
First Cosmos, now Pluto?
He took his communicator back in hand. This time, it wasn’t Faustite he checked in with.
“Jet,” he said as he crouched down again, trying to get a look at the round cylinder forming beneath the table. “Any trouble on your end?”
Strickenized
Aquamarine is noting the P symbol on the chair and investigating the round cylinder forming beneath the table.
Guine
Paging Jet.
Noir Songbird
[Mistress Morbid]
Natsuko-neko
Shiningamisgirl
Shanyume
Indigo_Plateau
tefla
tefla rolled 1 6-sided dice:
6Total: 6 (1-6)
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 5:07 pm
Hylonome (Basic Corrupt) (( Going over the "sphere" with a more detailed investigation with her tablet, seeing if anything comes up. Concerned about the shimmer she's obtained.
The idea of giving up this new mysterious object for something else to check out was not at the top of Hylonome's mind. The basic corrupt checked the status of everyone else on her team before reaching for her tablet once more. There was a mystery here to be solved and she wished to be able to contribute more to this expedition then just being called upon her services as a healer. Scanning the sphere that she now held in her hand she gave the object a confused look. What was the strange sheen that she saw reflected back from the sphere's surface?
It took maybe a moment of puzzling out what she was seeing reflected back at her before she turned her hand this way and that. The sheen was coming from her body. Weird. It didn't seem to hurt her and carefully setting the sphere aside did Hylonome turn her attention towards herself ... and another. Was there an explanation to why she was suddenly glowing. What was going on here? Her gaze narrowed on the tablet's readout as she tried to get a reading on the shimmering sheen that coated her body.
Strickenized
Hylonome's continuing to investigate the sphere she pulled from the gouge, going over it with her tablet. Also running scan on this sudden shimmering sheen on her body. (Guess both 'investigation' things) - rolled a 6
Lieutenant Sodalite - Pressing symbol because it's there going "Press me, press me, in its best alluring voice
There was nothing gained if one didn't take risks. Sodalite turned his head into a swivel as Aquamarine called for someone to go with him. Fine, but who would it have been? Everyone else seemed occupied as to what they were checking out and even he had a hard time not eyeing the glowing green symbol on the wall. From what he could ascertain it looked vaguely like a P and the pulsing waves of green energy kept bringing his attention back to it. Putting aside common sense the lieutenant reached out to brush his hand against the symbol not even fearing for his own safety in doing so. Whatever would happen, would happen. Que sera and all that jazz.
Strickenized
Sodalite presses hand into glowing green symbol because why not? (( Roll 3 - plus recon bonus +1 = 4 ))
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 5:56 pm
General Prehnite Pressing YES -- because what can't be made better with a little modding?
Prehnite didn't object, if anything? He encouraged, rather recklessly. Maybe a bit overconfident in his own teams basic abilities, or possibly overly distracted between trying to navigate the cracked to hell screens functional commands while ignoring the fact that his fingers glowed like gallons of glitter under the neon lights of a rave show...
"Aquas right, try and go in pairs -- I don't want to take any of you home in a jar tonight," offhanded and far away, Prehnite pondered over the screen, his team, glanced back to Aqua and asked "Also, Aqua? If anyone chimes in with a 'why' as to how any of this tech recognizes us? It's becoming increasingly strange..." did Aqua say there were Pluto symbols now?!
Was Hylonome glowing too!?! He felt his face pinch and then sighed for it because her glowing was just as beautifully strange and difficult to understand as his own. He wasn't about to interrupt whatever she was diligently working on to discuss it with her right then and there.
Zultanite was hoping Siegenite could help Kama out, even if it was just to follow the Eternals orders. He knew better than to touch the techy things too much at this point. Tech was something he was the least functional with and better left to the kids -- his kid, even, if he'd been there he woulda insisted the broody teen help out. Weapons were a bit more standard fare for him, and though he would've rather had a gun than a mace? Anything that didn't break because he looked at it too hard was favorable.
"M'on it Aqua, Sir." And he was, slow at pace and three steps behind while he watched Sodalite touch the big, green, glowing n o p e -- He wasn't sure what help he'd be? But figured it was best to start his way after the Lt. "N'he's right Sieg', might be better to try with a password we know instead'ah lockn ourselves out accidently. Kama -- hollar if that thing starts a fire between you two, m'not goin far." Shouted back before he finally moved on, he knew of all the people there, he wasn't about to be the first one to touch the gaudy ghost furniture of the long distant 'whenever'.
Strickenized
Prehnite Pressed YES
xGuine
xSunshine Alouette
xtefla
xNoir Songbird
Shiningamisgirl
Ruthless Consumer
Offline
Strickenized
Garbage Cat
Offline
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 6:53 pm
Faustite radioed Kamacite after a long delay. "Learned who Arnaud is, more or less. He's the General that ran this place – apparently that was his 'old' name, whatever that means. Suspect the password might be 'Forgemaster'." Faustite fell silent for a time. "Something about this place rubs me wrong. Seems it was run by the Negaverse until knights got into it, but there must be more to it than that."
When Kamacite picked up the parchment lying atop the desk, he found a short note: We're coming back for you. Please accept our reunion gift. While unsigned, it bore a wax seal featuring a number of planetary symbols – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Cosmos, Uranus, and someone had carved an approximation of an Earth symbol as well.
As Aquamarine [5] inspected the round cylinder, he would find that it was of similar make and manufacture to the rest of the building. However, something was imperceptibly off about it – it looked like it belonged, yet it didn't. No glyphs appeared on it, however. An internal chamber to the device shifted and whirred when the General was in close proximity to it, and that whirring increased in frequency until the top opened up and a bright white flash blasted out of it, affecting Kamacite and Aquamarine. The flash burned with the intensity of Cosmos magic, and a fair six-foot diameter about the cylinder remained coated in glittering stars. If anyone lingered, they were sure to endure the grating burn of acerbic magic.
Sodalite [6] was overcome by a monochromatic color scheme surrounding his immediate area once he touched the P symbol. To his right, he saw a Cosmos Knight – someone very young, slight, and small, with a resigned look on her face, as she bowed her head and pressed her palms together. Her mouth did not move, but he heard her voice nonetheless:
I'll miss him, I've always missed him, but this is for the best.
The Knight raised her head, then started forward a few steps, approaching the end of the monochromatic field.
I'll guide your starseed, Arnaud.
She opened her arms out, and stars shimmered about her before the monochromatic field collapsed. Then there was no one – Sodalite stood alone near the symbol.
For what Hylonome's [6] investigation could uncover, the broken sphere bore the same symbol as the weapons in the crate that Kamacite and Zultanite uncovered. That meant they were demonstrably of Negaverse make, and from what there was to learn of these objects, they seemed to be a kind of trap. Perhaps some kind of chaos bomb, or a flash-bang, or other item they had once produced. There had been nothing of the sort produced presently, however.
Perhaps what was more alarming about her discovery was the fact that these traps were completely drained of their payloads. That is to say, their payloads were already coating the floor.
And as the floor finally became fully rejuvenated, the strange water level rose one last time. More of the room seemed to heal itself, to the point that a fire rekindled itself in part of the massive ceiling hole, casting off cinder to the lake of fuel in which the two teams stood. The round cylinder began to beep, as if its initial payload wasn't all it had on offer.
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The last story post will go live on 12/28/22 around 9PM EST!
