BZPRPG - Kini-Nui

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

Luckily for Skorm and his companions, the Abettor seemed to have expended - or defaulted away from - whatever aggressive urges it'd had moments ago. The behemoth resumed its former position: a stance of readiness that wasn't overtly threatening. Not that this gave the Vault visitors much comfort; they'd seen how quickly and unexpectedly the Abettor had mobilized into violence, and were quite wary of such an attack coming again. Skorm's shrill, agonized cries rebounded up and down the round passage, hanging in the stale subterranean air with undesirable tenacity.

 

The sound of these cries were joined in short time by soft slapping sounds: flat feet treading duck-like steps down the passage. From the murky darkness behind the Abettor's wall of glowing green letters, the Vault visitors watched a Skakdi of no impressive stature emerge. His shoulders were slightly stooped, and he was unarmed, but his suspiciously squinting red eyes, aglow with intelligence, hinted to Skorm and company that they'd summoned one more dangerous creature than they had asked for.

 

Zaktan dared the intruders to speak first.

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm hacked up another mouthful of black ooze. He surmised he must be delirious from the pain, because the Skakdi that had walked up looked familiar... no, he knew this one. He recognized those eyes, the same as in Le-Wahi. He remembered the almost acidic bite of the substance thrown at him... Skorm had felt pain then, but it had freed his mind of the poison of his 'allies'. He shuddered as he reached out:

 

"You... I remember you..."

[ARROW404]

IC: The Recluse

Back up on top, the Toa of Plantlife felt he'd done what he could on the inside and stepped back out into the light of day.

[Not Quite Dead]

IC Karna

 

It wouldn't be necessary to describe at length the Skakdi, he looked dangerous. That was all it would've summarized to.

 

"The Ba-Toa here insulted him," Karna points to the Abettor; the smear of blood and black bile on the wall; the Ba-Toa in question, writhing in pain and the bits of armor and flesh scattered about. "That explains his current situation."

[Nato G]

IC: The Heretic.

 

"I am a seeker of knowledge and understanding," the Lesterin said smoothly, as he faced down the bizarre skakdi standing before the group, "who - or what - are you?"

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Trauer

 

Trauer watched the Skakdi approach. Something about him was dangerous. Very dangerous. Trauer stepped closer to his master, preferring to let him speak.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kotak: The Skakdi that approached did so with the air of one who'd dealt with beings much worse than the trivialities of a handful of Toa. Kotak narrowed his eyes, and kept them trained on the skakdi at all times. Given that the Abettor had stood aside at his approach, it was clear who the true threat was. Kotak kept his hand near his short sword, ready if the need arose. He hoped it would not. He spoke no words, merely watched. He knew when silence was better than questions, and any questions he had would either be answered soon or would not matter.

[Nuju Metru]

IC:
"I don't remember you," Zaktan replied coolly in his million-voice.

 

The Piraka examined the crushed Toa of Gravity lying before him. The angles of agony that twisted the Toa's prone body, stemming from the his shattered pelvic region, led Zaktan to assume that the echoing cries that'd drawn him up from the Vault proper had come from this cripple's mouth. The Toa (vaguely recognizable, maybe, but Zaktan couldn't place where he would've encountered this Toa before) struggled visibly and audibly - his breaths were haggard, punctuated by sharp gasps and poorly stifled yelps - to maintain consciousness and his faculties of speech in spite of his grievous wound. Zaktan learned the story of the wound by glancing at the Abettor; the Skakdi's gaze was drawn at once to the behemoth's fingered hand, which bore fresh smears that glistened darkly in its green luminance. A few other beings stood around and behind the Toa, but none of them registered as familiar to Zaktan like the Toa had.

 

This company - or, at least, this Toa - had somehow incited the Abettor to attacking, and Zaktan wondered where he knew the Toa from. The Piraka was interested enough to proceed, for now, by asking questions rather than by helping the Abettor to finish what it'd started. "Who are you," Zaktan buzzed down at the Toa of Gravity. "And why are you here?"

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm chuckled, the ooze reverting to its previous viscosity. He wasn't particularly surprised that he wasn't immediately recognized. "We met... in Le-Wahi. You splashed me with something... After that, I became free."

Skorm waved off Karna, who didn't seem all that concerned that his current patient was refusing his care. He gritted his teeth as he levitated himself upright, standing free of any of his companions. "I am Skorm. I have enemies that wish to defend this rahi-hole of an island. I heard rumors of the Mangaia Pact, and that those feeling more... morally liberated could throw their lot in down here with them. Since I am outnumbered against my foes, I thought it would benefit me to join up with them."

Skorm smirked. "Besides... In the off-chance I succeed at driving my foes before me, what then? Better among allies I could celebrate with than those that might hunt me down." Skorm's control faltered, and he dipped slightly, the antigravity giving way a bit before the Ba-Toa shrieked through closed teeth and threw his arm around Karna's shoulder.

OOC: Mobile, obviously, but I also am going to be busy the next few days. I might see, but won't have the chance to respond until like friday, my next day when I know I'm solid.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Keeper of Kraata

[Not Quite Dead]

IC Karna

 

The De-Toa catches Skorm. It is irritating when your patient has ground meat and bone fragments for a torso, but continues to move around and damage themselves. Karna supports him as best he can. Getting him care would've been much simpler if he had packed sedatives.

[Nato G]

IC: The Heretic.

 

The priest gave both Skorm and the unnatural skakdi a wide berth. There was some history between these two of which he didn't know or understand.

 

He decided to back off and let the disturbed duo settle their quarrel.

[25K Now!]

IC: Savnung

 

"Does anyone want to take a quick break for now?"

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

Of course... this was the Toa that Zaktan had defended himself against in Le-Wahi when he'd corrupted the first Entropy Beetles, the one who'd worn a Huna and slashed Zaktan's forehead. Any scar that might've formed on a different face had been polished away easily by the incessant deformation and reformation of the Piraka's visage, but the wound's accompanying headache had lingered much longer. As if aware of having been recalled, the ache resurfaced now as a little twinge above Zaktan's eyes. The Skakdi's brow furrowed too low, and then rose too high, as he tried in vain to wiggle the discomfort away.

 

Makuta's ichor had changed the Toa's appearance from when last Zaktan had spared him a glance, and since a glance had been all he'd spared the first time they'd encountered one another, the Toa - altered even subtly - hadn't been immediately recognizable. Evidently, the Antidermis had found him fertile; he'd gone from trying to stop Zaktan to trying to join him, which strongly denoted a fundamental moral change. Whether the Antidermis had done more than corrupt this Toa of Gravity, Zaktan couldn't say; he left that possibility open, thinking that excessive endurance - nobody normal, after having been dealt a wound as severe as this Toa's, should've been able to speak so many words at one time, much less retain control over his elemental ability - might've be one of the transformation's side effects.

 

"The 'Mangaia Pact,'" Zaktan sneered, as much scorning the Toa of Gravity as that presumptuous moniker that Echelon and his people had been spreading around the island, "has no use for a cripple."

 

The Piraka started to turn away from the Toa, considering the matter settled.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kotak:

It was time. Kotak spoke up.

"Skakdi. There are others here that would seek entrance to the vault. Beings more fit to join you, perhaps, if you were to consider such an alliance to be of interest to you."

 

It was the longest sentence he'd spoken in months.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"The politically correct term is handicapped," Thok chimed in from down the tunnel. "Though I'd give you PC points for sensitive use of 'disabled.'"

 

"You should be disabled," Vezok grumbled.

 

"You should be ashamed," I said, looking over my shoulder at Vezok. "Not sure what's more lacking this point, your strategies or your humor, Vezok. I've seen dead men who make me chuckle more than you."

 

"Have not," Reidak grunted. "You faint when you see blood."

 

"I swooned because I thought you killed Hakann. I could have kissed you."

 

"Lucky." Thok was pouting.

 

"Skakdi. There are others here that would seek entrance to the vault. Beings more fit to join you, perhaps, if you were to consider such an alliance to be of interest to you."

 

Oh boy.

 

The five of us - four Piraka and Wiggles - stopped, arms full of Rahkshi staves and parts, to stare at Kotak.

 

-Tyler

Edited December 6, 2014 by Tyler Durden

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm wheezed as the Skakdi walked away, joined by the four other Piraka. He hadn't trekked for days, fought rahkshi, and had his pelvis smashed for fun. His goal was right here. He wasn't letting it slip out of his fingers. Again.

 

Skorm coughed and hacked. "N-no! I... can be remade! Y-...you did it before!"

 

His mask wore a mixed look of fury, pain, and desperation; but also, determination. He would crawl across a dozen islands with his hands if it meant reaching his goal. "I... I will do anything..."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Aaaaanything?"

 

-Tyler

[Keeper of Kraata]

OOC: I... think that's Thok speaking?

 

IC: Skorm breathed heavily, his throat coated with black ichor. He looked to the white skakdi. In the pain, he couldn't tell if the skakdi was grinning more than he was when he entered the scene.

 

"Anything."

[Not Quite Dead]

IC Karna

 

I had stayed silent through the exchanges, no reason to speak presented itself. My only change in expression had been a gradual transition from smirk to frown. I had hoped Skorm would see the errors of his ways, but his true motivation had come to light after his conversation with the Le-Skakdi. He had been corrupted in some way, his mind was... No longer his own.

 

It was depressing, Skorm made me think of my own sin, the urge to watch and enable the suffering of others. I had the mental faculties to hold myself above such urges, as draining as it was. The Ba-Toa did not. Whatever darkness had touched him had stolen his humanity, he was little more than a hollowed out shell. It was unfortunate that he had lived through the Abettor's attack. Death would've brought him some sort of peace.

 

The Ko-Toa didn't seem corrupted, just dense. It was obvious that any gifts or powers bestowed by these Skakdi would be paid for in thrice.

[Nato G]

IC: The Heretic.

 

This tunnel was becoming very popular very quickly, and in a decidedly bad way. The priest stood silently, grasping his staff, ready to defend himself or flee if neccessary.

 

But then he saw Wiggles. "Makuta's sons obey your will?" he said in disbelief. "How?"

[Keeper of Kraata]

OOC: Yet another reminder, that if you want Vault Loot, you need to PM the appropriate parties. Nuju Metru for Antidermis, Tyler for tech.

 

IC: Skorm could feel the surge of strength provided by his willpower fading, replaced by almost unbearable pain, tempered by the gutwrenching burn he had felt since that fateful encounter in Le-Wahi. It had filled him with the conviction to think for himself, untethered by his past emotions, or morals. But... he didn't know why.

 

"If nothing else..." Skorm grasped at his abdomen in pain, "tell me... What did you do to me?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"It looks like he paralyzed you," Thok supplied helpfully, even as I shot him a glare. "Tough break, killer."

 

"He looks so tiny." Reidak chuckled nastily. Vezok smiled along with the black-armored Skakdi.

 

"Makuta's sons obey your will? How?"

 

"Lickedy split, that's how." I clapped my hands and Wiggles converted into a more aerodynamic form, built for flight and aimed perilously at the Heretic's chest. "What is going on here?"

 

The other three Piraka behind me watched Wiggles with interest.

 

-Tyler

Edited December 18, 2014 by Tyler Durden

[Nato G]

IC: The Heretic.

 

"I am on a pilgrimage to see the domain of the Dark God," The Heretic answered carefully. He had no illusions about Makuta protecting him from these maddened skakdi. Makuta's Rahkshi may have saved him once, but this Rahkshi clearly did not obey Makuta. "Skorm was searching for allies. For the others, I cannot speak." 

 

He kept his staff leveled, ready to defend himself if necessary. 

[Not Quite Dead]

IC Karna

 

I was just here for entertainment.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

sorry we already bought enough bibles

 

"Sounds dull."

 

-Tyler

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Trauer

 

Trauer inched closer to his master, his eyes on the Rahkshi.

[Nato G]

IC: The Heretic.

 

The Heretic didn't respond. These blasphemers were not true followers of Makuta, or Mata Nui, or any other god. So far as he could tell, they only followed themselves, using the contents of Makuta's Vault for their own twisted purposes. And furthermore, they had apparently enslaved his Rahkshi as well.

 

The priest was beginning to regret making the journey down here.

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm wheezed, a ragged sound coming from his ravaged throat.

 

"No... not paralyzed. That would be... a blessing. I still feel... everything." As if to prove his point, Skorm's feet twisted around, scraping at the floor. He adjusted himself in Karna's grasp. "I mean... before that. Whatever the stuff that was splashed on me.. green stuff. It burned like acid, but cleared my head."

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kotak: "I have come for one thing. Power."

[25K Now!]

IC: Savnung

 

"How far are we into our work?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Power? M-wah! Have I got a deal for you? You should see all the makeshift batteries I lifted from Onu-Koro, they could power up a Vakbot until the sun turned into a little chunk of granite the size of Reidak's left--

 

oh

 

oh

 

you want powerrrrr

 

I saw what we were dealing with, then. Just more petitioners. Phatooie.

 

"Well, you've seen it," Hakann cooed. "I would be honored if you let me fill you out a...postcard." Thok tsked.

 

Luckily, I was a bit more reasonable than...you know, everyone in this tunnel, probably. After all, I wasn't the one trying to get sneak past the Abettor, or trying to coax out every last drop of Antidermis I could suckle from the Vault.

 

"Why should you get power?" I asked warily.

 

-Tyler

Edited December 19, 2014 by Tyler Durden

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kotak: the ice Toa raised an eyebrow. "I do not expect to be given power. That would be wasteful. I'm here to earn power. Too often are those simply given power destroyed by powers not earned."

 

"That said, I've reached the limit if what I can attain naturally. It isn't enough."

 

His eyes narrowed. "So I have come here."

 

All this talking was beginning to wear on him.

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

Even as others of his gang had exchanged words with various members of the arriving posse, Zaktan's focus had barely shifted from the prone Toa of Gravity who, even in spite of his grievous injury, still managed to retain consciousness and faculties of speech. Zaktan had found this incredible, and his red eyes had searched the Toa's body, eager to discover any clues to explain the Toa's phenomenal endurance. He found none; pity.

 

The Toa, based on his queries, clearly didn't know what had happened to him when Zaktan had splashed him with Antidermis. A little enlightenment could do Zaktan no harm; besides, it would be impossible for the Toa to reverse the change regardless of whether he understood it.

 

"I cleared your head with Antidermis," the Piraka hissed down to the Toa. "A precious, potent substance. It ate the murk that had obscured your thoughts. But it seems to have changed you in other ways, as well."

 

"Wh...What ways?" the Toa wheezed, promptly thereafter hacking up a bit of unpleasant fluid.

 

"I don't know," Zaktan said cooly, as much to himself as to the Toa. The Piraka's face righting itself with vigor after a particularly long melt. His simmering eyes gave the Toa another cursory once-over; Zaktan continued. "Another dose might exacerbate the changes enough that they'd become more visible. But you're so close to dying another way... why waste my time? Why waste Antidermis?"

 

These questions had no satisfactory answers, so Zaktan turned on his heel and, flat-footed, strode back down the Abettor's tunnel to resume his brooding inside the Vault.

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm gasped several times as Zaktan disappeared from view. "But..." was all he managed to splurt out before the Ba-Toa's ravaged body caught up to his will, and he passed out in Karna's grasp.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Keeper of Kraata

[Nato G]

IC: The Heretic.

 

Still warily watching the Rahkshi hovering before him, The Heretic spoke to his companions. "I believe we've overstayed our welcome. I think perhaps it is time for us to depart..." 

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kotak: 

 

The Ko Toa had reached the limit of his patience, and all but shouted, " I will NOT leave until I have what I came for."

Edited December 26, 2014 by The UltimoScorp

[Not Quite Dead]

IC Karna

 

Skorm had finally succumbed to his injuries, losing consciousness and going limp. He was large and heavy but the priest was larger still. He scooped the Ba-Toa up before turning to the Lesterin and Ko-Toa.

 

"He will die without treatment. I am leaving to find it," he spared a glance to the other Piraka. Not nearly as ominious as the green one. "I have no interest in antidermis or power." With that he began to walk away, the journey out he hoped would prove less perilous than their descent into the temple.

[25K Now!]

IC: Savnung

 

Savnung decided to look at their repairs from a distance.

[ARROW404]

IC: The Recluse

Savnung would find the mute Bo-Toa already doing so.

[25K Now!]

IC: Savnung

 

"Do you like it?"