BZPRPG - Po-Wahi

[Canis Lycaon]

IC: Rakona

Wow.

 

She had come here hoping to protect Blackrock from one division, and had, in the process, discovered another section that was also causing immediate danger to them. Larikon was wrong - it was right for her to join the Sentinels.

 

"That seems to be to my liking. I think I can handle a Kikanalo, and I would like to join."

 

IC: Vhohan

Vhohan was walking around Po-Koro, looking for his employee. He was beginning to think that the wrotten Toa had went off and stolen his money. It did not suprise him. He had hired a Toa. How foolish.

 

But then, just as he was giving up hope, he spotted the Toa walk out of a dome shaped house. Vhohan walked over and greeted him, and said,

 

"You bought a house, I see. And only three blocks down from mine - rather close. May I see inside of it?

 

"Oh, right. I haven't told you my name. It is Vhohan."

Edited April 7, 2014 by Canis Lycaon

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

IC:

"It's nice to finally know your name, Vhohan. I'll show you the inside, it's kinda bare though," 88 replied.

88 led the Skakdi into his stone house. The entire lower level was large, but bare except for a ladder in the back that went to the top floor. 88 cheerfully said,

"It's fairly empty, even the top floor has nothing but a hammock for me to sleep in. I hope this floor will be big enough for a printing press. I'll be out of debt soon enough I hope, and then I can add more furniture. Also, I would like you to explain my particular job in detail so I know what to do."

Edited April 8, 2014 by RahkshiToa88

[soularin]

IC:

 

"You can count me in as well, if you'll take me." Xenin glanced at his absent hand quickly before continuing. "I've never ridden a Kikanalo before, but they say starting now's better than never."

 

He shot the captain an appreciative smile, than confronted the female politely.

 

"Sorry for butting in, miss. I'm Xenin. Pleasure to meet you."

 

He gave a brief, rather awkward wave.

[Wazdakka]

IC: Torvoth

 

The black-armored Vortixx finally arrived at the room that Ardoku had rented them just as his companion was on the way out. He responded to the Toa's questioning gaze by shrugging. "Some Po-matoran tried to start something, then booked it out of there. Oh, by the way, here." Torvoth flipped a few widgets at the startled Ardoku. "That should cover my part". He lay down on the other bed and inspected the room. It was sparse, but it was not as if they had paid any significant sum. He didn't mind anyways. He tossed his tiny briefcase and chainblade against the wall, ignoring the small divots that the weapon's teeth carved. Torvoth turned towards the window and glanced up at the sky. "Sun's going down soon. What now?"

[Mr. House]

IC: (Larikon Torchbearer)

 

The isolation had given Larikon time to think. Half his order was away, and what exactly were they doing? Scouting and infiltration could only do so much. In the time after Makuta's doom, he had sworn to Ak'rei'an that he would take his order and conquer the world. But he had, in gathering the numbers to do so, cast them from their home. It haunted him, lingered constant in his mind. The humiliation of it all. A thought came to him, disturbed him. Perhaps they should undermine the heathens from the inside.

 

It was a possibility that went against his values and morals. But a possibility that could work.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Elsewhere, underneath the outskirts of Po-Koro, six layers of limestone, barricades, and the Sentinels who guarded them all trembled under the fist of a sleeping god.

 

It had been amongst the first of Akiri Hewkii's decrees that the Dark Walk be sealed - with explosives or manpower - and watched as effectively as it could be watched; whereas five of the tunnels utilized by Makuta's dark legions were still as pristine as the day the Rahkshi had marched into the sanctuaries of the Matoran, the yawning cavern at the doorstep of Po-Koro was pitted and craggy, like the windswept face of one of Hafu's famous sculptures. Here and there, rubble had fallen, creating a natural barrier to augment the barricades and outposts crafted by the Sentinels. But the Sentinels were still the Po-Koro Guard of old with a new face, and even with the boom in recruitment numbers after the fall of Makuta the Po-Koro military was still barely able to keep a hold on their own Koro and their trade settlements, let alone man the Dark Walk. So it was that the men and women who guarded the tunnel to Mangaia had been assigned (or, depending on which station commander you pressed, exiled) to guard these holes in the world. They were the only military forces to see the Walk as a concern - and even then, the skeptics on watch generally far outnumbered the paranoid.

 

But something had changed lately. Excavation parties would pan out, slowly mapping what parts of the Walk they could, looking for caches in the walls, lairs, searching for the ears where Makuta may have sung his sweetest secrets. Normally, they would return with artifacts, minor trinkets, perhaps a piece of a Rahkshi's staff or an old weapon, left abandoned - or worse - by some explorer whom time forgot. They'd report that there was no change, send up what they found if it was important (in theory; nothing had ever really been found that could benefit any Koro, unless they wanted to try and whack another Matoran with a blunt sword on the off chance of tetanus) and then chuck it into a shed of some enclave if it wasn't. It was tedium, but the Po-Matoran had found a sort of comfort, safety even, in the monotony.

 

Then, the new reports started flowing in. One of the outposts had sent out three Po-Matoran, they said, and when they came back they reported of various findings - newer weapons, almost fresh-forged, old tablets and entire walls that were covered with markings that hadn't been there before - archaic and dead languages that could say any number of things. After that, stories up and down the outposts and barricades had picked up and whipped, brushfire tendrils of information that lashed every Sentinel in the garrison. Over the course of only days endless, expansive, and incredulous tales all spilled in, none of them the same except for one crucial nugget; the Po-Matoran, wide-eyed, breathless, and insistent, would always report that there were new tunnels in the sides of the Dark Walk that hadn't been there before. For a time, they had gripped the imagination of every Sentinel. Then the reports, as quickly as they had picked up, slowed to a crawl, and then into nothing.

 

Now the tendrils of information gripped hearts, not imaginations; something had come out of those tunnels, Rahkshi or Dark Toa or something worse yet, and where it stepped on the Dark Walk only death and ruin followed.

 

In one of the northernmost enclaves, where men still sent out reports one particularly bumbling Sentinel, with sandy armor and nervous eyes affectionately nicknamed "Tar" Lee, was still standing towards the back of the enclave, desperately fumbling their salvation between nervous fingers that jittered like worms on a hook. He was one of those who had joined the Sentinels after the first Rahkshi attack on Po-Koro, before the death of Turaga Onewa and the rise of the Maru; he was no great marksman and there would never be much praise heaped on his work with a sword, but to the poor Po-Matoran's credit, there was no one better at handling the messenger Dikapi. The irascible creatures loved the tender treatment they received from the jolly, well-intentioned young guard, and where they were feisty and flighty with many of the other Sentinels they always stopped when Tar Lee needed a message scribbled.

"Did you send the birds, Tar Lee?" asked the station commander gruffly. He always spoke gruffly, for he was a gruff man, stolid and sure; he had bravely manned the walls of Po-Koro in two Rahkshi invasions and since the days of the First Toa, and he handled the job well enough, with good sense and quiet broad-shouldered commitment, where lesser men would have balked, spat, or cursed at being locked in one of Makuta's tombs to stand guard. We're all lesser men in here, though, thought the messenger boy, staring as the commander took a drink from his flask and sloshed it around in his mouth. The Po-Matoran watched the mesmerizing way his commander's jaw would ripple as he savored the taste. We're all dead and the captain knows it. It was a cruel way to die, for sure, but dying for your Koro - for your island, even! - wasn't as cruel as it got, at least.

"I've sent two, sir," he answered dutifully, turning his attention away from the doomed old veteran and scribbling out the third and final identical plea for help. The paper folded up in his quivering fingers, slipping once along his fingertip, but whatever was hammering at the walls they had set up outside the enclave would probably hurt much worse than a papercut if it got past them. "Third one's out now." With a thin layer of twine he fixed it to the Dikapi's leg and ushered the flightless bird over to its two fellow envoys. Around their legs lies our future, thought Tar Lee desperately. Snap, Crackle, and Pop, he had named them, for the sounds they each made when he would slip them an extra treat, and he slipped them each two extra now, for good luck.

Snap. First bird away.

BOOM!

"That sounded like wood splintering, sir," said one of the door guards, lightly armored and spear's point sharp enough to leave a rent in the stuffy, ominous air of the tunnel. "It's at the last layer."

"Infrastructure in this country, been going down the tubes forever. What'd I tell you?" his partner snarked, wielding two swords and a shield tied over the armor on his chest. Stupid, stupid, that'll only slow his thrusts, stupid, we're all stupid, we're all dead...

Crackle. Second bird away.

"Get out of here, go," he urged the final quietly, as the first wave of tears welled in his eyes, poured down his cheeks, and broke on the tunnel floor in quiet sounds. "They need to know. They need to know. Go."

Pop. The Dikapi took a cautious step forward and tentatively tasted the Po-Matoran's salty tear on the ground; the bird looked up at him with confused eyes. Pop.

"Go."

Third bird away.

BOOM!

"It's nearly through," said the snarky Po-Matoran guard with the shield on his chest unnecessarily. The station commander drank deep from his flask with that odd finality that people get when they finish off every last drop. The three birds were out of sight; the storms of dust they had kicked up were enough to make any man's eyes water, but somehow, inexplicably, they had made the messenger's eyes stop tearing up. For a moment, one last beautiful moment, the Dark Walk felt a little easier to breathe in, and he felt a little jump in his movements he hadn't felt before. I'm still the best with the birds, though. Whatever that thing is, it can't take that from me. There was another, final BOOM! behind him, as the first chunk of rubble from the barricade fell.

Meanwhile, at the mouth of the Dark Walk, three Dikapi emerged at full sprint, carrying pleas to the Koro at large.

The station commander cursed under his breath. Tar Lee rose unsteadily to his feet, with a bravery he'd never known and would never know again, and turned around.

...

-Tyler

[Onaku]

IC: Ardoku

The toa shrugged and closed the door behind them. "Get some rest, I'd say. I'm tired myself, right now, so please, don't bother me tonight." Ardoku got into his bed, looking to the window still, and the vortixx standing by it. "Don't you dare wake me up before morning, Torvoth." With that, Ardoku seemingly drifted off.

 

IC: Ior

Finding the hallway clear of any crazy vortixxes trying to start a fight, Ior got out of his room and closed the door behind him, locking it again. He walked down the stairs again, arriving at the small cafeteria near the lobby. Sitting down at one of the tables, he ordered a small drink.

 

After finishing the drink, he went for a small walk outside the village, as he always did. He always did seem to drift off and find himself rather far away from the village... wait, what was that sound? Quickly, Ior ran towards the source of the commotion, noticing three dikapi emerging from the darkwalk, as well as a few sentinels posted around the mouth of the tunnel. "What's going on?!"

 

OOC: Just to clairify, Ior is talking to the guards stationed around the darkwalk entrance.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Toa Onaku

[Silvan Haven]

Tlene- Po-koro

 

IC: The sun burned high in the sky above, scorching the white sand below and all that tread them. For instance, a certain Lesterin riding a kikinalo on patrol.

 

Raising his hand to keep the sun from his eyes, Telne looked out across the rolling dunes that surrounded him. Wind sent small drifts of sand floating several feet at a time. The desert was always shifting, if slowly. That was one of the things that made patrols like this so important. Oasis, bandits, caves nothing stayed the same.

 

A noise caught his attention, causing him to turn and look. Over a nearby dune came a Dikapi, a messenger bird from the look of the tube attached to it. Turning his kikinalo he whistled, causing the flightless bird to stop and tilt it's head. Getting off his steed, Telne grabbed a piece of bread out of his pack and whistled again, holding the slice out in front of him. Slowly the Dipaki made it's way towards him. Eventually it got close enough for him to open the message tube while giving the bird the bread. Taking one look at the message, his eyes widened and he jumped back up on his kikinalo still holding the message. The Dipaki would make it back to HQ without him, for now he needed to get this to headquarters as soon as possible.

[Wazdakka]

IC: Torvoth

 

With Ardoku apparently asleep this early in the evening, Torvoth decided to wait a while to get to work. He peered out the window. There were still far too many people in the streets for him to have any fun midnight antics. His eyes strayed towards the Toa's rucksack which was loosely clutched in Ardoku's hand. The Vortixx had to make a crucial decision - to do, or not to do? The devil on his one shoulder said, "Loot it!" while the devil on the other shoulder shouted, "L0L n00b take that phat lewtz and then thr0w th3 bag 0ut th3 wind0w11!"

 

Torvoth conceded to the devils' arguments and slowly, carefully, with one eye on the seemingly snoozing Toa, gingerly extended his hand towards the Toa's rucksack. The suddenly, he drew his hand back. His keen ears, honed by listening for tiny sounds in his constructions that indicated an unlubricated gear or out of place part. A... Dikapi? He glanced out the window. Near the outskirts of the city, at the edge of his vision, he could see sure enough, a Dikapi! The black-armored Vortixx grinned from ear to ear under the Kadin-helm that he had still not removed all day as he turned to face his companion - he could smell adventure just as a Muaka could smell a wounded Rahi. He picked up his chainblade and threw it at the Toa to wake him up.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Wazdakka

[Relapse]

IC: (Komisk)

 

The one-eyed man stood atop a cliff, overlooking a valley, note clutched in his hand. He had hopped atop the dikapi which had delivered it, his short time in the sentinels having prepared him for such a moment. Though he had long since resigned from his post for a serene life in the plains, he had kept his body fit and his mind focused. And when a dikapi message bird roamed into his wilderness, he was quick to bring it in and examine its cargo.

 

And when he had done that, he knew what he needed to do.

 

"Now ith my time."

 

------------------------------------------

 

Komisk walked into a Po-Koroan bar, his tone and countenance the only thing keeping his words from sounding ridiculous:

 

"Ath I thpeak, there are Thentinelth in danger. Ath we all know, the Dark Walkth are full of dangerouth villianth and dethpicable thcum," he slammed his fist down on the table to drive his point home, "anyone who witheth to join me in their aththithtance, thpeak up now. But know that I cannot guarantee your thafety."

 

He awaited volunteers, taking a swig of beer.

 

"There may altho be monetary reward."

[Silvan Haven]

Telne- Po-koro

 

IC: Bursting through the doors to the Sentinel HQ, Telne spotted his superior at the admissions desk, talking to a couple of people. Whoever they were, this had to be more important.

 

"Commander Korru sir. I need to talk to you now."

[They]

Ooc: an indeterminable amount of time after the fight in Ko-Wahi Drifts, and by approval of Bulik and Tyler.

 

IC: Kriigata

 

Barren wasteland kissed by wind and dismissed by rain enveloped the travelers as they approached the northernmost peninsula of Po-Wahi. The harrowing passage through the Motara Desert from the cold drifts of Ko-Wahi still lingered on their conscience, but the prayers for guidance in a directionless sand pit had been answered. Kriigata breathed a sigh of relief as a tumult of eroded ruins came into view.

 

“Blackrock Fortress.” She said the name proudly, followed quickly by, “Home.”

 

Home was nothing more than a large charred hole in the cliffside, nothing less than a razed palace to a sacred death god’s followers, and completely invisible from air and sea. Only the paranoid would stare long enough to notice the minute figures crawling about repairing its structure with stones from the surrounding environment, or wonder where the maze-like tracks of a small mahi herd led.

 

Kriigata looked back at Jorruk, resting for a breath of air by the cart full of precious ingredients. Green Jorruk, Old Jorruk, stupid Jorruk. He was complacent, set in his pious ways and without doubt in the holy Book Of Life. He took the words literally, sentence by sentence, page by page. Kriigata preferred a more allegorical approach. The diseased matoran who died before Ak’rei’an to her was a myth. There may have never been a diseased matoran dying before the ferryman of lost souls, but there was always the innocence of youth crushed into oblivion by the stark reality of adulthood. Allegory.

 

She did her best to control the sneer.

 

Pebbles turned to dust under the wheels of the cart as Jorruk’s undead helper continued his steady pace toward their ultimate goal. Zombie was the technical term for him, Kriigata knew, but familiar seemed so much more correct. He was capable of basic logic but a slave to Jorruk’s will, a secondary form of servant to Ak’rei’an. Grandmaster, priests, warriors, familiars, it all fell into a uniform structure which left Kriigata at odds with her rank. She was a lady of the order but despite her burning faith still unable to preach the gospel. She had converted a toa to their righteous cause, but her views of scripture were not discussed. Jorruk held the golden opportunity to sway minds, along with the temptress of stone, Rakona, and the other older members of the faith. Knowing his thick tongue could laud the teachings of Ak’rei’an while she was left with no choice but to hang upon each syllable as a bee does to the flower only made her stomach churn. Was it the loss of innocence, the total oblivion of childish impulse, that allowed for his continued desecration of The Word? She felt envy swelling up inside, but also curiosity.

 

As their steps brought the trio of faithful closer to Blackrock Kriigata asked, “How did you become a priest, Jorruk?”

 

OOC: Hewkii post soon.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Hatachi

[Geardirector]

IC: Korru (Sentinel HQ)

 

The substantially voluminous Lesterin Captain recognized the urgency in Telne's voice, it was one he'd only heard in the prelude to the Rahkshi battle; his first major scuffle alongside the Sentinels.

 

"Alright, Telne, let's have it" he said.

[Silvan Haven]

Telne- Po-koro- Sentinel HQ

 

IC: "I found this on a messenger Dikapi during my patrol. From the look of it, this is a time critical matter."

 

Stepping forward, Telne handed over the parchment with the message on it.

[Geardirector]

IC: Korru (Sentinel HQ)

 

Korru accepted the parchment calmly, and quickly read the message scribbled on it in haste.

 

His mask scope whirring as it zeroed in on the parchment was the first indicator of a reaction from the Lesterin, the second a bead of sweat bursting forth on his forehead.

 

He cleared his throat with a massive rumbling, and looked Telne square in the eyes. It was time to act out his part, he was Captain of the Kikanalo Riders after all.

 

"Xenin, Rakona, your training is going to have to wait, something has come up. Telne, you're with me, we need to muster all the riders we can find, do you understand me?"

Edited April 9, 2014 by Geardirector

[Silvan Haven]

Telne- Po-koro- Sentinel HQ

 

IC: "Yes sir. I'll go see how many are currently in HQ."

 

With those words Telne turned and made his way through the building. Any kikinalo riders he found were told to saddle up and be ready to go as soon as possible.

 

OOC: Call for PCs right there.

[They]

IC: Akiri Hewkii & NPC Messengers

 

Hewkii would have spoken more words to the inventors looming over him like stunted palm trees, but a messenger arrived in a flash of deactivated kakama, his badge displayed and the note he was charged with delivering held out for Hewkii to take. The akiri read the hastily folded paper quickly, nodded to the messenger, and then turned to look at his current company.

 

"I'm sorry to have to leave you like this," Hewkii stated, "but unfortunately that's what happens when you're an Akiri. Lenat, thank you for getting this exposition in motion. I feel it makes a great statement to progress for the whole island. Let's turn from the squabbles of the past and face the light of the future, a wise turaga once said." Hewkii smiled. "And Stralix, I look forward to this evening when you're little 'surprise' will be revealed."

 

He took two steps back, nodded, then turned briskly away and saddled the dikapi waiting for him with the two bodyguards in a single practiced leap. With a flick of the reins he set off into the crowds, the mulling citizens and goggling visitors moving quickly out of the way of the three birds. Hewkii's mind had descended into a new area of thought by the time he reached the Head Quarters of the Sentinels in the back of the canyon, and by the time his feet hit the cobble he was already firing off a string of orders.

 

"Bring the wind-rider to my office. Make sure she's entertained after her travels and give an apology for my lateness. I want to see Tera. Immediately, as well as any other Captains in the area. We'll meet in the war room. Yes, yes, I know you call it the mess hall but it'll have to do for now." The two sentinel messengers pacing alongside him nodded and shot off to fulfill the requests. Hewkii paused to breath for a moment, then muttered under his breath, "And where the Karz is my dog?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Korru (Sentinel HQ)

Not soon after he'd sent Telne on his way, Korru was informed that Akiri Hewkii wanted to see him in the Mess Hall (or the War Room, depending on whether or not the Akiri himself was present). He gave the messenger a quick nod and took off in said direction.

 

The sight of a living mountain (or, given his coloration, a snow-capped summit) in a hurry was something relatively unseen by most Sentinels, but Korru's infamous size had already made him somewhat notorious among his new colleagues, so it didn't take any of them two guesses to figure out who'd just blown past them.

 

"Well, I'll be a Brakas' Uncle if ol' Cap'n Lug didn't trample to death our peace and quiet just now with those big feet of his." said a loafing matoran Sentinel to the Toa sitting with him.

 

Korru had heard the snide remark, but ignored it for now, although he did cross off a mental checklist for people liable for scrubbing Kikanalo droppings for a month or two.

 

He opened the door to the Mess Hall, only to find Akiri Hewkii was already there which meant it was now the War Room.

 

"Akiri Hewkii, Captain Korru at your service"

[Wade.]

IC: Rungui

 

I've never been a fan of bars. They're noisy, crowded and there's always a few obnoxious drunks or thugs who make fun of my eyes. But today, that all changed. Heads turned when they saw a posse of the Ussalry's Light Cavalry stride in, well-respected men and women of high caliber, and now, I was one of them. For some people with confidence issues, being a figure of authority sometimes did the trick while the rest remained a bunch of pushovers, sensitive as ever to the judgement of a five year-old.

 

On that note, I still couldn't really tell where I stood, but no one stared at me like I was fresh meat. No one made a snide comment about my eyes and best of all, no one came up to me and tried to take my lunch money. Karz, I even looked the part too, thanks to all that infernal physical training. For once in a while, I kinda felt good about myself.

 

"Just water." I said as I sat on a stool by the counter, a few others joining me. Sweat beaded my forehead and dampened my back, I'm pretty sure my skin was burnt and my eyes hurt from too much sun. Po-Wahi was a stark contrast to Onu-Wahi. It was a ridiculously bright, open sandbox which stretched for way too many kios and without water, you were as good as dead. After living in the dark, enclosed spaces of subterranean tunnels for several years, it's safe to say I didn't like it here very much.

 

The bartender came back with my drink and I sipped its contents slowly, relishing the cold water trickling down my throat. While the expo was nice, I preferred sitting inside and just taking it easy, surprisingly.

 

My serenity was interrupted as another Onu-Matoran, who happened to be losing one eye and boasted a huge lisp, announced something about Sentinels in danger and the Dark Walk. Seemed like a pretty fat coincidence that this happens when there's a bunch of armed soldiers sitting around, the job practically screaming our names. Truth be told, I didn't want to volunteer in the slightest.

 

Did it anyway.

 

"I'll go." I looked to the rest of the Light Cavalry. "I mean, if that's okay with you guys..."

 

OOC: Light Cavalry is here.

[Onaku]

IC: Ardoku

Swifter than a coursing river, Ardoku drew his sword and deflected the chainblade, jumping out of bed and into a battle stance, before realizing who the culprit was. "Torvoth, why the bloody karzahni did you throw a highly dangerous weapon at me?" Ardoku frowned, looking upon his vortixx "partner" with slight contempt.

[Franco]

IC: Gyn smiled, glancing to Leli to see an enthused nod before returning his genial gaze to the group. "How about we all go? A tech expo is far less pressing than the problem of the Dark Walk, a wretched hive of scum and villainy."

[Visaru]

OOC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_zeiKrRTuk

IC

In the corner of the bar, half concealed by a cloud of smoke from a nearby patron's cigar, sat a matoran, the top of his mask concealed by his black hood pulled low over his eyes, only the lower half of his scarred and battered Kanohi visible. The rest of his beaten, dusty cloak flowed down from his shoulders and pooled around the base of his chair. His battered and sand coated hands rested on the table, casually wrapped around a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. His entire black and red body was just as battered and scarred and dirty, the body of a man who never did clean himself up, and who had suffered the worst of the desert's trials.

Despite his apparent apathy, the Matoran appeared fixated on the one-eyed man with a lisp on the table loudly describing his offered quest - the Matoran's mask had been pointed towards the speaker ever since he uttered his first word.

The matoran took a second, then swiftly rose to his feet, carelessly tossing the whiskey bottle to the ground and striding confidently over the the speaker. As he walked, he snatched up the bladed spear that had been leaning against the table and twirled it once to adjust his grip.

He strode over to Komisk and stood before him, his cloak swirling dramatically, the butt of his spear planted confidently on the ground, until he drew the man's attention.

"My name is Dorgath," He said proudly, loud enough for the entire bar to hear, "And Mata-Nui has sent me to aid you."

[Geardirector]

IC: (Komisk)

 

Komisk walked into a Po-Koroan bar, his tone and countenance the only thing keeping his words from sounding ridiculous:

 

"Ath I thpeak, there are Thentinelth in danger. Ath we all know, the Dark Walkth are full of dangerouth villianth and dethpicable thcum," he slammed his fist down on the table to drive his point home, "anyone who witheth to join me in their aththithtance, thpeak up now. But know that I cannot guarantee your thafety."

 

He awaited volunteers, taking a swig of beer.

 

"There may altho be monetary reward."

 

IC: Melna (Po-Koro Inn)

 

No sooner had Melna, Lux and Day stepped inside than to see a grizzly Onu-Matoran with only one eye spitting out a call to arms for anyone willing to risk life and limb against insurmountable odds.

 

Something stirred in the bubbly, curvaceous Lesterin of Gravity as she remained still for a moment or two, her fingers tensening as her copper armor plates attained an ethereal shine. And once more her trademark grin was adorned on her Kualsi, only this time it seemed extra mischievous, bordering on predatory.

 

She looked at the De-Toa and Po-Matoran in her comapny, and nodded her head in the Onu-Matoran's direction

 

"Whaddya think, guys?"

[Wazdakka]

IC: Torvoth

 

The Vortixx raised and waved a long slender finger at his Toa compatriot. "Let's not get too hasty here. I just saw a Po-Koro Sentinel Dikapi book it out of the direction of the Dark Walk. I'll be something is afoot, something like adventure, or even history! They could write our names in the books for years to come if we help out some trapped Sentinels or rescue a wounded Matoran! Or be torn limb to limb by strange varieties of never-before-encountered Rahi beasts! What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

 

Torvoth concluded his tirade by grabbing his chainblade and flinging open the door of the room.

[They]

IC: Korru (Sentinel HQ)

 

Not soon after he'd sent Telne on his way, Korru was informed that Akiri Hewkii wanted to see him in the Mess Hall (or the War Room, depending on whether or not the Akiri himself was present). He gave the messenger a quick nod and took off in said direction.

 

The sight of a living mountain (or, given his coloration, a snow-capped summit) in a hurry was something relatively unseen by most Sentinels, but Korru's infamous size had already made him somewhat notorious among his new colleagues, so it didn't take any of them two guesses to figure out who'd just blown past them.

 

"Well, I'll be a Brakas' Uncle if ol' Cap'n Lug didn't trample to death our peace and quiet just now with those big feet of his." said a loafing matoran Sentinel to the Toa sitting with him.

 

Korru had heard the snide remark, but ignored it for now, although he did cross off a mental checklist for people liable for scrubbing Kikanalo droppings for a month or two.

 

He opened the door to the Mess Hall, only to find Akiri Hewkii was already there which meant it was now the War Room.

 

"Akiri Hewkii, Captain Korru at your service"

 

 

IC: Akiri Hewkii

 

"I see you've gotten the little gift," Hewkii said with a smile that quickly faded into grim. "I heard something happened in the Dark Walk. Report."

Edited April 11, 2014 by Kughii

[Geardirector]

IC: Korru (War Room/Mess Hall)

 

Korru cleared his throat once, nodding to the Akiri as he collected himself

 

"It's the Darkwalk outpost, sir, the Messenger Dikapi carried a note telling us that something was massing behind the gates, attempting, and succeeding, to break their way through. The men need help, as quickly as they can get it. I've already asked Telne to gather all the riders he can find."

[Onaku]

IC: Ardoku

Ardoku screamed through his clenched teeth, with it sounding something like this; "KRZ DMN HT!!" as he grabbed his rucksack and ran out the door after the gleeful vortixx.

 

"Alright, do you even know where you're going?" Ardoku asked as the two walked out of the inn.

[They]

IC: Akiri Hewkii

 

There was a long silence as Hewkii stood, hands on the long mess hall table, looking at the stone surface where every day countless plates left scratches. With a sigh the akiri of Po-Koro raised his eyes.

 

"That's a good start. I'll leave you in charge of this situation, so do me a favor and get this taken care of quickly. The envoys from different koros have been arriving today, and as much as I'd like to submit all our resources to this threat some of the Sentinels need to stay home to keep our image. Take the Kikanalo riders and half the Central Guard if you need to. I'll see about help from the other koros if this becomes a real problem. Have you sent a radio to the walls?"

[Wazdakka]

IC: Torvoth

 

"Hmmm," mused the black-clad Vortixx. "I don't know where specifically, but the Dikapi came from the direction of the Dark Walk, so I suggest we start our great quest for adventure and many loots somewhere over there. Sounds good?"

[Observedhalo]

IC: Athiel

 

"I can sense that it continues to get colder the farther the labyrinth descends. As far as I can tell, there is no end to it. If we decent, and Mata Nui forbid lose our way, we could be down there for a long while." Athiel crouched over, and place his hand upon the cavern floor, grabbing a few loose stones. They definitely felt natural, and melted like normal rock. Nothing out of the ordinary. "we need to leave a trail so we may find our way back up. Do you have any lightstones?"

[Ghosthands]

IC (Stralix)

 

With the Akiri gone, Stralix stretched his arms behind his back and wiped some sweat off his brow.

 

"Phew...it's thirsty work, all this talking, not to mention baking in the sun at the same time," he remarked. "I think I could use a break, and a good drink in the shade. Anyone want to join me?"

 

OOC: Stralix is going to head to the bar, and thus get roped into Tyler's quest. Anyone who wants to come with him from the conversation at the Expo, feel free

[The Mugbearer]

IC: Sirius

 

"I would like to, good friend," said Vortixx. "Nothing's better than a glass of something refreshing and a good company to share it with."

Edited April 12, 2014 by The Mugbearer

[Onaku]

IC: Ardoku

"Right... ok." For reasons unknown to even himself, Ardoku kept following Torvoth. Coming upon the gates, only sand dunes upon sand dunes were visible beyond its frame.

 

"Shall we?"

 

--------------------

 

IC: Qyntar

"Only this one" Qyntar said, referring to the one he currently held up to lead the way. "Look, let's just see what's down there. It was your idea in the first place, remember?" Qyntar turned to walk down the tunnel.

 

 

OOC: Time skip to where Qyntar and Athiel are deep into the tunnel?

Edited April 12, 2014 by Toa Onaku

[Voxumo]

IC: Voulge

 

Voulge and Vail tredged through the desert for quite sometime. It was through sheer luck that he managed to purchase several water-skins before they left Ga-koro. Now he turned to Vail and offered a wide smirk to him

"Bet you are just loving this warmth as a toa of fire?"

 

OOC: Papa Ussal (Aka Voulge) and Co. from Ga-koro

[Observedhalo]

IC: Atheil

 

As the pair descended into the musky labyrinth, it become harder to breath. There was too little air to keep a large a large fire going, forcing him to switch to a smaller flame. Soon, the tunnel expanded into cavern's making navigation difficult. "Normally , caverns like these are home to numerous subterranean Rahi, yet I have seen not one. I guess that supports your theory of it being created recently."

[Relapse]

IC: (Komisk)

 

The Matoran's face lit up as he saw fellow Onu-Koroans enter the building. "Welcome, Uththalry memberth! I wath onthe jutht like you, a military man. I would love nothing more than for you all to accompany me on this righteouth quetht," he turned to the cloaked Matoran introducing himself, "and welcome Dorgath. We thhall overcome thith challenge in the name of Mata Nui!"

 

He rolled the message from the Dikapi back up and placed it in his satchel. "We mutht act quickly, for the Thentinelth may not have much time left. Let uth all have a drink in the name of thucethth and then ride on the hour."

 

OOC: Stalling for Stralix and co.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

Did I want to go into another dark, Parakuka-infested cave? No, definitely not; the Dark Walks were places where hope went to die amidst the scratchings of monsters and villains, and where the touch of Makuta lingered and pervaded even those his presence had been wiped from the earth. I would never want to go done there, not if there was a chance of me being left to rot.

 

But what about the Sentinels? Did they deserve to rot down in the shadows, left alone with Mata knows what kind of horrors wandered in those tunnels?

 

No, definitely not; someone needed to save them, and that someone, unfortunately, would appear to be us.

 

"A-all right then," I said, trying to look as brave and cocky as I could for Day and Melna, "Let's g-get this thing over with b-before I can think of a reason not to go."

 

IC:

 

I drank my water with measured sips, not sure when my next chance to drink would be; the Ussalry weren't exactly footing the bill for our drinking habits, even if they were the only thing keeping us alive in this desert.

 

As y'all can probably guess, this was my first time out of Onu-Koro. The sun had been blinding for the first thousand or so miles of sand dunes, and even now it hurt my eyes unless I squinted real hard and kept my gaze fixated downwards. The dust and grit got stuck in my mouth and nose and everything else, which was only remedied by a swig from my canteen every five freaking minutes. The folks around here always seemed in a hurry, like they were fighting the clock to get from one Kohlii stadium to the next, and it was all I could do not to drown in a sea of sweaty, sandy bodies.

 

But at the same time, it was a place absolutely new and foreign to me; the smell of oil, if it had ever been here, must have been scoured clean by the sand ages ago, leaving only the fresh scent of hewn stone. There was an exotic, rustic, nostalgic aesthetic to this city, like time had forgotten it since the War began, and in so doing, had managed to preserve the sentiment of the old villages. It was bright and mysterious, like those strange kingdoms from the books Mom would read to us back, back in the day. It was a harsh awakening after a lifetime amongst the pipes and smoke and hard, man-made lines of Onu-Koro.

 

That being said, as unsightly and annoying as the harsh structuring of home-sweet-home may have been, I guess they did breed a fine military force. Least we didn't get stuck in tunnels; no one could accuse us of that.

 

"Can't speak for everyone, sir," I said between sips of water, "but I can say that the handsomest member of Light Cavalry's sure as ready to go save some Sentinels."

 

-Void

[Ghosthands]

IC (Stralix)

 

It seemed fate was out to keep Stralix busy today. No sooner had he and Sirius sat down and begun sipping their cooling drinks than a man burst into the tavern and relayed tidings whose mood not even his gigantic lisp could lighten.

 

The Skakdi inventor downed his drink, placing it back down on the bar grimly.

 

"Looks like duty calls," he muttered to Sirius, before turning and approaching the growing group of Ussalrymen and do-gooders that was assembling nearby.

 

"Specialist Stralix, TKG," he announced himself. "Count me in."

[Onaku]

IC: Qyntar

Moving onwards, Qyntar started realizing that the slope was changing from going downwards to going... up? Walking further and further, suddenly, the two started to see a light, far away in the tunnel.

 

"Wait... that's a tunnel opening. We're reaching the other end!"

 

OOC: That's Le-Wahi on the other end, mate.

[Relapse]

IC: (Komisk)

 

Runion scanned the volunteers, subtly nodding in approval. It was good to know that there were still good people willing to risk their lives for the greater good, even with that greater good was at times incompetent in the eyes of the public. It was times like these when he felt that the three virtues could survive a premature death. He cleared his throat, lifting his mug of whiskey, adopting a more serious manner.

 

"Back in Onu-Koro, my thquadron had a tradition that remainth with me to thith day. Before beginning a miththion where we knew we might not all return, we had one latht drink, ath brotherth, and we would remember the thacrifice of our forefatherth, their triumphs, and damnnit, we would go out there and thacrifice. We would triumph."

 

Komisk's smile became somewhat grim. The last time he had participated in that particular tradition, it had been before the hive battle. He had two eyes. His squadron had existed.

 

"Will you all drink with me?"