BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Oh, you just say that because you haven't tried the whole gamut of variations upon the hamburger."

 

-Void

[25K Now!]

IC: Lasinia

 

"I've tried enough."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"That seems awfully close-minded."

 

...

 

"And yes, I heard the hypocrisy there too. ######."

 

-Void

[sunflower]

OOC: First half, Krayz is handling the second part of the Quest.

 

IC: Zauk

 

The Toa of Lighnting looked up from his crouched position next to the pile of dust that had once been the elemental construct of a Nui Jaga, his orange gaze flitting across the collection of beings there, coming to rest on Tehlin, who gave a shrug that carried with it all the helpfulness of a splinter.  The Bo-Toa mouthed a single set of words, "Lead on."

 

Zauk's gaze merely cooled to such a degree that it was amazing that the area wasn't flash frozen on the spot.  Rising to a standing position and dusted himself off in a single motion, Zauk spoke up, his voice carrying around the small clearing and through the dead forest.

 

"We should be close now, keep your eyes out for anything that looks artificially placed.  A structure sticking out of the ground, a path of stones, anything."

 

Zauk took a step forward, before glancing over his shoulder and adding,  "Or another one of those Rahi, we don't want one sneaking up on us again."

 

And then he continued on, his steps silent on the worn ground.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The group had stuck relatively together as they moved through the forest, the oppressive weight of the Charred Forest unconsciously keeping their voices low while they consciously gripped their weapons, very aware of their surroundings.  Even after Makuta's death, shadows still lingered within places such as these, their inky depths seeming to dance beneath the twisted forms of the trees around.  It was unnerving to even the most battle-worn members of their group, perhaps more so because they had seen firsthand the havoc that the Master of Shadows could wreck with merely his will.

 

However, they were pulled out of their quiet conversations by a shout from one of their own, the sound causing a few to raise their weapons in preparation for an attack before they realized that they weren't hearing cries of pain or alarm.

 

"Over here!" Came Helios' voice, the young Toa of Gravity waving his gold-armored arm over to the group, the other pointing to what looked like a stony outcropping in the ground.  Only it wasn't.  The stone's face was worn smooth with the weathering of countless seasons, and cracks traced over it's face, as if some had stepped on it.  They weren't cracks, but inscriptions carved into the stone, the lines sinking into the rock nearly two inches.  After a moment, the runes were recognizable as those used by the Matoran, though they had the sharp, brutal look of the Skakdi alphabet.

 

"This is it," Zauk confirmed, the lenses on his mask whirring as he studied the monolith with the sight that they gave him.  His eyes were wide.  Tearing his gaze away for a moment, he glanced behind him.

 

"Help me with this," He stated to them, his Kanohi flaring to life as he telekinetically lifted hard packed dirt from around the stone.

[Zox Tomana]

IC: Saeren

 

Saeren wasn't exactly adept at reading the faces of Rahi, but he could tell that Chivinix felt trapped. Even the open street probably seemed close and claustrophobic compared to the openness of the Wahi.

 

"Ma'am, I'll leave you and your... friend to work things out." Softly, he added, "Plenty of guards around if tings turn too ugly for one Toa."

 

Things were becoming less medical and more social (of some kind he was sure) by the second, so Saeren quickly extricated himself from the group, bidding farewell Ril and Svero: as far as he could tell the most dangerous part of the day was over, and he hopefully wouldn't need to stick so closely to the Guard anymore.

 

OOC: Saeren open for interaction.

[NorikSigma]

IC: Vygel

 

The Toa of Gravity could hear Zauk's urgency in his voice, and nodded. Without a word, he lifted his arms to help lift the stone off with his gravity powers.

[25K Now!]

IC: Lasinia

 

"I think I have some instant noodles on me. "

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

Kirgan walked the streets of Ta-Koro, looking for a specific something. He wandered around aimlessly, his head turning left and right.

 

OOC: Kirgan open for interaction.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Toatapio Nuva

[25K Now!]

OOC: Taking you up on that interaction, Toatapio.

 

IC: Ril

 

Ta-koro was looking quite a bit better now. Now that there were less injured people groaning in pain on the streets or remains of houses strewn around, it was far easier to look upon his home and say: "it's a lot less ". Of course, that didn't mean everyhing was fine and dandy. Ril knew crime had experienced a slight spike, with many of his colleagues trying to deal with the aftermath of the Savage Skakdi Sextet. That meant he needed to deal with whatever criminal dared evade Jaller's tightly-run ship.

 

Not that the eyepatch-wearing Toa of Fire cared. It was evident that Ta's criminal underworld was not going to fall so easily. While any actions he took could possibly stem expansion, there wouldn't really be major. Sure, he could crash a gang meeting, but he'd die. And that'd be bad.

 

His wandering eye caught note of a being aimlessly steolling theough the streets. Ril shook his head. People did that a lot these days.

 

"Oi," he called out to Kirgan. "What are you up to?"

[Eyru]

IC (Leah):

 

Leah's brow furrowed behind her mask. 

 

"I don't like the idea of charging in, precisely because we do not know what they will find in the vault. It just as well may give them the power to take us down as soon as we move in. If we wait for them to surface we could prepare for an elemental ambush I doubt even these Piraka will be able to withstand."

 

She slightly shrugged. "But you raise a valid point - so I suggest a combined approach: We attack by collapsing the tunnel or cavern they are in when we get closer to them, seemingly trying to bury them. It will provide a distraction for our speedy brother to seize one of them. It will also force them to use their powers to defend against the cave-in instead of us directly."

 

She winked at Kongu. "A multilateral attack, just like we used to do when going after smaller Rama swarms - Have two birds harass them and make them come after you while the rest of the flight pick them off from behind once they start chasing."

 

IC (Oreius, Inu)

 

The Toa of fire struggled to let no sign of his impatience slip through. "I think it sounds good. Shall we move?"

 

His eyes almost turned to Reordin, but he forced them past his brother, past his Akiri, to land on Stannis. The Wanderer's silence hung heavy; perhaps he would now see fit to break it.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: "Let's," Stannis finally said in a somber grumble like a golem raised to life from a long slumber and finding itself disappointed that it awoke in a gloomy storm. "Akiri, thank you for your support—we will not be afraid to ask for help when we need it. Now, the hour is late and we still have much to discuss," he stated.

 

"Some privacy is warranted," he said to nobody in particular.

Edited August 25, 2014 by EmpressYumiwa

[Eyru]

IC (Oreius, Inu)

 

"My house is close," the Toa of Fire said.

 

Minutes later, the team was there. Oreius' home was small, spartan, and obviously disused: a thin sheet of dust blanketed everything. But the owner made no apology: a hunter's place is on the hunt.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

Somehow, I figured that this was a problem that couldn't or shouldn't be solved through punching things.

 

Zauk and Vygel were already busy using their powers to shift the stone out of the ground, but as for me, I'd have to use more ingenious methods for this relocation of igneous objects. Looking around, I tried to spot a decent tool for the job. Helios's hammer might have been nice, but I was kinda doubting he would be so eager to loan it to the girl who lets it be thrown through the forest. Which is unfair, honestly. I mean, I was being attacked by a Nui-Jaga. I really think that counts for something.

 

...

 

Okay fine, it doesn't. Be that way.

 

Rather than dwell on ides like that, I kept looking around for a tool, my eyes eventually laying on a piece of wood that had been snapped off a tree in the recent past, if the fresh splinters on one end were anything to go by. I tried not to be perturbed by that (probably just a Rahi or wanderer or something, right?), and I walked straight over, picking it up and giving a quick, hard whack against the trunk of a tree. Solid. 

 

Fantastic.

 

Slinging it over my shoulder, I headed on over to the stone in question, and with another swift strike, drove the stick into the dirt around it, listening to the harsh scrape of wood against rock. Another push rammed it even deeper, giving me some decent leverage going. Taking a breath, I threw my body weight onto the makeshift lever, trying to help pry the rock up and out of the earth.

 

And if this doesn't work, I can always fall back on just whacking the stone real hard.

 

---

 

IC:

 

I looked at Lasinia.

 

"You carry instant noodles with you?"

 

-Void

[25K Now!]

IC: Lasinia

 

"Who doesn't?"

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

Slightly startled, Kirgan turned to face the Toa of Fire who had just spoken to him. His black and orange form had dents and scratches all over it, creating an impression of a veteran hero. The most notable feature of the Toa, however, was that only one of his eyes was visible. The other was covered with an eyepatch.

 

Another injury of the past?

 

"I - I'm looking for a friend", Kirgan said. "His name is Hile. A Ko-Matoran. Have you seen him in this village?"

Edited August 26, 2014 by Toatapio Nuva

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"Can't really say I have," said the Toa of Fire with a shrug. "Ko-matoran aren't too hard to miss here."

[Ghosthands]

IC (Lohkar)

 

"I don't."

[25K Now!]

IC: Lasinia

 

"You should. They're useful."

[Franco]

 

 

IC:

"Right," Rynekk said, his dark mood slowly lifting.

"Well, it was just after the ceremony, and everyone was starting to file out of the house; at least that was my impression of it, but I was a little preoccupied with my own thoughts at the moment. I had met that blue and gold Toa again the night before, and he'd brought me to the Naho Falls. Told me more about some prophecy that I was part of and gave me a treasure map to follow for it. Then he vanished, the Kualsi-wearing prick.

"But I guess that I was still stewing over that, because I didn't pick up the Mark Bearers right away. They came in like one of Mata Nui's plagues, tearing up the area. It was all we could do to hold them off, but even then, Tadris and I were knocked out of the fight pretty quick. I woke up in the bay a few hours later, half-drowned, but close enough to the shore to save myself."

His face fell slightly.

"I couldn't find Tadris."

-Void

IC: "No news 'bout him, Ah suppose?" Edited August 28, 2014 by Own Personal Quixote

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

Leah had followed the group to Oreius' house, quickly catching up to them after properly saying goodbye for now to the two Akiri. Oreius place was quickly becoming crowded, which had not as much to do with the actual number of people there and was rather a result of the the Toa Maru of fire living in a humble abode. Sulov already had to slightly duck to not scrape against the ceiling. Leah felt the faintest trace of embarrassment, thinking about living in Nokama's hut, but quickly got over it. It was not her own home, after all, she was just staying there as the guardian of the village and they had welcomed her there. 

 

She closed the door behind her, then turned to Stannis, who's aura had become decidedly green-tinged. 

 

"Let's not waste time and get the easy things out of the way first." she said, unceremoniously. 

 

"What does your mask really do?"

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

Kirgan sighed. "Figures. The one time I have time to meet him, and he's nowhere to be found."

 

Kirgan shifted focus from his own frustration to the Toa. "My name is Kirgan, by the way."

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"I'm Ril."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

I raised one hand to my chin, striking a pose not-uncommon amongst the great philosophers of yonder.

 

"I suppose that it's not a bad idea," I mused. "I mean, back when I was tramping across the island, there were days that I would've killed for some instant noodles on me...."

 

I paused, suddenly.

 

"Did I just agree with Lasinia?"

 

---

 

IC:

 

"Not exactly," Rynekk replied. "You remember that golden Toa I was telling you about? The one who gave me the map? Well, he turned up again, a few weeks later. Snuck aboard the Fowadi somehow, and said something about Tadris. The way he was talking, seemed like he knew where he was."

 

The expression on his face was unreadable. 

 

"Back at the Falls, he said that his name was Stendhal. On the ship, he seemed upset that I hadn't been following that map. He was angry. He said that he could take his anger out on Tadris if I didn't knuckle under and fulfill this prophecy of his.

 

"Ironshaper found him, though, and Stendhal was arrested. He was in Po-Koro's maximum security prison for three months. Me, I was desperate to find Tadris; I'd been trying since Stendhal's arrest, trying to track him down, trying to pry his whereabouts out of the psycho. But I didn't get a lead until ... he broke out of prison. Few months ago."

 

-Void

[25K Now!]

IC: Lasinia

 

"Another joins the Noodle Cult!"

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

"Nice to meet you", Kirgan said. He was silent for a while, before asking "Any suggestions of places to go in this town? I'm looking for something to do, but don't know what..."

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"Don't think you'll like my suggestions."

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

"How come?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Charred Forest)

 

After spending a moment or two basking in the glory of finding the next clue (by myself), I got to work with the others , trying to uncover the stone with the rugged writing I recognized from my old mentor's letters. Although, Colx writes prettier than these scribblings, which is certainly saying something.

 

I followed Vygel's lead and continued to help uncover the plate.

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"You feel like tearing down the walls of some dealer's warehouse?"

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

"What? For fun?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"Yes."

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

"Don't you get imprisoned for that? Especially around these parts?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

Ril whirred a slight chuckle. "I'm a cop. Busting folks like them is my job."

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

Kirgan was startled by this, even though he tried not to show it. The Toa before him didn't seem to have the usual dutiful attitude of a guard.

 

"If you're a guard... you were trying to make me tear down a wall so you could arrest me?"

[Nuju Metru]

CHAPTER III INITIATED!

Henceforth, all events described here are effective immediately. For more information on Chapter III and how it affects your characters, please read the first portion of this post.

[25K Now!]

IC: Ril

 

"Nah, I just wanted some help."

[Voxumo]

IC: Chivinix

 

Upon receiving no clearly visible opposition from guards or what not, Chivinix managed to find his way out of the hospital, though there were some occasional wrong turns.. boy do those doctors sure get upset when you interrupt them. Upon reaching the streets, he took a quick look around at the groups, and not wishing to raise alarm, any more than his appearance already did he headed for the gate of the village of fire, intending to get the heck out of dodge.

[Franco]

IC: Gavarm clenched his teeth and sucked in air, a favorite habit he'd developed under the lurid gleam of fight club lightstones. He'd been trying to kick it when Gyn had given him his first cigar; the new addiction had only dragged him deeper into the first.

 

Now he was getting to work on cigars, but could he really help them if they numbed the funk produced by this kind of talk?

 

"So y'all joins," he pronounced slowly, epiphany laborious as his voice but with the explosive force only lying beneath it. "Goin' aftah anotha excaped convict."

[Emzee]

 

 

IC: Bohrei [Ta-Koro Hospital]

 

She softened her glare just a fraction.  "...It's alright.  It's true I didn't say as much explicitly; perhaps I should have.  But at a time like this, you need to think, Miss Mekana.  I very much doubt that I'll be the only Guard member" - or close enough, at least - "to seem a bit curt these next few days.  It isn't an exaggeration to say we don't even know all the crimes that have been carried out today.  If we want to bring those responsible to justice and the truth to light, we need cooperation.  Not daydreams."

 

"Now," she said to the room at large, "I'll ask one last time to be certain.  None of you witnessed anything that could be a clue to any events at the Suva? And barring that, do you know anyone who may have?"

 

 

IC: Wokiya – Ta-Koro Hospital

 

But we weren’t the ones to let the milk spill. Had there been adequate security in the first place, we wouldn’t have had all these crimes today to begin with, Wokiya snarked in her head. She dared not speak to the Skakdi this way though. Being less oppositional – while requiring a lot of effort on her part – did come easier when faced against a Skakdi.

 

“I got nothin’,” Wokiya answered, “Sorry”

Edited August 28, 2014 by Emzee

[Toatapio Nuva]

IC Kirgan

(Ta-Koro):

 

"With arresting criminals?"