Void Emissary

IC: Daijuno | Ga-Koro Docks "Hey! Hey, soldier!" Ga-Koro was rubbing off on Daijuno. Enough evenings spent deep in a pitcher of margaritas with Whitehot and the Chiisai Crew had only further scrubbed the social niceties of Kentokan high life from the Dashi's soul. Even the arrival of the Rora, the Chojo, the whole bleedin' royal party and what looked like the wealthier half of the Archipelago could have stopped Daijuno anymore -- not when she had something to put her mind to. "What's going on here?" she said, chomping on a cigar and striding up to the Dasaka. "Only two days of warning before what looks like the whole population of Sado arrives? And what's it about? Every time I try to get some information about this, it's either above my station, or nobody else knows?!" OOC: @TL01 NUVA -Void

IC: Rynekk | Ostia Docks "Brutal is the word for it," Rynekk said, soberly. "I lost my fair share during that fight...." But his sober expression did not last long, as he spread one arm expansively towards the Fowadi. "I'm sure Kale would be happy to swap sea stories," he said. "He's the first mate on-board, but I reckon that he knows the ship better than anyone on this island, living or dead!" -Void

IC: Nika | ??? The dagger flew true, burying itself in the chest of the Lesterin who had been pushing their way through the bedroom. Nothing but dead weight now, they toppled backwards, tripping up their former comrades who had following the stairs -- and buying Nika a few seconds' respite. The hunt for the Turaga Killers had started feeling like a dead end these past few weeks. Without any real leads, the three of them had been trying to piece together what they might have expected if a job like that were being pulled today. Without a buyer and without a sellsword to put a name to, Nika had suggested trawling through the middlemen in this equation: the widget launderers. It wasn't much, but it was the best lead they had so far. The brute squad was already getting back to their feet behind him, but Nika only needed a second to the pull the trigger. A sliver of lightstone went flying, burying itself into the back of one of the Matoran's head in a burst of illumination. The Vortixx didn't have time to reload a second shot -- his assailants were already in the room with him -- and so he did the only thing he could think of and leapt from the window-- --and looping his rifle around a string of lightstones running from the building he had fled from and towards the building in which Pae was fighting. He just hoped that Pae could deal with the other two fighters before he landed there. -Void

IC: Rynekk | Ostia Docks "That I am," Rynekk said with a smile, holding a hand out for her to shake. "Rynekk Simul, Po-Koro Sentinels. The Aggressors picked me up after a particularly nasty run-in with some pirates -- or was it before? Hard to keep track of the order of these sorts of things after a while." He nodded over towards the ship. "I could give you a tour if you wanted." -Void

IC: Rynekk | Ostia Docks Lost me ship, lost me friend.... "I'm a bit of a landlubber, to be quite honest," Rynekk said, chuckling self-consciously. "I've sailed on the Fowadi there more times than I can count, but never for longer than a few days. I reckon that even when I walk up that gangplank in a moment, I'll be walking back down it again before the week is out. Itchy feet, I suppose; and an ever-changing job description." Amongst other things.... "Now, if you'll allow me yet another question," Rynekk said, gingerly taking a seat next to her on the bench. "What's a guardswoman like yourself doing all the way out here on the -- what is that they're saying nowadays? -- the wrong side of the tracks?" -Void

IC: Rynekk | Ostia Docks "Well enough," he replied with a shrug, "but I know her people better." This woman sat on the bench with a spine like steel, and even if Rynekk hadn't seen anything else of her, he figured what he said next would be as fair a guess as any. "Did you serve with one of the navies? I just couldn't help but notice" -- he gestured towards the short-spear at her hip -- "and I recall that that's standard issue for most guards no matter where you go on the island, right?" -Void

IC: Rynekk | Ostia Docks It had been a long trip from Ko-Koro for Rynekk Simul, but a pleasantly scenic one. Plagia had been able to get him passage to Onu via a Sanctum Guard convoy that had been headed there to rendezvous with some of the refugees of the Fall of Ko-Koro, and from there a few friendly words with some people in the Ussalry who knew Gavarm had scored him tell of a convoy of researchers headed up to the new Onu-Po Academy in the desert who would be looking for a guard or two. After that, Rynekk hadn't had to do anything but kick his feet up on the Iron Mahi on his way to Ostia -- to the Fowadi. He pulled his hat lower over his eyes, trying to cut the seaside glare, and glanced down to the figure sitting on a bench by the dock, looking at the same ship he had travelled halfway across the island to find. "Sight for sore eyes, huh?" he said, leaning on his spear next to the bench. -Void

Name: [ Rynekk Simul, Private of the Po-Koro Sentinels ] Species: [ Toa of Stone ] Description: [ Already a powerful man, in the intervening months since the Retaking of Ko-Koro, Rynekk has trained himself to become even stronger. Stout, if not particularly tall, a newfound focus and confidence fostered during his medical leave from the Sentinels has given him a truly mountainous demeanour amongst his colleagues. He can sometimes be found wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a cloak, as well as a set of brown armour. He is in possession of orange eyes and charming smile. ] Powers: [ Rynekk possesses the elemental power to create, absorb, and manipulate stone. Thanks to his Kanohi Kakama, he is also able to move at superhuman speeds. ] Equipment: [ Rynekk carries a spear and a hatchet. ] Technological Items: [ Rynekk also carries an axe which he acquired during the island-wide hunt for the crime lord Jazek Rehn. It is utterly ordinary, save for the fact that it will become blunted when in the hands of an enemy of Rynekk. (Approved by Tyler) ] History: [ Once a worshipper of Makuta, Rynekk has spent the last few years doing his best to repent for his past sins, up to and including becoming a part of the Aggressors, a group of adventurers loosely associated with the Po-Koro Sentinels. Since the Second (or is it Third) Battle of Ko-Koro, Rynekk has been on medical leave within the remnants of that icy city, licking his wounds both physical and spiritual. ] Weaknesses: [ Rynekk’s usual combat strategy is to try and overwhelm his opponents through sheer physical and elemental force, pushing them onto the backstep and keeping them off-balance. If faced against someone who is able to push back through that offensive and actually challenge him in terms of martial prowess, they could claim a distinct advantage against him. Off the battlefield, Rynekk’s mountainous sense of guilt — whether justified or not — can impair his judgement. This impairment can manifest as flights of recklessness, or an inability to fully trust his allies around him, despite their years together. ] Name: [ Nika Draen, Sniper for Hire ] Species: [ Vortixx ] Description: [ As long and as lean as ever, Nika at least looks like he has eaten a few square meals nowadays, and his green eyes are now a little sharper and a little less cloudy. His black armour is scarred and pock-marked with age, partially covered by a long coat that he kept from his second infiltration of Ko-Koro. ] Equipment: [ Nika carries two daggers. ] Technological Items: [ Nika’s greatest weapon is a refurbished lightstone sniper rifle. Easily disassembled into pieces for easy transportation, this rifle can fire slivers of lightstone nearly silently and at great distances — however, it requires a longer cooldown/reload time than the average projectile launcher. Nika also has a prosthetic left hand, equipped with retractable talons. (Approved by Tyler) ] History: [ Orphaned as a young boy during a violent attack, Nika eventually became a hired killer to eke out a living for himself. His most recent job, at the behest of a mysterious benefactor, has sent him on the hunt for the infamous Turaga Killers. Along with his fellow mercenaries, Pae and Jin, Nika has spent the past weeks hunting for any clues as to the Turaga Killers’ possible locations. ] Weaknesses: [ Nika is devastating with a sniper rifle, but lacks the raw strength needed for close-quarters fighting — get up-close and personal with him, and the best that he can do is try and gain some distance. Off the battlefield, Nika’s greatest weakness is, ironically, one of the virtues that most of Mata-Nui holds dear: unity. He has grown to trust Pae and Jin, and even to care about them — an attachment that could prove fatal if properly exploited. ] Name: [ Daijuno Dastana, Saihoko Quartermaster of the Chiisai Ryuu ] Species: [ Dashi ] Description: [ Taken on her own, Daijuno is an unassuming, average figure — the sort of Dashi you could run into anywhere in the old Markets of Sado. Perhaps to compensate for this fact, Daijuno has placed a lot of time and money into her accoutrements: her crystalline armour is simple, but elegant, and able to suit a number of different occasions. Since coming to Mata-Nui, she has supplemented that armour with numerous touches of silver and gold metallic alloys, making her appear just a bit more ostentatious than most Dasaka. Amber eyes and a sharp tongue hide behind a powerless Kanohi Kaukau. ] Equipment: [ Daijuno carries a small crystal dagger — more decorative than anything else. ] History: [ Born in the lowest rung of Dasakan society, Daijuno slowly but surely created a name (and a minor fortune) for herself by trading in timber and bamboo from Odaiba; a fortune that she levied to book passage aboard the Chiisai Ryuu and make her way to the glittering paradise of Mata-Nui. Since her arrival to the island, Daijuno has been wheeling and dealing, fully intending to return to Kentoku wealthier than even the Rora herself. ] Weaknesses: [ Daijuno would describe herself a lover, not a fighter — any success she might have in combat is down to pure luck more than anything else. Off the battlefield, and as much as she is loathe to admit it, Daijuno craves respect more than anything else, and this deep yearning can cause her to act in the worst interests of herself and those around her. ] Name: [ Zyla Dastana, Saihoko Assistant to Daijuno Dastana ] Species: [ Dashi ] Description: [ Zyla is quite a handsome woman — tall and willowy — who tends to favour simple, practical fashion on a whole. She can usually be seen in goldenrod and navy, and wears a powerless Kanohi Volitak. ] Equipment: [ Zyla carries a crystal dirk — more decorative than functional, like her employer’s. ] History: [ Zyla was born into the lowest rung of Dasakan society and, like her mothers before her, tried to bear this burden with grace and goodwill. How she ended up working as an assistant for a cantankerous, avaricious, and downright seditious Dashi like Daijuno is anyone’s guess. But her loyalty to Dai is unquestioned, with Zyla even following her to Mata-Nui itself. ] Weaknesses: [ Like her employer, Zyla has virtually no combat training or experience whatsoever. Also like her employer, she craves the respect of those she considers her “betters,” which can push her towards self-abnegating behaviour. ] Name: [ Plagia Simul, Champion of the Island Liberation Force ] Species: [ Toa of Lightning ] Description: [ Plagia has the build of a street fighter — all lean, rangy muscle, with a low centre of gravity. She wears a set of weathered blue-and-yellow armour, as well as a Sanctum Guard jacket — albeit with the Guard insignia patched over. Her face is battered and scarred from years of fighting, with bright green eyes. ] Powers: [ Plagia possesses the elemental power to create, absorb, and manipulate lightning. Thanks to her Kanohi Hau, she is also able to generate force fields around her person. ] Equipment: [ Plagia carries a kampilan sword. ] Technological Items: [ Plagia also possesses a pair of gauntlets which are resistant to any temperature change. (Approved by Tyler) ] History: [ A veteran of such fights as the Rama Hive Assault, the Siege of Pala, and the Retaking of Ko-Koro, Plagia remains one of the last active members of the Island Liberation Force — a collection of warriors dedicated to fighting all traces of Makuta. Since Ko-Koro was liberated, Plagia has stuck around to help train up a new generation of the Sanctum Guard. ] Weaknesses: [ Although loath to admit it, her brother’s betrayal, the death of Akinii, the loss of Pala-Koro — these things have affected Plagia deeply. She may be the life of the party, but she has trouble relying on others, either in real-life or in combat. Instead, she has a worrying need to take on any problem — ultimately — by herself, or else feels like she is letting those she cares about down. ] Name: [ Saritsu Eiyu, Menti Sister of Toroshu Nihonei ] Species: [ Dasaka ] Description: [ Saritsu is powerfully-built, although perhaps a little shorter than expected. Despite her lack of patience for court affairs, she cannot help but keep the poise of a Ward-trained Menti warrior, and moves with the grace and precision of one, as well. She wears a cloak that was once probably quite fine, but has grown ragged from use. Her eyes are as sharp and as green as freshly-budded leaf. ] Powers: [ Trained in the Mindarm discipline, Saritsu is able to manipulate objects mentally. She is also trained in the Twin Souls technique of Ideatalk, known only to Clan Eiyu. Partnered to her sister, Nihonei, the two are able to communicate in a much closer way than is normal for Ideatalk. She is also able to see through objects thanks to her Kanohi Akaku, the Great Mask of X-Ray Vision. ] Equipment: [ Saritsu carries a crystal katana, ice axes, and hunting knives. She also has a quiver of crystal-tipped arrows but, curiously, no bow. ] History: [ The younger sister of Toroshu Nihonei of Clan Eiyu, Saritsu took advantage of the lack of expectations placed upon her to travel the Archipelago, forever curious about what lurks in the few remaining wild places of Kentoku. With the coming of the Rahkshi, however, Saritsu finds herself torn — whether to venture deeper beyond the walls of Sado to take the fight to the enemy, or remain behind and protect her beloved older sister. ] Weaknesses: [ Responsibility does not sit easy on Saritsu’s shoulders — she has taken on the role of her sister’s protector, and there is little that she would not do to protect Nihonei. A canny opponent could use this to their advantage. In combat, Saritsu also favours speed and dexterity, keeping her enemies off-balance. In a contest of raw strength, however, she will quickly find herself overpowered. ] Name: [ Vyartha Vena, Pride of the New Daedra ] Species: [ Toa of Fire ] Description: [ A tall, lean phantom of a woman, Vyartha looms large in any room she enters. Her armour is red and worn, scuffed and without polish. Her eyes are a gleaming ice-blue, but they often seem wearier than usual these days. ] Powers: [ Vyartha possesses the elemental power to create, absorb, and manipulate flame and heat. Thanks to her Kanohi Calix, she is also able to move with superhuman dexterity. ] Equipment: [ Vyartha wields a vicious longsword. ] History: [ Vyartha’s brief exposure to an infected Kanohi was enough to drive a proud member of the Ta-Koro Guard into a grim, vengeful wanderer. She served as the Pride of the short-lived New Daedra, where she had a dalliance with Sloth — better known as Nikarra — which shook her to her core. Now, with Makuta returned, Vyartha has taken to a great deal of soul-searching — as well as searching for something to protect her in the coming days…. ] Weaknesses: [ Vyartha is spiky and unapproachable, paranoid from years of life on the lamb and under the specter of Makuta. She is slow to trust and quick to be riled. She also favours her martial ability over her elemental powers, with which she is much clumsier. ] Name: [ Antiro “Gunner” Vod, First Mate and Quartermaster of the Infernavika ] Species: [ Toa of Air ] Description: [ With a new spring in his step, Gunner has taken greater care of his physical appearance. He has traded out his old rusted armour for a dignified green-grey set, although he has hung onto his old, weathered longcoat. He is has tall and regal in his bearing as ever, and his eyes are as deep and black as the sea at night. ] Powers: [ Gunner possesses the elemental power to create, absorb, and manipulate air. Thanks to his Kanohi Miru, he is also able to levitate in mid-air. ] Equipment: [ Gunner typically wields a simple broadsword. ] Technological Items: [ Gunner also carries a backsword which, due to unknown properties, cannot rust or dull. (Approved by Tyler) ] History: [ Once a scion of an infamous arms-dealing family, Antiro Vod fell upon hard times and became the crude pirate Gunner, first mate and quartermaster of the Infernavika. Nowadays, since he and his crew have been granted amnesty for their various crimes by means of saving the island many times over, Gunner is ready for a fresh direction in life… which, unfortunately, his Captain Lohkar is more than happy to provide. ] Weaknesses: [ Gunner lacks the brute strength of many of the warriors on Mata-Nui, and must therefore employ a combination of dexterity and wits to most engagements. Speaking of wit, he also has a tendency to let his get the better of him — he can more-often-than-not see himself as smarter than he really is, and lets his mouth get the better of him. ] Name: [ Sy’ryn Raleo, Warlock of the Nakihl ] Species: [ Kaiakan ] Description: [ Shrouded in the tattered robes of the Nakihl warlocks, Sy’ryn cuts an imposing figure to most. This is, at least partly, by design — four centuries of wandering since the butcher of Great Ahk’rei:Nii by the coward Ga’Rokk:Dii have left Sy’ryn as gaunt as he is ancient. Theatricality, therefore, is his greatest asset. This is not to say that Sy’ryn does not have the massive height and reach of a Kaiakan, for his head can eclipse the sun easily against most opponents. His armour of bronze and copper is rusted with age, wear obscuring the many intricate etchings across its surface. His eyes are sunken and white — and a strange symbol seems to have been branded across his left cheek, whose meaning remains unknown to most. ] Equipment: [ Sy’ryn wields a simple wooden quarterstaff. ] History: [ Sy’ryn was once a lowly acolyte of the Nakihl warlocks — what he possessed in fanaticism for the cult, he unfortunately lacked in any aptitude for magic or worship. Perhaps that is why he managed to escape death at the hands of Ga’Rokk:Di, forced to flee across the blasted landscape of Zakaz. For four hundred years since, Sy’ryn has eked out a brutal existence amongst the Skakdi, begging for coins or food on street corners and attempting to pass himself off as a true Nakihl priest to gain entrance into the fortresses. Perhaps his life would have been easier had he renounced his vows of priesthood and taken up a blade to become a mercenary instead — he certainly had the build for it once — but his fanaticism would not die where his fellows had. Now, having burned his bridges on the mainland, Sy’ryn has crossed the waters to Seprilli, hoping to find someone of resources who may take him on as a fortress priest. ] Weaknesses: [ Although his size and experience serve him well on the battlefield, Sy’ryn is simply not a born-and-bred fighter like most other denizens of Zakaz, putting him at a distinct disadvantage. His dogmatic approach to his Nakihl heritage, and his unshakeable devotion to it, also makes him inflexible and uncompromising. ] Name: [ Tyrus Archer, Private of the Ga-Koro Marines ] Species: [ Lesterin of Earth ] Description: [ A squat but well-built individual, who might have aged gracefully were it not for his pathological desire to hurl himself into danger, Tyrus wears armour of dark slate and bloody copper. His eyes are a deep, dark blue. ] Powers: [ As a Lesterin of Earth, Tyrus possesses a resistance to pressure and heightened night vision. His Mask of Sensory Aptitude also gives him improved balance and heightens his five senses. ] Equipment: [ Tyrus wields twin talwar swords. ] History: [ An aging mercenary who once went by the nom-de-guerre of Teacher, he has since taken on a job by the industrialist Caerus Valli to infiltrate and report on the dealings of the Ga-Koro Marines under the name Tyrus Archer. ] Weaknesses: [ Tyrus’ own arrogance is his greatest hobbler — he will often purposefully hold back and hinder himself in combat in an attempt to prove how much better a fighter he is than his opponent. His old age has also limited his overall stamina and endurance during any sort of physical exertion. ] Name: [ Sulov Maru ] Species: [ Onu-Toa ] Gender: [ Male ] Appearance: [ Sulov is firstly a mountain. In height and girth, he pushes the limits of his race's form. This mass is compounded by its linear quality. His shape is made of hard angles. In conjunction with an upright posture and chin held up, he is as straight as a blade. He wears a black cloak with a hood and a high collar, all comprised of ceramic mail. The cloak is additionally armored with segments of ceramic plate and insulated with alternating layers of hikaki scale and ice bird feathers. Its side pockets hold his grenades and prosthetic shovel blade. Sulov's waist is wrapped in an adaptable belt, his sheathed szabla and knife hanging at his left hip and his holstered pistol at his right. Over his chest is a harness-like pair of muaka-hide belts, which strap a scattergun and rahkstaff to his back. His feet are covered in muaka-hide insulated by the same layered materials. His hands are also in ringed ceramic gauntlets. Beneath this is the black plate armor he developed during his transformation, which is designed to deflect physical attacks. Like his plate armor, his Kimi is military-grade and curved for maximum protection against blows. It provides an excellent field of vision. Its jaw is square and robust. His cheekbones are also linear and taut. His eyes are a brilliant emerald and vigilant. His voice matches his appearance in cavernous depth. He speaks unaccented and with a practiced smoothness. In demeanor, Sulov is stoic and resolute, intimidatingly keen. Combined with his angular and puissant physique, he is sharp and fine as a knife to the senses. This image is wont to inspire fear or attraction depending on the desires of the viewer. Yet that doesn't represent the complete picture. In Sulov's graceless manner, size, and alertness, he suggests a vitality incapable of being shackled and a man larger than himself. His form was not chiseled, but grown; his growth continues unrestricted by his body's limits, so he channels his vim through his mortal self to an extreme point and aesthetic unlike pretty, human beauty and feeling. This enhances the steel of his action to a font of valor at his inscrutable surface. A rising black sun, then, would be the more common image he calls to mind, though he mirrors infinite phenomena of similar natures. ] Powers: [ Sulov has control over the element of Earth at a powerful toa's level. He also can utilize the Kanohi Kimi. "The [sic] Kahoni Kimi allows the user to track people or objects. These people or objects must have been pre-marked by the user ahead of time through direct physical contact, but once that contact has been established, the user can thereafter know exactly where the object or being they seek is. This location is summoned voluntarily by the user of the mask; they have only to think of what they want to find, and they will know where it is. A caveat of this mask is that it can only hold a limited number of items in its "database", and that objects marked longer ago will be forgotten faster, and become harder to locate as they age." ] Abilities: [ As an Onu-Toa, Sulov has great strength and night vision. These traits are only enhanced by his natural physique and the strenuous hunters' work he occupies himself in such a way that he can function nocturnally with ease and has a physicality peak for his race, being extremely fast and strong. His armor gives him great endurance as well. ] Weapons/Equipment: [ (10) Grenades-The Onu-Toa keeps a stock of photothermic grenades of ceramic shells for manipulation and enhanced shrapnel. They are of the two-piece cylinder design invented by Stralix and can be twisted for detonation. (1) Ceramic Szabla (1) Ceramic Dagger (1) Scatter-Patero (1) Sanorahk Staff (1) Adaptable belt-a belt that changes its composition to guard against physical and environmental extremes. [Looted from Billetes; approved by Nuju Metru, 2014] (1) Leum Astolc 54-a semiautomatic revolver with ten rounds a pack and accompanying rounds possessing maximum velocity. It and its ammunition are built of ceramic. [Looted from Billetes; approved by Nuju Metru, 2014] (1) Armor-coat-ceramic mail that further increases durability and resistance to extreme temperatures at the cost of some agility. (1) Shovelhand-the weapon half of Sulov's Toa Tool, a protosteel spade-blade that can be screwed into the socket of his "shovelarm." It serves as a prosthetic when the socket is not filled with an earthen hand. ] Weakness: [ Short of polarized ceramic lenses, Sulov's vision in regular lighting is poorer than usual. He's also not agile in two layers of armor. Last, the weakness of plate armor is the joints. ] Other Possessions: [ -Earth prosthetic wrist and hand ] Bio: [ Sulov is widely known to be one of the Toa Maru and a former matoran of Onu-Koro. However, little is known by the public of his past as a resident or of the nature of his Kanohi. In the aftermath of the Second Battle of Kini-Nui, he kick-started his trailmix business. He simultaneously built dwellings for himself across the island and obtained weaponry using his widgets. He now works in tandem with the Onu-Koro Ussalry as Guardian of Onu-Koro and a bounty hunter when not producing new mixes. ] -Void

Wow!! So excited to be back for Arc 3 -- looking forward to RPing with all again! I just wanted to check (and forgive me if this has already been asked and answered), but for people porting characters over from Arc 2, do we need to get any foreign tech and/or loot items re-approved? Thanks for all your hard work, GMs! -Void

IC: Parnassus | Kini-Nui Children want to be loved, because they are powerless and they need someone to protect them. Because the world is a terrible place, and to be loved means that there is some small speck of goodness in that world. Because it marks them as worthy of someone else's regard. It makes them special, unique. How many places had Parnassus looked for love in their brief life? From Barius the heathen, and Corrivalis the betrayed. From Caedast the mentor, and Stannis the liar. Leklo, the fool; Waveahk, the wreck; Drukarus, the tyrant; Whisper, the idealist. Mothers and fathers and cousins galore. Parnassus had begged all of them for love, and none of them had been able to provide. No one could protect the child Parnassus in the way that they needed, none of them ever seemed to measure up to the terror of Xa. They would never be enough -- the entire world might have never been enough for Parnassus. This was something that Parnassus had realized, their attempt at glory in battle against Akamai cruelly cut short -- when, in frustration, they did not return to the ground, but flew ever higher into the clouds, above the clouds. To where the sky and sea stretched out in every direction, and all the sands and stones and smoke of Xa looked like the shine of river stones and crystals of ice. Like some so beautiful and perfect that you could spend entire eternities exploring every aspect of it and never grow bored. And that's when it clicked for Parnassus: They had travelled this island -- from Fort Nektann to Irnakk's Tooth, the Caldera to Kini-Nui. And this island and its people just kept surprising them. They were venal and virtuous, brutal and brilliant, liars and heroes and villains and wonders the lot of them. And none of them would ever love Parnassus enough. But Parnassus -- curse it all -- loved them. Is this what Caedast meant? they thought. Is this what he wanted me to understand? They smiled, laughed -- and they flew down to Xa and the end of the world, to their allies and enemies, cutting open a sky of boundless horizons. The entire world might never have been enough for Parnassus -- but they were certainly going to see how far it went. OOC: So long, Six Kingdoms -- see you on the other side! -Void

IC: Irna | The Ambling Alp "We are at the end of the world, Mazor," Irna said, smiling through her tears. "If that's not a time to let bygones be bygones...." She stepped back, and took him by the hand. He was ... not exactly a hero, no. But not a villain, either. Rather like all of them. Rather like her, as well. And with that thought, her smile grew just a little wider. "Come," she said, leading him back towards the gangplank, back to the interior the ship. "We have much to catch up on ... and I have many people I'd like for you to meet...." OOC: @Smudge8 -Void

IC: Irna | The Ambling Alp "Mazor, I...." She laid a tentative hand on his shoulder -- this strange, foolish, forgotten man. Someone who had cursed people and saved them; and yet neither of those mattered to Irna at all in that moment. He was her friend, her first friend. And that's all that counted. She pulled him into a tight hug. "I remember everything, Mazor," she said. "I've missed you. Don't leave again." OOC: @Smudge8 -Void

IC: Irna | The Ambling Alp "Wait, wait!" Although Irna's words were picked up and cast away by the wind, she leaned over the front edge of the ship and waved her arms furiously in front of the windshield. She hoped that she could make her meaning clear to Tekmo and Skorm (or, rather, Sko and Orm): hold your fire. But then she held one hand up (or was it down?) with her fingers splayed wide: hold your fire for now. OOC: @Keeper of Kraata @Toru Nui -Void

IC: Detsu | Fort Nektann Detsu had not broken his promises to either Drukarus or Parnassus, but it didn't really matter. It was always going to be a matter of time before the warskaks that remained discovered the body of Barius and realized what had happened. And, of course, when questioned, Detsu had simply remained silent on the matter of who had plunged the blade into their leader's chest. Perhaps some warriors had their suspicions, their private little seditious thoughts. But these were paranoid times, and no one needed to make more enemies than were necessary. Most assumed that the demon Parnassus had done the deed, having never much cared for the spectre, and taking cues from the fact that they had vanished shortly after the killing was supposed to have taken place. Detsu was pleased with this. If he ran into Parnassus again, it would be a joy to kill them on behalf of Fort Nektann. Of course, the next logical conundrum was that of succession. Drukarus' role as acting-leader would have been in jeopardy even if he had not gone missing during his expedition to the Godhead. Zekev and Krrenchk had vanished into the wastes after him, dead or deserted -- it did not much matter. And Parnassus, loathe as many were of that demon, would have been a powerful ally. In the end, it had come down to a question of seniority, and most grudgingly admitted that Detsu, son of Retsu, was the most senior warskak amongst them. As was his way, Detsu did not make much fanfare of this occasion. He said the words that his warriors expected him to say, and did the things that they expected him to do. He took his seat in Barius' chair in the Great Hall, and welcomed his followers to a banquet in his honour, promising raids come the morrow. There were cheers, and curses, and jokes and threats and all the words that make up a place like Fort Nektann. Detsu absorbed very little of it. He thought about his family, dead while he was alive, thanks to the slug that pulsated softly on his back -- the one that had kept him infuriatingly alive for all these centuries. He thought about the shape in the darkness that had given it to him, that he had trekked halfway across the island to meet and to whom he had said: "I want to rule Fort Nektann. I want to be king of the warskaks." And the shape, the demon, had asked him what he would be willing to give. "Anything," Detsu had said. "Anything at all." Sometimes, he wondered if the demon had had a sense of humour, laying things out the way that they did. Giving him the means to stay alive when his family.... Yes, this was it. The demons, it was the demons who had killed his family. He knew this, he had always known this. In the morning, he would lead Fort Nektann back south, and he would lay waste to their home. Hunt them, kill them. He would find Parnassus -- and in this moment, he imagined that it had been Parnassus with whom he had first struck that deal -- and he would place his hands on their chest and wrench their ribs open so that their sickly, smoky soul were be lost to the wind, as they deserved. Yes, it was the demons' faults. Yes, yes, yes. In the morning, he would make things right. Yes, yes. He could do that now. He could do anything. Detsu was king, after all. -Void

IC: Irna | The Ambling Alp "If there are weapons on this ship, use them," Irna said. "I'll shoot from the top. If I don't come back ... tell everyone that I'm sorry." And with that, she slammed on the button to lower the gangplank just enough for her to climb out and, using her prodigious Zyglaki strength to cling to side of the craft until she stood right on the roof of the vessel -- unknowingly, in the same place that Parnassus had once stood to face down Nektann. She drew her bow, notched an arrow and let loose a shot at one of the titan's six eyes. She said a silent prayer to Karzahni that it flew true, and struck gold. OOC: @Toru Nui @Unreliable Narrator @Eyru -Void

IC: Irna | Kini-Nui "Then fly us above its head," Irna said, already climbing the gangplank. "That thing's got eyes, and if I can hit one of them, I might be able to do some real damage." IC: Parnassus | In Stannis' Head [It's not your heart that tends to do the bleeding, though, is it?] [If what you say is true, cousin, then I hope you bring about a brave new world.] [But I'm done killing for you.] [I fight only for the Builders now.] OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Toru Nui -Void

IC: Parnassus | Kini-Nui Parnassus replied at the speed of thought. [I've met Oreius, cousin. How many others have you lied to, manipulated?] OOC: @EmperorWhenua -Void

IC: Irna | Kini-Nui Familiar scene upon familiar scene, a palimpsest of memories: the place beneath the Coliseum, Mata-Nui killing that Matoran, Mazor and the Krom Sphere, her ... her failure. It had to have been understandable -- both Keitara and Skorm would have assured her that there had been nothing she could have done to stop God that time, and that there was nothing that she could against these gods now. But that would have been missing the truth of the matter. And the truth was that someone still had to stop them. "Tekmo," she said to her friend, already turning and pulling him back towards the Alp. "Follow me. I need you to fly an airship. I need to find a weak point on that thing!" IC: Parnassus | Kini-Nui "Yeah? And this will mean a lot to me." They reached for the Kraata that still remained suckling at their side, the one that had been promised to Caedast but who for now was simply chewing on the fragment of Makoki that Spiriah had given them. They plucked the stone shard from its mouth, and pushed it into the hands of Whisper's vessel. "If I don't make it out of this one," Parnassus said, "then I reckon that you're the best bet to remake this whole stinking place. Just don't let Caedast become God, you understand?" They flashed their sister a smile -- it was the strange, sad smile of a child walking to their death. And then, as wings of purest shadow grew from their back, they looked up at the titan whose name they could sense was Akamai, and they took off in a flying arc towards it. What happened next is difficult to describe, for it was a battle that took place over two battlefields -- one physical, the other mental, both using all of Parnassus' combined powers. With the Kraata of Mind Reading that Caedast had given them, they peered into the mind of Akamai; and with the Kraata of Accuracy that Whisper had given them, they zeroed in on the chinks in the titan's psychic defenses, their little emotional fault lines that would be struck. They could sense its rage, confusion, bloodlust towards the other titan; could Parnassus use these? They swooped in low towards Akamai, and activated their powers of fear, pushing into the titanic beast a paranoia that something was wrong with itself ... something holding it back from victory against these gnats and monsters ... something from within that needed to be removed. Torn out. OOC: @Toru Nui @Gecko Greavesy @Eyru @Unreliable Narrator -Void

IC: Parnassus | Kini-Nui "Accuracy," Parnassus said, nodding. "Together." They said the words, they drew the lines. And in what could have been a moment, could have been millennia, another deal was struck. OOC: @Gecko Greavesy You are now the proud owner of a Lvl. 1 Kraata of Fragmentation. -Void

IC: Irna | Kini-Nui "I don't entirely recall it myself," Irna admitted to Tekmo. "But if what I do remember is correct, then those two have a grudge going far back." Then, following Ostrox's lead -- and trying to ignore the other figure in the fray who looked far too much like a young Mazor for any degree of comfort on Irna's part -- she fired an arrow at the same titan that her Mantaxian comrade had opened fire upon. She prayed that the Zyglaki venom that coated the arrow head might do even a bit of damage, but she knew in her heart that this fight was far out of her depths. "For the time being, though," she said, "I think we're all on the same side!" OOC: @Toru Nui @Eyru IC: Parnassus | The Ambling Alp "Isn't it always?" Parnassus deadpanned back to Waveahk, and the Aspect was already down the gangplank, standing next to the Nui-Kopen that seemed to be carrying Whisper's newfound vessel. With their free hand, Parnassus pulled free Waveahk's old Kraata from where it had been suckling upon their armour, and brandished it towards their sister-cousin. "I reckon we need all the firepower we can get," they said. "You wanted to be desecrated? Pick your poison." OOC: @Toru Nui @Gecko Greavesy -Void

IC: Parnassus | The Ambling Alp "Can you fight a titan, Waveahk?" Parnassus said, already turning back towards the gangplank. They grabbed the black basalt hilt at their hip and, with a mere flutter of thought, formed the atoms around into the shape of one of their old scimitars, not lost to the warskaks of Fort Nektann. "And could you fight two of them?" IC: Irna | Kini-Nui Ostrox hunting Mazor -- another familiar scene. She drew her bow and nocked an arrow, although its mark remained elusive -- would it be Mazor, the man swimming in the murky waters of her memories? Ostrox, the brute who she unfortunately saw eye-to-eye with? Or -- most terrifyingly -- these godlike behemoths doing battle in the sky? OOC: @Toru Nui -Void

IC: Parnassus | Kini-Nui "You know what, Whisper?" Parnassus said, craning their neck until they could properly see the one-hundred-foot-tall titans smashing into one another outside the ship. "I haven't had a great track record with those sorts of rituals -- but if we survive this, I'll be happy to do any sort of desecrations you want, sister." With that, they stalked over to Waveahk's berth, whereupon they clamped a hand flat on his chest. Creaky as an unused muscle, they let the fear that made up their soul slink its way into the mutant Steltian's, where it would bring about fear and paranoia -- hopefully enough to get him catapulting awake and onto his feet. Was it the most ethical way to go about it? They had their doubts; but as Korruhn had said, they were all running out of time. IC: Irna | Kini-Nui Irna rushed out of the ship, quickly passing even Korruhn, until she had a good view of ... something that nagged at her memories. Something about Mazor fighting a god. "If you don't have a plan, Korruhn," she shouted back to him, "you'd better come up with one quick!" OOC: @Toru Nui @Gecko Greavesy @Crimson Jester -Void

IC: Parnassus | The Ambling Alp "You're telling me," Parnassus said, shuffling onto the Ambling Alp with the rest of the crew. Praise the shadows, Whisper was one of the few members of their family that Parnassus was actually glad to see. After all, she had always seemed to share Parn's curiousity about the outside world -- which, perhaps, meant that the two of them were particularly well-suited to saving what remained of their precious Xa. "What have you been up to since the last family reunion?" IC: Irna | The Ambling Alp "We have answered your question, Korruhn," Irna said, settling Waveahk's unconscious form into one of the empty berths. "Now I would ask that you answer ours: what, exactly, is this danger that everyone in the Peninsula has been speaking of? And what are we supposed to be able to do about it?' OOC: @Gecko Greavesy @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester @Toru Nui -Void

IC: Irna | The Caldera Irna looked back at her dear compatriots: Tekmo; Kei and Skorm; karz help her, even Ostrox. Leklo was right -- the last time that she had tried to save the world, it had just landed them all here. Was she leading her friends to slaughter yet again? But, of course, there was no more time to consider it. There never seemed to be. Waveahk still slung over her shoulder, she made her way up the gangplank. OOC: @Toru Nui @EmperorWhenua @Crimson Jester @Gecko Greavesy -Void

IC: Parnassus | The Caldera When this newcomer arrived, Parnassus' first instinct was to reach to their weapon -- another unknown Builder showing up in their homeland, good grief. But as the figure righted themself, they seemed to release some sort of ... essence. It drifted out across the basalt plains with tendrils of gas, its movement making little more noise than a-- "Whisper?" Parnassus said, cocking their head to one side. "Is that you?" IC: Irna | The Caldera With her free hand -- the one not holding onto Waveahk's limp body -- Irna readied her glaive at the arrival of this new figure. Parnassus seemed to know them, but that had long ago proved to be of no real proof of friendliness. If she was being wholly honest with herself, she no longer wished to stick around this forsaken place much longer, and since it seemed that this Parnassus might be the key to Keitara's troubles.... "Yes," she said, backing her way onto the Ambling Alp's gangplank, "we're coming. And Parnassus will, too." "What?" the Aspect said, whipping back around to face Irna. "Oh, I am?" "Don't you want to be loved?" she replied, smirking. "If what this Korruhn says is true, going with us could lead you to being hailed a saviour." For a moment, the Aspect was silent -- and although Irna was not sure, she could swear that she suddenly felt something probing in her mind. Something shadowy. And then Parnassus laughed. "You see what I have to deal with here?" they announced, haplessly looking at this Whisper. OOC: @Gecko Greavesy @EmperorWhenua @Toru Nui @Crimson Jester -Void