Tarn

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Savrehn tensed up. Despite the Toa’s attempt at comfort, he still didn’t feel comfortable at all. The air felt colder here at the threshold of this hideout. He wanted away from it. “That…would be appreciated,” he replied. There was a weight on his heartlight, and in the back of his mind a phrase kept repeating: “Do not trust them.” But what was the alternative? How would they get out of this? The Ko-Matoran had never felt like he had less choices before in his life. “It’s very kind of you,” he continued, being more careful than usual with what he chose to say. “But we wouldn’t want to trouble you any longer than we already have. If you could pass us the bandages, we would be on our way. We still have most of our supplies we started with, we just…” He found himself having trouble deciding what to say next. “…we just would really like to get home.” OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~@Goose@Ghosthands

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Tidalpool Inn “Uh huh…” Surdo replied, then coughed into his fist to try and draw back Baszlin’s attention away from the food. “Then what does he look like?” The Fe-Matoran asked, optics briefly glancing down to the decimated platter. “Any defining features? We all have something that makes us stand out.” OOC: @Perp

IC: Datrox Karvan - Po-Koro - Dustpool Inn “Trust me, I’ve probably seen worse. At least let me take a look,” Datrox replied, slowly reaching a hand across the table. A brief lapse in judgement, about to breach personal space out of genuine concern. “Like I said before, I can do a little triage.” OOC: @Vezok's Friend

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Tidalpool Inn “That’s good to hear,” Surdo replied, scooting into his seat, resting his cane across his lap. He pushed the platter closer to the Skakdi, finding himself to not be very hungry after all. The Fe-Matoran had come here just to talk, anyway. “Now, what were we…ah, right,” Surdo then said, only pretending to forget the subject to segue back into the conversation they had been having outdoors. He leaned towards Baszlin, steepling his fingers beneath his chin. “The man you’re looking for—I wanted to know more about him. Information is key.” He looked down at the platter, expecting his new friend to help himself to it now that Surdo had been so kind to buy food for him. “I’ll start simple. Does he have a name?” OOC: @Perp

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Savrehn wanted to mutter something about, “If I was an expert, I would have never come here,” but decided to hold his tongue on that one. Unable to think of a better reply, he simply copied Kreigero. “Yes.” He felt it necessary to back up Atamai’s story. Make a half-truth seem like a full-truth. “Even an expert can be thrown off by a dragon attack. And with the snowstorm…sense of direction can easily be lost. The Wahi can claim even the best explorers, anyone who’s been out here long enough can attest to that. And it almost did.” He wished that dragon had ate them earlier. OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~@Goose@Ghosthands

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Upon seeing the Matoran that had answered them Savrehn felt, strangely, relieved. Although, perhaps he was more relieved that whoever had answered had not immediately chosen to kill them for trespassing. This passed quickly, especially once he noticed another figure in the doorway and Savrehn protectively stepped in front of Kreigero, hand still on the injured Ko-Matoran’s shoulder. He could tell by the way the Vo-Matoran looked at the group that they were not welcome. And the feeling of dread, that they had certainly stumbled upon something that they weren’t supposed to, came back stronger. Savrehn’s stomach felt like it had dropped as far as it could go. “We took…a wrong turn,” he said, almost apologetically, trying to take control of what could easily become a situation. “One of us is hurt. We were looking for…” Savrehn stopped, wanting to avoid the word “help” since it was obvious they would probably get none from these people. He looked to his companions, unsure of what else to say. Hoping they had something to say. Hoping that the next course of action would be getting-the-####-out-of-here. OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~@Goose@Ghosthands

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Savrehn sighed at Atamai. The historian seemed keen to get them in more trouble, especially if it turned out whatever was behind the monolithic door was unfriendly or outright hostile. But it was too late to do anything. Maybe run, but he wasn’t going to do that. He placed a hand on Kreigero’s shoulder as he awaited an answer. OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Tidalpool Inn ”Hmm,” was Surdo’s reply as he looked around the inn, leaning against his cane. “Astute observation. I believe the name was merely chosen to be catchy, not literal.” The Fe-Matoran limped through the establishment towards the counter. “Find us a table,” he said, gesturing behind himself at his Skakdi companion. “I’ll order the food.” He had forgotten to ask Baszlin what he wanted, but considering his lack of knowledge about the area, Surdo figured his new friend wouldn’t know what to pick. A seafood sampler seemed appropriate. After ordering the food he returned to Baszlin, hoping the Skakdi had found a comfortable—and lowkey—place to sit as they ate and discussed things. OOC: @Perp

IC: Datrox Karvan - Po-Koro - Dustpool Inn “I don’t think so,” he replied. “I do think part of me hopes that, somehow, we did know eachother. Would get to the bottom of this faster.” Datrox shook his head. He didn’t want to do anything to just confuse Kohra, especially not with the state her mind was in. “Just…just thoughts I tend to have, is all.” He had noticed the Vortixx rubbing her arm, and it came to his mind that Kohra had been trying to keep it covered this whole time. It seemed to be bothering her. And, now that he thought about it, it was bothering Datrox too. “Your arm. Something happen?” OOC: @Vezok's Friend

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Dread. That was all he felt as he stared at the door—a door, here, in the middle of nowhere surrounded by ice and snow—that stood before them. He broke his gaze away from it and turned to his companions. “I don’t like it. Whatever, whoever’s behind that thing, hiding out in there…something feels wrong.” Savrehn looked to Kreigero specifically. “You know how people like us think, we go with our gut feelings. I say we walk away, pretend we didn’t see this, and hope there’s another way out of here.” OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Streets “I believe I know just the place,” Surdo said, beginning to walk down the street. “And don’t worry about paying, I can cover it for you. I mean, what are friends for?” There was a noticeable exaggeration to the Fe-Matoran’s existing limp as he moved. Although Baszlin had already caught on to him, Surdo was going to make sure that everyone else still assumed he was as defenseless as any Matoran with a Skakdi bodyguard could be. His speed increased when their location was in sight. “Here we are,” Surdo said, gesturing with his cane as he stepped inside. “The Tidalpool.” OOC: @Perp

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Savrehn nodded. “It’s all we can do. That and pray, I suppose.” He got to his feet and grabbed his backpack, letting out a grunt as he felt the full weight of his equipment on his back again. He looked to Kreigero. “How’s your head feel? Can you still walk?” OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Datrox Karvan - Po-Koro - Dustpool Inn “Uh, sure,” Datrox replied. He tried to think of a topic of conversation while they waited for the food, absentmindedly drumming his fingers against the table. His optics started to wander around the room again. “I wonder if there’s anybody here that recognizes you. Would be a pretty wild coincidence, right?” He leaned back further and the seat creaked. “Somebody has to know you. Maybe if this cactus business doesn’t work out, maybe…I don’t know. We’ll find somebody with some answers.” Datrox then leaned forward, back towards Kohra, but his optics still focused on the area around them. Perhaps he hoped, in vain, he would find someone here who knew something. Just had to look hard enough. “But,” he continued, “maybe it’s like you said, and it’s better we don’t meet anybody who knew you.” It had crossed Datrox’s mind a couple times that he might have been helping someone who had done something in the past and now forgot it. Had she wronged someone? Had someone wronged her? And was this amnesia tied to it. It wouldn’t change anything—he would still help her, no matter what. But he wanted to figure her out, get a better idea of who she was. He let out a nervous chuckle. “I guess it’s just a scary thought to me. Not really the forgetting things part, but being the thing that's forgotten.” OOC: @Vezok's Friend

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss “For now we are,” Savrehn said to Atamai. He looked frantically around for something to use on Kreigero’s injury, before settling on the scarf around his neck. He removed it and wrapped it around the other Ko-Matoran’s head. “But we’re trapped at the bottom of an ice crevasse, one of us is injured, and no one knows we’re out here.” He grabbed his backpack and sat down on a mound of snow. “Some trip this has been…we have to get out of this place. Soon.” Savrehn looked over at their Hapaka companion. “Maybe we can send Reyal back to civilization and find some help," he suggested, half-jokingly. OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Nale - Ga-Koro - Great Takea “Step on them?” Nale whispered to herself. “What an odd culture…” She turned to look at Eita. “There’s a civil war happening where you’re from?” OOC: @~Xemnas~@TL01 NUVA@BBBBalta etc.

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Abyss Savrehn felt some relief at hearing Atamai’s voice. “And what about Kreigero, where’s—?” The Ko-Matoran was interrupted by Reyal, and wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or overjoyed by the Hapaka licking his Tryna. “Now that’s some loyalty,” Savrehn said as he got to his feet, chuckling. “Followed us all the way down…” He trailed off as he watched Reyal rush over to the nearby mound of snow, a lack of movement beneath it, or any response from the group’s other member now creating a knot in Savrehn’s chest. “…here.” He ran over, almost stumbling, and began to dig with his hands before retrieving his ice axe and turning the head sideways to pull away snow. “Atamai, help me dig her out!” OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Datrox Karvan - Po-Koro - Dustpool Inn “Alright-” She went inside before the Toa of Fire could say much more. Datrox sighed, although a smile was on his Huna as he did it. Maybe Kohra was starting to regain some of her energy. And the Dustpool Inn was certainly better than any random food shack, that was for certain. He followed the Vortixx inside and sat down at a nearby table, gesturing for Kohra to join him. “I’ve got the widgets. Whatever you need, I can cover it for you. No problem.” He looked around the inn, at the other patrons enjoying their food and drink, and reclined in his chair. “So, what looks good to you?” OOC: @Vezok's Friend

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - ???? It was dark. Oh, it was dark. Savrehn put together what had happened: Atamai and himself had missed their target, and dragged Kreigero down with them when they fell. No, Atamai had made it, didn’t he? Something went wrong. Savrehn had felt an impact not long after, and now he was certain of it. He was dead. The afterlife was exactly how he had expected it: a black void, empty and quiet. There was no Mata Nui here, and no Makuta either. You just died, and then it was over. He could still think, and the idea of being alone with his own thoughts for the rest of eternity bothered Savrehn far more than the idea there was no gods. And if he was dead, then that meant… …Kreigero and Atamai were too. The hardened mountaineer was almost moved to tears by it. Not that he even could cry, because he had no corporeal form anymore, and because he didn’t cry in the first place. But he wanted to, knowing that the two Matoran were gone and it felt like his fault. He should have just kept his mouth shut back at the inn. Or maybe there was another path they could have taken in the Drifts, a safer one. Maybe he should have kept to himself, and stayed alone. Savrehn was suddenly startled when he realized he could hear something. It sounded like whimpering. Could he hear Reyal from beyond the grave, mourning the loss of his owner? Then he could hear a ghostly voice, calling out for his dead party. Kreigero. Atamai. Oh, no. That was him. Savrehn opened his optics and quickly wiped any semblance of tears away. It was still dark. He forced himself to sit up. “Oh, for ####’s sake—” He wasn’t dead. Not yet. OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Streets “I respect that,” Surdo replied. “Drinking can be a vice, and any man who is able to break out of it is respectable in my eyes.” He thought for a moment, tapping his chin with the head of his cane. “So then, perhaps just a meal? There are many fine establishments here in Ga-Koro.” OOC: @Perp

IC: Datrox Karvan - Po-Koro - Streets Datrox turned his head towards the shack. It wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, having wanted to treat the Vortixx to something nicer, but the Toa of Fire also wasn’t very picky. “Yeah, that oughta do.” He strolled over to it. Seemed like a local place that he wasn’t familiar with, but then again after its rebirth, he wasn’t familiar with a lot of Po-Koro. “Any preference you have? Ruki caviar, maybe?” He asked, jokingly. OOC: @Vezok's Friend

IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - The Drifts “What?!” It came out more like a grunt through gritted teeth. Were they just committing suicide now? Savrehn looked over at Kreigero and those apologetic feelings came up again. Now they were simply jumping to their doom. “I’ll see you on the other side,” the mountaineer said, feeling the muscles in his arms strain and the ice axe continue to slip. The Ko-Matoran closed his optics and said a prayer under his breath before leaping from the shield and to the unknown, legs flailing and ice axe raised. Savrehn didn’t even yell as the abyss came closer and he disappeared from Kreigero’s sight. OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Streets “Very good.” Surdo nodded fervently. He liked when deals worked out. “Now, my friend wants me to meet him at the Obsidian Outpost in Ko-Wahi tomorrow. Until then…maybe it’s time you told me more about the man you’re looking for. If I’m to help you track him down, any information will be useful.” He wasn’t sure how much he actually cared, or if this person even existed with how the Skakdi had been behaving. But as long as he appeared interested, Surdo assumed Baszlin would continue to work with him. People liked when others could be useful to them. What was “friendship” if there was nothing to be traded between those involved? Nothing tangible to be gained? This was the root of Surdo’s business, the core of his ideas and what had kept him going this long: everyone wants something. As long as you have it, you have them. “But…” he continued, turning away from Baszlin and shrugging, “…perhaps I’m being too prying. Maybe you would like a drink first.” OOC: @Perp

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Streets Surdo smiled. “Good. And you’re observant, too,” he said, patting the pocket that held one of his brass knuckles. “You’ll do just fine.” Obsidian Outpost, then. Surdo wasn’t much of a fan of Ko-Wahi and its colder climate, but he’d make the exception for this score. Just thinking about it made him feel the bitter chill go up his spine. Bah. “My friend who was here just now,” the Fe-Matoran began, saying the word ‘friend’ in the context of Quoribay like it was hard to get it past his lips, “has something special going on that I would like to be a part of. He’s given me a time, and a place to be, and you’ll be accompanying me there. Once this is done with, I will do everything in my power to find the man you seek.” He double-checked over his shoulder that Quoribay had indeed left, having disappeared from the crowds of the Koro. “But I don’t trust my friend,” Surdo continued. “And he doesn’t trust me. No, he trusts me far less. Now, with that being said…” The Fe-Matoran’s smile widened. It was the most genuine he had been that entire day. “…can I count on you to help me with this if things don’t go my way?” OOC: @Perp

IC: Datrox Karvan - Po-Koro - Streets “Least that I can do,” Datrox replied, turning and beginning to walk down the street in search of a place to grab a bite to eat. “I’m willing to help you because…why not? I’m not the kind of person to cross the street when I come across somebody in a state like yours—but there’s a lot more people out there who would.” His cloak flowed behind him as he walked. The Toa of Fire was periodically checking behind him to make sure Kohra was still with him, and moving at a pace that wasn’t too slow or too fast. “It’s a good thing we crossed paths, though. Maybe I just had good timing,” he said, smiling a bit. OOC: Sorry for the wait there, procrastinating on a couple posts turned into mental block. @Vezok's Friend

IC: Surdo - Ga-Koro - Streets Surdo held his tongue. Quoribay made him want to say many things, most of them unkind, but he kept himself in check and on the outside he seemed cooperative. Another fake smile. Nodding as he listened. His grip around his brass knuckles tightening. Advanced technology? This almost seemed like a score you couldn’t put a price on. But there had to be a chance for money here. The other Fe-Matoran made it sound like Surdo would want to cause problems, or futz up the score in some way that would make them both lose out on it. Contrary. Surdo would find a way to make that score his, and leave this fool in the dust. “Fine. I agree to it,” Surdo said. “I’d shake your hand, but…” With that, he suddenly turned and left the alley, brass knuckles disappearing from sight and being replaced by an exaggerated hobble as he used his cane again. “Sorry for taking so long, Bazslin,” Surdo said to the Skakdi, shaking his head apologetically. “So, you will take my offer? Good!” He raised a hand suddenly. “Ah, but one thing. I will help you find the man you seek, but in the meantime…you can see in my current state I am no fighter, and these Koros and the wilderness between them are fraught with danger.” Surdo briefly turned and gestured to the island itself. “Until we find your quarry, I ask one favor: act as my bodyguard as we travel. After all, how can I help you if I were to…perish?” OOC: @Perp@BULiK