Burnmad

IC: Barius - Amid the Warband, Northern Wastes Barius blinked, jaw working as he considered the stranger's words. Few sought out the hidden site of Fort Nektann; he reckoned this one must have been seeking trade? He did not seem particularly threatening, most of all because he was only one Skakdi. Further, it seemed unlikely that he would so readily give out that information, if he had anything nefarious in mind. Ultimately, he did not respond to the unknown Skak with anything more than an idle nod. In his mind, he replied to Parnassus: No clue. OOC: @Conway @Sparticus147 IC: Providence - Dead Forest Prov's demeanor quickly changed, all traces of ease vanishing from his posture as the new Mesi mentioned a Tahtorak. He hadn't heard or seen any sign of a Tahtorak! Had that happened while they had been in the ruin? "Goodness, that's alarming news." In spite of himself, he began scanning the horizon. He knew that it would be impossible to miss an approaching Tahtorak, but nonetheless, he couldn't help but search his surroundings for signs of its presence. The conscious action did help settle him somewhat. "Well, if you're headed that-a-ways," he said, gesturing towards the way he and his companions had come, "you won't find anything but a looted temple and a whole lot of volcanic ash. I guess you could hide in the temple. If there's a Tahtorak about, I might be tempted to join you for a while." He was uncertain whether 'a while' might amount to a few hours or a few years. His considerations on this subject were interrupted as a curious, stout being approached, accompanied by what seemed like a smaller version of itself. After it asked the group what its purpose was, Providence could only sit in stunned silence. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Vezok's Friend IC: Morangad - Le-Metru Nuva Morangad stopped dead in his tracks, long before reaching the village proper. It was as if he had walked into a solid wall of anguish. Was this coming from the people of the village? It seemed too localized, too concentrated, and altogether too unified to be the disparate emotions of many different beings. But he had no time to consider this, as some foreign presence made itself known within his mind. As a Tiokaha of the Muur mark, he had a very long lifetime of experience with outside influences attempting to gain entry to his mind. Accordingly, he had developed both a fair talent for estimating the relative power of another psionic, and a number of strategies for how best to deal with such beings. This entity that was now digging through his mind seemed to be inspecting his memories at the moment; he was content to allow it. Briefly closing his eyes, he began the meditative process of partitioning his mind-- separating the conscious from the unconscious, the guiding will from the reflective part of the self. He would focus his concentration on protecting his current thoughts - which were presently concerned with how to react to the peculiar circumstances in which he found himself - and leave his subconscious thoughts and his memories of his past for the perusal of the entity. Though not practiced in some time, the tactic was well enough ingrained into him to be completed in moments. Opening his eyes again, he resumed his trudging through the swamp, headed towards the clearing where the village was nestled. As he passed through the treeline, his worst fear became real: The source of the storm, and of the aura of agony that pervaded this entire region of the swamp, was the hulking figure of the Tahtorak. Perhaps more frighteningly, he got the distinct impression that the Tahtorak which he was now looking upon with horrified awe, was not the thing invading his thoughts. Impotently, almost as an afterthought, he gripped the spear on his back. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water "Maybe," Ollem replied. "Though it's impossible to say for certain, until we figure out what these other dials actually do." He continued to fiddle with them. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Harvali

Barius - Amid the Warskak Convoy, Northern Wastes Within his ACR, Barius grinned, tickled by the demeanor of the strange Skakdi behind the wheel of the hot rod. A plate in the front of the ACR flipped down, exposing his face to the harsh wind and biting sand. "We return to our fortress in the north," he shouted back, barely audible over the wind and war rigs. "We have matters to attend to before our next raid." The answer was vague, but he didn't want to spill too much info before he learned a bit more about the other Skak. OOC: @Sparticus147 IC: Providence - Dead Forest Providence made a show of looking the Mesi up and down - though the eyes in his faceplate were purely decorative. "We could ask the same question of you. To find one Mesi on the surface is odd enough, but now I run into a second? Curious indeed. Yet, you did ask first, and so I suppose the laws of propriety compel me to answer if I wish to be answered in turn." He gestured to his companions. "We seek adventure, you see. And if we happen to collect a heartlight in our way, all the better!" It occurred to him that this might be an alarming digression. "Of course, we would only take the heartlight of one who first sought to do us harm," he reassured,, smiling very unconvincingly. OOC: @Nato the Traveler, @Sparticus147, @Vezok's Friend OOC: @Unreliable Narrator Morangad is approaching Le-Metru Nuva, and his psionic abilities are always active. I leave it to you to introduce him to the scene, in case anything interesting happens as a result of that fact. IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water The Onu-Matoran played with the left and right dials, turning them individually - and with caution this time - until he could observe what their effects were. While he was doing so, he mulled over the Administrator's fawning. If the disembodied voice's speech since their entering this temple had not been similarly tripping over itself to praise and exalt them, he would have been certain that the entity had just been sarcastic. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator, @Harvali

IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water "Ah!" Ollem grunted with pain as he quickly turned the dial back, sparing his and Mahrika's eyes from the blinding light of the constellation. It took him a moment to settle down and process the words the Administrator had offered them. The Virtues? He knew them well, as they were driven into his skull through his lifetime as they were with every Matoran in Metru-Nui. One who resided in that sprawling metropolis could not avoid learning, even if only through osmosis, the Three Virtues, and learning them well enough to recite them in one's sleep. Unity, Duty, and Destiny, they were. Only, this wasn't Metru-Nui. Furrowing his brow, he thought back to the riddle that had allowed them entry to this temple. One of the keywords that Mahrika had taught him was unity, and she had called it a virtue. He hadn't thought anything of it then, but now he wondered: Did the Matoran of this land also believe in the Three Virtues? Indeed, there seemed to be three constellations behind the waterfall, and he already knew that one of them was unity. Nor, as he thought about it, did it seem particularly strange that the two populations of Matoran should share a quasi-religious belief. No stranger, at least, than that two populations of the same type of being could exist on two different worlds, entirely separate from one another. Still, it was a startling revelation, and it forced him to think about the why of his and Mahrika's being here, in a way that hadn't crossed his mind prior. When they had solved this puzzle, he resolved to ask the Administrator about Mata-Nui - who, apparently, was the skull that housed his home city. But that, of course, brought his thoughts back to the present, at which juncture he realized that he had been still and silent for a long and uncomfortable moment. He coughed awkwardly. "The Virtues. Right, the Virtues. Unity, Duty, and Destiny." It was as much a question as a statement of fact. He stared at the dials. He could interpret some meaning out of Unity - perhaps the dials all had to be turned the same way, or perhaps they had to be turned such that the constellations were all of the same brightness, zoom, and/or focus. But how did Duty and Destiny play into it? Unless, the constellations themselves held some meaning... Turning the dials one by one, until each of the three constellations reached what he reckoned was some degree of legibility on the screen - or whatever it was - behind the waterfall, he leaned forward, studying them intently. "Mahrika," he asked, "do these constellations mean anything to you?" OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Warskak Convoy, Northern Wastelands As the Warskaks' cavalcade of war rigs tore through the desert, it became apparent to Barius, who held the foremost position in the procession, that there was another vehicle approaching them. As seconds passed and brought Gore Fury's hot rod ever closer to their own speeding array of vehicles, Barius rapped a single, metallic knuckle against the fender of the buggy going along beside him, signaling its driver to veer off a ways and clear the space at Barius' side. With that spot cleared, he reached up one of the colossal arms of his ACR and waved the strange newcomer over; an invitation to drive beside him until they had reached their destination, at which point they could make proper introductions. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata IC: Providence - Dead Forest Ash-laden soil crunched beneath the feet of Providence's armor, as they walked through the Dead Forest. It was not unlike sand in its texture, he noted-- but the color was drastically different. Whitish grey, similar to snow. He'd never experienced snow with his own senses, but he knew something about it nonetheless. Just one of the many bits of knowledge that had been imparted to him by the collective consciousness that filled the antidermis pools from which he had emerged. His thoughts were interrupted by the presence of a being in their path, seemingly headed straight for them. Zak-Yak noticed them at the same time he did. He decided to call out a greeting, reckoning that the newcomer had probably already become aware of their own, larger group. "...Hello there!" A too-chipper voice shouted. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Kal the Guardian @Sparticus147 IC: Morangad - Outside Grand Temple Ruins Frowning at Apex's sudden exit, the psionic Tiokaha stood among the two darklings which remained. He decided to speak to Taja again-- and, uncertain how to address the departure of his Aspect companion, he neglected to mention it at all. "...I wish I could go with you," he reiterated. "But, I feel fate calling me elsewhere. Here we must part ways; I hope that we meet again." He walked away, darkness and sheets of rain quickly hiding his form from the many eyes of the pair he left behind. He was no Toa, but some sense of duty pulled him towards the storm, where he knew beings in need of aid would be found. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Eyru Morangad is inbound to Le-Metru Nuva. I'm counting on slight time shenanigans for him to get there for the fight; hope that's alright.

Depending on Marrow's disposition towards him - and especially towards Zak-Yak - Providence might be interested in seeing more of the Mesi's domain, especially given the knowledge he gained from the last trip. I'm not sure how Zak-Yak would feel about braving the subterranean halls of his kin, however. I'm assuming that the journey would begin within the context of Marrow playing guide and host to his entourage, who would then be his protected guests. However, given the events of the aforementioned first delve into the underground, there would likely be some tension that would arise. If you (and Spart) are interested, Prov & Zak-Yak are currently outside the Ruins of Fire, and could wander wherever would best facilitate a meeting. @Snelly's character Varian is also with them, but as he hasn't gotten a post in some time I'm uncertain as to Snelly's desire to continue RPing him, with or apart from the group composed of Prov & Zak-Yak.

IC: Providence - Outside Temple of Fire "Well, now," Providence frowned slightly, "we can't just go about looking specifically for a heartlight. That would be murder. What we do instead is to continue on with our other goals, until we come upon an opportunity to acquire a heartlight organically--" He stopped as he registered Takadox's line of questioning. "The desecration ritual? It's knowledge that all of my kind possess. To be truthful... I do not recall whether it was taught to me, or simply known from the moment of my birth." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Vezok's Friend IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water "You're right, Mahrika," Ollem replied. After a moment's hesitation, he stepped forward, crossing the great hall of the ruin to approach the console with the three stone disks. Gripping the center-most one, he turned it clockwise until the obsidian indicator was moved from the 6-o'-clock position to the 12-o'-clock position-- or until something noteworthy happened. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Departing Irnakk's Tooth The warlord turned with a grin to his ACR, preparing to climb into the vehicle and begin the journey back northward. However, seeing the E Street Wagon and recalling that it now belonged to him, he was faced with the problem of how exactly to get it back to the fort. He could carry it there, but it was quite a long journey. And it hardly befitted a warlord to carry his own chariot. "Hey, you," He pointed at a young Warskak, barely more than a skaklet, who had no vehicle of his own. "You're driving my new car back home. Don't wreck it." He casually tossed him the keys, which the startled Skakdi caught with no shortage of fear in his eyes. This was less of a privilege than a horrible responsibility. Turning back, he hopped into his ACR, and raising one massive, armor-clad hand to the sky, signaled their march to begin. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Conway @Keeper of Kraata IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The Tiokaha frowned slightly. "I appreciate the sentiment, and I wish I could enter your town, but I am unable. I am what most would call a psionic." His face resumed its typical passivity. "But, that does not mean I am entirely unable to aid your cause. We have a common enemy. The Skakdi which rule over this land are murderers and thieves, and they will surely destroy your kith and kin if they are able. I do not wish that this should come to pass. And... quite frankly, I wish their destruction for the sake of my own personal satisfaction." While he spoke, his nostrils flared, his brow furrowed, and his mouth formed a grimace, as a fraction of the hatred he felt towards the Skakdi seeped through his composed demeanor. OOC: @Spart again, @Nato again, @Eyru

IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire "That was quick," Providence muttered cheerily as Cravious returned in short order with a shiny new Talon. Almost too quick, he pondered internally. If the ACR arm were not obviously gleaming, he would have been suspicious that the Skakdi he'd just done business with had tried to cheat them on the repairs. Bending down, he lifted Zak-Yak to his feet, and after accepting the device from Cravious, helped Zak-Yak to harness it to himself once again. Evidently, he was satisfied with the quality of the work, because he said nothing as Cravious and his entourage swiftly departed. He looked around at those who remained. "Well, what now?" His tone was light and his cadence upbeat, indicating optimism. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @Vezok's Friend The Cube and its occupants part ways from Prov & co. IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad weighed the shadow-corrupted Toa's words, massaging his aching neck as he formulated a response. "I do not know much about these ruins. I do know the location of another, however. But what I wonder first is whether more secrets remain within this place. In any case, I think we had best stick together for the time being. The swamp holds many hazards, to say nothing of our enemies, who have held dominion over this island for millennia before your coming." OOC: @Eyru @Nato the Traveler @Spart again IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water The Onu-Matoran listened apprehensively for the Administrator's response. He was so confused by the things this voice was saying; moreover, Mahrika seemed equally confused, despite being a native of this world. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Warskak Camp A faint expression of bemusement lighted upon the warchief's face as the latest threat to his rule left his audience, Matoran companion in tow. He seemed unperturbed by what had just happened; tickled, even. Indeed, within his mind, he considered the move by Drukarus to be self-destructive, if anything. He had defied not the authority of Barius, but the authority of the one who had kept Grime in chains to begin with-- one who had come before Barius, and who was now very much dead. And the act of compassion which he had shown the Matoran would not win him any points with the Warskaks, either. It was true that they had formed some degree of attachment to Grime, but their affections were not for Grime the individual consciousness; no, they cared only for the musician as an oddity, a sort of pet. The act of breaking his chains endeared the Zakazian Skakdi no more to Drukarus than would the removal of a dog's collar. If the action the former warlord had taken was intended to be part of the game the two played, then Barius counted it a terribly miscalculated one. But there were holes in Barius' reasoning as well, for in his musings, he did not consider the value of the Matorans' own loyalties. Time alone would tell their weight. Presently, the hulking Skak turned to Parnassus, who had materialized at his side, as he reckoned darklings were wont to do. He did not engage with the Aspect's words; instead, he raised his voice over the growing sound of morning bustle, and announced to all who could hear: "I have decided that we shall return to Fort Nektann. When we next tread these sands, the settlement we visited yesterday will be reduced to rubble. We do not need their paltry tributes. The same goes for the larger settlement which my predecessor had aimed to visit next." He turned and gestured to the gleaming metal skull which loomed on the horizon. "The head which has crashed upon our island belongs now to us, and we will assert our rightful authority over the weaklings that reside within it!" A chorus of cheers rang out at his declaration. OOC: @Conway @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata Will post my other characters later, have DnD now.

IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence gave a slight smile as his Mesi companion - his Mesi friend - offered up the heartlight. A manicured, metallic hand reached up and cupped his cheek. He knew exactly how to fulfill that request. "Yes, Zak-Yak" he crooned, "Though I am but one being, the bond we shall now share is greater than the sea in its depth and breadth, and it will not be severed until the ravages of time and nature have carried one or both of us away from this mortal coil. And I can ensure that you have many friends by your side. They will be numbered greater than you can count, and they will be spread throughout this world, from the teeming depths of the Fau Swamp, to the harshest stretches of desert sand, occupying every corner, so that you will never be alone again." As he spoke, his other hand slowly rose, fingers gently wrapping around the heartlight which Zak-Yak had raised up for his taking. "Goodbye," he said, tone suddenly shifting to one that was clear and commanding, as he spoke the words of a ritual many times more ancient than even the eldest of his kin. The hand which cupped Zak-Yak's cheek lifted gently from its perch, before settling upon the top faintly-beating organ he held in his other. During the beginning lines of the poem, his gaze shifted slowly from Zak-Yak to the object which would soon be grafted to him. "Hello Step forth into the darkness and prepare the gift A star’s heart still beating, still lit," As he continued, his gaze become a tad harsher; his grip firmer. His hands moved and worked the heartlight's firm, muscular surface like a potter worked clay, softening it, reshaping it into something new. Attuning to the coals of life that still faintly smoldered within it, bolstering and growing them into a tiny flame once more. "Two midnight horrors cry and shift Make them squirm inside the pit Bind worm and willing host," At this, he slowly brought the newly-formed Kraata up to Zak-Yak's face, allowing him to gaze upon the gruesome beauty of this unholy birth which he had so long coveted-- before lifting one hand and bringing it around to the back of his neck, leaning forward and bending down slightly so that his face was mere inches from that of the Mesi supplicant before him." "Tear the yolk and spread its gold Devour knowledge and their ghost Pray for prey forever sold," A piercing pain lanced through Zak-Yak's body, originating in his neck, as the newborn Kraata reached out eagerly for a source of nutrition to cling to. Providence's free hand, still sticky from the heartlight, cupped his wincing face and, like a mother consoling her infant, he faintly shush-shush-shushed him, as the Kraata grafted itself to him: Burying itself within his flesh; connecting to his nerves and blood vessels; becoming a part of him. He whispered the last lines of the ritual while staring deep into his friend's eyes. "Hello Goodbye." OOC: Providence has given @Sparticus147 a 1st stage Kraata of Insect Control. The contract is sealed. @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water After a few moments, Ollem swiftly faded back into view. "I-I'm still here," he stammered. "I was just... startled, is all." He recognized that this being must have been speaking to them through an intercom, but he was puzzled. He couldn't see the speaker anywhere, nor any cameras or motion sensors that could have alerted the occupant of this ruin to their presence. "Who are you?" He asked. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Warskak Camp Barius mulled the request over for a moment, face stern and scrutinizing, before his expression cracked into a grin and he let out a chuckle. "Sure, you can be the Matoran's keeper. Make sure no one steps on him by accident and such. Maybe I'll even have you see about getting him a better instrument? I don't think his current one's been maintained since I've been alive." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water Ollem jumped as the Administrator's voice boomed throughout the ruin, and vanished from sight before he had hit the ground. Originating from the faint blur that marked his cloaked form, his voice echoed through the room as he replied: "...What?" OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Harvali

IC: Barius - Warskak Camp Barius smirked, huffing at the offer. "I have already received all the attention that I require. Your concern is appreciated, albeit unwarranted." The posturing was obvious. "We will depart shortly, returning to our fortress to the north. What will you do, Drukarus? Your strength would be welcomed among my warband, if you wished to join it." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence smiled genuinely. "Very well. Zak-Yak," he said, turning to that very Mesi. "Offer me the heartlight on one knee, whilst pledging to do the things that Cravious has outlined, and our contract shall be sealed." OOC: @Sparticus again, @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad showed no external reaction to the words of the Administrator, instead maintaining a serene expression. At Apex's urging him to leave, he held up a single finger, as if to say, 'one moment'. "I am also curious as to what your plans are," he commented, addressing Taja and Whisper. He and Apex would need allies to face down the Skakdi, and the Tiokaha sensed that these two beings were prime candidates for making into allies. "I understand that we did not make the most favorable first impression, but I believe our goals may align such that we would all be well served by working together." OOC: @Spart once more, why are all ur characters so cool that I can't help but interact with them??? @Eyru @Nato the Traveler IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water "...Maybe," the Onu-Matoran replied, weighing Mahrika's words carefully. "Or maybe scratch the words into something. What did you say they were again? Purity, Unity, and... Speed?" He fished through his pack for some flat surface large enough to accommodate writing, and found a notebook. He had taken it with him in the hopes that he might make some record of his experiences in the desert, but as yet, he had not had the chance to write in it. Tearing out 3 pages, he considered the riddle again. "Dunno who this 'Thok' is. Could be like you said. Or they could be a Toa, a Vortixx, maybe another Matoran... Hey, the lines of the riddle seem to each refer to one of those three things. So we should probably do them in the order given by the poem, right?" Even as he spoke, he was scratching the words into the sheets of paper, using half of a pencil that he had packed with the notebook, and which had long since broken into two pieces during the pair's journey. Finishing the last one, he stood up to place them in the basin. One by one, the pages were rested upon the surface of the water. Unity. Speed. Purity. As the last one left his hand, he turned, stiff with anticipation, towards Mahrika and the door.

He is not, nor does he care to be (at this point in time). As a player, I'm sad to miss the opportunity to get evil powers, but it just wouldn't be right for Morangad's character right now. And Providence has some opportunities ahead of him to learn a Taboo still, anyhow.

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth The soft light of the morning sun roused the Warskak from his slumber, shining into eyes that had received far too little rest to balance out the travails of the prior day. For a brief moment, Barius was afflicted with the sensation of unfamiliarity with his surroundings as he awoke. It is uncertain exactly what came over him; perhaps the remnants of a dream, yet to be banished by the light of dawn, or maybe the cause was simply melancholic reminiscence brought on by yesterday's experiences. Regardless of what it was, something possessed him as he lay there, half-asleep, to mutter, so softly that none but perhaps Parnassus could hear: "Five more minutes..." But that strange specter of his youth vanished as quickly as it had appeared, as the white Skak's eyes fluttered open and, heedless of the burning pain of his injuries, he pulled himself upright. His first instinct was to call out to whoever could hear his intention to immediately return to Fort Nektann. However, he stopped just as his lips were parting, remembering the 'guest' that he had encountered the day before. He had ought to converse with him again, before deciding what to do. The old Skak's presence presented as much danger as it did utility, and though Barius would not admit it, his words and actions would have great influence on what course of action Barius saw most fit to undertake. Now preparing to ask where Drukarus was, he stopped himself for a second time, as he spotted the purple warchief in question, moving towards him, Grime in tow. He shifted his seating to adopt a more authoritative posture, and spread his legs so as to take up most of the space on the hood, hands on his knees and feet rested on the cowcatcher-esque construction that adorned the front of the vehicle. A small quantity of fresh blood showed through the bandages on his abdomen, against the dried stains of the old. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator @Conway IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence smiled, glancing at Zak-Yak. "It is up to you, of course, but I'm sure you would like to have your arm fixed sooner rather than later, no? And you should have plenty of opportunities to procure a heartlight in the days to come." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad might have scoffed if he weren't still picking himself off the floor, which had moments ago been a wall. When he was back on his feet, he joined the others in examining the new room that had been opened to them. "What happened here?" He asked no one in particular, marveling at the array of dead Skakdi which decorated the chamber. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Eyru @Nato the Traveler IC: Ollem - Ruins of Water Huffing, the Onu-Matoran looked around once more. He couldn't help but share the frustrations of whoever had scraped those messages into the scraps of sheet metal. There didn't seem to be anything here to indicate what they needed to-- "Wait," he said aloud. "Why are those words written on scrap? Couldn't they have carved their graffiti into the stone itself?" After a long moment of silence in which he and Mahrika could all but hear the gears turning within each others' heads, he picked up the piece that read 'igiveupthokisameanie', placed it on the surface of the water, and allowed it to sink into the basin. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Morangad - Ruins of Air The Tiokaha turned from the waist to make eye contact with the new entries to the room. A courtesy he still recalled from the long-past days of regular interaction with other sentient beings. "There was a sound, moments ago. It sounded as if a great gong had been struck, and its interior was this room." He glanced back to the writing. "I recognize it as your people's tongue, Apex, but I do not understand it. Is this not what you came here seeking, then?" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Eyru IC: Ollem - Carved Mask of Water Breathing Ollem was struck with a sense of reverent awe; the kind of feeling one experiences when standing in an empty cathedral. He sensed the presence of something. Whether that was a higher power, or merely the combined efforts and hopes of hundreds of other beings that infused the construction of the place, he did not know. He approached a beautiful, dark-colored door of volcanic glass, and read the words etched upon its surface. "A riddle?" He muttered. The wording was vague like one, and Mahrika's suggestions seemed to link it strongly with the culture of her people. And if the Suva of Stone was any indication, the people of this land had quite liked puzzles. Turning away from the door, he took two tentative steps towards the basin, gazing into its interior. Studying it. If the poem on the door was indeed a riddle, then this basin must have been part of its answer. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The Tiokaha hummed satisfactorily as his investigation of the room concluded. He had gathered that there was some puzzle or riddle to be solved in this place, but it was apparent that the solution was not contained in this room alone. Reaching out with his mind, his consciousness brushed up against that of his Aspect companion. Apex, he communicated wordlessly, there is writing in this room that you may be able to decipher. I went down the center hallway. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator

Oh, I see! Looking forward, then.

IC: Providence - Ruins of Fire The Aspect bowed his head in thought, raising a pensive hand to rest beneath his faceplate's chin. After a moment, he responded. "Such a deal would be agreeable to me, if it is agreeable to Zak-Yak. But--" and at this his hand left his faceplate and extended its index finger - "What boon would you consider as being equal in value to a heartlight?" OOC: @~Xemnas~ @Kal the Guardian @Sparticus147 @Snelly @Vezok's Friend IC: Ollem - The Falls With the raft secured mere yards from the trailhead, Ollem was off like a lightning bolt. Despite having been a nervous, starving, dehydrated wreck when Mahrika had met him, the Onu-Matoran had seemingly been revitalized in the short time they'd known each other, leaving Mahrika to wonder how much of this change had arisen purely as a result of her own presence. Presently, Ollem was charging up the trailhead - though as his sense of caution caught back up to his astounded sense of curiosity, he halted, turning to make sure that Mahrika was able to keep up with his pace, as they advanced together towards the grand and statuesque waterfall that bore the likeness of a Kanohi Kaukau. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

Think you missed this in your last Ruins of Air response. Would Morangad's search turn up anything? @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius sighed shallowly as he leaned himself back against the windshield of the E. Street, taking care not to inhale too deeply all at once, lest he send pain spiking through his midsection again. He wondered what Drukarus was doing with Grime. He half-expected the Skak to free the poor wretch-- that didn't bother him, so long as the spiny bugger paid up after the fact. He looked up at the stars, and at the silhouette of Irnakk's Tooth that blotted out a portion of the field in which they twinkled. He had always been impressed with the apparent permanence of the night sky... it was something which he desired for himself, without ever realizing that it was but an illusion. Indeed, if he had watched the stars more often, and committed their arrangements to his memory, he might even have seen for himself just how impermanent they were... But he had not, and he did not not. And amidst his newfound warband, he eventually drifted off to sleep. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad stepped back from the wall as his examination confirmed what he had suspected: These carvings were written in the Aspect tongue. He wondered if this was what Apex had been looking for. Stepping lightly over the infinite void of space that paradoxically extended away from his feet, he made his way over to the two walls of pipes, examining them for any mechanism, indication of their purpose, or any other feature of note. Black and white, he observed... there had to be some sort of significance to that. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator IC: Ollem - Naho Bay Ollem huffed with consternation at Mahlika's question. "I don't know how we would, short of going there ourselves." Half of him hoped the beast did flatten the other survivors' settlement. The other half saw hundreds of bobbing Skakdi corpses and wanted that to never happen to anyone again. "In any case, if the creature's heading that way, there's no way for us to beat it there." He stood up straight, seeming to have convinced himself, if not Mahrika. "Ah, we're almost to our destination. All hands on deck," he jokingly ordered. They would both need to work together to pull the raft onto the beach beside the trailhead leading up to the mask. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth The Warskak leader arched an eyebrow at Drukarus' request, but a moment later his face cracked into a grin. With a chuckle, he replied, "You can do whatever you want with him..." A mischievous look crossed his face. "Provided you pay for any damages incurred to the warband's property." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence's smile became strained as his companions interacted with one another and with Cravious. He felt the need to wrap this negotiation - or rather, attempt at such - up, and quickly. "Surely you know more than just the name. Spiriah is one of the most well-known figures among our kind, second only perhaps to Miserix. As shadowy as the best of us, not a word has been heard of their doings since long before I was birthed from the antidermis pool. But I tell you, Whira, on this very day, I have beheld them with my own eyes!" His memory was drawn back to the encounter with the horde of Mesi in the tunnels, where his party had first run into - and saved the life of - Takadox. At the prodding of his will, shadows twisted into a reenactment of the scene, as he recalled it-- the Mesi shaman, the brutish figure that held Takadox captive, the discomfiting something that rose from the well to devour even its own servants. "Spiriah yet lives, and their influence grows, stretching beneath our very feet. It may very well be that most every Mesi living in the tunnels below this island is under their sway. And that fact presents a great danger to anyone seeking to make their way in this land-- especially our kin." He talked up the information, but he did not embellish anything - at least, not wittingly. When he had finished, he fell silent, awaiting Whira's reaction. He hoped his fellow Aspect thought the knowledge was sufficient as payment, but even if she did not, he was glad to have shared it with someone. The things he had seen were concerning enough to bear repeating, even if he gained nothing in return. OOC: @~Xemnas~ @Kal the Guardian @Sparticus147 @Vezok's Friend @Snelly IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad halted with a jerk, conversation with the Administrator forgotten as the floor before him seemed to abruptly transition into a night sky. He spent several moments staring deep into the starry void, brain working overtime to rationalize what his eyes saw before him. Could the floor be a mirror, perhaps? A single foot emerged from the hallway, testing the floor, finding it solid. With caution, he stepped into the room, averting his eyes from the void beneath him, so he did not have to process the vertiginous contradiction of his own footing. Stepping slowly over to the left wall, he brushed dust from the hieroglyphs with a hand, squinting his eyes as he attempted to make out their meaning. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator IC: Ollem - The Rig After about an hour and a half of searching the wreckage that the Tahtorak had left in its wake, the two Matoran stopped to take stock of their collective haul. A good deal of soggy food, a few precious containers of food and water that were yet sealed, as well as numerous tools weapons, of various type and condition, were just a few of the things they recovered. A great deal of miscellaneous items also adorned the pile in which they gathered their findings, including: Lengths of sodden rope; a number of muck-covered widgets; and, most notably, a boat engine, in working condition, as well as a respectable stockpile of fuel, some of which certainly hadn't been ruined by seawater. He'd found the engine on a beached wreck; Mahrika had pulled the fuel in from the bay. Ollem looked on this, the greatest fruit of the day's labors, with excitement; the motor could be used to propel their raft much more quickly than the two could manage on their own. They had only to fashion said raft to hold the device; which he was certain they could do, with the great deal of scrap metal and driftwood that surrounded them. OOC: @Harvali Kughs said Ollem and Mahrika could find whatever makes sense for a Skakdi town to have . I've outlined most of the things we need and could potentially find above, but feel free to add anything else to the list.

IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence waited until Whira joined Cravious in turning and beginning to walk away, then uttered a single word. "Spiriah." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @Vezok's Friend

IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence paused for a moment, considering what he could possibly offer in return for the Heartlight. He wasn't sure what this mortal would value, but he did know one thing that the other Aspect might. "I don't know about Zak-Yak himself," he said, "but I have nothing material to offer you. I can, however, offer you a boon..." He turned his gaze from Cravious to Whira. "Or... knowledge." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @Vezok's Friend

IC: Providence - Outside Fire Ruins Providence's frown deepened. "Well, that's--" He cut himself off, looking at Zak-Yak as he worked things out in his mind. He'd wanted to desecrate Zak-Yak himself, but he wasn't sure if his Mesi friend cared exactly who would be doing the desecrating. Which meant that the blind Skakdi might opt to take that deal. He had to tread carefully, from this point forward. But wait. If Cravious was trying to steal his follower... Why didn't he try to steal Cravious? He smiled, mind working in overdrive. "I suppose you can be forgiven for not realizing. You see, I, myself, am also an Aspect. It is my intention to desecrate my friend here - whose name is Zak-Yak, by the way - myself. But I'm curious, since you seem to be an enterprising, economically-minded individual. Just what drew you to make a deal with this Whira, over any other Aspect?" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @Vezok's Friend

IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Toa Lewa... He mulled the unfamiliar name over in his mind. "Just what 'salvation' are you referring to?" He asked the Administrator. While he conversed with the voice, he figured he might as well explore some more. Noting that Apex had gone right, he stepped forward through the middle door, stepping around the long-sullied pool where a single white lotus grew. OOC: @Eyru @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator