Burnmad

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

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius could only smirk in response to Drukarus' reply, looking up at the peak of the volcano as he spoke. "A god is merely what we call the most powerful class of beings known to us. If you doubt their existence, you have made the mistake of setting your sights too high." His gaze lowered, scanning the warband. "I've seen fewer Matoran in my lifetime than I could count on one hand. Up until yesterday, anyhow. But we've got one with us, why don't you ask him?" He pushed himself off the hood of the Wagon and barked to whoever could hear. "Where's Grime!? Someone bring Grime here!" Almost as an afterthought, he added: "Gently!" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Conway @Unreliable Narrator Calling on a throwaway NPC from page 3. IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence stood still as the situation escalated, and it didn't seem like Zak-Yak was going to back down. When the Mesi called on him and Varian for aid, he suddenly sprung into motion, moving forward swiftly but cautiously, hands raised in a gesture of mediation. "Well, hold on now, we wouldn't want things to get... Mesi here, now would we?" His faceplate twisted in a grin. No one laughed. His faceplate twisted in a frown. "Listen, listen..." He gestured to the briefcase. He'd sensed the contents, probed the shadows within the container, but had been unable to distinguish the ACR key within from the other two heartlights. "You've got three heartlights in there. Surely you don't need all of them, do you? Perhaps you could give just one to my dear, misguided friend here." He clapped a hand onto Zak-Yak's shoulder. "You know-- in the interests of friendship?" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @Vezok's Friend

IC: Ollem - Naho Bay "Right," Ollem muttered in reply, probably unheard as Mahrika took off into the water, searching for salvage. He turned, and started trudging along the shoreline, collecting anything of use that had already washed ashore. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius scratched his chin, mulling over the other Skak's musings. "I reckon the most reasonable explanation is that our two worlds had some contact with one another, prior to now. Maybe your giant robot originally came from this world, some time ago?" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway @Nato the Traveler IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The Administrator, hm? And what was that about prayer? He supposed Apex had mentioned that this was a temple... "I am Morangad," he said. Standing there, still uncertain where to look when addressing this strange, disembodied voice, he dug for something to ask the 'Administrator' in return. "Who constructed this temple?" OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Eyru By the way, would Morangad ever have heard of 'the Builders' before? IC: Ollem - The Collection of Flotsam Formerly Known As 'The Rig' Ollem stood in place, idly tugging his feet out of the sucking embrace of the sodden sand on the shore, only to bury them again for lack of firmer footing. His gaze was fixed upon the likeness of a Kanohi that waited across the bay. "Oh! Maybe we could find some flotsam to use as a raft? Might be easier and quicker than walking around this muddy shoreline." He turned his head to look out into the bay, where specks of rainbow colors marked corpses that were scattered among the gleaming metal wreckage, uncertain whether he had ought to say the next bit. When he ultimately did, his voice was a tad quieter: "And, perhaps some things of value can be salvaged from... all that." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth "Ah, I suppose I neglected to mention, when you first brought it up: This island is also called Zakaz." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Conway IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad did not know where this strange voice was coming from, but he could sense that it was talking about him. "...And just who the are you?" He retorted, uttering curses so long unused that only Apex and the Administrator had any chance of recognizing them. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Eyru

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius smirked. "Sure thing. Come up and pop a squat," he said, patting the empty bit of hood next to him. He found it rather ballsy of Drukarus to ask to share the hood of the E. Street Wagon - effectively his temporary throne - with him, but he wasn't about to look the coward by saying no. He got the sense that Skakdi from the head were somewhat less brutal than their wasteland-dwelling counterparts. This was a supposition born of Drukarus' reactions to a number of things Barius had said, as well as of the newfound knowledge that he claimed to be a former warchief. That position, among the warskaks Barius knew, was not one that someone retired from; it was held until your successor killed you for it. The fact that Drukarus could claim to have retired from it peaceably - and indeed, without even seeming to bear any debilitating wounds from the experience - suggested that things, perhaps, worked differently in the world the purple Skak had left behind. Either that, or Drukarus was lying. But given his build and age, and the weapon he wielded, he certainly could have been a warchief. "Now, perhaps I misunderstood what you related to me at the volcano's mouth..." He began, before sitting up and turning his torso towards his conversation partner. He suppressed the grunt of pain that sought its way out of his lungs at the motion, though he could not help but grimace for a brief moment. "But, I believe you did say that the land from which you hailed - which also bore the name Zakaz - was not included within the skull that impacted our western horizon a week back? I am curious what does lie within it." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway @Nato the Traveler IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad moved with all the swiftness of a wild rahi towards the entrance, spear already in hand. The dead silence of his footsteps gave way to a soft thud as his boots found the mossy flagstones of the temple's floor. An electric sensation passed through him upon crossing the threshold, but he paid it no heed; his newfound ally's potential need for assistance was his primary concern. Bursting into the chamber, his worry was only compounded when he found that he could not see what troubled his Aspect companion. His mind raced, considering what manner of swamp creature could pose a threat to Apex, while also being stealthy enough to evade his sight. "Where is the danger?" He demanded, weapon held before him. His eyes darted around the room, searching for a foe to slay. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Eyru IC: Ollem - Near the Bay "I don't know if we'll find anything. I don't know if we'd have found anything before that thing flooded the entire bay; but it's our only lead right now, so we haven't got much choice but to investigate it." He watched as the Tahtorak stamped off out of sight. "Either way, I suspect the safest place to be is wherever that beast has already finished with." That made sense, right? Admittedly, he didn't know the first thing about rahi. Why would he? He hadn't worked in the archives, nor in the stables. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad stood motionless as he listened to Taja's reply, face inscrutable. "I assure you, that is not our intention. Our goal is to seek a means of defending against the Skakdi you mention - if not launching an offensive against them - and, more to the point, to restore the land that they have destroyed over the generations of their terrible reign." OOC: @Eyru @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 IC: Ollem - Near the Bay He shuddered. "I don't know, Mahrika. But if there is any way to destroy it, I doubt it has anything to do with us. We should just stay far, far out of its way." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Providence - Ruins of FIre Providence had, indeed, followed. Moreover, he seemed to have overheard Takadox's muttering. "I thought the same thing. Though if the Mesi were harboring an Aspect in that well, it must have been very powerful and ancient, indeed..." He watched Zak-Yak's attempt to steal the briefcase with bemusement. He was prepared to step in and deescalate the situation, if it seemed his Mesi companion was to be the loser in this conflict; however, he was not about to interrupt prematurely. OOC: @Snelly @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Sparticus147 @Vezok's Friend

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius remained reclined against the windshield. The gruesome wound in his gut protested the idea of straightening his posture. "You are my guest tonight, and it becomes a host to treat his guest well," Barius intoned, folding his hands behind his head. "Moreover... I would like to learn more from you, of the world from which you came. And I hope that my generosity towards you this evening will entice you to impart that knowledge freely." The explanation was given with seemingly only genuine goodwill, leaving Drukarus to wonder whether the sinister implications of the qualifier 'freely' were intentional. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The Tiokaha sighed, withdrawing his fist. Evidently, Apex had already damaged diplomatic relations further than a single gesture of goodwill could repair. "Truly, I apologize for her words," he muttered. He was uncertain how well this partnership could function, if this was to be the norm. "I do not desire a conflict here; if my companion's conduct makes an alliance impossible, then let us at least agree not to be enemies. I do not know your goals, but your nature leads me to assume that they do not run counter to our own." He nodded to Taja, seemingly indicating her Toa-ness. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Eyru IC: Ollem - Near the Bay As they came close enough to realize the destruction that had been brought upon the Rig, Ollem shook and cowered with fear. "W-what is that?" Through sheets of rain, he swore he had glimpsed a creature the size of the Colosseum. He hoped his eyes deceived him. His hand grasped at his cloaking device, but he did not activate it. Even if they had been close enough to be in immediate danger, there was no way being invisible would do anything to help him. The creature was far, far too large to pay him any mind; he would perish in moments from the winds and waves, even if he was lucky enough to avoid being crushed under its massive, clawed feet. He was a small and insignificant thing before it; a candle in the midst of a typhoon. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius cocked his head, weighing the mimic's words carefully. He did not mind the questioning from Corrivalis; familiarity, coupled with the knowledge that the strange being was essentially incapable of rebellion, softened the newly-ascended ruler's perception of his underling. "The settlement is as a fruit tree, Corrivalis. When it bears fruit, we harvest it. If it fails to bear fruit, we prune it. And only if pruning it fails time and again, do we resort to chopping it down for firewood. There is no sense in chopping down a fruit tree before we see if it shall bear fruit." The sinister analogy made clear, he leaned back against the windshield of the Wagon. "Does that answer your question?" Truthfully, he had made up the reasoning on the spot. He related strongly with the mimic's line of thinking, and he found it quite likely that they would wind up razing the village before long. But between the acquisition of a Tahtorak and the far more pressing threat of the larger settlement to the south - and the great skull it had formed around - they were in no rush, and Barius did not want people thinking of him as weak or indecisive in the meantime. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Conway @Sparticus147 IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The lithe and rugged form of an ancient Tiokaha emerged from the foliage to stand beside Apex. "Be calm, all," he spoke, stressing the final word as he directed a rebuking glance at Apex. "There is no reason that we should make enemies of each other before even learning each other's aims." He stepped forward to greet the beings properly. The other Aspect did not, as far as he could tell, have any hands, so he extended his fist towards Taja in what he recalled to be a common Toa greeting. "I am Morangad, and my companion is called Apex. We, too, have come to investigate this temple." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Eyru @Nato the Traveler IC: Ollem - On the Road With Mahrika Ollem's frown deepened. "What good would it do for you to die? Better that you live to fight another day, as far as I care. I'm sure your tribe would rather you survive long enough to see justice done, than carry the last memories of your people to the grave." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Ollem - On the Road with Mahrika Ollem listened with rapt attention as Mahrika described the tribes that had once populated this land. He seemed particularly intrigued by the concept of Kaita, and he was intent upon asking more about it. However, when she said that none of it mattered, he frowned. "I think it matters," he said. "Even if it's so old that you can barely remember it-- it's still something that you were a part of. Something bigger than yourself... something wonderful." His thoughts turned back to Metru-Nui. That had certainly been something bigger than himself, but it had been anything but wonderful. He smiled when she offered to weave something for him. "I'd be honored to wear a Mahrika original." OOC: @Harvali

OOC: Timeskipping Barius & co. about an hour into the future; enough time for them to descend the mount and initiate celebrations. IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth The warband was in the midst of celebration. As the party had descended the volcano with Barius and without Boss, any who held surprise or disappointment at the development were wise enough not to voice as much. Instead, the clamoring Warskaks directed their energy into obeying their new leader's first command: To celebrate. They certainly did not need to be told twice. Swiftly, they had rolled out the best of their libations, combining those which they had brought for the road with the larger (and finer) stock that had been looted from Po-Koro. For food, they had pooled half the rations they had brought with them, and added to that a variety of wild game that had been collected and cured since leaving Fort Nektann. A small party had left to scour the surrounding area for fresher meat. The series of fires which stood around the camp were fed until they had doubled in size, beating the encroaching dark of the night back beyond the great circle formed by their vehicles. Presently, Barius reclined on the hood of the E. Street Wagon, at the center of a chaotic frenzy of drink and dance, listening to the increasingly discordant playing of various amateur musicians. On either side of the late Boss' vehicle, an overturned drum and a hastily-fashioned brushwood throne marked the seats of honor that had been reserved for Drukarus and Parnassus, respectively. Officially guests to the warband, the two represented simultaneously great assets and great threats to Barius' burgeoning rule-- and he knew well that threats and assets alike were to be kept close at hand. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway @Unreliable Narrator By the way, Kughs, is there anything left behind by Boss in the Wagon? IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp "Shall we continue then, Morangad?" "Let us," the Tiokaha replied, beginning to walk once more. "We should be close to our destination, if my memory serves--" Even as he spoke, the underbrush gave way to a clearing, and the Ruins of Air stood before them, illuminated dimly with filtered shafts of moonlight. "Ah," He muttered in surprise. "We're here." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Eyru @Unreliable Narrator Apex & Morangad enter the clearing! IC: Ollem - On the Road with Mahrika Though their journey was now underway, silence did not fall over the pair of Matoran. As they walked, Ollem recounted tales of his homeland to his newfound friend-- and for each one, asked twice as many questions about her own. Currently, he seemed curious about the social structure of her society. "Did you have Turaga in charge?" He wondered. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Irnakk's Tooth Barius smirked. "When we have reached the camp, my first order will be to celebrate my victory: The warband will drink and be merry this evening; I will rest and recover my strength; the Tahtorak will have its fill of ruin wherever it pleases; and our guest will be honored as if he were one of our own." He gestured to Drukarus. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp Morangad did not show his fear on his face, but his pulse did quicken as he observed the desperation of his new companion. Morangad had never seen a Tahtorak up close, but he had observed enough from afar to know that they were an otherworldly force of chaos and destruction. Further, the fact that an Aspect should be so fearful of one was a grave omen, indeed. It was tempting to cower in his swamp, as he had done for millennia, but something filled him with grim determination. Perhaps it was a simple desire to pursue the excitement he had been missing for so long; or, perhaps, he had felt a connection with the other lives he had encountered, and did not desire to see them go the way of his own people. "I will aid you, Aspect, but do not think that I am your servant. Whatever we do, we do as equals." OOC: @Sparticus147 IC: Ollem - Desert Suva Ollem huffed. East... When he had left the head, he'd headed west. That'd be quite a journey. Still, maybe Mahrika would have a better idea than him of how to navigate the treacherous landscape. He was fairly certain he had gotten lost or turned around several times in his walk from Metru-Nui. "Sounds like a long way, but it's the only lead we've got. I guess we'd better get walking, right?" There was a pause. "Uh, do you have any food? Or water? Or know how to get some?" OOC: @Harvali

IC: Ollem - Desert Suva Ollem sighed. "I agree that this Suva likely does not hold anything of further interest. As for mapping... I got here at the same time as the rest of my kind, and it took me this long to walk here. It's not likely." He looked around at the endless, rolling hills of sand. She hadn't been on the surface long...? "Where... did you come from?" He asked. OOC: @Harvali IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp "That does," the Tiokaha answered. He stiffened as the Tahtorak's call rolled through. "Oh, no..." OOC: @Sparticus147

IC: Barius - Irnakk's Tooth The pale-grey Skak fled from the Nightmare Pits alongside his companions. Though Parnassus' shadows applied pressure to his many wounds, he still walked a bit more slowly than his panicked companions, gradually drifting to the back of the group as they neared the cave mouth. But that suited him just fine. As they exited the caves which Boss had so recently led them into, Barius was bringing up the rear of the group. When there was no longer a ceiling of stone over their heads, he stood at the precipice of the mountain trail, he raised his hands in victory, and echoed the Tahtorak's mournful call with a war cry loud enough that even the Warband far below could hear. He stood there for a long moment, savoring the feeling of looking down upon the warband that would now bow to his command, before turning to begin the trek down the mountain. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp Morangad was contemplating the strange Taboos the Aspect had spoken of, when his attention was momentarily diverted by her hate-filled mention of Skakdi. "Nektann?" He repeated. "I do not know the Skakdi you speak of. It has been many centuries since I have kept up with their wretched doings..." There was a time when he had sought vengeance upon the Skakdi, but though his hatred has not waned, it had been tempered with reason. He was but one man; he could not hope to take on their strange abilities and abominable war machines alone. However, the way Apex spat the Skakdi's name suggested that, perhaps, he may no longer be alone. "Why do you ask?" He queried, voice tinged with hopeful curiosity. OOC: @Sparticus147

Couple questions, just to confirm my assumptions about Barius' new position: 1. Barius' connection to Bossorak is psychic in nature, yes? Assuming that's true, and given that he is bound to obey my commands, how much leeway (if any) do I as a player have to control or "bunny" him? 2. Did you intend to write how the Warband itself receives and reacts to Barius' emergence from the Nightmare Pits, and any orders he gives going forward, or am I free to write such things myself? Essentially, is the Warband now going to be treated akin to Po-Koro or one of the other player-controlled locations? I think I'll hold off on my next post until I'm certain of these bits. Thanks in advance. -