Ghosthands

IC (Broker NPC: Rhuvok) [Burning Steppes digsite] The Raven looked up from his scrivening. "Tch. 'Zom;bii;'," he repeated derisively. "You should not concern yourselves with such ideas. The dead do not rise of their own accord; such things are merely puppets of some outside influence, be it Skullworms, Gloom-Ghasts, or those fanatics in their 'Barrowfort'. As we have already established, the tomb is sealed. No creature has entered it in millennia, therefore, nothing capable of raising the dead lies within." He pointed his stylus in Vekus' direction. "On the other hand, you are quite right to be concerned about traps. They are almost certainly present at a site like this, and most likely perfectly preserved to boot." He looked around at the group, directing a particular glare towards the more gung-ho members. "I suggest you all watch your step." Sure enough, the grainy image on the device's screen began to sharpen, and beneath the monochrome image of the door's surface a number of fainter shapes began to appear: six thin channels in the rock, containing what appeared to be thin metal rods, turning a right angle upward about a foot beyond the surface and disappearing upwards towards the door's summit. They connected to the surface of the door in one area only, which matched where Aden had seen the ancient Lesterin elder press to open the door. That area was covered by what could only be a map of the ancient Lesterin Isles: an archipelago of eleven islands, each one a contoured shape of gold, arranged on a crystal sea carved with sweeping waves and many-masted ships. On the radar screen, Aden could just see that the six mechanisms in the rock connected with six of the golden isles...very much as if they were in fact buttons. The Reader's mechanisms responded obediently to Kalzok's practiced fingers; well-oiled gears turned this way and that, moving the struts and arms which in turn moved the lenses and shuttered Lightstone capsules that produced the necessary beams of light, directing them precisely through the crystal encased in its socket. The beams refracted into rainbow colours in the crystal's depths, and shone through the other side in the form of letters (and the occasional diagram) projected onto a raised board like that of a writing desk, where their secrets were revealed. This crystal was titled 'Chronicles of the Archive-Keepers, Volume 23' and appeared to be a record of the activities of a group tasked with maintaining the tomb (or as it was apparently properly referred to, the 'Archive-Mausoleum'). Most of the entries dealt with rather mundane activities of cleaning and other maintenance, but Kalzok noticed several that indicated a rather more interesting duty of these 'Archive-Keepers': receiving visiting scholars, and granting them access to the tomb. Two entries in particular caught Kalzok's attention. Both concerned difficulties with individual scholars, who it seemed were frequently absent-minded (several other entries also expressed the Keepers' frustration at the scholars' tendency to forget their instructions). The first seemed immediately useful, as it concerned the operation of the door: Fourth-day of Second Neap-Tide, Wood's Moon, 3193 Deputy Chief Keeper Suhlik Received Under-Scholast Inlohk yesterday, visiting from Oshan. Instructed him in all the Ways, and he was most insistent he had understood them fully. Escorted him to Reading-Chamber Three for his studies and informed him he could make the Ways alone from now on. He returned safely by nightfall. However, this morning he came to us angrily, having failed in the Way of Entry, claiming we had not told him the correct order. Reminded him that the answer lies upon the door itself. His embarrassment was plain to see. The second was rather more foreboding. First-day of First Spring-Tide, Salt's Moon, 3244 Chief Keeper Esruhn An unfortunate tragedy occurred today. Our guest from the Isles of Thought, Nezuri, has been killed. This was her fifth day entering the Archive-Mausoleum; on each previous day she appeared to remember the Ways perfectly, and professed to have no difficulty following them; but today she did not return. We found her in the Passage of Blades, her body separated into several pieces. We are not yet sure what went wrong: whether her memory of the Ways failed her, or her small stature made disabling the Mechanisms too difficult (regrettably, they were not designed with non-Lesterin in mind). Either way, she failed to pass them, and they did their work all too well. I shall sail to Lamo-Lyco-Oshan at first light and to explain the situation to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I pray to Mata Nui this does not cause a diplomatic incident with the Thought-People. In the meantime, I shall impress upon the acolytes the importance of ensuring that our visitors fully memorise the Ways, and fully understand the dangers of the Archive-Mausoleum. Our forefathers designed this place and its Mechanisms to protect the Archives from uninvited guests for all perpetuity, in accordance with Lord Jehaeros' wishes. The Mechanisms must be understood and respected, and the Ways followed, lest further tragedies occur in future. OOC: @NorikSigma @a goose @BBBBalta @BULiK @Rahisaurus

IC [Burning Steppes digsite] In Aden's mind's eye, an image began to form as her Kanohi tapped into the great door's 'memory'. The Mask of Psychometry was one of the more mysterious of its kind. No one had yet managed to discover the secrets of its function: what these traces of the past were that remained in objects, nor how the mask was able to extract and decipher them for its wearer to comprehend, nor how it selected which moments to reveal from among (potentially) millennia. Yet somehow, it worked. It was not without its limitations, however: the 'memories' were not perfect recordings, and it seemed they could become degraded in certain ways. The most common of these was simply the passage of time: as a general rule, the further into the past one attempted to look, the less distinct the image became. Aden was trying to look very far back indeed, and so the image that began to take shape in her mind was commensurately degraded, its colours bleached and its shapes hazy. Nevertheless, she could make out what she needed to. There was the door itself, set into its hillside structure, not ancient and weathered as it was now, but clean, newly-built, its reliefs gleaming gold and azure as if freshly polished. Where now there was nothing but sand and shattered stones, a wide paved road led to the monolithic entrance, lined with neatly-trimmed trees. Tracing it back, Aden thought she could see roofs and spires in the distance. Throngs of Lesterin stood on either side of the road, rapturously watching a procession formed mainly also of Lesterin (all robed in grey), but with six Skakdi (or rather, Skathi) labouring at its front, carrying on their shoulders a sizeable yet elegantly-shaped casket. Its top was carved with the likeness of a Lesterin lying on his back, arms crossed over his torso; the detail was difficult to make out, but as far as Aden could tell (and as seemed likely given the context), the carving was of the same Lesterin shown so grandly at the apex of the door's reliefs. Music played out from somewhere in the procession, sounding in the time-worn memory as though played from an old and scratched gramophone disk; it was strange and ancient in style, but recognisably grandiose and solemn in tone. The procession halted, the music reached its conclusion. An elderly Lesterin stepped forward from a small but well-heeled-looking group (also clad in grey robes, yet noticeably more layered and opulent ones than those worn by the Lesterin in the procession) standing in front of the door. He raised his arms towards the sarcophagus, and began to speak. Much like the music, the degradation of the memory made many of his words incomprehensible (not helped by the Old Lesteri, spoken in its original intonation, which was a difficult tongue to follow even for an expert). "Gathered ▒▓▒▒▓, we ▓▓▒▒▓ here today to ▒▓▒▒▓▒▓ our beloved Lord Jehaeros, ▒▓▓▒▓ of Scholars, ▒▓▒▒ of ▓▒▒▓..." The elder went on similarly for quite some time, apparently attributing a long array of epithets and great works to this 'Lord Jehaeros'. "As we now ▒▓▒▓▓▓ his soul to Artakha, let us give ▒▓▓▒▓ for what he has left to us ▒▒▓▒▓, this grand Archive-Mausoleum, where his earthly ▓▓▒▓ shall be ▒▓▒▒ until the end of times, and where the knowledge he ▓▓▒▓▒▓ shall be ▒▓▓▒▓ for as long as ▒▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▒▓." The elder turned and strode towards the door. The procession resumed in his wake; Aden could just about make out the grunts and groans of the Skathi pallbearers struggling under their burden. The elder reached out his palm to the door's surface (towards the carvings? The surface was too indistinct in the memory for Aden to make them out) and pressed sharply in different places, once, twice, three, four, five, and finally a sixth time. The deep muffled sounds of some hidden mechanism emanated from somewhere in the recesses of the stonework, and the monolithic door began to slide smoothly upwards to reveal a cavernous passage beyond, gently sloping down into the earth. The elder entered, followed by the sarcophagus and its bearers, the other richly-robed Lesterin, and the rest of the procession. When the last of them had disappeared into the depths of the passage, the mechanism rumbled again, and the door began to descend inexorably back to the ground... IC (Broker NPC: Rhuvok) [Burning Steppes digsite] "Hmph. I would expect the carvings themselves to be of more use than one crystal from what I presume are thousands," Rhuvok replied dismissively. "But if you must examine it, we have a Reader somewhere amongst the equipment." The memory crystals of the ancient Lesterin operated by refraction of light: by techniques now lost to time, the information they contained was carved in minute detail within the crystal's interior. While the basic information of the its place of origin could be read simply enough by ambient light, to truly read the crystal required a complicated contraption to hold and rotate the crystal while passing a carefully controlled beam of light through its core. Such devices, known as Readers, had been found in a handful of ancient Lesteri sites, and a number had been reverse-engineered. The device supplied by the Broker was of the latter variety. Rhuvok snapped his fingers at some nearby workmen and sent them off to fetch the box containing the Reader. He then turned back towards the door, pulled a notebook from a fold of his robes, and began noting down the long passages of runes that snaked across the carvings. OOC: @a goose @NorikSigma @BULiK @Rahisaurus @BBBBalta

OOC: Jam with @Vezok's Friend. IC (Korero | Leah) [Ga-Koro docks] After what seemed like an age to the anxious Toa Maru of Air, the Dasaka guard finally spoke again. “The meeting is concluded. Your associate will be here presently.” He breathed a semi-reassured sigh, and sure enough, a few moments later the familiar blue-armoured figure of his Toa-Sister appeared at the top of the strange vessel's gangplank. “Leah!” Korero exclaimed, concern and relief still competing for dominance of his expression as he darted forward. “I heard you were injured – I came as fast as I could – “ The Toa Maru of water wordlessly descended the ramp. They clasped forearms in greeting at first - until Leah thought better of it and pulled her brother into a firm hug. “I’m glad you came.” she said with obvious relief, before stepping back, giving him a first good look at the fresh scars on her cheek. “It’s been a very long day.” Korero stared at the unfamiliar marks on his Sister's face, worry etched on his own. “What on Mata Nui happened?” he asked. “I heard something about an attack, some kind of creature…and poison?” Leah unconsciously reached up to her cheek but checked the motion, grimacing slightly. “Yeah…” she started, then paused, looking around. There were the Dasakan sentries still - but also plenty of Matoran and others going about their business. “I’ll tell you all about it - but not here.” She pointed with her thumb. Following the indication, Korero spotted the top of the giant Kaukau overlooking the village. The Toa of Air gave one wordless nod, placed a hand on Leah’s shoulder, and the two vanished in a flash of white. Reappearing atop the huge sandstone carving, Leah shook off the brief sensation of vertigo brought on by the Hiko jump while Korero cast his eyes around their new environs. “Pretty sure we're alone,” he confirmed. “So…?” She turned to take in the view for a few seconds, then sat down, looking out over the village. “So…” she said, gathering her thoughts. A lot had happened. But there was no good way to ease into this. So, right into it then. She let out a breath. “I almost died today, Korero. One of my villagers wasn’t so lucky. Her name was Sera.” She let that sink in for a moment before continuing: “She didn’t do anything wrong, she just…ran into that creature you heard about. Well…Lesterin, actually. With some kind of poison…Not sure what exactly. But the closer he gets the worse it is. And if he manages to cut you with it…“ She gestured to her scars again. They were still mildly throbbing. “If it hadn’t been for the Fowadi’s crew and Cael…” Korero looked aghast. “Mata Nui…if it really came that close…” He looked away, down to the lilypad village in its sparkling bay. “I’ve felt it for a while now, but this…this confirms it. There’s a darkness gathering. The Rahkshi are getting more aggressive, more organised. And beings like this…whatever he was…they’re getting stronger.” The young Le-Toa looked back to his Sister, his expression grim. “Don’t tell me you haven’t felt it too. It all points to one thing…” “Yeah...I’ve been camping out near the dark walk for some time now. Caught a Rahkshi just this morning. So that’s how my day started.” She sighed. “I already told Hahli. The Dasaka know of course. It’s what brought them here. But the rest…the ones that were with me this morning, the Fowadi crew…they feel betrayed.” Korero looked away again, down at the village, lowering his head, his slim frame curling in on itself as if compressed from all sides by the weight of his shame. “And who can blame them?” he said softly. Things were quiet for a bit. Leah found a little comfort in the sound of the rushing water and the soft wind. Eventually she said: “Maybe if we’d said something back when Stannis told us…but that’s just wishing the guilt away. Can’t change what happened now - and it doesn’t change the fact that our task isn’t done.” Some of us wanted to say something, Korero almost said, but thought better of it. “No, it doesn't,” he agreed. “But it'll be that much harder without the trust of the people we're supposed to be protecting. If we have to fight Makuta all over again…we can't do it alone. They need our help, and we need theirs. We all need Unity, and Unity requires trust. Trust once broken has to be rebuilt. But…” He closed his eyes, steeling himself to broach the Kikanalo in the room. “...I don't know if we can even achieve that within the team. Let alone with everyone else.” Another quiet moment passed. Even without her mask, she could tell what her brother was thinking - she’d felt the same way. But everything had started moving so fast, there had barely been time to react at all. But again…that was the past. Focus on now. “You’re right.” she said, without reservation or bitterness. It was just a fact. “Even if the others would help the two of us individually if we asked them - I can’t see us uniting right now. I don’t know how Oreius is doing. I meant to check in on him but with the Dasaka…I haven’t seen him since after Ko-Koro. Reordin should be there, but he’s…withdrawn as of late.” Korero could see the sadness in her eyes as she mentioned the Toa of ice, but she continued: “Sulov is hard to read even with the Ruhaku and Stannis…I don’t even know…” she trailed off. He had been their leader. Emphasis on had. But even as equals, the thought of him keeping things from them again - things that they absolutely needed to know - she couldn’t accept that. “But we have to start somewhere.” she said, with renewed determination. “And…I have a lead as to where.” Korero nodded as she spoke. Her words echoed his own feelings about each of their Toa-Brothers, and the sadness in her eyes was reflected in his own. It pained him to see their team so scattered and compromised, with even the lovebirds that were Leah and Reo seemingly drifting apart — but he perked up at her mention of a lead. “You do?” She nodded reassuringly and turned her left hand palm up. Six large drops of water formed above it, floating lazily in the soft breeze. “There were Matoran on the Kentoku archipelago.” She let that one sink in before continuing: “I don’t know how they got there, but according to the empress they witnessed Makuta’s return.” She spent the next few minutes catching Korero up on everything she had learned from Yumiwa. The prophecy, the inadvertent ritual, how her uncle's sword had served as the key and how it mirrored Heuani’s flamberge, all illustrated by the flow of water about her hand. Finally, the six spheres reformed, returning to their drifting pattern. “The six Matoran are Lekua, Leli, Tarnok, Soraya, Kellin, and Seven - and they’re most likely still here in Ga-Koro. If we can find them…well it’s a start.” The drops shot away towards the village and disappeared into the dark, joining the waterfall of the Kaukau on their way down. Ever the historian at heart, Korero had listened intently with both focus and fascination, the urgency of their mission and his natural curiosity at the strange tale working in perfect harmony. “That’s quite the story,” he said. “There’s still a lot I don’t understand, but a whole lot more is starting to make sense…and you’re right. It’s definitely a start. We’ve got a thread to pick at now — maybe we can start to unravel all this. And if we can understand it, we can start to do something about it.” He smiled, starting to look a little more like the buoyant young Toa Leah remembered from before the Maru began to fracture, and held out a hand. “Together?” Leah reached out to the offered hand and clasped it firmly. “Together.” she agreed. In a flash of light, the two Toa-Heroes were gone.

IC (Broker NPC: Rhuvok) [Burning Steppes digsite] Rhuvok scowled, but begrudgingly stepped aside. Much as he disdained the Kanohi masks favoured by the Lesterin, he could not deny that they had their uses.

IC (Broker NPC: Rhuvok) [Burning Steppes digsite] "Indeed, we are wasting time." Rhuvok shot one last glare in Aden's direction, then turned (accompanied by the usual clinking) to follow Zassani. The great stone doorway loomed over the group as they approached. When shafts of sunlight managed to slip between the columns of smoke rising from the Steppes and rove over the stone, they set the crystal reliefs in its surface aglitter. The designs became clearer as they came closer: figures of Lesterin (and the occasional subservient Skathi) in a variety of tableaux, surrounded and entwined by snaking successions of the triangular letters favoured by the Lesterin (albeit in an archaic form that made them strange and near-incomprehensible to uneducated eyes). Many of the reliefs showed library-like rooms containing figures seemingly in states of study and contemplation, against backgrounds of shelves stacked with small regular shapes resembling the memory crystal Kalzok had found here previously. At the apex of the door was carved one particularly resplendent figure: a Lesterin crowned in gold, coins spilling from one hand, and a memory crystal in the other. The Lesterin merchant-princes of antiquity were famed for their prosperity; less so for their subtlety. Rhuvok positioned himself in front of the door, facing the group. "As I said, the site appears to be very well preserved. The door shows no signs of having been opened since it was sealed..." The Nakihl cleared his throat, and glanced back at the door with what might have been sheepishness. "...nor, indeed, any obvious sign of how one might do so. However, I am confident we will find some clue as to how this can be accomplished in these carvings; they most likely contain instructions of some sort, if we can decipher them." He glanced to a nearby cart stacked with crates, each one painted with a bright red "X". "Failing that, the Broker has provided us with ample supplies of explosives..."

IC (Broker NPC: Rhuvok) [Burning Steppes digsite] "'Preservation'," Rhuvok scoffed. "This is Zakaz. The present consumes the past and carves the future from its bones. What is useful is taken, digested, put to use. What is not, has no purpose, and so is of no value. This is the natural order of things. There is no room for such...sentimentality for the past." The Raven's thin lips curled, baring yellowed teeth in a mocking smirk. "Ah, but then you are a Lesterin. I suppose the past is all you have."

Thanks! To be honest, it's unlikely. I never made any instructions for it at the time, the model itself is currently in several pieces in a box somewhere, and I haven't really got the time to dig it out and figure out how to put together an instruction set. However, as I recall it wasn't a hugely complex build, so I'd have thought you could probably reverse-engineer it from the gallery photos without too much difficulty. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure I still have the decal designs saved somewhere, so I'd be happy to share those if you'd like!

No problem at all, thanks for reminding me it existed...!

OOC: Taking the liberty of pushing things along to get Green Boi moving again. IC (Korero) [Ga-Koro] Having gathered from Cael and Praggos that Leah had expressed an intention to speak with the Dasaka Empress, Korero gave the group his earnest (if hurried) thanks and sped off at barely less than a run in the direction of the Ga-Koro docks. With the Hiko he could've been there in the blink of an eye, of course, but from what he'd heard the Dasaka were particularly on-edge after some sort of hijacking attempt the previous day (he hadn't stuck around to hear the details, being far more concerned about Leah's condition). Materialising at the docks without warning, expedient though it might be, seemed unwise. Fifteen minutes of pushing through crowds later, Korero was coming to regret that decision. But eventually the throngs began to thin, and soon the masts of the Dasakan flagship were towering overhead. Korero was immediately struck by the strange construction and sheer bulk of the vessel: it radiated an aura of solidity and power, despite being built from what almost looked like glass. Intentional or not, the presence of such a warship looming over the Ga-Koro dockland made an emphatic statement: these people might be refugees, but they were far from powerless... He sensed eyes on him: the mistrustful glare of nearby Dasaka guards, no doubt suspicious of an unfamiliar Toa emerging from the crowds to stare at the ship carrying their leader. He turned to them and raised a hand in bashful greeting, suddenly unsure of himself in the presence of these soldiers from a far-flung land. Korero might have had the power of a Toa Mata running through his veins, but he still couldn't always shake the instinctive shyness of a misfit Ko-Matoran. "Uh, hello. I'm, uh, Korero Maru. I'm looking for my Sister — Toa Leah. I was told she might be here...?" OOC: @Vezok's Friend @EmperorWhenua

IC (Korero) [Cael's Hut, Ga-Koro] Korero's eyes widened briefly as the door was opened not by Cael but by an unfamiliar Ta-Toa, but his surprise waned just as quickly when he glanced past her and recognised the faces of not just Cael but also Agni, whom he knew as another close associate of Joske. There was fourth Toa in the room whose appearance seemed to ring a vague bell, but he couldn't place it (and had more pressing concerns on his mind). He'd barely opened his mouth to ask about Leah's whereabouts when Agni, ever the detective, successfully pre-empted his question. Korero looked to Cael and this 'Praggos' (the name rang a bell too) in impatient anticipation of their answer. OOC: @Eyru @otter @Vezok's Friend @Palm

IC (Korero) [Cael's Hut, Ga-Koro] The quiet conversation of Cael's hut was rudely interrupted by an urgent knocking (hammering might be a more accurate term) at the door. Outside waited a decidedly jumpy-looking Toa Maru of Air, shifting his weight from the ball of one foot to the other in tiny rapid movements, in a futile attempt to diffuse away some of the nervous energy currently coursing through his limbs as he waited for someone to answer. OOC: @Eyru @Vezok's Friend @Palm @otter

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] "Hey now," the pirate replied, furrowing his brow and raising his palms in a gesture of restraint. "Let's not be too hasty. As I see it, there's no need to be dismissin' heroics entirely. The trick is to believe in, shall we say...the heroism of self-interest." As he spoke, Lohkar sidled around to Tailua's side and wrapped an arm chummily around the Toa's shoulders, casting his other hand towards an imagined horizon with the air of a visionary. One could almost hear the swell of triumphant music. "Goin' where ya choose, doin' as ya please, and thumbin' yer nose at anybody who thinks they can stop ya. Once you look at things that way, there's all sorts o' noble adventurin' to be had, wherever the winds take ya." He bumped a conspiratorial fist against Tailua's shoulder. "Freedom, mate. That's real heroism." He grinned, blue eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a man who knew the true meaning of life. "An' I should know. I'm somethin' of a hero myself." OOC: @Emzee@BULiK @Void Emissary

IC (Broker NPC: Rhuvok) [Burning Steppes Outskirts] "And I intend to make sure it gets done properly, Adaan" the Raven retorted, not giving her the courtesy of shifting his gaze from the tomb entrance. "The Broker may have forgiven your antics at Katha;Vaa, but he has not forgotten them, and neither have I. The fact that you are on the payroll this time does not mean you have my trust."

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] "Nastiest shitheap on the Endless Ocean," Lohkar replied, then glanced to the hulking form of Frii'Glokk with a not-particularly-apologetic smile. "No offence." Back to Tailua. "Home o' the spiny bugg— ahem, the delightful Skakdi people. But more importantly, it's a place teemin' with opportunity for people like you an' me. If you're wonderin' why you've never heard of it, well...let's just say memory's a funny thing, eh?" OOC: @Emzee@BULiK @Void Emissary

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] There was a hint of disappointment in Lohkar's eyes as Tailua removed his weaponised prosthetic. He'd been half-hoping the Toa would offer him it to shake, giving him the opportunity to, shall we say, temporarily relieve the man of his gun-hand and have a little fun. But whether out of an abundance of caution or simply politeness, Tailua had not acted so gullibly. Well, if your excuse for messing with potential recruits was that you were "testing them", you couldn't really act hard-done-by if they passed the test, could you? Lohkar reached forward and gave the stump a hearty shake. His grin widened as Tailua spoke; he always appreciated a little flattery. "Sailin' for Zakaz waters, my friend. Headin' back where I belong. Not to mention far away from whatever gang o' miscreants are after your blood," he added, raising an eyebrow. "Seems likely we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, eh?" OOC: @Emzee @Void Emissary @BULiK

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] "Hey, if you're not gettin' jumped by the occasional gang of anonymous killers, you're doin' something wrong." The voice came from Tailua's blind spot. Lohkar swaggered into view a moment later. "Assassination attempts are the spice o' life, that's what I always say." The Lesterin extended a hand — his right hand, apparently in an attempt to shake Tailua's Patero attachment by way of greeting. "Lohkar," he introduced himself, "Cap'n of the Infernavika. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Kodin." OOC: @Emzee @Void Emissary @BULiK

IC (NPC Broker henchman) [The Place] The henchman paused and looked over his shoulder, squinting at Enra. "Long as she doesn't make any trouble." He resumed his slow walk towards the convoy, raising his voice to be heard despite having turned his back. "Now hurry it up. You don't wanna keep him waiting." OOC: And my apologies for keeping you two waiting, @Smudge8 and @Toru Nui. It's been a crazy few months. I'll try to keep things moving going forward.

IC (Broker NPCs) [Burning Steppes Outskirts] "Expert in breaking and entering, maybe." These snide words and the dull jangle of metal rings announced the approach of another of the more specialist members of the Broker's expedition: a gaunt Fe-Skakdi, cloaked in black Nakihl robes adorned with a wide collar of similarly sable corvine feathers. He carried a staff of what looked like driftwood (jabbing it into the ash-coated ground as he walked, but not seeming to need it for support), its upper half pierced in many places by metal rings or hoops of varying sizes: some as wide as a splayed hand, some small enough to be worn on a finger. Each one was engraved with lines and runes that, to a trained eye, encapsulated a variety of spells. Further such rings hung from his robes in places, together making up a motley metallic assortment that clinked against each other as he moved. "But I think you'll find that I am the Broker's expert in matters of artefacts, magicks, and history," he continued, clearly making no effort to keep disdain from his voice. "And make no mistake, I shall be representing his interests in these areas." This was Rhuvok, the Raven: a Nakihl the Broker kept on retainer as his personal specialist in the occult. Rhuvok had long ago forsaken the community of the northern Fortress to pick over and assess the more esoteric items acquired from the Broker's nefarious activities. It was a small price to pay for the generous research resources that came his way (provided that his work regularly produced results that could be turned to his employer's profit), and distance from the bickering and backstabbing of his peers was frankly a plus. He looked around at the gathered beings, green eyes alighting on each of them with varying degrees of distrust or disdain. Only Kihr received a respectful nod. "My...esteemed colleague may be leading this expedition," he sneered, gesturing in Kalzok's direction, "but as you all know, the Broker is funding it." The Raven's voice was made even more like the caw of his namesake by the ash-choked air in his throat. "The equipment and personnel he is providing represent a significant investment, and as such, he expects a full return." He glared particularly at the more mercenary members of the group. "As per your contracts, you will be paid well for your efforts. As per Kalzok's contract, the Broker will receive all finds. Every item worth recovering goes back to the Warrens, where I will assess their value personally. You will take no spoils, no souvenirs, nothing. I'm sure I don't have to warn you of the dangers of incurring our employer's displeasure." He turned his beady green eyes back to Aden. "To answer your question, the outbuildings have long been exposed to the ravages of wind and flame. But I have already personally inspected the entrance to the tomb itself, and I believe it remains fully sealed and intact. Provided that we can open it without causing any unnecessary damage, the archives within should be perfectly preserved." He gazed back towards the bare hill with hungry eyes. Set into the hillside was a monolithic doorway: a trapezoid of sandstone, sides sloping smoothly upwards, its surface blackened and blasted by the fires of the Steppes, but unbroken by them. Like the walls of some of the ruined outbuildings scattered around, its surface glinted blue and gold in places where the layer of soot coating it had been brushed away, revealing reliefs of crystal inlaid into the rock, filigreed with precious metals, carved with intricate patterns and lettering. It was a sight both tantalising and foreboding, an austere monument to the pride of the ancient Lesterin, rising from the ash that had once hidden it, no longer guarded so jealously by the inferno that still filled the sky beyond with smoke. This forgotten repository, both library and grave, lay waiting for them. OOC: @a goose @NorikSigma @BULiK @Rahisaurus @BBBBalta

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] "Home calls us all in the end, eh?" the pirate replied with a sympathetic wink. "I'll be hopin' to stop off at the old rock-in-the-sea meself, but our ability to do so may depend on the...ah...diplomatic situation." By which he meant, whether there were still wanted posters of his grinning mug plastered all over the Port. "At the very least, we'll get ya to safe harbour on the mainland. Shouldn't be more than a short ferry hop to get ya the rest of the way." At that moment, a faint sound of breaking glass — of a different timbre to the usual shatter of drinking utensils heard around the Dancing Crab, more like, say, the sound of a Toa making his way bodily through a window — caught Lohkar's attention from elsewhere in the tavern. He glanced over his shoulder, eyebrow raised in interest, before looking back to the two men who were now confirmed as passengers rather than prospective crew (and thus profitable, but no longer of much interest to the freewheeling Lesterin). "Well, gents, I shall leave you in the capable hands of me subordinates," he said, waving a hand in the general direction of the various Infernavika crew present (mainly Yasurek — he'd be happy to deal with all the boring details, right?). "They'll be 'appy to discuss all the details with ya. But as long as you can pay our modest fee, rest assured we'll get ya ta Zakaz. Just make sure you're aboard before we cast off!" With that, he flicked them a casual salute and moseyed over towards where Gunner was already intercepting a somewhat hurried-looking red-armoured Toa who, based on his somewhat haggard breathing and the flecks of glass still dusting his sizeable shoulders, was most likely the same being who had made the audible window entry (re-fenestrated? Pre-fenestrated? He'd have to look that one up.). His ever-reliable gut told him this should be a fun one. OOC: @BULiK @ARROW404 @Emzee @Void Emissary

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] "Not to worry, mate," Lohkar assured the armoured Skakdi in chummy tones, entirely unfazed in the presence of a man whose build would be best described as somewhere between 'tank' and 'battleship'. "We'll get ya home safe an' sound, an' in comfort to boot." He turned to his fellow Ga-Lesterin. "An' what can I do for you?" OOC: @BULiK @ARROW404

IC (Lohkar) [The Dancing Crab, Ostia] A pair of blue hands clapped down on the shoulders of Suran and Frii'Glokk, eliciting dull clangs from their respective pauldrons. The spikily crested head of their Lesterin owner was thrust forward between said shoulders a moment later. "Somethin' tells me you fine gentlemen might be lookin' for my humble self." Entirely unconcerned by any reactions of surprise that his sudden interjection might've elicited from the pair, Lohkar looked from one to the other with his usual winning smile. "How might I help two fellow natives o' the greater Zakazian area?" OOC: @ARROW404 @BULiK Sorry for the delay, once again. Life keeps throwing its curveballs...

Yep, no need to worry. Characters moving between any two Mata Nui topics is absolutely fine; in-universe they may be passing through other Wahi, but there's no need to write those parts of the journey if you don't want to.

IC (Ageru Kilanya) [Fort Kizuno, Odaiba] By rights, a mighty tree anchored by deep-sunk roots should have been immovable to the strength of a girl. But even intruded upon by two far more powerful presences, one benign and one decidedly otherwise, this mindspace was still Shiki's, and it was her will that defined its rules. The gnarled bark shuddered momentarily against her touch, then shifted. The earth split and crumbled as the willow's roots were tugged upward, their pale brown limbs beginning to peek through the loam. The tree creaked and swayed in protest; the eyes of Kilanya's avatar widened as she felt a challenge to the grip of her Will — not from the Shadow, but from the girl. Then confusion gave way to clarity. Of course. The link. It's using the link. The willow's hold on the earth loosened. Shiki's push stayed firm. The tree moved further upwards, shaking soil from its roots as they were torn one by one from the hillside, until— Tree and lake and hill and Shadow were gone. Kilanya's eyes snapped open, and were greeted with the same sun-drenched clearing her mind had departed mere moments (minutes? seconds? the passage of time was hard to gauge in such spaces) ago. The air was calm, bearing only the sounds of her training soldiers and the faint rustle of wind in the trees. All, it seemed, was as they'd left it. She looked across at Shiki: eyes still closed, face still taut with the desperate concentration it had taken to break the link between their minds, and with it, the backdoor that had let the dark presence in. Getting back to her feet, the Toroshu reached out with one hand to squeeze the girl's shoulder. "Well done," she whispered. Well indeed. Kilanya marvelled for a moment at how quickly the girl had realised the nature of the intrusion — more quickly than she herself — and how bravely she had mustered her will to stop it. Her instinct had been right: there was more potential to this seemingly laggard student than met the eye. But this wasn't over yet. The psychic link was no more, but an intrusion of such power could not help but leave a ripple on the mental plane, a broken thread she could trace back to its source. Her gaze was drawn across the grass to the trees at the clearing's edge, to the darkness of their branches...where she found shapes. Lithe, sharp-edged, spiked and spined. A hint of purple amid the dappled shadows. A glow of serpentine eyes, fixed on her. The attention of every Dasaka in the training ground, no matter how deep in meditation or locked in sparring, was seized by their commander's bellow. "RAHKSHI!"

IC (Ageru Kilanya) [Fort Kizuno, Odaiba] Kilanya's eyes tarried on the lake just long enough for Shiki to see before their gazes met once more. The Toroshu nodded, letting the glowing wireframe of her Soulsword dissolve away again and raising one hand to rub pensively at her chin. :Not the only reason, but perhaps an important one,: she mused. :The clarity of the memory gives it strength...but I sense these memories carry great emotion for you. Your emotions can grant strength as well, but only if you are their master. If they are too turbulent, that may affect the flow of your Soul. This may explain why you've struggled to draw on your energy. I would recommend—: Kilanya was interrupted by a distant peal of thunder. The rustle of the willow leaves overhead began to grow: the wind had changed, blowing colder and stronger now from the far-off mountains. Kilanya's brow furrowed as she turned her head to look back over her shoulder, towards the origin of the thunder and the wind. Dark clouds were spreading across the sky like ink spilled on paper, gradually blotting out the blue with black. This was a manifestation of neither her nor Shiki. This was the presence of another. She felt it in the air, in the ground, in the sky. But that was impossible. She'd sensed no intrusion, there had been no battle of Wills. To invade their mental link undetected would require unimaginable skill and power— :::Ageru.::: The Toroshu's avatar physically recoiled at the strength of the voice. The dark clouds were now overhead, casting lake and hill and tree in shadow, and the voice seemed to emanate from every inch of that darkness, from cloud to mountaintop to the ground beneath their feet. :::Kilanya.::: The voice sounded female, but its undertones rumbled deeper than the roots of the earth. In all her years as a Menti, Kilanya had never felt a mental presence of such power. The very sound of its voice within their heads was overwhelming: though calmly spoken the words seemed deafening, brimming with puissance. This Will was not assaulting hers; it didn't need to. It was like a Kanohi Dragon gazing on an insect, languid, lounging, utterly secure in its power to crush that which lay before it at a whim. Even in this mental form, Kilanya's limbs felt frozen by fear. She fought to rise to her feet and place her avatar between Shiki and the presence, to defend the girl...but there was nowhere to interpose herself. How could she shield against the sky, the air, the earth? :::It's time we spoke, O Rakumetsu Toroshu.::: The voice bubbled with mockery. :::Time you became useful.::: OOC: @Razgriz

IC (Ageru Tazera) [The Chiisai Ryuu] :Recovering, ma'am,: Tazera responded in kind. :I left her in the infirmary. She was already regaining consciousness when I left. Medic Juro assured me she has received no lasting injury.: OOC: @Vezok's Friend