BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

The balls of Leah's feet hit the ash-covered ground and she absorbed the light impact with her knees easily. The first thing she noticed was the heat. Coming from the freezing climate of Ko-Koro right into the crater of the Mangai Volcano was a rather noticeable change in temperature, especially for the Toa of water. She could only imagine how it must feel to Reordin. Her mind immediately began to think about strategies to fight in this kind of heat while conserving her powers to not drain her elemental reserves.

 

Looking around she found herself and the others standing in the back alleys Korero had mentioned. Her brother's precision when making these jumps had increased noticeably she realized, landing them in a spot just wide enough for three Toa to walk down abreast. Complimenting the Toa of air's skills would have to wait though as he took off, quickly making his way up to the roof of one of the adjacent buildings to get an overview again. With the Piraka split up they would have to fan out a little as well to cover the necessary ground. Very risky, but they were best-equipped to deal with the danger.

 

"We need to sweep the area and keep an eye out for Matoran still nearby - might be good to do so in pairs. Knowing how Skakdi elements work, they might be doing the same."

[sunflower]

IC: Vezok [inside Lavapool Ruins]

 

"...Furthermore, did it ever occur to you that the very concept of excommunicating me from out venture would have a negatively fatal impact on your state of well bein-"

I paused mid-monologue, a single crimson eye surveying the area around. Other than the mostly destroyed ruins of what I assume was at one time a building, and the questionably sane inventor loitering around the premise (it didn't take much to put two and two together), the place was pretty much deserted. Of living things, that is. I decided not to overturn some things that seemed to be leaking a dark substance. Leave that to Hakann. Of course, that left the more immediate problem of there being about a half a person to listen to my pre-prepared speech.

 

That simply wouldn't do.

 

"Avak, where the Karz is everyone?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Well, that's the crux of things, ain't it? Hand me some of that piano wire." My voice was muffled from holding an extra tool; my hands were carrying an improvised wrench, drone parts, and some pieces of scrap metal from various flasks and taps behind the bar. "Thok scampered off after some Toa he was eyeing when the Lavapool blew - with any luck the Guard has two brain cells to rub together and he got summarily lynched. Speaking of brains, I think Reidak is looting the market looking for one. Hakann is off figuring out if there really is more than one way to skin a cat. And Zaktan..."

 

A silence fell over the Lavapool, only for a couple seconds, but the sudden lack of verbal animosity between Vezok and I (whose relationship was somewhere in the vicinity of brain and tumor ) it spoke volumes. "Hand me some of that piano wire. I mean it. I designed the drone to be able to withstand explosions, and upon detonation it was supposed to break apart, so it did its job - as usual. But it could be the smartest little critter on the planet and if it doesn't have a way to move around it'll just sit here and buzz, and it won't do either of us any good, so hand me the ###### piano wire and do something useful with your life for a change. You're the reason we're here anyway."

 

IC:

 

"Yeah. It was...something." Putting it mildly. "When Joske fell back, it was up to Agni and I to hold the line against the remainder of the Makuta's forces. By then, most of them were in shambles - a couple were catatonic, the Necromancer beaten to a pulp by his own creation, a couple of them purified, and Heuani never even showed up - but the Rahi managed to give us enough trouble that we fought all through the day and part of the way into the night before the Maru broke Makuta. It was the longest day of my life. I'll never forget it."

 

-Tyler

Edited May 11, 2014 by LONG LIVE TYLER

[25K Now!]

IC:

 

"Alright. May I?" Aurum said as he reached forwards and picked up the shortsword and the dagger, each in one hand, testing out the weight of the weapons. Neither were too light or too heavy; they didn't feel like it'd be a problem to swing or stab with, but they also didn't feel like they would crumple the moment any sort of force was applied on them.

 

"Good weapons."

 

OOC: How do people pay here? O.o

IC: Stronin

 

"Thank you," he replied, "that's 4000 widgets."

[Geardirector]

IC: Elysi

 

"Righty-o," said Elysi, grinning. "Lead on, 'honourable elder'."

 

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

A gust of wind blew away the smoke smothering the ruined Lavapool, and through her mask Zelvin could now make out two figures, Skakdi, milling about in the wreckage. Right, two Skakdi, two Toa; keep them seperate so they couldn't use their powers, and make it fast and decisive, in theory perfectly straightforward and not too hard.

 

But Zelvin knew better. A job like hers always had complications, and this situation was no different. For one, the brown Skakdi's weapon looked like it could potentially blast her head off in an instant, and two, no one, not even Skakdi, willing ran into the smoking ruins of a burning building without a good reason.

 

"We must rely upon the element of surprise" Zelvin told Elysi as she took a step or two back to let the dark shadows of their alleyway seclude her fully.

 

"I suggest that we go around the square and approach the ruins from the side, once we're close we'll make a precise and swift attack that hopefully will subdue at least one of them, preferably the brown one."

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

Elysi's hand moved over where her Zamor Launcher was holstered. "The blue one looks a bit more dangerous to me."

Edited May 11, 2014 by Fabulous Sunshine

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

Zelvin bit her lip, eyes widening upon noticing Elysi's Zamor Launcher.

"You must be quite resourceful to have acquired such a lucrative armament. Pray tell, what is its effects?"

Edited May 11, 2014 by Gyro Gearloose

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

"It does pretty much nothing."

[sunflower]

IC: Vezok

 

My left eye twitched, and I clenched a fist to avoid making strangling motions. I almost brought up the concept of causality to the Brakas spawn, but I didn't. It was a very close almost. A second passed as I attempted to not induce decapitation in my problem, and along with it, blissful silence.

 

And then another.

 

Before I released an annoyed breath, and turned to search for the piece of piano in question amongst the scattered ruins of the bar. It didn't take long for me to locate the mangled part. I kicked aside a block of masonry that I don't believe was supposed to be locked on the floor, and shoved the remains of a tabletop to the floor from atop the rumbled pile of strings. One of the wooden panels that formerly held them in place was virtually nonexistent, the strings probably having snapped together after the piano took some damage, while the other was snapped in two.

 

I picked the mess, which would works oh so well as a garrote with a certain Skakdi's name on it.

 

Without a word, I tossed the entire piece to Avak, decided that garrotes would come later.

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

"But it does still function, does it not?" Zelvin asked, moving with an almost seductive aura as she shifted her attention to the Lavapool Ruins and back to Elysi a few times.

 

"Zamor Spheres are typically made of Crystal, are they not?"

[Razgriz]

IC: Oooh, yeah.

Dad is gonna be livid.

Hefting the weight of Rebellion in each hand, Jolek carefully walked through the streets. He'd been steadily getting closer to Lavapool for like five minutes now, and it was completely obvious as to what went down. Exactly what he'd guessed.

 

Because really, adventurer hub like that? Bound to follow the Love Shack™'s example at some point. Somebody was bound to get the bright idea to ruin a perfectly good inn.

But who'd do that?

What kind of uncouth, stand-offish sort would allow a perfectly serviceable inn to explode unchecked?

Turning into one of the many nameless back alleys, he stalked forward slowly, eyes prowling. Mata Nui knows what sort of dangerous type could be lurking about after an inn-immolator has made a fresh kill. He'd have to treat this like hunting. Well, the walking anyway. Slow, quiet forward steps, checking each and every corner, and double checking in case he missed something before proceeding. Every sense used to the fullest degree.

After all, there was zero chance that he was the only one doing exactly this. He'd need to be ready, in case he ran into others with less helpful intentions than his own.

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

As Jolek was stalking through narrow alleyways and streets, his steps were caught by the increased hearing of an experienced wearer of the Mask of Sensory Aptitude, and the next time he poked his head around a corner to scope out the surroundings, he would see Zelvin's purple eyes glow right at him, cautiously, curiously.

 

"A fine time to find a potential ally" Zelvin thought as she gleamed at him from beneath her hooded cloak.

[Razgriz]

IC: Purple caught gold as he checked his left corner, hugging the wall. Spooked, he ducked back in a flash, his father's massive double-bitted axe at the ready.

...Nothing. Okay, we're probably clear.

Slowly, gingerly, the Toa of Magnetism rounded the corner, eyes locked on not on the purple ones staring back at him under the hood, but rather the figure in total. Too easy to get lost staring into something's eyes. That's how Tarex got that scar of his.

Didn't look like she was looking for a fight, nor was the other behind her. Resting Rebellion on one shoulder, he approached the two, voice low.

"What're we looking at, here?" he asked, seeing as they seemed to already have some measure of the situation.

"Oh, forgot my manners. Name's Jolek." he added after a moment, extending his free hand.

Man, he was a jungle kid. He was still learning.

Don't hate.

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

"Zelvin" she replied in kind as she shook the young 'un's hand.

 

"As for the situation, it seems we have two Skakdi inside the ruins of the Lavapool who are up to no good, but more specific than that we can't get for now"

 

"We're actually in the middle of making ourselves a little attack plan, if you would care to join"

 

The Fa-Toa was evidently in some ways cut from the same cloth as Elysi, if his manners were any indication, but he seemed much more interested in getting straight to business, which she really couldn't fault him for given the circumstances.

[Razgriz]

IC: "Lovely." he remarked dryly, peeking around the corner at once was the Lavapool in.

"Two guys holed up in the remains of an inn... This'll be tricky. We obviously shouldn't rush them, that's like running straight into a Rama hive. We'll be in their territory, on their terms. Who knows what they've got planned for anyone who tries that." He muttered, drawing back to his days as a bright eyed little kid in Le-Wahi for reference.

"We'll need to find some way to draw them out. That way, at least, things are a little more even. Just like hunting, you don't run into the nest, you make something run out."

He crossed his arms and furrowed his brow, trying to think of other factors to the situation.

"We'd also want to split them up. If they don't have eachother's backs, then they're a lot easier to overwhelm." Again, jungle kiddery. Who knew how applicable it'd be to city life?

"And since they're Skakdi, whose elements--if I remember right--only work in tandem, they're not going to want to do that."

Well. Sweet.

"Looks like we've got our work cut out for us, ladies."

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

"A sound judgement" Zelvin agreed, eyeing the silhouettes of the Skakdi.

 

"I think it's safe to assume by their colors that their elements are Stone and Water respectively. The latter is at a disadvantage that we can exploit, my power allows me to generate heatstones, and I think I can make them in a shape that would fit well into Elysi's launcher. Makeshift Zamor spheres if you will."

 

"And the brown one, his weapon is very dangerous, extremely volatile effects, it would be productive to find a way to disarm him, which I suppose you could cover, Jolek"

[Razgriz]

IC: He nodded after some thought.

Just charge the weapon and pull. Simple enough, I can handle that.

"Sure. I can manage that." He responded. "And if you can tie the latter up with those spheres, I can move around and get in on the brown one from the side or some other angle."

So we may have a way to split them up, but...

"Now what we figure out is how to smoke them out. That's gonna be hard, considering they can still keep that place pretty well fortified, even with the state it's in right now."

He grimaced, gazing at the multiple, assumedly trap-riddled levels of the burning building. That'd be tough to pull them out of, unless they had the patience to wait until it burned down on top of them, or something.

"Any ideas?"

[Constructelf]

IC Turo

The guardsman continued to crouch under the window, trying to listen in on the conversation. Hearing something about piano wire, his interest grew. Nevertheless, he had learned during his life that a stationary thief was a dead thief, so he backed away from the ruined inn, keeping himself low to the ground, and looking for another listening spot. He noticed three to a standing behind him talking amongst themselves; were they assets or liabilities?

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

"Hmm..." Zelvin pondered for a moment or two.

 

"I have a few ideas off the top of my head. For one, we could try "helping the building along" as it were, hasten its inevitable collapse, it's already condemned either way. Barring that, I would like to suggest finding a way to anger them, it would serve us well to let them play into our hands."

[Razgriz]

IC: "Kind of what I was thinking. Take out the support and let the thing fall on top of them. Not too sure how to go about that, though..."

He glanced down at his father's axe for a moment.

No.

No that's stupid.

This ain't made for that.

"Hm. I think you're better suited to that job than me, at least if we do it from right here, which we should. You think you can weaken the structure or something with... I dunno, a wave or two?"

[Geardirector]

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro)

 

Zelvin frowned mildly.

 

"I control crystal, lad, not brick and concrete. Even if there was a massively extravagant chandelier in the building it wouldn't be enough to bring it down "with a wave or two" as you so rashly put it"

 

"If we put our heads together, though we should be able to think of a good method, though

[Razgriz]

IC: Whoops.

 

He winced. That was a misstep on his part, and a bad one at that.

"My bad, I thought... never mind." He said, waving that line of though off. "You're right, that complicates things. Would be nice if we had an Earth Toa on hand." He said, keeping the flow going.

...

Dang, I think I'm stumped.

How do we bring this thing down?

[Silvan Haven]

Loren- Ta-koro- Lavapool Inn Ruin

 

IC: Loren recognized the blue Skakdi, it was the one he had been trying to arrest before. With the level of intelligence the criminal had shown last time it was highly likely that he would be recognized soon if it had not already happened.

 

"Second hostile Skakdi inside building confirmed. I'm moving in to engage, be ready to back me up."

 

As he spoke the Toa of Sonics beamed the words to the second Toa of his element that was currently on a nearby roof. The other member of the Guard would make sure the information was sent to the rest of the squad. Setting the Matoran he was carrying away from the scene down, Loren drew his short swords and maskjumped to just in front of the battered wall of the inn. Drawing one of the blades back he concentrated, drawing elemental energy out and forming a soundshape that vaguely resembled the weapon. With a grunt of effort he swung the elemental construct forward in to the blackened wall in front of him.

 

Already cracked and weakened by the explosion, the wall smashed inward. Fragments of rock blasted inward as well as a cloud of ash and dust.

 

Under his breath Loren muttered.

 

"Knock knock."

[Razgriz]

IC: ...

Thaaat complicates things.

 

Jol grimaced, rising even as he kept himself fairly hidden behind the corner, test Rebellion's weight for the umpteenth time that day.

"This is about to get ugly."

Extending a hand, he channeled his elemental energies and began to tug with a fair amount of impetus on Loren, turning up the intensity to the point where he was almost positive he would be carried off his feet and towards the group.

Come on, don't be stupid! You don't burst straight into a hive, that just gets all the bugs inside mad!

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

Elysi swore, pushing her Zamor Launcher into her fellow bounty hunter's hands as she unclipped her bow from her back. While it was true that the weapon she had looted from the corpse of the Skakdi she had killed so many months ago could be more powerful, for now it was best for Mama Clench to make use of it, especially with the older woman's Crystal powers.

 

"I'll be expecting that back after this," she said, moving back to channel her electric powers into her Toa tool.

[- JL -]

OOC: Hmmmm. I don't wanna steal, but I don't wanna pull money out of 'nowhere' either......

 

IC:

"Ah."

Right.

 

You need money for this type of stuff.

 

"Can I....like, slowly pay back the funds which.....I don't really have right now?"

Edited May 12, 2014 by -JL-

[25K Now!]

IC: Stronin

 

"Don't think Soli did things like that," remarked Stronin casually. "Although ... you could work it off through manual labour."

[Voxumo]

OOC: Well, might as well get the dusty chars moving again, short and simple, let's go:

 

IC:

 

It doesn't rain, it pours. At least, that's the mental image that crossed Mariko's mind as he hurried through the village of fire, which had suddenly gone from daily business into a lockdown he had not seen since the final push of the Makuta's Rahkshi army many months ago. He navigated the streets fast and deft, almost dancing around those that crossed his path. They were guards for the most part, swarming out through the streets in squads to move the villagers to safety and clear an area for the Toa heroes to stop whatever shenanigans were going on. However, Mariko was not heading for the action. He had waited near the guard headquarters for Draeverian to come back. But instead of the toa of sonics returning, a village-wide alarm had been raised.

 

The dark Toa arrived outside the station. While he was still contemplating how to get inside the stations deeper cellblocks, more guards were moving out. A plan instantly formed in his mind. Mariko bumped into one of the guardsmen. The Matoran roughly shoved him back and snarled: "Watch it!" The Toa raised his hands in front of him in an apologetic gesture and kept moving. As he lowered his arm again, the guard's badge dropped into his palm from under his vambrace where he had hid it.

 

Not five minutes later he found himself standing over Draeverian, who was being moved onto a stretcher, while several other Matoran investigated the damaged cell. His friend looked pretty beaten up and was only barely conscious, but the dark Toa noticed he held something clutched in his hand. He was about to reach for it when one of the medics tapped Mariko's side. "We will need to move him now."

 

Mariko nodded. "That's why I'm here. You're getting an escort."

 

"Why?"

 

"It's like Karzhani out there."

IC: Draeverian

Draeverian vaguely heard a rather familiar voice. Groggily his mind seemed to be working it's way out of a haze as it loosely connected various thoughts together into one cohesive thought

What is this fool doing here.

Not even taking the energy to move DJ spoke up, though the pain his body felt was obvious in his voice

"Begone reaper, for you're nothing but a creeper. I shall thwart your plans to escort me to the land of the bland."

As soon as he finishes with the rhyme a slim smirk comes over DJ's face as he clutches the syringe tighter in his hand. Activating his control over sound he manipulated his voice so that only mariko would hear

"You need to take this object in my hand and hide it until later."

[Geardirector]

IC: Elysi

 

Elysi swore, pushing her Zamor Launcher into her fellow bounty hunter's hands as she unclipped her bow from her back. While it was true that the weapon she had looted from the corpse of the Skakdi she had killed so many months ago could be more powerful, for now it was best for Mama Clench to make use of it, especially with the older woman's Crystal powers.

 

"I'll be expecting that back after this," she said, moving back to channel her electric powers into her Toa tool.

 

IC: Zelvin (Ta-Koro Alley)

 

"Much obliged" Zelvin mumbled, refraining from commenting on Elysi's swearing for once. She felt the launcher in her hand, generating a hollow sphere of red hot crystals in the barrel, before nodding and absorbing the sphere to conserve her energies for when the time was right.

 

She referred herself to Jolek again when he pulled the De-Toa who'd tried entering the building towards them.

 

"A noble gesture, but just how practical remains to be seen"

[Razgriz]

IC: "Ain't practical to just let someone do something dumb like that. Gotta keep people alive if you can." Jol fired back, cranking up the intensity another notch.

Get over here already you--

And so the moments ticked by in what seemed like an eternity.

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi

 

"Sucks that it's revealing our position," muttered the Toa of Lightning.

[- JL -]

IC:

"Work.....?"

 

Work?

That meant a job, right?

"Is there another way to pay without....selling my.....freedom?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Stronin

 

"Do you have money at all?"

[- JL -]

IC:

"I guess....."

Huh.

 

It didn't occur to him that being a follower of Makuta meant you didn't need money. Usually it meant you had the skills to ensure you could live. Maybe you got a prize or something for helping out in some big event of some sorts, raiding some ILF villages or stealing stuff from prominent people, making a living off the dark forces of the night. But as a lifestyle, you didn't need the trivial matter that was money.

 

Yet another pro to Makuta and con to Mata Nui.

[25K Now!]

IC: Stronin

 

"Look, you can't do anything without money in today's society."

[Wotz]

IC: Kahlynn

 

"So, walking," Kahlynn almost yelled to anyone who would listen in an attempt to break the silence. "This is fun."

 

OOC: is this treasure hunt thing still going on

[- JL -]

IC:

"Yes you can. You can live. And have rights." Aurum shrugged.

Edited May 15, 2014 by -JL-

[Hanako Herupa]

IC:

 

"Yeah. It was...something." Putting it mildly. "When Joske fell back, it was up to Agni and I to hold the line against the remainder of the Makuta's forces. By then, most of them were in shambles - a couple were catatonic, the Necromancer beaten to a pulp by his own creation, a couple of them purified, and Heuani never even showed up - but the Rahi managed to give us enough trouble that we fought all through the day and part of the way into the night before the Maru broke Makuta. It was the longest day of my life. I'll never forget it."

 

-Tyler

 

IC: (Kino)

 

"I bet it was. Probably felt that way to a lot of people, but it's good you were there." I smiled. I remembered that day easily, because it was the same day I lost faith in Makuta. Something had broke, but I didn't feel the effect until the fighting had stopped and then it pierced me like I was speared on a bull's horns. Just as we were wrapping up our soup and salad, our main entrees finally came to the table. My seafood platter with shellfish, and other freshly caught and recently cooked delicious morsels. Angelu's large steak, wrapped in bacon, with all the trimmings and everything he had asked for had made it's way to him. I swear his eyes lit up like a blue fire, and frankly it had me nervous. Hopefully he didn't go full Jungle Boy again and tear into it like a Kavanika with an attitude problem.

 

IC: (Thok)

 

As it turns out, I'm not exactly on needlessly torture innocents train. Probably because all it does is get you arrested when you do it publicly, and it's not the kind of hobby you'll use in conversation. I mean it has it's place, and sometimes when all you have is people they can turn out to be great stress balls. I ducked away the first chance I could get, shooting one unassuming matoran with a jitter sphere, sometimes there's quotas I have to fill. Like hurting people because it makes Zaktan happy, also because we're suppose to be "stirring up terror". Which is completely stupid, I mean serious am I the only one who heard about the Dasaka making land here, that isle of women. It pained me to leave all my "lovers" behind. Unfortunately I had outstayed my welcome, and I'm pretty sure a large chunk was being guilty by association. Which by the way isn't fair at all, I'm a pretty reasonable man. It's Hakann you have to worry about...and Reidak....and Vezok...and Zaktan...and rarely Avak. I mean yes Avak does usually build things that explode, maim, or otherwise cause some sort of trauma, mental or otherwise. Beyond that he's just inventive, it's just most of his inventions kill people. I'm sure in the right hands they would be much appreciated. Unfortunately Avak won't let me be his agent, something about 40% being complete . That me taking 60% of the profits was somehow a bad business practice. Really Avak? I mean I'm the one who has to talk to the clients. Schmooze them, tell them their pretty (even if that's a lie), and generally convince them. But no, apparently that's too generous a cut, apparently doing all the back breaking work means I should get only like 1% of the profits. Seriously I can't live on that kind of income! It means I'd have to buy all the boring food! That and I can't buy gals drinks as much. Avak doesn't deserve an agent as good as me.

 

Anyways I found my way to the headquarters, which was pretty obvious to locate considering it was where the seemingly never-ending tide of Ta-Koro Guards poured from. I moved my way through the crowd, palming a badge from an officer who didn't need it. Walking up to the front desk I spoke to the frazzled receptionist.

 

"Excuse me! Yo!" I shouted above all the noise.

 

"What?" the matoran snarled, clearly on edge.

 

"Listen I know you're a little over-worked right now and trust me now is not the best time for idle chat. Right now as you very well know there are five men out there, there might be a sixth but the has eluded me. I've been tracking these men for a while, and it seems I'm here a little too late," I sighed, shaking my head in frustration. I was frustrated, when you friends send all the girls running, it makes really hard to find the next one to have fun with.

 

"Okay fine, what can I help you with and who are you by the way?"

 

"Well I have reason to believe that the most dangerous of them, Vezok is here too. I was sure you brought him into custody but now he has escaped and I won't judge the Ta-Koro Guard for that, he's a slippery one that Vezok. He however will kill someone just because he doesn't like how they look but I need to look at his gear, see if this is the real deal, guy carries signature weapons, a special harpoon tool, and a zamor sphere launcher. I'm assuming if he's the guy, then you have his gear in lock-up. And for who I am, I'm Thok, Detective Thok, was given this by Jaller." I held up the badge I recently acquired. "I need to get to that armory for that reason, but also because I'm going to need some equipment if we want to stop these . So please don't hold me up, lives are at stake here."

[25K Now!]

IC: Stronin

 

"And do you really expect society will let you partake in economic transactions without any money?"

[NorikSigma]

IC: Kahlynn

 

"So, walking," Kahlynn almost yelled to anyone who would listen in an attempt to break the silence. "This is fun."

 

OOC: is this treasure hunt thing still going on

OOC: Gravity said he would put a post up soon. You are in Gravity's quest right?

 

IC: Vygel

The Ba-Toa turned and looked at the red Skakdi.

 

"Oh, it's you, the guy with the whiskey. My thanks again for that, I hope I appropriately remunerated you for that glass," Vygel said cheerfully.