Matoran und Panzer

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Treize

I looked up from my tablet thar I was mapping with. We were at a dead end.

It was then I realized that I was still in my suit. Immediately I facepalmed and activated the high beams which illuminated the room. I used my scope to look for things.

I also took my pistol and loaded it with a crystal.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kotak(Character approved through Skype)

 

He groaned, all but dragging himself out of his bed. His muscles were weak and withered.

 

His Exo suit squatted at the end of the bed, and he painfully clambered into it.

 

The suit closed up around him, and activated with an almost imperceptible hum. Immediately, he felt better, as gravity inside lifted. The suit began to interface with his body, connecting him to his suit on a nueral level. The T.O.A. was much more.... advanced than most, enabling him to feel pressure as well as some pain through a series of complex wirings.

 

He stood, stepping out of his house, his Axe at his waist, and his shield on his arm.

 

Trieze was his home, and he'd lived here all his life. More from necessity than a feeling of home. 

 

But now?

 

Now, the Ko-matoran known as Kotak could go where he pleased.

 

He stepped out into the icy streets.

 

OOC: Kotak open for interaction.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

"The Hadals and us have a long history. They are our less fortunate brethren. Our people trace our lineage to those that lived in the city above. Though it has been diluted through the years, we receive several outsiders a decade."

 

Through his powers, the old man moved his chair closer to the fire.

 

"In the old times, there was a war above ground. Ertrunken was a mighty land. Led by the patron gods of stone, earth, iron and other elements of solidity and strength. The lands to the north were losing, so they sent in great chariots with the strength of gods. They lit stars above the city, setting it ablaze and cursing the land and it's life. At least, that is how the events are told of in our annals. Our people escaped underground before any significant changes occured. The Hadals stayed aboveground and became as beasts. Eventually, the extinction of plants and animals forced them underground. We have been at war ever since. Their hive is an ancient military base down the southern roads."

 

"Now. Are you ready to answer my question?"

[Nato G]

IC: Lufon Vance - Ertrunken.

 

"Wait, what?" I stopped short. I only knew of one military base down here.... and it was the one we were trying to get into. "Perhaps we can help each other after all...." I said with a grin smile. "How would you like our helping in ending your war?"

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat: I sat back, drinking some of the strange, but rather good tea that had been offered to us.

 

"We do have quite a bit of firepower. Well. I do, anyway." I chuckled, mostly to myself.

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Einefus Ingrayv (The Great Hollow)

 

I continue grunting my way down--this goes down pretty deep--and I don't remove my eyes from my feet as I answer Oblitus' question.

 

"Some'in' nasty, no doubt. O' pleasan'. Ain' no way tuh tell. Wha' you think? Dis is yuh espedition affuh all."

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Suko (Treize)

 

"I'm-a followin'."

[silo]

IC: (Olis/???, Vingt)

"Something valuable, hopefully." Olis muttered.

[Some Random Phrase]

IC Elerc: -Treize

Elerc started down the block, mapping out some payment equations as he walked.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

"Ending our war?" The chieftain's face remained stoic, but his eyes showed a cautious curiosity. "You've dodged the question long enough for me to to discern your purpose down here. Your were heading for the Hadal's hive, weren't you? Though you did not know it. Tell me how you came to learn of ruins buried out here? Last I heard, you easterners were all embroiled in a war that no one was admitting culpability for."

 

* * * * * *

 

Shard's lights revealed the ceiling, in between ancient and dusty rafters was a trapdoor of sorts. But, how to open it?

 

In the courtyard, Cor Saeva and Zekev might have noticed a retractable ladder, far up the side of the tower that Shard's group now stood under. But, how to reach it?

 

* * * * * *

 

Down, down and further down the trio ventured. They soon reached the floor of the structure, a great mess of brambles, fallen branches and soil. The golem lay burnt out in front of a small tunnel, this one was not stone, but had walls made of the tree itself. A small gnarled entrance through the roots of the structure.

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

I attempted to fire a crystal at one of the hinges of the door.

Edited February 20, 2015 by ArcticFreeze17

[Nato G]

IC: Lufon Vance - Ertrunken (House).

 

"I thought you said it's been a long time since your scouts ventured up onto the surface," I challenged, eyes narrowed, "how would you know about war and its outcome?"

_____________________________________________________________

 

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Temple).

 

"This looks like our way in," I let go of the vine and dropped the last couple of bio onto the ground, raising my disk launcher and smart-tablet light in front of me. "This had better be worth it..." 

______________________________________________________________

 

IC: Cor Saeva - Burial (Courtyard).

 

Too easy. I pulled out my Volo Lutu launcher, took aim, and fired up at the ladder. 

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

The tunnel twisted through and turned, before opening into a massive cavern. When the trio looked behind them, they would see the trunk they had climbed down, it extended up through the darkness towards the roof. Around them was the sound of gently lapping water. They stood on a narrow beach of whitish, ashy sand that continued on for several dozen bio. Dark waters stretched away into the distance, glimmers of light and vague shapes glinted from far, far away.

 

An absence of echoing suggested the area was very large. Perhaps several kio across.

 

Directly across from them at the other end of the strip of sandy land was a large tomb of pale white rock. It seemed to glow in the darkness, it was several times the height of the matoran trio, and many times that length, like the coffin that their kind used, only greatly magnified. Slumped against it was a darkened figure.

 

* * * * * *

 

"Since scouts ventured out, not since outsiders ventured in." He wore a rather smug look on his face. "Hasn't it occurred to you that I am speaking your language with ease?"

 

* * * * * *

 

The ladder and trapdoor were triggered simultaneously. The rusty mechanism sliding down to Cor Saeva's feet and a steep set of stairs descending to greet Shard.

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Temple).

 

"Hello?" I shuffled forward, keeping my weapon trained on the figure. "Who - or what - are you?" 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Lufon Vance - Ertrunken (House).

 

"Everyone I've ever met speaks this language," I replied snarkily, "so no, not really all that much of a surprise."

________________________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Cor Saeva - Burial (Tower).

 

"Ladies first," I told Zekev as I began to climb, "see you at the top." 

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

Karz, you two are a match made in heaven.

 

I stood, setting my now empty tea cup on a table.

 

"If you'll excuse me, I need a bit of air.  Old man, if you need some help, consider me your woman for the job. Lord knows the LT will just argue all day."

 

With such spoken, I stepped out. 

 

To Karz with war room meetings anyway.

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

A steep set of steps. I began to climb up carefully making sure that the wheels on my vehicle won't accidently roll backwards.

Edited February 20, 2015 by ArcticFreeze17

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

Inside the tower, the expeditionary forces would find treasure trove of ancient weapons. Not ancient in the sense of the swords and longbows below, but ancient in the sense of pre-war weaponry. Crates of ammunition and chests of melee weapons crowded the floors. Racks of firearms hung on the wall. Tall windows let the sunlight illuminate the room, settling the treasures aglimmer.

 

Save for one corner. It contained a lonely block of stone. Inside this stone, an ancient plagiarist had stuck a sword. In the hands of a matoran it would be a two handed weapon, larger races might find it best used as a hand-and-a-half sword. It's blade was a deep grey, almost black and covered in decorative etchings. It's simple crossbar hilt and leather-wrapped handle gleamed like burnished copper.

 

* * * * * *

 

Most times, you could count on a figure or body buried deep underground to be dead. This was the case with the body Oblitus called out to. The corpse was larger than the matoran, not as large as the tomb he lay against, but perhaps half again as tall and more heavily built than they were.

 

His eyes were closed and his heartlight dimmed. The stone a pale iridescent red, contrasting with the deep purples and greys of his armor. His mask was like none that Oblitus had seen. It was fleshy in apperance, with a wide, flattened forehead, almond-shaped eyeholes and two protrusions near the mouth. Next to him lay a diary, not unlike the one the trio had found far above.

 

Sizzling noises and smoke came from the pockets of Einefus and Oblitus as the batteries burnt through them, falling to the sandy ground. The devices now glowed a dull red with heat and spun around in the sand like the needle of a compass gone haywire, pointing not at the body, but past it to the coffin. But, how to gain access?

 

* * * * * *

 

"Hhmph." The old man made a grumpy noise at Lufon's snark and Kat's exit. "Well, my attempts to humor you have clearly broken down. Let's get down to business. Are you here for something from the military base? If so, I ain't gonna object to giving it to you as compensation. My people want nothing to do with anything in that accursed bunker."

OOC

Post ye investigating some object of interest in ye olde tower and ye shall receiveth what is giveth

Edited February 20, 2015 by Tiragath

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

I found myself attracted to the sword. I walked to the corner, my lights illuminating the blade allowing me to see details.

"Ooh. Hey, Sarge. What do you think these items are? Was this some armory?"

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Temple).

 

"Let's see what this guy has to say for himself," Oblitus picked up the book lying beside the corpse. 

______________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Lufon Vance - Ertrunken (House).

 

"Yes. We're here for something in the bunker," I replied stiffly, "if these.... hadals... try to stop us, we'll eliminate them."

______________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Cor Saeva - Burial (Tower).

 

I holstered my blunderbusses and looked at the weapons. Rifles, pistols, all sorts of things, but far more sophisticated than anything I'd ever seen. I reached up to remove one of the rifle-like firearms from the wall, trying to get a better sense of what it was. 

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

"More likely I will." I spoke through the door. 

 

Or to the outside. It was hard to tell.

 

Regardless, a smirk crossed my lips.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

As his hand wrapped around the crumbling leather, Oblitus and the others would've felt an odd sensation. One of a foreign something lodging itself in their brains and pushing around behind their ears and eyes. Stimulating the nerves and organs responsible for hearing. It was not a physical invader, but a mental one.

 

The trio was locked in place, rather out of fear, surprise or some deeper more primal emotion, it was hard to tell. Oblitus was still face to face with the corpse. Not armored as they had imagined, but horrible and corrupted. Empty eye sockets shifted as rotted out pupils dilated in the faint light of his smart tablet.

 

;I see. So, there are still people that live in this word; Soundless and vast, the words were projected like thoughts into their minds. Not only as words either, but a more primal and emotional form of communication. A mixture of sights, sounds, feelings and words. The predominant feeling was one of waiting, vast stretches of times that had passed and would never be recovered and a deep seated feeling of disease or mourning.

 

* * * * * *

 

Cor Saeva would find a weapon completely strange to her. It was a mid-sized rifle for the Vortixx, a hollow space near the trigger had a latching mechanism of some sort and opened into the barrel and firing chamber. Whatever it fired was absent. Casting an eye towards the crates of ammunition would reveal not just shells and pre-packed loads of greypowder, but curious rectangular or curved black cartridges of some sort. The trigger of the weapon responded easily, the soft click of springs resetting the machinery to it's default position quickly. A far cry from the slow firing and clunky triggers modern weaponry had.

 

Shard would find very few details on the blade. It's tracings were patternless. The light that shone onto the dark steel did little to illuminate it, the inky metal greedily devoured it instead.

 

"Good question, soldier." The heavy Vortixx had already picked up a heavy rifle and was fidgeting with a handful of the smooth cartridges in an attempt to find the right one. He cast a glance to the other Vortixx and Skakdi. "Nothing funny, all right? Lot's of weapons in here. So let's keep our trigger discipline in mind."

 

* * * * * *

 

Above Ertrunken, Silat paced anxiously. A dark look on his face and in his steps, he barked a command to the guard of his room. Footsteps and hurried voices came back in minutes. The man a rank below Lufon stood before him. He was a little bit of a yes man, but that was what he needed right now. Not questioning or snark.

 

"Corporal Uruk."

 

The Su-Skakdi gave him a salute. "Silat, sir."

 

"I need you to follow Lufon's group into the tunnels. My patience is wearing thin with them. Find what's taking them so long. Eliminate any hostiles or non-Vingt personnel."

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

I got out of my suit and tried to see if I could pull the blade out with my hands.

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Temple). 

 

"Get out of my head!" I snarled, reaching for my weapon.

____________________________________________________

 

IC: Cor Saeva - Burial (Tower).

 

I dug through the crates and eventually found a box of cartridges that fit my newfound weapon. I slammed one of them into place and fiddled with the catch until it clicked into place. Kneeling down beside the box, I kept digging, finding some kind of telescopic lens that clipped onto the top of the gun.

 

At the bottom of the box, half buried under everything else, was a bayonet as well, half a bio of solid protosteel with a deadly pointed tip. "Now, let's see what this bad boy does...." I picked out a target - an ornate sword sticking out of a rock next to where Shard stood - took careful aim through the scope, and... hesitated.

 

I took a deep breath, braced my shoulder against the stock.... and pulled the trigger.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Roman Torchwick

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

I immediately heard a trigger and instinctively fell to the ground.

Edited February 20, 2015 by ArcticFreeze17

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

The bullet struck the metal and ceased to exist, the air around the blade rippling with heat like a forge.

 

"What the karz was that for?!" Roared Logan.

 

* * * * * *

 

;I am sorry... Truly sorry;

 

Whoever was speaking into the trio's head did not stop at the request of Oblitus, nor when he moved to grab his weapons. The wordless, soundless voice droned on in their heads.

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

Looking at the sword, I realized that it had special properties. Immediately, I tried using my crystal spikes, positioned in such a way that when they grew, they would push up against the hilt and push it out.

 

OOC: Last post today.

Edited February 20, 2015 by ArcticFreeze17

[Nato G]

IC: Cor Saeva - Burial (Armoury Tower).

 

"I thought it was just a sword," I said hesitantly, lowering my weapon. At least the gun worked. "What the karz...." I picked up a dagger out of one of the chests and stepped forwards, reaching out to gently poke the sword with it - first the blade, then the handle.

________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Temple). 

 

"Who are you? What do you want?" 

[Not Quite Dead]

GM

At the attempt to move it with crystals, Shard would find the crystals absorbed by the sword. A simple poke from Cor Saeva's dagger did not produce the same response.

 

* * * * * *

 

The De-Matoran's field of vision was filled with his own reflection, the sightless eyes reflecting his own visage. The suffocating stench and fetid skin was right in his face again, all of them would see a similar sight. Up close, the fleshy mask was pockmarked and worn.

 

;I apologize because we lost. I am sorry for this, we are... ...So, so sorry;

 

Though what exactly each party member would see would differ, the images that wordless voice carried with it were unmistakeable. Mass death, suffering and loss and a sense of resignation and powerlessness. When the voice stopped, the vice grips on their hearts and heads loosened a little, the rotting pale orbs no longer carried their own dead reflection, mere millimeters from their face. Beside the coffin, the corpse lay, as nonthreatening as it had first appeared.

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Vingt (Mangaia Temple).

 

I sagged, sinking to the floor. My voice came out in a low groan. "What the karz was all of that?"

_________________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Cor Saeva - Burial (Armoury Tower).

 

I dropped the dagger and reached out hesitantly with my hand, gently stroking the sword's blade with my claw. 

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard/Burial

"Hey!"

I wanted that sword first, as it was shiny, and I did have first call on treasure, but I grudgingly relented and let her touch the blade. While she did so, I tried to lift the blade by the hilt with my hands.

Edited February 20, 2015 by ArcticFreeze17

[silo]

IC: (Olis/???, Vingt)

"It's generally a bad idea to try and threaten a being who can get inside your head." Olis cut in.

"That battle, that death and suffering and...was that here - on the island, I mean - or somewhere else. See if we can get it to 'speak' again..."

Olis inspected the corpse...it looked like no matoran he had ever seen, and was bigger...could it be a-- no, that was impossible.

"Let's see what's inside the tomb. Hopefully treasure."

OOC: Would the matoran remember the Toa and Turaga? Cos if so, this thing seems like a Turaga.

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Einefus Ingrayv (Mangaia)

 

I remain quiet for some time, letting my eyes take in the massive lake. It is a sight to behold, even for someone like me. I follow the others over to the tomb, and I feel the weird voice--if it could be called that--inside my head. When it passes, I stare at the strange corpse, frowning. This is the first time I have let my expression reflect how I feel, but in this instance, I can't help myself.

 

"Yeah... let's check this tomb out."

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Derkahn (Northern Ihu Highway, entering Motara)

 

Wait, what? "Greatest treasure we have encontered? What the piraka are you talking about?" I have no idea what the commander means. I thought that we were going to just hide and rest here in the west for a while, but I was wrong, apparently. Also surprised that he believes the crazy rumours of treasure. Are all officers prone to becoming mad? Jeesh, thankfully I never got promoted, then.

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arkie (Jatikko/Nomans)

 

"FYI, Derk, rumours say that there's a load of treasure out in Nomans, scattered through a number of old-world locations," I say brightly, jumping down from the turret. "Are there any sandwiches? I'm hungry."
 

[Some Random Phrase]

IC Elerc: -Treize

Halfway down the block, Elerc turned around. "Well, aren't you coming?", he  said to Suko.

[silo]

IC: (Zeleran/The Jatikko, Nomans)

"Driver, did you encounter any more information about these...locations while you were in Neuf?"

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Derkahn (Entering Motara)

 

I sigh and roll my eyes. Didn't he hear what I said some time ago? "I did mention the fevered story some nice guy told me. He was either drunk or insane, so I didn't take the story seriously. But hey, driving can be boring, so I can tell you his tale if you want."

[silo]

IC: (Zeleran/The Jatikko, Nomans)

Zeleran was slightly disapproving of the Driver's attitude, but he was an asset and so could be tolerated.

"Yes, pray tell us."

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Derkahn (Entering Motara)

 

"Very well then. So, this guy went treasure hunting with a Skakdi, on a boat. They travelled west, as far as west goes, where they found a city on a peninsula. The city was ruined, apparently." I pause when I need to temporarily focus on driving. The road should straighten and get less deep once we descend from the mountains.

 

"Anyways, they entered a metal.. what was it? A catacomb? Something like that. Then they got attacked by giant crabs, hehe. Afterwards they found a room with a talking computer. Can you imagine that? Ridiculous. Or was it talking? Well. it asked them a question and then.. the Skakdi, I think, spontaneosly combusted." I chuckle and say "I told you he was insane! Brahah! He told me that he managed to escape and get back to Neuf. I personally believe that the story is embellished or a complete lie."

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arkie (Jatikko/Nomans)

 

"I still want a sandwich."

 

IC: Suko (Treize)

 

"'course I'm comin'. I wouldn't wanna pass up the chance of bein' able ta blow things up legally now, would I?"

Edited February 21, 2015 by Miras: Makuta of Awesome