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IC: Mitsuri - Oki Village Outskirts

She could feel the shy one quivering in her armor by her side, but her voice came through clearly and with impressive surety. Mitsuri's eye met hers through her Volitak's visor for only a brief moment before it was her turn to look away shyly, her Vilda pride trying to hide it in a wince and a turn to the Iden wearer offering a much appreciated drink, but her Vilda training instinctively projected a calming aura to try to ease the stress. .:I appreciate your kindness, travelers... and your conviction.:. She offered a gentle nod toward Raika as her other hand guided the flask to her own lips. She... reminded Mitsuri of someone. Not as brazen perhaps, but the determination, the kindness was there... but she shouldn't think of that now.

For the first time, Mitsuri realized they had another unusual guest standing at a distance from their little huddle. He spoke up, offering a stiff bow to her. She nodded in return as she answered. .:You have a trained eye, Mashtet Ahri. Yes, I am Vilda Mitsuri, and this is my companion, Shinku. I am... relieved to hear others have found safe harbor nearby, and though I may have little to offer physically at the moment, I will do whatever I can to aid your noble venture.:.

OOC: Apologies for the wait @Lady Takanuva@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404

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IC: Raika

 

Rivulets of calm crept through the panic in Raika's chest, until she could breathe steadily again. There was some anxiety, still, about their new arrival getting inside of her head so easily.

 

But… the calm wormed its way deeper and deeper, until it pushed slowly through the wall that had been holding back all of the Menti's emotion like rain through a fortress wall.

 

Their shaking intensified, now also fuelled by sheer exhaustion as the last two days' events caught up with her. 

 

Two meals, an hour's sleep. The days settled on her like snow, bringing a gentle numbness, a relaxation…

 

Ice ran through Raika's veins as she felt the gentle pressure against her mind. 

 

Willhammer

 

The barriers around Raika's mind slammed up, iron-hard and frosted with hostility at this unwanted intrusion. 

Hostility and panic.

 

What would happen if she found out, my brave little warrior? Little boy, who wore another's armor and fled when his village burned?

 

The immediate rush of fury and betrayal was tempered by something half-remembered from childhood.

 

Seeing her mother, holding a sobbing warrior close, the pain draining from her face. The utter, complete calm of that room. The safety. 

 

Healing. Mitsuri likely thought she was helping.

 

Shame flowed across their mind for the third time that day, and some of the frost on her barrier walls melted. But barriers they remained.

 

.:...Please… stay out of my mind:. spoke Raika, as steadily as possible. .:I… thank you for your effort, but that is something you need my permission for, Vilda Mitsuri.:.

 

She felt a knot in her stomach even as she said this. Like she was already driving a wedge between them.

 

.:... I am not angry,:. she said, letting some of the tension leave her shoulders, .:just… tired. Perhaps a bit on edge.:.

 

She couldn't stop the almost violent shaking of her body. The cool panic that had kept her going had been thoroughly drained away, to be replaced with bone-melting exhaustion.

 

Through the haze, they spoke .:...my…p-promise… still stands.:.

 

@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404 @Click

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Whatever mountain you are climbing, you can do this.

                                       BZPRPG character masterpost

20220406_234727.jpg

                      "Just promise me something... don't let me go."

 

 

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IC: Caana (Hanaloi, Forest)

The Ronin secured her staff once more upon her back, summoning her bow again as she began to back out of the clearing. Only once she was clear would she dispel her weapon, and with it the light that illuminated her position.

And as the flickering blue glow dissipated, Caana smiled.

OOC: Caana to the Mashtet Fortress.

Edited by Goose
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[BZPRPG PROFILES]

Nikarra - Kaelynn - Ronan - Muir - Donal Aerus - Montague - Kira - KouraLearu - Alteora - Fuacht - Caana Nessen - Merrill

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IC: Yoka - (mostly) Oki Abandoned Village

When Mitsuri had finished drinking, Yoka took the waterskin back and hung it from her hip. Then, sitting back, resumed the work of clearing space around her. Targeting her thoughtspeak more precisely to those of her companions who where able to hear it, she suggested, .:Might we perhaps continue this discussion out loud?:.

"Were you here when this village was... When whatever happened, happened, Mitsuri?" She repeated the name purposefully, for both Yuna and Ikyazu's sakes. Once the rubble was clear, and not threatening to shift, she stooped over the Vilda, examining her wounds more closely, to determine if it would be okay to move her.

 

OoC: Just gonna leave these here to copy-paste if I want Ikyazu to say something in my next post. Pay it no mind:「」

@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404 @Click@Lady Takanuva

BZPRPG Profiles
If I go AWOL for a while, feel free to contact me via Discord

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IC Yuna Koizumi - Oki Village:

The silence had grown increasingly awkward, punctuated only by the occasional gesture. It was a painfully familiar kind of silence that I'd been more than happy to not deal with for a while. It was difficult not to wonder on the contents of those silent conversations I could not hear. It was instinctual, almost natural that I faded into the background, a silent, deaf observer of things I couldn't even begin to fathom.

 

Ikyazu broke the silence unexpectedly, which drew me out of that line of thought, and I reengaged a bit, though to be honest, with as many actual Menti here, I much suspected they'd habitually slip back into thought-speak again before long.

Edited by The UltimoScorp
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IC: Raika

 

.:Might we perhaps continue this discussion out loud?:.

 

Raika felt like the ground had been kicked out from under them. Out loud.

 

Say something, quiet one. How hard can it be?

 

Rather than flushing, the color drained from the Menti's cheeks at this. 

 

She looked to Yuna, looking a little lost and… well, left out. She'd never met someone who could not understand her ideatalk before. The habit of a lifetime must seem like an act of deliberate exclusion each time she used it. But… what option did she have? 

 

Should she tell her… what? That her voice had never been found? That she'd strained for years to make anything more than a harsh groan? The disgust on her Father's face as she'd been taught old field signs so she didn't need to always carry a slate around "polite company?" The raw desperation that had led her to learn ideatalk so she could finally say something? 

 

You're too silent when you walk around. You need a bell, little royal pet?

 

Raika began to respond to Ikyazu, but bit themself back.

 

Desperately, she glanced to Ahri. But what could he do? On top of that, her hands were shaking too much to sign.

 

The mocking voices of her childhood ringing in Raika's ears, she lowered her head and prepared to be called out for her silence.

 

@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404 @Click

Edited by Lady Takanuva
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Whatever mountain you are climbing, you can do this.

                                       BZPRPG character masterpost

20220406_234727.jpg

                      "Just promise me something... don't let me go."

 

 

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IC: Chand Kura - Odaiba - Western Wilderness

At first I wasn't sure what to make of Hyan-Fei's gesture. She reminded me of many of the Longs I came to know atop the Mountain. Though she was different in many ways, there was a quiet reservation about her that made me feel like she had more to say. But, sometimes, what somebody doesn't say is nearly as revealing. I returned the smile and watched her turn away - off to find us another meal. I had never been any good at catching fish - though I had plenty of experience hunting and trapping other game - so I was thankful that she seemed keen to take it on for the both of us. As she descended the slight slope towards the water, I turned and went back to finding wood for a fire. I uttered a short prayer that it would be dry to avoid signaling our location to the Rahkshi atop the mountain.

As I stepped over logs and began collecting sticks for kindling, my mind began to wander. Under the darkening sky, listening to the rustling of the leaves beneath my feet, I began to hear the voice of my mother... It had been so uncharacteristically angry.

* * * * *

"How dare you look through my things!-" she said, the letter and necklace crumpled in her closed fist, which shook while she hissed at me, trying to keep her voice down in the camp. The items she held were lit up by the fire crackling between us, and made her unusually harshed features, harsher, "Through your own mother's things, Kura."

But I too had been angry. I drew in a sharp breath, keeping my eyes on her hand - and on the items addressed to me, meant for me. From none other than a man who claimed to be my father. The necklace was simple, adorned with various yonoki shells. The largest ones in the middle, spreading out up the neck smaller and smaller until there was only string. The letter claimed that the necklace was made for me as a gift, meant to be given to me at the time of my birth. But only now, as an adult I had found it, hidden away. The letter had said my mother might try to keep it from me too, another reason any guilt I might have felt at the time of snooping had washed away.

"Those were not yours to keep from me," I said, hearing my voice raise alongside the fire inside me. This betrayal - I felt - was too much for me to contain, "All my life you've kept him like an awful secret, but he is my father, and I have a right to know who he is," my mother's expression suddenly became more intense, as though she was about to shout at me - something she never once did. I wouldn't even give her the chance. I pressed on before she could respond, yelling loud enough for others in the camp to hear, "I have a right to know who I am!"

Then, suddenly, I reached out across the campfire to snatch my things from her hands and - *snap!*

* * * * *

The sound of wood cracking beneath my feet made me nearly jump in fear, pulling me back to reality instantly. I looked down and lifted my foot to see a small oak branch, snapped in two.

I stared at it for quite some time, wishing it had been the only thing in my life I had trampled over and destroyed. Eventually, I bent down and picked it up, casually adding it to my armful of fuel for the night, and turning back towards Hyan-Fei and the water.

OOC: @Zasshu oh hey

Edited by Palm
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IC: Mitsuri - Oki Village Outskirts

Willhammer, such a coarse name for such a delicate process. She preferred to think of her powers as less of a blunt weapon, and more like a delicate massage, easing her way into a mind, proving that she had only good intentions. Her mental fingers gently worked into Raika’s mind, easing the fear like that of a startled animal. Clearly this one needed her so much, she could feel the exhaustion… And so it was a great surprise as walls slammed down on her mental fingers, and she physically recoiled for a moment before getting her bearings again.

The conversation had moved along as Mitsuri’s focus was divided, now being redirected out of the mind and into the open air. Well, she wasn't about to speak up unless asked, and they knew perfectly well why. .:I've been here since the... attack. We... I heard screams, but... I couldn't get out before...:. Her focus broke, the distant recollection of events suppressed suddenly becoming all too real again, engulfing her in the same panic she had been fighting back for weeks, letting it leak slightly through her still-open mental connection. It had smashed through the wall like nothing, debris and dust settling on its brown carapace as its piercing red eyes found hers, striking out with a staff that broke from the past and smashed across her face, erupting fresh agony like lava through scars cooled over…

She took a deep, shuddering breath, blinked hard, and returned to the present. She was clutching her right cheek hard, and it was only with difficulty that she forced herself to let go. They were looking at her, especially the Iden wearer. That one was getting a little too close for comfort, peering through Mitsuri’s mask at the blood soaked bandages. It was clear why talking pained her, her lips peeked through the bandages covered in scars, gently bleeding again at her exertion. But the scars seemed limited to her head, neck, and chest, shockingly little damage seemed done to the rest of her, at least, nothing quite so severe, aside from the oddly bandaged fingers. She had truly been lucky, those beams that had imprisoned her had also kept her from fatal harm. She was just weak from lack of real food and movement for an extended period.

She turned her head down shyly at the scrutiny, finishing her thought with a soft, .:They ruined… everything they touched… no warning, no  negotiating… no explanation…:.

Her eyes flicked to Raika and she projected a thought just to her. .:My apologies, friend. I am… unused to sentient minds. Minds with emotions… with secrets. I swear I saw nothing… nothing but your fear and exhaustion. I will not intrude again, but… if this is not inappropriate… I would like to help you ease your burden, if you ever feel ready.:.


The Sakl bird Shinku had gone unnoticed for a moment, sitting up on its perch above the ruins, looking down on the group as the very image of a monarch beholds their subjects, but as Ikyazu left the rubble, Shinku abruptly swooped down into the hole its master had been extracted from, hopping down to the floor, and fishing about in the rubble there for a moment. There was a sharp sound like crystal ringing as something fell.

 

OOC: @Lady Takanuva@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404

Edited by Click
Correction, Mitsuri did not receive the instruction to speak, slight formatting changes
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IC: Ahri - Abandoned Village

Raika's glance didn't escape Ahri's notice. He glanced back, then returned his gaze to Mitsuri. "We should get back to the coast; I haven't met any of these creatures firsthand yet, but I'd rather get started on the boat so I don't have to."

The older male turned back to the coast and started walking. .:Judging by what's under your mask, Vilda, it can't be easy to talk; communication is a challenge for our little band. For reasons neither she nor any know, Yuna cannot perceive our Ideatalk, while Raika is unable to speak. At least both you and Raika are Willhammers; that will help in the short term. Yuna's clan also never taught her to sign, either; from what I gather, she has gone untrained as a Menti because she is unable to affect solid objects with her Mindarm, only water.:.

Ahri sighed audibly. "Yuna, we're going to have to teach you some signs; the Mashtet taught me so that we could communicate silently without Fursics or their allies listening in; it could serve as a common language until we can get you all to the healers on Sado." As his mind filtered through memories, there was a sharp pain in his temples; wincing, Ahri put a hand to his head. "Until all of us see the healers, I suppose..."

OOC: @Click @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @ARROW404

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The times, they are a-changing...

 

 

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IC Yuna Koizumi - Oki village:

I shrugged agreeably, "Happy to learn, I just never had the time or a teacher before, y'know? Or... well,. a reason to learn I suppose."

Part of me dreaded what would happen when we got to Sado, but another part of me hoped that the Imperial healers might be able to un-**** whatever was wrong with my brain. Who knows, maybe I could be a proper Menti after all?

It was a quiet, cautious hope.

 

Edited by The UltimoScorp
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IC: Yoka

Yoka glanced at Ahri as he mentioned the Willhammers. He seemed to have forgotten Ikyazu was one too. She preferred not to remind him though. The less juggling between the two spirits they had to do, the better. The male winced with pain, and Yoka's brow furrowed with curiosity. A question for later, though.

"Can somebody make a stretcher for Mitsuri?" she asked, back to business. Leaning into the hole, she felt about the spot where the bird had landed, curious about the crystalline sound. Ikyazu had heard it too, and floated into the ground in her ghostly state to find it. With a gesture, she showed Yoka where it was, saving her a moment.

BZPRPG Profiles
If I go AWOL for a while, feel free to contact me via Discord

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IC: Raika

 

The anticipated scorned looks and jeers… did not come. Raika waited for them to descend as they always had done, but… it seemed this group had more on their minds than simple mockery. 

 

Relief flooded the menti. No… more than relief. As if her panic had been staving off the exhaustion, all the strength left Raika's body as if the marrow had been sucked from her bones. The past sleepless days caught up with her, demanding payment with interest. Her vision swam, and she had the vague sense of the ground rocking beneath her as she slumped to the ground like a boneless fish.

 

Shakily, she tried to drag herself to her feet, but her vision swam before her and she staggered backward, tripping over an upturned flagstone and folding like ricepaper.

 

.:skoay:. they tried to speak, .:'mfine. 'cn wakl. 'mfine…:.

They could hardly rally the strength to send coherent ideatalk. 

 

Blearily, they tried to look at… what was her name? Newcomer. All… so blurry…

 

…had she intended… had…

 

Raika couldn't have reached for her dagger if another Tuurahk had been breathing down her mask. The tiny, battered warrior had no choice but to lay there, crumpled, unable to utter even a coherent plea for help.

 

OOC:

@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404 @Click

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Whatever mountain you are climbing, you can do this.

                                       BZPRPG character masterpost

20220406_234727.jpg

                      "Just promise me something... don't let me go."

 

 

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IC: Mitsuri (Shinku- Oki Village Outskirts

.:I see. Thank you for informing me, Mashtet Ahri. I certainly have stumbled into a strange group, but I will endeavor to make things as smooth as I can.:.

A strange group indeed. The clan Mashtet had not escaped Mitsuri's notice, nor had the fact that this appeared to be a male from the mysteriously lost clan. The story had fascinated her, though she never had much time to look into it. Perhaps she...

Ahri flinched, a hand to his head. .:Are you well, Mashtet?:. she projected softly, trying to ignore his mention of the Fursics. .:I may have little in the way of healing training, but I will offer what I can until...:.

Beside her, Raika suddenly collapsed. Mitsuri fell too, more intentionally than it looked, in an attempt to catch her. Kneeling beside Raika, she held up a hand to the others. .:She's fine, don't worry. Poor thing must have been going for days. I think I might have... reminded her of that fact, unintentionally. Please, if you could put together a stretcher, save it for her. A walk may do me some good, but she needs the rest.:. Guilt chewed at the back of Mitsuri's mind, though guilt for what, she wasn't sure. She had only done what she was trained to, soothing and nourishing, almost without even thinking. Even now, her fingers gently brushed Raika's mask like her mother had done when she was feeling ill, her powers projecting a similar superficial feeling of calm into the exhausted Menti. 

 

Back in the collapsed hut, Yoka's hand bumped against the flat of a long crystal blade that Shinku was almost fruitlessly tugging at. It was a tonfa, one of a pair, the other seemingly braced against a wall opposite. The pale crystal matched Mitsuri's armor, and it was shot through with veins of wood, elegant as a Mashtet carving, but without their signature imagery. Perhaps even more catching was the hole scratched through the floorboards of the hut between the two blades. In the filthy, broken hut, this one spot was clean, the exposed earth settled  and bare except for a name laid out with care in pale crystal: :f::u::r::s::i::c:  :h::e::i::y::a:

 

OOC: @Lady Takanuva@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404

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[Sado, Streets(Morie)]
Outwardly, Morie remained as stoic as ever, but she was keenly aware of the aches in her joints, which were becoming ever more noticeable in lieu of Suzume’s dilly-dallying.  Surely this menti realized her mother was dead?   Then again, all clues pointed to common sense not being her strong suit.

Morie decided to advance stealthily, betraying only a hint of her annoyance in her tone of voice.

“What was your mother’s name?”


OOC: @Perp

There's a dozen selves inside you, trying to be the one to run the dials

[BZPRPG Profiles]

Hatchi - Talli - Ranok - Lucira - FerellisMorie - Fanai - Akiyo - Yukie - Shuuan - Ilykaed - Pradhai - Ipsudir

And some aren't even on your side.

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IC: Hanaloi

Breathing heavily, Askha trudged uphill through the undergrowth. She needed a break; she put her back to a tree, sagging as the rush of danger gave way to weary aching. Above her, leaves rustled and a branch bent, and Askha's breath caught in her throat as she looked up, raising her saber; one of the Kaazi scouts looked back at her through their camouflage netting. Askha let the breath out, and the weariness came back.

.:Sound off, who's still up?:.

.:Keeping an eye on the Demons and their servants.:. Lana. .:Cant find all the slugs, be careful:.

.:I'm still standing, Riko isn't; I'm binding her wounds. The Kuychar Koshi Zrupgar that were with me... one fell to Zataka's influence. Not sure if the other made it out.:. Hambra tightened the bandage; the younger Zrupgar still bled, and her breathing was shallow. One of her scouts handed her some bright flowers, and Hambra hesitated. These herbs would slow Riko's blood and breath, though she might die, she had already sustained so much trauma. Frowning, Hambra made up her mind: If this killed Riko, it would be no different than ending her suffering herself. She placed the petals inside the wounded Taajar's mouth and waited for the results.

OOC: @Mel


IC: Somei - Mashtet Castle, Hanaloi

If the Carver had seen the state of the castle with her old eyes, Somei reflected that she likely would have felt somber. Now, however, she felt the potential of the ancient structure. She levitated herself off the kavinika, which shuddered with fatigue. The outer gates stood open, their illusions flickering and dying. Somei smiled; it was time to begin her work.

Somei ran a hand along the gate's surface, a massive wooden door that currently hung ajar. Formerly, it was a soft design with vines and leaves, but it would not hold such triviality any longer. The vine images withered, growing thorns and multiplying, casting unnatural shadow. They pricked at the edges of Somei's consciousness, but she smiled; Zataka had shown her the truth of it, and it didn't hurt any longer.

She moved inside the castle proper, and was greeted with two rahkshi; the rahkshi of gravity that had been wounded, and another that was treating it. They glanced at Somei, but that was the only acknowledgment of her presence. Somei smiled as she glanced through the ruins.

"It's good to be home again."

OOC: @Nato G @Goose

Edited by Keeper of Kraata

The times, they are a-changing...

 

 

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[Hanaloi, Observatory Entrance (Mari/Rina)]
::I am okay.   Knocked around a bit, but okay—Rina’s doing fine as well.::

Mari nailed another Kraata to a tree, going of the psychic nudge from Fanai.  The arrows of the Kaazi scouts had been the tipping point to easily finish off the Kavanika that had decided to keep attacking.

::We need to get to the ship.::

 

[Hanaloi, Observatory Entrance(Fanai/Murasaki)]
Fanai had by now learned to easily recognize the psychic taint that marked the presence of the slugs, so she was left with enough mental focus to send a private ideatalk message to Askha.

::Askha—I am sorry…I sensed Somei above us, trying to scramble our senses.   Her mind belongs to Zataka now.::

Murasaki was clearing a path for their retreat, heedless of the protests of the Kaazi at the vehemence with which she attacked the nearby undergrowth.

[Hanaloi, Forest (Falki)]
It was easy for someone as small and nimble as Falki to duck under the log Hambra threw.   For a moment she considered following the Kaazi leader, but no, Hambra was an obstacle.   She would be slain if she got in the way, but it was the Imperials that were the real target.

She slunk into the forest, following Caana.


OOC: @Goose Falki to the mashtet fortress.

 

[Hanaloi, Forest (Semeraed/Sedskar)]
Semeraed was a reserved woman, and so the task of battling willhammers had never come easily to her.  She could keep her walls up well enough, but the secret to koshi zrupgar anti-willhammering technique lay in bearing one’s soul, overwhelming the enemy with the force of your inner self.   She had always struggled to let that slip.

Until now.

It was dark, the demons were about, and Falki had been taken from her.   Yet, close, unrecognizable to one who was unfamiliar, came a sharp, guttural honk.

And Semeraed felt it all, so much.   Her pain and her loss, her love and her relief, all the romps along the beach and kisses stolen under the stars, she let it spill out of her.   Fine, you can have it if you’re so eager.

You can have all of it.

She released both the branch and the arrow at the same time.



The Husi is a curious bird.   Lacking splendor or flight, it is easily overlooked by all but those who take on the mostly thankless task of trying to train one.

But anyone who as seen it dispatch a gafna realizes that this bird is above all a predator, tenacious and opportunistic.

Sedskar was well familiar with all of these facts, not the least of which because Dapys was very enthusiastic about showing him what creatures she could slaughter and stuff down her gullet.

The kraata, however, was not very delicious.  As Sedskar charged in, scattering the bewildered kavinika (except for the one which now had a beak-shaped hole in it), the husi spit out the slug in two pieces.   A body fell next to him, and he found himself looking down at a single yellow eye.

It was a lot to process, so he did the only thing he could think to, grabbing Semeraed’s hand and pulling her up behind him.   She appeared to be bruised, but nothing was broken—all those in clan kuychar had to learn the necessary art of falling off a soko, of relaxing the muscles while doing so to prevent broken bones.

He wrenched the husi around, ignoring her protests, and dug his heals in.


“There’s Taajar, near here,” Semeraed said, as they fled for cover.   Her voice sounded empty, hollow.

“Where’s Falki?” Sedskar was very good at telling when something was wrong.  He could at least do that.

“Falki’s gone.”

There was no time to ask what she meant.   He could tell, somehow, that she wasn’t dead—she couldn’t be dead—but…in Semeraed’s dull, exhausted voice, there seem to be the implication that what had happened was almost worse.

OOC: @Keeper of Kraata Semeraed and Sedskar to the Kaazi camp.  Up to you whether the rakshi is going to chase them or not.

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There's a dozen selves inside you, trying to be the one to run the dials

[BZPRPG Profiles]

Hatchi - Talli - Ranok - Lucira - FerellisMorie - Fanai - Akiyo - Yukie - Shuuan - Ilykaed - Pradhai - Ipsudir

And some aren't even on your side.

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IC:

The katana was embedded to the hilt, the midnight-blue blade skewered alike through woman as through wall. All that was left to be seen was bone, and blood. People had killed for that sword; people had died for it. This was the way of things.

As the girl looked into her aunt’s eyes in those final moments, there was no fear, no sadness. Only anger… and pride.

Caana had never felt so disgusted in her life.

 

The gates to the Mashtet fortress lay ajar, but were at least not too badly damaged. Though the once-imposing structure now lay in ruins, she suspected it would still hold up under a direct assault, limiting the options of the enemy. If her plans succeeded then it would be as foolish as it was pointless for the islanders or the expedition to lay siege to it.

As she entered, Caana noted that the corrupted Datsue had arrived already, and though they had travelled in silence she knew that Falki was not far behind her. That left only one ally unaccounted for – the very one with whom Caana intended to speak.

“Where is Vazaria?”

OOC: @Nato G @Mel @Keeper of Kraata

Edited by Goose
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[BZPRPG PROFILES]

Nikarra - Kaelynn - Ronan - Muir - Donal Aerus - Montague - Kira - KouraLearu - Alteora - Fuacht - Caana Nessen - Merrill

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IC: Vazaria – Mashtet Fortress

“I'm here,” came Vazaria’s husky voice from behind Caana. Hobbling slightly on her wounded leg, one hand pressed to the gash on her forearm, the vulture made her way through the fortress’ ancient doors to join her newfound allies.

With the Quick Healing Rahkshi preoccupied with tending to its own kin first, Vazaria had been waiting by the well, contemplating the scene she’d witnessed in the tunnels below. While she’d initially cared little about the specifics of what had befallen the Mashtet, Caana’s interest combined with her heated encounter with Askha had piqued her own curiosity about the lost tribe’s fate.

History, it seemed, had a profound presence on this island. The Mashtet had built the fortress over the Rahkshi’s subterranean tunnels, the Rahkshi had taken it back, and now the surviving Mashtet sought to reclaim it in turn.

The events of the next few days would likely decide if that cycle was to continue or cease.

“It’s a pleasure to meet in person,” she said. “You had questions?”

@Goose @Mel @Keeper of Kraata

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IC: Caana (Hanaloi, Forest)

“That's correct.” Caana’s gaze was ice-cold; she didn’t know what to think of this Vazaria. She bore the same marks as Falki and the Datsue, meaning she had likely been pressed into service. Another dog of war.

“Two, to be precise: firstly, that attack. That was your idea?”

OOC: @Nato G

Edited by Goose
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IC: Vazaria - Mashtet Fortress

"Not mine, theirs," she gestured towards the Rahkshi, "They've occupied the fort since before I arrived. Zataka sent me to assist." 

@Goose

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[Hanaloi, Mashtet Fortress (Falki)]

Falki had found a small corner to curl up in and inspect her weapons, her blood-red eyes occasionally flickering to Caana and Vazaria in conversation.   The effect was rather less like a soldier waiting for orders and more like a bored cat waiting for something to pique its interest.

OOC: @Nato G @Goose @Keeper of Kraata

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IC: Caana (Mashtet Fortress)

“Mm.” Caana’s eyes narrowed. Zataka had sent Vazaria as… backup?

And did so without informing her of my presence. A test, then, of both her agents’ capabilities.

“The attack was foolish. You surrendered the element of surprise, and all-but abandoned a fortified position, making yourself and the Rahkshi with you vulnerable in the process. I am unsure how exactly these masks of yours work; that is something I will have to investigate later. For now, you do not answer to the Rahkshi – from now on, you answer to me.” She projected her voice this time, looking over each of the Infected and the Rahkshi, arms folded behind her back. She recognised one carrying the same staff she did, healing its comrade much as she had witnessed before, and took note; if it could heal non-Rahkshi too, it would be invaluable.

“I, too, was sent by Zataka. But I have been sent in possession of my own mind, working by my own free will, to take charge of Her forces on Hanaloi and see that the opponents to Her will are stopped. This, at least, we are in an excellent position to do; I was able to gather information on their objectives and their numbers, while they viewed me as an ally.”

She turned again, focusing her attention once more on Vazaria. “These creatures, the slugs that inhabit the Rahkshi. Do we have more of them?”

OOC: @Nato G @Keeper of Kraata @Mel

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IC: Vazaria – Mashtet Fortress

“But I’m-” her protest died in her throat.

Was she here of her free will? She’d willingly offered herself into Zataka’s service, but Zataka had still infected her mask, dispelling her doubts and robbing her of reluctance. The fact that this woman had walked in with her mask unmarred could only mean that Zataka trusted her more than she did Vazaria.

Her elation at having new allies was swiftly souring. She thought they were all equals under Zataka, but yet again she found herself the lackey of another master. Always the follower…

What did it matter? This wasn’t about personal glory. It was about seeing Zataka’s will fulfilled.

Still, she couldn't keep the barest hint of bitterness from creeping into her voice as she addressed Caana’s question. “There are hundreds more, but most of them are… dormant, for lack of a better word. The Rahkshi and I have been bringing them up from below for the healer to restore.”

@Goose

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[Hanaloi, Mashtet Fortress (Falki)]
Falki felt none of Vazaria’s resentment, only a detached bemusement.   Caana could strut and posture all she wanted, she knew that Falki wasn’t someone to be ignored, or she would, when the bruise started to really bloom.

Falki could recognize a planner when she saw one, however.   That was what they needed, somebody to coordinate and make sure they could each be the most effective.   In her mind, this did not elevate Caana—it simply meant she had a different task.

"You intend to use these creatures to our advantage," she stated, inserting herself into the conversation.  The kraata of elasticity had slithered up to her right shoulder, as if it sensed it was the subject of conversation.  "How?"


@Goose @Nato G

Edited by Mel
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IC: Caana (Mashtet Fortress)

Curious. Vazaria was holding something back; Caana would have to ascertain exactly what that was at a later point.

“Simply put? They are how we win, without having to exchange so much as another blow. If there is any way to determine their abilities before reviving them, then we should focus on those with powersets related to heat, such as the one you made good use of in the battle.” She looked to Vazaria as she spoke the last few words, and though her own expression didn’t soften, she hoped at least that her compliment might take the edge off of Vazaria’s bitterness. Developing good relations with her allies would be vital to their long-term success, even if establishing her own authority was currently a higher priority.

“The primary goal of the Dasaka’s Hanaloi expedition is to secure a new source of timber for the war effort. That said, Hanaloi is also of significant sentimental value to the Mashtet, who still consider it their home. It is thanks to this that we have the opportunity to win a major victory on two fronts; the first, obviously, is strategic, denying our enemies access to a valuable resource. The second, however, is the damage we can do to morale. We will burn this forest to the ground, and when we do, the fires will reach so high that they are seen from Sado, and the smoke will blot out the sky. When at last the flames are sated, the charred island will stand as a monument to Zataka’s power, and to Her ruthlessness.

“The Empire has come here for lumber. We will give them tinder.”

OOC: @Nato G @Mel @Keeper of Kraata

Edited by Goose
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IC: Somei (Mashtet Fortress, Hanaloi)

Somei's attention was drawn to one of the slugs, slithering near her, and invited it onto her arm. She marveled at it. "Kraata," she said, knowing its name now. "Divine creatures, aren't they?"

Something inspired her. She brushed her free hand along the wall; the fading illusion was a stylized beach and sunset. Inky shadow spread from her fingertips; the wooden panel walls became worked stone and obsidian.

"Though if I may offer a correction... yes, the Empire came for lumber to build their ships. Elements of both Plangori and Dastana, supported by Mashtet survivors, but helping the Empire was a secondary concern for us."

Somei joined the two Dasaka, letting off the kraata. "Askha and I came to reclaim this fortress and use it to rebuild, to drag Clan Mashtet back from death; to reunite with their old allies the Kaazi, use the spy stations here to monitor what cannot be seen from Sado." The infected Datsue smiled wryly. "It is safe to say that plan is dashed. But your plan... is exquisite. I can taste the pain I would feel. But further, there may be an advantage keeping this fortress; such a blow to the Dasaka's morale... throngs would abandon the new Empress to serve Zataka. Her seat of power on Mount Koshiki speaks of her power, but is fit for a goddess and her sons, not for those enlightened to follow her."

OOC: @Mel @Nato G @Goose

 

IC: North Hanaloi Forest

Askha clutched at her mask; her eye was thankfully still there, but the pain of her cut mask nearly cut out her sight anyway .:Yeah, falling back to the ship. I won't object to that. I need to-:. She took a moment to play back Fanai's Ideatalk in her mind, the sensations.

.:But... we don't know... how...:. The Ideatalk came as fast as her mind grappled with this news. She had failed to protect her family. Again. She wanted to curl up and be done with it all, but something inside her told her: get up, survive now, mourn later. Don't trip over the lost when saving the living. She followed one of the Kaazi scouts and came upon Hambra, who was watching over the limp form of Riko; the Zrupgar was still breathing for now, but it was slow. "Hambra, she needs to be treated at Sado."

The hulking Taajar did not look up at Askha. "I know."

"I... don't know how safe Hanaloi is anymore."

"Hanaloi is our home, Mashtet."

Askha was expecting insults, biting comments that she was running again. "It's mine too. But from where we were half an hour ago, we are down a few and they got reinforcements; those slug things, they are dangerous, and people are defecting, willingly or... not." Her mask crumpled as she stifled a wave of tears. "If you want it official, fine. My mother's dead, and since I'm the last Mashtet to claim it, that makes me Toroshu. Now and forever, I dissolve the Kaazi Tribe's duties on Hanaloi; you're no longer bound to the island, or our agreements."

The Jahagir silently considered Askha's words. Hambra gingerly picked up the unconscious Riko and offered the form to Askha. "Take her; when you are all back at your ship, sail to the south edge of the island. I'm going to take the Kaazi and meet up with our Kuychar cousins; hopefully, I can convince them we all need to leave." She backed away into the undergrowth, letting out a low but loud whistle; gathering the scouts to return home. "Good luck, Askha. Be careful." She left,and aside from the crunching of brush as scouts followed, the forest was silent. No rahi, not even insect calls

OOC: @Mel Hambra to the Kaazi camp, Askha (carrying Riko) regrouping with the others to make for the Dastana's boat.

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IC: Vazaria – Mashtet Fortress

Vazaria knew better than most the pain flame could bring. She had felt its scorching caress on her skin, seen it consume all trace of her clan and kin… this was a good plan.

“The well outside leads to tunnels down below,” she said. “That’s where the rest of the kraata are. There’s breathable air, and access to water. We can ride out the firestorm there, and secure the fortress once the smoke has cleared.”

One concern still lingered, though: Askha.

She had already faced the woman once, seen her drive and determination on full display. She didn’t strike Vaza as one to abandon her bid to reclaim her home.

She turned to Somei. “You say you knew Askha. Even if we razed the island to ruin, would that be enough to actually stop her from trying to retake this place?”

@Keeper of Kraata @Goose

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[Hanaloi, Mashtet Fortress (Falki)]
Well, best stop dreaming and start doing.

Falki unfolded herself from the position on the floor and began to move towards the well.

[Hanaloi, Forest Path (Mari/Rina)]
Mari had honestly expected Askha to stubbornly insist on staying, but the taking of her auntie had apparently shaken her up.

The Dastana menti couldn’t find much satisfaction in this fact, however.   This was a clear loss for them, no matter how much information they could bring back to Sado.  Morie’s trinkets be d*mned, this was half a clan that now belonged to the force that was trying to slaughter all of them.

Rina remained uncharacteristically silent, eyes searching for any remnants of Zataka’s forces.   Mari knew that despite all her friends bravado, she had strong commitment to defending the dashi that remained in the archipelago.   She had been close to becoming like Somei, and Mari knew no one else who would have so hated her free will being taken from her.  Well, maybe Rina would be more careful in the future.  Maybe they all would be.

[Hanaloi, Forest Path(Fanai/Murasaki)]
Fanai walked besides Askha carrying Riko, gently using her willhammer to keep the Kaazi warrior breathing evenly and shallowly.   After loosing Somei, Fanai knew that Askha needed to save something, and it was her duty to make sure that happened.

Murasaki seemed to have found companionship in Rina’s silence.  The two soulswords continued on, keeping their guard up.

[Hanaloi, Kaazi Camp (Semeraed/Sedskar)]
The pair of koshi zrupgar streaked through the forest, their ears alert for any sounds in the branches.   Dapys was going to throw them soon if they didn’t find the Kaazi.  A husi was not build for two riders.

Then, the clear sound of a whistle echoed above them.  They locked eyes for a second as comprehension dawned, then with an audible sigh of relief, Sedskar slowed Dapys and they both slid off.
 
As familiar as they were with the forest, the keen-eyed Kaazi had spotted the Kuychar far before the two plains-dweller’s had spotted them.  Thus, when the two dashi stumbled into the clearing it was to a full assembly of warriors, all eyes fixed on them.

“Please…” Semeraed could find none of the musical formalities in her tense, dry throat.  “You must hurry with us to the shore.   Our canoes will not wait for much longer.”

@Keeper of Kraata @Nato G @Goose

Edited by Mel
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IC: Mashtet Fortress, Hanaloi

Somei leaned on her staff, smiling at Vazaria. "Askha, my niece, in another life. She was stubborn and determined, yes, but she is foremost a survivor. If the others are fleeing the island, she will follow for now. The burning of Hanaloi will likely steel her even more; if she lives, she will return eventually. But she lived for years as an itinerant mercenary; neither defeat nor biding her time are new to her." She watched Falki head for the well.

"If the forest on the island is to be burnt, then we should perhaps attempt to collect or recall the kraata that have dispersed into the island; I assume it was a part of why you and Caana were sent;" The infected Datsue lent the inflection of a concerned elder to her voice. "it would be a shame to lose our mistress's favor so soon, wouldn't it?"

The blue-armored rahkshi met Falki, letting the dashi climb down first before joining them. It went about its task with no sign of being in battle, save a few marks on its carapace; not worth visiting the healer yet, apparently. Beneath the well, the heat hit the infected Taajar just as it had Vazaria; fortunately, this time the obstacles had already been cleared. The humid air of the well gave way to crushing, dry heat as the corpse-strewn tunnels led to the ancient storage room.

OOC: @Nato G @Mel

 

IC: Hambra/Kaazi - Kaazi Encampment, East Hanaloi

The Kaazi encampment was perilously close to the edge of the island; still, the Kaazi seemed to make up for it with tents and hammocks double-stacked between the dense trees. No action was taken against the Kuychar as they approached, but a tribeswoman approached and the Koshi Zrupgar at the camp let her pass; a woodworker, by her garb and tools. "What makes you think we want to go with you mainlanders? Because you claim to be kin? You took your path generations ago, and we took ours. This island is our home still."

"Imilshka, we need to swallow our pride." While Hambra's deep voice was soft, it carried over the camp. "Everyone, pack what you can, if you can't carry it, then leave it to the forest."

The woodworker stepped back as her Jahagir and Lana rejoined them. "Riko is gone?"

Hambra used her staff as the basis for wrapping several bundles of food, tying the bags of cloth to each end and hefting the makeshift carrying stick onto her shoulders. "Gravely wounded, in the care of the Mainlander expedition. Among them is the last Mashtet; she absolved us of our duties to this island. In ages past, we cut loose our burdens and fled destruction to this island; today, we do the same." Hambra turned to Semraed and dropped to a knee, offering a canteen. "And if the mainlanders don't like it, they'll just have to deal with it. Once you're ready, take us to your people."

OOC: @Mel

 

IC: Askha - Hanaloi North Forest

The expedition's journey back to the Dastana ship was uncharacteristically silent, save for the occasional ringing of a distant Koshi; something had them disturbed. Askha caught up with Dastana Mari, lifting Riko's body with her mindarm. She was beginning to feel herself wear thin, but she'd be gone soon. After you failed.

"Mari, this isn't what either of us wanted out of this expedition, but we were bushwacked with a bunch of new things. Those slugs? Larval rahkshi, or whatever they are? They're not as dangerous as the demons, but they have weird powers too, and can... infect us. The rogue Menti I fought, her mask was pitted and rusty. She might have been infected, but the one Hambra fought wasn't; Zataka isn't just trying to kill all of us; she's recruiting, and those slugs are part of it. A couple of those get snuck into Sado, with how packed it's getting? We need to warn your Empress."

The group came to the ridge overlooking the cove; Askha let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. The ship was still there, and the Saihoko appeared unarmed. Askha turned to Mari, remembering Hambra's words. "We need to sail around the island to the Taajar camps on the south shore. Between our ship and their canoes, we might be able to get all of us off this island." Run away again.

OOC: @Mel

 

IC: Ahri - Oki Village

The Mashtet took Raika from Mitsuri, more easily holding the waif. "I was... well, I'm pretty sure... I was fighting a Willhammer... my wife, Toroshu Kaetyo, in our home on Hanaloi. She must have done something to my mind; Raika fished me out of the ocean, and I don't know how long it's been. It was before these attacks. I was-" The pounding at his temples escalating into stabbing pain, and Ahri stumbled before stopping to regain his footing. "Other things are fuzzy too. But Raika needs help first."

OOC: @ARROW404 @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @Click

 

IC: Sydelia - Gardens, Sado

The Sighteye watched the stranger go, smiling slightly. She fiddled with her sarong; it had been such a long time since she had been invited to dinner, and never by a man.

She would need to clean herself up, or as much as she could in this crisis, anyway.

"Sydelia!" A Datsue that she worked with, one of the other healers. "You're still on shift."

True enough. Most of her patients were stable at least, and the few followups didn't require much more than a light touch of her Sana; most of those in pain were able to go back to sleep after Sydelia shared some memories of downers with them. She thanked Zuto Nui she wasn't a nurse, and could leave the act of feeding and cleaning the sick and wounded to her assistants. She wasn't built for that work. Meeting with the apothecary, she gave them some of the stranger's herbs, and they started brewing what was hopefully an antidote for the survivors of one of the rahkshi poison attacks.

As the sun began to set, Sydelia's shift ended, and she was able to bathe in the one of the palace changing rooms. The healers were able to keep clean and hygienic; it also meant that she was in the minority that could easily clean up. Afterwards, she slunk back to her apartment; she was barely here. She shared it with another healer, one of the few Umbralines that had not followed the former empress on her exodus. However, they worked different shifts, and her roommate had already left to cover the night shift. She hoped there wouldn't be another attack, or people would wonder where she was when she was called in. Sydelia lit the lightstone; it was beginning to fade and was cracked, but it was all she had. Humming a tune from her childhood, the Fursic changed into a lighter red wrap-around that did not smell of medicine and blood and pulled out her meager box of makeup, stooping to see herself in the dashi-height mirror. She used her Sighteye to envision how she wanted herself to look; light eyeliner and winged tips on her mask, some natural blue lipstick, with a few tasteful red marks; she was a Fursic after all. She finished it with a few drops of perfume; just enough to smell nice while suppressing the field hospital smell that clung to her.

'Last summer's best-rated saké brewery ten years running,' the man had said. Sydelia knew just the place, the Fursic courtiers in Sado had sometimes held events there when wishing to avoid the palace. Taking her satchel and cane, Sydelia was able to make it there shortly after the sun came down. She forced herself to remain wary; Sado wasn't the same as it used to be. Hopefully the stranger could be trusted and would show himself... then the fun part of the night could begin.

OOC: @Umbraline Yumiwa

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54 minutes ago, Keeper of Kraata said:

"If the forest on the island is to be burnt, then we should perhaps attempt to collect or recall the kraata that have dispersed into the island; I assume it was a part of why you and Caana were sent. It would be a shame to lose our mistress's favor so soon, wouldn't it?"

IC: Vazaria - Mashtet Fortress

"There are hundreds, if not thousands, more kraata below," she replied, leaning back against the wall. "And the Rahkshi here had little reservations about sacrificing the ones they had during the battle. I don't think a few casualties more or less will matter much to Zataka." 

Zataka's instructions to her had simply been to "see to" the troubles on Hanaloi. There had been no restrictions on how she should do so, no stipulations about preserving her servants. Caana's plan was the swiftest way to drive away or destroy the enemy, and rob them of the resources they'd come so far for. Besides, if the black and brown rahkshi could restore Kraata that had been fossilised underground for untold millenia, healing burns seemed well within its purview. 

She yawned, blinking her bleary eyes. She'd worked through much of the previous day, and fought since nightfall. She was tired, but that surely meant the same was true of their opponents. "Besides, do we really have time to go around fetching lost kraata?" She looked to Caana, "Should we not strike swiftly, while our foes are still regrouping? The kraata and Rahkshi seem to prefer the shadows, and we still have ample time before sunrise." 

@Keeper of Kraata @Goose

Edited by Nato G
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IC: Caana (Mashtet Fortress)

“My conversation with Hambra was enlightening. Not only do we thrive in the dark, but they fear it. If they intend to strike back, they will not do so until dawn.” She looked to Vazaria, whose exhaustion was quite evident, and then at the Rahkshi healer.

“We have time; take some. Rest, recuperate. If that Rahkshi can heal us as well as its kin, then each and every one of us should visit it, no matter how minor your wounds – this early, it is hard to predict unseen damage, and I do not want any of you to be slow on your feet.

“Come midnight, we set our plan into motion. When the sun rises on Hanaloi, our work will already be done.”

OOC: @Nato G @Keeper of Kraata @Mel

Edited by Goose
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IC: Vazaria – Mashtet Fortress

Midnight… Caana certainly had a flair for the dramatic. But Vazaria wasn’t going to object to an opportunity to squeeze in a few hours of rest before conflict was renewed.

After getting her injuries seen to by the healer Rahkshi, she set off deeper into the dilapidated structure, searching for a side room where she could settle in for some sleep. Somewhere further away from any of the entrances seemed the ideal place, so that she’d have ample warning in the unlikely event that the fortress came under attack.

She held her soulsword before her like a torch, its icy light casting shaky shadows across the battered brickwork and ailing illusions of the fallen fortress. After a few minutes of searching some of the side rooms, she came across a chamber that seemed suitable for her purposes, dim and windowless, with intact walls and a ceiling that didn’t look poised to drop on her head any second.

Satisfied, she made her way inside and cast her light about, looking to get a better sense of what this chamber had once been. 

@Keeper of Kraata

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IC Yuna Koizumi - Oki Village:

"Think we've got enough folks we can multi-task, I need your help raising the boat, Ahri."

'Saihoko pragmatism at its finest,'  I thought to myself bitterly. Truth was though, that the longer we hung around here, the more likely we were to run into trouble.

@Keeper of Kraata

 

 

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[Hanaloi, Mashtet Fortress (Falki)]

Falki did not feel the dry heat, with the cold infinity inside of her, giving her focus and purpose.   She moved forward without fear, stepping over the carcasses of the Mashtet like they were nothing more than stones in her way.

[Hanaloi, North Cove (Mari/Fanai)]
Aska felt Riko’s body steady as the strength of another mindarm blended with hers.

“I’ll talk to the captain once we get there.   One thing at a time, Askha.   We have to make sure everyone on that ship is…still themselves.”

Mari’s face was solemn, if not as tense as it had been before.

Fanai was already extending her willhammer, feeling around for the presence of other minds on the ship.

[Hanaloi, Kaazi Camp (Semeraed/Sedskar)]

Semeraed took the waterskin with silent nod of thanks.   The cool feel of water on her throat did not still the frantic racing of her mind, but it lended her respite enough to collect a few thoughts.   What situation had the Kaazi been in, that they so bound themselves to an imperial clan?  And what had driven them to keep those chains, even if the clan themselves had vanished?

Sedskar immediately jumped to help the Kaazi as those swayed by Hambra’s worlds began to gather up their things, dragging a reluctant Dapys behind him.  The husi perked up once she saw there was food, however, and Sedskar was soon holding her back.

Semeraed also poured water over the scalded flesh on the left side of her face, wincing as it washed over the place where her eye had been, mere hours ago.  This ritual complete, she handed the canteen back to Hambra.  “I would speak to your people, on behalf of mine, if you would let me.”

@Keeper of Kraata

There's a dozen selves inside you, trying to be the one to run the dials

[BZPRPG Profiles]

Hatchi - Talli - Ranok - Lucira - FerellisMorie - Fanai - Akiyo - Yukie - Shuuan - Ilykaed - Pradhai - Ipsudir

And some aren't even on your side.

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@Keeper of Kraata@The UltimoScorp@Click@Lady Takanuva

IC: Yoka - Abandoned Oki village

She took up the two crystal tonfas and slipped them into a sash for the time being, committing the name to memory.

「Fursic Heiya,」Ikyazu repeated, clearly doing the same.

Seeing Ahri stumble, Yoka sighed and steadied him and Raika. "I am uninjured, best I keep her until this spell fades. I can help with the boat as well, with my Mindarm at the same time."

BZPRPG Profiles
If I go AWOL for a while, feel free to contact me via Discord

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IC: Raika

 

The exhausted menti stared back as… Mitsuri, that… that was it… gently cupped the side of her Volitak. 

 

Once more, she felt the calmness seeping into her mind. Not as aggressively this time.

 

In that moment, half-delirious with exhaustion as the serpent's mental poison was finally driven away, she was back home. Her mother standing over her many years ago.

 

"Ryouta, sweetheart. Rest your head now." 

 

And then the anxiety and stress of the day would fade away. Just like this.

 

Half in the past, half in the present, Raika turned her head and pressed in against the hand. Then, for the first time in three days now, she fell into a deep, restful sleep.

 

OOC:

@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404 @Click

 

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Whatever mountain you are climbing, you can do this.

                                       BZPRPG character masterpost

20220406_234727.jpg

                      "Just promise me something... don't let me go."

 

 

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IC: Long Hyan-Fei - Odaiba - Western Wilderness, heading south
A long stretch of silence passes between them then, each too absorbed in their thoughts to break from their tasks until they are completed.  Hyan-Fei's hunger keeps her rooted to the riverbank, her eyes peeled for another big catch.  The current makes it slightly more difficult; it is wilder at this point of the river, and it churns the water into cloudy white foam around her feet.  The sight causes her mind to drift, reminds her of an exercise she repeatedly failed at during her time in the Long monastery...

~

The greatest Long Menti have honed their Dragon's Scales refinement to such a degree that they may sit beneath a raging waterfall and not only remain still, but not get wet.  It is the temple sisters' desire for their fledglings to emulate this discipline, but as there are no waterfalls on Koshiki, they have to make do with the River that Runs Down the Mountain.  Every sunrise, the temple sisters bring the monks-in-training to where the River's rapids kick up the largest splashes and wear down the stones the quickest.  A large stone juts from the waters there.  The exercise is simple- sit on that stone, empty your mind, and endure the River's battering as long as you can.

Hyan-Fei never stays on the stone for more than a few seconds.  She finds it impossible to empty her mind when the chill of the waters and the risk of being swept away command her constant attention.  When she inevitably does get pulled into the depths, she fights it.  She does not wait to drift down to the calm where the temple sisters can fish her out.  Reorienting herself with the help of her mask power, she swims against the rapids with all her might and emerges, sodden, only a short distance from where she started, where she can see everyone frown at her.

Hyan-Fei chooses to twist her "failure" into a new kind of exercise.  She shortens her time in the water.  She closes the distance between her and the assembly on the bank.  Her body grows stronger, allowing her to put more power into her Soulfire techniques unaided by her Menti power.  Her eyesight improves, allowing her to pick out important details in a sea of clutter.  Her bond to her mask power increases, allowing her to complete her exercise quicker each time.  She no longer feels affected by the scorn the temple sisters show her; in fact, she comes to almost relish in it.

This continues for months.

A temple sister takes Hyan-Fei out to the River alone one day.  She instructs her to repeat the sunrise exercise, except she must return to the stone when she gets swept away, instead of to the riverbank.  Hyan-Fei attempts to obey.  She feels confident as she approaches the stone and breaches the surface to reach out to it.  But the rapids have worn the stone's edges impossibly slick and smooth; she cannot get a hold on it to pull herself back up.  The waters pull her under again, and again she swims against them.  Again, and again, and again she is knocked away, until her strength finally runs out and she has no choice but to let the current sweep her down the River and into the calm.

The temple sister is waiting for her when she flops onto land.  Her lesson that day is clear.  You must have the discipline to remain on your life's foundation, because returning to it once you are swept away from it is an exercise in futility.

Hyan-Fei decides that day that she cannot be swept away from her life's foundation if her life does not have one.

~

And so Hyan-Fei has wandered over Odaiba, aimless, with few people to lean on and few ideals to pursue aside from vague impressions of what she thinks Taajar freedom is like.  And she has almost nothing to show for it.  Here, now, on an island thrown into the Dragons' den, with a new companion by her side and something of a goal to pursue, she will need more than a sloppy martial art and a broken quarterstaff to stay afloat.  She will need to fight with all her strength to not get swept away by the current of chaos.

...

After what seems like hours, Hyan-Fei decides that her hunt is done for the evening.  Three decently meaty fish sit on the riverbank next to her; she and Kura will not go to bed hungry.  Packing up her pole again, she returns to where Kura has begun assembling their campfire.  She tries to rid herself of her "thinking expression," but a trace remains for her companion to see.  And it looks like she has not been alone in thinking.

OOC:
@Palm yooooo

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IC: Mitsuri (Shinku) - Oki Village Outskirts

As Yoka pulled the other tonfa from the wall, a small pile of rubble collapsed across the grave, obscuring the name. Shinku gave Yoka a wary look, as if to say, "You better give those back," before fluttering back up to its spot on a beam.

With Raika asleep and safe in the arms of Ahri and Yoka, Mitsuri took a breath and pushed herself back up on quivering legs, before staggering slightly to a still standing beam. Getting a chance to stretch was already doing her some good, but a proper meal wouldn't go amiss either. .:Very well, Mashtet Ahri. Please, lead the way to your ship.:.

OOC: @Lady Takanuva@The UltimoScorp@Keeper of Kraata@ARROW404

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  • 2 weeks later...

IC: Ahri - Oki Village Outskirts

Ahri foisted the gently snoring Raika into a better position to carry. "Yuna can show you the ship, I need to take Raika back to the camp." His voice was soft to avoid waking the sleeping Menti. "Yoka, are you checking out the boat as well, or do you want to come back to the camp?"

OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @Click @ARROW404

IC: Askha - Hanaloi Cove

In the dark, Askha had to rely on the lightstone lanterns the Saihoko crew of the ship used; the sailor's masks seemed unblemished by Zataka's corruption, though Askha was down an eye at the moment; the pain of cutting her mask plus the viscera blotted out the vision in her eye.

.:Hey! Any of y'all seen one of these slug things?:. Accompanying the Ideatalk were images of the creatures leaping from the trees.

The Saihoko on board stirred from their work, looking between each other and up the cliff at the returning Menti. One, the watchwoman, shrugged and shook her head. Askha glanced to Fanai. Besides the sea life, the only minds present down below were those of the Saihoko.

OOC: @Mel

The times, they are a-changing...

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/22/2022 at 8:25 AM, Razgriz said:

:It feels like I see it whenever my eyes shut. If what you've shown me is true, what you told me about what I've done is true... Maybe that's the only reason I got as far as I did?:


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

Edited by Ghosthands
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