BZPRPG - Westside Zakaz

[Smudge8]

IC: Jojax-Fort Razorfish;Vaa

"Well," Jojax said wistfully, "I suppose that if we need to get stronger we've got to train... So I should probably get back to hauling rocks for the wall..."

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Fort Razorfish;Vaa

"Alright," she nodded, unsure of what more to say. "I'll uh... leave you to it." 

@Smudge8

[ARROW404]

On 10/18/2024 at 7:27 AM, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

"Figures," he scoffed. "Sensin' a trend 'round 'ere. Shoulda known there was somethin' fishy 'bout 'er."

Wind blew. The Kinloka, its meal not agreeing with it, hacked up the Necrofinch. It stumbled through the air on spit-slick wings, whistling all the while.

"I'll uhh... stick to the rousin' speeches..." Sohmak took a step back, starting to disengage as much from embarrassment as from the natural conclusion they'd reached. "Thanks for the chat, geek. We got a path forward now." His tone betrayed relief, tinged with excitement. "An' again, don't let no one say you didn't make the right call. They regret livin', I'll oblige 'em." The words sounded awkward coming out, the idea of killing still very much foreign to the Sarke fighter.

He turned on his heel, making for the stairwell down into the fortress. As he went, he whirled back around with a familiar cocksurety adorning his face. "An' I weren't kiddin' before! I wanna see you in that ring, rotter!" Before T'harrak had a chance to respond he was out of view, his raucous guffaw echoing up the stairwell and off the battlements.

It didn't take long for Sohmak to find his new dwelling, the threshold of Zanakra's former warlord quarters adorned with an intricate and uncharacteristically delicate mosaic of fishbone patterns; battles, myth, ancestors and gods all on display. Visions of lavish and luxurious spaces swimming in his head, he took a deep breath and shouldered the door open.

"...huh."

As unlike the door was to the rest of the fortress, the room was equally as unmatching to the door; furniture was sparse, decoration even more so. A bed in one back corner, a desk and stool in the opposite; parchment and writing utensils sat atop the desk, and on closer inspection Sohmak found they were unused. Hooks for cloaks and other accoutrements, empty. No windows, illuminations provided by the one luxuriant affordance, a lightstone hanging from the ceiling.

"Hmmm." No. This wouldn't do. Not very bossly at all. Procuring a big cloak would be a good start to fixing the vibe.

He tested the bed. Surprisingly comfy. The brawler could have dozed off there but forced himself back on his feet, claws tacking on cold stonework as he paced the room.

He would pay Gashril a visit. Try to get her read. And an excuse to familiarise himself with the halls of Razorfish;Vaa.

When the warlord-in-shadow had finally found where the Shrill Blade was bunking down, the warriors' quarters were otherwise empty. Still no reason to show his whole hand. Sohmak looked over Gashril's inert form and a tiny, ignored intuition swore he was interrupting something other than sleep.

"A-hem. A word?"

 

OOC: @Nato G @ARROW404

OoC: I am SO sorry, this totally slipped my mind for way too long!

IC: Gashril

She recalled her vision power as she heard the cleared throat. His footsteps hadn't exactly been subtle, but she hadn't been expecting the face-boss to come knocking to her directly. An eye cracked open, then both as she lurched quickly to her feet.

"Boss-man!" she barked with some enthusiasm. "I just finished overseeing repairing a window on the second floor and was taking some time to rest my eyes. And my voice. Mostly my voice." It was pretty croaky still, after pushing it to its limit the day before.

"Still good to serve, long as you don't need me to shout. What can I do for ya?"

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

He extended a Slugger, motioning Gashril to sit. "At ease, lass. Not a soul in the fort ain't a little tired an' hoarse." A wry grin parted his lips "'cept me, 'course."

Sohmak kicked a stool over and sat opposite the Shrill Blade, still quietly amazed at the self-supporting nature of the exoharness when the seat refused to collapse under its true weight. His next words were genuine. "Listen, Gashril... you an' your lot threw in with our lot on pretty short notice, and I'm real glad ya decided to stick around after yesterday's tangle. Well, 'least those who..." Sohmak trailed off. He swore he could still hear it, in the distance. The rumble and yelling.

"Those who made it out," he affirmed. "They're strong. You're strong. 'xactly the kinda folks I need 'ere. 'ppreciate it, 'ope I can keep relyin' on it."

And then Sohmak leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial volume. "If I can be candid for a mo, though... I wouldn't have blamed ya if you did hightail it back across the deltas. Your camp did look pretty cosy, after all." The brawler cleared his throat. "That uhh, weren't sarcastic..." This long without exercising his might and he got fidgety.

"Fort's a fixer-upper, won't make no bones about it." Closer, quieter. "And you ain't owe that mad warlady Zanakra a shred. Frankly, nor d'ya owe me. So I gotta ask, one noisy Skakdi with a badass ringname to another... why'd you stay?" A general but probing question, the thought of Gashril knowing about his arrangement with T'harrak simmering in the back of his mind.

 

OOC: @ARROW404 all good, I'd be lying if I said I was consistent 😅

Edited December 13, 2024 by Techn0geist

[ARROW404]

On 12/12/2024 at 3:56 AM, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

He extended a Slugger, motioning Gashril to sit. "At ease, lass. Not a soul in the fort ain't a little tired an' hoarse." A wry grin parted his lips "'cept me, 'course."

Sohmak kicked a stool over and sat opposite the Shrill Blade, still quietly amazed at the self-supporting nature of the exoharness when the seat refused to collapse under its true weight. His next words were genuine. "Listen, Gashril... you an' your lot threw in with our lot on pretty short notice, and I'm real glad ya decided to stick around after yesterday's tangle. Well, 'least those who..." Sohmak trailed off. He swore he could still hear it, in the distance. The rumble and yelling.

"Those who made it out," he affirmed. "They're strong. You're strong. 'xactly the kinda folks I need 'ere. 'ppreciate it, 'ope I can keep relyin' on it."

And then Sohmak leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial volume. "If I can be candid for a mo, though... I wouldn't have blamed ya if you did hightail it back across the deltas. Your camp did look pretty cosy, after all." The brawler cleared his throat. "That uhh, weren't sarcastic..." This long without exercising his might and he got fidgety.

"Fort's a fixer-upper, won't make no bones about it." Closer, quieter. "And you ain't owe that mad warlady Zanakra a shred. Frankly, nor d'ya owe me. So I gotta ask, one noisy Skakdi with a badass ringname to another... why'd you stay?" A general but probing question, the thought of Gashril knowing about his arrangement with T'harrak simmering in the back of his mind.

 

OOC: @ARROW404 all good, I'd be lying if I said I was consistent 😅

IC: Gashril - Fort Razorfish

The Shrill Blade listened, with a slowly growing smile - a real one, the Slugger's affable speech surprising her in a welcome way. She knew he was... she didn't want to say "softer", but he certainly wasn't as harsh as the average Skak, especially Sarke champs. Oh, and he was sharp too, with that question.

"Mmmmm..." she rumbled pensively. "A real sharp question. You ask more of those than Zanakra did." She gave him a grin, letting him know that was a compliment. "Well... Seein' as we're bein' honest here, Razorfish wasn't our first choice. We had several leaders before this one. And on our trip around the island trying to make it into the fort of a leader that didn't lead to their own deaths for once, we wound up here."

She rumbled again as she realized that didn't answer the question much. "Mmmmmm but why stay, though?" She scratched at the side of her neck, openly looking at nothing as she mulled it over. "Frankly, we haven't really had the time to think it over. T'harrak sounded the retreat, that sounded smart, so we went with the smart option. And trying out a leader who just saw- and might learn from- the previous boss's death could be promising... And frankly, it beats walking to the next place... again." She gave him an amused grin.

"We left the other places after getting a good feel for them first. Haven't had time for that in Razorfish yet. Bosses who took over were always too big for their breeches- type to get themselves killed soon after. I dunno you that well yet, so I'm willing ta give you a shot."

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

But what do you want? was the question Sohmak really wanted to ask. He could almost feel the point of her falchion dangling over his head.

Instead he returned Gashril's grin. "'ppreciate the vote of confidence. Reckon I already got this joint whipped into better shape than she ever did." He resisted the urge to spit like he did during his big speech, filling the room with his raucous laughter instead.

After an uncomfortable few seconds, the warlord-in-light brought his voice low again. "T'harrak made the right call. Now we got a chance to build somethin' stronger than was ever 'ere before." He turned now to hold Gashril's gaze. "Last call she ever makes though. Keepin' 'er under heel, can't let her go running off giving other forts smart ideas too."

Sohmak rose now to his feet, a colossus casting his shadow over the Shrill Blade. "Only shot-caller here's me. I'm trustin' you to keep your men aware o' that, savvy?" It was a bare-faced lie, and he didn't know whether he'd overplayed his hand trying to read Gashril's reaction to it.

 

OOC: @ARROW404 apologies for the delay, haven't had the juice lately.

[ARROW404]

On 12/28/2024 at 12:21 AM, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

But what do you want? was the question Sohmak really wanted to ask. He could almost feel the point of her falchion dangling over his head.

Instead he returned Gashril's grin. "'ppreciate the vote of confidence. Reckon I already got this joint whipped into better shape than she ever did." He resisted the urge to spit like he did during his big speech, filling the room with his raucous laughter instead.

After an uncomfortable few seconds, the warlord-in-light brought his voice low again. "T'harrak made the right call. Now we got a chance to build somethin' stronger than was ever 'ere before." He turned now to hold Gashril's gaze. "Last call she ever makes though. Keepin' 'er under heel, can't let her go running off giving other forts smart ideas too."

Sohmak rose now to his feet, a colossus casting his shadow over the Shrill Blade. "Only shot-caller here's me. I'm trustin' you to keep your men aware o' that, savvy?" It was a bare-faced lie, and he didn't know whether he'd overplayed his hand trying to read Gashril's reaction to it.

 

OOC: @ARROW404 apologies for the delay, haven't had the juice lately.

OoC: All good!

IC: Gashril - Razorfish common area

She thought Fort Razorfish's new leader doth protest too much. But then again, she knew what she knew. Her face was touched with a doubtful frown at the suggestion T'harrak would run off to another fort, but that quickly changed to an eager grin as Sohmak mentioned trusting her to keep her folks aware of that. "Ah, I had a thought about that, actually, if you don't mind me being so bold." She dropped her voice, casting a suspicious glance around. "Not about the Tahtorak Beach squad so much- I told them to follow you already- but how to make sure the rest of the group doesn't get any ideas into their heads about power vacuums."

Edited December 29, 2024 by ARROW404

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

Sohmak attempted to appear more inviting, still standing but relaxing his posture a tad; even knowing what she knew, he still had to have Gashril's earnest trust, even if she didn't have one lick of his in return. His fingers tapped against the triggers inside the gauntlets, knowing precisely how much pressure he could apply without setting off the crush-jaws. He restrained a grimace.

"Go on lass, be bold."

 

OOC: @ARROW404

[ARROW404]

4 hours ago, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

Sohmak attempted to appear more inviting, still standing but relaxing his posture a tad; even knowing what she knew, he still had to have Gashril's earnest trust, even if she didn't have one lick of his in return. His fingers tapped against the triggers inside the gauntlets, knowing precisely how much pressure he could apply without setting off the crush-jaws. He restrained a grimace.

"Go on lass, be bold."

 

OOC: @ARROW404

IC: Gashril - Spineless Bay, Razorfish

As a fellow De-Skak, she could hear the edge of distrust in his voice. She'd be careful not to lay it on thickly.

"I've seen a few times, when a leader goes down, the one who rises to fill the vacuum often ends up questioned by others," she explained quietly. "It's a delicate time, what comes next. You did a good job putting T'harrak in her place and galvanizing the troops, but what if we did something to really establish you? Show that you're not meant to be messed with. Like causing an upstart to try to take the 'throne', so to speak, then humiliate them enough to discourage anyone else from trying?" She shrugged. "Well I mean, I say 'we', but I don't wanna be too bold. I haven't really done much to earn anyone's trust yet, I get that. But what do you think, sir?" She tacked on that 'sir' with as genuine a nod of deference as anyone had seen.

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

"Nah."

The response was startlingly quick, and borne from an immediate dislike bubbling in his gut. Sohmak had to work backwards, quickly, from that feeling to figure out why he'd objected.

"...s'phony, innit?" The brawler stood again, pacing, claws clacking on the ground. He ignored hypocrisy's spidery limbs creeping up his spine. "Like, if we were back in Irnakk's Tooth then they might buy it, ancestors know they love some drama. But we all know th'game we're in, right? S'why any of us're out 'ere." Lies on lies on lies.

He stopped and spun, regarding Gashril with something like accusation. "Wager you ain't the only schemer in this humble fort of ours. They'd see right through it. Give the fellas some credit, yeah?"

He let the words linger in the air for too long, crouching and balancing on the balls of his feet opposite the warrior. "What I'm sayin' is, we all seen and been through the same raw deal. I know I got two great big ones but I ain't running this place with an iron hand. That were Zanakra's gig. I'm givin' these boys the respec' they never got from 'er, an' all I'm askin' is respec' in return. And maybe I'm the fool for thinkin' that's gonna get me anywhere out 'ere."

CLANK.

"But don't mistake that for soft." The Bite of Irnakk's Tooth rose, raising the Slugger closed in fist-approximation. "Let any rotter who guns for me find that out for themselves. We ain't need t' fake it."

 

OOC: @ARROW404

Edited January 4, 2025 by Techn0geist

[ARROW404]

On 1/4/2025 at 4:36 AM, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

"Nah."

The response was startlingly quick, and borne from an immediate dislike bubbling in his gut. Sohmak had to work backwards, quickly, from that feeling to figure out why he'd objected.

"...s'phony, innit?" The brawler stood again, pacing, claws clacking on the ground. He ignored hypocrisy's spidery limbs creeping up his spine. "Like, if we were back in Irnakk's Tooth then they might buy it, ancestors know they love some drama. But we all know th'game we're in, right? S'why any of us're out 'ere." Lies on lies on lies.

He stopped and spun, regarding Gashril with something like accusation. "Wager you ain't the only schemer in this humble fort of ours. They'd see right through it. Give the fellas some credit, yeah?"

He let the words linger in the air for too long, crouching and balancing on the balls of his feet opposite the warrior. "What I'm sayin' is, we all seen and been through the same raw deal. I know I got two great big ones but I ain't running this place with an iron hand. That were Zanakra's gig. I'm givin' these boys the respec' they never got from 'er, an' all I'm askin' is respec' in return. And maybe I'm the fool for thinkin' that's gonna get me anywhere out 'ere."

CLANK.

"But don't mistake that for soft." The Bite of Irnakk's Tooth rose, raising the Slugger closed in fist-approximation. "Let any rotter who guns for me find that out for themselves. We ain't need t' fake it."

 

OOC: @ARROW404

IC: Gashril

Her eyebrows rose in a look of genuine pleasant surprise. Getting a plan shut down never felt good, but his reasons for doing it were good. Again, he proved he had a good head on his shoulders. Although honor could only get one so far on Zakaz, so that part she was less enthused by.

"I respect it," she said with a nod. "I wouldn't suggest we fake it, mind you, but..." she waves a hand, "doesn't matter now. You've made your point." Her stance straighted a little more respectfully now, hand that had previously sat casually on her hip now hanging more resolutely at her side. "You're different from the leaders I've followed until now, I'll definitely give you that," she said with a slight nod. "I and the rest of the gang will remain loyal as long as you keep steering us toward greatness in a smart way. I promise that." She clanked a fist against her chestplate. "Please consider them your own men and women, not mine."

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

If a Skakdi could grin wider and more viciously than Sohmak did now, he'd yet to see it. "Your cooperation is most 'ppreciated, Shrill Blade. We's all the mightier for it," he concluded diplomatically.

He hopped up, the main body of the exoharness on his back seeming to lift him as much as itself, with lightness of feather. "You ain't let me down yet, s'pose it's only fair I return the favour."

The thought came to him in a flash, intrusive if anything. She's a loose end. Again his fingers unconsciously played with the triggers. On the one hand, he only had suspicion of ulterior motive. On the other, who'd dare question him about his blood-caked gauntlet and the twenty feet of Gashril-splatter across the barracks?

Nausea rose in Sohmak's throat. A rare Skakdi, with no appetite for it.

"Get some more rest. I'll wind down the rest o' the fort soon too. Already lost a day feelin' sorry for ourselves, no more o' that."

 

OOC: @ARROW404

[ARROW404]

On 1/14/2025 at 7:34 AM, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

If a Skakdi could grin wider and more viciously than Sohmak did now, he'd yet to see it. "Your cooperation is most 'ppreciated, Shrill Blade. We's all the mightier for it," he concluded diplomatically.

He hopped up, the main body of the exoharness on his back seeming to lift him as much as itself, with lightness of feather. "You ain't let me down yet, s'pose it's only fair I return the favour."

The thought came to him in a flash, intrusive if anything. She's a loose end. Again his fingers unconsciously played with the triggers. On the one hand, he only had suspicion of ulterior motive. On the other, who'd dare question him about his blood-caked gauntlet and the twenty feet of Gashril-splatter across the barracks?

Nausea rose in Sohmak's throat. A rare Skakdi, with no appetite for it.

"Get some more rest. I'll wind down the rest o' the fort soon too. Already lost a day feelin' sorry for ourselves, no more o' that."

 

OOC: @ARROW404

IC: Gashril - Fort Razorfish

She gave a grin back as good as she got. But there was a pause there, her spine tensing, spikes standing on end as a feeling of danger welled up. But it was no more than a passing sensation, gone as soon as it had come. Had she imagined it? Perhaps.

"Will do, boss," she said as he left.

Again, she had been honest in what she had said. She had just left much out. As she did as he ordered- got some rest- she reflected on their conversation. Sohmak was cautious. She knew that. But the extent of it had exceeded her expectations. This was acceptable, but confusing. Why take up the mantle of leadership? Why a sarker?

It occurred to her... perhaps she could just ask. "Boss?" she said, opening her eye and sitting up. He hadn't gotten far yet. "I actually just thought of a question, if you don't mind."

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

He'd just started to exhale when he heard the 'Boss?', pivoting on his heel to face the warrior once more. Was she about to expose the ruse? What would she want in return for her silence? Sohmak pushed such worries down to sit with the unwanted thoughts of murder in his gut.

"Shoot," he prompted Gashril from the threshold, making clear this would be the last interruption.

 

OOC: @ARROW404

[ARROW404]

5 hours ago, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

He'd just started to exhale when he heard the 'Boss?', pivoting on his heel to face the warrior once more. Was she about to expose the ruse? What would she want in return for her silence? Sohmak pushed such worries down to sit with the unwanted thoughts of murder in his gut.

"Shoot," he prompted Gashril from the threshold, making clear this would be the last interruption.

 

OOC: @ARROW404

IC: Gashril - Spineless Bay, Fort Razorfish

She took the implication. She looked around- too many people. She stood up and stepped closer- close enough she could speak at a low murmur, but not enough that she was within reach of his pincers. Her sword remained on the ground by her cot. "Maybe it isn't my place. Probably isn't, actually. But, you're the first sarker I've heard of taking control of a fort. Why'd you do it? Why not let someone else take up the role of leadership, while you bask in the glory of the ring?" She tried to convey by her tone her deference to him, and her respect for the chain of command. He didn't owe her an answer. But she was curious.

Edited January 19, 2025 by ARROW404

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

The brawler had just barely noticed other tired workers slipping into the barracks, only now consciously perceiving them as Gashril closed distance. He was equally curious to find out what tripe of an answer he'd conjure up. The truth of deference, of a debt he felt he owed, would destroy his credibility. Of course she already knew the truth of it, but she didn't know he knew. He was pushing buttons, playing with tolerances.

Sohmak let the vicious grin slide back onto his maw, seeming more jagged now than before. The Spineless Slugger may have been warlord-in-name-only, but he couldn't let her think he was anything less than dangerous. He leaned in and brought his voice low, buzzing with dreadful subsonics.

"What's Zakaz if not one big ring?"

CLANK.

And without another word, turned and left.

On his way to the courtyard to call quitting time, his thoughts turned to irony, the kind that brought a smirk to his face. Perhaps Gashril was right about the use of fear as a tool for keeping dissidents in line, but wrong about who would fall under his crosshair.

That was to come later. For now he had her crew and, seemingly, her deference. They would serve as an inspiration for the rest of Razorfish;Vaa's rabble; solidifying the foundation of a fortress built on tenuous deals.

 

OOC: @ARROW404

Also I know the mods kinda mandated that one-day timeskip but I've kiiinda been writing from the POV of "the night before that day" >.> I can move us along to that day in my next post if that's cool with the other Razorfish;Vaa players?

[ARROW404]

5 hours ago, Techn0geist said:

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

The brawler had just barely noticed other tired workers slipping into the barracks, only now consciously perceiving them as Gashril closed distance. He was equally curious to find out what tripe of an answer he'd conjure up. The truth of deference, of a debt he felt he owed, would destroy his credibility. Of course she already knew the truth of it, but she didn't know he knew. He was pushing buttons, playing with tolerances.

Sohmak let the vicious grin slide back onto his maw, seeming more jagged now than before. The Spineless Slugger may have been warlord-in-name-only, but he couldn't let her think he was anything less than dangerous. He leaned in and brought his voice low, buzzing with dreadful subsonics.

"What's Zakaz if not one big ring?"

CLANK.

And without another word, turned and left.

On his way to the courtyard to call quitting time, his thoughts turned to irony, the kind that brought a smirk to his face. Perhaps Gashril was right about the use of fear as a tool for keeping dissidents in line, but wrong about who would fall under his crosshair.

That was to come later. For now he had her crew and, seemingly, her deference. They would serve as an inspiration for the rest of Razorfish;Vaa's rabble; solidifying the foundation of a fortress built on tenuous deals.

 

OOC: @ARROW404

Also I know the mods kinda mandated that one-day timeskip but I've kiiinda been writing from the POV of "the night before that day" >.> I can move us along to that day in my next post if that's cool with the other Razorfish;Vaa players?

OOC: Definitely cool with me

IC: Gashril - Fort Razorfish

His answer impressed her. Word play, metaphor, and most likely a lie, but delivered with enough charisma to distract from the thought. She chuckled. "Well put." And then he was gone- just as well, she had nothing more to say.

As before, she reflected on things once she was back at her cot. Given the information she had on Sohmak and T'harrak, his answer couldn't be true. If he was treating Zakaz as a Sarke ring, making T'harrak his 'dragon' would violate the principle of honor the Spineless Slugger was known for. And Fort Razorfish made little sense as a starting point. She could only speculate as to his true motives.

Clank.

What was with those metal arms of his anyway? The 'Slugger' was famous for using his bare hands, not gauntlets like those... Had something happened to his arms? That would give him reason to leave the Sarke ring... Though not to make T'harrak the shadow leader of a fort.

"Hmm..." she huffed quietly. There was still so much she didn't know. It was normal to draw few conclusions. But one thing, she could say: she liked Sohmak. He gave off the vibe of a bruiser that the people of Zakaz loved, but he was smart under it. A different kind of smart than T'harrak. She could see in it the tactical thinking that went into a Sarke match. Weighing advantages and disadvantages, spotting weak points and exploiting them. She was not 100% convinced- though she rarely ever was- that he and T'harrak could be the new Irnakk:Dii, but the conversation had increased her faith in him. Much remained still to be seen, but the plan remained on a steady course. She and the rest of the Tahtorak crew (the name was sticking) were going to remain loyal to Sohmak and aid him in keeping the fort in line if need be.

[Techn0geist]

OOC: Bringing Razorfish;Vaa in line with everyone else

 

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

Ascending the stairs to the overlook, Sohmak pondered how many times he was to do this, and what each occasion would mark. A rousing speech, a wrathful tirade, a declaration of war. His claws clacking towards the throne drew the eyes of a scant few in the courtyard, more of the fort's denizens dribbling in from outside, each worker finding his own limit and setting down tools. He looked around and felt a twinge of pride; already the fortress was looking tidier, if nothing else. Something that someone might take seriously.

The Bite of Irnakk's Tooth cleared his throat. Even without the latent Sonic ability buried in his bones, this Skakdi could project.

"RIGHT, THEN!"

He wondered, with a wry grin, if Fortress Garsi could hear him. Certainly those still toiling outside the walls could.

"Solid effort tonight, lads! Long ways to go, but the first step's always the one everyone 'ates so good work. Tomorrow we keep the momen'um, start building up our ex-ter-i-or for-'i-fi-ca-tions." Most, thankfully, took Sohmak's struggle to wrap his tongue around long words as emphasis.

"But the night's wearin' on, and I 'magine the lot o' you're beat. Feet up, 'ave a kip, we crack on tomorrow. We're gonna make this pile of bricks ten times the fort it ever were under the late boss, Rift rest 'er rotten soul." Such vicious comments at Zanakra's expense were for no one's benefit but his, and despite Gashril's allusions to dissent among the ranks, he was willing to wager there was no love lost among them either.

A sole Skakdi, a whelp's whelp, had started a lonely chant of 'Razorfish;Vaa! Razorfish;Vaa!' before Sohmak had finished speaking. At first it sounded almost pathetic but the momentary pause in Sohmak's speech allowed it to gather momentum, another voice and another and another joining with each utterance. Teeth flashed and fists pumped, and drowned out even Sohmak's booming voice before he could attempt to speak again. He found the whelp in the crowd, eyes twinkling, and saw in them a mirror image of himself from decades past. The ambition that lies in every Skak:dii's core to make something, a monument or a legacy.

Maybe he'd kill him one day. Maybe he'd be killed by him. Such trifles were the concerns of tomorrow's Sohmak. For now, he couldn't resist joining in. Damn the speech.

"RAZORFISH;VAA! RAZORFISH;VAA! RAZORFISH;VAA!" The chant, the name, echoed long into the night, resonated and seated deeply into every bit of matter for kio around.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

The warlord-in-light stirred, then jolted and sat bolt upright. The too-comfy bed and lack of windows in his quarters meant he was utterly lost to time, unsure if he'd awoken before dawn or slept through the day. No one had disturbed him, either from still being asleep themselves or for fear of reprimand. The Sluggers did not make for easy slumber, their incredible bulk turning anything other than lying on his back into a trial.

Sohmak dragged himself to his feet, stretched and exited his quarters. He found the fishbone mural outside was growing on him; unused as he was to any kind of intricate craftsmanship, it held a quaint and foreign quality. Light spilling into the hall told him it was late morning, getting towards noon. He reasoned he, and everyone, needed the sleep-in.

"You," the brawler said through a yawn, pointing with colossal claw at the first Skakdi he crossed paths with, "you wake me. Daybreak, every day." The lackey mumbled something like "got it boss" before continuing about their business. A rictus grin split his lips. Like running a fort's ever 'ard.

Sohmak only knew where Gashril and her crew bunked down, not the other friendly names. He figured it would be best to let them find him first, making haste for the most findable place in the fort.

Dropping into Razorfish;Vaa's throne, the Spineless Slugger saw a few of the scrappier sorts had organised an impromptu game of Sarke in the courtyard below. It was messy, more of a slap-fight than anything. But so starved of the thrill of a bout, he couldn't help but lean forward and watch, mesmerised.

 

OOC: Sohmak open for interaction! Apologies for the wait, gang.

Edited March 17, 2025 by Techn0geist

[Nato G]

IC: T’harrak – Fort Razorfish;Vaa

T’harrak sputtered awake, frantic fingers darting towards her launcher before her rational mind caught up with the sounds of combat that had stirred her.

She was hearing shouts and scuffling, not shots and screams. It was just a Sarke match in the courtyard outside. No different from any other morning.

But today was different. T’harrak felt as if an entire lifetime had passed overnight, leaving her stranded in a world she barely recognised or understood, with no way back to the quiet comforts she’d once taken for granted. A part of her wished – even hoped – that everything she’d endured had simply been some kind of nightmare. But she’d awoken slumped at her desk, notes scattered around her, their contents a testament to the truth of her new reality. She’d stayed up long into the night, scribbling down her schemes and schematics, trying to put to paper every wild idea she’d had in her fit of inspiration the previous evening.

There was so much to do. Reinforcing the Fort was first priority, followed by making the rest of the island more defensible, then expanding their sphere of influence to make the most of their strategic position at the mouth of the river. And beyond that, there was Sohmak’s insistence that she train in the Sarke ring… and the intriguing ambition Gashril had shared with her…

Focus. One thing at a time.

She pushed back her chair, letting out an involuntarily groan as she forced herself to stand upright, stretching limbs that were battered from the battle and a back that was sore from falling asleep at her desk. She gathered her disorganised drawings into a rough pile and tucked them away on a shelf, before stepping outside to greet the near-midday sun. Spotting Sohmak already in his throne, she skirted around the Sarke bout and moved towards him.

“Morning boss,” she said, stooping into a deferential bow for the benefit of anyone watching, before standing awkwardly beside the throne. “What’s the plan for today?”

@Techn0geist

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

He didn't answer T'harrak immediately and only barely acknowledged her presence, still thoroughly enthralled by the amateur spectacle. This group's pecking order was establishing itself; the one to watch out for, an Ice Skakdi who the others called the Scorpion, particularly handy with a carpenter's hammer.

2 hours ago, Nato G said:

“What’s the plan for today?”

echoed around in his head, each reverberation growing louder until it snapped him out of his trance. "Oh, mornin' geek." He waved with a swing of his gauntlet and relaxed back into the throne, crossing one leg over the other. "'pologies, I just..." he trailed off, his eyes had not leaving the courtyard. The sense of longing was palpable.

He shook his head, forced himself to look at T'harrak. "Right, boss stuff," he affirmed, though T'harrak couldn't be sure which one of them he meant. Lowering his voice, he continued "I was sorta 'opin' you'd tell me. Trees and rocks was what we was focusin' on, yeah?"

 

OOC: @Nato G

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Fort Razorfish;Vaa

"That was my line of thinking, yeah," she nodded. "I identified a few spots yesterday where we can easily mine rock and cut lumber. First priority is patching up the Fort itself. After that, we can work on establishing traps and defences between here and the beach." 

@Techn0geist

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

He returned the nod, satisfied with the broad strokes of T'harrak's scheme. There was no knowing if or when someone would lay siege to the fortress, if Garsi were regathering their forces to deliver a coup de grâce. He scowled at the thought of Fortress Garsi, the way they occupied a corner of his mind in the way a monster under the bed would.

"s'gotta be vicious," he intoned, his fingers again drumming against the triggers inside his gauntlets. "Give worse than we got." He may not have been the prime decision-maker, but Sohmak certainly had ideas.

"Right."

He sprung to his feet, approaching the edge of the overlook. "FALL IN, ROTTERS!" He was pleased with how quickly the courtyard filled.

The warlord-in-light started pacing along the overlook, looming tall over the throng. "Today, we start movin' out to—" he was cut off by scattered cheers, a bloodthirsty few raising fists and arms high. He couldn't help but chuckle in respond. 

"Simmer, lads. Still plen'y o' work to do 'round this joint. S'come to my attention that we find ourselves in a land of plen'y, in fact. Ain't enough to control this fort, we gotta make the land work for us too. Control the whole damn delta." He stamped his foot to punctuate his point. "So as I was sayin', today we start movin' out to do just that. Put ourselves in the best position we can 'fore we start bringin' anythin' else into the fold. We build up, then we build out, savvy? " Sohmak's speech, and pacing, brought him to a perfect stop in front of the throne again, collapsing into its soft embrace.

"Geek's foreman," he said abruptly, without meeting T'harrak's eye. "She'll give you your groups and tasks. I don't wanna hear any whingin'." Who precisely this was addressing was unclear.

 

OOC: @Nato G

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Fort Razorfish;Vaa

"Foreman?" T'harrak squeaked. The whole point of Sohmak being the face of the Fort was so that T'harrak wouldn't have to lead, and here he was putting her in charge of something anyway. Still... the suggestion made a lot of sense, and it wasn't like she could openly object to Sohmak in front of everyone. Well played... 

"Alright, let's get to work," she addressed the gathered Skakdi. It didn't take long to divide everyone up: Po and Onu Skakdi were obvious picks for the quarry work, while Bo-Skakdi were similarly suited for the tree cutting, and the rest were allocated equally between the two groups. Those groups were in turn divided into several more, to operate in shifts throughout the day (there was no sense tiring out the Fort's entire force, just in case there actually was an attack coming). Once everyone was organised, she set out with the first shift, leaving some of the off-shift Skakdi to work on clearing space to store the lumber and stone once it was brought back to the Fort. 

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Fortress Razorfish;Vaa

The brawler allowed himself a self-satisfied smirk as T'harrak left with the first shift; she had much more of a brain for logistics than him, why not let her lead the logistics effort? This also afforded Sohmak an opportunity of his own, to practice the 'war' part of warlord.

"Alright rotters," he barked, rising from the throne and taking a step off the overlook, letting gravity carry him to the off-siders in the courtyard with a heavy thump. "Just 'cause you ain't out there playin' lumberjack or stonemason, don't mean you restin' neither." And it was at this moment he paused awkwardly; reflecting as he did on the past day's events, it dawned on him that past not knowing how to mount a successful attack, this sorry fledgling fort almost certainly had a similar lack of aptitude for defence. More than that, Sohmak himself probably knew less than the rest of them.

Garsi. How'd they do it, the pack of fu—

"THEY'VE GOT—"

"Heat Vision." He said suddenly. "Who's got Heat Vision, or Impact or anythin' of the sort?" A few Skakdi raised their hands, less than he'd hoped. "Perfec'. You hear the signal for a raid, you're up top blastin' at the attackers, savvy?" Then he thought on his own nauseating experience with Heat Vision, seeing those blistering white lines cut through a deep blue sky. "An'... a couple spotters, Thermal an' X-Ray, keep an eye on numbers."

His memory turned now to how Garsi had manipulated their land, collapsing the hillside on the attack party. He would have to see what T'harrak had in mind for barricades and the like, though he was beginning to have ideas about those too. Already the pretence of his office was proving infectious.

"Now... let's see what I'm dealin' with 'ere."

Before long he had them running through unarmed kata, a staple of his own training regimen. Mental awareness and physical control, promoting synthesis of mind and body. From this, all other tactics would flow. It also gave Sohmak more time to formulate said tactics without T'harrak's input; truthfully, he wasn't expecting her to go off with the workers.

He was also pleased that even with the bulk and seeming restrictions of the Sluggers' mechanisms, he was able to perform and thus demonstrate his old routine as freely as if he were naked. He was, begrudgingly, impressed

The fighters of Razorfish;Vaa, meanwhile, were messy, their kata stilted and uneven. Lots of work to do. "Right, keep that up for a few more minutes, then... I dunno, Sarke 'til your shift. Back soon, don't strain nothin'." Sohmak jogged off, curious to see how the work outside the fortress was going, and how T'harrak was doing.

 

OOC: @Nato G

@ARROW404 @Smudge8 you can decide if your fellas are on the first shift, with Sohmak's training group, or elsewhere.

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Razorfish Island

Sohmak would emerge to find a rough trail carved through the foliage to the north-west of the fortress, pushing a path through to the base of the nearest of the island's mountains. The powers of the Bo-Skakdi had peeled back the dense underbrush, and other Skakdi were in the midst of cutting down and dragging away the sturdier trees for use in future construction. 

The path ended at the base of the mountain, where the rest of the workers had broken ground. Most of the group were already digging away in one area, while T'harrak and several other Skakdi with X-ray vision were working their way along the rockface, scratching marks on the rock to designate hazardous areas, or potential future dig sites. 

[Smudge8]

IC: Jojax- Razorfish;Vaa

Jojax had had a rough morning. She'd slept fitfully, more nightmares, but whenever she woke up she though back to her conversation with T'harrak. "It's gonna be ok," She told herself. "We're going to have a plan, we're not going to be made into chumps." 

She'd woken up late, but she responded to Bosse's order to gather up. His speach was... reashuring? In that kind of rough way most skakdi motivated each other. Then when everyone was divided up she ended up doing kata with the leftovers, which she found extremely boring. Why punch nothing when she could be punching something? She glanced across the group, spotting The Scorpion. She hadn't got to see him fight, but he'd been talking a big talk in the mess hall...

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Razorfish Island

Sohmak passed several Skakdi lugging trees back to the fort, greeting them with good work, keep it up, nice one lads etc. as he went. Arriving at the foot of the mountain, and meeting T'harrak's party, the warlord-in-light gave an impressed whistle.

"This is proper good. Zanakra got you doin' this kinda work before?"

 

OOC: @Nato G

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Razorfish Island

"Oh!" T'harrak turned at the sound of Sohmak's voice, blinking blearily several times before her vision returned to normal. "Uh, not exactly. But I spent a few weeks with a mining crew back on the mainland a few years ago, digging up heatstones and lightstones in their natural state so I could learn how to make my own." 

@Techn0geist

[Smudge8]

IC: Jojax- Razorfish;Vaa

Jojax's eyes flashed and "The Scorpion" staggered to the ground. He pulled himself back up as the others around him snickered.

"Alright! Who did that!" The Scorpion shouted. "Fess up and I'll make it less painfull for you."

There was an awkward silence as Jojax thought about wether or not she should take credit. What the heck, she thought New boss said we could sarke.

"It was me!" She shouted. She sauntered foreward projecting as much confidence as she could. 

"Well, well, well." The Scorpion replied. "If it isn't the Phoney Demon herself. Are you finaly done picking on people smaller than you?"

That hurt

"Nope!" at this point the rest of the crowd had formed a circle. Jojax stopped and put her hands on her hips. "Why do they call ya the scorpion anyway? It ain't for yer venomous quips."

"How about I show you?" The Scorpion removed his hammer from his belt, taking a crouched stance.

[ARROW404]

IC: Gashril - Fort Razorfish;Vaa

Gashril had been using her time to its fullest throughout the events of the day. As Sohmak had bellowed to assemble, she had growled at a few feet-draggers to pick up the pace. As the cheer for the fort arose, she took it up loudest of all. As roles were called, she made eye contact with her 'former' party to confirm they were to do as Sohmak said. They dispersed each according to their abilities. Miraule to help with quarrying, Yavonna with the wood, and so on. When Sohmak led the troops in unarmed combat, she fell in with them. She had unarmed training, but new techniques never hurt. Though these were basic enough that they offered her little benefit as it was. When Sohmak went off somewhere, she made sure the rest of the trainees kept up their forms, and ensured they did them properly, offering a tip here and there.

The strategy was set for them: Loyalty to Sohmak until necessity should dictate otherwise. Her enthusiasm served a twofold purpose: Entrench him as the rightful leader of the fort, and making herself valuable. Should the time come when they had the opportunity to seek answers about Kvere;Ivi, she would need all the goodwill from Sohmak and T'harrak she could get. And if trouble brewed, she wanted them on her side.

Drilling done, she sat back to watch the Sarke match, and was simultaneously surprised, yet not, to see Jojax step up to the Scorpion. Well, having nothing pressing to do at the moment, she drew her blade and set to polishing it while watching the scene unfold.

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Razorfish Island

"Make sure to bring any of those back if we find 'em, place gets dingy at night." He glanced at the rest of the X-ray crew nearby, then returned his focus to the tinkerer. 

"So for our barricades... I was thinkin' 'bout Garsi, how they controlled our movement and positionin' and what-not. We gotta do the same. We'll do rows of barricades leadin' up to the fort, two-three-two-three, yeah?" Sohmak scowled when he realised he couldn't illustrate what he meant with his hands, hoping words would suffice. "We'll have our hot vision boys up top, but also some of our earthy, stony and woody boys, usin' their powers to raise walls between 'em, make 'em move where we want to. Cut 'em off, box 'em in, choke points, you get it yeah?"

To any eavesdropper he was simply giving orders, he hoped T'harrak would hear the true, implicit purpose of his words; he was seeking validation, approval for a scheme he was quite proud of.

 

OOC: (with Smudge's approval) I am assuming direct control.

 

As soon as the Scorpion's fingers closed around the hammer's handle he was transformed. Gone the braggart, gone any trace of bluster or swagger. He was focused. He was someone, something, else entirely.

He knew better than to make the first move, the wrestler instigating the fight with such braggadocio. No, he would wait for her to slip. The Scorpion stayed low, coiled, a sting in the tail.

 

OOC: You could say I'm literally him. Or rather...

@Nato G @Smudge8

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Razorfish Island

"Sounds good," she nodded. "I was also thinking we could get the Bo-Skakdi to make the jungle around the path too dense to push or cut through, to guarantee that attackers are forced into our defences." 

@Techn0geist

[Smudge8]

IC: Jojax- Razorfish;Vaa

Jojax smiled, she could finaly take out her frustration in a good old fasioned fight! She made a show of flicking her gloves off, letting them hover in the air. That didn't get as much of a rise out of the crowd as she hoped. That's ok, this wasn't about them anyway.  She rushed forewards and shouted,

"FIVE FEINDISH FISTS!"

It was one of her favorite moves. First the impact vision, than two wide hooks with the gloves, then she could mix it up. She decided to go with a jab, followed by an uppercut.

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Razorfish Island

"Make 'em play by our rules. Only thing we'd have to worry 'bout then is attacks from the sky. Wouldn't put it past the blighters..." He paused, suppressed a shudder. "How's the workers today? And yourself?"

----------------------------

Now this was interesting. Still, the Scorpion was a seasoned fighter. He could be intrigued, but rarely surprised. He rolled his body to the right, the Impact Vision grazing his left shoulder. Throwing his hammer-arm outwards, the first of Jojax's gloves was caught and sent spiralling past Gashril's head, hitting the wall with a distant clank. The second glove came faster than he'd anticipated however, catching him square in the jaw on the recovery.

The world blurred but for a second, and he was lucid again once the wrestler had closed on him. The jab was parried, the Scorpion swinging his arm up to divert its path. He leaned back as the uppercut came, Jojax's knuckles just barely scraping his chin.

He hopped back and planted his feet. The Scorpion spat, a red streak staining the courtyard. A lopsided smirk adorned his lips as he raised his carpenter's hammer, daring her to try again.

 

OOC: @Nato G @Smudge8 @ARROW404

 

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Razorfish Island

"Everyone's doing their jobs. There haven't been any complaints or problems yet," T'harrak replied, glancing at the workers. "I'm fine. Just... adjusting to everything." 

@Techn0geist

[Smudge8]

IC: Jojax- Razorfish;Vaa

Jojax flexed her fingers, and the glove on the floor next to Gashril twitched. That wasn't ideal... She'd hoped to do a Cambion Clothesline next... She summoned her other glove back to her.

"You've got to be the nimblest punching bag I've ever seen!"

She charged forewards, using her gloved hand to feint a wild haymaker, pulled along by the glove. While her real objective was to kick him in someplace vulnerable. 

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Razorfish Island

He wished he could clap an arm around the tinkerer's shoulders, were it not for a) the mining crew nearby, and b) the risk of grievous bodily harm if not death. "Ain't no easin' into it, geek. Time wasted is time given to e'eryone else in the bay. On that note..." he turned now to the crew and bellowed "Keep it movin', lads! And if ya find any shinies, straight to the foreman 'ere, savvy?" The potential for unearthing loot seemed to excite some of the crew, who ran off to as-yet-unsurveyed parts of the mountain, the rest of the party dragging their feet behind them.

Alone at last, Sohmak sighed and stretched. Whenever the conspirators found themselves undisturbed, the brawler found his tone becoming uncharacteristically soft. "It's a lot, innit? All at once. Hope I ain't puttin' too much on you too fast, T'harrak, just figured this... organisin' crap was more up your alley than mine." He tried to diffuse any creeping tension with a cocky smile. "For what it's worth I'm pullin' my weight too, got the fellas doing some light exercise back 'ome." 

Home. That wasn't right, was it? The word, the concept and its tenuous association with Razorfish;Vaa, sat like a viscous fluid atop the wrinkles of his brain. There was resistance to the idea. There was a true purpose to his tenure at the fortress and they both knew it didn't involve staying.

Then why did he say home?

 

The Scorpion sneered, the slightest sneer you ever did see. Jojax charged, threw a haymaker. All that forward momentum, it would only take a small adjustment...

He glanced down and fired off his own Impact Vision, aiming to take her leading foot out and unbalance her. She was fast though, the sidestep he thought would fully dodge the incoming punch instead resulting in another grazing blow to his left shoulder. He felt the bruising, the dull ache sharpening. His right arm meanwhile, the hammer-arm, dropped then swung back up with the weight of the implement, aimed squared at the space her chin would pass through.

 

OOC: @Nato G @Smudge8

Edited March 28, 2025 by Techn0geist

[Nato G]

IC: T'harrak - Razorfish Island

"Good idea," she nodded. "As long as they're busy, they're not asking questions or punching holes in the walls." 

Of course, they could only keep the Skakdi distracted with work for so long. Sooner or later, they'd realise no attack was coming, and the reckless rage would set in. They needed a target, an enemy, an objective... but that was a problem for another day. 

@Techn0geist

[Smudge8]

IC: Jojax- Razorfish;Vaa

Jojax's feet were swept out from under her. She was already unsteady from winding up her kick, then the hammer impacted her chin. She stubled backwards, but her arm was yanked forewards, Her glove still obeying her mental commands. She detached the glove just before her arm was dislocated and it slowly sailed to a stop. Meanwhile she hit the ground and roled away, managing to get into a three point stance. She had no whittey remark, all she could do was mindlessly shout.

"KARZ!"

[Techn0geist]

IC: Sohmak - Spineless Bay, Razorfish Island

"And long as we're busy, we ain't got time to overthink all the ways this falls apart." A sober silence sat between the two.

"Spoke with the Shrill Blade last night. Seem to have 'er on-side, 'er and 'er crew. For now." Another pause, then quickly added: "She ain't know I know. Just...wanted to gauge somethin'."

That somethin' still bothered him. It couldn't just be about giving Sohmak a shot as a new leader, no. But if Gashril had said as much to T'harrak, laid out a true motive, she would've told him. They were in this together. The ruse itself demonstrated the level of trust he was placing in her, and vice versa... he push down the gnawing doubt, refusing to let the thought conclude itself.

 

His lips broke apart, a rare rictus grin from the Scorpion. His next move often finished fights, took slower opponents by surprise; he drew his arm back and flung his hammer, spiralling end-over-end at Jojax. Not a second later he fired off his Impact Vision with a practiced precision, twin beams of kinetic energy striking and accelerating the tool through its flight, driving the hammer to uncanny speeds toward the Bloody Demon.

 

OOC: @Nato G @Smudge8