Turn, Turn and Turn [A]gain! (Turn A Gundam Quest)
- Thread starter Iceblocks
- Start date
[X] Get out of sight and try for a surprise attack.
Ninja build a go?
Ninja build a go?
Combat Tutorial?
[X] Get out of sight and try for a surprise attack.
You clench the controls and move into an area behind the hill with a lot of cover to hide behind. If you are careful, you should get the drop on him…
A minute passes by as you sneak through the hills, carefully listening to the sound of the other FLAT's footsteps to guess at its location. Once you're certain that it has passed you by you lean out from behind a rock, weapons at the ready!
Only to find your opponent with its weapons already trained on you. Two yellow lances of mega-particles burst from its Beam Gun, one of them cutting deeply into the chest of your mobile suit while the second goes wide. Three missiles follow, one of them glancing off the armor of your shoulder while the other two speed into the wound and explode.
The simulation pod shakes before every screen goes black, 'Unit Destroyed' spelled out in angry red letters right in front of you as the pod opens. Your hands remain locked around the controls. It just happened so fast!
"Tch, unlucky." Lieutenant Geo mumbles behind you. He hands you a bottle of water. "Here you go. Don't feel bad, battles between completely equal opponents, amateurs or no, are usually coin tosses. It's just a matter of when it lands."
You greedily gulp down the water, taking the opportunity to look around. You are not the only one to have been eliminated, those who have not finished the simulation are actually in the minority, and only a few of them look triumphant. That helps the embarrassment a little.
"Can…can I try again?" You pant after swallowing another mouthful.
The lieutenant gives you an understanding smile. "After everyone has finished their first sim. Make sure you've finished off that bottle by then."
Once everyone has completed their first simulation (and given their own bottle of water) you are all lined up and briefed by the Lieutenant. It is mostly a repeat about how luck is the deciding factor between equal opponents, with a little extra about how to increase your survivability.
"While unlikely, there is the possibility that you will become soldiers once the Return begins." Explains the lieutenant before letting you back into the simulations. "I don't personally expect it to happen, but I'd rather you be somewhat prepared for the possibility."
This time the environment is the surface of the moon. The immediate area is a bunch of craters, but there is a hill over to the side across some open ground.
How to engage this time…
[] Take cover and start shooting.
[] Engage Hover Mode to get on top of that hill.
[] Try to close the distance.
*********
Okay, that did not go as planned, so we're extending this section a bit so that we can get a better handle on the mechanics.
You clench the controls and move into an area behind the hill with a lot of cover to hide behind. If you are careful, you should get the drop on him…
DC 60 for Ambush = 42 Failure! Initiative Ceded!
AI Opponent. (5/5)
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 2!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 5!
DC 60 Beam Gun Hit = 73, 10! 1 Success, one Failure!
DC 80 Missile Launcher Hit = 93, 3, 81, 87, 34. 3 Successes, two Failures!
1DC 5+1(Penetration)-1Cover (Beam) and 2DC 5-1(Cover) (Explosive)Target Armor Save = 2; 4, 1, 2! 1 Success, 3 Failures!
Loran takes 5(3+1+1) Integrity Damage!
Loran has been Destroyed!
AI Opponent. (5/5)
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 2!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 5!
DC 60 Beam Gun Hit = 73, 10! 1 Success, one Failure!
DC 80 Missile Launcher Hit = 93, 3, 81, 87, 34. 3 Successes, two Failures!
1DC 5+1(Penetration)-1Cover (Beam) and 2DC 5-1(Cover) (Explosive)Target Armor Save = 2; 4, 1, 2! 1 Success, 3 Failures!
Loran takes 5(3+1+1) Integrity Damage!
Loran has been Destroyed!
A minute passes by as you sneak through the hills, carefully listening to the sound of the other FLAT's footsteps to guess at its location. Once you're certain that it has passed you by you lean out from behind a rock, weapons at the ready!
Only to find your opponent with its weapons already trained on you. Two yellow lances of mega-particles burst from its Beam Gun, one of them cutting deeply into the chest of your mobile suit while the second goes wide. Three missiles follow, one of them glancing off the armor of your shoulder while the other two speed into the wound and explode.
The simulation pod shakes before every screen goes black, 'Unit Destroyed' spelled out in angry red letters right in front of you as the pod opens. Your hands remain locked around the controls. It just happened so fast!
"Tch, unlucky." Lieutenant Geo mumbles behind you. He hands you a bottle of water. "Here you go. Don't feel bad, battles between completely equal opponents, amateurs or no, are usually coin tosses. It's just a matter of when it lands."
You greedily gulp down the water, taking the opportunity to look around. You are not the only one to have been eliminated, those who have not finished the simulation are actually in the minority, and only a few of them look triumphant. That helps the embarrassment a little.
"Can…can I try again?" You pant after swallowing another mouthful.
The lieutenant gives you an understanding smile. "After everyone has finished their first sim. Make sure you've finished off that bottle by then."
Once everyone has completed their first simulation (and given their own bottle of water) you are all lined up and briefed by the Lieutenant. It is mostly a repeat about how luck is the deciding factor between equal opponents, with a little extra about how to increase your survivability.
"While unlikely, there is the possibility that you will become soldiers once the Return begins." Explains the lieutenant before letting you back into the simulations. "I don't personally expect it to happen, but I'd rather you be somewhat prepared for the possibility."
This time the environment is the surface of the moon. The immediate area is a bunch of craters, but there is a hill over to the side across some open ground.
How to engage this time…
[] Take cover and start shooting.
[] Engage Hover Mode to get on top of that hill.
[] Try to close the distance.
*********
Okay, that did not go as planned, so we're extending this section a bit so that we can get a better handle on the mechanics.
*Waves off* It's fine, just the tutorial. You're writing's gotten better, I remember... one of the previous iterations of this. Hope it goes different this time, if I remember we kind of stuck to canon quite a bit in that one.
Although I didn't even know Turn A Gundam was a thing at the time, so it didn't bother me then.
Although I didn't even know Turn A Gundam was a thing at the time, so it didn't bother me then.
Combat Tutorial Part 2 + The Descent to Earth
[X] Take cover and start shooting.
You decide on a different approach this time and rush for a good-sized crater to take cover in.
In your rush you mess up the leg controls and fall. The simulation pod shakes, disorienting you as your opponent opens fire at your prone mobile suit. One of the missiles strikes true while the rest go wide. After regaining your wits you crawl into the crater as fast as your FLAT allows.
You peek out of cover before the enemy can fire again and squeeze off a pair of beams and four missiles. Your first beam shot and one of the missiles strike true while the rest miss. None of the return fire hit you, but one of the beams carves a trench in the rock right beside your mobile suit's head.
The enemy is rushing for a crater close to you!
You fail to regain your bead on the enemy before it has taken cover, but you fire before it can regain its bearings. Your first beam shot slams harmlessly into the ground while the other glances off the armor of the other FLAT, its arm glowing white hot as the beam dissipates against it without doing any real harm.
The one missile of the volley that hits is another story. It flies straight into the area below the FLAT's head and finishes off the damaged unit.
Your heart is hammering in your chest as the simulation pod shuts down. Lieutenant Geo meets you with an understanding expression and another water bottle. Once everyone has finished their simulations he herds you into the showers, sending a subordinate to get takeout for all of you while you get clean.
The year passes with only one more combat simulation near the end. The rest of it is spent learning the land you will be living in for the foreseeable future.
"These are the Amerian countries." Lieutenant Geo explains while gesturing at a map of Ameria.
"Our interests lie within the five states of Tejas, Floria, Corado, Luzianna and Inglessa. Those of you who are chosen will descend to one of these countries to assess the situation in preparation for the Return." The rest of the lecture is a brief overview of the last few hundred years of these countries' history.
Apparently everything north of Adeska (which is not an Amerian Nation, incidentally) used to be one empire in the distant past, but it soon fractured due to its sheer size into hundreds of small states which eventually became several dozen larger states whose elected an emperor from one of their number. After centuries of inter-Amerian conflict, resulting into the few states that cover America today, the empire was done away with in favor of complete independence.
***
Two years have gone by, and the time for Queen Dianna to select the last wave of advance scouts has come.
And you were chosen. Team #4 of the 12th group was chosen!
You are euphoric even before you are ushered into an audience with Queen Dianna. She congratulates you and the other scouts, making a short speech on the importance of your mission before you and your friends are free to go.
One month. You have one month before you go down to Earth.
You are now Fifteen years old.
You are given leave to visit family and say goodbyes, so after Keith, Fran and yourself go your separate ways your first move is to get onto a train to your hometown. You called ahead, so when you get home dinner is already on the table. The Rorois are also here.
The Rorois are the descendants of your aunt who didn't get a cryopod and instead lived out her life in the reconstruction period after the Calamity. According to your mother they were first introduced to her by the government after the two of you were woken up fourteen years ago. You don't know Mr. and Mrs Roroi very well, but their children Dona-
-and Hammett-
-were friends of your when you were growing up. The Rorois live at the halfway point of one of the canals that link the Moorace cities together, closer to the capital than you and your mother, living of fishing and a stipend they get from tending to the whales.
"You're really going to Earth?" Asks Hammett. The three of you are in the living room while your mother and the Rorois are talking in the kitchen.
You nod at him. "In a little more than three weeks, yeah."
He looks away to gaze out the window at the Earthrise, visible through the glassteel dome above your hometown. "I can't believe that Crybaby Loran is going to Earth."
You drive your elbow into his side. "Oi."
"He's not wrooon-ng♬" Dona sing-songs.
"Siiiiiis…" You whine, prompting Hemmett to throw his head back and laugh. Dona soon joins him, and all you can do is to sigh wistfully. You are going to miss this.
***
And then the day comes where you are to leave. Your mother comes with you to bid you farewell. She draws you close and kisses your forehead. "Be careful, Loran."
"Yes mom, I will."
"Remember to bathe often." Kiss.
"Yes mom."
"Stay away from shady sorts." Kiss.
"Yes mom."
"Be careful with your money." Kiss.
"Yes mom."
"And don't get involved with any strange Earth girls!"
"Mom!"
You and your mother share a final hug before you have to go. The ship that is going to carry your FLAT into position and its escorts docked at the spaceport earlier today, and are ready to leave as soon as you get onboard. Keith and Fran went on ahead, having said their farewells at their homes.
The waiting room the teams are kept in is more than large enough for each of you to have your own space. You're all too focused on passing the time the two days it'll take to enter orbit over Earth to say much to people outside your own team.
Personally you read your instructions again and again: You and your friends are to land in Inglessa, the Amerian nation in the middle of the eastern coast of the continent, then you are to infiltrate the civilian population and await further instructions before the Return. When you aren't doing that you keep yourself busy by playing games with Keith and Fran or sleeping.
Eventually you enter Earth's orbit. A sinking feeling enters your gut as you come to understand just how big it is. It looked a lot smaller when you looked at the earthrise at night back home.
"All units," Says the communication officer directing the drop. "Perform a systems check before atmospheric re-entry."
"FLAT Two, ready." Keith intones from his place in the pilot's seat. The other FLATs report in as well as the dropship disengages from the ship that brought you here before going a little closer to Earth. You heart hammers in your head as the blue planet below looms steadily closer, lights dotting a few parts of its darkened surface, so you start to sing:
"Mary had a little lamb…"
Keith and Fran join in, each with their own song as the six FLATs are released and enter the atmosphere.
It is early morning when you land, Keith maneuvering you down into some hills a few hours walk away from any settlements before activating the FLAT's Hyper Vibration System. Having come to a stop with your mobile suit stuck waist deep into the dirt, the three of you just sit there and take in the sight of the vast open blue sky.
To your great regret, you cannot stay like this forever. You dress up in clothes that won't look as out of place as your spacesuits and go your separate paths. Your intel had placed the Heim mines near the town of Vicinity as a place you might find work, so you decide to head there.
There are two ways to get there from where you are. One path that needs you to cross the nearby grasslands before following the river you see in the distance, and another that takes you over the rocky hillside and over a bridge, though the latter will take a few hours more.
[] Take the short path.
[] Take the long path.
You decide on a different approach this time and rush for a good-sized crater to take cover in.
DC 50 for Finding Cover = 2! Critical Failure! -10 to Hit DC for the AI FLAT This turn! Loran skips this Turn!
AI Opponent 5/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 1!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 5!
DC 50+10(Long Range)-10(Critical Failure) Beam Gun Hit = 21! Failure!
DC 70 Missile Launcher Hit = 42, 31, 16, 17, 79. 1 Success, 4 Failures!
1DC 5 (Explosive) Target Armor Save = 2! Failure!
Loran takes 1 Integrity Damage!
AI Opponent 5/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 1!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 5!
DC 50+10(Long Range)-10(Critical Failure) Beam Gun Hit = 21! Failure!
DC 70 Missile Launcher Hit = 42, 31, 16, 17, 79. 1 Success, 4 Failures!
1DC 5 (Explosive) Target Armor Save = 2! Failure!
Loran takes 1 Integrity Damage!
In your rush you mess up the leg controls and fall. The simulation pod shakes, disorienting you as your opponent opens fire at your prone mobile suit. One of the missiles strikes true while the rest go wide. After regaining your wits you crawl into the crater as fast as your FLAT allows.
DC 50 for Initiative = 52! Success! Loran goes first!
Loran 4/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 2!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 4!
DC 50+10(Long Range) Beam Gun Hit = 78, 15! 1 Success, 1 Failure!
DC 70 Missile Launcher Hit = 17, 43, 70, 14. 1 Success, 3 Failures!
1DC 5+1(Penetration) (Beam) and 1DC 5 (Explosive) Target Armor Save = 3, 3! 2 Failures!
AI Opponent takes 4 Integrity Damage!
AI Opponent 1/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 1!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 2!
DC 50+25(Long Range+Heavy Cover) Beam Gun Hit = 71! Failure!
DC 70+15(Heavy Cover) Missile Launcher Hit = 53, 56. 2 Failures!
Loran 4/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 2!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 4!
DC 50+10(Long Range) Beam Gun Hit = 78, 15! 1 Success, 1 Failure!
DC 70 Missile Launcher Hit = 17, 43, 70, 14. 1 Success, 3 Failures!
1DC 5+1(Penetration) (Beam) and 1DC 5 (Explosive) Target Armor Save = 3, 3! 2 Failures!
AI Opponent takes 4 Integrity Damage!
AI Opponent 1/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 1!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 2!
DC 50+25(Long Range+Heavy Cover) Beam Gun Hit = 71! Failure!
DC 70+15(Heavy Cover) Missile Launcher Hit = 53, 56. 2 Failures!
You peek out of cover before the enemy can fire again and squeeze off a pair of beams and four missiles. Your first beam shot and one of the missiles strike true while the rest miss. None of the return fire hit you, but one of the beams carves a trench in the rock right beside your mobile suit's head.
The enemy is rushing for a crater close to you!
DC 30/60 for Interception = 33! Partial Failure! Target in Cover! Loran goes first!
Loran 4/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 2!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 5!
DC 50+15(Heavy Cover) Beam Gun Hit = 11, 68! 1 Success, 1 Failure!
DC 70+15(Heavy Cover) Missile Launcher Hit = 79, 17, 12, 8, 85. 1 Success, 4 Failures!
1DC 5+1(Penetration) (Beam) and 1DC 5 (Explosive) Target Armor Save = 6, 3! 1 Success, 1 Failure!
AI Opponent takes 1 Integrity Damage!
AI Opponent has been destroyed!
Loran 4/5
Beam Gun 1d3 Attacks = 2!
Missile Launcher 2d5 Attacks = 5!
DC 50+15(Heavy Cover) Beam Gun Hit = 11, 68! 1 Success, 1 Failure!
DC 70+15(Heavy Cover) Missile Launcher Hit = 79, 17, 12, 8, 85. 1 Success, 4 Failures!
1DC 5+1(Penetration) (Beam) and 1DC 5 (Explosive) Target Armor Save = 6, 3! 1 Success, 1 Failure!
AI Opponent takes 1 Integrity Damage!
AI Opponent has been destroyed!
You fail to regain your bead on the enemy before it has taken cover, but you fire before it can regain its bearings. Your first beam shot slams harmlessly into the ground while the other glances off the armor of the other FLAT, its arm glowing white hot as the beam dissipates against it without doing any real harm.
The one missile of the volley that hits is another story. It flies straight into the area below the FLAT's head and finishes off the damaged unit.
Your heart is hammering in your chest as the simulation pod shuts down. Lieutenant Geo meets you with an understanding expression and another water bottle. Once everyone has finished their simulations he herds you into the showers, sending a subordinate to get takeout for all of you while you get clean.
The year passes with only one more combat simulation near the end. The rest of it is spent learning the land you will be living in for the foreseeable future.
"These are the Amerian countries." Lieutenant Geo explains while gesturing at a map of Ameria.
"Our interests lie within the five states of Tejas, Floria, Corado, Luzianna and Inglessa. Those of you who are chosen will descend to one of these countries to assess the situation in preparation for the Return." The rest of the lecture is a brief overview of the last few hundred years of these countries' history.
Apparently everything north of Adeska (which is not an Amerian Nation, incidentally) used to be one empire in the distant past, but it soon fractured due to its sheer size into hundreds of small states which eventually became several dozen larger states whose elected an emperor from one of their number. After centuries of inter-Amerian conflict, resulting into the few states that cover America today, the empire was done away with in favor of complete independence.
***
Two years have gone by, and the time for Queen Dianna to select the last wave of advance scouts has come.
And you were chosen. Team #4 of the 12th group was chosen!
You are euphoric even before you are ushered into an audience with Queen Dianna. She congratulates you and the other scouts, making a short speech on the importance of your mission before you and your friends are free to go.
One month. You have one month before you go down to Earth.
You are now Fifteen years old.
You are given leave to visit family and say goodbyes, so after Keith, Fran and yourself go your separate ways your first move is to get onto a train to your hometown. You called ahead, so when you get home dinner is already on the table. The Rorois are also here.
The Rorois are the descendants of your aunt who didn't get a cryopod and instead lived out her life in the reconstruction period after the Calamity. According to your mother they were first introduced to her by the government after the two of you were woken up fourteen years ago. You don't know Mr. and Mrs Roroi very well, but their children Dona-
-and Hammett-
-were friends of your when you were growing up. The Rorois live at the halfway point of one of the canals that link the Moorace cities together, closer to the capital than you and your mother, living of fishing and a stipend they get from tending to the whales.
"You're really going to Earth?" Asks Hammett. The three of you are in the living room while your mother and the Rorois are talking in the kitchen.
You nod at him. "In a little more than three weeks, yeah."
He looks away to gaze out the window at the Earthrise, visible through the glassteel dome above your hometown. "I can't believe that Crybaby Loran is going to Earth."
You drive your elbow into his side. "Oi."
"He's not wrooon-ng♬" Dona sing-songs.
"Siiiiiis…" You whine, prompting Hemmett to throw his head back and laugh. Dona soon joins him, and all you can do is to sigh wistfully. You are going to miss this.
***
And then the day comes where you are to leave. Your mother comes with you to bid you farewell. She draws you close and kisses your forehead. "Be careful, Loran."
"Yes mom, I will."
"Remember to bathe often." Kiss.
"Yes mom."
"Stay away from shady sorts." Kiss.
"Yes mom."
"Be careful with your money." Kiss.
"Yes mom."
"And don't get involved with any strange Earth girls!"
"Mom!"
You and your mother share a final hug before you have to go. The ship that is going to carry your FLAT into position and its escorts docked at the spaceport earlier today, and are ready to leave as soon as you get onboard. Keith and Fran went on ahead, having said their farewells at their homes.
The waiting room the teams are kept in is more than large enough for each of you to have your own space. You're all too focused on passing the time the two days it'll take to enter orbit over Earth to say much to people outside your own team.
Personally you read your instructions again and again: You and your friends are to land in Inglessa, the Amerian nation in the middle of the eastern coast of the continent, then you are to infiltrate the civilian population and await further instructions before the Return. When you aren't doing that you keep yourself busy by playing games with Keith and Fran or sleeping.
Eventually you enter Earth's orbit. A sinking feeling enters your gut as you come to understand just how big it is. It looked a lot smaller when you looked at the earthrise at night back home.
"All units," Says the communication officer directing the drop. "Perform a systems check before atmospheric re-entry."
"FLAT Two, ready." Keith intones from his place in the pilot's seat. The other FLATs report in as well as the dropship disengages from the ship that brought you here before going a little closer to Earth. You heart hammers in your head as the blue planet below looms steadily closer, lights dotting a few parts of its darkened surface, so you start to sing:
"Mary had a little lamb…"
Keith and Fran join in, each with their own song as the six FLATs are released and enter the atmosphere.
It is early morning when you land, Keith maneuvering you down into some hills a few hours walk away from any settlements before activating the FLAT's Hyper Vibration System. Having come to a stop with your mobile suit stuck waist deep into the dirt, the three of you just sit there and take in the sight of the vast open blue sky.
To your great regret, you cannot stay like this forever. You dress up in clothes that won't look as out of place as your spacesuits and go your separate paths. Your intel had placed the Heim mines near the town of Vicinity as a place you might find work, so you decide to head there.
There are two ways to get there from where you are. One path that needs you to cross the nearby grasslands before following the river you see in the distance, and another that takes you over the rocky hillside and over a bridge, though the latter will take a few hours more.
[] Take the short path.
[] Take the long path.
Last edited:
Interlude Harry Ord (Intro END)
Interlude: Harry Ord.
The day of Loran's descent to Earth.
Harry twisted underneath the razor-sharp edge and brought up his forearm, a twitch of the hand making the device mounted there project an I-Field to disrupt the Boid long enough for him to shoot out its projector box. Behind him his fellow royal guardsmen were taking out other Boidboxes and securing captive cultists.
At the end of the room stood the quivering form of the high priest. The old man's hands danced across the console, desperate to bring some form of countermeasure to bear, but Harry mimed a punch in his direction to make the arm-mounted projector release a Hyper I-Field, throwing the high priest off his feet.
The armor he wore was a marvel. One of a half dozen suits found within this ancient ship buried beneath the Dianna Counter headquarters, the powered armor offered near immunity to small arms and featured an I-Field projector comparable to the one mounted on his SUMO on each forearm.
Truly, the wars of the Pre-Calamity era must have been terrifying…
The high priest staggered to his feet. Surrounded and alone, the old man bared his teeth in a triumphant smile.
"Fool. You are too late!"
TRANSFERANCE GATE AT 100%
SEARCHING FOR GATE…
Harry flinched. The Gate!
The high priest threw his head back and laughed. "Do you see now?! We are victorious-"
ERROR
"What?!"
NO ACTIVE TRANSFERANCE GATE WITHIN 300,000 LIGHT YEARS
"B-but-"
LAST CONTACT WITH TRANFERANCE GATE NETWORK DATED 1.042.165 YEARS AGO
For a moment the high priest slumped, defeated, then rage took over his features. He reached into his robe and pulled out a blocky metal object shaped like a 'T'. Harry trained his gun on the man, almost pulling the trigger before realizing that the other man wasn't pointing the object at him.
"You…" The high priest growled at the T. "You said they were there! You said that the True Mankind was waiting for us on the other side!" In his hands the T began to quiver, its black surface shimmering as Harry felt a dull ache behind his eyes.
A snap of Harry's arm slammed the high priest into a wall, the T slipping from his fingers to fall onto the floor. The captain examined the object as the other royal guards dragged the weeping high priest away. Suddenly the T's shimmering intensified, making his headache surge to unbearable levels before he smashed it into pieces with a stomp of a power-armored boot. He brought a hand up to his nose and sucked in a sharp breath when it came back flecked with wet blood-
His gun shot up at the figure before the Transference Gate. "Freeze!" One of his subordinates called out to him, but Harry ignored him. Standing in front of the Gate with her back turned to the royal guardsmen was a tall woman wearing armor similar to his own. At his shout she turned her head, revealing the curious flower pattern in her eyes before her face fell in despair. Harry blinked, and she was gone.
"SIR!"
Harry jumped at the shout, turning to come face to face with his subordinates.
"Sir," The guardsman stressed. "There is nobody there."
"Yes." Harry agreed as he holstered his pistol. "Of course." He was about to apologize when the Gate let out a chime.
PLAYING LAST TRANSMISSIONS:
Screams echoed through the chamber as the Gate played the last messages it received as something annihilated the Network. None among the Royal Guard understood a word said, for it was in a language that none there knew, but one word was repeated far more than others…
"Taan…" Harry parroted before walking up to the high priest. "What does 'Taan' mean?"
The despondent cult leader only sighed and shook his head. "Butterfly."
"Taan means Butterfly."
*********
Glossary:
Boid.
-Illegal weapon used by criminal gangs on the moon. It is an assassination robot consisting of electrified metal balls suspended in a powerful I-Field projected by a box near the target.
I-Field.
-A field of charged mega-particles that deflect, dampen or outright dissipate incoming particle beam fire. An I-Field does nothing to kinetic, explosive or laser fire.
Hyper I-Field.
-A supercharged I-Field that creates a physical barrier in addition to the normal effects of an I-Field. Still does nothing against lasers.
Transference Gate.
-Entry/Exit point of the galactic portal network used by Pre-Calamity humankind. Their activation is banned on the Moon, as nobody knows what is on the other side after the Calamity.
The day of Loran's descent to Earth.
Harry twisted underneath the razor-sharp edge and brought up his forearm, a twitch of the hand making the device mounted there project an I-Field to disrupt the Boid long enough for him to shoot out its projector box. Behind him his fellow royal guardsmen were taking out other Boidboxes and securing captive cultists.
At the end of the room stood the quivering form of the high priest. The old man's hands danced across the console, desperate to bring some form of countermeasure to bear, but Harry mimed a punch in his direction to make the arm-mounted projector release a Hyper I-Field, throwing the high priest off his feet.
The armor he wore was a marvel. One of a half dozen suits found within this ancient ship buried beneath the Dianna Counter headquarters, the powered armor offered near immunity to small arms and featured an I-Field projector comparable to the one mounted on his SUMO on each forearm.
Truly, the wars of the Pre-Calamity era must have been terrifying…
The high priest staggered to his feet. Surrounded and alone, the old man bared his teeth in a triumphant smile.
"Fool. You are too late!"
TRANSFERANCE GATE AT 100%
SEARCHING FOR GATE…
Harry flinched. The Gate!
The high priest threw his head back and laughed. "Do you see now?! We are victorious-"
ERROR
"What?!"
NO ACTIVE TRANSFERANCE GATE WITHIN 300,000 LIGHT YEARS
"B-but-"
LAST CONTACT WITH TRANFERANCE GATE NETWORK DATED 1.042.165 YEARS AGO
For a moment the high priest slumped, defeated, then rage took over his features. He reached into his robe and pulled out a blocky metal object shaped like a 'T'. Harry trained his gun on the man, almost pulling the trigger before realizing that the other man wasn't pointing the object at him.
"You…" The high priest growled at the T. "You said they were there! You said that the True Mankind was waiting for us on the other side!" In his hands the T began to quiver, its black surface shimmering as Harry felt a dull ache behind his eyes.
A snap of Harry's arm slammed the high priest into a wall, the T slipping from his fingers to fall onto the floor. The captain examined the object as the other royal guards dragged the weeping high priest away. Suddenly the T's shimmering intensified, making his headache surge to unbearable levels before he smashed it into pieces with a stomp of a power-armored boot. He brought a hand up to his nose and sucked in a sharp breath when it came back flecked with wet blood-
His gun shot up at the figure before the Transference Gate. "Freeze!" One of his subordinates called out to him, but Harry ignored him. Standing in front of the Gate with her back turned to the royal guardsmen was a tall woman wearing armor similar to his own. At his shout she turned her head, revealing the curious flower pattern in her eyes before her face fell in despair. Harry blinked, and she was gone.
"SIR!"
Harry jumped at the shout, turning to come face to face with his subordinates.
"Sir," The guardsman stressed. "There is nobody there."
"Yes." Harry agreed as he holstered his pistol. "Of course." He was about to apologize when the Gate let out a chime.
PLAYING LAST TRANSMISSIONS:
Screams echoed through the chamber as the Gate played the last messages it received as something annihilated the Network. None among the Royal Guard understood a word said, for it was in a language that none there knew, but one word was repeated far more than others…
"Taan…" Harry parroted before walking up to the high priest. "What does 'Taan' mean?"
The despondent cult leader only sighed and shook his head. "Butterfly."
"Taan means Butterfly."
*********
Glossary:
Boid.
-Illegal weapon used by criminal gangs on the moon. It is an assassination robot consisting of electrified metal balls suspended in a powerful I-Field projected by a box near the target.
I-Field.
-A field of charged mega-particles that deflect, dampen or outright dissipate incoming particle beam fire. An I-Field does nothing to kinetic, explosive or laser fire.
Hyper I-Field.
-A supercharged I-Field that creates a physical barrier in addition to the normal effects of an I-Field. Still does nothing against lasers.
Transference Gate.
-Entry/Exit point of the galactic portal network used by Pre-Calamity humankind. Their activation is banned on the Moon, as nobody knows what is on the other side after the Calamity.
Journey to Vicinity
[X] Take the long path.
You're not in any particular hurry, so you amble down the long path. It's a hard trip with the heavy backpack on your shoulders, but you manage not to slip on any rocks on the way. You were given some tools that wouldn't look out of place down here, but did they have to be so heavy?
The view from up here is fantastic; you realize as you walk far enough that the nearby hills are no longer obscuring your vision. You even spot some moving squiggles in the distant river that you assume to be bathers.
It's the middle of the day when you get to the bridge, yet there is not a soul in sight when you cross it. Where are all the people? You should be halfway to Vicinity by now…
You see your first earthlings up close when you finally reach the edge of Vicinity an hour later. Farmers for the most part, they give you some measuring looks as you pass, but nobody confronts you. You do hear one of them say something about foreigners to another. They all seem to be in a strangely good mood though.
It is at the crossroads in the center of the town when it hits you that you're not sure where to go in order to get a job at the Heim mines. The signpost in front of you only gives directions to the nearby villages and to the city of Nocis, the capital of Inglessa.
Glancing around, you spot a harmless-looking elderly man smoking a pipe. Perfect. You had to start talking with one eventually.
"Um…excuse me, sir." He quirks an eyebrow when you start talking to him. "May I ask you a question?"
The old man doesn't say anything at first, starting intently at you. He seems to be contemplating something while idly puffing on his pipe. A pair of primitive cars enter the town, they'll be driving past you in a minute or so.
"I don't recognize you accent, youngster. Where you from?"
It takes you an instant to understand what he is saying. "Elsewhere." You tell him. Maybe not the best answer to give, judging from the way he gapes.
"What?" He says, barely catching his pipe before it falls. "Really? How old are you, kid?"
"F-fifteen…" Is this a cultural thing? Does the word for 'elsewhere' also mean something else?
"Fifteen? I…when did you get it into your head to leave 'Elsewhere'?"
"Two years ago, but-"
"Two years he says…" He shakes his head, his eyes distant. "White Doll, what could you possibly have done-"
BANG!
The first car comes to a halt, smoke billowing from its hood. The passengers, a man, a woman, and a girl, who to your utter shock looks just like Queen Dianna, hurriedly exit as the second car stops right behind them.
A man in a blue uniform, probably the driver, gets out of the front seat of the first car and opens the hood, getting a cloud of smoke in his face for his efforts.
This isn't something that happens often, the people around you are too shocked for that. Some have walked up to the passengers, asking them if they're alright.
You excuse yourself from the conversation with the old man and walk over to the broken down car. The driver brought some sort of suitcase with him, opening it to reveal some basic tools and a few spare parts. Not that they do him any good: Even with the smoke dissipated he is still staring dumbly at the damaged motor, to his employer's consternation.
The girls see you approach before the adults, who you assume are their parents, eyeing you warily as you walk up to the man in an expensive suit, their father. You cough, drawing his attention and that of his wife onto yourself.
"Excuse me for intruding, but do you need a hand? I have some knowledge of engines and machinery." You take of your backpack and unpack your tools, holding them for the suited man to inspect.
The man is rather displeased, not at you, that is, but at the accident. He and his family must be in a hurry. His hands clench on the handle of his cane, but he calms down right before addressing you. "It cannot hurt. Thank you, young man."
You nod at him, leaving your backpack to lean against a nearby house before walking over to stand beside the driver. He steps aside after handing you the suitcase, joining the family to give you enough space to work in. the engine is still smoking, but it is barely noticeable. At least the driver had enough presence of mind to turn the thing off before he tried to fix it.
A glance at what's under the hood tells you one thing instantly: "I've never seen this model before. The engine, I mean." You admit. Their faces fall, the father muttering a word you do not recognize.
You don't want to disappoint them, and the underlying principles should be the same…
*
It only takes a minute to figure out how the engine is put together and how it is supposed to function, and from there your repairs are done without a hitch.
"Here's the culprit." You say as you hold out a small chunk of twisted metal that used to be a part. It got damaged by the heat and that tore into another part when it broke, causing the car to break down. When you got down to it, all you really did was replace the broken part with a spare from the suitcase and then apply a patch job to the parts that it damaged.
The wife's eyes widen. "Dear," she addresses her husband "Didn't this very thing happen to the Mitchells last year?"
"It did." He agrees before nodding at the driver. "Try to start it now."
You feel a not small amount of pride when the engine starts with no problems, the car evenly vibrating as the driver takes it for a short test drive. The girl that looks so much like Queen Dianna that it frightens you looks extremely relieved at the sight.
"Young man."
You turn back to the man even as you wipe your hands with a rag retrieved from your backpack. "Yes, sir?"
"You are not from around here are you?" The other girl is openly studying you pacing around you as if you take the sight of you in from all angles.
"No sir. I came here looking for work."
"I see."
You glance around. The old man you were speaking to earlier seems to have wandered off, so you decide to ask the suited man instead. "Sir, could you please tell me where I need to go to get a job the Heim Mines? I can't seem to find it."
The other girl snickers from behind you, what's with her?
The man grins. "I am Mr. Heim."
…Oh.
His grin shrinks into a small smile as he studies you a bit closer. "Say…my personal mechanic is in need of an assistant, would you be interested?"
"Yessir!" You tell Mr. Heim, who chuckles a little at your outburst.
"Good. However, we will need to discuss the details tomorrow. Tonight's Ceremony will take up the rest of the day." He adds 'and most of the night' under his breath before asking you your name and if you have a place to stay.
"My name is Loran Cehack, sir, and I don't have anywhere to stay at the moment."
"That so?" He points at the driver's section of the car you just fixed. "Then you might as well accompany us. Sit with the driver, your backpack will need to stay in the other car."
You don't really want to offend the man offering you a job, so you accept his offer. Though you don't really like how the younger girl is eyeing your backpack when you leave it with her. The drive to this ceremony they're talking about takes a little more than an hour, giving you the chance to ask some questions of Mr. Heim.
"Um…Sir?"
"Yes, young man?"
"When I arrived in Vicinity, I got a rather odd reaction from a man I was asking directions from when I mentioned I was from 'Elsewhere'. I said it because I don't like discussing it, but is there a second meaning to the word?"
Mr. Heim blinks at you while his wife and eldest daughter struggle not to laugh. He snorts and shakes his head. "A local series of old penny dreadfuls used the phrase 'being from Elsewhere' to mean 'I'm on the run from powerful people'. The old goat must have confused them for reality."
Huh. That explains the old man's reaction
*
You try not to eavesdrop on their conversation as the two cars draw closer to an odd building at the foot of a mountain. The sun is setting by the time you exit the car, the older daughter being led away by Mrs. Heim in to the building while Mr. Heim goes to speak with some other men. This place has gathered quite the crowd.
Someone sniffs behind you, it's the younger sister. "I don't believe you."
What? "What are you-hey!" That's your toy fish she's holding! "Give that back!"
She brandishes the red toy like a sword. "Answer my questions first!"
You don't answer her, you're too busy restraining yourself from lunging at her, so she goes on right ahead. "You said you've never seen the kind of engine that's in Daddy's car, but you fixed so easily!"
"It works on the same principles as the engines I'm used to, so it wasn't all that hard after I had a good look at it. And I didn't really fix it; I just replaced a broken part and patched up the rest of the damage." You told Mr. Heim that he needed to see a mechanic with the proper equipment and facilities at the earliest opportunity to get it repaired properly, but this girl wasn't in the car at the time.
"Sochie!" You and the girl turn in the direction of the building. The older sister is walking towards you, wearing a robe colored white on one side and blue on the other, as well as a floral wreath on her head. "Give that back this instant!"
You can't help but stare a little; she looks even more like the Queen when wearing white.
The younger sister, Sochie, sullenly hands your fish back. You thank them both.
"We haven't been introduced." The older sister gestures towards herself. "My name is Kihel Heim."
You stand up a bit straighter and take your hat off. "I'm Loran Cehack."
Sochie is still pouting. "Sochie Heim." She mumbles halfheartedly.
As the sun slowly vanishes beneath the horizon you're left with Sochie. Apparently this whole thing is a Coming of Age ceremony for the local youths, both boys and girls. You ask Sochie if she's going to attend tonight.
"Of course not." She tells you as if you were an idiot. "I'm fifteen, so it'll be my turn in two years."
"We're the same age then." You respond. This seems to surprise her for some reason, but you're interrupted when a small horde of young adults, all of them in white robes like the one Kihel wore, burst out of the strange building. They're all singing a song in a language you don't recognize while waving torches or carrying a platform with a statue of a man with a strange feathered headdress on it. Kihel is also on the platform, her back pressed up against the statue's chest.
An elbow pokes into your side. "Stop staring at my sister." Sochie demands angrily.
"Sorry, it's just." You shrug helplessly. "She just looks like someone I know and look up to, the resemblance is uncanny."
You don't think she believes you, but she lets the matter lie.
Suddenly Kihel spreads her arms, laying her hands into those of the wooden statue. "Take me to the White Doll!"
The robed and singing youths around her lift the platform again before marching along a well-worn trail that leads up the mountain.
"Sochie?"
"Hm? Yes?"
"What's the 'White Doll'?"
"You don't know?" She seems shocked, but she recovers quickly. "Wait, of course you don't. You're foreign." She takes a deep breath before beginning her lecture:
"The White Doll is a legendary giant…"
(Choice determines the condition of the White Doll's systems)
[] Whose strength tore its enemies apart with a million arrows!
[] Whose shield and armor were made of light, turning even the mightiest blows as harmless as rain!
[] Whose trickery let it walk unseen, see through all falsehoods, and change the nature of whatever battle it fought!
[] Whose wings and chariot let it outspeed the Sun itself!
[] Whose Spirit tore through its own skin, allowing it to touch the hearts of all mankind!
You're not in any particular hurry, so you amble down the long path. It's a hard trip with the heavy backpack on your shoulders, but you manage not to slip on any rocks on the way. You were given some tools that wouldn't look out of place down here, but did they have to be so heavy?
The view from up here is fantastic; you realize as you walk far enough that the nearby hills are no longer obscuring your vision. You even spot some moving squiggles in the distant river that you assume to be bathers.
It's the middle of the day when you get to the bridge, yet there is not a soul in sight when you cross it. Where are all the people? You should be halfway to Vicinity by now…
You see your first earthlings up close when you finally reach the edge of Vicinity an hour later. Farmers for the most part, they give you some measuring looks as you pass, but nobody confronts you. You do hear one of them say something about foreigners to another. They all seem to be in a strangely good mood though.
It is at the crossroads in the center of the town when it hits you that you're not sure where to go in order to get a job at the Heim mines. The signpost in front of you only gives directions to the nearby villages and to the city of Nocis, the capital of Inglessa.
Glancing around, you spot a harmless-looking elderly man smoking a pipe. Perfect. You had to start talking with one eventually.
"Um…excuse me, sir." He quirks an eyebrow when you start talking to him. "May I ask you a question?"
The old man doesn't say anything at first, starting intently at you. He seems to be contemplating something while idly puffing on his pipe. A pair of primitive cars enter the town, they'll be driving past you in a minute or so.
"I don't recognize you accent, youngster. Where you from?"
It takes you an instant to understand what he is saying. "Elsewhere." You tell him. Maybe not the best answer to give, judging from the way he gapes.
"What?" He says, barely catching his pipe before it falls. "Really? How old are you, kid?"
"F-fifteen…" Is this a cultural thing? Does the word for 'elsewhere' also mean something else?
"Fifteen? I…when did you get it into your head to leave 'Elsewhere'?"
"Two years ago, but-"
"Two years he says…" He shakes his head, his eyes distant. "White Doll, what could you possibly have done-"
BANG!
The first car comes to a halt, smoke billowing from its hood. The passengers, a man, a woman, and a girl, who to your utter shock looks just like Queen Dianna, hurriedly exit as the second car stops right behind them.
A man in a blue uniform, probably the driver, gets out of the front seat of the first car and opens the hood, getting a cloud of smoke in his face for his efforts.
This isn't something that happens often, the people around you are too shocked for that. Some have walked up to the passengers, asking them if they're alright.
You excuse yourself from the conversation with the old man and walk over to the broken down car. The driver brought some sort of suitcase with him, opening it to reveal some basic tools and a few spare parts. Not that they do him any good: Even with the smoke dissipated he is still staring dumbly at the damaged motor, to his employer's consternation.
The girls see you approach before the adults, who you assume are their parents, eyeing you warily as you walk up to the man in an expensive suit, their father. You cough, drawing his attention and that of his wife onto yourself.
"Excuse me for intruding, but do you need a hand? I have some knowledge of engines and machinery." You take of your backpack and unpack your tools, holding them for the suited man to inspect.
The man is rather displeased, not at you, that is, but at the accident. He and his family must be in a hurry. His hands clench on the handle of his cane, but he calms down right before addressing you. "It cannot hurt. Thank you, young man."
You nod at him, leaving your backpack to lean against a nearby house before walking over to stand beside the driver. He steps aside after handing you the suitcase, joining the family to give you enough space to work in. the engine is still smoking, but it is barely noticeable. At least the driver had enough presence of mind to turn the thing off before he tried to fix it.
A glance at what's under the hood tells you one thing instantly: "I've never seen this model before. The engine, I mean." You admit. Their faces fall, the father muttering a word you do not recognize.
You don't want to disappoint them, and the underlying principles should be the same…
*
It only takes a minute to figure out how the engine is put together and how it is supposed to function, and from there your repairs are done without a hitch.
"Here's the culprit." You say as you hold out a small chunk of twisted metal that used to be a part. It got damaged by the heat and that tore into another part when it broke, causing the car to break down. When you got down to it, all you really did was replace the broken part with a spare from the suitcase and then apply a patch job to the parts that it damaged.
The wife's eyes widen. "Dear," she addresses her husband "Didn't this very thing happen to the Mitchells last year?"
"It did." He agrees before nodding at the driver. "Try to start it now."
You feel a not small amount of pride when the engine starts with no problems, the car evenly vibrating as the driver takes it for a short test drive. The girl that looks so much like Queen Dianna that it frightens you looks extremely relieved at the sight.
"Young man."
You turn back to the man even as you wipe your hands with a rag retrieved from your backpack. "Yes, sir?"
"You are not from around here are you?" The other girl is openly studying you pacing around you as if you take the sight of you in from all angles.
"No sir. I came here looking for work."
"I see."
You glance around. The old man you were speaking to earlier seems to have wandered off, so you decide to ask the suited man instead. "Sir, could you please tell me where I need to go to get a job the Heim Mines? I can't seem to find it."
The other girl snickers from behind you, what's with her?
The man grins. "I am Mr. Heim."
…Oh.
His grin shrinks into a small smile as he studies you a bit closer. "Say…my personal mechanic is in need of an assistant, would you be interested?"
"Yessir!" You tell Mr. Heim, who chuckles a little at your outburst.
"Good. However, we will need to discuss the details tomorrow. Tonight's Ceremony will take up the rest of the day." He adds 'and most of the night' under his breath before asking you your name and if you have a place to stay.
"My name is Loran Cehack, sir, and I don't have anywhere to stay at the moment."
"That so?" He points at the driver's section of the car you just fixed. "Then you might as well accompany us. Sit with the driver, your backpack will need to stay in the other car."
You don't really want to offend the man offering you a job, so you accept his offer. Though you don't really like how the younger girl is eyeing your backpack when you leave it with her. The drive to this ceremony they're talking about takes a little more than an hour, giving you the chance to ask some questions of Mr. Heim.
"Um…Sir?"
"Yes, young man?"
"When I arrived in Vicinity, I got a rather odd reaction from a man I was asking directions from when I mentioned I was from 'Elsewhere'. I said it because I don't like discussing it, but is there a second meaning to the word?"
Mr. Heim blinks at you while his wife and eldest daughter struggle not to laugh. He snorts and shakes his head. "A local series of old penny dreadfuls used the phrase 'being from Elsewhere' to mean 'I'm on the run from powerful people'. The old goat must have confused them for reality."
Huh. That explains the old man's reaction
*
You try not to eavesdrop on their conversation as the two cars draw closer to an odd building at the foot of a mountain. The sun is setting by the time you exit the car, the older daughter being led away by Mrs. Heim in to the building while Mr. Heim goes to speak with some other men. This place has gathered quite the crowd.
Someone sniffs behind you, it's the younger sister. "I don't believe you."
What? "What are you-hey!" That's your toy fish she's holding! "Give that back!"
She brandishes the red toy like a sword. "Answer my questions first!"
You don't answer her, you're too busy restraining yourself from lunging at her, so she goes on right ahead. "You said you've never seen the kind of engine that's in Daddy's car, but you fixed so easily!"
"It works on the same principles as the engines I'm used to, so it wasn't all that hard after I had a good look at it. And I didn't really fix it; I just replaced a broken part and patched up the rest of the damage." You told Mr. Heim that he needed to see a mechanic with the proper equipment and facilities at the earliest opportunity to get it repaired properly, but this girl wasn't in the car at the time.
"Sochie!" You and the girl turn in the direction of the building. The older sister is walking towards you, wearing a robe colored white on one side and blue on the other, as well as a floral wreath on her head. "Give that back this instant!"
You can't help but stare a little; she looks even more like the Queen when wearing white.
The younger sister, Sochie, sullenly hands your fish back. You thank them both.
"We haven't been introduced." The older sister gestures towards herself. "My name is Kihel Heim."
You stand up a bit straighter and take your hat off. "I'm Loran Cehack."
Sochie is still pouting. "Sochie Heim." She mumbles halfheartedly.
As the sun slowly vanishes beneath the horizon you're left with Sochie. Apparently this whole thing is a Coming of Age ceremony for the local youths, both boys and girls. You ask Sochie if she's going to attend tonight.
"Of course not." She tells you as if you were an idiot. "I'm fifteen, so it'll be my turn in two years."
"We're the same age then." You respond. This seems to surprise her for some reason, but you're interrupted when a small horde of young adults, all of them in white robes like the one Kihel wore, burst out of the strange building. They're all singing a song in a language you don't recognize while waving torches or carrying a platform with a statue of a man with a strange feathered headdress on it. Kihel is also on the platform, her back pressed up against the statue's chest.
An elbow pokes into your side. "Stop staring at my sister." Sochie demands angrily.
"Sorry, it's just." You shrug helplessly. "She just looks like someone I know and look up to, the resemblance is uncanny."
You don't think she believes you, but she lets the matter lie.
Suddenly Kihel spreads her arms, laying her hands into those of the wooden statue. "Take me to the White Doll!"
The robed and singing youths around her lift the platform again before marching along a well-worn trail that leads up the mountain.
"Sochie?"
"Hm? Yes?"
"What's the 'White Doll'?"
"You don't know?" She seems shocked, but she recovers quickly. "Wait, of course you don't. You're foreign." She takes a deep breath before beginning her lecture:
"The White Doll is a legendary giant…"
(Choice determines the condition of the White Doll's systems)
[] Whose strength tore its enemies apart with a million arrows!
[] Whose shield and armor were made of light, turning even the mightiest blows as harmless as rain!
[] Whose trickery let it walk unseen, see through all falsehoods, and change the nature of whatever battle it fought!
[] Whose wings and chariot let it outspeed the Sun itself!
[] Whose Spirit tore through its own skin, allowing it to touch the hearts of all mankind!
Last edited:
Journey to Vcinity: The Coming of Age Ceremony
[X] Whose Spirit tore through its own skin, allowing it to touch the hearts of all mankind!
"Whose Spirit tore through its own skin, allowing it to touch the hearts of all mankind!" Her shouting draws a few looks, so she continues in a slightly hushed tone. "It used to be the Guardian of Inglessa, but now only the people around Vicinity bother to honor it anymore."
You nod attentively. "Anything else?"
She looks away. "Well, the stories also say that the White Doll was wounded in its last battle…"
(Choice determines the condition of the White Doll's systems)
[] "Its bows were broken and splintered upon the field."
[] "Its armor was breached by the enemy's blade, and their arrows tore holes in its veil of light."
[] "Its invisibility cloak was burnt to ash and its third eye was gouged out."
[] "Its wings were torn off and its chariot splintered, forcing it to face its enemy on foot."
"How long has it been there?"
Sochie shrugs. "No idea, though the legends are at least two thousand years old. That's when the old Amerian tribes moved into the area."
Ah, history…one of the reasons you wanted to come down here.
An impulse hits you, and you discreetly make your way to the back of the crowd, away from the flickering light of the bonfires. They won't notice if you sneak a peek will they?
"Loran!" Sochie hisses when she catches you just outside the celebratory mass. "Where are you going?"
You point at the mountain as you start walking again. "Up there." The procession of white-clad youths has yet to reach the top. "I'm just going to take a quick look at the White Doll and then come back down."
"You can't." Sochie mumbles even as she follows you up the mountain. "You're too young, and foreign besides." You don't pay her much mind; she's probably as eager to get a look at the White Doll as you are.
The two of you reach the top right after the white-clad crowd carrying Kihel to the mountaintop. There are some adults with them, but they quickly make themselves scarce at Kihel's command. They don't seem too bothered at being made to obey someone several years their junior, joking and laughing until they pass out of sight from your hiding place.
With the adults gone the participants light a second bonfire between the platform and the mountainside, dancing, singing, and howling all the while.
And then you see it. As the flames reach higher and higher you get a better look at what you first thought to be a strange rock formation, revealing it to be some kind of statue.
The White Doll.
[] It is definitely humanoid, the stone worked to give its head an open-faced helmet with a mohawk-shape on top. Each cheek bears a single spike that curves upwards, and it is holding a second platform in its upturned hands. Another bonfire is roaring in its lap.
[] It is definitely humanoid, the stone worked to give its head a fully enclosed helmet with a pair of feathers that curve backwards on top. It appears to be sitting on a throne, and there is a second platform is held in place in its left upturned palm. Its right arm ends in a stump, however, requiring a scaffold to hold that side in place. Another bonfire is roaring in its lap.
"Whose Spirit tore through its own skin, allowing it to touch the hearts of all mankind!" Her shouting draws a few looks, so she continues in a slightly hushed tone. "It used to be the Guardian of Inglessa, but now only the people around Vicinity bother to honor it anymore."
You nod attentively. "Anything else?"
She looks away. "Well, the stories also say that the White Doll was wounded in its last battle…"
(Choice determines the condition of the White Doll's systems)
[] "Its bows were broken and splintered upon the field."
[] "Its armor was breached by the enemy's blade, and their arrows tore holes in its veil of light."
[] "Its invisibility cloak was burnt to ash and its third eye was gouged out."
[] "Its wings were torn off and its chariot splintered, forcing it to face its enemy on foot."
"How long has it been there?"
Sochie shrugs. "No idea, though the legends are at least two thousand years old. That's when the old Amerian tribes moved into the area."
Ah, history…one of the reasons you wanted to come down here.
An impulse hits you, and you discreetly make your way to the back of the crowd, away from the flickering light of the bonfires. They won't notice if you sneak a peek will they?
"Loran!" Sochie hisses when she catches you just outside the celebratory mass. "Where are you going?"
You point at the mountain as you start walking again. "Up there." The procession of white-clad youths has yet to reach the top. "I'm just going to take a quick look at the White Doll and then come back down."
"You can't." Sochie mumbles even as she follows you up the mountain. "You're too young, and foreign besides." You don't pay her much mind; she's probably as eager to get a look at the White Doll as you are.
The two of you reach the top right after the white-clad crowd carrying Kihel to the mountaintop. There are some adults with them, but they quickly make themselves scarce at Kihel's command. They don't seem too bothered at being made to obey someone several years their junior, joking and laughing until they pass out of sight from your hiding place.
With the adults gone the participants light a second bonfire between the platform and the mountainside, dancing, singing, and howling all the while.
And then you see it. As the flames reach higher and higher you get a better look at what you first thought to be a strange rock formation, revealing it to be some kind of statue.
The White Doll.
[] It is definitely humanoid, the stone worked to give its head an open-faced helmet with a mohawk-shape on top. Each cheek bears a single spike that curves upwards, and it is holding a second platform in its upturned hands. Another bonfire is roaring in its lap.
[] It is definitely humanoid, the stone worked to give its head a fully enclosed helmet with a pair of feathers that curve backwards on top. It appears to be sitting on a throne, and there is a second platform is held in place in its left upturned palm. Its right arm ends in a stump, however, requiring a scaffold to hold that side in place. Another bonfire is roaring in its lap.
Last edited:
[X] "Its bows were broken and splintered upon the field."
[X] It is definitely humanoid, the stone worked to give its head an open-faced helmet with a mohawk-shape on top. Each cheek bears a single spike that curves upwards, and it is holding a second platform in its upturned hands. Another bonfire is roaring in its lap.
[X] It is definitely humanoid, the stone worked to give its head an open-faced helmet with a mohawk-shape on top. Each cheek bears a single spike that curves upwards, and it is holding a second platform in its upturned hands. Another bonfire is roaring in its lap.