BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi

Ko
A vista of Kini-Nui from the Mata Nui Online Game
  • Posted 2021-09-14 23:43:52 UTC
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  • IC: Kahlynn (Obsidian Outpost)

    There was a silence after the Toa left that Kahlynn felt was somewhat undeserved. He shoved Gak's limp form a little with his foot. "So, uh, you guys burying this guy, or what?"

  • Edited on 2021-09-15 00:09:18 by Wotz
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  • Posted 2021-09-15 00:26:01 UTC
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  • IC: Joskander (Obsidian Outpost)

    Joskander sighed.  "Pal, please don't kick the body.  You already broke his face open.  He's had enough."

    He knelt down and scooped up Gak's corpse.  Skakdi bodies were heavy enough even without being iced over, but Joskander was used to carrying weights these days.

    "Where to?"

    OOC: @Wotz @Geardirector

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  • Posted 2021-09-15 14:37:48 UTC
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  • IC

    In the study at the hub of Echelon's erstwhile lair, Aerus was shaken from his studies by a sound that should've been impossible.

    The door to Echelon's base had a lock without a keyhole. Beneath the door's smooth metal surface lay a hidden mechanism of bolts and levers, designed personally by the late Necromancer and only openable via the precise application of magnetic fields. Echelon had built Aerus a key of sorts: a contraption of wires and electromagnets that would mimic the magnetic fields he was able to create personally to unlock the door. It was hardly an impregnable barrier; a Toa of Iron, for example, would have little difficulty absorbing or warping the metal out of their way. But to do that they would first have to find it, and the base was buried in the depths of a remote glacier, its location known only to a select few. Of those few, only Aerus had the means of opening the door.

    He, and the dead Necromancer himself.

    And yet, from the hallway that led to the base's entrance there came a series of faint but unmistakable clicks and grinds. Then the deeper grind of the door sliding open. Then echoing footsteps, growing louder as their source approached down the long metal entrance corridor. They would soon reach the study.

  • Edited on 2021-09-15 16:05:09 by Ghosthands
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  • Posted 2021-09-15 17:37:23 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus (Echelon’s Lair)

    No.

    No.

    Aerus’ hands were shaking, his ring finger twitching, tapping a panicked rhythm against the handle of his cane.

    Breathe.

    He counted to four, each breath held as long as he could bear. The footsteps were still approaching, but they weren’t Echelon’s. Nor were they Utu’s, although… something about them was closer to the latter than the former. He cursed himself for not having spent more time studying the gait and sounds of those with whom he had shared this icy tomb.

    They’re getting close.

    There were two possibilities here: ally, or enemy. Fortunately, both would be judged such in relation to the Necromancer, not to Aerus. His insignificance was to his advantage; hapless victim, willing servant - he could turn on a dime. His first instinct was to cower, to convince whomever arrived - ally or enemy - that he feared the one was the other. Fear was how he had survived, after all. Heroes and villains alike wanted, craved, fear - especially in people like Aerus. The little people. Helpless villagers were what made them feel powerful, be they protectors or conquerors. Fear, always, was the way forward.

    And yet...

    Closer.

    Aerus steadied his hands. Stood confident, in his study. And he waited.

    No fear. Not today.

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  • Posted 2021-09-15 18:06:30 UTC
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  • IC: Kahlynn (Obsidian Outpost)

    "Maybe round the side somewhere." He waved his hand dismissively. "I'll have to postpone my eulogy - I nearly froze to death out there, too. I need rest more than he does."

    With that, he dragged himself out of the room brainlessly, and disappeared back up the stairs.

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  • Posted 2021-09-15 21:46:09 UTC
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  • 3 hours ago, Ramona Flowers said:

    Aerus steadied his hands. Stood confident, in his study. And he waited.

    No fear. Not today.


    IC

    A Toa stepped through the doorway. He was a stranger to Aerus: tall, hooded, athletic of build, gripping an unadorned Protosteel staff in one hand.

    Beneath the shadow of the hood, orange eyes widened briefly in surprise as they settled on the Matoran, then narrowed again as a smirk formed on the Toa's face.

    The man shot out one hand towards him, and Aerus felt an all-too-familiar force pull on his armour and his very bones. Elemental Magnetism hoisted him into the air by his legs to dangle, upside-down, above the desk. His cane clattered to the floor.

    The stranger advanced slowly, his left arm still raised, maintaining the field that held Aerus suspended. He moved with a gait that was confident and cautious at once; strong, but slow and deliberate, panther-like.

    "Well, hello there," he said calmly, still wearing that smile that was somewhere between amused and bemused. "Heard the old man was dead, but I wasn't expecting to find squatters down here."

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  • Posted 2021-09-15 22:02:35 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus (Echelon's Lair)

    Aerus gritted his teeth - being manipulated by elemental magnetism was a uniquely unpleasant experience, and one that he hadn't particularly wanted to relive. But surprising even himself, in the face of this stranger, rather than intimidation he felt... annoyance?

    Squatters? Do I look like a squatter to you?

    "And what are you?" Aerus hissed. "His landlord?"

  • Edited on 2021-09-15 22:08:52 by Ramona Flowers
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  • Posted 2021-09-15 22:28:47 UTC
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  • IC

    The stranger laughed.

    "Oh no, quite the opposite," he said. "You could say I'm...well, it's a long story. Ah, but where are my manners..."


    He made a lazy flick of the wrist, and Aerus found himself spun back upright just as abruptly as he'd been inverted, and lowered to the ground somewhat more gently. The stranger cocked his head to one side.

    "So...who might you be?"

  • Edited on 2021-09-15 22:31:19 by Ghosthands
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  • Posted 2021-09-15 23:43:39 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus (Echelon's Lair)

    Aerus somewhat unnecessarily brushed off his shoulders, and then leaned down to pick his cane up off the floor. Putting his weight on it was a relief - he could already feel the beginnings of a shake in his knee, which bade poorly when combined with the light-headedness he was suffering after his upside-down sabbatical from gravity. He had no interest in being further degraded in front of this man, whoever he was, by falling.

    "My name is Aerus. I handled what the corpses couldn't." 'The old man' - Aerus had referred to him as that a few times himself. It implied some level of familiarity, as did the fact that the Toa had known where to find the place, how to open the door, and gone directly to the study. Aerus hadn't known Echelon to bring any allies here - it was strictly a place for those he controlled, Aerus included. That didn't necessarily mean such had always been the case, but Echelon had been rather a private fellow. Had the Necromancer controlled this man, then?

    Aerus sized him up. He was physically imposing, if subtly so - not built like a powerhouse, but clearly capable. He thought to how lazily the Toa had moved his wrist, to turn Aerus and set him down - comfortable with his element, then, too, and the same element as the old man himself. Certainly strong enough to rival Echelon, if not necessarily to defeat him, which made him an odd choice to be brought so close. The elemental commonality brought up another possibility - a student, perhaps? It was hard to picture Echelon as a mentor to anyone.

    His clear physical capability did not necessarily disqualify him as a servant - Utu, after all, had been a behemoth, but one mentally under the Necromancer’s sway. If the stranger had been vulnerable to such control, Aerus doubted he was now - his eyes were unreadable, but still held the glint of intelligence. Furthermore, the stranger dominated the room, moving with the confidence and coiled-up threat of an apex predator in mind and body. He had not necessarily always been such - although in Aerus’ experience, predators were more easily born than made - but the thought of the Toa’s Elemental Magnetism struck him again. Subjugated, he would be almost redundant given Echelon’s own mastery of Magnetism, and physical prowess was something that Echelon could easily have found elsewhere.

    Aerus considered his deductions, and came to what he felt were the two most likely conclusions:

    As he had speculated, the man might have been a student, even an apprentice; it was hard to imagine that of Echelon, but there was enough evidence to lead him there.

    Alternatively, like all Toa, he had not always been such; who was to say that Aerus was Echelon’s first living Matoran servant?

    “Quite the opposite - a tenant, then?” Aerus narrowed his eyes, warily. Aside from the flourishes of his magnetism, the stranger lacked most of Echelon’s theatricality - cloaked in grey, an unadorned staff. Had he wanted to kill Aerus, he could likely have done so immediately, even if those flourishes suggested that he could still be inclined to play with his food. The fact that Aerus was no longer suspended in mid-air meant only that he had - correctly, in all honesty - been judged not to be a threat, but that was hardly a guarantee of his continued safety. No, what had preserved him so far was curiosity, and he had a thin line to walk between keeping the stranger curious, and not #####ing him off.

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  • Posted 2021-09-15 23:45:08 UTC
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  • On 9/13/2021 at 9:21 PM, Keeper of Kraata said:

    IC: Aelied, Skorm, & Zueya - Ko-Koro

    OOC: @Haman Karn: A Magical Girl @Toa Fanixe @Visaru

    IC:

    So much for his shot at a get-along attitude.

    Reo observed the cloaked leader of the Toa Kalta with skepticism and thinly-veiled distaste. He had no particular feelings on individual members of the Toa Team, and in fact he hadn't even bothered to learn most of their names. But Aelied, the ringleader, was the one he knew by name and sight. Whether he was officially their leader or not, he had no idea; what he had immediately sized up on their first encounter was that this was the Toa the Kalta answered to. Reordin was a Maru, not a Kalta - and before that, he'd been Sanctum Guard. Korzaa, whatever she might have been, was his commanding officer. No chance this bug-eyed old man would be escorting her anywhere. He was done trusting people with her well-being after the last bunch had bungled her escape from Ko-Koro.

    But he vocalized none of that; Toa Kopaka's spirit was in him now, as well as shards of Heuani's twisted shade, and both of them erred on the laconic side.

    "Naaaaah."

    Whether the Toa Kalta of Sonics followed him or not, Reordin didn't particular care; he silently stalked to Korzaa's office to the left and a step ahead of Aelied. The stocky Ko-Matoran was waiting for them at the door to her office, clearly unenthused with Aelied escorting her anywhere. He shot her the kind of quick, insubordinate wink that she had once loathed from the Ko-Matoran Sanctum lieutenant he had been in a previous life as they walked to the new Akiri's office as a unit.

    -Tyler

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  • Posted 2021-09-16 12:15:50 UTC
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  • IC

    "Aa-aa-ah," the stranger murmured. "So you are one of his. Funny, you don't seem like an Echelon kinda guy. Bit too...Matoran. Still, he always did find ways to surprise you."

    He pulled back his hood to reveal a young man's face under a Mahiki-shaped mask, and held out a hand. The gesture itself was non-threatening, but there was still a glimmer in those orange eyes that was difficult to read.

    "The name's Syrik. And yeah, you could say I was a tenant...maybe 'lodger' would be more accurate."

  • Edited on 2021-09-16 12:26:42 by Ghosthands
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  • Posted 2021-09-16 12:31:56 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus

    Bingo. A student, then, pending evidence to the contrary.

    Aerus couldn’t help but smile as he shook the - unexpectedly - young Toa’s hand, pleased with himself for narrowing down the options so quickly, even if much about this ‘Syrik’ was still a mystery. He had brought them one step closer to even footing.

    “Funny, I was thinking something similar. Wouldn’t have expected him to have another spare key.” Even in death, Echelon found ways to surprise, consistent though he was. “I wasn’t his only Matoran associate. He had spies scattered around the island, had me ferry messages back and forth at times. But I can’t say I’ve seen another breathing Matoran in here.”

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  • Posted 2021-09-16 13:53:10 UTC
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  • :i::c:

    Korzaa responded to the wink with a stoic stare, which was remarkably less frigid that the glares she usually responded to him with when he was one of the guard. She would never admit it, but seeing him brought a little of the edge off the storm of stress she'd been caught in the past few weeks. These days, she was surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces, not just in the Koro, but also in the government and her own guard force. Reordin was the only person she’d seen today who she’d trusted since before the taking of the Koro, before Matoro’s death, before even Turaga Nuju’s.

    Although, his face now wasn’t exactly familiar. He had the unique Kanohi of a Toa Maru, the mantle of Kopaka’s successor, and had been chosen to become the most powerful Toa of Ice on the island. What had Mata-Nui been thinking?

    As they walked through the icy halls of the sanctum, Korzaa drifted near to him and spoke in a low voice, “By the way, Toa Reordin, we do need to speak after this meting about your choice of... leisure activities.”

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  • Posted 2021-09-16 14:10:04 UTC
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  • IC (Syrik)

    "He had you handling his correspondence, huh? Interesting..."

    From the desk, Syrik plucked a sheet of paper covered with handwritten text. One half was a transcription of Echelon's coded notes, the other Aerus' decrypted version. The Toa glanced over it, and laughed.

    "So, the paranoid old ####### changed his cipher," he said, then arched his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, and you've cracked it. Very nice."

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  • Posted 2021-09-16 18:12:45 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus

    No #####ing way.

    “You cracked his old cipher?”

    Providence. Once again, Aerus’ disbelief in fate was being tested.

  • Edited on 2021-09-16 23:12:02 by Ramona Flowers
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  • Posted 2021-09-17 10:27:09 UTC
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  • IC (Syrik)

    Now I've got his attention.

    "Seems he underestimated both of us, huh?"

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  • Posted 2021-09-17 10:35:00 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus

    “It would appear he made a habit of that.” Something imperceptible had changed - Aerus couldn’t put his finger on it, but the tone had shifted somehow. A different kind of glint in Syrik’s eyes, perhaps?

    “Might I ask what you want with a dead Necromancer’s notes? I presume that’s why you’re here.” Same as me.

  • Edited on 2021-09-17 10:36:15 by Ramona Flowers
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  • Posted 2021-09-17 10:55:36 UTC
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  • IC (Syrik)

    "Well, for one thing, I wanted to be sure he really was dead," Syrik replied with a smirk. "Bit disappointing, that. I'd have liked to be the one to do it myself. But hey, we can't always get what we want. One less maniac in the world, at least."

    He glanced over the paper again, skimming a few lines of Aerus' decryption.

    "As for the notes, well, Echelon had his fingers in a lot of pies. Lot of interesting things have happened these past few years, after all. I figured there's probably some juicy intel to be had here."

    He looked back to Aerus.

    "And you want something from his old ones, am I right? Seems to me that we can help each other."

  • Edited on 2021-09-17 10:55:56 by Ghosthands
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  • Posted 2021-09-17 11:14:28 UTC
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  • IC: Aerus

    Oh thank Mata Nui, he’s not another Makuta freak.

    Perhaps it was the suspicious nature he had developed in his time around Echelon, but Aerus got the distinct feeling Syrik wasn’t telling the whole truth. That, however, seemed mostly irrelevant, except to his own curiosity - after all, it seemed they each knew enough to come to an arrangement.

    “Quid pro quo, then? I can work with that.” It would certainly be easier than breaking down Echelon’s old cipher from scratch. “If it’s intel that you’re after, the communications between his spy network have their own code. Naturally, I’ve broken it down too. It’s still filed by sender, rather than chronologically or by content, though, so I might be able to give advice if you’re looking for anything in particular.”

    I sound like a #####ing librarian. Still, a decent - if transparent - way to express an interest in his motivations.

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  • Posted 2021-09-17 14:08:03 UTC
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  • IC:

    It was hard for Reo not to look smug in the face of authority; only the presence of the Toa Kalta, outsiders to the Sanctum Guard dynamic, kept his smirk at bay. As a quartet, the two guards, Aelied and Vakua grew nearer to Tarkahn's office, and Reo's hands balled into fists within the confines of his jacket pockets. Still, it was clear that his old boss' distaste for her prodigal son was good for his mood.

    "Not this again." He snapped to attention mockingly outside the Akiri's office. "Ah, of course. Awaiting orders, Captain."

    -Tyler

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  • Posted 2021-09-17 23:02:01 UTC
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  • IC: Aelied - Ko-Koro, The Sanctum

    The Bo-Toa narrowed his eyes - slightly. The snub from the Maru was obvious, as was its intent. Aelied’s encounters with Reordin had been brief, but by this point, the Toa’s prickly and, dare he say it, cold reception to the Kalta making their home in Ko-Koro made the Maru’s opinion of the newcomers clear. He would have to save his discussion with Kozraa for after the meeting. He followed Reordin, concentrating his efforts into not shivering. The Bo-Toa was not made for this environment.

    When Reordin broke to talk to Kozraa, Aelied split off and entered Akiri Tarkahn’s office. “I have gathered the members you requested, Akiri, as well as my team-member Vakua. Vakua is well-versed in the use of his mask, and has had extensive communication with the Dasaka expedition. He has also experienced Dasaka telepathy firsthand when he volunteered for mental probing before we were judged safe to travel with.”

    Aelied decided to leave out that the person who had done the probe had been Soraph, who had been comatose since her transfer from the Research Hospital. He laid the Greenstaff against a wall and pulled up a Toa-sized chair, carefully lowering himself into it. Perhaps the standoffish Toa of Ice would make an effective rhetorical wall to bounce Aelied’s own arguments from… or possibly an unlikely ally.

    OOC: @Haman Karn: A Magical Girl @The UltimoScorp @Visaru @Toa Fanixe

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  • Posted 2021-09-18 02:01:50 UTC
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  • On 9/11/2021 at 8:45 PM, Tarn said:

    IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Somewhere In The Wastes

    He was being more talkative than usual, now that he thought of it. Savrehn figured it must have been his nervousness. He gradually became more quiet, letting the Wahi do the talking as they progressed. The alpinist figured Atamai would appreciate him not giving the Ta-Matoran a hard time, anyhow. At least for a bit.

    After some walking, he spoke up again.

    “We’re getting closer, but we’ve been walking for a while.” He adjusted his shoulders, beginning to feel the weight of his backpack. “Might do some good to find a spot to settle. Take a quick rest, then move on.”

    OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

    IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness]

    "Yes," Kreigero agreed. "We'll need all the energy we have once we enter the Drifts."

    Even for a seasoned hunter who knew to mark her own path, the characteristic lack of landmarks and shifting snow dunes of the Drifts were a challenge. Their path was taking them through the drifts and towards a large ice shelf that Kreigero hadn't been to before. Based on the general vague geography she recalled from visiting nearby regions, there would probably be good places to make camp on the other side, but the Ko-Matoran didn't trust Atamai to not bungle the Drifts shortcut without a pit stop beforehand.

    The huntress marched over towards a snow-capped rocky outcropping and staked her spear forcefully into the ground. She wedged her shield into the ice near the rock wall, creating a minor yet perceptible buffer against the biting winds. She sat down and leaned against the wall with a crunch.

    "Rest. The Hapaka will watch."

    Kreigero unscrewed the lid of her heatstone thermos and scooped nearby snow into the canister's cap. She rested the tin near the exposed heatstone, and soon it began to melt into fresh water that would top off the flask she took sips from. 

  • Edited on 2021-09-18 02:03:09 by BULiK
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  • Posted 2021-09-18 06:35:15 UTC
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  • IC: Mar (Obsidian Outpost)

    I took the lead outside. The Skakdi was not wrong. A snow pile was the best we'd be able to manage around here. Karv flanked me as I stepped outside. My Akaku let me look deeper than the snow that covered everything, and I scanned the area around us for a suitable spot. The blizzard had subsided, but some sort of wind and snowfall was still monotonously regular up here.

    I could spot a deep crevice that had been filled with snow. That would do just fine. Karv got the instruction to start digging, and I started doing the same.

    "Over here!"

    OOC: @Daniel the Finlander @Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva) @Wotz

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  • Posted 2021-09-18 16:23:54 UTC
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  • :i::c:

    Korzaa grumpily gestured for Reordin to drop the salute. “You know I’m not your superior anymore, Reordin.” 

    As Aelied left them in the hallway outside Tarkahn’s office, she took advantage of the moment she and the Toa Maru had alone. “However, I am still going to ask you to stop drinking in abandoned buildings. Some of the locals have started issuing complaints.” With one more pointed look, she turned and made for the Akiri’s office. 

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  • Posted 2021-09-18 20:10:25 UTC
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  • IC: Kehuri - Dark Walk Entrance

    Plagia's enthusiastic entrance distracted from the Toa that followed along a few seconds behind her. He stood taller than the average Toa, and very unusually so for an Onu-Toa in particular. More in line with his element's associated stereotypes, he was thickly built, a far cry from the out-of-shape greenhorn he had been when he and Plagia had first met. He wore a purple Hau, and carried a spear with a drill tip in one hand and a large round shield in the other. A warm fur cloak draped over much of his form, hood over his head, and hid the supplies he had brought with him, including a smaller kite shield worn on his back.

    Huffing, and cloaked with his thick fur cloak, it was probably somewhat clear he wasn't used to the environment of Mount Ihu. He'd been here once before, but only to Ko-Koro proper, where the streets were well-trodden and the winds were dampened by the tall buildings. Trudging through snow was tiring by comparison! Still, he was pretty cold-tolerant, and he was a man on a mission. At least he supposed he was. He was really just Plagia's tag-along at this point, but investigating the Dark Walk sounded like as good a place to search for destiny as any.

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  • Posted 2021-09-19 09:21:35 UTC
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  • On 9/9/2021 at 2:01 PM, Krayzikk said:

    IC:

    "Probably gathered waiting for us."

    Skrihen commented, approaching the other irregular and the Highlander she had encountered a few times before. Not often, but enough to have the rudiments of a working relationship. It hadn't been long since Ihu-Koro withdrew most of their forces back to their own village. The Vortixx was a new wrinkle, obviously; that's why Korzaa asked her to tag along and take a look.

    "Hear you're in charge of this death ride, LT."

    "As much as anyone is, yes. Though I won't be the commanding officer of your recruits past this event, and to that end I'd like to see their performance under the commanders they'll be serving."

    The Ko-Toa crossed his arms again, the pale blue of his eyes flickering appraisingly over the newer arrivals, maintaining an even keel throughout. A motley crew they might be--probably a function of the new Ko-Koro Akiri's recruiting drive--but the Highlanders were at all times roughly this... irregular. And working with Vortixx and Skakdi, he found, could be at least as tactically advantageous as a Toa Team, provided you knew their individual talents and equipment: the forces of Makuta tended to find their particular brand of mayhem a little less predictable than elemental control. 

    He just hoped these people had the minimal level of experience necessary to know their own individual talents and equipment.

    "If you missed my introduction, I'm Lieutenant Alka Torin. Our aim is to retrieve a notebook stolen by the Fe-Toa Rekhan Senemos, a known but peripheral associate of the Legacy and the Skakdi group that provided the village's former occupiers with many of their more eclectic toys. He has since been slain, but the notebook in question was vanished from his person and likely rests in his hideout within the Dark Walk, which... until recently I would have merely taken some of our forces to retrieve. But the game has changed."

    He didn't have the heart to tell the recruits that the Highlanders had an over-under on how long the entire "Makuta returning" thing would take to happen. Call them cynics at heart, but Echelon's Legacy, the Nightfall--even the feral Rahkshi proved things weren't as over as everyone would like to believe. 

    #### paranoid Skakdi. Bad enough to be facing darkness all over again, worse still to be in the hole because the Makuta returned a #### decade early.

    "If you're curious as to the contents of the notebook, they're notes relevant to an artifact in our village's possession that may prove useful in confronting new menaces."

    His eyes flicked back to Skrihen and Plagia, two figures he recognized somewhat--the former from helping Ko-Koro get back on its feet, both from his short stint in the ILF before its dissolution had led to his wandering to Ihu. Back when he was more fun not a commissioned officer. "We have a decent amount of experience between us at fighting individuals like the Legacy, I fear running into more... direct opposition in those tunnels. But your troops are trained and we have a fairly accomplished accompaniment. If anyone has experience with these tunnels I would fain hear from them, otherwise we should coordinate our talents and prepare a descent."

     

    OOC: @Krayzikk @Void Emissary @ARROW404 @Daniel the Finlander @Perp @Visaru 

    if i missed someone i'm sorry, hopefully future posts should be a shorter wait

  • Edited on 2021-09-19 09:22:22 by Leaf
    i did the swears oh no
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  • Posted 2021-09-19 16:22:23 UTC
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  • On 9/17/2021 at 12:14 PM, Ramona Flowers said:

    “Quid pro quo, then? I can work with that.” It would certainly be easier than breaking down Echelon’s old cipher from scratch. “If it’s intel that you’re after, the communications between his spy network have their own code. Naturally, I’ve broken it down too. It’s still filed by sender, rather than chronologically or by content, though, so I might be able to give advice if you’re looking for anything in particular.”


    IC (Syrik)

    "Well, let's see..."

    Syrik began to count on his fingers for emphasis as he listed his topics of interest.


    "The Akiri, past and present; inter-Koro politics; the Maru..."

    His gaze became just a little more intense.

    "...and Xa-Koro. As in, who blew it up. And why."

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  • Posted 2021-09-19 20:30:30 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Dartakh (Ko-Koro, near the Lieutenant)

    He stepped back as new arrivals appeared, all of whom were apparently eager to join the suicide squad. "The more, the merrier," he muttered to himself dryly before the Lieutenant began to speak. When he did, he listened closely and quietly. Hearing about their true objective made him raise an eyebrow. Why hadn't he been informed of it before? He thought this would've been a simple scouting mission, but now they were going to look for some dusty tome?

    Dartakh cared little for the book's contents, thinking more about the possibility of getting extra pay for having to do an extra task. But he was a fresh recruit, so it would be unwise to go begging for anything. He'd have to prove himself first. He considered mentioning his previous experience visiting the tunnels at Kini-Nui, but that had been an uneventful and short trip. There was no point in talking about it, so he waited to see if anyone else spoke up.

    IC: Sir Dahkapa (Ko-Wahi)

    The blizzard around the Knight died down with a single wave of a hand. He had used it to cover up his tracks so it would be harder for the suspicious Toa and Skakdi to follow him. It was better to be safe than sorry, after all. As the shining sun above was unveiled, he continued his journey back home, walking on top of the snow without falling through the surface. It was good to be back in Ko-Wahi, to be surrounded by his own element. The burden of imprisonment in the heat of Ta-Koro was already fading away, and his spirit was lifted.

    As he travelled, he spotted a figure approaching in the distance. It was no Rahi, but rather a Vortixx. He frowned as he wondered if they were a friend or ally. It was still possible servants of Makuta were lost in the wastes, having been expelled from Ko-Koro. But there was no way to tell if he was right. Perhaps it was merely a lone wanderer, or even a kindred soul.

    He stopped and waved to the stranger as they climbed up the slopes.

    OOC: @Whisper

  • Edited on 2021-09-19 20:32:00 by Daniel the Finlander
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  • Posted 2021-09-19 21:06:37 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Safina - Near Ko-Wahi Dark Walk entrance

    “I’ve been down the Dark Walks once before,” she reported as she crossed from the lean-to over towards the assembled group, hearing the Lieutenant’s voice carrying over the howl of the wind. “Months ago. Bee-four back there-” she pointed her thumb over her shoulder “-was the result of that expedition. A guardswoman here asked me to relay my experience to you.”

    Coming to a stop near the five others, the Turaga of Stone re-folded her arms over her chest to brace against the chill. A heatstone would be a gift from Mata Nui right about now. 

    “You’re going down there for a book?

  • Edited on 2021-09-19 21:35:12 by Perp
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  • Posted 2021-09-19 21:20:11 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC:

    "Karz, I'm just going down there 'cause the boss says so." 

    Skrihen grinned broadly and shook Plagia by the shoulder, but her mind was working behind it. Alka Torin was a— slightly— familiar presence, and Plag was of course completely familiar. Her hanger-on wasn't, though, which did raise a couple questions. Did she leave Alfon in a shallow grave somewhere? Wouldn't have expected that after she stopped drinking, but she could check on that later. Plag would fill her in. The Vortixx she was out here to evaluate was staying quiet which could speak well of him. It was a smart merc who knew when to keep their mouth shut. Of course it could mean there was nothing going on upstairs, too, but that'd have to be seen. 

    The Turaga was a complete unknown, but thus far she liked the cut of her jib.

    "You got out, short stuff, so I'd give us a decent shot. That being said. " Her cavalier attitude faded and she crossed her arms across her chest, the Rahkshi staff crossed with the blade on her back lending an added weight to her words. "I've had my share of fights against Rahkshi. When we encounter them, we handle them smart. No one do anything stupid. If they're still feral we can handle them as long as they're alone."

    Her expression turned grimmer.

    "If something has changed that, though, we play it smarter and we send the rookies out of here. Secondary objective or no, my primary objective as issues by Korzaa is to get out of here with the same number of rookies I went in with."

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  • Posted 2021-09-19 22:36:27 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Minnorak - Ko-Wahi

    When Zero had first brought Minnorak to Ko-Wahi, he'd hated it.

    He was too big, too bulky, and had found himself constantly slipping and sinking everywhere he tried to walk. He'd been miserable during those first few months at the outpost, barely able to step outside without making a fool of himself. But as with all challenges in his life, he'd learned to overcome it. He'd learned how to tread more lightly, how to gauge at a glance where the snow was safest, and most importantly, he'd taken the time to learn the routes he'd travel most frequently. 

    Still, as he trudged up the mountain, he saw something he hadn't really expected to see: another traveler coming down the mountain. The white/blue figure waved at him as he approached, and Minnorak slowed his pace, tentatively waving back. "Greetings, stranger," he said, leaving the next move in the Toa's hands. 

    @Daniel the Finlander

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  • Posted 2021-09-19 23:35:01 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Somewhere In The Wastes

    Savrehn removed his backpack (with a relieved sigh) and sat down. He pulled out his own flask and took a large swig. “Your pet—the Hapaka,” he pointed to their watchdog, “he’s a smart one. You’ve trained him well.”

    He took another sip, then casually offered the flask to Atamai as he continued speaking. “I assume it’s a mutual thing. You provide for eachother, and in turn look out for eachother.”

    OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

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  • Posted 2021-09-20 00:12:20 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness]

    The Ko-Matoran nodded as she scooped more snow into the water of the lid.

    "You might even say we train each other. What we have learned, and what you -" Kreigero turned her head towards Atamai, using this as an opportunity to teach a lesson to the firespitter. "-have yet to learn, he knows from instinct. A Toa would need several Kanohi and years of training to reach a similar proficiency."

    "Even if they did, I'd be shocked to see a Toa as loyal as Reyal."

    Reyal was attentively sitting upright atop the rocky outcropping that the group had taken shelter beside, scanning the tundra ahead. The Hapaka's ears perked up as its name was mentioned - from the tone of Kreigero's voice he knew he wasn't needed, but he turned his head back towards the group regardless. The glint in its optics was unmistakable - he already knew he was the topic of conversation. The hound recognized this as that thing Kreigero did every once in a while when conversing with strangers. He gave a bored yawn, licking his lips and sighing with a visible puff of air before he turned back towards the howling winds.

    Kreigero reached into one of her many pouches and withdrew a strip of dried jerky. She made a click with her mouth and unceremoniously tossed over her shoulder, which Reyal caught mid air with glee. He turned around and feasted on his prize, tusks kicking up some snow in the process.

    "It's a mutually beneficial partnership, yes."

  • Edited on 2021-09-20 00:13:54 by BULiK
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  • Posted 2021-09-20 04:10:23 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC, Atamai: Ko-Wahi

    Atamai gratefully took the flask Savrehn offered. He took a swig and then sat down his backback. "The loyalty of a Hapaka is something that sets them apart from Matoran, Vortixx, and other intelligent species. Hapaka have no reason to betray others. A curse of our intelligence is that our negative flaws also come with it- selfishness, spite, etc. A person always has the potential for evil. The Hapaka..." Atamai smiled at the Rahi. "Don't."

    OOC: @Tarn @BULiK

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  • Posted 2021-09-20 10:14:21 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Ronan (Dark Walk Entrance), Aerus (Echelon’s Lair)

    The arrival of the latest newcomer was announced by the soft crunch of footsteps on snow, steadily approaching the group. Icy blue eyes appraised the gathered Highlanders, set in an indecipherable face.

    "Am I late?" The question was presented without inflection, a genuine and unemotional query.

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

    Well then. That’s interesting.

    Aerus walked to the drawers where the correspondences were filed, his cane tapping against the floor, and scanned the symbols embossed upon them.

    These,” he said, straining with the unexpected effort of opening a few - This is what happens when you fail to keep up with your exercises - “Will have the most relevant information on the Akiri and the Toa Maru. The inter-Koro politics are a tad more… dispersed, but all correspondences are reliably in chronological order - newest at the front - so it will be possible to assemble a timeline.”

    Aerus took a moment to catch his breath, and then smirked. “As for Xa-Koro, some of that I can tell you myself: it was destroyed by Ambages, as part of a group called the Four Peers.”

    He still remembered his own encounter with Ambages: he had come to Echelon and Makuta’s other followers, offering a way into Pala-Koro. Moments later, the Dark Toa Ronkshou had appeared, and provided them equipment - Aerus’ revolver included - via Ahkmou, and his group of ‘Kufa’s. He had been interested, if not entirely surprised, to learn that Ambages was not just acting in his own interests, and that it was the Cultured Gentry itself that supplied their weapons to Ahkmou. That Ambages was also a member of the Peers, prior to his death in Ko-Koro, had been a surprise to him - as was the existence of the Peers altogether. This was enough motivation to have sought out mentions of the former Vizier in Echelon's journals and correspondences, in order to satiate his curiosity, but without having encountered the Peers he had little interest in them.

    “I had a brush with him, but he was representing the Cultured Gentry then. I can’t tell you much about the other Peers, but Echelon had a lot of contact with them.” He indicated another drawer with his cane. “Between that, and the old man’s journals, you should find most of what you need.”
     

    OOC:  @Krayzikk @Void Emissary @ARROW404 @Daniel the Finlander @Perp @Visaru @Leaf oh god i'm so sorry to be tagging this many people this feels like a crime

  • Edited on 2021-09-20 10:15:16 by Ramona Flowers
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  • Posted 2021-09-20 12:17:24 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Kehuri - Dark Walk Entrance 

    "I've fought a couple of Rahkshi as an Ussalman," he said, hesitantly at first, unsure if anyone else- anyone more qualified- wanted to speak first. "I've guarded the Onu-Koro Dark Walk entrance, but never been inside. And generally speaking, my ability to see in the dark will likely be an asset." Plus they were getting out of the snow and stepping, quite literally, into his element. A Toa of Earth underground was a force to be reckoned with, after all, and he would feel much more comfortable once he could feel his element all around him again. "Ah, my name is Kehuri, by the way," he tacked on at the end. 

    OOC: I can't ping people for some reason, so sorry about that. 

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  • Posted 2021-09-20 20:12:59 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Sir Dahkapa (Ko-Wahi)

    The stranger waved back and even exclaimed a greeting. It was a good sign, so Dahkapa continued to descend and approach him. Once he was close enough to be heard without having to shout, he bowed and began to speak in a friendly, yet somewhat reserved tone.

    "This humble servant of Ak'rei'an greets you. It is a pleasant surprise to meet someone out here in the wilderness. Are you headed to Ta-Koro, perhaps? I am coming from there, on my way back home to Ko-Koro." He turned to look behind him, in the direction of the outpost, as if to make sure that he wasn't being followed.

    OOC: @Whisper

  • Edited on 2021-09-20 20:15:02 by Daniel the Finlander
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  • Posted 2021-09-20 20:32:28 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Somewhere In The Wastes

    Savrehn leaned back against the wall to get more comfortable, his hands resting behind his head. He let out a gravelly chuckle at Atamai. “I thought you were a historian, but it sounds like you know quite a bit about rahi, too."

    OOC: @BULiK@~Xemnas~

  • Edited on 2021-09-20 21:01:25 by Tarn
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  • Posted 2021-09-20 21:30:07 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • IC: Minnorak - Ko-Wahi

    "I too am returning home, to Obsidian Outpost," he replied. Tempted though he was to point out Ko-Koro was no longer home for the followers of Ak'rei'an, he decided to hold his tongue. The dealings of crazed cultists were none of his business. "I wish you luck on your journey, traveler." 

    @Daniel the Finlander

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  • Posted 2021-09-21 01:39:05 UTC
    BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi
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  • 21 hours ago, ~Xemnas~ said:

    IC, Atamai: Ko-Wahi

    Atamai gratefully took the flask Savrehn offered. He took a swig and then sat down his backback. "The loyalty of a Hapaka is something that sets them apart from Matoran, Vortixx, and other intelligent species. Hapaka have no reason to betray others. A curse of our intelligence is that our negative flaws also come with it- selfishness, spite, etc. A person always has the potential for evil. The Hapaka..." Atamai smiled at the Rahi. "Don't."

    5 hours ago, Tarn said:

    IC: Savrehn - Ko-Wahi - Somewhere In The Wastes

    Savrehn leaned back against the wall to get more comfortable, his hands resting behind his head. He let out a gravelly chuckle at Atamai. “I thought you were a historian, but it sounds like you know quite a bit about rahi, too."

    IC: Kreigero [Ko-Wahi, Wilderness]

    Kreigero gave Atamai a nod. He wasn't a complete fool after all.

    The water in Kreigero's thermos lid soon began to simmer and boil. She picked up the lid after wrapping her hand in her cloak for insulation, then poured the water through a filtered funnel into her flask, leaving the other two matoran to continue their line of conversation.

  • Edited on 2021-09-21 01:39:50 by BULiK
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