09/14/24 -- Downtime

Knewidi 40th, 715AR

STARRING: Angel, Bee, Claudia, Karina,  Koilos, Radovan, Storm, Zey… and more!

• Koilos wants to head to the Temple of the Gods before tending to Claudia. She heads to the altar for Zorya.
  • “Today I have the difficult task of helping my friend recover from what she has gone through, and I ask for the guidance of a gentle touch, of the wisdom and care that I need to provide for her. Also, I do sincerely believe that the Maiden can recover from what we have done for her. I ask that she be given that strength.”
    • SPIRIT – 8 Successes
  • As you go ahead and focus, concentrate, you feel a presence begin to enter this space. As you start to feel it, it’s like a force– an entity is trying to reach out to you. Are you attempting to connect?
    • Yes.
  • In this moment, as you go out for this connection, you feel yourself be tugged away from your body into this dark, dark place. You feel yourself in a great void. There is the visage of a woman beginning to appear, with bright violet eyes and violet tattoos. There is a central mark on the forehead. You feel a repulsion, aversion to them. But they look at you and give a smile.
  • “You still pray.”
    • “Yes. I do. I presume you are Zorya?”
  • “I am.”
  • “Your family, they have been lost for some time. Is this true?”
    • “They have been.”
  • “You must not fret. They walk again. And they wish to see you.”
  • Peter asks if Ki gets Dark Star vibes from this.
    • SPIRIT – 5 Successes
  • Check the track name, buddy.
    • NOW PLAYING: NO PLACE FOR REGRET (NETHER THEME)
    • “I… I heard that my father was trapped, um, with– in the Dark Star space. How– how did he get out?”
  • “The same way I did. When the Star, and energy was opened, unbound. We were remade. And redeemed.”
    • “I… So you have been lost?”
  • “No. We have regained so much of what was lost to us. The stars are so much brighter now. Do you wish to see your father again, Ki?”
    • “One day, but not like that.”
  • “He wishes to see you.”
    • A tear falls down Kis face
    • “The Maiden said that you were fierce, and you were strong, and I believe that in you you are still fighting. I promise to that part of you that we’ll figure something out. We’ll fix this.”
  • “There is nothing to fix. It has already been fixed. Our Queen is bringing about a great event, by the end of this year the world will turn, and the Cosmic Stack will be made anew. Where is the Maiden? I would wish to talk to my old friend.”
    • “Goodbye Zorya, I am sorry.”
  • “Where do you think you’re going?”
    • Ki attempts to separate from the connection. She finds herself still in that space. You don’t know what is happening here. You watch as Zorya gives a smile.
  • “You wish to leave? So soon? Why?”
    • “Yes. Because you’re not safe to be around right now.”
    • Koilos attempts to create a hole and fill her with existential nothingness.
  • As you attempt to fill her with nothingness, it feels like there is already nothing.
    • Koilos attempts to summon nothing in front of herself, in the real world, to knock her awake.
  • SPIRIT SAVE – 4 Successes
    • A half success. As you begin to summon this nothingness, Zorya frowns.
  • “You used to be Zolonas favorite. I know this. She would be so disappointed. But it’s okay, your intent. It’s flowing from here. Up. Far up. Ohhh. Oh. Isn’t that brilliant.”
    • Detection increases by 2.
  • As you’re looking around in this space within the temple, Zoryas statue seemingly has moved. It looks like it had gotten up off the pedestal, and had reached down to touch you. You’d flung yourself back on the floor, panting heavily. A few hobgoblins and Brigade soldiers tentatively make their way over. There is a sense of panic bubbling. Ki strikes the statue down, pieces go everywhere.
• Ki hasn’t met Karina yet, but from what she knows she is in charge. She supposes it is time to meet Karina. Making your way there, her door is open. Koilos knocks, and a voice calls out to her.
  • “What have you done?”
    • “I… I was praying–”
  • “Enter.”
    • Ki walks in.
  • This woman, long blonde hair, beautiful violet eyes, and a long, flowing green gown with streaks of white, appears to be flipping through books and looking at different instruments. It is clear that she has been looking at things rapidly.
  • “Who were you talking to?”
    • “Zorya.”
  • “Why?”
    • “It was just meant to be a prayer for guidance–”
  • “She was eaten by Ataxia. She was in the Dark Star.”
    • There is a long moment of silence.
  • “How much does she know about our location?”
    • “She knows that we didn’t move out of this layer.”
  • “I see.”
    • “She took control of her statue and tried to touch me but I– was able to use my Torvian to make distance.”
  • “Her magic was able to penetrate the defenses of Widowstone?”
    • “It seems like.”
  • “I see. Anything else?’
  • At a few points Karina perks up, listening with intensity. She nods at the end.
  • “We have much to do then, I have much to do then. An attack on the Omen Weald with their full forces… it would potentially be catastrophic. If they know that we are here, just at a different point… Please, leave me.”
    • “I’m sorry, and understood.”
  • Karina turns back to her books. She flutters her fingers.
  • “Radovan, we have a problem.”
  • The door shuts behind her.
• This has become a mission. Koilos is the Commander, Storm is Marshall, Bee is the Lorekeeper, Zey is the Spymaster, Angel is the Quartermaster.
  • 2D6 – 10
    • 1D20 – 17
  • Random Event! Real Stage!
• All spies are put on Supply.
  • 9D6 – 7 Supply
• Quartermaster finishes the Stage and puts a BP toward the Random Event.
• Marshall gains +3 HP.
• Bee enlists the help of Storm to build a rat tunnel between her room and Charons, and some extra bits so Manatee and Little Tom can play.
  • It doesn’t take very long, with their power combined they make a track to connect the rats. Manatee doesn’t need any urging, and is very happy to go and mingle.
• Zey heads to check out the big door again. It hasn’t changed at all since Endure. He knocks and asks to enter. Nothing happens. He trains in front of the door, for funsies.
• Storm heads to the community center. He wants to call people to give updates on the Brigade, as much as he knows.
  • SPIRIT – 2 Successes
  • People are pretty content, a Hobgoblin raises their hand asking what is happening in the Sanctum.
    • “No, we have only been able to excavate the first couple levels.”
  • “How many are there?”
    • ‘That remains to be seen, we are going through slowly and carefully as time and allowance permits us. We don’t want to use all of the materials and items we gain to just go solely into excavation, and not preparation for a rainy day.”
  • The Hobgoblin nods. Far off in the corner someone shouts that Storm is awesome.
• Zey turns to Angel, asking if he wants to hang out sometime today. Angel says it would be nice. Zey hands off Tre’Dauthin to Bee, and tells her it is from Beatrix.
• Bee heads to see Lavatera. She is pacing around her room, looking over books and notes. She uses a cane at this point, she seems to be in a flustered state. She turns around.
  • “Ah. Bee. Hello. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”
    • Bee asks what is wrong. Lavatera asks why she showed up. Bee came to show her something, but is something really wrong?
  • “Some new developments, we might be moving a bit sooner. But, heheh. What have you come to show me?”
    • Bee holds out Tre’Dauthin.
  • Lavatera's eyes widen, “Is that… Tre’Dauthin? The Third Dorcha? It hasn’t tried to kill you? I knew I chose a good student.”
    • Bee asks if she is experienced in using weapons.
  • “I was trained by my mentors in their use, but I tend to enjoy lightning a bit more. But I can, of course, manipulate weapons. They are earth bone, so it is within my purview.”
  • “Legend says Tre’Dauthin can be used to attack who a person was, and not who they are now. Hm.. Don’t swing that at me. While now I am, of course, the most powerful person in the Brigade… when I was a child, not as much. I’m sure a stab from Tre’Dauthin would kill me.”
    • Bee asks if she can train her in the use of weapons, if she isn’t too busy.
  • She talks about its capabilities and legends. Colin says: For, jokingly, in my notes– this is the Kill Hitler stick. If you had a time machine you go back and kill Hitler. Tre’Dauthin… “Oh, Helmuth von Grayz now? What if I instead hit you when you were nine years old.”
  • Most of today's lesson is very basic safety tips, she drills Bee on them. She is confident in Bee using the weapon once she has the knowledge.
• Angel heads to the medical center to study stages of rot. Following bloat is decay, and then advanced decay. After studying, they head to pick up wine and go to Zey’s room.
  • “Hey, I brought wine. Figured we could drink while we played.”
    • Zey sets up a table so they can play.
    • “So, Angel. How much of the past do you remember?”
  • “Mostly bits and pieces, here and there. Some parts I remember more than others. A lot of it is… it’s kind of like a puzzle where there are spaces I have filled in, but around are complete blanks. A quarter piece here and there.
    • ‘What was your favorite one?”
  • “I worked in a temple for the Creative. I was cleaning, doing my daily duties, but it was peaceful. And nice, compared to my other memories. That was one of the few where it felt like I was actually succeeding, helping people. Is there a reason you ask?”
    • He passes over a glass of wine, he was curious.
    • “My life took off when I got here. I was just studying to be a blood priest, its funny looking back on it now. Training my whole childhood for something… that I understand more now than I did in the training. To understand what it truly means to be a blood priest. Not sure how much I like that title.”
  • “It’s intimidating, but I think it’s nice in a way. Blood is a life force.”
    • “We are all connected. We can’t forget that.”
    • “I wasn’t the best child before my mentor found me, I went around beating up other kids. TO put it lightly.”
    • “It really kicked off with Anahi, just thinking ‘what if I could be better?’”
  • “Yeah. I really hope… I hope Anahi is doing well out there.”
    • “I hope so too. I have an apology I owe her.”
  • “Me too. I shouldn't have tried to pretend she wasn’t there. I agreed to train her, and maybe if I had actually stepped in I could have helped her.”
    • “Now we know for the future.”
  • “After all of this is over, what do you think you’re going to do? Once the Brigade no longer needs us.”
    • “Isn’t that the question? From what I see now and talking to Corania… with the Maidens' absence right now I just want to travel around and help people.”
    • “What about you though? What do you dream of, afterwards?”
    • “How goes training with Radovan?”
  • “I think it goes well. I did finally master the second stage. I’ve done a bit of studying on my own, to try and get ahead. I tried to swing by his room earlier but it looked like he was busy. Don’t know where he ended up at. It’s alright, I can train another time.”
    • “I got the first Sea School. First part of it.”
  • “Maybe we can train together sometime.”
• Bee gathers up her basket, and heads to find Ki. She heads to the Training Grounds, aiming to train the Fourth Mountain.
  • Bee asks if she is ready, Ki says absolutely. First walking up and seeing Ki, she looked haggard. Tired and haggard. Thousand yard stare vibe. When she sees Bee, she perks up a bit. Collects herself.
  • With one success, Bee has an inkling that something is hidden. But she isn’t sure.
  • Ki offers to carry the basket, but Bee remarks that she looks like garbage. Bee can carry it. She also needs to change her clothes beforehand, because she is sweaty and smelly.
  • “We should get– do we have an umbrella for Claudia?”
    • Bee isn’t sure, but she suggests Radovan might have one. Or they can borrow his.
  • They come across Storm and ask if he wants to come help, just to make his people a bit more comfortable. Ki says she is glad he can join us. It is good to see him.
• As they walk, Storm begins to talk to Ki.
  • “So, Ki. I just wanted to apologize for my actions. Back when everything with… the mission with Radovan happened. And my short temper. Kind of not listening to you guys. That wasn’t… I… Not to excuse what I did but… I was just recovering from realizing what I had done with Zolona, and in an attempt to correct I came down too harshly on you all. And ignoring the fact that I had done something similar. I’m sorry for the mistrust that ensued from all of that.”
    • Ki’s face scrunches up in confusion, and then turns to sadness.
    • “No– you– how do I– while I do appreciate the thought, I don’t think you have anything really to apologize for, Storm.”
  • “But I do. Like, maybe– I believe that I was heavy handed and a little too far, but I believe my thoughts came from wanting to do the right thing.”
    • “And I do believe that, but we made a very big mistake. How you reacted was… I think justified.”
  • “But I could have sat back and approached it differently.”
  • Storm asks for Ki to join his group, Mournival[SIC], to help keep him in check. She asks for him to do the same.
• After going into the Command Building, we find Radovan in his chambers. He is looking over maps, seemingly going over schematic plans.
  • He gives a wide smile, and frowns noticing Ki.
  • “Well, it seems like we have quite the packed day. But, hehehh… It is always chaos here.”
    • Bee gives a confused hello to him too. She asks what is up.
  • “Well, with our little discovery, we are now in a bit of a… time crunch.”
    • “I feel like everyone has been really vague with me today!”
  • “Koilos has contacted Zorya, and has led a trail here. It is unknown how long it will take the full might of the titans to come down on the Omen Weald, but likely not long.”
    • Surely that isn’t true. Right?
  • “I could be mistaken.”
  • Radovan looks to Ki.
    • “He’s not, Bee. I made a mistake.”
    • Bee is not happy about this, but decides to stop thinking about it until they save Claudia.
  • Bee heads to keep up with Radovan as he walks. She talks about the tunnel she created. Radovan smiles at the rat tunnel.
    • “You’ve been taking good care of the rats. I like them too. They are… fascinating creatures. And incredibly intelligent. Some call them pests, heh. No. Friends, yet is the true nature of a rat. Friends that are so desperate to see you, they’ll gnaw through your walls.”
• As we enter, there are Ard Magos soldiers walking about. Storm waves them off, he has this. They are still on high alert, but they continue on their way. Eventually, as we go through the inner workings of the prison, we come to a steel door. You’ve been here many times Ki. Inside, all of you witness a cell. Probably 50 sq ft. The entity within is more… beast than person. Claudia goes– her hair ragged, clothes torn, her skin is tight around her musculature. Her fangs are fully extended. She barrels toward the cell doors, reaching out with clawed hands in an attempt to grab. Radovan sighs, shaking his head.
  • “Look at the state that she has been brought down to… It is a tragedy. One that we will need to correct. Yes...”
    • Bee asks if there is anything for them to do.
  • “Only bare witness, as I do not want an angry Ard Magos, Material God, to bare down upon me, or Claudia. Do I have your word, Storm?”
    • He agrees.
  • “Good. Very good. Then, I suppose, it is time to give blood.”
• Radovan walks forward. At this moment, Ki, he pulls up the sleeve on one of his arms. He extends the arm toward the cage. You watch as, immediately, Claudia lunges. As she does, her claws grab ahold of the arm, and she tries to pull it. Radovan allows himself to be pulled a bit before digging in his heels. You watch as Claudia rears back and slams her fangs into Radovans flesh. Blood begins to gurgle across the wound, as the fangs suck up the blood. You watch, Bee, as Claudia's eyes roll back as though a shark. And then, in this moment, after a few seconds, you see that she seems to pry herself off of Radovans arm, and fall backward. Her whole body beginning to seize. Limbs and arms flail in all directions. Her eyes are darting this way and that, seemingly unconnected from each other. A strange gargling sound is heard deeper in her throat. Radovan watches. Her arms and legs and bones are moving. Muscles and inner workings changing and altering. Radovan slowly rolls back down the sleeve.
  • “Now… we wait.”
    • “What is happening– is she okay?”
  • “Yes. As I have said, she is growing stronger. In this evolution there needed to be changes. She has been without blood for so long it is much more intensive, also, because I am so potent. But, now, behold. The Vampyr Draculai. The pinnacle of the Vampyr.”
  • She has stopped twitching. Her face has begun to regain color. With a stray hand she runs back her hair, her body regains a youthful– if not more perfect complexion. Claudia's eyes dart around the room.
    • “Ahh.. What… What happened?”
• Bee hastily has Storm open the door. Claudia begins to stand up, she feels along her face and arms– getting used to a new body. Bee starts pulling out the clothes she prepared for her.
  • “I feel… Better. Much better. Still a tad hungry. What happened?”
    • Bee says a lot. Ki says that the Ard Magos put her in this cell, but we are getting her out of it. She hands over the scarf of protection. Claudia wraps it around herself.
  • “Yes… I’m… glad to be getting out… Sorry it’s still mostly a blur… a haze.”
    • She looks a bit emaciated, but otherwise fine. Giving the checkup, Bee is quite familiar with Radovans anatomy; she is far closer to Radovan than she had been before.
  • Bee hands over the basket, and as she finishes looking through she pulls Bee into a hug. Claudia waves over Ki, and they hug.
  • Radovan nods, walking over.
  • “There is still much that you must learn, please, come to me at midnight tonight. Have your fun, but the roll of a Dracul is different than that of a young Vampyr.”
    • Bee asks if he is doing anything weird. He is just trying to educate.
  • Bee is all smiles, and so is Claudia.
  • Radovan holds out a hand before she goes.
  • “I must advise, Dracul are far more sensitive to sunlight. Make note of this. Mark it. Be covered, umbrella, in hoards of darkness if possible. Otherwise, continue on. Have fun.”
    • Ki offers out the umbrella.
• Storm asks us to follow him, laying down ground rules. Storm takes them further down the hallway, down a corner.
  • “I am, I want you to be careful. Claudia–”
    • “Can hear us.”
  • “Okay.”
    • “Just want you to be aware. Superior senses and all.”
  • “I just want you to be careful, given that she has been locked up for awhile.”
  • They agree. Bee promises to keep her three eyes on her, and presents her palm.
• Bee helps to catch Claudia up on what has been going on. Her mind is sharp like a steel trap now, it is easy for her to understand. We help her set up a room, she looks around and smiles.
  • “I think… hm.. What should it be. More Tpres? More Kovorov? Rat themed? There are so many options!”
  • “Hm… perhaps bats, rats, and bones, then.”
• We cut to Zey and Angel inside the tavern. What are they doing?
  • “What is your favorite food, Angel?”
    • “Um… I don’t know. Honestly I’ve kind of been sticking to whatever rations we’ve been having… but I thought this might be a nice change of pace. I did like the chocolate cake I got from Varuz but… I don’t think the tavern would have that.”
  • “Maybe we could see what passes as a sampler here?”
    • “What about you Zey? Do you have a favorite food?”
  • “I enjoyed the big sampler we got in um… where we met Mace Crane.”
    • “They had good wine there.”
  • He agrees.
  • They lapse into silence.
    • “Bayeaux! That is what it was. Seems like it was forever ago.”
  • “It was the first time we met.”
    • “Yeah…”
  • “I think it’s the glass of wine?” he points at the amulet.
  • They discuss starting a bakery, and whether or not Journeyman can start sowing wheat
  • Zey invites Angel on a walk around Widowstone after lunch. Zey quickly moves to finish more of his food.
  • “You’re uhh.. Uh. Angel, Your hand looks cold. Can I help you with that?”
  • Zey awkwardly reaches for Angel's hand. Angel is visibly flustered.
    • “I suppose it is a little cold………”
    • Not making eye contact, Angel lets Zey take their hand.
  • They are content to walk around, small talk, pointing out projects that are starting to go up. How the theatre is coming along. Stuff like that. Idle chatter.
• In this moment we see the twinkling of the Brigade. And then, we start to go and focus back on the prison. Going and looking to it, we zoom into its walls. Through its halls. From the fifth floor to the bottom. Then we keep going. Deeper. Deeper. Deeper. Down. And down. Through the Cosmic Stack itself. Until we find another prison. Dark and dingy. Below a broken and destroyed fortress city of some kind. It sits on a lake of brimstone and sulfur. There are many dark shapes within the room that we now look at. Chains of great creatures rattling. And then… there is a turning. As the final door to this prison cell opens. And a head is thrown directly into the center of this place. It contains pale flesh and a great many horns. There is now silence as these great and powerful devils now look upon the head of one of the Sovereigns of Hell. Helmuth von Grayz walks in.
  • “We will now talk. Individually. You will give me the same answer as they did. Or you will die.”
  • There is silence in response. Helmuth pulls out his blade and stabs it down into the severed head.
  • “You can scream, you can cry, and I’d prefer if you begged. But there is one thing you cannot do. You cannot endure this. You will cooperate. Or your dimension will burn.”
  • From the darkness one of the great creatures says,
    • “The information you seek is open to you!”
  • “I don’t care. I am the cost of your redemption. Rejoice, you shall be saved.”
  • Helmuth begins to walk toward the creature that spoke.