[Game Thread] Chapter 4: Tainted Sands

[Fil kearney]

Sul's thought causes Gwyn's brow to furrow... surely there is a politically corr--

His thought is derailed as another explosion shakes the scene; the last of the lightning cars weren't moved fast enough from the scene, and apparently there was a particularly potent batch of ... something..
in one of the cargo carriages.

....


Morglum picks himself out of the wreckage.
There goes my commission.
The Hobgoblin lamented. three weeks and 1000 miles of babysitting boxes has just abandoned the warrior without his team, or means of payment.
As two guards race up to "intercept" the grizzled warrior, already yapping commands and questions, he can tell his stay here is already nearing it's end.
"Where's a decent place to eat around here?"

[DaveTheMagicWease]

Gwyn turned back to the Captain and sighed, frustration plain to see across his face,

"Very well Captain, take them all into custody. However, you will make the capture of daemons your immediate priority and will intern them separately from the passengers of the vessel. Your men will also provide complete medical care to the injured and the crew and passengers are to be treated with the utmost respect until I have had chance to explain the situation to the Lord Magistrate.

Do you have any problem with these orders soldier?"

"No sir!"

Relieved simply to no longer be torn between Magistrate and Inquisitor the Captain began issuing orders to his men.

"And Captain, this winged gentleman here is an official deputy of the Inquisition. Likewise, there is a human named Hieractus, a Shifter named Rass and a warforged called D32 who are also deputies. They are to be left alone unless in need of medical treatment."

Gwyn caught Celestine's quizical glance, and muttered by way of explanation "Trust me, it's just easier this way."

"And if any of the larger daemons have survived the crash alert my team immediately - do not risk your men's lives by engaging them alone."

The Captain started at the notion of a shifter working for the Inquisition, and gulped in trepidation at the mention of greater daemons, but merely nodded in mute agreement before extricating himself from the conversation while he had the chance.

[Amy]

A pile of stony rubble formerly known as The High Tower began to shift uncomfortably, impossibly. The largest monoliths of his landmark were pulled across the land by dual teams of thirty mules, set in place with tenons in lieu of mortar. The process was a permanent as any short of magical assistance. Its recent destruction was shocking and mentally incomprehensible. For the tonnes of its remains to be moving now was beyond mortal ken.

But shift it did. Then rumble, then slide aside as a hulking grey shoulder broke free into the sunlight followed by a neck as corded as the main mast of this nation's flagship. As he freed himself from the Tower he looked around conveying a confused and frustrated attitude. Before the astounded eyes of onlookers, he chants a few quiet words and begins to grow in height above the debris to a maximum of over 20' tall.

Almost ridiculous in a two-handed grasp, the giant held one of the largest stone plinths as easily as a field slave balances a bundle of wheat over his head.

[zarzak]

Celestine, though not hugely happy to be made an impromptu deputy of the 'inquisition', was nonetheless glad for the lack of conflict. Dispatching these soldiers wasn't something he would have relished doing. He turns to Gwyn to start to say something, but stops as the rubble starts to shift, and look to it along with the others - soldiers and sailors - as the figure rises out of it and grows.

"Well, there is something one doesn't see every day. Of course, that could be said about much of today ..."

[Amy]

RockFoot had spent some time among these mortals. He had little recollection of place names or persons of note, but he could take in new information and gather patterns. He understood what was typical for their kind, and falling chariots and fiery demons were not among their expectations as they awoke to greet each day.

With a 6 ton monolith in his hands, he cast his gaze about for any sign of being that may have attempted his death by dropping a ship and a building on him. The further away, the better.

[DaveTheMagicWease]

By the flame! What now...

At the sight of hulking monolith rising from the rubble, seemingly primed and ready for battle judging by its stance, Gwyn took once more to the air. With silver fire crackling at his fingertips he rose to hover before the face of the strange creature.

As he drew closer Gwyn half-expected to see the creature's stony skin blister under the glare of the light shining out from him. Instead the man of stone seemed untroubled by them.

Perhaps not a demon after all?

"Stand down in the name of the Inquisition and explain your presence here."



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OOC: Is Rock's appearance visibly angelic? Coz that would be likely to sway Gwyn's starting attitude somewhat...

[Amy]

Seeing no immediate sign of a fleeing demon, RockFoot respects the evident law-person's request and allows the building stone to rest in front of his stomach. He declines to put it on the ground, but that was not specifically requested.

"Of course. I am here to rest from my recent tribulations. I have no knowledge of those tribulations, but I feel them in my bones. I came to this place, " he tips his head to indicate this city, "Seeking a quite reprieve. It would have been good to know that involves falling debris before the fact."

He is breathing easily, evidently unconcerned that he is holding 12,000 pounds of rock in his 20' frame.

[Surreal]

Sul was otherwise still occupied amidst the debris. Though the last "survivor" had now slipped from his mortal coil, there was still the matter of ensuring that all the rescuers came out of the wreckage safely. Many were now injured themselves, and further encumbered carrying out the bodies of the dead. It took most of his concentration just to keep them from walking across a weakened floorboard or slipping away on an oil and bloodsoaked deck.

Nonetheless, the sudden awakening of the stone giant was quite a shock. It felt as if the earth itself suddenly gained consciousness and rose. How it had escaped his notice before, Sul was unsure, though with all the turmoil of the crash and the multitudes dying, it was entirely possible that his senses were overwhelmed and he simply missed it. In any event, his abilities were still required in the wreckage, and it seemed as if Gwyn was at a standoff with the giant.

[Amy]

RockFoot's head has made a pass of the wreckage and he returns his gaze to his Inquisitor. "If this explanation is sufficient, I see that there is a rescue effort underway. Perhaps I can lend my talents." He sets the monolith levelly on the ground where it compressed the top seven inches of soil before gaining equilibrium with the earth's rotation. RockFoot moves his bulk to the side of others seeking injured survivors and begins to carefully shift debris.

.

[DaveTheMagicWease]

The man of stone seemed unconcerned at Gwyn's presence, beginning to sift through the piles of debris without waiting for his assent. As the larger pieces of rubble were moved aside more wounded were revealed to the light of day,

Good enough for me, Gwyn mentally shrugged as he dove down to tend to the wounded.

[Fil kearney]

The awakened giant makes quick work of the wreckage... the rescue team stay back not wanting to get trampled in the process, and begin taking steps to transport the wounded away. The majority of survivors are far too broken to put up a fight.

"We'll be sure to treat them gently"
The soldier in command promises to Gwynn as he begins rallying the crew to move the wounded.

[zarzak]

Celestine watches the proceedings, an amused smirk on his face. Kimoko saunters over, looking curiously at the druid.

"Oh, its nothing Kimoko ... too many odd happenings for one day, thats all. Where did this large fellow come from, do you suppose?" A laugh, then.

"Once our .... 'commander' .... gives the word, be ready to move. You can inform Ashe that you'll be coming with me, if she'll allow it."

"Lord?" Kimoko looks at Celestine, confused.

"I think you have reached the stage where you might make more progress when you're actively fighting, instead of merely traveling." A look around at the nearby soldiers, and then, in a whisper: "And I don't think it will be too safe if you are under their custody."

"Yes, Lord Celestine." Kimoko nods - the same thought had been in her head as well. She wanders off to find Ashe, as a soldier replaces her.

"Err ... Deputy, the orders were that passengers were to be interned ....

Celestine looks down at the soldier (he was over 7 feet tall in his current guise as a werebear disguised as an angel, after all), and tries to assume the proper degree of nonchalance and arrogance that might be expected of a deputy of the inquisition: "Are you questioning my orders, soldier? That woman is a pupil of mine, who has been traveling the world for her education. Now that stage has passed. I hope you aren't meaning to interfere in the education of a future officer of the inquisition?"

[Fil kearney]

"uh... no...?"
clearly this whole event has been as awkward for the locals as for the visitors.

"No you idiots! Stay clear of that!"
It took three volunteers to hold the old artificer back as gouts of plasma flared from the building sustaining the fire elemental.

Sul chuckled; the fire contained bot the flameforged and the small army of fire sparks within the adamantine frame. the massive elemental hid D32 from view.
"Defensive perimeter established"
The flameforged announced in ignan, lashing out again at any water bearers edging too near.

Glancing around the mental landscape, Sul noticed that a number of the travellers had gone missing: Hieractus, Ras, Nolan, and all the Divas had left their mounts behind.
"Where have they gone off to?" the ghost asks rhetorically across the thoughts of his companions.

but considering thge location and local mentality, it isn't too surprising that a sudden departure would occur.
Ashe smirks quietly to herslef, but she remains impenetrable to mental spelunking. Something is up, and it's apparently best left unsaid.


There was still a lot to do still.. and Lady Crinneth was also no where to be found. That was slightly disturbing.

[DaveTheMagicWease]

His latest charge patched up, at least for now, Gwyn's search continued. Picking through the rubble he came across a hobgoblin, blood pouring out of a wound from his forehead.

Gwyn raised his hand up once more, silver fire forming into a ball in his palm.

"Hey wait a minute-"

Crackling eldritch energy began to form in the hobgoblins' own hand, but his hobgoblin's protests were drowned out by the rushing sound of fire, nearby oxygen sucked into the intense heat as the demon that was sneaking up on the unsuspecting hobgoblin from behind was immolated in the blast.

"... Oh, right. Well, thanks I quess."

"Think nothing of it. Let's get that head of yours patched up."

The heat coming from Gwyn's palm this time was of a far more benign variety, soothing the inflammation around the wound as he used telekinesis to extract the shard of wood lodged in the greenskin's skull before closing the wound.

[Amy]

RockRoot looked behind him as he reached the end of a series of demolished buildings. He had removed debris from many a wounded, dying, or dead resident of this sadly damaged city; unconsciously he had stacked each piece of stone in perfect sync with others, creating a wall of varying heights and widths. It was straight as an arrow's flight and long enough to thwart an army of one thousand. Within moments f his pause, his height reduced to a more regular 12' plus a bit. He patted his hands against his thighs, causing clouds of dust to disperse through the settling air.

.