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Post by Moontide on Aug 19, 2003 22:11:51 GMT -5
I decided that maybe I should do some shopping soon. I don't suppose this Choeroed is going to be much help in the way of shopping, he doesn't look any richer than I am. Once he starts speaking with me, I might be able to get some good answers.
I noticed the other Norkid in the room, who had hidden himself much better than I had after my sneeze. Maybe he and I could do something much more interesting than watching drunks predict wars from sandstorms.
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RabbitDawg
Commander
I'm moron... the stupid side...
Posts: 193
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Post by RabbitDawg on Aug 20, 2003 1:34:11 GMT -5
After my prayer, there seemed to be much more light in the temple. Perhaps my eyes had ajusted or maybe the candles got brighter. Whatever the cause didn't really matter to me at the time because my attention was caught by the statue I had prayed to. It was a statue of Rentallimokenthori, the God of Wind. I mused about that for a while. I hadn't known where I was going when I entered, but some inner instinct had led me to God of Wind. I looked at my wind charm, which still seemed to be reacting a little. But the prayer was over, so I got off my knees and stood up to survey the rest of the room. There were many other statues there, all representing different.... elements. I notcied an arch-bishop who seemed to be threatening the statue of Nimpatholeontimphashi, God of Fire and Death. The statue itself seemed to be reacting. Maybe it was its fiery aura that brightened the place. I wanted to talk to the arch-bishop... ask why he acted as he did to the God of Fire and Death, but the temple wasn't the most... 'proper' place to converse. So I decided to leave, noticing that he went to pray to the statue of Rentallimokenthori as I left. I decided if I saw him again, I would ask about what he did to the God of Fire and Death, but for now, I would let it go. I got outside and decided to resume my shopping before my feelings for my past interrupted me as it often did. So I made my way to the shops and the hotel located across the diner. I went to the hotel first to see what the price was, and to my surprise, it was free!! Praise be!! It was really nice to know I had a place to sleep if necessary, so I continued on with my shopping. Shopping is so fun... if I had money. I mean, all these stores, what more could a sigwar female want besides water? Well, there were other things one could ask for, but... I have to admit. I really enjoyed shopping. To my delight, there were so many stores. I decided to check the armory first so that I have some sort of weapon for my quest. I looked around and saw a bunch of guns. I saw a sandstorm pistol, like the one Sav had, but I immediately looked elsewhere when I saw its price. '75 pats!?!?' I sighed and looked around. Then I saw a Sigwar chemical bomb. It was affordable, but I didn't want a one-time-use thing, no matter how potent, so I kept looking. Then I saw a Standard Issue Laser Pistol!! The price wasn't too bad, so when a helper walked by, I asked about it, only to be disappointed. Yeah, it never ran out of ammo and it was long range, but I already had magic I can cast long range and periodically... plus the fact that I could hit harder unarmed than the laser pistol could shoot kinda made me shy away from it. I mean, I wasn't THAT bad at hand to hand combat, but still... If I had more money, it'd be a backup weapon. I was beginning to wonder if they sold anything else other than guns when my eyes found a daxite blade. It looked so cool. And just saying it sounded cool. 'Daxite blade.... ooooh'. Plus, the price wasn't that bad. I really wanted to purchase it... it seemed to call to me saying "I'll protect you!! I can slit monsters' throats!!" But then another weapon, a Sigwar Throwing Blade, called out to me seeming saying "I'll protect you!! I can slit monsters' throats... BUT from a distance!! And I'm cheaper. BUY ME!! Or else Rentallimokenthori will unleash his wrath on you!!!!" That got me, so I bought it, having only 65 pats left. I left the store hurriedly, so that the daxite blade wouldn't cry out to me in my mind. I stumbled upon another store called Exotic Foods. there was another store, Exotic Goods, that called out to me, but they sold so many things I just didn't know what to get. The Exotic Foods was much simpler. I found a variety of things, even Rappi, which I promised myself I would eat at least once before I die... And it only cost 20 pats... Maybe I could sell it and make more money, but... my eyes found a Skredd vine instead. It was a powerful medicinal remedy, could store water, had seeds, and could survive in harsh weather conditions... it might be useful. Then, my imagination went to work. Supposed I make a whip out of this and my throwing knife...? Hmmm.... But I couldn't possibly make one of good quali-- I gasped. I saw a Nogan farmer earlier!! Maybe I could strike a deal. There are seeds on this vine after all and farmers like seeds.... right? I hurried back to diner. I was down to 45 pats and I didn't want to end up buying some Rappi. To my surprise, the place was a mess. There was sand everywhere. But I lived on a desert planet, so sand wasn't really a big deal. To my pleasant surprise the whole 'crew' was still there. Plus Sav, was awake. My table was still empty and the Nogan farmer still sat to the table next to it. And then I saw it!! The thing under the table!! It was a Norkid!!! I walked inside the diner, only to spot something else with my peripheral vision. Was that another Norkid on the roof...? Geez... that's twice I-could've-sworn-I-saw-something 's in one night. Before I went to the table with the Nogan farmer, I decided to order some Klipten. It was a rare mineral found in an ancient streambed near Eka Flats to the best of my knowledge. But that wasn't the point. It was bestowed by the Wind God. After my prayer, I guess I was just thinking eating some food might help make my magic grow stronger. Wishful thinki--- well, it might work actually. But whatever. If I couldn't strike a deal with the farmer, my order would be called out and that'd give me an excuse to leave and go to another table. So I ordered it. 'Down to 20 pats...' I noted to myself. The Nogan farmer didn't seem to notice my approach. She was checking the quality of her hoe. She did that quite often. But then again, I unconsciously felt for my charm every now and then, so I guess it's a prized-possession thing. I decided I would sit down across from her. 'Okay,' I told myself. Be nice and friendly. Nogans don't bite... and I'm in a Sigwar diner. If anyone dared to attack a priestess in a Sigwar diner, they'd be in deep... um... feces. Especially since Sav was just two tables away... But I was getting nervous as I approached the table. Already my thoughts became 'What if I make a bad impression and she thinks I'm some psycho...? But then again first impressions aren't everything, so...' I shrugged my thoughts aside and braced myself. I was nearing the table. Before I had even completely sat down, I heard myself say in one breath: "Some storm, huh? Hey, you're a Nogan farmer, right? Do you think maybe you could help me make something in exchange for some seeds? Oh, and my name is Ziela, what's yours?" THEN, I sat down and waited her response.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phew, finally done. Sorry if that was too long everyone. I'm sure the shopping portion was very boring... (In fact, I'm not sure why I put it in there...) Anyway, I have one question: In the temple, there was said to be 8 statues. I only found 7 of them: Ultanorkeepashinthu, Grophliishiphantheonal, Jimpatholeekanallion, Rentallimokenthori, Vicanthorificallus, Nimpatholeontimphashi, & Yeethonellpianquell... am I missing someone? (How'd you guys come up with these? geez...)
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DigiDayDreamer
Commander
Why divide when you can conquer everything?
Posts: 210
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Post by DigiDayDreamer on Aug 20, 2003 12:55:19 GMT -5
I turned my head after checking my hoe for some time and saw that Sigwar priestess again, and she was speaking to me.
Whoa! I didn't think this would actually happen. I mean, I was the one who was supposed to strike a conversation.
Why must The Spirits fool around me? I groaned in my thoughts.
I listened again to the Sigwar, only able to hear about some storm, seeds and Ziela. Hey, don't blame me if I wasn't a good listener.
What the? Did she say 'seeds'?
I perked up, nearly slamming my hoe on my table. "Wait, I'm trying to stay thoughtful as I can, okay?" Rubbing my forehead, I thought of an appropriate response.
I looked up, seeing she was waiting for my response. "Um, yeah, some storm. I really hate them cause they often tend to destroy bountiful harvests back at home.
"Help you make something for some seeds? Sure! But I only have 50 pats or so, and I'm not really feeling helpful right now. Let me think about it." It took me an erkan to decide while I placed my hoe back. I stretched out my hand to the priestess. "Sure, it's a deal. By the way, I'm Raizi."
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RabbitDawg: The shopping portion wasn't boring to me. I kind of enjoyed reading it for some reason.
To everyone else: Um, am I overdoing it with 'checking my hoe'? It caught my attention that that's the only thing noticeable in Raizi, other than being a female Farmer.
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RabbitDawg
Commander
I'm moron... the stupid side...
Posts: 193
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Post by RabbitDawg on Aug 20, 2003 14:06:35 GMT -5
Note: I was told multiple posts was okay if necessary, so please don't hurt me!! ^_^
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The response I got was a strange one. The Nogan farmer was slow to react and then responded with "Wait, I'm trying to stay thoughtful as I can, okay?" "Um... o-okay..." I responded back as she kept thinking.
"Um, yeah, some storm. I really hate them cause they often tend to destroy bountiful harvests back at home. Help you make something for some seeds? Sure! But I only have 50 pats or so, and I'm not really feeling helpful right now. Let me think about it." She continued to think for an erkan or so then finally said, "Sure, it's a deal. By the way, I'm Raizi," as she stretched out her hand.
I took her hand and shook it. Just from that hand-shake alone, I noticed she was strong, well, stronger than me. It'd be nice to have someone stro-- "Order 92! Ziela!" That completely interrupted my thought process, but I was glad. Thoughts of my journey would depress me again anyway. "Could you hold on for an erk? I'll be right back," I said to the farmer. I hurried to the center of the diner and retrieved my food. I wasn't too hungry really. I just ordered it so that if the conversation wasn't going well, I'd have an excuse to leave, but the farmer accepted my offer, so I'll stay. Maybe I'll store some of the food in my backpack for food later when I get really hungry.
I arrived back at the table. Raizi said she only had 50 pats. Well, I only had 20 left, but I already spent quite a bit that day and Raizi didn't look like she had anything to eat. "Want a piece?" I offered.
Whether or not she accepted a piece escapes me at the moment. I just knew that from there, we just started talking. I learned that she was sort of an outcast in her homeland since she was different from most of the others. I found that awkward. Based on my knowledge of the other species, that didn't really seem.... "Nogan-ly-ish" to run away. But it wasnt Sigwar-like to question the existence and power of The Gods either. As for how she got here, she said the spirits brought her here... Strange... So, we were both outcasts, and were brought here by the spirits. She ran away from her home; I never had one. Our similarities were strangely... well.... similar. So I decided to propose another deal. She really had nowhere to go and she was strong.... and, well, she really was my first friend, I would say... the first person I've ever really been able to talk to. How grand it would be if she joined me on my journey!! So I decided to ask her if she-- Suddenly she asked how I want my whip to be like. "Um... like...this...." I took out my trusty writing pad, which I often used for poetry, and drew a picture isntead. Then, I handed it to her and she looked it over.
Name: The Whip of Zeal Damage: 10 - 42 Attack Speed: 2 Effect: N/A ER: None SR: None IR: Enough so that you don't twirl the thing to attack and end up hurting yourself or a nearby ally... DR: None Base Cost: I don't plan on selling, but... (35 for the throwing knife, 20 for the vine, and 10 for the put-togetherness, so...) p65 Weight: Um... 1/4 lb Description: A shabby-looking, but quite sturdy whip made from a Skredd Vine and a Sigwar Throwing Blade. It doesn't do as much damage as some of the other weapons out there, but it's not that bad. Plus, it could be twirled really fast to attack twice in one turn (though the second hit would be much weaker unless used by a pro). Raizi made this for Ziela in exchange for some of the seeds in the Skredd Vine. ((I'll have a definite number once I find out how many seeds it has...))
She returned my writing pad to me, so I returned it to my backpack along with my gallon of water and the piece of kleptin I saved. She then continued to work on "The Whip of Zeal". I thought it was one of those punny things that always amuse me. Zeal... Ziela... Priestess.... Get it? But I shrugged that thought to the back of my mind. It was then I decided to ask my question. "Hey... once the storm clears, I think I'm going to head up north... unless something else 'like some sign from The Gods' tells me to go elsewhere. Interested in maybe... coming with me? It'd be nice to have some company..." I continued to watch her work on the whip as I awaited her response.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was told I could make weapons like that, so I hope it's not a problem, BUT I know the stats are probably not right. I tried not to make it too strong, but not too pathetic because I spent 55 on that, but.... yeah. Go ahead and change it. ^_^
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Post by Arreck on Aug 20, 2003 16:34:20 GMT -5
"The storm? Huh? Who's there?" I reply to the voice. Looking down, I notice that it was a norkid. I smile inwardly. I love it when I'm not the shortest one around. "Oh... well, I suppose it's just a storm... Don't come here often, personally, so I wouldn't know. What're you doing here, of all places? Do you have a place to stay for the night or were you hoping to get out of here today?"
NOTE: The whip is fine because it is made from a vine, which is weak. It will however make it prone to breaking, so make sure you have a backup. It will also probably have short range, because this vine is not exactly a ten-footer.
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DigiDayDreamer
Commander
Why divide when you can conquer everything?
Posts: 210
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Post by DigiDayDreamer on Aug 20, 2003 20:48:54 GMT -5
Well, this Sigwar seemed like a nice person for her species. "You're not so bad," I said. Somehow, she seemed a bit weak from that handshake or maybe it's because I was strong from my general disposition.
"Order 92! Ziela!"
She told me to wait as she got her order, a Klipten. Hmm, come to think of it, I was starting to get hungry, but only a little since I don't need that much food to sustain myself.
Then she offered me a piece. I was surprised. "Um, sure. I wouldn't mind if you say so." Taking a piece, I ate it with caution. How couldn't I? It was my first time eating that so-called mineral. But it wasn't so bad. Mmm.
Strange type, Ziela was. For some reason, I felt she wasn't like the other sigwars I heard of. In fact, she was quite different...like me.
Whoa, reality check: me, a Nogan, similar to a Sigwar? The only similarity I can see is that we're both females. Well, I admit that we're both different too.
Now that I think about it, Ziela was the first one to actually converse with me. I always felt strange when it comes to talking, because I didn't have too many friends to talk with. Now, I feel like myself talking with this Sigwar. Who knows, this could be a start of a beautiful friendship.
I wondered about the help she needed and asked her about it.
I saw her resourcefulness when she drew what she wanted on her notepad and gave it to me. Hmm, it doesn't seem too hard to make something like this..."Whip of Zeal" thing.
Handing back her notepad, I took the needed material and begun working with zeal. Get it, with zeal on the "Whip of Zeal". Seriously though, I never had fun without creating something with my own bare hands.
I was almost done with the whip when she asked, "Hey... once the storm clears, I think I'm going to head up north... unless something else 'like some sign from The Gods' tells me to go elsewhere. Interested in maybe... coming with me? It'd be nice to have some company..."
Quickly I replied with a small grin, "Why not? The more, the merrier. Besides, the thought of traveling alone makes me shudder. " I continued working for a few minutes until I raised my finished creation. "Tada! Whip of Zeal completed! I'll always wanted to say that whenever I make something."
I handed her the whip. "Here you go! Now, what about my seeds?" I asked like a greedy child. Well, I am a child for crying out loud.
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Post by TiJiL on Aug 20, 2003 20:58:46 GMT -5
Note 1: Come on guys. Equip yourselves! Make friends! Speak to people! Don’t make me kick off the story while you are under prepared. You must be ready!
Note 2: Making weapons like Ziela did is completely fine, but you must let me post the stats. (Or post reasonable ones yourself, like Ziela did.) I have one alteration for that whip, however. Since probably the best way to use it is to swing it around, I’m going to insist that while it can attack twice in a round, it must attack separate enemies.
Note 3: The vine contained 10 viable seeds.
Note 4: The Skredd vine is, as written before, 3 feet long, about 2 inches in diameter, and covered with 3 seed pods.
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An enormous screeching fills the air. The sound is painfully loud, and reverberates throughout the cavernous plaza. Sigwar everywhere are exiting buildings and looking for the source of the sound. Sav bursts out of the diner, his weapons drawn. The Arch-Bishop exits the temple, looking very angry. A look of fear spreads over his face as he realizes what is making the noise.
“Everybody away from the transit station!” he calls, beckoning people towards the temple. Most comply, with the exception of Sav, who stands his ground. Quickly, however, it is obvious that the ‘foe’ is not truly an enemy. A wind train launched into the transit station, sending bits and pieces of the pneumatic braking mechanisms out in all directions. A small explosion lights up the plaza as sigwar all around duck to avoid falling debris. As the smoke and escaped gas clears, it is obvious that one side of the station has been slightly crumpled in, and that the train itself will probably have to be replaced, but other than that it did little real damage. Several sigwar exited the train, looking, for the most part, dazed but unhurt. One is limping slightly, and attempting to exit carrying twenty or thirty potted plants. Sigwar all around rush to help, including the Arch-Bishop. The soldiers that had previously been guarding the water pump cut into the more damaged part of the train and removed a few more occupants. One poor sigwar seemed to have been knocked unconscious and severely wounded, and the soldiers placed him on a stretcher and rushed him into the hotel. Several sigwar huddled around him as he was taken away, obviously intending to help him along. One, who wore a headband and an odd white neck adornment was obviously a ‘Meddie. A group of engineers were already working on the train. Several were trying to pry it away from the side of the station with big metal bars, and others were inspecting the machine for some sort of failure.
“It’s obvious, of course… The brake systems on these trains were way out of date. This is easy enough to remedy, if we act quickly” one shouts. “Absolutely not! The new construction around the tunnel must have unbalanced it! It got moving too fast due to a new current of air!” The engineers hustled about each other, arguing over what had caused the big machine to fail. One alone stood calmly, talking to Sav (who was, of course, offering his opinion that this was a sign of war), looking up at the ceiling.
The sigwar with the potted plants finally managed to get out of the train, but no one seemed overly happy to help him. He had already dropped a few pots, it seemed to you. However, the last one he dropped revealed a pile of sand and a small plant, among the shattered clay. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a quick movement, and as soon as you turn the plant was gone… It seemed that he must value these plants very much, and had snatched it up. He finally got to the elevator area with his plants and sat down on a bench, taking a few moments to catch his breath. He then appeared to be counting his remaining pots. The Arch-Bishop approached him, and made some sort of odd religious symbol, which he returned. He handed his charm to the Bishop, who looked at it admiringly, and returned it. The Bishop then moved and sat on a nearby bench, removing his fabric necklace and charm. He sat dreamily staring into his charm, apparently trying to forget the current chaos that enveloped his little kingdom.
Soon, however, that chaos was remedied. Several maintenance crews had appeared, and removed most of the metal and sand. The train itself was being towed down the track to an unknown area by two LSV’s. The passengers that wanted them were given rooms in the hotel, and the normal hustle and bustle of Sigwar life had all but returned.
Oddly, however, the young sigwar who had all the pots was now stooping about the wreckage area, duck ing his head into crevasses and holes. He sifted through the sand piles a bit, and patrolled around the area. Sav and the lone engineer watched him with mild amusement, still speaking about something on the ceiling.
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Note 1: Multiple posts in a single round are ok, as long as each part of the post is detailed and required. They are especially useful when you are having a conversation of sorts between another player, such as Raizi did with Ziela.
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Post by Moontide on Aug 20, 2003 21:02:42 GMT -5
A response. Although this Choeroed had some trouble spotting me, it was nice that he wasn't on edge as some other occupants were.
"I'm not exactly leaving yet. I was hoping to get back to the Flagship on a shuttle or something. I.. uh.. sort of came down here without any notice to any authorities. I don't have a place to stay, either, but I heard somebody shouting about the hotel being free. Of course, there were some complaints about not getting the water rations."
I shrugged, what could be done? shelter was shelter. I used to live in a hole in a tree before I came to work on the Flagship.
"Of course, I'm hoping I can get back to the Flagship within the next day or so. Nothing seems to be going well with this storm up, though. Did you come from the Flagship, too?" I asked nonchalantly, somewhat sliding away from the fact that I was a stowaway.
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Post by Devvyn on Aug 20, 2003 22:36:53 GMT -5
As I was crouched in my position the sleeping drunk finally woke up with a crash. "A clumsy one" I thought to myself for future reference if needed. He then pulled out one of those crazy Sigwar charms and fixes the damage. "Hmm crafty." The other Norkid in the room approached a Choeroed to strike up a conversation. I noticed that he was making a few glances to my corner. It seemed my cover is blown. Of course one unwanted glance is nothing so I decided to wait it out. The two of them were just starting some conversation about the storm when the Sigwar that had left in a rush earlier came walking back in. As she did I thought I noticed a sideways glance to my corner. "Dang it" I thought, "I'm gonna have to work on my stealthyness." I made up my mind that I wanted to leave, as there was nothing of interest in there. I just needed to wait for the right time. I couldn't have done it just then because the Sigwar had just reentered the room and would have noticed. So I decided to listen in on the conversation. It seemed that the Sigwar had bought some supplies and wanted the Nogan to make a weapon or something in exchange for seeds. Typical Nogan mentality. Pretty soon after the whip was finished I heard a deafening crash (for a Norkid) outside. Taking this opportunity as the drunk went rushing into the plaza I quickly and quietly left the diner to go outside. I ran around the edge of the plaza to make my way to a train crash site, obviously the source of the noise. Once I reached the site I decided to search around a bit. After all, after a crash like this most items wouldn't be found for a while and most would be damaged. It's not like anyone cares if I help myself to the rubble right?
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RabbitDawg
Commander
I'm moron... the stupid side...
Posts: 193
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Post by RabbitDawg on Aug 20, 2003 22:42:00 GMT -5
I stared at the whip in awe. 'Not too shabby,' I thought to myself. 'Not shabby at all really.' "Thanks," I said. "Now let me get those seeds." I looked at the Skredd vine and counted ten seeds. 'I'll give her half,' I thought. 'Um... well, she's a friend... so... 6.... no, I'm being greedy!! 7!!' I removed 7 seeds from the vine and dropped them into Raizi's hands, just as I suddenly heard a loud noise. Taking my 'Whip of Zeal' (which I still chuckle at) and my backpack containing water and a piece of kleptin, I rush outside. Everyone else seemed to rush outside, though I noticed the Norkid under the table was still there conversing with the Choeroed. I look up to the roof, but see nothing. I rush outside and follow the arch-bishop's commands to head to the temple. The big noise was caused by a malfunctioning train, that had just crashed and sent debris everywhere. Everyone ducked. It was kind of messy there in the plaza, but no real damage was really done. I saw one poor sigwar badly wounded and rushed to the hotel. I tried to follow. "C'mon Raizi!!" I motioned for the farmer to follow. I wasn't sure whether she followed because I wanted to get to the hotel to help the poor Sigwar. I had heard a priest's preaching ability often made people feel better. So, I got to the hotel and did what I can to help. There were a few other Sigwar priests already in there. My services weren't needed THAT badly, so I decided to go back outside. There, I saw the arch-bishop and this one sigwar with a whole bunch of potted plants. He seemed to be looking for something... another plant maybe? I wanted to help, but I reminded myself how curious I was to talk to that arch-bishop. But then I saw that nobody was helping the one with the plants. Then, a thought crossed my mind. Duh!! Plants = seeds = happy Raizi!! "Hey, maybe you could go help him. He might be able to give you some more seeds." My advice really wasn't necessary and I immediately questioned myself. 'Since when did I become someone to advise people what to do...?' But I shrugged the thought aside. Raizi was nice, so I'm sure the thought had crossed her mind before I even thought of it. Another thought concerned me at the current moment. The arch-bishop was holding up his charm... admiring it. I just had to ask why he did what he did to Nimpatholeontimphashi earlier. I had assumed maybe Sav was right. The storm meant a coming of a war, which meant death and so the God of Fire and Death should be... um... scolded. But I had to know for sure. I braved up again and preached to myself that arch-bishops don't bite either and that conversation was okay. I took my charm in my hand and approached him. "That's quite a nice charm you have," I caught his attention. "I've got one too...," I said as I showed him mine. "...With the powers of Rentallimokenthori... How about yours? Does it have the powers of Nimpatholeontimphashi? I've heard numerous opinions about him lately..." I realized that introduction and conversation-starter was overly stupid. But... the mention of the name of the God of Fire and Death must make him say SOMETHING about what was going on. Something about the storm perhaps.
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Post by Moontide on Aug 20, 2003 23:13:28 GMT -5
I covered my ears to the sounds of the deafening crash. A definite drawback to being a norkid. I was just about to go outside to investigate the damage, but I decided it was best to leave the scavenging for later when ground zero wasn't a focal point. Although... I did notice another norkid run off to see what had happened. If the choeroed decided to go out to check, I might follow him.
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DigiDayDreamer
Commander
Why divide when you can conquer everything?
Posts: 210
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Post by DigiDayDreamer on Aug 21, 2003 12:31:20 GMT -5
"Yes! Seeds!" I accurately counted how many I got. Seven. It wasn't such a bad number.
A roaring crash exploded just outside the diner. Ziela is to be in a pretty good mood to helping others as she rushed out the door. I followed her and the transit station was in a messy fix. Guess we'll be staying here for a while now.
Then this Archbishop-guy comes, blabbering about Sigwars going into the temple just because of a single casualty.
All of a sudden, Ziela shouts out to me about helping some Sigwar with the potted plants while she chases the Archbishop. Ugh. Does she think I can be ordered like that?
Not that it mattered, seeing that Sigwar was pretty pathetic. You think he had enough sense not to carry too many plants at one time. Unless he was a devoted gardener of sorts.
Oh well. It seemed like the mess was fixed up already. Strange, that Sigwar guy with the pots is still moping around. I decided to approach him, fighting against all my common sense not to.
"Hey, you need any help?" I asked as he sifted through the sand. "Hello? I'm right here, talking to you!" I had to wait again for his response.
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Post by Arreck on Aug 21, 2003 16:01:39 GMT -5
My attention rivets on the crashing noise. I motion for the norkid to follow me, speaking to him as I edge toward the diner door, gun drawn.
"I've got this one-room thing registered to my name, somewhere in the city... if you don't want to be checked out by the hotel personel, you can stay there. And as for the Flagship, yeah. Most interplanetary flights go through the Flagship, even if you don't need to change ships."
I peer out into the plaza, looking around at the various Sigwar bustling about. It seems that a train has just failed and they were all trying to repair the damage... There seems to be a Nogan attempting to speak with a particularly stuck-up Sigwar who is trying to gather up potted plants. Obviously, she's just trying to get some seeds, but what could she do with them here on Sig?
I saunter over to her and casually make conversation: "How was this year's harvest? I'm really looking forward to some fresh Kaluup fruit."
---------- NOTE: I just wanted to say, you're all doing an excellent job of this, with the exception of Devvyn (kidding...). Surprising how much you guys can take in...
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Post by TiJiL on Aug 21, 2003 18:15:04 GMT -5
Note 1: Agreed. You guys are doing a good job of getting a twasseccy feel into this RPG.
Note 2: I will have to do this post in a slightly different format, due to people branching out a bit more.
Note 3: I know this is a really long couple of posts, but I urge everyone to read them. Some of what is written here will be integral to understanding the story.
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Ziela:
The Arch-Bishop stares back at you blankly, a look of astonishment on his face. It lasts only an erk or so, and then he quickly changes back to his usual benevolent smile. “No, no, no… You have made a silly error, daughter.” (Daughter is the correct term that he would use for you, being a younger female religious figure. Likewise, you would call him Father, in the Eka Flats tradition) He looks at you curiously. “You must not be from the Greater Eka Flats region… I know you are not from this area. Your dialect is different, you are adorned differently, and you seem to not understand the religious unspoken ‘rules’ of sorts that most of the more colonized regions of Sig utilize. I’m going to guess you are from somewhere a few hundred miles to the south.” He paused, apparently looking for the right words.
“No, Bishops, especially Arch-Bishops like myself, are never followers of Nimpatholeontimphashi. There’s too much risk involved. They are mistrusted, and sigwar generally don’t feel comfortable following their religious advice. If you continue your religious academics, my young daughter priestess, you will learn more of the saga of our gods, and learn to understand and interpret ‘the plan’ as I have. Until then, I will explain our story.” He paused again.
“Billions of years ago, the almighty Vicanthorificallus, the God of Stars and Time, was all that existed. Alone, everything, and nothing, he mused on his life and being. After a great deal of time, if you can even call it that, for there were none to record it, he began to understand the beauty that is in an individual, and how sad it was that he alone possessed this strength. He sought to create others, and spread individuality and love to them. He thought for a great period of time, writing his thoughts and plans down in a gigantic book, which he called ‘The Plan’. The Plan contains everything that was, is, and will be, as according to Vicanthorificallus. After eternities of planning, he felt he was ready, and began to form the universe with his endless power. He created the stars, the planets, the asteroids, the moons, the comets, and, as a final move of creation, he made our great Sun, Sigma, as well as Sig. On this world he placed the first sigwar, who prospered and thrived.”
“For eternities, Sig was an amazing place of love and life. Massive oceans and giant forests covered the landscape, and the sigwar multiplied. Vicanthorificallus placed his helpers, the mighty Vicanths, all over Sig to watch us and keep us safe. Soon, however, even with the aid of his Vicanths, the many tasks involved with creating a universe and keeping it running for us began to get daunting to even Vicanthorificallus. To aid him, he created 7 lesser gods. Each god possessed near-infinite power, and was created to run a certain aspect of Sig, so he could focus on the rest of the universe. First, he created the god of the Sun, Ultanorkeepashinthu, and placed him within the mighty star Sigma. He granted Ultanorkeepashinthu the powers of growth and prosperity, and the Sun God did a wonderful job in healing our injuries, mending our sick, and keeping our world fertile and warm. Next, he created Grophliishiphantheonal, who would reside as a gigantic creature deep within Sig. He would oversee the protection of our planet itself, and create amazing fertile areas for us to grow crops in, as well as cover our world with countless rock formations to explore. Next was Meinhulsannekilosha, the God of Water. She was placed in the ocean, and oversaw that our lakes were always full of food, our streams always ran well, and we always had enough to drink. The God of Plants, Yeethonellpianquell, was next. He stayed in the forest and kept our world blossoming with amazing trees, flowers, and grasses, and ensured that our farms always were full of food. Jimpatholeekanallion, the God of Storms, lived in the sky and created much of the weather that kept our planet alive, bringing Meinhulsanneikilosha’s rain clouds to us when she could. Rentallimokenthori, the God of Wind, created mighty windstorms to vanquish our few foes, and used her wind to direct us and keep us safe. She also gave us power, and used her wind to keep our cities running well. Finally, Vicanthorificallus created Nimpatholeontimphashi, the God of Fire and Death. He oversaw that our planet never became too crowded, and kept the complex balance of life in order. Vicanthorificallus dispatched his new helpers, and set off to work on other areas.”
“Another period of peace and prosperity passed, with the seven lesser gods shaping Sig to be the perfect world for its inhabitants. Occasionally, Vicanthorificallus would return and tell them what was next in his plan, and they would set to work doing it. Soon, however, Nimpatholeontimphashi grew tired of taking orders. He began to grow a grudge against the God of the Stars, and sought to dethrone him. He urged the other gods that they, too, were worthy of using ‘The Plan’, but that Vicanthorificallus was afraid of them, and so wouldn’t let them have it! He beckoned them to unite against their creator, and remove him from his position. The other gods, however, loved Vicanthorificallus, and refused to act against him. They were happy keeping their wonderful little world alive, and told him that they didn’t need ownership of ‘The Plan’ to be content. Furious, Nimpatholeontimphashi retreated away to think up a plan. He thought for years, trying to come up with a manner in which he may kill his maker, but he could think of no such plan. He decided, finally, to hit Vicanthorificallus where it hurt, and punish his creations. He knew the God of the Stars had become soft and loving for his universe, and would be pained terribly by any punishments given to them.”
“Acting on this knowledge, he set out to destroy a village of sigwar. With his powers of fire and death, he was able to slaughter them all in the blink of an eye. The other gods, however, were very angry. The God of Storms forced him away, tucking him underground under the watchful eyes of the God of Stone. The God of the Sun restored the life to the dead sigwar, and soon the event was as if it never happened. Nimpatholeontimphashi, however, knew that he must take a different approach to hurt Vicanthorificallus. He would have to take out the gods, first. During a council that had been called a few years later, he apologized for his crimes, and the other benevolent gods forgave him. This proved to be an unwise move, however, for moments later he struck Meinhulsanneikilosha from behind and killed her in a single assault. Her power drained as her gigantic body dissolved into the air, and the other gods wheeled about to try and revive her, and keep Nimpatholeontimphashi away. He, however, had already fled to his hidden abode, away from the others. Try as they might, they could not revive the God of Water, and within a decade the planet was experiencing terrible drought. The God of Fire was not seen for a long time, but the others knew he was plotting his next move.”
“Now, you must understand Yeethonellpianquell. He was a mighty and wise god, but he was also somewhat fearful. He had never been so combat oriented as some of the others, and was afraid that he would be next on the Fire God’s hit list. His weakened state, considering his recent lack of water, only elevated the fear. One day, he apologized to the sigwar and to the other gods, and secretly told of his intentions to leave. He attempted to rectify his leaving by giving the sigwar an enormous harvest of food, as well as placing his helpers, the Gerr Beasts, on Sig to keep an eye out for him. He said that whenever the sigwar were in dire need of plants, his Gerr Beasts would tell him, and he would return to aid them, despite the danger to himself. With that, he departed into space, onto a different celestial body that we have only recently received word of. It turned out that his fleeing was a very good decision, for soon after, the God of Fire came looking for him, boasting that he was planning to kill him. The other gods, of course, would not tell him where the God of Plants had gone.”
“Now, you may ask why the other gods didn’t kill Nimpatholeontimphashi… Well, the answer is, they couldn’t. Only he possessed the power to kill another god, with his control over death. Whatever the case, his killing of the God of Water, and the subsequent drying up and near-death of Sig did what he had hoped it would. Vicanthorificallus returned, and was furious. He knew that nothing like this could ever happen again, so he took precautions against it. He took his remaining 5 lesser gods and took away their physical forms, allowing them to manifest themselves inside of a specific creature. He granted four of them proud, loved creatures, and to this day, the Gods of Life, Storm, Wind, and Stone and their appropriate animal forms are loved by all. To punish Nimpatholeontimphashi, however, he gave him the form of a Heekaa. Initially, a Heekaa was a small, weak, stupid, hated creature, and being in control of them all but destroyed the God of Fire’s powers. He, however, being a creature twisted and contorted by evil, was able to so twist and contort the Heekaa into a death machine, an immense reptile that messily devoured all who stood in its path. In doing this, Vicanthorificallus had spent most of his power, and he retreated into space to rest and meditate.”
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Post by TiJiL on Aug 21, 2003 18:15:21 GMT -5
“That brings us to today. No mortal sigwar is allowed to consult ‘The Plan’. It is too all-encompassing, it is not for us. However, those that are well trained can snatch bits of it. As I’m sure you know, when a young sigwar is first born, it is taken, along with its siblings, to the nearest Bishop. The Bishop will meditate and find in the plan which god this particular sigwar hatchling is planned to worship, and divulge to it the appropriate charm. Now, of course, a sigwar with a particular charm must worship all gods, but the god according to their charm is the one that will protect them, and aid them. They must worship that god above all others. I, myself, must worship the mighty Jimpatholeekanallion, who so bravely tried to save our ancestors against the Fire God. However… problems arise with those sigwar who are planned to worship Nimpatholeontimphashi. Usually, they worship him in the way that most Bishops agree with, through fear and respect, for his a powerful god, but a terrible creature. However, some sigwar actually start to believe in that which the Fire God believes, and therefore cause many problems with other sigwar. Never are religious leaders the followers of said god… Nobody would accept it.”
“Another thing that often separates the Fire sigwar from the rest of us is visions. The ‘good’ gods will occasionally grant visions to various sigwar, but mostly keep out of our affairs, and help us indirectly. However, Nimpatholeontimphashi, from what I understand, grants visions to his followers constantly, bidding them what to do. You see, all of the gods can see through their followers’ eyes, hear through their followers’ ears, and speak through their followers’ mouths. Again, the ‘good’ gods do not use this ability often. Very rarely in fact. However, Nimpatholeontimphashi is constantly gaining information from every sigwar who worships him, and uses them to keep tabs on them, considering that he couldn’t use his heekaa minions.”
“This finally brings us to the storm. To the trained eye, this storm has an obvious goal. The God of Fire is trying to kill someone. Someone in particular. Through his many eyes and ears, he has seen a sin against him committed, which he plans to avenge, or perhaps he feels it is the opportune moment to dispose of someone who angered him long ago. Either way, this storm is not of normal magnitude. It is against weather charts. It is too big, too long lasting. Yes, yes, I know… He does not have command over weather… but it is definitely him. He told me. I spoke to his embodiment in our temple. At first, I had believed that he was merely angry, and trying to damage our city. I spoke to him, telling him that he was misbehaving, and that he must leave us alone. He merely laughed at me and told me that he was not merely blowing steam, but eliminating someone who should have been dead already; doing the world a favor, I believe he said. I begged him to forgive whoever else it was, but he stopped speaking to me, laughing. I moved then to the God of Wind and begged her to use her power to thwart his attempts. I got no good response, I’m afraid… I could sense that she was sad, but no more.” He sighed. There was great sadness in his eyes.
“I imagine there is nothing that can be done. He would not go so far as to kill many unnecessary victims. I do not know who he is after, but he will either succeed in killing them, or grow bored and tired, and stop his attacks. Worry not. It will all be over soon.” He forced a smile.
“I can see you are looking for something, young priestess… I wish you luck in finding it.” He then turned back to his charm and stared into it.
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Raizi:
The young sigwar turned, then backed up slightly in surprise. Apparently he was not used to seeing Nogan. He then resumed searching. “Hey there. Yeah, I could use help. You’re a nogan, you’re good with plants… Do you know how to catch one? Stupid train crash… Three of ‘em escaped… My Bishop will have my hide… These things are so rare… It took me and three other scientists two years to find them all, and now I’ve lost three…” He stooped under a piece of wreckage, then returned, empty-handed. He seemed very worried, indeed. Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you can see a plant sitting on a piece of metal. You point this out to the sigwar, who thanks you and dives after it. He latches his arms onto its branches, and it lets out a noise… Yes… This plant lets out a noise. It fights viciously, attempting to loose the sigwar’s hold on it. Luckily, though, the sigwar is too strong, and forcibly puts it into a pot full of sand. It quickly stops fighting and screaming, and burrows into the sand. “Thanks a lot. Just two more now. These guys can really run and bite, so watch out.”
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Trifin and Yiln:
Among the wreckage of the train, you can see a Nogan and sigwar talking. About thirty feet away is Sav, but he is not paying attention to you. In fact, no one seems to be looking… A perfect opportunity to scavenge. Unbeknownst to each other, you have started at opposite sides of the crash site and are heading towards the center. Amongst the piles of metal, Yiln finds a sealed bottle of woopa juice, 50% concentration. It is covered in dust, but it’s still fresh. Trifin finds, near the front of where the train hit, a few worthless pieces of metal, and a slightly bent SILP. With a little force, you are able to repair the SILP to working condition, which you verify by firing at a chunk of metal. There is still plenty to find, though one norkid probably wouldn’t have the strength to move around what metal may still be impeding it.
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Note 1: No notes this time!
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