Flesh Like Water IC

[TooManySecrets]

FLESH LIKE WATER
The End of All Things

No ... can't risk ... The implications ... grotesque.

There are no ... we fail ... all things.

Will they even be ...

... hope ... wizard ... destroyed.


_/ _/ _/ _/ _/

There's a popping sound all around you. Everything is so dark and cold, and you really wish that sound would stop. It sounds so loud.

With a jolt, you all wake up. You're in a forest, the ground muddy as a light rain plops around. The clothes you're wearing - white robes - are dirty and cut. Strangely, you are all lying on the ground in the arrangement of a triangle.

Weirdest of all, you can't seem to remember how you ended up here or really much of anything.

[Lucretia]

Seychelles lied still, eyes closed. After a quick mental exercise to determine the state of her mind, she began to flex the various digits from toes to fingers. Once seeing if those were in working order, she'd begin on the limbs themselves -- and then finally, sit up.

Presuming all went according to plan, she would be sitting up, the great tangle of black hair curled and obscuring most of her face. Seychelles would look around at the other two, investigate her own clothing, then give a single cursory look at the forest the three were sitting in.

Even with the rain saturating her hair, it remained indefatigably tendril'd. Brushing a bit of it out of her eyesight, Seychelles would give another glance at the cohorts, before waiting to see what they did. Being the first to speak was never wise, especially when the only others in eyesight were men.

She also would reach back and check to see if the strange garment she was wearing covered the burned spot across her back.

[Lexin]

pop pop pop

This sound is so annoying, need to do something about it...

With this thought Alvarin opens his eyes looking straight from his position...

Strange... I don't remember sleeping outside...

After some more thinking and even more waking up he finds out that there isn't much that he remembers... and it weren't good news.

I don't know what is going on... good time to find out.

He sits slowly and looks around for the first time.

Forest. I hate forests. What, for the nine hells, am I doing here. I would never... he noticed something more interesting ...oh, a cutie... that could explain some things...

He blinks few times and notices he is staring without saying anything. He turns another way, noticing the third person lying there, and says:

"Hi there. Do you, by chance, know what is going on here? Or at least where are we?"

He tries to show his best smile... and not to look crazy...

[thedarkstone]

Alexander opened his eyes. The last thing he remembered...he couldn't even remember that. While he was starting to become somewhat older now, he was still young, so he shouldn't be suffering memory loss... His eyes suddenly began registering what he was seeing. Treetops and stars greeted him. Looking down from the canopy, the man saw two others, dressed in dirty, white robes. Which he seemed to also be wearing.

"Uhh...hello?" he said tentatively, uncertain as to who either of these others where, nor why he was here in a dark clearing wearing something that was not his regular clothing with them. Alexander was more than slightly concerned as to why and how this had happened. But, oddly enough, he had the feeling this wasn't the first time he had woken up in a strange place with strange people.

[Lucretia]

"Not sure," Chelly said to the one who had been staring at her. The starer didn't know what was going on -- or he was feigning ignorance, whichever. She filed that away. He also had the nerve to speak first. An inherent trust, or perhaps a dangerous preoccupation with the self? Another something filed away. A moment after speaking to the first man, she turned and addressed the second. "And hello," Seychelles said to the older-looking one, nodding at him.

Taking the opportunity to compile whatever else she could, Seychelles closed her eyes and brought her knees up against her body, hugging herself. It was cold in the rain, and the forest wasn't particularly inviting. Besides, it could be useful to project an air of fear or misplacedness. It was likely an attacker might be put off by the deception, at least long enough for Veratonna to come up with her next move.

[TooManySecrets]

@Chelly: There's a blind spot where your memories should be. All that remains is flashes of memory, meaningless and confusing. All you remember is a feeling of deep urgency and dread.

The clothing itself is a thick, white robe. It looks almost ceremonial, despite the small tears and dirt encrusted into it.

@All: You have the feeling that you've all met each other before. The feeling is one of ... comradeship?


As you are taking a look around you, you notice a few things. First, that in the exact center of the triangle that you were lying in is a small, rectangular metal plaque. There appears to be writing of some sort scratched into it. Second, you notice what appears to be smoke coming from the distance (the direction impossible to tell in the rain and gloom of the forest). Perhaps a village of some sort?

[Lucretia]

While her face remained completely passive and Chelly's eyes continued to move between her two companions, within a great furnace of rage had been stirred. Paranoia mixed with the anger, and her mind searched in vain for the information that simply did not exist. There was nothing. Just as an itching sensation beneath the arm can drive one to madness, so too could this... perpetual blanket of not-knowing.

And it wasn't just the not knowing, Seychelles mused to herself, it was the knowledge that there was something that should be known but which could not be known, which wasn't known, which might not even exist. She rocked a little, arms still clutching her legs to her body. What had happened? What was happening? She had been so careful to collect information, to obtain knowledge, to file away little notes -- like the starer, who she felt some... fondness for, perhaps, or at least some closeness. That alone was cause for immeasurable concern.

Someone she could not recall ever meeting before felt like a friend. Did she ever even have friends? If so, would she have befriended someone like that? What did that even mean? What was he like, such that she might be concerned about befriending him? She didn't even know him, why would she be concerned about being friends with him beyond the fact she could not recall his face, his personality?

Chelly's mind grabbed hold of the memory of his voice with iron claws. With a blink, she was decided. New files would be compiled, new information gained. She wouldn't be defeated by this... lapse. She was stronger than that, better than that. All she had was a name -- Seychelles Amelia Veratonna -- and a feeling of friendship. With that, she'd take back whatever it was that had been taken from her.

Another blink. A moment or two had passed. Chelly's eyes glanced at the metal... thing, as well as the smoke. Her head felt heavy as more rain saturated her hair.

"I think that might be dangerous," she said, pointing at the metal doodad. "Just a feeling..." Veratonna added softly, eyes skirting away from her companions and moving towards the forest around them. It felt stupid to admit that she couldn't recall things -- a show of weakness, perhaps -- and to have to rely on simple 'emotion' and 'feelings' and 'intuition' made the young woman want to cringe.

[Lexin]

Alvarin stands up and looks around.
"Yes, Alvarin... that's my name..." he whispers quietly.

Unfortunately it was the only thing he could remember. He felt shock, confusion even fear... but just for a short while.

I guess I am a person who learned to cope with any scenario,

He smirks subconsciously. And turns to others again.

"Hello to you too, I am Alvarin... short pause ... and the only thing I know right now is that I know you two... or at least should know. I know it sounds strange, but do you know anything about me? I cannot recall anything except my name."

"Dangerous, you say? Still there are only us and that thing, so it probably is connected somehow to our situation." He gets closer to the thing and tries to read the inscription, without touching the object, he doesn't know why... but it seems he rarely trusts...even inanimate objects.

[Lucretia]

Seychelles moved backwards as he approached the object. "Chelly." Didn't seem to be any need to elaborate further.

[TooManySecrets]

The steely metal shines with pastel hues, untouched by mud and rain. There's something disturbingly familiar about the writing on it - carved directly into the plaque in delicate curves and perfectly straight lines.

Staying a careful distance away from it, Alvarin peers at the plaque and reads:


Joshua Antolak
Tower of the Witness

The Hog's Head
Under the Shed, Two Feet

Help Him

[Lexin]

Alvarin reads the words aloud, trying to move his hand in the air, as if to try if he could be the one who wrote the message.

"Now, that sounds strange. It seems we are the helping kind of people."

He lifts the plaque trying to estimate its weight. Then he turns to others.

"Do you guys have... memory issues too? Maybe if we help this guy something would come back to us... or maybe he knows us..."

He points in the direction of smoke.
"I don't know any answers. Still I think it would be better if we go there, than staying here, in the rain. You guys coming?"

[Lucretia]

"Things don't burn well in the rain," Chelly offered, looking at the smoke and feeling some innard or two recoil. "And besides, helping people who stole your memory seems more like... blackmail, or extortion."

She glanced over at the other, the quieter man. She was afraid he might have gotten hurt, or lost more memory than she had -- or Alvarin had, if his words were to be trusted.

[thedarkstone]

"Unless whoever put the plaque there didn't steal our memory." Alexander spoke up after a long period of silent thought, looking down at the ground. "What if we put it there before losing our memories? Or if it was put there by someone who wanted to help us regain them?" The man shrugged. "We can't know for sure, because we can't remember anything. But, I do know one thing; that is all we have to go on. Even if it is blackmail, or extortion," he said, looking over at the girl/woman, "we have no other way to find out anything about our past."

That was what concerned him most. His past. He knew certain little things about himself, like his name and the fact that he wasn't mute, didn't like the feeling of rain falling on him (it gave him this vague sense of worry, like something was going to be ruined by it), and other situationally appropriate things, but most of the things that were in his mind were unknown to him; or so he assumed.

"So, either way, talking about it doesn't help us." Alexander said this and then read the plaque himself. "Either we try to find and help this Joshua guy or don't. I think we should. What about the two of you?"

[Lexin]

"I think it is better to go and do something than just stay here, doing nothing." He looks at others " Chelly... short nod ...quiet guy... short nod ... lets go."

[Lucretia]

With a sigh, Chelly stood up, aware that her dress was probably muddy now. Not that it was the height of fashion to begin with -- well, not that she'd know whether it was the height of fashion to begin with -- but it was still aggravating to know you were wearing something atrocious, at least by your own fuzzy standards.

"I suppose so," Veratonna mumbled, still deadpan and quiet. "It would probably be better to save someone's life and question them than let them die and have their knowledge die with them, right?"

[TooManySecrets]

The going through the forest is more annoying than difficult. The branches catch your clothes, the mud sloshes on your simple shoes, and the rain continues to fall. Dotted throughout the forest are small outcroppings of rock, jutting out of the ground at odd angles. Keeping your eye on the smoke and, as you get closer, dim lights, you eventually reach your destination.

The small village sits at a y-intersection of reasonably well-kept dirt roads. The buildings look sturdy, constructed out of rock and large wooden beams. It's brighter here, too, as you're out of the gloom of the forest. Somebody has taken the time to create a nice clearing here, beating back the darkness one tree at a time.

At the center of the town, in the middle of the intersection, is what appears to be stalls, though they're empty now. Close by are a few buildings with signs sticking out above the doors.

[Lucretia]

Seychelles would focus her eyes and try to read the writing on the signs, while noting the layout of the village. The stalls, in particular, would at least provide some shelter from the rain if need be.

She'd also look for any sheds, or see if the inn was called Under the Shed. Something that could apply to the plaque.

[Lexin]

Alvarin is trying to find a sign of 'Hog's Head' as that sounded like a taverns name. When they go by the stalls he stops for a moment, something telling him he should look inside. He does that and if he sees any tools he takes one (some kind of hammer, knife preferably) for himself and one for his quiet friend (who still didn't say how he was called... maybe he suffered worse memory loss...). With such improvised weapon in hand he feels much better and more confident.
"I guess I was some kind of warrior..."
He says quietly.

[TooManySecrets]

@Alvarin: The stalls are empty except for a little bit of trash and debris.


One of the buildings near the square has a sign proclaiming it to be the Hog's Head with a weathered painting of a decapitated hog head on a pike.

Be careful not be seen, you make your behind the building. There's a rundown shed in a small, fenced pasture as well as several sheep crowding around the back door of the inn. A few of sheep look up at you and bleat mindlessly. Ignoring them, you make your way over the fence and to the shed. The door's locked but it doesn't look all that sturdy, either. There's also a door to the back of Hog's Head itself, though this one looks like it's in a lot better shape.

[Lexin]

Alvarin tries to listen if anything is happening inside.

Edit: He checks the backdoor of Hog's Head, mostly hoping to find the key to the shed.


If he doesn't find anything he tries to break the door.

To Alexander
"Could you help me with that?"



Unless of course he remembers how to open locks... (I assume no)

[TooManySecrets]

You put your head against the rickety door, Alvarin, but you don't hear anything. Not all that surprising - it is a shed, after all. You attempt to look through some of the holes in the door, but the shed is dark. All you can see are dark, oddly shaped objects - tools, you suppose.

[Lucretia]

Chelly watched the men doing their thing, her arms wrapped tight around her. It was cold. She was afraid. It wasn't a good feeling, that much she could say with accuracy. It was just... strange. Bad. She wanted it to go away.

"He's supposed to be under the Hog's Head, right? Or... under a shed? Or something?"

[TooManySecrets]

After checking the shed door, you check the back door to the Hog's Head, Alvarin. It sounds pretty quiet, but you think that you can hear movement.

[Lexin]

Alvarin whispers to others:
"I think someone is there, I hear movement. We could ask whats going on, but this place looks abandoned, so it could just bring danger on our heads..."

[Lucretia]

Seychelles didn't like this.

The disadvantage was firmly on their heads, and there was absolutely no way she was going to proceed. She gestured for Alvarin to come closer, moving away from the doors of the inn thing and trying to get back behind one of the stalls.

[Lexin]

Alvarin approaches Seychelles and whispers.

"I know that getting inside could be a bad idea, but we need to do something... There is a chance that I would be able to enter quietly and find a key or something. If we stay here and try to open shed by force it would be heard all over the place. And I think we all agree that we need to check the shed..."

Alvarin doesn't act yet, waiting for opinions on his bright plan. He looks around while waiting.


Looking for anything weapon-like, and some greasy substance to make door less squeaky just in case (don't know if mud would help, if yes it would be enough... and if they still have practical knowledge it would be just the information my character would still have... :smalltongue:)

[Lucretia]

"This is crazy," she hissed at him, keeping her voice low. "We could have killed these people before our memory was taken, or perhaps we were broken by them. We need a plan, Alvarin!"

Seychelles sighed and pushed her hair back as best she could, the tendrils of hair quickly returning despite her ministrations. "He's buried beneath the shed, right?"

[Lexin]

"Probably... or maybe there is just some storage space underground... two feet isn't much."

[TooManySecrets]

With a creak, the backdoor of the Hog's Head opens and out walks a woman in worker's clothes. When she sees you, she almost drops the bucket that she's carrying in surprise.

"Uh, who are you and what are you doing?"

You hear a noise of wood on wood come from inside the Hog's Head.

[thedarkstone]

Alexander had considered following the others, but he instead stayed behind. Finding their past was much more important. If this Joshua, the one that was buried in the shed, knew something about their past, he couldn't risk the possibility of the man dying. Drawing his foot up, he kicked the door beside where the handle was. Hopefully, the force would destroy any locking mechanism and break the door open.

[Lucretia]

Chelly turned to look at the woman, an eyebrow raised. Her hair shifted as the body turned. She looked over at Alvarin, waiting for him to respond. It seemed more fitting for him to answer the woman.

[TooManySecrets]

"I'm sorry, I was just surprised to see any outsiders here. Trading season won't start for a few months at the least."

She puts the bucket down and she runs a hand through her hair. "Travelers, eh? Where ya going, if you don't me asking?"

[Lexin]

Alvarin gives the girl his best smile and starts talking.

"We are travelling all over the world, miss. He says with wide smile Lately someone asked us to carry a message, as we were going in this direction anyway... his face is serious for a moment when he closes a little and says Do you perhaps know a man called Joshua Antolak?" He asks, and steps back half a step, waiting for answer with a smile.

[TooManySecrets]

In the front of the Hog's Head...
The girl thinks for a sec. "Antolak? Yeah, I might - "

At that moment there's a retching sound of a wood breaking. Almost sounds like somebody breaking a door down.

The girl turns swiftly around, knocking the bucket of dirty water over in the process. "Nine Hells, what was that?!" Inside the Hog's Head you hear the sound of running and the backdoor slamming open.

Meanwhile, behind the Hog's Head...
Seems the shed door's wood was old as you easily break through it, Alexander. A bit too easily in fact, as your foot is sort of stuck. You try awkwardly pulling your foot out of the broken door as you hear a commotion from the front Hog's Head.

Just as you succeed in extricating your foot, the backdoor of the Hog's Head slams open and you see a older man in worker's leathers and a weathered long dagger. He gapes at you, but only for a second. "By the gods, what are you doing!" he yells.

[Lucretia]

Seychelles watched the woman flee and entered what she presumed was the inn. She looked around, intent on seeing what was around -- especially a fire poker. If they had a fire, they'd probably have one of those, and the man outside -- Alvarin -- could probably use it to gain... creative leverage over the people here. "Alvarin?" she said over her shoulder, looking at the interior of the inn.

[thedarkstone]

Alexander paused. Well, it wasn't as though it took entirely too much effort for him to pause with his foot stuck in a door and all. Turning his head, he saw the older man with the dagger. "Well, you see...honestly..." He looked back at the door and then returned to looking at the man. "This is pretty much what it looks like. I'm not trying to steal anything or anything. I just have reliable information that there may or may not be a man buried within this shed about two feet under the ground. Hence the foot in the door."

Alexander shrugged. It wasn't as though it was all that big of a problem; if the door was ****ty enough that it wouldn't break in when he kicked it, and instead sort of crumbled, then it needed replacing anyhow. He planned on coming back to replace it sometime. Eventually. "But, yeah, I need a bit of help here, if you would. I'm a little stuck."

[TooManySecrets]

Behind the Hog's Head...
"Boy, I have heard some lame excuses in my day, but that takes the cake."

He looks you over, keeping the long dagger raised. "Now, who exactly do you think is buried underneath my shed?"

[thedarkstone]

"A guy by the name of Joshua Antolak?" Alexander motioned towards his foot. "Could you please help me with this? I'm trying to be polite, but you're making it rather difficult."