Near & Far IC

[Sodalite]

Current players: zever, playing Hini the Artisan, and ArcaneStomper, playing Bola the Emissary.

No more than three days ago, something almost unthinkable happened on the surface of Far. The fortress of a madman bahleata fell from its place in sky. Though it might contain items of immense value, none have yet traveled to it, either out of respect for the bahleata, or more commonly, out of fear of what else may lie within. Two, and perhaps more, were not stopped, though, one a sculptor, searching for the materials to create the perfect form, and the other a bahleata sent down from high by the Peers, searching for a way reclaim his former power, and now, even if the beginnings of a sandstorm, the wreckage is within sight...

[zever]

Hini is traveling with Malik, an old friend of him who has invested a lot in his work and is still continuing to do so, he is also a real businessman. Also with him is Lila, a painter who he knows from art school. These two are actually the only two people who know about the project Hini is working on. A few servants are traveling with them, mainly to control the hlul, who Malik managed to by in one of his special deals and who is carrying all the materials for Hini to work on his project.

They are now, after a few days of traveling seeing the fortress or its remains lying in the distance.
Hini: So, that is what we saw falling from the sky yesterday.
Malik: It appears to be one of these Bahleata "fortresses" people sometimes talk about.
Hini: If that is true, we maybe better avoid it, I don't think the Bahleata would like it if we stick our noses too deep into their business.
Malik: Are you crazy, whoever was on there probably didn't survive the crash, and who knows what we can find there. They probably have things we down here don't even know about and we who have a lot of value... Maybe we can even find something there that can help you with your project.
Lila: Come on Hini, don't be such a Practicer, we should at least check it out. If I can be the first to make a painting of it, that would be so great!
Hini: Ok ok, let's go and check it out then, I guess there is nothing wrong with looking at a wreckage.

And off they went, all hoping to find something valuable in the remainings of the fortress.

[Sodalite]

Hini and company reach the wreck, none too soon, as the sandstorm closes in behind them. The wreckage still stands against the storm well enough, but one of the teamsters expresses that the hlul is uncomfortable in the tight corridors they've wandered into, while is rather uncomfortable themselves, having a feeling of being watched. The corridor itself is relatively barren, not reaching any rooms or intersections within sight, though there are several vents on the walls, releasing a gentle breeze into the corridor. There may be more things visible to a less cursory glance.

[zever]

Lila: Brrr, this place is spooky.
Hini: Come on now, it is just a corridor with some vents, I don't see anything special.
Lila: I guess you're right...

Not totally convinced, Lila keeps her eyes and ears wide open, as they continue their walk through the corridor.

Meanwhile Malik is having a discussion with the teamsters about the hlul, and the decision is been made that the teamsters will try to lead the hlul back more into the open while Hini, Malik and Lila will go on deeper into the wreck.

Malik: Ok, let's go and check out this thing, I can feel that we are going to find something special here.

[Sodalite]

The teamsters and hlul head back to the where they entered the corridor. The storm has reached the wreck, but they manage to construct a usable shelter out of some rubble at hand.

Meanwhile, Hini, Lila, and Malik continue farther down the corridor, the vent not appearing to contain anything interesting. Eventually they reach a juncture, the corridor splitting in two, each leading to a larger doorway, each with what appears to be a mechanical lock. Both seem to be emanating heat, and quiet, unidentifiable sound is coming from one.

[ArcaneStomper]

By the time Bola's party reaches the fortress he is not in a very happy mindset. First exiled from civilization and now on a journey far from the oasis of Bahleata culture he had been able to create for himself. And on top of it all delayed by a sandstorm for days. If it weren't for the promises of what might be in this fortress he would just turn around and head back.

As if seconding his thoughts the hlul behind him let out a loud bleat of annoyance as its teamster prodded it forward. Sighing Bola looked back and beckoned one of his circle forward, Hargul the scout an expert tracker and pathfinder.

"Hargul, find us a way into that fortress." Looking even further back he calls, "We'll stop at the base of the fortress. Be prepared to set up a base camp near wherever Hargul manages to find an entrance."

[zever]

When they reach the juncture, Lila starts scribbling some things on paper.
It looks like she is creating some kind of map of the structure with the finest details such as only an Artisan painter can do.

Malik: Which way to go? I suggest we check on the sound, I wonder what it is.
Hini: Ok, I'll check the lock, I hope it is made of something I worked on before so I can find out how to operate it.

They then move on to the door with the sound behind it and Hini begins to carefully investigate the lock.

[Sodalite]

Hargul finds the docking area of the wreck after a short while, roughly on the opposite side of the wreck from where the breach is. The only

Hini finds that the lock strangely familiar. The Arts were a rare practice in Bahleata culture, or at least that's what all of the Practicers who had bothered to speak to him about the subject. Either way, the lock is familiar enough for you to get through. As Hini opens the door, a blast of searing wind forces the door completely open, and the scene inside becomes clear. It is and exceedingly large room, filled to its ceiling with a variety of boxes, the majority of are on fire at the moment. The roar of the fire is over come by a scream voice coming from what seems to be a person, charred black, and lying on the floor not far from the edge of the fire, which is mostly on the other side of the room, away from the door. You can't make out anything that's behind the fire or smoke, and the screaming is unintelligible.

[zever]

At the sight of the person on the ground, they all run inside.
Hini: We should bring this man into safety as quickly as possible.
Malik: I will try to put out the fire, Lila, can you help Hini with that man?
Malik then searches for some sort of fire extinguisher or a source of water to put out the fire.

Lila tries to talk to the man on the ground: Try to lay still, so we can try to help you.
To Hini: Let's pick him up and bring him to someplace more safe, and where we can hear him, on 3, 3 - 2 - 1
If the man doesn't resist, Lila and Hini will pick him up and bring him to the corridor where they came from, afterwards, Lila will try to talk to the man while Hini will go and help Malik with the fire.

[Sodalite]

The man doesn't resist, but as Hini and Lila carry him out from the room, the fire seems to follow him. The fire seems to stop at around the door, but even in the corridor, the man is surround by an aura of heat and ash.

Though you can hear the man clearly now, his screams are still only ones of intense pain, rather than intelligible cries for help.

Malik searches, and finds that one of the boxes contains canisters of essence. Many seem frosted, and feel extremely cold to the touch, and in panic, he immediately opens one in the direction of the fire.

Malik is blown back, smashing a box of foodstuff, as the essence rushes out in an attempt to return to its natural state. It noticeable shrinks the fire wherever it touches it. After a short while, Malik has put out the fire, and noticeable lowered the temperature in the room. He runs back to Hini and Lila, only to seem them still dealing with the man still screaming in pain.

[zever]

When Malik returns, the man is still screaming in pain.
Malik: I put out the fire!
Hini: Good work, how did you do it?
Malik: With these canisters, they contain some sort of frozen essence.
Hini: You think we can use them on him? He seems to be connected to the fire, and he seems burned as well.
While asking this, Hini nods to the screaming man.
Malik: We can always try, everything seems better then this screaming.

After this Malik will get one of the canisters to use it on the screaming man.

[Sodalite]

The canister does cool the area for now, at least enough for the man to speak.

Scorched Man: W-wher-re am-m I? W-who a-are y-you? W-what-t is go-oin-ng on-n?

The man has a significant stammer as he speaks to the group, and is trembling heavily. He seems more confused than even any of you.

[zever]

Hini: Hello, we are Hini, Lila and Malik, you are here on the surface of Far. I think you crashed from the sky.

[Sodalite]

The area has already begun to return to its normal temperature, and the man's pain doesn't seem to be returning. His stammer has cleared, and his trembling has been reduced to a shiver.

Kozhlot: My name is Kozhlot. I don't know how long I've been here, but I know I will not be returning what memories I have of here.

With that, the man gets up and tries to run off down the corridor, though he often trips. He leaves a black trail of ash on the ground behind him.

[ArcaneStomper]

Bola orders the group to set up camp around the docking area Hargul has found. Hargul continues further into the fortress.

[Sodalite]

Hargul first encounters an antechamber, then a full auditorium. A rank smell pervades the air, and there are clearly objects behind the curtain that is hung in front of the main stage. There are two exits, one on either side of the stage.

[zever]

The three look at each other confused, not sure what to do about the man running... or better said, limping away.
In the end, Malik shouts:
Kozhlot, there is a sandstorm outside, you can better stay here inside, you will get lost out there.

[Sodalite]

Kozhlot stops, and mutters only just loud enough for them to hear, before continuing.

The sands of the desert are a welcome relief from the horrors of this place.

[zever]

Malik shrugs and the three of them go into the room where the fire was to investigate what happened there.

[ArcaneStomper]

Hargul knows when it's time to get someone more experienced. Returning to the base camp he informs Bola of what he has found. After thinking for a few moments Bola calls for Kerlo one of his bodyguards. Together the three move back into the fortress. In the auditorium Bola examines whatever objects are behind the curtain, while the other two remain on the lookout for trouble.

[Sodalite]

Hini and company find many of the boxes and burned to ashes, though from what remains, it seems this room was being used to store essences, along with some ordinary materials, such as food, or potable water. With the fire gone, they can see a door, slightly a jar as though it had been forced open, not to mention somewhat melted looking.

Bola finds a podium, several tomes of notes on experiments of a variety of natures, as well as props and black boards, likewise covered in notes and diagrams, mostly relevant to experimentation with the soul. He quickly realizes how completely illegal all of the experiments that these notes must have been taken from must be. Illicit materials, like inordinate amounts of essence, essence lenses, and upwards of a hundred dozen unlicensed soul jars are also required for the experiments shown.

[zever]

Malik: Nothing too special here, we can try and take some boxes with these containers of essence and try to sell them, they might be worth something. And we might use some of the food.
Hini: I wouldn't eat from the food if I were you, you don't know what this Kozhlot might have done with it.
Lila: We should check that door, maybe there are some other victims of the crash behind it that we can save. Hini, do you think you can open it?
Hini: I can try, but maybe we can first try to peek through the crack to see what is awaiting us.
Lila: I'll do that.

[Sodalite]

Lila see only a short hallway with two intersections, leading off into 5 different paths. Immediately forward, there is another door, likewise slightly a jar and slightly melted looking.

[zever]

Lila reports what she sees to the others, and they agree to go further in.
Hini starts working on trying to open the door.
If they succeed, they will check up on the next door.

[Sodalite]

They find a hugely tall room, with a roof open to sky. A stairwell goes up along the walls of the room. In the center of the room, there is a raised platform with a control panel next to it, and a chair that is seemingly designed to be laid rather than sat on, with a shimmering, multicolored circle of glass above the the seat, attached to the the platform by a curved pole.

[ArcaneStomper]

Bola frowns. He had rather hoped to use the fortress as his key back into proper society, but if it was home to a bunch of renegades, it wasn't going to be much help there. He was sure the experiments and notes he might find would still be useful, but he would have to be much more careful with how he used them.

Gathering up the notes Bola slides them into a satchel. Without a word he nods to the exit to the left of the stage, the other two have been with him long enough to know what he means. Moving forward the small group heads deeper into the fortress through the left side exit.

[Sodalite]

Bola and co. pass through the door, leading to a hallway with multiple doors. A cursory glance shows that each door lead to a small suite. Some suites seem to have collapsed partially, and of those, a couple can be seen to have corpses lying in them. Further down the hall lies a large pair of double doors, leading into what seems to be a mess hall, as well as a small doorway, closed and with a mechanical lock. The suites may hold valuable items, but rifling through the former property the dead seems a little distasteful. The small doorway, upon further inspection, has a faded label reading 'Testing and Experimentation Chambers.'

[ArcaneStomper]

Bola examines the locked door and attempts to open it.

[Sodalite]

Bola manages, though only just. The door is unlocked, though the locked completely compromised rather than simply opened. Behind the door he finds a short hallway leading in to a circular room, with 8 stairwells downwards, arranged around the circle.

[ArcaneStomper]

Bola tries to remember anything he can about the layout of Bahleata fortresses and what might be down those stairs.

[Sodalite]

The sign earlier had said experimentation rooms. Why all the stairs would be leading down isn't especially clear.