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Whisper

Talking your way into a grave is easy. Talking your way out, now that's talent.

0 · 1,337 views · located in The Snapa-verse

a character in “Nomad Clan”, as played by WilPen

Description

"These knives are like children, they often ruin someone's day."

ImageName: Whitier Hellseher. Though she is more commonly called Whisper, due to the nature of her job.
Sex: Female
Age: 19

Physical Description: Whisper could easily be described as small. Her slim frame is soft and curved, very deceiving to the fight held within. She may have a soft shape, but donā€™t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of her lean, slim muscle when she is running for her life. Her appearance is lithe and a simple distraction from the fact that she is an a foe to be reckoned with, and she isn't afraid to exert her dominance.

Though she is naturally pale, Whisper's hands and face have been weathered by travel and battle. They've lost their youthful glow, freckled by the sun and marred by scars. Her face is usually graced with a sly smirk, like sheā€™s up to something. Nine times out of ten, she is. Behind the hood, pink, untameable waves make themselves at home. Though they are often blocked by the brim of her hat, her irises are also an unnatural shade of pink, representative of the Goddess Ghirina.

Families in the Hellseher Clan each select a patron God to honor and ask for protection. This color is used throughout the home and is represented in the members of the family as well. Adopting the color used to represent them in festivals and divine ceremonies, a child born into the house has their hair stained at birth. Once they reach their first year, a pilgrimage is set for the family to travel to the frigid waters high in the mountains where child's eyes are treated with the liquid. It is said to be the highest honor to the Gods.

Clothing: Due to the transient nature of her job, she dresses for practicality. She covers as much of her body as possible to equally protect from deadly sun, excruciating cold, or being identified by the wrong people. She is usually covered in black, but dark grays and the occasional white garments might make their way into her ensemble. No matter the time of day, if she is in public, she wears her hood and a cap.
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 100 lbs.
Skin Colour: White with near-permanent tan lines.
Hair Colour: Pink
Eye Colour: Light pink, almost white.

Occupation: Secret Keeper
History/Bio: Whisper was born in the treacherous valleys of Bola Brisk. Though she's a descendant of the founder of the settlement, Hellseherin Proper, it was anything but an easy life. Her birthright, as it is called by her people, was Secret Keeper; much to the despair of her mother. Her training was a rigorous study of general survival skills, hand to hand combat, dagger use, and concocting poisons from ingredients found throughout the desert.

Her father was the Clan Leader that made the decree for her to be a Secret Keeper, but she may be exempt. Should she be named as his successor, she'd be free to stay in Hellseherin Proper. Unfortunately, she was fairly vocal about her doubts that the Gods would continually select their family for leadership when they had so many others to choose from. Though she hadn't meant to imply corruption in her father, he took it as such as was quick to announce the Gods had decreed Vada would take his place when the time came.

With her older sister selected to be the successor to the Clan Leader, Whisper was sentenced to a transient lifestyle with no place to call home. As is the way of the Secret Keeper, she left Hellseherin with a backpack containing a small amount of money, the clothes on her back, and the weapons at her side. She's since traveled the desert, sending all but a small stipend back to her family to be distributed among the people. The Summer Bazaar is a time when a good number of Keepers meet up in Dol-Duna to compare stories over a drink and sell their 'wares'. It's the closest thing any of them have to a home.
Home Town: Hellseherin Proper
Native Clan: Hellseher Clan
Population: 2000 People total [Only around 500 people are in Hellfeherin Proper at any given time.]
Settlements: Hellseherin Proper, a small nameless settlement in Alhara.
Location: Bola Brisk Mountains, The Qafar Desert.
Description:
The Hellseherin Clan is said to be ruled by the Gods themselves. On a day to day basis, however, it is ultimately ruled by a Clan Leader. Though his family is also treated as royalty, they have no political power themselves. The Clan Leader acts as the Mouthpiece of the Gods to share their will with the people. The person to succeed the Clan Leader is also chosen by the Gods. It's probably a coincidence the Gods have favored the Hellseherin family since the creation of the clan.

Anyone could tell you Bola Brisk is impossible to farm and everyone seems to have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the power crystals work. Thus, the people of Hellseherin Proper found another way to survive. Such is human ingenuity. By Divine Intervention, as interpreted by the Clan Leader, clan members are chosen at birth to fulfill occupations in society. There are three main branches of Birthrights:

Most are trained as mercenaries and sold like livestock to the highest bidder. After the contract has been fulfilled, they return home only to be sold again. It isn't a bad life, you get to return home; even in death.

The second most common birthright is akin to clerical duties. Sure, some of these people will become doctors or fill some other important necessity. Most end up as drones carrying out manual labor. Holding the purse strings makes them very popular people. It's a safe, if boring, job that fills a necessary hole in society.

A select few 'lucky' infants are chosen to become Secret Keepers. This is a bit of a misnomer as they collect secrets to sell. Secret Keepers are meant to travel beyond the walls of Hellseherin Proper to collect secrets. During training, there are many tales of heroic Keepers attempting to go beyond the White Ruins to secure the biggest secret of all. Of course, they are called heroic as they died for the cause. A secret could mean any manner of information: stories, rumors, testimonies, anything. Once a Keeper has information, they broker deals to sell. Secret Keepers bring more money to their clan than any other position, but they also have the highest mortality rate. The kind of people that purchase information from a Keeper are usually also the kind to hire an assassin. It is a sign of disrespect for a Secret Keeper to return home before they reach old age and are cast out of the tribe. Even returning as an Elder has its drawbacks, it is said anyone who survives as a Keeper didn't do enough for the clan. It is better to die chasing nothing than living a long life.

While Hellseherin is a thriving city now, the current and past Clan Leaders have yet to see the merit in find other sources of income.

Personality: Whisper almost has a split personality. When meeting a mark: she practically radiates danger, even if she's simply standing there; leaned against the bar, hands crossed over her chest, and her head tilted just enough to make you think sheā€™s debating on killing you. She walks with a swift pride that hardly goes unnoticed. She makes no effort to hide her authority. This is her game and you are just playing in it. Her voice never breaching a whisper, sheā€™ll have gotten what she came for and left before anyone else even realizes sheā€™s there. Sheā€™s calm, collected, and calculating; always looking for her next hit.

When among friends: she has a much harder time saving face. Talking is one of her favorite activities, but her training and occupation made it difficult to speak with someone as a friend rather than goading them into sharing their darkest secrets. She hasnā€™t yet found any true friends since leaving her homeland. Bars have been a suitable source of casual interaction, but it isnā€™t enough. That said, she is the type of person to stab first, ask questions later at any hint of malice. This hasnā€™t made her very popular. Revealing her birthname is her highest sign of trust and respect.

Fears and Desires: Whisper above all else wishes to return home, if only for a short while. Her greatest fear is that she should die before seeing her parents again.

Equipment and Weapons: Sending her money home hasn't done Whisper any favors. She's carried everything she owns in one pack. Though it's a lot heavier than when she left Hellseherin, it still has room. She has a few changes of clothes, a small tent and provisions of water and food. Her pack is also equipped with supplies to make her own poisons. On a belt at her hip, she carries two daggers and a dozen throwing knives, and vials of paralytic poisons.
Styles and Abilities: Whisper relies on stealth more heavily than any other skill she has. She can get in and out of most places unseen and likes it that way. Less bloodshed is what she wants. However, if she senses any sort of danger in an interaction, she'll not hesitate to attack. Her tactic of choice is paralyzing the enemy and running. She can hold her own in a hand to hand battle, but would still prefer the element of surprise as she usually has a disadvantage on size.

So begins...

Whisper's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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Ka'Wa inched closer, hiding off behind the wagon as she watched the stranger come closer. She peeked out, curious by the sound of his voice. Her eyes widened and she strolled out, laughter nearly bubbling out of her.

"Slatheurian, it's been such a long time, I can't believe it's actually you!"

The words spilled out of Ka'Wa who didn't seem at all fazed by the weapon in his hand. She took off her helmet in one, swift motion and placed it under her arm. Her red eyes squinted with the bright sunlight but a smile was on her face.

"With how relieved I am, I almost like you again."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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#, as written by Nulix
Slatheurian paused, Ka'Wa's words breaking through the faces of the assembled travellers. At the back, talking to Musa, "Ka'Wa?" The Meltsander questioned, moving through the group toward the woman. His stride ended suddenly, he standing still as though witnessing some sort of bird in nature - unsure if he could get close or if it would fly away. "What are you- doing here? What the hell are you doing here?" Slatheurian questioned, his persona cracking slightly as he glanced back to the Metlsander Warriors who he brought with him and swallowed. "This is- a war zone, Ka'Wa," Slatheurian breathed. "What are you doing here?"

Mirova rose an eyebrow. "Looks like a past connection," She whispered. "This may be our way in..."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko" Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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"Guess we're in the clear," Uluru sighed, leaning his head against the walls of the wagon. "Guess luck's on our side," he half-smiled. "If only more of life's problems could be solved by happenstance."

***

"Please, still your hand, Hono no Ko," Sulfurious shook his head, pointing upward. "As you can see upon the hill, my associates are escorting your comrades into shelter. I would suggest you do the same. If it were up to me, I'd have you thrown into the stockade for whay you did to us last time, but...if you travel with honored guests, I suppose we must at least extend that same courtesy...for now," Sulfurious noted, kicking off the boulder and offering Jake a hand to help him up.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko"
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#, as written by Nulix
Slatheurian nodded. "Okay. Follow me."

As the sun further set Slatheurian and his company of face-painted warriors began to lead the group down the side-path of the dune, the wounded helped and carried by the able as Mirova's wagon was left behind in favour of quicker transport. Slatheurian and his men were not quite gracious guides, but not cruel either - and for the few minutes it took their journey he seemed more consumed by fear than anything else.

"Okay," Slatheurian breathed as they reached the side of the dune. He glanced back at the team as the fires of the war-camp lit up ahead, it seeming even brighter now that the sun had nearly finished it's dip beneath the back of the horizon. "Everyone stay quiet," Slatheurian's nervous eyes turned to Ka'Wa. "And if you have to talk follow my lead."

Slatheurian nodded, taking the fire steps toward the camp. The entrance guards stood with their metal clubs in hand as he walked past. Skullivan and Mirova followed uneasily, the rest of the Nomad team too stepping forward. "I have a bad feeling about this..." Skullivan hissed, eyeballing the war machines and soldiers that glared at them as they entered.

Of course, there was another event in the camp distracting from the groups entrance - mainly that of Jake getting his body beaten to a bloody pulp by a group of brawny soldiers. "Shaman!" Slatheurian called, raising a hand up for the group to stop. "Shaman Sulfurious!" He called again, running forward toward the camp. "I found... I found refugees from an Aklar attack," Slatheurian spoke, his mouth twisting as he lied. "They need our- our compassion."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko" Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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"True. Let's hope it turns a blind eye to us for a few moments longer..." Uluru nodded as they were led further into the camp of Clan Meltsand.

"Ah, refugees from the wretched Aklar," Sulfurious nodded. He glanced at Jake. "It appears your words ring true! Escorting these pilgrims from a vicious Aklar raid! Quickly, then we don't want to keep your charges waiting," Sulfurious nodded, ushering Jake along to join the Nomads.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko" Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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#, as written by Nulix
Slatheurian breathed, his breath visible in the cooling desert air. He was internally screaming at how quickly the Shaman had accepted his explanation, even the badly beaten cowboy was taken in. "Th-Thank you, Shaman," Slatheurian bowed, though Sulfurious had already moved on to deal with other matters. Slatheurian turned to the group, looking like a child who had never expected to get this far in his ludicrous plan. A smirk came onto his face but disappeared after another moment. "This way, refugees," Slathuerian announced, marching forward with the group toward a large animal tent made of tanned leather.

"Get the healers and the Shaman's priestesses, we have a group in desperate need of attention!" Slatheurian called as the tent opened up, revealing a sea of Meltsand medicians inside.

Slatheurian smiled, his eyes locking with Ka'Wa's. "I missed you," He mouthed as the group walked forward.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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#, as written by Nulix
Slatheurian gave a slightly eager smile before slithering away as the group entered the tent.

"We have injured," Mirova said, letting the brown-robed medical staff of the tent rush forward toward Musa, Aisha. "Including me," She added, raising her cloak weakly to reveal the bloody bandages on her rips.

"If we're being realistic I feel like we're all sort of malnourished," Skullivan whispered as a gloved hand of a healer led him forward toward a bed - one of several lining the tent. Rusted, scavenged metal bed-frames coated with leather skins of desert beasts. Save for a duo of injured soldiers, one fat and one small, in the corner they were the only patients in the tent. "Oh thank god," Skullivan exhaled, collapsing onto the bed fast first.

Mirova was gently laid onto a bed a few rows down, two robed Meltsanders began to disrobe her cloak to tend to the wound. Across the tent the others were treated too, the hospitality of the Meltsanders betraying their reputation. "You," Mirova commented, her eyes going above the nurses to Ka'Wa's passing form. "I saw what you did." The middle-aged woman smirked, before laying down and letting the healers work...

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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#, as written by Nulix
Skullivan sat on his bed, facing the wall of the tent. Tanned leather, bending inward with the continuos thrust of desert wind. The temperature has dropped, as it had the two nights before in the desert, but inside the tent it was warm - the fire hanging from glass holdings warming the injured party. He glanced back at the team. Mirova, now recovered, lay with fresh bandages covering her torso - her mouth open as she'd drifted into a sleep. The Wetland Traitor, as he was still known among his native vessel, eyes narrowed on the woman - on the golden idol she'd still managed to hold onto. He didn't trust her. He couldn't trust her.

Skullivan lay down on his side, the creaking of the tent a welcome white-noise as he shifted on the stiff leather bed. His mind went to the day earlier - to the plant grown from nothing in the sand. The idol contained properties the Wetlanders had never before seen, properties that convinced them the concept of life-reborn in the rock of a desert were possible. Properties that sounded an awful like the Qafarian legend of the Change. Skullivan blinked as he lay, his gaze still longing off into the tent wall - beyond which the comings and goings of the night-time war camp shone through. They were quite unlike the Leviathan, and here in his tired state he began to wonder what his old allies were doing - what she was doing.

Exhausted came over him. Soon his body was limp, his head buried into his fur pillow, and his mind drifted off into the land where no other person could follow. A world inside the Wetlander's head. A world of images from darkness. A world of dreams.

And seemingly, just as quickly as he'd drifted into that world was Skullivan ripped out of it. A sonic rip of an explosion blasted the Wetlander into awareness, almost knocking him off his bed. Blinding sunlight greeted him. Skullivan's eyes popped out of his body as he scrambled to his feet, immediately catching his foot on his bed and smashing his jaw into the rock ground of the tent. "OW OK," Skullivan hissed, blood gushing out of his face as he weakly rose. "Okay... okay, what-WHAT AH," Skullivan screamed, pawing at his face. "I'M BLEEDING! I'M BLEEDING!"

Mirova glared at Skullivan from across the sunlit tent as the healer's went to treat his jaw. Sunlight shone through the leather, and through the open entrance of the tent Metlsander's ran in training formation, their faces coated in red face-paint. Another explosion rocked the camp as suddenly Slatheurian entered. His face-paint was washed off, revealing the bright-faced bearded man underneath, and his dark hair hung wetly off his freshly showered form. Despite a night of rest his blue-eyes looked very tired.

"Don't worry gang, just training exercise," Slatheurian smiled widely at the group. "Welcome to the Meltsander Camp, team. How are we all healing?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko"
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Jake entered the healer's tent with a swagger, which was perhaps due to the canteen he held in his hand. Jake took another swig from it as he walked in, yawning.

"Whoa it's like noon already!" Jake sneered at everyone good-naturedly. "This tent's nice and cool, wonder how you Meltsanders managed that one!"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko"
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"Well what have you tried before," Uluru asked. "I'll tell you what you did and make it actually work," he said with a wry smile.

***
Uluru walked back into the ten where the others had gathered after his "capture". "Well, we're in luck," Uluru began. "They're going to escort us to the Aklar Clan...provided I follow through with my stately for them to infiltrate said clan."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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"Thank you, you two," Uluru nodded to both Elise and Skullivan. "We move in the dead of night, when the stars shine barely enough light to guide us on our way," he continued, looking at everyone present. "I'm going to be honest here, this plan won't work unless we all are together on this. This is our only way to to leave the town...and find cintinue finding lead on the change. So no more squabbling, no more stalling. On this...we work together."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund Character Portrait: Aisha 'Ai' Abdul'la
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Later, further in the night, when clouds had covered the sky like a foggy blanket, dampening the light of the stars and allowing only the moon to just barely shine through to the sands below...a troop of Meltsanders approached the tent where the group from Dol-Duna was currently resting.

"Sulfur! Sulfur! Sulfurious!" Sulfurious announced, slithering into the tent and sporting oily black robes, followed by a dozen Meltsander soldiers, each armed and prepared for battle. "The time is nigh! Are you all ready?"

"As we'll ever be," Uluru answered. "Are the transports prepared?" He asked as Sulfurious viciously nodded and motioned a hand outside. Once they left the tent, the group would notice a trio of wagons, each fitted with a large glass cage, obviously the handiwork of the Meltsander's glass manipulation.

"It's a pretty basic plan. We're posing as bounty hunters, bringing in the Meltsanders for a decently sized reward," Uluru explained as Hanmar began to approach, with a trio of soldiers at her side led by Slathe. "The Aklar have supposedly impenetrable walls. It's the biggest obstacle the Meltsanders are facing in their campaign against them. So once we get past that...some of our 'captives' break loose and open the gates, letting the rest of the Meltsander army in.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund Character Portrait: Aisha 'Ai' Abdul'la
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"Seems decent enough, let's do it!" Xaverius readied himself for when the time was right to go, he was determined that he would keep his violent actions to a minimum this time around.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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Something felt wrong about this plan, but Elise wasn't going to challenge anyone. They'd get what they needed and be on their way. Besides, it's not like they were igniting a war, no they were caught up in an already drug out war.

She made her way to Mirova's wagon, not wanting to be anywhere near a Meltsander or their transports. The night air was calm and carried the smell of the fires in the camp. She knew she wouldn't miss this place, and was happy they were leaving it behind.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko"
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Uluru sighed heavily at Hanmar's demands, but there was no turning back at this point. This was their one chance to get out of this place relatively safe and sound and there was no point in squabbling now. "Right," the monster hunter nodded. "I can play the part. Just make sure you do your jobs as well....and keep your word," Uluru glanced back at Hanmar before taking his place at the front of one of the wagons as his cohorts did the same.

***

The trip to Clan Aklar was a quiet one, the only real noise coming from the breeze of the night winds as they slammed violently against the glass cage's atop the wagons. Over a trio of large dunes they could see a large imposing shape in the distance. As they drew closer they would happen upon the sight of a tall white wall, carved from what appeared to be stone, encircling a large town.

"There they are..." Sulfurious wheezed. "The walls of Clan Aklar..."

"Halt!" A sentry posted atop a tower along the eastern edge of the front wall shouted. "Please state your business before I allow you any further passage! We suffer a crisis here at Clan Aklar and quite at a state to welcome any visitors!"

"Fortunately for you, we're not just any visitors!" Uluru answered back, standing up and kicking the glass where Hanmar sat. "I've heard your plight, Clan Aklar! And we've brought before you the something to show your Chief Engineer Rowlen! Meltsanders! And not just any run of the mill Meltsanders!" Uluru stepped aside, revealing the entirety of the cages, containing the Meltsanders and members of the group alike, each of them disguised in Meltsander armor to further blend in with their fellow 'captives'.

"Me and my crew? We're starvin' and thirsty! Five days worth of supplies is all we ask in exchange for the leaders and best warriors the Meltsanders have to offer!" Uluru shouted, motioning to those behind him, acting as his fellow mercenaries. "Whaddya say?!"

The sentry paused and traveled over to his fellow soldier on the other side of the wall to converse with him for a moment before returning to his post and shouting back, "Hold tight! We'll lower the gate!" With a massive crank, the seemingly immobile front wall began to part horizontally, revealing the town within.

They began to see and hear the cranking of gears and the thrum of engines as mechanisms grinder together, allowing a full view of the dwelling place of Clan Aklar. Uluru and the others led their wagons in, witnessing various machines drive by houses cobbled together by welded scrap metal, paving and smoothing out the sand while strange gunmetal vehicles sporting towering mechanical arms dug shards of crystals from stone quarries and deposited them in piles upon the ground.

Aklar's people were dressed less like they were preparing for war and destruction and more as if they were preparing for construction. Goggles lined their faces and heavy protective coats and dirtied gloves stood out the most among their clothes. Some, apparently supervisors, sported slightly cleaner lab coats as they directed the crystal digging machine pilots to their next assignments.

"So these...are the Aklar," Uluru muttered to himself as two guards, armed both with rifles held put a hand, indicating for their wagons to stop.

***

Wetland Guard Corhul jump kicked Avari in the face for KICKS.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Jake "Honō no ko"
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The three wheeled vehicle led the wagons through the dirt-ridden roads, giving the group insight into Clan Aklar's inner workings. There didn't seem to be many markets as there were in Dol-Duna, though this town was a bit smaller. There were a few stands selling vegetables here and there but mostly the streets bustled woth construction and industrialism. Men and women in hard hats hammering down on various homes to improve their livlihood.

The citadel lay before them, and with it two gleaming metallic gates, which opened before them. Once the gate behind them closed, the road changed from a sand one to one paved with steel. The steel road began to shake as the vehicles drove onto it and the group heard the sound of gears grinding as the road began to lower downward into some sort of ramp as it led them to a cavern underneath the citadel.

"Our prisons lie here!" Rowlen shouted over the grinding of the gears. "I can have my guards drop off the prisoners to their cells while we discuss payments!"

Uluru nodded at Rowlen's words and at the same time, signaling the Meltsanders to play their part while the rest of them distracted the Aklar for a time. "Where will we be receiving our payment?" Uluru asked.

"In the citadel proper," Rowlen explained, pointing to lift to his right. "Halls that have stood for sixty years and then some. Halls that I now have confidence will stand the test of time," he sighed proudly, before walking towards the lift, Uluru following his lead.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund Character Portrait: Musa Grazing Bull Character Portrait: Xaverius Rusten Character Portrait: Dustin vel Iz'Raphel
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The lift pulled them upwards and further into the halls of the citadel proper. The things they immediately noticed as they were drawn into the main hall were the loud rumbling noises emanating from a few 10 ft automatrons in the room. They mostly seemed like a mechanical body and tprso, without a head and a sensor visor where the line of the neck would normally be. Two were bending girders and lifting piles of metal, aiding in further construction of the citadel while another, that had hot sparks fly out of it's hands as it welded panels on the wall together.

"Repair drones," Rowlen began to explain. "They became a neccesary after illness swept the land. And our final line of defence should the Meltsanders breach these walls..." as he continued to speak, two smaller automatrons whizzed by, crystals powering their dual propellers as they made drop-off across the hall. "And this are our scout drones. We call them dust flies and they were usually used as our primary method of conducting trade or delivering and receiving messages from nearby settlements such as Dol-Duna."

"...Have the Meltsanders hindered trade much?" Uluru asked. "How long has your clan been at war with them anyway?"

"Longer than I even remember," Rowlen shook his head. "When I first joined the Aklarite Counsel, before I was appointed Chief Engineer, we had a truce formed. The Meltsanders..." Rowlen shook his head, anger and sorrow welling up in his voice as he spoke. "They squandered it...tarnished it. Forced war upon us yet again. I thank you for your timely assitance, regardless of your intent. Before you all arrived, we were preparing to mount a final assault against the fiends."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund Character Portrait: Xaverius Rusten Character Portrait: Dustin vel Iz'Raphel Character Portrait: Whisper
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"We managed to fight off and capture a few Meltsanders here and there but that was just after the disease took hold," Rowlen continued as the lift stopped on a pristine white floor, obviously finished compared to the rest of the citadel and the town in general. "A disease that the Meltsanders had spread onto us..." Rowlen glanced back at the 'bounty hunters behind him as he led them down a hallway, with various rooms along it's sides. Some seemed to simply house more of the automatons that were aiding in construction of the citadel while a peek through the windows of various sealed rooms allowed the grup to see various Aklarites operating various crystal machines to perform autopsies on the bodies of dead Aklarites who had been stricken with the crippling disease affecting their clan.

"We have dabbled here and there in the sciences, though our specialty lies in engineering and medicine. No matter what we attempt to uncover, we can find no cure for this disease. We don't know when or how it can infect people or whether it is even truly contagious or not...I have seen a countless amount of my people...die. I have seen many suffer. My own son..." he sighed deeply, before his composure regained. "I cannot rest until something is done about this virus," he stated determinedly. "Capturing the Meltsander leaders before they could spread more bloodlust and disease upon our clan, will aid us greatly in that endeavor," he stated, stopping as they reached a room with two sealed doors and small square monitor-shaped mechanism jutting out of the wall with the outline of a hand on it's screen.

"Hmm...hadn't seen one of those things since the University," Uluru commented as Rowlen placed his hand on the screen, a low thrum coming from the machine as the screen suddenly began to glow green and make a beeping noise as the two sealed doors before them began to open. Before them lied yet another machine, housed in the center of a large, clean room. A large sphere attached to a pillar of tangled wires and machinery that extended below the floor they were standing in and deep into the ground. Inside the sphere lay a large number of crystals. More than many of the travelers had seen gathered in one place, all glowing and convulsing with a green light.

"This, I believe is the crowning achievement of the Aklar," Rowlen nodded with certainty as he looked towards the others apologetically. "I hope I haven't bored you with the tales of our plight, but it's been so long since anyone could just stop and listen. It feels good to talk about it," he chuckled somberly before looking at the machine again. "With this we may not have a cure, but perhaps an even better solution."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund Character Portrait: Xaverius Rusten Character Portrait: Dustin vel Iz'Raphel Character Portrait: Sƶren Ahlgren
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"My son...It was the Meltsanders who infected my son. One of them in particular. Four years ago my son had continuous contact with her and then after a few months he began to show signs....signs of infection," Rowlen shook his head. "We Aklar have traditionally been a reclusive people...free of contact with the outside world. The Aklar always had walls so to speak..." he began to pace around the room, searching for something.

"Years ago we realized we need to venture out...to expand...and that's when we forst encountered the Aklar, who accused us of trying to breach their territory. They introduced us to war...to a taste of the world outside of our clan. And now, a few years after a truce had been established...they introduce us to disease..." Rowlen shook his head. "The Meltsander girl became...intimate with my son and through repeated contact with her he first began to show signs. A virus from the outside world."

"I wasn't certain at first, but then Meltsanders had come demanding explanations as to why we had ceased any and all trade with them as per the treaty. And soon after these negotiations, soon after those Meltsander Barbarians strolled into our streets, more infected emerged," Rowlen continued as he examined one of his dust fly drones left on a shelf to the left of the orb.

"War soon broke out one again....and needless to say we were more I'll equipped to wage it than we had ever been," Rowlen shook his head, looking to his machine once more. "This device...the Tecton-Sphere was built as a sort of last resort. Something to turn to should all hope for our people be lost. We, as a people need to expand, but with the Meltsanders at our heel that became difficult...but it soon became clear, to me, at least that they were not our obstacle. The Meltsanders were simply a part of the problem."

Rowlen glanced up towards a shelf, seemingly finding what he was looking for on it. He reached up, standing in the tips of his toes as he carefully drew down what looked to be one of many minature sets of the the sphere and it's placement in the desert along with two other shapes in the set. One an approximation of the Meltsander war camp...and the other a very accurate model of Dol-duna.

"The Dust Flies came in a couple days ago, reporting of altercations in Dol-Duna...visitors from a land not of the sands. Our machines meant to conduct trade with potential allies, quickly acted as spies for neighboring clans...and one thing became abundantly clear. War is the nature of the desert and disease is it's brother. It is strange to the Aklar, but it is no stranger to the Meltsanders. Or the Dol-Dunans, such ands the one they let into their fold. If the Aklar wish to grow, outcomes such as bloodshed and illness become inevitabilies rather than possibilities. And it is due to that inevitability that forces my hand, whether the council agrees with me or not..."

Rowlen clicked a button atop the minature sphere. "The Tecton-Sphere' 'roots' go deep underground. Eighty-nine crystals allowing it's processes to move with complete efficiency..." he spoke as the minature began to shake intensely. "With simple coordination from our dust flies we can accurately pinpoint the weak links within the earth beneath the locations our neighbors lie in, precisely two at a time, and deliver shockwaves to the faults below. In thirty minutes time..." he paused as a loud crack was heard as the minature Meltsand camp and Dol-Duna sunk beneath the sands as if being pulled in to a jagged sinkhole beneath the ground. "Their clans fall, broken and forgotten like the old world before us and with them their bloodlust and pestilence. Now more than ever, with the Meltsanders leaders captured and their people unaware...I can flush out the rest in one fell swoop."

"....Wipe them all out...just like that?" Uluru asked slowly, glaring in shock at the minature destruction he witnessed.

"Do you think me barbaric?" Rowlen asked. "Once the Meltsanders and Dol-duna's camps are no more we will give put warning to any other clans to evacuate and flee the Qafar. I would prefer it that way...but if they resist...In place my people above all others," he glared up at the group, his eyes empty of the passion he once had when discussing the plight of his own people.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Uluru Character Portrait: Skullivan Character Portrait: Bohdana Yātrī Character Portrait: Mirova Character Portrait: Elise Seaver Character Portrait: Ka'Wa Jekund
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#, as written by Nulix
Skullivan looked up as the lumbering clockwork machine approached, crystal's chugging throughout it's body as sand fell from it's shoulder's. He glanced to the other's in the team of mercenaries - Uluru, Xaverius, Dustin, Elise, Ka'Wa, and Sƶren. Warriors. Battle-hardened. Capable.

Unlike him.

Skullivan immediately ran for the door, leaving his comrades to fight the lumbering artifact of the old world and Aklar invention. "Coward," Sƶren hissed in an accented voice before reaching his hands forward, ice blasting out of his tattoos and smashing the machine's legs backwards, causing it to stumble back - shaking the ground as it did.

***

In the cell's below the ceiling shook, sand and dust coming down chaotically. Slathe leaned against the glass of his cage, glancing up at the ceiling of their chamber. "Something's happening up there," Slathe whispered, looking behind him. In his cell Sulfurious, Bohdana, and several Meltsand Warriors stood, weaponless but still lethal looking. In the glass cage across from them Hanmar, Mirova, Aisha, Musa, and Whisper sat in their cages. Jake and Thessir hadn't accompanied them.

Slathe stared over at his commander. "Alright," He nodded, before reaching into his armour. From his breast-pocket he pulled out a small, purple crystal, a sticky substance on the outer end. Slathe then took a knee, with his free hand igniting a match on the rocky ground. "Everyone stand back!" He called, pushing those in his cage against a wall as he ignited the crystal-explosive and threw it against the glass. The cage wall shattered, fragmented glass flying forward and shattering the glass of Hanmar's cage also.

Slathe stepped through the broken cages, into the hallway of their chamber. An Aklar guard at the end of the hallway, coughed in fear before collapsing dead - his spear falling weakly on the ground. "Right, that takes care of the guards," Slathe muttered, turning to the newly escaped prisoners. "Something's happening up there - I didn't trust that Aklar leader," Slathe hissed, his eyes looking over the assembled characters. "And I promised I'd protect you guys. So we have to figure out what we're going to do, fast."