The Shroud

[Jent]

((Additional Information: The Planet Kata, Mímisbrunnr, Tom, Eltra, Jinx))

All throughout realms which these denizens of Pax hailed from, brought by Celestial Winds or whatever means among the willing and oblivious, they knew of echoes. Reverberations which transcend boundaries of culture, history, politics, and progress. These themes and their conceptual ideas in association coaxed a sense of strange familiarity. An uncanny notion that, something which they experience in the now or observed of the past, happened before. And thus the belief it will yet again happen in their future.

However, this collective sense of awe merely being one of the signs of madness in their mission. A fact they all must stay vigilant on Kata, resting up at their campsite.

Whether taken shelter in futuristic tents, a possibly cursed school bus, and perhaps huddled in a cobbled dwelling of a snow ditch these people made their mark. A task to retrieve the relic which rumored been beneath ground very much trodden before. The Crystalline Staff of the Frozen North. An essential aspect necessary for the shared goals of all the members; to recover the tool which lay far from its native realm.

Some of this cohort knew one another to a fair degree. They lived in Pax within a general area, and either knew directly or by association. Encampment folk, if gone by the simplest terms. Tom Johnson of Terra… er… Earth. A man, lacking in possession of the more supernatural and ‘fictional’ traits, yet whose perception proven valuable prior trials of life. Viewed often to be an unofficial leader of the party, in part of his former military service and ongoing efforts in this world. Which then follows a parallel branch derived from plant life being one notable Eltra Witherbane. A Floran, who largely fit in the camp in deceit in magical aptitude, more than made up for it all in technology. His primal hunter outlook sculpted to passionately dismantle and construct matters of weaponry to tactics. Yet all in anll, they both would need to help weigh down the overly ambitious youth between them; the demi-god Jinx. She being marked as the god child to the very deity they all sought to revive, provoked the Split-Jentil mixed blood to nearly venture out on her own. For while she may have hailed from another time, altered events of her unknown past could very well change this present to a wretched future.

Where by contrast, the people of Uldis composed of the other contingent. Lead by Commandant Suvanka Horrigan in seeking a fabled Shroud and its special properties to herald a revolution in warfare advancement. For their world, having suffered under terrorizes of differing factions, required unity. And with her battle-harden men, Suvanka sought out in this secret mission to acquire the edge so direly needed.

And finally, secluded off to the outskirts of the campsite sat the most recent addition. Easily be the strangest, if not the least known out of everyone which came here. He be a huldu who went by the name of Wade, and nothing else. Besides a few jests at his vagrant style of dress, any pranksters at least went to pay heed to the hammer kept on his person at all times. A literal echo of myth to anyone a touch aware of Norse stories; a weapon the shaggy blond brute dubbed Mjolnir.

By what sunlight gleamed in the morn’, chatter of plans began to commence. Wary scouts reported that the sight of this infamous cave which housed Mímisbrunnr had changed by the last accounts made of it. No longer a steady flat plain of icy rock and snow for ground, but an ominous cavern that surrounded the underground entrance. Not even a drawbridge could be seen near this functional moat of darkness. For whatever stone or branch tossed down, none echoed a sound of it reaching a final destination..

And yet, another pebble whose splash in time shall ripple out. These sounds beginning their song in a land of fiery sands.

For one in the Astara desert, Lt. Kane Carmickle awakens from a dreary slumber. No doubt connected to the thematic vision, which coincided his dishonorable discharge by the Commandant's own forces. Once outcasted, Kane stood not alone anymore by the current peak in these echoes. For his strengths amassed followers for his own army... Or cult...

((ALLLRIGHTY THEN! There finally be a proper intro for this adventure!

Now let these characters three-wait, what do you mean it isn't a triad? Okay, sheesh. Whatever number of folks near the base of the mountain harboring the well of Mímisbrunnr, which is said to contain a relic needed to revive some crazy ol' god (and by extension, buy or get a loan on his fancy cloak).

But remember the golden rules: have fun and talk to each other! We don't need no arguing, unless it be these fictional peeps themselves))

[TheDarkPsycho]

Tom sat within the school bus, going over his supplies again. He had his leg off - a somewhat disconcerning site at times - and the battery for it hooked up to a crystal for "Charging". He had several such batteries and crystals, all neatly arranged nearby. It wouldn't do to lose his mobility to such an easy-to-solve problem on this trip.

Next to that he had several weapons laid out - a plasma rifle, a pair of hand guns, a innocuous looking bead on a chain bracelet. He even had a few knives of various sorts arrayed.

He also had a guantlet made by Zerexe nearby. It still showed the clear teeth marks from a Velociraptor attack, but it had otherwise served him well. The only other armor he had was an old, beat up set of body armor. It'd still be good against any projectile weapons, but not much else.

Tom rummaged around with what was left in his pack - food and spare clothes mostly. He was simultaneously taking stock of what he had and trying to find something to eat. He wanted to go in not worrying about the basics, so better to eat something now while he could.

[Swix]

Jinx stood and paced from one side to the other, her Dragon Bill watching her as he laid down in the snow nearby.

"Calm down? What do you mean calm down?! I am calm!" The Jix said, clearly not, and responding to the Dragons telepathic communication with her. Jinx, unlike quite a few of the others, mainly worked with magic and distortion rather than weapons. As such, she'd only brought two with her. The knife she'd gotten for her first birthday from Eltra, and the celestial Bronze one that the new Goddess Abi had 'dropped' during a time of crisis 'by accident'. It also tended to mean she was ready quicker, although in this particular circumstance she would have been ready the quickest out of all of them even if she had decided to break her back bringing weapons over.

So, Jinx wore a path in the snow pacing whilst Bilkl watched her.

[Jent]

"If this is your calm, then no wonder I couldn't get a nap earlier."

Wade could only stand stupidity for so long. Irrelevant or redundant questions, badgering about his past and this brat's tantrums burrowed beneath the huldu's nerves. Attempting to pass the time with this lot he accompanied, to sate different objectives along the same path, met limited results. At best the strange relic hunter would be cheered up when people wished to listen about legends he knew. "Besides, that pet of yours probably get stuck in one of those passages," Wade retorted to Jinx as he tossed a log into a campfire, and his temper to the heated arguing.

"Better for the beast to just quickly ferry us across that chasm."

That and just in case there were invisible traps looming across the impressive icy ditch, then Bill's hide could deal with it first instead of anyone else. Wade figured maybe elemental magic, since there were no obvious crevices in the circular moat's to indicate arrow fire.

[vibribbon]

The Commandant robotically sits quietly near the back, kneeled down in her seat with the cap over her eyes. If not for signs of her breathing, it'd be easy to mistake her as dead. To her side sits Sgt. Madici, and up near the front is someone new, occasionally twitching.

"Ay, she gets like that sometimes. I'm sure you know how temperamental she can get. " announces a figure, clad in a masked suit with blue voltage icons stamped over it. "Iy Voltaire. One of three triplets I is. Next to Freon and Butanis. Call ourselves the Elementals. They would join us if not for other duties..."

Madici takes his eyes off a medi-tablet for a moment. "It'd be real peachy if all three of you would get yourselves hooked up to our Nanotech system already. Really saves lives, especially when it allows me to do remote stimpack injections -" Voltaire looks towards the back of the bus. It's hard to read an expression from underneath his mask, but given his shrug he appears a bit annoyed, having been asked this before. "Listen, Nerd. My two brothers arn't getting your little robo-bugs because of their blood - they freeze in Freon, and they melt in Butanis. What the three of us do we try and do as a team - I'm not doing it if they arn't" spits back Voltaire, keeping his teslagun close at hand.

Madici huffs. "Whatever. We should be arriving in a few minutes anyways."

[TheDarkPsycho]

::By this time Tom had his leg back on, his pack already packed back up, and was strapping on his arm-guard with a piece of dried meat hanging from his mouth. After he finishes the last lacing, he takes the piece out of his mouth::

Tom: Any plan of attack, or are we planning to go in guns a-blazing? If the latter, I'll hang back a second and let them finish their meal while I come up with another plan....

[BoltAscendent]

Eltra showed up a bit late to the show, carrying a hefty pack. The Floran was eating some jerky, made of god only knows what, and quickly sat his massive pack down that was most the size of his body. Soft chittering came with him rummaging around, doing another quick inventory check. Satisfied with his supplies, the pack shrank down in side to that of a mere backpack as thick armored plates of Floran-smithed metal emerged from his fairly standard looking clothes. Purple and black, with spikes along them, and an intensity to it made the floran stand out as far more battle ready than normal.

Eltra nodded to himself and drew a railgun, keeping it on his person, along with four small, blue orbs that had an almost insect-like shine to them. Preparations complete, Eltra stood tall, carrying the air of a soldier more than normal.

"Floran isss all ready to go. Had to finisssh work. A few backupsss. Floran hear they do lotsss of mental attacksss, ssso Floran wasss modifying ssso asss to not be a liability."

[Swix]

"What ARE you talking about?!" Jinx retorted to Wade, irritated by, well, this whole thjng. "

[vibribbon]

((Okay, this should be a bit better now. Apologies))
__
The icy ground rumbles in cold anticipation. It seems that the team isn't the only one interested in the artifact. From the depths of the icy ground protrudes a large drilling machine. Quickly, a dozen figures clad in bright blue robes pop up from the hatch. One, leading them, yells ... something loudly, pointing at the bus. Clearly a priority target for the group, they lock onto the bus with loud clicks of their charging handles before opening fire
___
Madici keeps tapping things on his medical tablet. "I'd wait for the Commandant, but she's always been someone who prefers a show of force, even in specially-led strike operations and -"

Sudden snapping with the sound of steel rivets and gunshots placate the air. Taking cover, Voltaire peeks. At least a dozen fanatical men dressed in robes and wielding a mixture of Thompsons, Uzis and Galils. Cries of "Maranax Infirmux!" and "Crudux Cruo!" fill the air as the aluminum siding of the bus continues to be peppered. Madici snaps his fingers infront of the Commandant. "Sweets, nows a hell of a time to nap girl, now get up!" he shouts nervously, a single bullet grazing his shoulder. Barely of note to the man, he hisses but quickly swipes something on his tablet - in an instant, a grey ooze secretes from a few pores in his shoulder and patches the spot up.

"Voltaire!" Madici yells. The shocktrooper rolls his eyes. "Well why don't you do something about it?" he spits back. The medic just nervously squeels. "Yeah. That's right. You don't. Pansy. I have tesla grenade in here somewhere, didn't think I'd need it so soon..." Voltaire responds, digging in a satchel

[Jent]

Wade kept his determined position, delivering a glare right back at Jinx. Did she have wax stuck up since the day being born?

Oh for the love of-

Rather than going through the hassle to explain things to the child of Insanity, this huldu turned his attention to the far louder nuisance. Wade snatched his enchanted weapon from a cord at waist. A once tiny stone charm rapidly enlarged into a formidable metallic hammer. Faint sparks already cascaded out of the denser mass along the short-handle shaft.

"Any friends of yours?" inquired out to no one in particular; he imagined Jinx and the rest would be busy examining the threat level of these new guests of theirs.

[Swix]

So preoccupied had the Jix been with pent up anxiety to get this expedition truly started, Jinx was taken by surprise. The incredibly powerful telepath had absolutely no idea how exactly this many people had not only snuck up on her to get close enough to fire, but had also somehow managed to sneak right past Bills normally sensitive nose.

Still, being taken by surprise meant Jinx's instinctual defensive shield had flared up, bathing what seemed to be just a young teenager in flames from so many different planes of existence, that not only was she hard to look at, but any stray bullets melted upon contact with this 'Everythingfire'. Jinx's eyes narrowed and before anyone could stop her, the demigod had charged screeching straight at the line of crazies. She could have passed for one herself, were she not now in the process of throwing fireballs every which way using Distorted extra large arms and hands. They weren't ruining her chance. Not this time. Why did they even bother allowing them to come, when all it bought was trouble and more and more distractions and delaying tactics. She was sick of it!

Meanwhile Bill, after yelling and showing his angry frill of multicoloured neck spikes was already with his lifelong friend, going for anyone and anything that seemed vaguely hostile.

[vibribbon]

Fireballs strike the line of cultists opening fire at the bus. Few break rank and begin spewing lead at Jinx, with at least one of the dozen catching fire and spreading it to two of his friends. Mostly unfazed, another two grab their heads as they begin spasming. Fur patches erupt from their skin, quickly morphing into a form more muscled and feral. Ditching their weapons, the two howl in unison
___
Madici isn't doing much better. He's snapping his fingers in front of the Commandant's face. "Wake. Up. Wake up wake up wakeupwakeup!" he yells, to little avail.

A stray bullet hits the side of the girls head. No wound, but it the eyepatch is kicked to the other side. Her other iris, a red, camera like lens shutters. Madici's eyes widen. "Ohsh..." he exclaims, running back. "Tom! Voltaire! Down!" he yells, tackling both to the floor as if saving them from an explosion

"Ay-I just had a dream ...." she announces in a voice that isn't quite hers as a suite of robotic tendrils attached to chainsaws and cutting implements flail from her back "... One of six little ants running across a stove, about to be lit". She ... smiles? The type of smile from ear to ear, with a voice both entirely artificial yet seductive in tone
___
Of the two werewolves, one quickly turns its attention to Eltra - fangs snarling and claws extended. It barks midflight towards the floran - without some quick snapfiring or a fast dodge, it's likely going to chew at the plant creature. The other's after Jinx - barely dodging some of the everythingfire, it jumps in the air, lunging and clawing at the girl!

... Almost. It would have. May have even been fatal. But it seems the good Commandant has ripped off the top of the bus like a tin can and intercepted the mad dog midflight with a loud hissing noise coming from her mouth. The werecreature smashes against the ice, with the commander, seemingly posessed, bodysurfing against him. After that ... it's best not to go into detail. Limbs fly, and large strands of fluid are spilled
____
"Get - off of me - you noncombatant twit!" Voltaire yells, pushing Macici off with the help of Tom. He looks out the window, grabbing his electrogun and noting the now roofless bus. "What... is going on out there?"

[Jent]

So beast-folk in disguise, or cursed humanoids provoked into a berserking state?

Wade considered either origin essentially the same, in regards to the ongoing battle. Though, he felt miffed that these opponents got scattered so easily by that torrent of flame. "Oh you gotta be kidding me," the huldu grunted in frustration at the now third rampaging force entering the field.

It seemed this deranged Commandent, not that he would recognize her, at least stood on the party's side.

"Better leave some for me!" his voice roared, letting the hammer in hand spin round himself. Wade surged up momentum in the swings at the air, beckoning clouds to form out in the skies above. The puffy patchwork rapidly darkening into a storm.

[BoltAscendent]

Rather than try and dodge, Eltra would feel a few motors quickly click into place and launch a hell of an augmented punch right to the throat of the beasty, giving it an armored arm to chew on in the mean time.

The floran's suit was powered, rather than a mere defensive system, and full of little sensors and the like. Eltra rarely broke it out, as the maintenance was excruciatingly time consuming and detailed without the right tool. Still, he'd expected the worst and was prepared for it. An offbrand werewolf would get decked...and then shot point blank, if it landed, by an inbuilt plasma round to ensure it wasn't having a good time. The floran had reverted an old mix of hunting and trained soldier instinct, keeping watch on the sensors as the face was totally covered to feed information through a series of screens and markers few would have had the trianing to use and follow quickly.

[Swix]

Hmm, Strange for werewolves to fall so easily to fire... then again maybe it was due to it being fire from several different realities> Who knew.

Jinx shrugged at Wades yell, and didn't react at all to the Commandant suddenly taking control of the entire situation. She really didn't care. This whole thing was just a small annoyance to her.

As to emphasise this, she deliberately walked away from the fight and folded her arms at the cave entrance, tapping her foot impatiently. As did the Dragon, mimicking his friends tapping with his forefeet.