The Shroud

[Laur]

Unbeknownst to most a particular mature woman of mature stature had been observing them through abilities she vaguely understood, despite her pool of previously gained knowledge.

Presently she sped towards the group, cresting atop a tall snowdrift whilst seated upon a reclaimed hoverbike from Blackstar heading on a direct collision course with a member of these were-creatures. However she proceeded to stop short of colliding with them.

Although presenting the appearance of being entirely human in body shape with long, dark brown hair flowing behind her helmet this being projected a dampening field that extended for two metres directly around her circumference once near these creatures. She hoped it would temporarily strip them of their abilities whilst in her direct presence.

[vibribbon]

((I'm still here and doing this by the way - delay sprung up due to having to travel + surgery. I'll be getting on this tonight))

[vibribbon]

"Fine - I'll tell you two this in confidence. It was more then a decade and a half ago. There was General Horrigan and Ms. Darcmyre. Then a six star general for the Confederated forces, and the planet's biggest fashion mogul. Never would you find a more fitting match in hell."
____

It seems that while the creature's strength and agility is improved that it's not some powerhouse. Plasma, especially at point blank, is especially deadly. It only realizes how dead it is when it's too late, morphing back to a human form at the last minute...

The Floran quickly fells the one attacking her. Great shot, Eltra, but your friends are still in the thick of it!

____
"The General ... he needs no introduction. I know she's talked about him in passing to you, Tom, and as Voltaire can confirm, it's all true. He's a bloodthirsty psychopathic tank of a man, and Darcmyre... oh, I can only tell you what I know. A slithering snake, she seems to have infused herself with genetic material from an extra-galactic race known as the Beyonders. A race of beings, incredibly intelligent but non-sentient. Massive psychic energy. Come from another galaxy with the intent of our demise. She seemed to have her own agenda of carrying out their will."


"And thankfully, she's dead. Well. I assume so. She talked to me a few times about this in passing. You see... Horrigan is impotent. He had an injury to the groinal area in the Oblivion Wars. This wouldn't do. Darcmyre wanted children. So behind his back, she slept with one of his head researchers"
___

From the 12, six have turned into altered forms. From the six, three remain. One killed by the Floran, another by the combo of Jinx and Bill, and a third brutally by the berserked Commandant. The other half begin losing one or two men by way of them running dry on rounds and running.

___
"So the story goes, when Horrigan found out, he was mad as fire. Made a messy display of the man. Darcmyre left him after that, apparently had the kids on her own..."

Voltaire speaks up. "Kids... More den one?"

"Don't interrupt. Yes. You see, Suvanka has a sister. Ruki, for whom blames Suvanka for the death of her mother. Suvanka was stolen from the mogul. I don't know how, but Ms. Darcmyres medical file marks her as deceased. Ruki on the other hand I only hope is deceased - she has the same genetic injections from the Beyonders that her mother had. Seems to wish to carry out their will, too. I have seen the two fight before. They were fighting on a starcruiser. Being quick, our dear leader threw her out an airlock. Mission accomplished? I suppose, but despite the best efforts from the Astrojockeys, no body was found..."
___

Stopping short of roadkilling a fourth Chosen, the creature looks in horror as it morphs back to a human form. This horror is short lived, as one of the Commandant's mechanical tendrils grab the being and fling him far, far away. Wherever he lands will certainly be fatal.

The red, ocular light in her right eye fades as she grips her head. Mechanical tendrils retracting back into her, It seems the dampening field is having a moderate effect on her mechanical augmentations. She takes a few steps back from the field. "If you don't turn that thing off..." she politely comments, grabbing her pistol and loading something into it "...Then I'm putting the next shot between your eyes". She continues to step back.
___
"Ruki is usually seen with an alter - some type of astral projection, this literal catgirl, Sadiki. Must be some effect of DNA-grafting the genetic code from the Beyonders into her. Not wanting to be outdone, Warmaster General Alexander Horrigan grafted an unstable AI into 'his' daughter. That's what you see. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you, LX-2 Rufescent!"

He looks out the window to see a more placated Suvanka. "Ah. Okay. Well, this seems to be solving itself out-"
___
She loads a single round into her revolver. Aiming the piece upwards, a bright blinding light flashes up to the heavens from her gun, holding for a half minute to the awe of the cultists. Even the recently transformed chosen are near hypnotized by the brightness. Starstruck, they stop firing.

"Listen up all you blue-robbed dregs of society! I'm giving each of you parasitic worms one final chance to surrender as prisoners of war! If any one of you fail to heed this order then I'm going to make absolutely sure that you are slowly and painfully tortured until your untimely demise! I'm giving you parasites to the count of five to-!"

She doesn't need to finish. Already they are throwing down their arms into the cold snow. The few Chosen remain stay in their form, as the alternative would be nudity in the cold. They still kneel in surrender.

((Sorry this took so long folks. Was waiting on DP for a while, and also had some real world issues to contend with. Visiting schools and having surgery done))

[Laur]

Laurs bright and piercing blue eyes narrowed upon this young squirt presuming she could tell her what to do, but considered that to be of miniscule importance to the seasoned warrior. However, Laur in particular did not respond very well to threats, already having had her customised handgun loaded and out. Nor was turning away from this particular person, whom proceeded to aim her weapon with practiced quickness to the back of this presumptuous cyborgs head

"I do not take kindly to threats, especially not threats that make me think this side of yours is not of the best interests"

[Game Master]

With everyone gathered around the ominous maw of earthen masonry, the transition from natural tundra outside shifted to the complex architecture would be a slight shock at least to say the least. For none of the interior reflected the previous intel of the cavern complex. Lacking norse airs, what they knew to be Mimir’s Well gave off a mesoamérica flair.

Paintings etched firmly along reddish stone sides in this clerical sanctum. Vast canvas artwork of various beasts and ritual practices displayed a progressive history throughout the octagonal layout; where, despite the group being unable to fully comprehend these images in writing, a general theme could be interpreted. That of cardinal directions and respective idols in charge of them as the party entered from the ‘West’ side.

Dominating the ‘South’ sector laid a roosting effigy of an entity composed of flame. A horned, ethereal being, which by comparing battle data from the corresponding mirrorverse location to this Kata’s would rekindle a likeness to that brutish flame elemental. This being in the artistry of the mysterious paintings stood merely just one of six dominant figures. Others, in their respective regions, would be a golem-esque behemoth in the ‘North,’ a graceful avian to the ‘West,’ a sly dog-faced serpent to the ‘East’, a foreboding skeletal being on the ground, and a blurry-yet shimmering-humanoid which oversaw all from the ceiling.

Shortly after they stepped inside to gaze at the scenery, a portcullis composed of glistening ivory wooden would attempt to seal and shut in the occupants within. Attempts to force a breach would in all likelihood fail. Dimensional travel, whether space-time/shadow/magical of sorts would not allow direct escape. And aggression against to either break the frame-work or slip between the gaps would be met with a resisting force; which briefly would cause the wooden to light up with crimson lines. As if they were a pulsating network of ‘blood’ activated upon contact.

Only way forward then… In what manner the group or individual decides, that is.

The other seven potential ‘exits’ would also be shut by similar portcullis barriers, with whatever behind them seem to be utter darkness. Perhaps by studying the glyphs of these serpentines people of four arms might give some clue? Try using other means to venture downward-as what they sought likely laid below them.

Or attempt to examine the strange altar that stood in the center of the room? Those familiar of Mimir’s Well would be surprised to see the lack of such feature, having been replaced by this obsidian construct. Some glistening grey-green jade stones were situated both in and resting out of openings on its surface.

((Up to players Makron and Swix if they desire to have all their characters (prisoners and Bill) get stuck inside the Temple or not by the descending portcullis. Had to rework puzzles/enemies between RL distractions and ect.

Any and all questions best be pinged in the Shroud Discord. Issues, bring up there in a calm, constructive manner. Best get the RP going and not delayed any further.))

[vibribbon]

There are few if any in her army who are as quick on the draw as the Commandant. Spinning around, she flicks her wrist and aims her weapon right at the Stranger's head. Eyes narrow as the two are locked in a dead mans stand.

And just as quick as it starts, the situation resolves itself. "WOAHWOAHWOAHWOAH HOLD ON YOU TWO!" shouts Medici, running to the Commandant. He puts his hand against her stomach. Quickly, she stows her weapon, nodding to the stranger to do the same. "Look, our commander - she isn't a great people person, for all her strengths..." Medici notes to Laur. He looks up towards Suvanka. "No you aren't - come on, you don't want to make this some kind of incident here, we talked about this -" he whispers to her before turning back to Laur. "We're very pleased that you decided to come join us, Ma'am, and we appriciate all the help you've given us. Come along now!"

Suvanka walks aside from Medici. "You know I would have won that fight" she groans. "Yes, I know dear. But we're trying to make friends here. Demonstrating your strength with shows of force doesn't really do that"....
___
TEMPLE: DATE UNKNOWN

"An extraction team should arrive to take care of the prisoners. We've already made sure they arn't going anywhere, and they'll fare better chances by the interrogators then if they decide to run off. Just because we are far from any of the larger outposts doesn't mean we're helpless - calling in anything more drastic on the other hand would likely take hours." announces Suvanka

"Yes, and it's just as well - I'm getting nothing on the radio. Cave systems, you know? Even if we had a teleportation satellite in the sky here, we wouldn't be able to use it - needs a direct line of sight to the sky." replies Medici

"Und also, we're trapped. This ... thingamabob right ova' here is radiating some type of... energy. I would advise against fiddling with it, as my various sensors are reacting to it with such intensity to the point where I do not feel safe being near it..." Voltaire notes about the portcullis. ... "Perhaps we should look at the statue?"

[Swix]

So eager was Jinx to enter the cavern and filled with such relief, that she barrelled right past the door and it shut as Bill came barrelling through too-the iridescent dragon smacked his horned bodily into the glowing bars and blinked, dazed before roaring his displeasure and being separated.

Jinx turned back to calm the mythological beast, who grunted before laying down by the entrance.

Jinx though, went instead to look at and run her hands alongs the 'compass' glyphs.

[BoltAscendent]

Eltra had cleaned up by then, the floran stretching out and recalibrating the suit. The Floran isn't too trusting of most, not enough to reveal any unwatched spots of let others around with their guard dropped. Eltra's in full hunting mode, biting down on some more jerky to satisfy that craving for meat as an old hunter's instinct and training took hold. Work time.

[Jent]

“Isn’t that just cheeky?”

The huldu grimaced at their only known entrance being sealed off. He expected traps, naturally. Though this felt more complicated than any mere time-set trigger. Something else must had set it off. “If we still had the girl’s pet, could perhaps tried tunneling our way dow,” Wade suggested. A brutish, a highly-likely idiotic plan. Probably too confident he could handle any other traps that might be lying in wait for them.

“... Or inspect the eerie scaly altar. That works too.”

[Game Master]

Upon closer examination, there lay five circular stone rings centered around a half in diameter disc of similar composition. A base primarily in a light rustic red, it too bore numerous symbols and images which relate to the rest of the complex. Besides the grey-green jade orbs already situated in place were an additional five slots.

Behind the altar would be golden statues. Each one happen to represent all six figures represented in the surrounding reliefs. Horned demon, twisted serpent, earthy golem, graceful bird, a pile of bones, and just a single sphere. Probably for image of the strange entity up on the ceiling.

From what one could guess, the enchanted structure might need these figurines to be placed in a particular arrangement along the large stone disc… Yet, before any tried to read further into the symbolism, wispy words hovered along the rings.

Found among shadows of peasants broke to regal crowns
Elusive to grasp, yet chills bones within.
Abdicate its role by a tempered mind,
Righteous hearts prevail in the end.

Outright these beliefs they hold dear,
Rending natures far and near.
Deviants corrupt this to sate desires.
Either by brutish brawn or sly conspires.
Return to dust and wilds abound.

Prodigal son or studious daughter,
Ostracize threads both friend and kin,
When driven down the selfish path.
Emboldened by a violent nature,
Renders them to ruin.

Rotten this darkness be,
Abandoning caution out to sea.
Generous wisdom may tame,
Endeavour to quell this flame.

...

The last lines were not decipherable. Best decide on which statue is placed on the outer ring, and so on. Perhaps the last riddle might be revealed with the correct pattern?

[Laur]

Laur proceeded to warily observe, stowing her trusty weapon away only upon seeing the young squirt do likewise. The other fellow whom had run over seemed to be particularly brighter, whereupon the once reluctant mutant felt more at ease in following over to the group.

Presently she dropped her dampening field, seeming to her to shrug comfortably into her natural sensing ability. In reality, when she used her dampening field it blocked her other powers, and sensory awareness of energies had proven particularly useful in the past. Thus the feeling of familiar peoples energies reassured Laur, and she strolled in to the cave preceding leaving and locking her hoverbike up above by the bus.

"I recognise these symbols upon the walls. They are of a four-armed, snakelike species whom call themselves Tezca"

[Swix]

"So" Jinx mused as she staredat the statues and the reliefs on the walls "Is it direction based? Or something else? Anyone know what these things are?" She picked up the golden Fire Demon statue

[Jent]

“Tezcans? Never heard of those lot.”

The name held no prior existence within the confines of the huldu’s headspace. Never there before, though it quickly found itself rapidly occupying his thoughts. Should be cold-blooded, right? Why in the world would they seize a dwelling in this corner of Kara? Especially given the fact these beings transformed the cave closer to their own liking...

They desecrated Mímisbrunnr!

Degenerate dirt dwellers! These Tezcans washing away who knows how many years, if not centuries, of amassed information regarding the legendary smith. Just to carve their fanciful cultural works atop an important site to the huldrefolk. Praising these ridiculous idols like this sea serpent-

His gaze traced along the magical writing with a more thorough intent. Some sort of intelligence is obviously translating the otherwise unintelligible etched glyphs into a language the whole group could understand. Abandoning caution out to sea. Wade recalled hearing a similar line before. “... Cardinal directions wouldn’t make sense for the circular tablets. It be lopsided, ” Wade answered out-loud, believing he caught on to a potential clue. “The Eastern figure, this scaly beast, has a rather furious expression unlike those stoic-faced Tezcans…”

Wade gently went to place the figurine he once held where the fourth riddle laid. Luckily, nothing which could be seen as trap revealed after setting the serpent in that slot. He needed to review the information again, rather than letting his judgment be ruled by the first emotion that bubbled forth. Integration, not disintegration. The remodelers must have added on to what likely was already here, if the huldu’s theory proved correct.

“Whoever claimed this place since those Knights’ last visited here done some interpretati’ since then. Mimir’s Well must still be active beneath the altar, translating the riddles,” he speculated, pointing to the statue in Jinx’s possession. “And these statues probably correspond roughly to the huldrefolk Heralds.”

[Game Master]

Ancient, and one might say, elder sort of magic stemmed from the altar. Not surprising since it housed waters saturated in the aura from a Herald of Knowledge prior. Perhaps the mutant by the name of Laur could perceive that the floating writing itself sourced directly below of the obsidian altar. Its energies reaching deeper than the current layer they all stood upon.

The golden statues were vivid in dramatic cues compared to the different scale colored Tezcans in the artwork.

Boastful, garnished with an unhealthy amount of disdain for others it deem beneath giving concern. That be the arrogant effigy which Jinx held from the rest. It stuck out the most 'mammalian' from its group. Lack of scales, hooved feet reminiscent to either bovine or distant relatives. The Fire Demon seemed fairly capable of maneuvering on four legs, yet preferring the upright stance as the subjective tallest.

In contrast to the comparatively solem golem which remained hunched. Despite being bearing an additional pair of limbs, the vaguely humanoid shape bore a few traits calling back to some amphibian origin. A union of warty flesh likened to rock with a mutual symbiosis with an unknown species of plant.

That leg-less fiend of the sea certainly appeared to have a vicious disposition. Highly detailed work of its gnashing teeth, demonstrating a fierce display in this moment sculpted piece.

Whereas those remaining figurines paid less in facial cues and more towards overall behavior. Such as the assortment of reptilian bones neatly piled, as if a type of funeral pyre. Or how the avian, in its frozen pose, showed it was about to take off in flight… If it was alive and not solid metal, of course.

[Swix]

Jinx stared at Wade, then at the altar, then down at the statue that she'd picked up before looking back up. "The huldrefolk Heralds? Like the ones Auntie Solveig talks about? Fear, Rage, Order, Power and Wisdom? Or was that knowledge? So.... that one's angry? That must be Rage right? So what's this one? Doesn't look very nice... Looks like it's looking down at everyone else. Power maybe? Or is that the Golem?"