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[Lyon]

((Consult the map to see which territories you border. There should be at least two other players, counting the Sniper's presence in the City.))

Venator's brush with the wild boar had left him drained of power, and for the better part of a day cycle he remained in the Great Tree, regaining his strength. At the end of the cycle, he dropped down, heading for a patrol along the edge of his territory. As he went, he touched up the traps, adding several more alarms. It would not do well to be taken unawares by another attack so soon.

As he rounded the southern edge of his territory and began to loop around, he saw a flash of green in the distance. The Hunter frowned. I wouldn't have created anything that far out... but what is it, then?

Venator steeled himself, checking that his bow was at the ready, and stepped out into the featureless gray plain that lay between the edge of his forest and the green fields beyond. In several moments, he was crawling across the fields, grass swishing against his cape as he made his way deeper into the territory.

This must belong to another one of the combatants! Venator realized. He frowned. But are they an ally, or an enemy? Only one way to find out.

Raising his voice, Venator stood up straight, shouting "Is anyone there?"

[8-bit]

Enid raised her weapon in response to the call that resonated near the end of her fields. She straddled her horse in a few swift motions and rode to meet the source of the noise that had disturbed the serene quiet, scanning the tall grasses for a combatant. Her mount reeled backwards when it spotted a figure in the open, cape billowing behind it. Enid diverted her course from along the river to meet the stranger, her sword ready to lop its head off if it made a move to strike her.

"I am here," she answered in a firm voice, looking down on the man in brilliantly gleaming armor. Enid was impressed by his attire and saw he had well-constructed weapons of his own. He appeared to speak her language eloquently, unlike the armies of attackers from before. "How do you present yourself? Ally, or enemy of the Iceni tribe?" Her horse breathed hot steam onto the man's helmet, causing the precious metal to fog up. The blade of her sword rested at her side in a neutral position, with her shield hanging on the other. Though she was a woman, Enid saw herself as not one to be trifled with.

[Shoottokill]

Trilon began to set up puppet patrols to guard his domain. At the end of the first shift, one of the puppets came back and reported that there where several large structures in the distance that did not seem to be natural. "How strange. Thank you, but go back to work now."

Trilon walked out of his theater, and surveyed the surrounding area. There seemed to be nothing in three of the four directions. In the fourth there was indeed shapes that appeared to be unnatural and very structured and almost building like. But damn, they where a ways away, too far for him to walk. Even though it was almost night, he decided to set out to investigate. He had set up a long series of tracks that stretched as far as he could see, and he willed a small train into existence. He called some of his puppets to accompany him to investigate.

Just as everything turned into complete night, he set out.

[Lyon]

Venator was somewhat puzzled by the woman's challenge, but he answered with equanimity. "Neither. I am merely a traveler. I glimpsed your territory from the borders of my own land"--he gestured back towards the forest--"and have come to greet you as an equal. I am called the Hunter, another one of the masters of this land. Who are you?"

[Durandal]

Having long ago reached the outer limits of his marshland, Spyridon trudged on towards the nearest place of interest - a mountain, preceded by some light woods. This entailed the creation of a rather simplistic motorcycle, to help shorten a trip which would otherwise been mind numbingly boring. It gave Spyridon ample time to reflect, philosophize, and juggle theories for his existence: if only to keep himself from going insane.

Using binoculars to search for places of interest, Spyridon noticed a village pecularly placed near the top of the mountain. Although it reminded Spyridon of an old, medieval village in form, the buildings themselves (and the rest of the infrastructure) were just about the exact opposite. Immitating what Spyridon could only attribute as some grimdark, futuristic reboot of some '20s Noir film, the most fitting description Spyridon could consider for this village was simply 'anachronistic'. Whoever created this realm must have been a lot of fun to be around.

Prior, Spyridon had hoped to garner some form of ally in this village, albeit upon arriving at the gates, all his mind could think coherently was 'turn back, turn back now.' Much to his brain's horror, his body continued onwards towards the gate that held back whatever remain inside. Conceding, his mind attempted to find solace in the hope that the statement 'don't judge a book by its cover' held true.

"Hello! Anyone there?" Spyridon hollered upwards, hoping to catch the attention of some form of guard manning the entrance.

Edited by Durandal, 29 January 2012 - 11:46 PM.

[Vithar Megilaglar]

Weynryd studied the monitors. "Convenient. Let's go." A pair of drones appeared on either side. HE studied the monitor again, judging the area. "Main gates? Courageous."

Weynryd stepped towards the monitor, then seemingly walked through it. A moment of falling and darkness, and he was on the wall.

"Yeah, someone's here. What's your business? Why are you here?" He muttered a command to his drones: "Keep him in sight. Scan the area."

[Shokushuko]

Shokushuko was eager to explore. She knew that there were others out there and she was looking forward to meeting her playthings. On many sides, there was nothing, a void that did not look traversable. But there was definitely life nearby in a few directions. To prepare, she went about making transport. An enormous, dark orchid-coloured rhinoceros beetle appeared. She entered the compartment in the giant beetle's head and plugged herself in. The wing shields opened and some minions crawled into the back storage compartment. She closed the wings and turned her attention to her link.

"Daddy, I'm going to explore the area, I'll keep in touch and call you if I need you," she informed him, and then closed the hatch in the beetle's head. The beetle headed off towards the nearby fields, as it seemed to have more life.

Edited by Shokushuko, 30 January 2012 - 03:32 AM.

[8-bit]

Enid looked down at the armored man and sheathed her blade, allowing her to dismount and eye the hunter more closely. An equal? From the man's strong build and confident posture, he seemed to wield both power and stamina. She could tell he wasn't one of the soldiers that she and her vanished army had engaged in combat before.

"I am a warrior from my tribe, whom the gods have decided to test on these battlefields. I accept you as my equal, Hunter." Without hesitation Enid extended her hand and gripped the man's forearm tightly in a primitive sort of handshake. She could tell he had influence here, or perhaps he was being tested as well. Either way, the warrior felt it wouldn't be wise to turn the powerful-looking man down. Whatever his origins, she felt more secure as his ally than as his enemy.

Edited by 8-bit, 28 February 2012 - 05:41 PM.

[Durandal]

Spyridon wanted to jump; he wanted to spin around and make a break for his motorcycle. Despite his brain now screaming from shock to get away, Spyridon somehow felt glued to the ground. All he did outwardly was flinch in fright. Was this courage that kept him in place, or stupidity?

Stumbling for words, Spyridon took the time to compose himself; he shall show no weakness. "I've come to negotiate. If you could spare some of your time, I feel we may both benefit from what I wish to propose." Hopefully, this man was open to negotiation.

[Vithar Megilaglar]

:Hmm...Doesn't seem like the enemy. And seems to have come on peaceful terms.: He ducked behind the wall. "Keep an eye on him."

Weynryd glanced at an area beside the newcomer. Then stepped towards the edge of the wall, and walked through the base of the wall, the evanescent portal dissipating behind him. "Come with me, we'll talk in the keep. It'll be safer." Weynryd turned towards the wall. "Oh, by the way, the name's Weynryd Drecker."

[Lyon]

Venator was surprised by the strength in the woman's grip, but let it go without comment. "You say that your gods are testing us, Warrior?" he said, the title feeling right as he addressed her. "Perhaps the gods of your land have sent you here to purify you, but whatever entity reigns here seems to desire your destruction and mine. I would presume that you were also subject to an attack from these creatures. Although the fog here swallows all in time, I can still see the tracks and signs of a battle."

[8-bit]

"You are correct. Fortunately, men were sent to aid me until the last of the waves were diminished." Enid looked around the battlefield. No trace of the blue-painted soldiers could be found, except for torn-up grass where scuffles had taken place. "If this entity that you speak of wishes us dead, I believe we have a common cause, Hunter." She took her hand away and mounted her horse again. It snorted quietly in response to the added weight. "If you seek to eliminate the power that oversees this strange land, then I will join you."

Perhaps the entity in question was yet another god, or maybe it was her final test. Either way, Enid was determined to meet it face-to-face. She noticed as the Hunter easily conjured a mount for himself out of the fog, apparently agreeing silently with her offer.

That was that, then. There was much the Warrior didn't know about the lands surrounding her fields, but a feeling in the pit of her stomach indicated that even with her military prowess, she had no idea what to anticipate. Maybe there was more to this place that she wasn't aware of. If that was the case, then maybe she was underestimating her own power. Enid looked down at her rough, tartan cloak and imagined--didn't pray, but conjured up the image of softer material. Her wish was gratified as warmer clothes hugged her body, woven together more finely than her previous outfit. Her eyebrows raised of their own accord. The gods, she assumed, were lending her their power to undertake her mission. She suddenly felt more confident, now sitting erect on her horse.

A human with a god's power... As they began to ride through the vast fields, Enid made a silent vow not to abuse such a privilege.

[Lyon]

The Hunter absently patted the neck of his fog-horse as he rode alongside the Warrior. "Your territory is beautiful, but it's far too open for my taste. No cover anywhere in sight." He shrugged. "I suppose that our combat philosophies must differ. I prefer to avoid direct combat if possible, since I have no army of my own to aid me."

He gestured towards the Forest. "My territory lies over there. If you need my help, send a message and I will come. Two will survive in this land better than one." He nodded politely, then dug his heels into the horse's flanks and rode off towards his domain.

[Durandal]

Spyridon stared at the wall which once had become a living intercom. Although he did not jump this time, it still confused and startled him greatly. However, this paled in comparison to Weynyrd's most recent move. To identify himself, not even by monikor but by actual name, to someone that he had known for probably 2 minutes, (it was hard to tell time in this existence.) was odd. Either this man as a fool, or it was a test of reliability. Was he merely incompetent at planning, or was he testing whether he could trust Spyridon?

"Interesting name, mine's Spyridon. A pleasure to meet you Mr. Drecker." Spyridon finally responded, awaiting the gates to open.

"Pleasure's all mine, Spyridon. Now, if you'll follow me..." Weynryd walked towards the wall. "Ah...you'll want to note that you'll feel something akin to falling and blindness. It'll be over in seconds, I assure you." Weynryd held his palm at the wall. A portal coalesced into being. One could see several computer banks as if through a rainy covered window. "Follow me."

Spyridon, with some hesitance, stepped into the portal, panicking as the described feelings suddenly enclosed around him. Although he knew it was merely a few seconds, it felt like a lifetime of sudden shock. Walking out again, it took a certain amount of strength to compose himself once again. "A very interesting form of travel you have there... Assuming you used my name, I'll drop the formalities. Is Weynyrd acceptable?"

"Call me what you wish. Wenyryd is likely more common." Weynryd willed some chairs. Despite the otherwise spartan decor, the chairs looked oddly comfortable. A table materialized. "Sit, have a drink. I assume you can will yourself a drink?" Weynryd sat, leaning forward.

"Indeed, Weynrd. Thank you for the seat." Spyridon replied, willing himself a cup of green tea. Looking around, he noted the juxtaposition of his realm was a recurring theme; what an odd taste this man had indeed.

Weynryd nodded at Spyridon. "I figure you haven't come here for drinks and biscuits?" Weynryd sipped as his tea, sighed, and willed it to warm. Biscuits also materialized on the table. "Unless, of course, you did come here for drinks and biscuits. I don't know much about anyone else in this...world."

Spyridon chuckled casually - the man was right. Spyridon didn't know what to expect from this world any more than his host did. "Hah. You're correct, I didn't come for tea and biscuits. I did, however, come to speak about our current world." Relaxing into his chair, Spyridon continued, sipping from his tea lazily. His tone, however, was absolutely serious. "The thing is, you're entirely right. Neither you or I know anything of the world around us, nor can I consider it in any form 'predictable.' This, as I have a feeling you can understand, is an issue. For that reason I've come to offer an alliance. We don't know what to expect, so I believe if we worked together, we'd be much more safe than we would be isolated. What do you say, Weynyrd?"

Edited by Durandal, 18 February 2012 - 10:09 PM.

[Vithar Megilaglar]

Weynryd weighed the idea of an alliance. While he liked his relative solitude, there was something said about strength in numbers...

Weynryd nodded. "An alliance is a good idea indeed. As it has been said, there is safety in numbers."

A drone flitted in, landing on what looked like a miniature landing pad. It was, in truth, a conduction pad, allowing the drone to charge and download information by merely touching the pad.

"I see. To the northeast, it seems, there is an unusual shipwreck. I might have to see about exploring this one personally, unless whoever owns it comes to me..."

Weynryd glanced at Spyridon. "You up for a little exploration?"

[Durandal]

Spyridon rose from his chair, conveniently finishing his tea. "After you, Weynyrd."

Although it could be noted his attitude had changed slightly, this shift was subtle. Spyridon would patiently get to know his companion, or potentially, companions, before he let down his guard. The best way to do this was through cooperation.

Weynyrd seemed more than comfortable enough to trust him. A foolish decision, however in Spyridon's case it proved more beneficial than harmful. He'd pay careful attention to him in the future. If this was any indication, Spyridon would have a much better time spotting potential double-crossers than his compatriot.

[Armos]

The Don's car drove up to the Penthouse, Paulie and the new comer were in tow. They entered and took the elevator up to the suite which was guarded by two large, heavy mobsters who opened the door and nodded as the group entered.

The Don quickly head into his office and Paulie and the newcomer followed suit. He sat himself down behind his desk and took off his hat.

"Now, tell me who you are. I'm not fond of strangers and you sir, are a stranger..."
The man was about to speak when a man entered and placed a note on the desk which read, 'Large "train" spotted heading this way.' The Don nodded and whispered back,

"Keep an eye on it. If it becomes hostile destroy it, if not bring them to me. PAULIE! You're in charge of this one."

Paulie nodded and left the room, the other mobster followed. The Don looked back at his guest and smirked.

"Sorry about the...eh...interruption. As it turns out, you might not be the only stranger this side of the void"

[Shokushuko]

Shokushuko reached the plains and headed in the direction of life signs. Amongst the fog it was still apparent that a battle had taken place. It seemed like another form of life was headed to the forest, or pehaps returning to the forest. The other could be greeted later, for now the master of the plains was her victim. What fun could this one provide? She giggled to herself. There was no reason to hide here. The beetle had a built in biological megaphone that she now began shouting through.

"Yooohooo~ I've come to play with you~" she called out in a childish but intimidating manner. "How do you like tentacles, and art carved into your skin?"

She laughed and then called out again. "Come on out already, I know where you are, it's just more fun if you greet me."

Edited by Shokushuko, 28 February 2012 - 09:34 PM.

[Carol the Fool]

The Sniper considered this new information for a second. A newcomer? If not an enemy for this Don, than he may be one for me... I'll just wait for now... He looked up to see the Don staring at him, almost impatiently.

"The name is Barry. I don't know why I'm here any more than you do, but I do know two things. The first is that I trust my rifle. The second is that we are going to have to kill to survive here." He looked around the Penthouse with interest. "That's all I really know about this place. So what about you?"

[8-bit]

Enid's muscles tightened at the sight of the huge creature approaching. In a swift movement, she mounted her horse again and drew her sword. When she was able to properly judge the insect's size, the warrior summoned an army of fitting proportions to match the insect in combat. Her soldiers materialized from the mist, this time with weapons far more impressive than the ones they'd wielded in the first battle with their foreign opponents. Enid barked a command, and the wave of foot soldiers flew ahead of her to greet the beast. Soon she was among them as well, riding circles around the huge creature and making an attempt to pierce its armored back with her blade.  

'Though their threats are impressive,' Enid though, watching the battle unfold to briefly survey their progress, 'This creature is no match for my painted warriors.' The blue on their skin stood out through the chaos of the clash. Suddenly, she was shocked to find that the insect had broken through her strong wall of soldiers and watched as they dissipated into mist once again.

Edited by 8-bit, 01 March 2012 - 06:22 AM.