NationStates Jolt Archive

Om, it was a world lost in legend and Rumor. Much like the Lost city of atlantis, many had stories, many had claims to be from there, but no one had any proof. Over the many centuries, the occasional Captain would come in to port with wild stories of sighting a massive uncharted world, with an ancient civilization untouched by outside influences.

But again, they had no proof.

Some stories say, that Om is a massive world rich with unused resources.
Others say, there is Temple in Om, which contains enough Riches to buy an entire Alliance. Some say it contains weapons so devastating, as to Destroy entire systems with a single attack. The least credible stories, coming from those that are clearly insane, tell of The gate of Divinity, a Gate, that once you pass through it, gives you ANYTHING you so desire, anything.

The last few say that Om is filled with horrors and Machinations that insure that no man, woman, or anything else finds out the truth.

what is the real story? No one knows. Maybe their all true, and maybe their all false.

Current Day, Current Time....

A Ri-anese Exploratory Octopus ship, belonging to The Followers of Old Ri-an was out scouting for a world to settle on, and raise an Army to attack the current ruler of Ri-an.

Suddenly, a Massive burst of light makes them stop in their tracks.

"What was that?" asked the ships captain, Geoarty, Head of the Master Sorcerers of Ri-an.

"Scanners are picking up a massive Flux in The Time/Space Continuum. Don't ask me how, or why, but, based on these readings, its as if we're intersecting another STC."

"Put it on the Main Screen." Geoarty said.

What they saw, caused a collective gasp of surprise.

They saw a world, like Earth, but Twice the size of Jupiter. Its Atmosphere was perfect, as though untouched by pollution, its waters, were pristene, and full of life. Its lands, were rich.

Geoarty did a scan of the world, and found cities, and a massive Temple interconnecting the entire world.

"Om." was all he said Quietly.

They decended, and a spy in their group sent a message back to Kajeenith, Ruler of Ri-an, Mad God of Nothing.

"No. They couldn't have found Om. All the Gods, Dark Good, and everything else agreed to keep mortal kind from it forever! I need something on their level to distract them, but what?" he asked himself.

"How about anouncing its discovery to all of civilization" Asked his Wife, Jiralyn, the Dark Priestess, who had recently layed 200 eggs.

She adopted her human form.

"I'll contact your brother, and let them know." she said.

She disappeared, a bit unsteadily.

Kajeenith thought it over. It was a remarkably good idea.

Meanwhile...

Geoarty and the others had landed.

---------------------------------------
From: The Government of Ri-an
To: All nations and peoples

We are exicted to announce the discovery of the Lost world of Om, and are pleased to add that we have concrete proof of its existence.

Want to see it for yourself? Spacial Coordinates following this message.
----------------------------------------

"There, that should bring in enough people to distract them, while I get to that first, yes, I must get to that first. That is the most important." Kajeenith said. He disappeared, taking with him some of his best Followers.

OOC: Two Rules only.
My OOC word is final. You can discuss it if you wish, but to keep things running smoothly, when I pass judgement, leave it at that.

The other Rule is that there are no more Rules, and of course Everyone knows what that means.

"Bugger-!" was all the Lieutenant Colonel had time to say as the ball lightning hit her suit.

<static>
<dissasociation>
<dark>

++systems online++
++weapons functional++
++armour functional++
++diagnostic successful++
++errors: none++
++pilot: uninjured++
++local terrain: unfamiliar++
++communications: blank++

"Aaarh..." groaned Lucie, "what... where ... Grud alive. This isn't Heptasis Six!"

OOC: I take it to mean she's on Om.

IC:

She found herself, Surrounded by people in loincloths, and wearing animal hides. They all had spears, some had bows and arrows.

Obviously they were out hunting.

One used the blunt end, and poked her with it.

"Seba del habwe!" he said. Which, was Omian for, is it alive?

"Hacktos telanar Divinia" Said another, which was Omian for, Take it to the Gods.

"Threlno Sequakes" said the first. Which was Omian for Why Bother, Kill it now.

She suddenly found all five of them with their spears pointed at her, but they were hesitant.

"gelthna Selna shekaka!" Which was Omian for, it shines beautifully.

"Ledro livber cided." which was Omian for, To the Village, let the chief decide.

So, The went to pick her up.

OOC: Every post I will be making a DC10 Sanity check, to see if Beckenbauer goes insane. This way, he's utterly unpredictable and makes it more fun :p

Bridge of the Sovereign-class Star Destroyer 'SS Aryan Fury'

The message had arrived during Third Watch, much to the puzzlement of the Communications Officer.
"Who are the Ri-ans?" he asked the Executive Officer, he didn't remember them from his briefing on 'Enemies Of The Race' the other day during The Helpful Thoughts Hour. The XO put his hand on the ComOff's shoulder and spoke in a reassuring tone,
"Ah laddie, don't worry. Remember: 'The Zionist and Bolshevik wears many faces'." The ComOff sighed with relief and smiled,
"Thanks sir, I feel much better. We must always be vigilant." Many of the bridge crew nodded and murmured in approval.
"That we must laddie, that we must." Everyone felt better for the XO, he always knew what to say. The doors to the bridge hissed open, and the Captain strode on.
"Everything going alright XO?" he inquired, pausing for a moment to admire how shiney his buttons were in the mirror.
"Quite sir," replied the Xo, "in fact, we recieved a message from something called Ri-An, listing the co-ordinates of a planet." At this, the Captain sighed.
"You do realise this is the sort of thing I have to wake the General for."
"Better you than me sir," the Xo gulped, remembering the last time he'd been to wake the General and had woken up six months later from a coma.
"Indeed," replied the Captain dryly, "I'll see you men soon." Saluting, he about-faced and made his way to the Storm-General's antechamber, located just off the bridge.

The chamber was dark, except for a down-light that lit the Storm-General. He was standing upright in the middle of the room, not making a sound.
Quiet as the grave the Captain mused, before coughing politley and announcing himself.
"Storm-General, this is the Captain. We've intercepted a message announcing the location of a planet." The officer stood there silently, fervently hoping that Beckenbauer would be in a good mood when he awoke. No matter how long it took, the Captain would wait, as if he left before the Storm-General had said anything, it would mean his conversion to a red smear on the deck.
"We go there" rumbled the leviathan without moving. It was voice devoid of emotion, of meaning. Both of those had been stripped away from millenia of servitude and suffering.
"As you will Storm-General," bowed the Captain, he then turned and left the chamber, shortly arriving at the bridge.
"Navigation, set a course for the planet in the message." With that command, the ship lept across the cosmos and would arrive shortly in orbit over Om.

A sleek metallic shuttle touched down in a small clearing surrounded by trees. A small hatch slid open on the side of the ship, and a short ramp extended to the ground.

From the dark interior of the rice-shaped craft, a lonely figure emerged, garbed in brown leather and wearing a pair of brass goggles, with a rifle slung across his back.

"Thanks for flying Galactic Charter. Here's a transponder to give us a shout when you need to be picked up."

"Thanks."

The figure was passed a small card-like thing from the darkness.

Frederick took a moment to look out across the clearing before stepping off the ram. Turning around, he watched as the silvery shuttle withdrew its ramp and rised silently into the atmosphere, before speeding up and heading off to wherever its next assignment was.

The adventurer turned to look towards the temple. "Well, there's not much else to do other than to start walking."

The figure started walking out of the clearing.

~SNIP~

Nothing was strong enough to contact them in space there, so they were greeted with silence when they arrived. The Ri-anese had already left their craft.

They had left a Space Buoy though, inviting people to land. they never specified where though.

~SNIP~

The Temple was still sealed. He had found one of the smaller entrances.

Even though it was a foreign language, he could find he could read the symbols on the wall, as though they shifted to let him read what they said.

"Great Temple of Om. Sealed shut against all outside force. To fight against Om, is to fight against yourself."

OOC: Once everyone posts once ICly, I'll open the Temple.

As the ship entered orbit two men looked upon the view screen at the surface visuals and sensor readings.

Already traffic would begin arrive.

"Are you certain you wont join me Elric?" spoke the man to the left of sensor board.

"No Michael, I am afraid you are alone with this." Capt. Shrader spoke back to the man, he clearly held some affinity for him. Perhaps some paternal instinct.

"Just this huh?"

Shrader only sighed at the response.

"The shuttle is ready you go down there at your leisure.
I would prefer it to be soon as I dont like being here."
He seemed uneasy in his chair.

"Not a fan of ancient cultures?" Michael replied.

"Not a fan of walking into obvious traps Michael, obvious traps."
Shrader noddeed towards the man in questioning manner.

"Yes, it is very peculiar for the Ri-An to just announce the location before they had reaped any benefit. But then maybe there is no benefit to reaped andso it is pointless for them to keep it a secret. Or perhaps ..." Shrader cut off Michael "Or perhaps it is a trap, and just call it that."

"What will you do Michael your gifts fail you?"

Michael smiled, a broad and warm smile. He turned his head away as if looking at the answer to the question on sign on the other side of the room.
"Those 'gifts' you call them are sideshow tricks. My real gifts will never fail me Elric, never. So no fear. You did prepare my 'overnight bag' yes?"

"Indeed."

"Everything?"

"Change of socks, each of the knives you asked for, needler, four magazines for the needler, a silk scarf-I tell you what Mike that is a little fruity, a carton of cigarettes, and a jar of olives. You are a strange bastard Mike."

"This should not be a surprise to you Elric."

"I am just shocked you didnt ask for a bottle of whiskey."

Both men laughed and Michael boarded the shuttle....alone.

Johnathon, mostly called Johnny by the people that he worked with was extremely tired. In his civvies John climbed into the bunk bed that he was so used to sleeping in. However, something was different, he was not sure what it was but something was, but he was tired and in no mood and it could just be his exhaustion as well. He put his head on what counted as a pillow and immediately fell asleep which in itself was weird, but he dreamed, not of the usual things he did, but a swirling vortex and it felt that it was pulling him through it.

Johnathon Karver awoke with a start, or at least he thought he did.. no longer was he in his bed nor in the clothes that he went to bed in. He was in full standard Bazalonian infiltration make-up. Even the minor alterations that where his special pattern.

Looking around there was a bag, a black backback that was usual for infiltration, visual aides including binoculors, IR Goggles and night vision goggles. In the pack there was he noticed there was ammunition but no guns which was weird, but then again he realised he felt the guns around his waist.

He didn't need to look he was able to realise this from the weight, and it was his favourite weapon too. the simple yet effective, fire almost in any condition .22 caliber pistols, 2 of them one on each side.

As to his surroundings he had picked up alot of information in this time, firstly it was some kind of jungle.. not rainforest... probably closer to jungles of the Amazon if anything, but there was something that caught his interest just glancing through some foiliage, carefully not disturbing them he saw an entrance to the Temple of Om... Once he gotten himself ready he started scouting around looking for any sentries or any signs of survelliance or security around the entrance.

~SNIP~
OOC: I'm going to pair you two off at the same entrance for no other reason than that it'll make me feel better.
~Snip~

Jonathan saw nothing of the sort on the ground. He did see Mr. Grey's Shuttle landing nearby though.

The door was sealed completly shut. On it were the words:

"Great Temple of Om. Sealed Shut against all outside force. To fight against Om, is to fight against yourself."

"Hey boss ... BOSS." Came the shout, rising in intensity to try and overcome both the various speakers blasting various cacophanic musics, the hum of machines and the crackle of an arc welder.

"How many times have I told you, when I'm working don't bother me. Or at least use the buzzer." Maxim commented after sliding out from under the machine, pulling up off his goggles.
"Bot iz shocks me." The Igorim commented before adding, "Some pipple claimink location uf someplace called Om."

Maxim light up, almost literally as he'd accidentally fired the arc welder and nearly caught his grease stained lab coat on fire. "Prepare the transporter and gather up every thing in lab 9 and bring so we can get it to Om. There's work to be done."

For the next few hours the complex was a virtual hive of activity yelling at the Igorim to be careful and such while gathering up his favorite tools and the ding bot, a small mouse sized robot type entity.

Once everything was ready the mad boy activated the buttom to trigger the transporter. In a rush of multi-coloured apple and steak they found themselves on Om.

****************************************

Mahzerius stretched his wings, degraded as they were from the Fall. Around him were a half dozen corpses. The shadowkin had thought they could get him to become as they, but more so. Fallen he might be, demon-to-be he was most definately not.

A tv in the room he'd been staying had been running the news during the scuffle for it had been nothing more when they got to an article concerning the supposed reappearence of the fictional world of Om.

Focusing, he drew upon his own power as well as the remements of the shadowkins energies to open a small gateway to where Om was suppose to be. A potentially problematic situation would arrise if Om was as bad as described as even with the energy borrowed, he'd be fairly close to tapped out by the journey.

Maxim found himself on a Broad Flat Plain. Lions were nearby, on the hunt. There was a stone slab on the ground, marking an entrance to Om.

"Great Temple of Om. Sealed shut against all outside force." Was all this one read.

-----------
Mahzerius Found himself on a high mountain, looking at two great doors set into the Mountainside. He had found a ceremonial entrance to Om. He was standing behind an Alter.

"Great Temple of Om. Sealed Shut until the one with the Key appears to open it. No other outside force can possibly force these doors open. To push against Om, is to push against yourself, but you will break long before even a crack appears in these doors."

OOC: Alright, so we just need Demon and Trinity to post, and I'll open the gates. Unless Tomorrow comes first.

A tree on Om quivered, its branches swaying. At least, that's what it would look like to anyone from a distance.
First there was a drop, than a stream. Blood seemed to emerge from one of the leaves as it dripped on the ground.

To anyone watching it, the blood slowly flowed in a strange shape, slowly combining to form a intricate circle. Perhaps the word "pentagram" would be the description for it, but no one would be really capable of describing it.
The blood stopped, and the circle was completed. There was silence, and then the circle began to glow red.

It would appear to the ignorant observer that a red-robed figure was coming from the ground, but Nekaru had summoned himself from another dimension. Now here he was, on Ohm.

"Damn, it's shut."

Frederick ran his hands over the door, trying to find a way to open it. Pressing every brick in the near vicinity and examining the mortarwork all across the immediate entryway.

"Hrm... There has to be a way to open this somewhere..."

For the next few hours he preoccupied himself attempting to push in, remove, chip away at or otherwise gain access to the temple.

The doors puzzled Johnathon, there was a way to get in, but it was not obvious for now. Anyway his attention was drawnn away It sounded like some kind of VTOL aircraft had landed nearby. Slowly and carefully making his way to near where the noise came from he pulled out his anti-glint binoculars and surveyed the craft from a safe distance under the cover of some of the foiliage, and there he waited looking to see what would happen.

OOC: The sneekers working together maybe... hmm interesting.

"So, sealed against outside forces is it?" He muttered as a solution was already forming to the problem of how to get in. If outside to inside wouldn't work, then he'd just have to force the door to open from internal pressure.

He then began the process of building a machine to do just that.

-----------

"A key. Now what kind of key. Likely not one that might be found anywhere present" Zeri commented as he looked around at his surrounding, opening senses that were normally closed so that many things that might remain closed were not. Finding a slight something, he set out after it with the decision that he might as well investigate for a while.

Geoarty and the other mages were exploring Om, when they came accross the main entrance to Om.

Geoarty took out a weathered old Pillar of Rock from his robes.

"Is this the key?" he asked.

The Pillar of Rock, had been found floating on a far away world.

The Sorcerers of Ri-an had found it during their travels, and saved it.

The rock Pillar glowed bright blue.

The door to Om glowed blue.

In the main door, there was a single crystal set into the center, but no matter what, The light never hit it.

"It couldn't be that sumpol, could it?" geoarty asked.

One end of the pillar was reflective.

He placed it in the light, and light hit the door. No matter what ay Geoarty turned the Pillar, the light never hit the crystal.

"But, this has got to be the key." He said.

Then, he tried a little turn, swinging the end up a little. Still, no light hit it.

Then he shot a light spell at the door. The door reflected it back at Geoarty.

"So not any old light will work." he said.

"Well, maybe there's a clue in the Alter." said another Sorcerer.

geoarty studied the Alter for an hour.

Then he stuck it in a little hole in the Alter, Reflective side up.

It worked, the crystal began to glow. the door Cracked open, and the key disappeared Revealing a small cave.

But on the inside of that cave was a creature with 100 eyes, fifty mouths, 90 Claws, and no logical form.

A brief and surprisingly unintresting struggle killed it. Its Blood trickled down the Alter, and the Alter recided into the floor. The Cave wall cracked, and crumbled, and sent a shockwave through om.

The other doors began to glow blue, and opened up.

Everyone saw the same thing.

A staircase, leading into the darkness.

A Gust of wind rushed up, and it doorway made it sound like a Shriek, as though the Temple itself was Shrieking. Was it in anger? Was it fear? Who could say.

Fire Flickered on torches, as they lit the way into Om.

OOC: So, From your Characters point of View, Decend into Om. Each of you has a diffrent path, but it all starts the same. In this manner, each of you can take Om at your own speed.
I highly suggust you read EVERY post I make in both Om threads. Someone elses actions may effect you.

A tree on Om quivered, its branches swaying. At least, that's what it would look like to anyone from a distance.
First there was a drop, than a stream. Blood seemed to emerge from one of the leaves as it dripped on the ground.

To anyone watching it, the blood slowly flowed in a strange shape, slowly combining to form a intricate circle. Perhaps the word "pentagram" would be the description for it, but no one would be really capable of describing it.
The blood stopped, and the circle was completed. There was silence, and then the circle began to glow red.

It would appear to the ignorant observer that a red-robed figure was coming from the ground, but Nekaru had summoned himself from another dimension. Now here he was, on Ohm.

The Temple was open, and awaited him...

OOC: Sorry about the delay.

IC: <-RCO Side->

"Alright," yawned the Captain of the old destroyer (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Ships/Ship3.jpg), a design hailing from the pre-warp days of Trinity Blood, that had obvious modifications and 'strap-on' warp engines attached to the hull, "those guys representing old Ri-an told us to meet them here. Took us a long while, but we're here. So, where are they?"

"Captain," reported an officer, "reading a planet near-by. Class J in size, but Class M in type."

"Now that's impossible," exclaimed the Captain, "the gravity alone should cause that planet to implode. Best let the big shot now about this."

"You sure?" gulped an Ensign.

"Why, thanks for volunteering, Ensign," said the Captain as the rest of the bridge officers sighed in relief.

"Ahh, man," whined the Ensign as he took his sweat time heading to inform the 'Magician' about the find.

<-Imperial Side->

The ISC Somraw, a Raptor class (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Ships/scout_raptor.jpg) scout, emerged from a rift in the Aqumaranian's (sp?) home of Fluidic Space. The discovery of Om had reached the CSP and, due to all the stuff spouted off by the Ri-anese about the place, Trinity Blood had decided to investigate to see if any of the rumors were true.

"Ma'am," said the Captain, "we're going to be landing the ship, so I suggest you hang on to something."

"I'll be fine," retorted the Duchess.

"As you wish," replied the Captain hoping she wouldn't take it out on him if she got knocked onto her ass by turbulance, "tactical, set the ship to Blue Alert. Conn, you know the drill."

"Aye, sir," came the replies from both stations as the Alert Status Indicators caused the lighting to take on a blue tinge.

"Hull is polarized," reported the officer at tactical, "and deflectors are at full."

"Bringing atmospheric thrusters on-line and deactivating the warp core," reported the officer at the conn, "plotting landing trajectory and taking us down in three...two...one."

At one, the ship came into contact with Om's outermost fringes of atmosphere as her pilot used the manuvering thrusters to bring her in on a glide path that minimized the amount of atmospheric entry plasma created. That which did for, lasted for but an instant as the craft was down to the cloud layer in a matter of seconds.

"Extending landing struts," added the conn officer.

Three 'limbs', one in the neck and one in each wing, emerged from stowage and extended so they could be ready to prop the ship up while she was on the surface.

"Touch down in five...four...three...two...one."

At the moment the tips of the 'feet' touched the ground, the 'toes' splayed to support the ship's mass of 90,000 metric tons.

"Securing thruster exhaust."

OOC: Here's the basic stats for the Somraw so you all can visualize things better.
Raptor class:
Length: 100 meters
Beam: 60 meters
Height: 18 meters
Decks: 3
Mass: 90,000 metric tons
Crew: 12
Note: The RCO ship is on the other side of the planet from my Imperial ship, so the planet itself masked them from detecting each other. I'll also post my characters officially stepping foot on the surfaces soil in my next post when more of my brain cells are awake.
Oh, and my Raptors are usually produce in bulk, so only those in service as the personal ship of someone like the Duchess, gets a name.
Including this one, those are as follows: ISC Raptor, ISC Samrah, ISC Somraw, and ISC Sam Ra.

~SNIP~

RCO Side:

they would get no response from the Ri-anese, BUT, the planet did match Xos's fanaticle descriptions.

The Ri-anese ship could not be detected though. It was in a deep valley, and there was interference.

Imperial Side:

Vines shot up and wound themselves around the ship and its landing struts and toes, holding it in place.

Not too far away, was a cave, but it was decorated to look like a Temple.

They had found a side entrance to Om, and so would have to go through the cave, to get to the Temple.

Frederick was in the middle of fiddling with a clockwork contraption in his latest attempt to open the gate, when it suddenly glowed blue and rumbled open.

"Eureka!"

Taking out his lantern, he crossed the threshold of the temple.

Pulling his goggles up to they sat on his forehead, he walked slowly into the ancient temple.

"Into the lion's den once again, Frederick... into the lion's den." he muttered to himself, pausing to light his lantern on one of the torches.

Walking by the flickering light of his bullseye lantern, his steps echoed down the hallway.

Frederick was in the middle of fiddling with a clockwork contraption in his latest attempt to open the gate, when it suddenly glowed blue and rumbled open.

"Eureka!"

Taking out his lantern, he crossed the threshold of the temple.

Pulling his goggles up to they sat on his forehead, he walked slowly into the ancient temple.

"Into the lion's den once again, Frederick... into the lion's den." he muttered to himself, pausing to light his lantern on one of the torches.

Walking by the flickering light of his bullseye lantern, his steps echoed down the hallway.

He would find, at the base, Statues and Alters to the Gods, All of them. You name it, it was in there somewhere. Why, Even the Flying Spagettie Monster had its own Statue. there was also one Representing The Big Bang.

That was the first truth of the Temple. It was Dedicated to all The Gods without Exception.

Right now, he was face to face with a Statue of Khorne. The Chaos God was Depicted, sitting on a Throne made of the bones of those he has slaughtered.

A Simple Alter sat before him, waiting for Offerings and Sacrifices. All The Gods were given the same Alter.

He could go left, he could go right, or he could go back up the steps.

Both ways lead further into the Temple.

Frederick, at first recoiled at the immense sight of all the various gods worshipped in the universe.

Taking a moment to view all the idols to the deities, both real and imagined, he lit a single candle and placed it at the entrance to the room, in a symbolic gesture to all of them.

Besides, I don't have enough to put one on every altar.

Taking out a largish book, he set it down on the altar to the Big Bang (Less likely to strike down righteous vengeance if they gods do hold true influence here, he thought) and began to draw a general map of the area, labelling this room 'The Hall of the Gods'.

With that, he closed the book and turned left, proceeding deeper into the long forgotten temple.

"The cake is cut, now it is to be eaten."
Nekaru smiled as he put a lightsaber back in its handling spot, and he strode into the great Temple.
Noticing a stick of wood, he snapped his fingers, and lit it. He would use it as a torch.

"Silence on the com," breathed Lucie, "and this is definitely not Operation Hesperus. So. Evasion and escape it is then."

The massive bulk of her Brigadier-class armoured support suit thrummed over the ground, its computers and tactical systems automatically recording its surroundings.

Inside the Brigadier, Lucie watched on her HuD as walls scrolled past her, covered in arcane symbols and strange heiroglyphs.

Bridget, she thought, can you read those?
Analysis of patterns resembles language.
Yes, but can you read them?
Not yet. More data required to complete translation to tolerance levels.
Tell me when you can.
Of course, Lucie.

From the outside, the huge powered suit looked like a massive ochre-coloured egg suspended above the ground. Two oval blisters on its underside hid track units in case it could no longer rely on its anti-gravitic propulsion. Two massive arms flexed and scanned, built-in weapons tracking and twitching. Each arm ended in a robotic, powered hand that reflected Lucie's hand motions. They gave her the strength to tear reinforced plasteel as if it were paper - and she was skilled enough to pick up eggs without breaking them.

Above the cockpit entry hatch glinted the blue-metal barrels of heavy weapons mounted beside and above a bank of sensors. An open door appeared, suddenly, behind a bend in the wall.

"Well, here goes nothing."

The Brigadier prowled forwards into the temple at a smooth 20 km/h, ready for anything...

The mighty Skgorrian ship hung in orbit, shields up and weapons primed just in case. The Skgorrians were by and large a militant and agressive people, and although this had landed them in some severe trouble before, it hadn't changed them at all - apart from now most Captains ordered a scan of planets before blowing them up or landing troops.
"Sensors report inconclusive findings sir," reported the Scanner Operator, "For some reason, we're getting no readings."
"NO readings?" spluttered the Captain, "This is a bloody Sovereign-class Star Destroyer, the mightiest vessel in the whole of the Pact of Iron with the exception of those damned Ultras, and you are telling me that we can't get any readings?" The Scanner Operator wished he could crawl into his seat to avoid the enraged Captain, but alas he could not.
"I'm...I'm sorry sir, we can pick up that the planet itself is there, but we can't discern anything about the planet itself."
"Further scans will not be necessary" boomed a voice from behind them as Storm-General Beckenbauer stepped onto the bridge. "I will go to the rocket pods and descend to the surface."
"As you will Storm-General," saluted the Captain, "but might I..
"NO" interupted the leviathan, "you will do no such thing. I go now."

---

Storm-General Beckenabuer stepped out of the rocket pod and powered up his system diagnostics. A flash of text scrawled past his artificial vision:
Targeting matrix:online
Primary ranged weapon: online
Primary CQB weapon: online
Scanner Suite: online
Mobility Assist A: online
Mobility Assist B:
Suit integrity: 100%
Self-repair unit: online
System ready for operation
Satisfied that he was ready for anything, the Skgorrian looked around. The terrain seemed to be largely jungle-like, seemingly much like the terrain of Skgorria III. A large stone structure loomed ahead of him a short distance away, and he headed towards it.

An insistent beeping began as Lucie was inspecting a small statuette she'd spotted lying on the floor.

What is it?
Skgorrian Ubersoldaten location beacon has just arrived precisely 3.221km to the SSW, Lucie.
Skgorrians, eh? Time to tag-team!

Without slowing, the Brigadier span on the spot and headed back out of the temple. Sure enough, there was an Ubersoldaten. It was alone, and heading towards her.

Magnify image.

"Grud!"

Open comlink!
Comlink open.

"Storm-General," hailed Lucie, "what are you doing here, sir?"

"Ah-ha." Maxim commented with a slightly unbalanced chortle. "The door must have know I was going to open it and saved me the trouble." He was however slightly disappointed that he didn't get to use his machine.

With a faint frown, he gave the order to gather up the machines and parts and such and with an Igorim in the lead to trigger any traps of course.

***************************

Zeri turned as the glow to see the doorway fade away. It meant that there were more people present and one must hold, or have held, the key. He returned to the entrance and with one glance around the outside entered into the torch lit cavern.

Frederick, at first recoiled at the immense sight of all the various gods worshipped in the universe.

Taking a moment to view all the idols to the deities, both real and imagined, he lit a single candle and placed it at the entrance to the room, in a symbolic gesture to all of them.

Besides, I don't have enough to put one on every altar.

Taking out a largish book, he set it down on the altar to the Big Bang (Less likely to strike down righteous vengeance if they gods do hold true influence here, he thought) and began to draw a general map of the area, labelling this room 'The Hall of the Gods'.

With that, he closed the book and turned left, proceeding deeper into the long forgotten temple.

Dust was everywhere.

A small 3 foot Lizard lifted its head. It was next to a Human Skeleton. It had a long Yellow fin down its back. It stood on its hind legs like a t-rex might.

It hissed at Fredrick. It was waist level to him. It was a Crested Felldrake, a small Flightless Dragon. Its bigger, flight able Cousins were deeper.

Then, it snapped at Fredrick, intending to bit him on the side.

OOC: Congrats on finding the first enemy. Taken from the D&D Monster Manuel 2. Its only a Challenge rating 1 creature.

"The cake is cut, now it is to be eaten."
Nekaru smiled as he put a lightsaber back in its handling spot, and he strode into the great Temple.
Noticing a stick of wood, he snapped his fingers, and lit it. He would use it as a torch.

He found another set of Alters, only they were on Either side of the Hall. The Hall continued straight.

The Door Closed behind him, and the floor opened, revealing a 30 foot, very hungry Snake. It looked like a Viper, but had the deadly muscles of a Constricter. It hissed, and moved very quickly, intending to wrap itself around Nekaru, and squeeze him to death.

~SNIP~

~Snip~
OOC:
I'll let you two talk, but that doesn't mean your any safer on the surface, infact, at the moment, the surface is even deadlier.

IC:

The Ground shook somewhat. It came bursting through the Foilage. It was 6 feet tall, and 100 feet long. At one point in time, it was a Centipede. But time had caused it to grow larger. It was no longer a Centipede, it was a Megapede.

RCO Side:

they would get no response from the Ri-anese, BUT, the planet did match Xos's fanaticle descriptions.

The Ri-anese ship could not be detected though. It was in a deep valley, and there was interference.

The 'Magician' (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/isaak.jpg) stepped onto the 'liberated' transporter platform the ship had been fitted with. With him were four enlisted troops with gauss rifles at the ready and a Methuselah, Deacon Frost (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/Deaconfrost.gif)*, who had been sent as a representative of a different section of the RCO. Waiting to on the side for their turn to beam down were five additional enlisted troops.

"Energize," ordered 'Panzer Magier'.

"Aye, sir," responded the Lieutenant at the controls as he activated the transport sequence.

With-in moments, they emerged from swirling columns of light on Om's surface. Soon they were joined by the rest of the team.

"Perhaps we should head for that structure," suggested Frost (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/FrostBefore.jpg) after he had shifted to his younger looking form.

OOC: *Frost is one of those Methuselah who can morph between multiple forms. He's still a low-level of power and the switch between his younger and older forms is pretty much the only advanced thing he can do.

Imperial Side:

Vines shot up and wound themselves around the ship and its landing struts and toes, holding it in place.

Not too far away, was a cave, but it was decorated to look like a Temple.

They had found a side entrance to Om, and so would have to go through the cave, to get to the Temple.

"Alright, Captain," said the Duchess of Odessa once the Raptor had stopped moving, "the ship is yours."

Suddenly, without warning, the ship shifted violently as the plantlife attached itself.

"What the hell!" exclaimed Astharoshe (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/astharoshe.jpg) as she stopped herself from falling to the ground by grabbing onto the top of the Captain's chair.

"Apparently," reported the Tactical Officer, "we've become ensnared by some form of animated plant life. I'll have a team working on clearing it while you are gone. With any luck, we should be free by the time you get back."

The Duchess snorted and left the bridge to gather what she would need from her quarters and the armory.

An hour later, a group of five, led by the Duchess, emerged from a hatch on the bow 'leg' of the Raptor.

"Ah-ha." Maxim commented with a slightly unbalanced chortle. "The door must have know I was going to open it and saved me the trouble." He was however slightly disappointed that he didn't get to use his machine.

With a faint frown, he gave the order to gather up the machines and parts and such and with an Igorim in the lead to trigger any traps of course.

***************************

Zeri turned as the glow to see the doorway fade away. It meant that there were more people present and one must hold, or have held, the key. He returned to the entrance and with one glance around the outside entered into the torch lit cavern.

There were no traps, yet. Rather, there were, but they were in the form of Reptiles and giant Vermin.

They found Rats, Everywhere. The Rats Clustered together, and formed A Ratswarm.

They swarmed over the Igorm, Clawing and scratching and Biting Everywhere.

***********************************

Zeri found his way to a large room with three doors. One on the left, one on the right, and one in the middle.

"the right way leads to riches." Was scribbed on the walls.
Did that mean that the door on the right would lead to riches, or that choosing the Correct door out of the three lead to riches?

The 'Magician' (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/isaak.jpg) stepped onto the 'liberated' transporter platform the ship had been fitted with. With him were four enlisted troops with gauss rifles at the ready and a Methuselah, Deacon Frost (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/Deaconfrost.gif)*, who had been sent as a representative of a different section of the RCO. Waiting to on the side for their turn to beam down were five additional enlisted troops.

"Energize," ordered 'Panzer Magier'.

"Aye, sir," responded the Lieutenant at the controls as he activated the transport sequence.

With-in moments, they emerged from swirling columns of light on Om's surface. Soon they were joined by the rest of the team.

"Perhaps we should head for that structure," suggested Frost (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/FrostBefore.jpg) after he had shifted to his younger looking form.

OOC: *Frost is one of those Methuselah who can morph between multiple forms. He's still a low-level of power and the switch between his younger and older forms is pretty much the only advanced thing he can do.



"Alright, Captain," said the Duchess of Odessa once the Raptor had stopped moving, "the ship is yours."

Suddenly, without warning, the ship shifted violently as the plantlife attached itself.

"What the hell!" exclaimed Astharoshe (http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o293/True_Human_Empire/Character%20Pics/astharoshe.jpg) as she stopped herself from falling to the ground by grabbing onto the top of the Captain's chair.

"Apparently," reported the Tactical Officer, "we've become ensnared by some form of animated plant life. I'll have a team working on clearing it while you are gone. With any luck, we should be free by the time you get back."

The Duchess snorted and left the bridge to gather what she would need from her quarters and the armory.

An hour later, a group of five, led by the Duchess, emerged from a hatch on the bow 'leg' of the Raptor.

RCO:

As they made their way down, they came face to face with The Blood god.
Rather, they came face to face with his statue. It was amazingly life like, and so accurate.

The same modest Alter was in front of him, that was infront of all the Statues. They could go Left, they could go right.

Imperial:

As they made their way down, they came to Two Doors. One Left, one Right.

RCO:

As they made their way down, they came face to face with The Blood god.
Rather, they came face to face with his statue. It was amazingly life like, and so accurate.

The same modest Alter was in front of him, that was infront of all the Statues. They could go Left, they could go right.

"Looks like I'll be needed earlier than expected," smirked Frost before he bit his wrist and allowed the blood to flow into the alter.

Licking the blood from his lips, he added, "Now all we need to do is gather the Shadow Council formed by Mein Herr' Contra Mundi for the reason he formed it in the first place."

"Yes," replied ''Panzer Magier' in a neutral tone, "most assuredly not for governing the Rosen Kreuz Orden."

Imperial:

As they made their way down, they came to Two Doors. One Left, one Right.

Trying to get a reading of what lay behind each, a young Ensign began scanning the left door first with his tricorder.

"Looks like I'll be needed earlier than expected," smirked Frost before he bit his wrist and allowed the blood to flow into the alter.

Licking the blood from his lips, he added, "Now all we need to do is gather the Shadow Council formed by Mein Herr' Contra Mundi for the reason he formed it in the first place."

"Yes," replied ''Panzer Magier' in a neutral tone, "most assuredly not for governing the Rosen Kreuz Orden."



Trying to get a reading of what lay behind each, a young Ensign began scanning the left door first with his tricorder.
Imperial:
He could scan the contents of the room, but the walls blocked all form of scanning beyond it.

RCO:
Ahh, but leaving was no so easy.

The door closed, and the walls pushed together. Bats swarmed in and flew around the statue. They were of course, Vampire bats.
OOC: Or should that be Methusulah bats? :p
IC:
The bats swarmed around into one massive swarm of Vampire bats, and decended on the RCO members, biting, and clawing.

OOC: If i understood correctly i am being being paired up with Johnny at the entrance so I will just get to that and enter.

IC:
Michael stepped out of the shuttle, set his pack on the ground and the shuttle rose up to return to its mothership.

He was now completely alone...relatively speaking that is.
There was going to be plenty of traffic, and it was reasonable to assume there already was some off world traffic...he couldnt possibly be the first one here.

Not to mention an indigenous peoples.

He lit a cigarette.

He opened the bag and began removing the sheathed knives that he had requested, a broad assorment of cutting edges...Michael liked to get close to people, mostly because he could.

he removed the Needler(OOC: a description of the Needler will be in the OOC thread shortly its a fairly plain design) attached the holster to his hip and holstered the weapon.
Magazines in the belt around his hips.
Checked the olives.

That cheeky bastard...

Michael also found a fine bottle of whikey in the pack...

Always thinking of me

Elric was a smuggler Michael used to get around when he didnt want to take regular transportation, Elric was also one of only three people he could allow to remember him clearly...Elric was the closest thing to a firend Michael had.

He slung the pack onto his shoulder loosly and made his way towards the giant temple.

He could have used the sight slip to ensure he was not seen, but there seemed to be residual effect even when he wasnt trying to use it...it was getting stronger...either that or he really was so damned plain that he blended into the background.

Either way as usual he walked casually towards the temple.

.........


Upon reaching what he saw as opening form a distance there stood another man he was preparing for either a fight, or an introduction when suddenly and without warning the large stone doors blew open...

Convienent

He looked to the other man "Well, in we go ..."

And began walking into the temple....

Bazalonia and skibereen:
Whether Jonathan followed Mr. Grey, or they went down side by side doesn't really matter, what does matter, is that after both of them were inside, the doors shut behind them. At the base of the steps, Mr. Grey saw three words on the wall.

"I See You."

Nekaru sighed....
Honestly, just a viper? What a waste of time, he thought as his fingers snapped.
Fire, fire of incredible power of beauty seemed to pour out of his hand and encircled the snake in a tornado of heat.
"That was easy. He doesn't deserve to exist."

Nekaru sighed....
Honestly, just a viper? What a waste of time, he thought as his fingers snapped.
Fire, fire of incredible power of beauty seemed to pour out of his hand and encircled the snake in a tornado of heat.
"That was easy. He doesn't deserve to exist."

Cooked Viper anyone?

Well, that being done, Nekaru Could go left, he could go right. Left, went into a long dark hallway.

Right, went around a brightly lit corner.

Secret IC:

It awoke from the Corner. It was air. It was an Invisible Stalker, a being composed entirely of air. Nekaru for all his senses and control would be able to see nothing but air.

Funny enough, the Invisible Stalker also controled Air.

It was intrested in this thing. It would follow him. Always out of touch, always out of range.

There was always the chance Nekaru could befriend the Invisible Stalker. But there was also the chance The Invisible Stalker would choose to kill Nekaru and feed on his life force. If that happened, it would be a great battle of air control indeed.

OOC: I ran accross him in the D&D Monster Manuel. I had to use him.

Bazalonia and skibereen:
Whether Jonathan followed Mr. Grey, or they went down side by side doesn't really matter, what does matter, is that after both of them were inside, the doors shut behind them. At the base of the steps, Mr. Grey saw three words on the wall.

"I See You."

Johnathon kept as good as an eye he possibly could on Mr Grey, he knew nothing about the temple, Mr Grey, his motives nor infact, really anything. This disturbed him, so keeping in shadows and silently he creeped in attempting exactly what to find, amazingly whenever he lost sight of Mr Grey he found him again he had a slightsense of not expecting to see someone here. Which was ludicrous.

His assumed orders where to now just to work out the hell was going on in this temple, and for now this unknown character is the only lead he has

Johnathon kept as good as an eye he possibly could on Mr Grey, he knew nothing about the temple, Mr Grey, his motives nor infact, really anything. This disturbed him, so keeping in shadows and silently he creeped in attempting exactly what to find, amazingly whenever he lost sight of Mr Grey he found him again he had a slightsense of not expecting to see someone here. Which was ludicrous.

His assumed orders where to now just to work out the hell was going on in this temple, and for now this unknown character is the only lead he has

Something noticed him. It looked like a Minature Red Dragon, Slightly Smaller than a housecat. It was Red-brown in color, rather than deep red. It had fanscales sharp claws and teeth. Its Tail was twice as long as its body, barbed, and very flexible.

It had wings, which were as wide as its tail was long. It couldn't breath fire, but it was poisonus. It consedered this area its home. And while it had noticed Mr. Grey, it ruled him out as an imidiate threat. It took flight, and hissed at Jonny. And then dived for him to sting him with its poisonus tail.

Without pausing, Lucie reached down and grabbed the Megapede with both her Brigadier's hands.

Then, she squeezed and pulled. Her tiny motions within the cockpit translated, magnified, to the Megapede. The huge ochre fists crushed with a pressure of ten tons to the inch, and pulled with enough force to tear down buildings...

"Storm-General," she called again, "do you read me, sir?"

Without pausing, Lucie reached down and grabbed the Megapede with both her Brigadier's hands.

Then, she squeezed and pulled. Her tiny motions within the cockpit translated, magnified, to the Megapede. The huge ochre fists crushed with a pressure of ten tons to the inch, and pulled with enough force to tear down buildings...

"Storm-General," she called again, "do you read me, sir?"

The Megapede jerked and twisted. It had not actually attacked, it had just burst through the underbrush. Ichor sprayed all over Lucie's armor. It turned with its powerful mandibles and attempted to tear through her armor, and her head.

(OOC: Lucky bastards. They get a pseudodragon...)

It hissed at Fredrick. It was waist level to him. It was a Crested Felldrake, a small Flightless Dragon. Its bigger, flight able Cousins were deeper.

Frederick reflexively leapt back as the vicious lizard lunged at his side. "Gah! Vicious little bugger, aren't you?". Unwrapping a chunk of cured meat from his bag, he tossed it to the strange creature.

He then moved away from the small dragon and watched it as he unslung his rifle.

---If the felldrake stops for the jerky---
Frederick watched warily as the reptilian predator paused to eat the jerky. He held his rifle lightly, ready to shoot it if the gesture proved futile.

---If it attacks (or doesn't stop for the jerky)---
As the creature lunged again, Frederick took two steps back and levelled his rifle at the deadly predatorial creature. As he squeezed the trigger, a single, lethal bullet plunged into the dragon's skull.

---If it doesn't attack---
"So you were just hungry, hmm?" says Frederick as the dragon doesn't immediately attack again. Taking a can from his bag, he cut it open and emptied it in front of him, stepping away from the tinned meat.

"Darkness is comforting. Darkness is good."
With those words, Nekaru lit a torch, and proceeded down the left passageway.

(OOC: Lucky bastards. They get a pseudodragon...)

"So you were just hungry, hmm?" says Frederick as the dragon doesn't immediately attack again. Taking a can from his bag, he cut it open and emptied it in front of him, stepping away from the tinned meat.

OOC: I'll give you a chance to make a friend.
IC:
The Crested Felldrake ate the meat. It liked its lips and just stared at Frederick.

It had seen its borthers and sisters either taken away or slaughtered in similar situations. But, this man felt diffrent.

It gave a little questioning growl.
"What now?" it seemed to be asking.

"Darkness is comforting. Darkness is good."
With those words, Nekaru lit a torch, and proceeded down the left passageway.

Nekaru found himself in a dead end. the walls closed around him, leaving him and the invisible stalker in a small confined space. The Floor turned clockwise, the Walls turned Counter Clockwise.

He was let out into a room with great tablets on the wall. They were blank, but if Nekaru touched them...

The Invisible Stalker decided to see how Nekaru would react to the absolute darkness.

It manipulated the air to blow out Nekaru's torch. Of course, all Nekaru would be able to see, was just air.

Imperial:
He could scan the contents of the room, but the walls blocked all form of scanning beyond it.

"Step aside, Ensign," ordered Astharoshe as she drew her spear and extended it.

Figuring out rather quickly what the Duchess intended to do, those with her dove behind what cover they could find rather hastily. Pointing the glowing blue tip at first the left door, she fired a blast of energy that had the explosive force of a couple pounds of high explosive. Once the first door was finished being 'opened', she repeated the process on the door on the right.

"Alright, now get that tricorder back out," said Astharoshe.

"Yes, ma'am," replied the Ensign in a nervous tone as he got up rather shakily and moved back into position with his tricorder at the ready.

RCO:
Ahh, but leaving was no so easy.

The door closed, and the walls pushed together. Bats swarmed in and flew around the statue. They were of course, Vampire bats.
OOC: Or should that be Methusulah bats? :p
IC:
The bats swarmed around into one massive swarm of Vampire bats, and decended on the RCO members, biting, and clawing.

OOC: Methuselah is the species name, not a synonym for vampire (though 'vampire' is a rude, crude, offensive, racial slur type of slang for the species).

IC: "Hmm," sighed Frost as he plucked a bat from his shoulder with its neck in the crook of his thumb, "I almost feel sorry for what we have to do to this little fellows......almost."

With that, he looked down at the bat, which was trying to reach his thumb in order to gnaw its way free, and snapped its neck.

Dropping it to the floor, he ordered the grunts, "Ignore them for now. We are all Methuselah here and will heal quickly enough, so don't waste your ammo on things you have no guarantee you'll hit.

"Now, who has the laser pistol?"

"I do, sir," replied a man with the rank of Sargent.

"See if you can use it to cut through the door," ordered Frost, "I would prefer we not have to use any of our limited supply of thermite paste so soon."

"Understood, sir," replied the Sargent as he fiddled with the controls on his weapon before kneeling in front of the stone door and began trying to cut through.

"What the hell?"
Nekaru was definitely surprised. Given his control of air, the idea that his torch would suddenly blow out was odd.
And then his eyes sensed it. There was another in here, someone he couldn't see.
He lit one lightsaber. Still no one. But someone was definitely there- his eyes never failed.
"Who's there? I know you're there- don't hide from me!"

Beckenbauer grew aware that someone was trying to contact him.
Running analysis of transcript:
Subject has not identified themselves,
Running analysis of signal:
Carrier band and encryption suggests Atopian.
Running voice analysis:
Subject identified as Lucie Svetranova, Lieutenant-Colonel. Subject is personaly known.
Time to contact: ETA 24 seconds
The suit's computer carried out the analysis in less than a milisecond, and delivered the results directly into Beckenbauer's brain. Rather than bothering to contact her over radio, he instead continued to run towards her. Noting the dead creature on the ground, and the gore splattered over the battlesuit, Beckenbauer was most impressed.
"Greetings Lieutenant-Colonel, Storm-General Beckenbauer at your disposal. I see you have wasted no time in beginning to Purge."

"Step aside, Ensign," ordered Astharoshe as she drew her spear and extended it.

Figuring out rather quickly what the Duchess intended to do, those with her dove behind what cover they could find rather hastily. Pointing the glowing blue tip at first the left door, she fired a blast of energy that had the explosive force of a couple pounds of high explosive. Once the first door was finished being 'opened', she repeated the process on the door on the right.

"Alright, now get that tricorder back out," said Astharoshe.

"Yes, ma'am," replied the Ensign in a nervous tone as he got up rather shakily and moved back into position with his tricorder at the ready.



OOC: Methuselah is the species name, not a synonym for vampire (though 'vampire' is a rude, crude, offensive, racial slur type of slang for the species).

IC: "Hmm," sighed Frost as he plucked a bat from his shoulder with its neck in the crook of his thumb, "I almost feel sorry for what we have to do to this little fellows......almost."

With that, he looked down at the bat, which was trying to reach his thumb in order to gnaw its way free, and snapped its neck.

Dropping it to the floor, he ordered the grunts, "Ignore them for now. We are all Methuselah here and will heal quickly enough, so don't waste your ammo on things you have no guarantee you'll hit.

"Now, who has the laser pistol?"

"I do, sir," replied a man with the rank of Sargent.

"See if you can use it to cut through the door," ordered Frost, "I would prefer we not have to use any of our limited supply of thermite paste so soon."

"Understood, sir," replied the Sargent as he fiddled with the controls on his weapon before kneeling in front of the stone door and began trying to cut through.

Imperial:

The doors were blasted open, but right as the ensign had brought his Tricorder back out, the doors were back.

Words wrote themselves on the wall
"I don't appreaciate being shot at."

The very same Energy that Astharoshe shot at the door, shot back at her.

RCO

the floor dissolved beneath them, dropping them down into a big empty chamber. appearently a trap activated bay shooting the door.

The chamber was devoid of doors, hallways and a soft landing.

The ceiling reformed above them.

Words glowed on the wall.

"Three went north, four went south. nine went east. How many went west?"

The wall beneath had the numbers one, through one hundred written on push buttons on the wall.

"As you yourself said, Storm-General, Action Without Delay must be our watchword against the Bolshevik! I am placing myself under your command for the duration of our stay on this ... strange ... world, sir."

"What the hell?"
Nekaru was definitely surprised. Given his control of air, the idea that his torch would suddenly blow out was odd.
And then his eyes sensed it. There was another in here, someone he couldn't see.
He lit one lightsaber. Still no one. But someone was definitely there- his eyes never failed.
"Who's there? I know you're there- don't hide from me!"

Nothing happened.

The Tablets were glowing gold with his words.

"Who's there? I know you're there- don't hide from me!"

Nekaru quietly raised the hand that was not holding the lightsaber.
"To whoever is in here- this is your last chance to show yourself, or I will treat you as an enemy. I know you're here, so it's pointless to hide yourself."
As for those Stone thingies, he simply watched them. Best not to strike first in this situation.

~SNIP~

~SNIP~

The dead Megapede dissolved into thin air. The forest twitched. The found themselves, and their ships, in a desert, before a giant pyramid. It looked nothing like anything found anywhere else. It seemed covered with moss, and looked sphericle in the middle. A door plainly sat open. Sensors would tell them they had not moved on inch, niether had the world. No time had passed either. It just, changed.

"Indeed Lieutenant-Colonel, for this world does not seem to carry the taint yet" Beckenabuer mused, scanning the terrain with his scanners and tracking it with his plasma cannon. "I believe that our next course of action would be to enter that large building over there" he stated, waving his chainsabre at the temple. "Keep close Lieutenant-Colonel, I don't like this..." boomed the Ubersoldat as he stepped into the temple, his weapon charged and ready.

Nekaru quietly raised the hand that was not holding the lightsaber.
"To whoever is in here- this is your last chance to show yourself, or I will treat you as an enemy. I know you're here, so it's pointless to hide yourself."
As for those Stone thingies, he simply watched them. Best not to strike first in this situation.

His last words were up there too. Then another set of words were up there.

"I've been in front of you the entire time, plain as day. I am as the air itself. I've been alone for so very long in this place. How else, was I to get your attention? Even the Temple has stopped speaking to me, we have just simply ran out of things to say to each other."

"Yes sir!"

Inside the hull of the Brigadier, Svetranova grinned as she followed the Ubersoldaten into the temple. To fight alongside the Beckenbauer! An honour among honours! She thanked grud for this new hand she'd been dealt, then flicked on passive scanning on all wavelengths, and raised the Lawmaker macro-cannon to scan ahead and cover left.

To cover their rear, she slaved her 25mm gauss chainguns and the quantum impeller to the AI's control - and folded open her right 'hand', revealing the 50mm short railgun.

Imperial:

The doors were blasted open, but right as the ensign had brought his Tricorder back out, the doors were back.

Words wrote themselves on the wall
"I don't appreaciate being shot at."

The very same Energy that Astharoshe shot at the door, shot back at her.

OOC: Ohh, didn't expect you to do that. Nice.

IC: The Duchess rolled away from the blast, but the Ensign with the tricorder wasn't so lucky. He barely had time to let out a small 'meep' before the chamber was splattered with three-hundred-sixty degrees of mush.

At the sight of the gore, a female Ensign fainted. As the survivors tried to clean themselves off as best as they could, another Ensign tried to revive the one that fainted.

RCO

the floor dissolved beneath them, dropping them down into a big empty chamber. appearently a trap activated bay shooting the door.

The chamber was devoid of doors, hallways and a soft landing.

The ceiling reformed above them.

Words glowed on the wall.

"Three went north, four went south. nine went east. How many went west?"

The wall beneath had the numbers one, through one hundred written on push buttons on the wall.

"I think I broke my arm," groaned the Sargent as Frost reached over and picked up the man's fallen laser pistol.

"Bugger," groaned Frost, "well, try not to move it as I don't see anything in here we could use to make a splint for you out of."

"Aye, sir," replied the Methuselah through gritted teeth.

Except for a few scrapes and bruises on everyone, the broken arm was the most serious injury sustained from the fall.

Frost then looked at the riddle on the wall.

"How many went west?" he groaned, "now either that's a bad attempt at a math problem, or its a riddle with not enough information to provide an answer."

"Let me take a look," said a Private First Class, "I'm not half bad at riddles and puzzles."

"You damn well got that right," chuckled another Private First Class, "you finished puzzle books are always littering the commons room."

His last words were up there too. Then another set of words were up there.

"I've been in front of you the entire time, plain as day. I am as the air itself. I've been alone for so very long in this place. How else, was I to get your attention? Even the Temple has stopped speaking to me, we have just simply ran out of things to say to each other."
Nekaru's eyes wrinkled, and the lightsaber went out.
"The air itself? And what are you talking- I found you, not the other way around. And what do you mean by a temple?
In the end, WHO ARE YOU?!?"

Something noticed him. It looked like a Minature Red Dragon, Slightly Smaller than a housecat. It was Red-brown in color, rather than deep red. It had fanscales sharp claws and teeth. Its Tail was twice as long as its body, barbed, and very flexible.

It had wings, which were as wide as its tail was long. It couldn't breath fire, but it was poisonus. It consedered this area its home. And while it had noticed Mr. Grey, it ruled him out as an imidiate threat. It took flight, and hissed at Jonny. And then dived for him to sting him with its poisonus tail.

The dragon-like creature took up all of Johnathons attention, he dived in the direction it was coming from near to the ground and just missed the tail as it had not yet come close enough to the ground to be able to reach him. Pulling his weapons as he rolled and got up in what looked a single motion he fired the 2 two full clips into the most vulnerable spot he could think of... the creatures head. Despite the guns being silenced the sound of the pseudo-dragon and the firing of the shots echoed around. He stood ready to react to whatever the Pseudo-dragon did next and looked around for anything that he might use to his advantage particularily something he might use to get on the dragons back.

OOC: Ohh, didn't expect you to do that. Nice.

IC: The Duchess rolled away from the blast, but the Ensign with the tricorder wasn't so lucky. He barely had time to let out a small 'meep' before the chamber was splattered with three-hundred-sixty degrees of mush.

At the sight of the gore, a female Ensign fainted. As the survivors tried to clean themselves off as best as they could, another Ensign tried to revive the one that fainted.



"I think I broke my arm," groaned the Sargent as Frost reached over and picked up the man's fallen laser pistol.

"Bugger," groaned Frost, "well, try not to move it as I don't see anything in here we could use to make a splint for you out of."

"Aye, sir," replied the Methuselah through gritted teeth.

Except for a few scrapes and bruises on everyone, the broken arm was the most serious injury sustained from the fall.

Frost then looked at the riddle on the wall.

"How many went west?" he groaned, "now either that's a bad attempt at a math problem, or its a riddle with not enough information to provide an answer."

"Let me take a look," said a Private First Class, "I'm not half bad at riddles and puzzles."

"You damn well got that right," chuckled another Private First Class, "you finished puzzle books are always littering the commons room."

Imperial:

They were left with a choice, should they go left, or should they go right, and stop upsetting the Temple, or whatever it was that could control the temple to such a degree of finesse.

RCO:

There were scraps of paper. Nearby, some rotted wood and old rope would make for a semi decent splint, long enough for the man to heal anyway.

The scraps of paper though, held words.

".... in the wall.... studied the layout..... puzzle faces west.... look for the off colored."

The off colored what? To the north, there were nothing but bricks. same with the other directions.

the words were carved into the wall.

The bricks in the wall were all the same uniform color, or were they?

~SNIP~

~SNIP~

OOC: Well, since your not even commenting on the sudden terrain change.

IC:

Deep inside, they found a wall, this time with directional markers!

To the right lead a sign that read:

"To the tomb of the Demon Lords"
And beneath it was a little demon symbol.

To the left read a sign that read:
"To the Tomb of the fallen."
And beneath it was a symbol of Death.

Then there was another sign:
"Straight ahead: Tomb of the Dead Emperor"
And beneath it was a symbol of a Jester.

Nekaru's eyes wrinkled, and the lightsaber went out.
"The air itself? And what are you talking- I found you, not the other way around. And what do you mean by a temple?
In the end, WHO ARE YOU?!?"

"I am a being born of the air. I found you, at that last intersection, I was to the right, in the corner, so YES, I found you. The Temple around you is alive, near as I can tell. Maybe its the world itself. I don't know. As for me, I have no name. I am simply known, as an Invisible Stalker."

The dragon-like creature took up all of Johnathons attention, he dived in the direction it was coming from near to the ground and just missed the tail as it had not yet come close enough to the ground to be able to reach him. Pulling his weapons as he rolled and got up in what looked a single motion he fired the 2 two full clips into the most vulnerable spot he could think of... the creatures head. Despite the guns being silenced the sound of the pseudo-dragon and the firing of the shots echoed around. He stood ready to react to whatever the Pseudo-dragon did next and looked around for anything that he might use to his advantage particularily something he might use to get on the dragons back.

The dragon was rolling on the ground in pain. It shook its head, and leaped to sting Jonathan again. It was Bleeding.

OOC: Soory Ri-An, your post came up after I'd posted mine, but before it in the thread. Things are being a-screwy today, sorry :(

"HALT!" Beckenbauer bellowed, "Writings! Wall!" He lowered his plasma rifle and leant in closer so his opticial scanners could read the writing.
Acessing Tactical Database:
Options: Directions of left, right and straight on
Parameters: All are tombs, pictoral symbols
Conclusion: Sug
CORRUPTION, ERROR, REBOOT
"We always march onwards! CHARGE!" screamed Beckenbauer as he sprinted forwards, revving his chainsabre.

"Well, what do you want from me? What is your purpose? And what are these tablets?"
While he was saying all this, Nekaru's eyes were scanning the room looking for an exit. There had to be one around here- it would be quite irritating to get trapped in some room with this annoying spirit.

OOC: There was a terrain change? :confused:

IC:

"Action without delay!"

Gunning the anti-gravitic drive, Svetranova's Brigadier swept along, easily keeping pace with Beckenbauer, and all the while collating information in its AI...

Skgorria and Atopiana:

OOC: Oh well. I'm going to assume Atopiana follows you, since her own Character said she would follow you, at least for now.

IC: After they left, the Jester's eyes began to glow.

When they were out of earshot, a soft laugh echoed down the hall. The hall pushed itself shut. There was no going back.

They came to a Tomb, literally.

The Body lay out in the open, the lid to its Tomb gone. It was a body of a human, dressed in Jester's clothing, but wearing an Emperors crown.

Its eyes were glowing red...

"Well, what do you want from me? What is your purpose? And what are these tablets?"
While he was saying all this, Nekaru's eyes were scanning the room looking for an exit. There had to be one around here- it would be quite irritating to get trapped in some room with this annoying spirit.

"Unless your able to use these Tablets somehow, we're stuck in here for the next 10,000 years. That's how long I was trapped in this room last time." IS said.

"Last time? That means you know how to use them. Well, get me out. You obvioulsy want something from me, or you wouldn't have followed me here. Let me out, and I'll do what you request."

As the Storm-General stepped into the tomb, he drew back in disgust at the glowing red.
"Lieutenant-Colonel! Bolshevik! There!" he cried, priming the plasma cannon for a shot on maximum fire. It whined as the chamber heated up, and would be ready to fire in a moment's notice if anything went wrong.
"That glow looks unhealthy, like the health given to a small duck as sun went down. Orange?" he enquired as he stood on one leg.

"Last time? That means you know how to use them. Well, get me out. You obvioulsy want something from me, or you wouldn't have followed me here. Let me out, and I'll do what you request."

"I just want off of this world, if you can convince the Temple to let you out. The last man touched them." IS said.

"Fire, sir?"

As swiftly as she said it, she raised her 50cm railgun and punched off a dart of depleted uranium at the corpse's glow...

Atopiana and Skgorria:

Now they could here the jesters laugh all around them. They heard carnivale music, but it wasn't bouncy and did not stir thoughts of good times. This music was darker, more Evil, like it came from The Carnivale of Lost Souls or something.

The Body crumbled into dust.

A big bouncy ball bounced down the hall from the way they came. It came to rest not too far from them.

"Do you want to play?" asked a disembodied voice.

As the ball came down the hall, Beckenbauer spun to track it with his cannon. He followed it until it came to rest, then stood motionless for a few seconds. The silence was broken by him screaming
"RWAAAARGH!" and firing the cannon at full power at the small ball with enough force to burn through a ship's armoured hull. He then looked up to the ceiling and cried,
"Fools! Tools of the interstellar Zionist-Bolshevik Empire! Today you have met your match. I am Storm-General Beckenbauer, Hammer Of Skgorria. Know the name of your doom!"

All the while, he was tapping one of his feet in time to the music, and acting as a conductor with his chainsabre.

"Atopiana stands with you, Storm-General! Action! UNITY!"

Go to active scanning on all availiable systems!

OOC: What do I see? This is in X-ray, LIDAR, RADAR, infra-red, ultraviolet, sound, pressure, movement, etc etc... for a distance of 1km in all directions! :p

"I just want off of this world, if you can convince the Temple to let you out. The last man touched them." IS said.

One of the Tablets floated to Nekaru as he quietly laid his hands on one of them.

Frederick breathed a sigh of relief as the small dragon did not appear to be hostile. "Well, I'm going to be moving on now. You're welcome to come along if you like."

He started walking slowly past the felldrake, and paused just as he started to walk off, turning around to look at the reptiloid. "Well, are you coming along or are you going to just stay here?"

Imperial:

They were left with a choice, should they go left, or should they go right, and stop upsetting the Temple, or whatever it was that could control the temple to such a degree of finesse.

"Okay," said the Duchess as she grimaced at the quite thoroughy(sp?) soaked handkerchef she had whiped her face clean with, "time to try a different approach."

She bent down and picked up the dropped tricorder and began scanning the doors themselves to see if she could find out how to open them. A few moments later, the Ensign who had fainted started to stir.

"What I wouldn't give to find a river right about now," muttered another Ensign, "at least then we wouldn't have to walk around smelling like this and my hair won't be the same for weeks," she continued to complain.

RCO:

There were scraps of paper. Nearby, some rotted wood and old rope would make for a semi decent splint, long enough for the man to heal anyway.

The scraps of paper though, held words.

".... in the wall.... studied the layout..... puzzle faces west.... look for the off colored."

The off colored what? To the north, there were nothing but bricks. same with the other directions.

the words were carved into the wall.

The bricks in the wall were all the same uniform color, or were they?

A rather crafty Private Second Class spotted the wood and rope that had been overlooked by Frost as he had been picturing a differnt style of splint, plus his mind was mostly occupied by the riddle at the time. Using them, he managed to construct a rather crude splint for his injured comrade.

"Sir," the PSC said gathering up the scraps of paper after making the splint, "it seems these bits of paper have some kind of notation on them. Perhaps they are related to solving the riddle."

OOC: TBH, I never really did many puzzles, excluding word searchs. And the riddles I've come across haven't really been too hard to figure out.

Atopiana and Skgorria:

OOC: for the moment, just what I post, but the walls reflect your scanning equipment.

IC:

The ball deflated.

"But I do know the name of my doom, and its name was old Age. I died 300,000 years ago. I've been SOOO Lonely entombed in this Temple." The Voice said.

Suddenly, from out of thin air, a Pies headed for their faces.

The Voice laughed histericly at its own Joke.

Meanwhile, in the tomb, the back wall began to crumble. There was a passageway behind it. An incorpreal Ghost that had a sense of humor would be impossible to defeat with physicle weapons alone.

The rats were in for a slight surprise as the Igorim, as well as stepping on and smashing the little beasties, plucked them off and bit them. Vermin were a natural part of thier diet.

Maxim meanwhile had found the right invention amongst the bags and piles of stuff and gave a barked order to clear a path, turned the napalm-thrower on the rat swarm and except for one hapless Igorim that happened to be closest to the center of the swarm began broiling the rats.

***********************************

"Well if the right way leads to riches, then I shall take the first way." Zeri commented to himself as he surveyed the room. Since the first door he'd noticed had been the center one, that was the one he was going to travel throught.

Walking to the door, he opened it and stepped throught.

One of the Tablets floated to Nekaru as he quietly laid his hands on one of them.

Rather, since the Tablets were firmly embedded in the wall, he was taken to them They measured 10 feet in heighth, five feet in width, and if he was able to measure depth, 2.5 feet in depth. They also weighed 2000 tonnes.

When his hand touched them, all three lit up. One had an image of a left turn, one had an image of a right, and one had a down arrow.

"I don't remember what one he touched after this point, but when he touched it, he went back into the dead end Alcove."

Frederick breathed a sigh of relief as the small dragon did not appear to be hostile. "Well, I'm going to be moving on now. You're welcome to come along if you like."

He started walking slowly past the felldrake, and paused just as he started to walk off, turning around to look at the reptiloid. "Well, are you coming along or are you going to just stay here?"

The Felldrake nudged him gently on the side, in a friendly manner, almost like he was saying Thank you.

"Well, we'll see what happens."
And Nekaru grabbed the one pointing to the left.

"Okay," said the Duchess as she grimaced at the quite thoroughy(sp?) soaked handkerchef she had whiped her face clean with, "time to try a different approach."

She bent down and picked up the dropped tricorder and began scanning the doors themselves to see if she could find out how to open them. A few moments later, the Ensign who had fainted started to stir.

"What I wouldn't give to find a river right about now," muttered another Ensign, "at least then we wouldn't have to walk around smelling like this and my hair won't be the same for weeks," she continued to complain.



A rather crafty Private Second Class spotted the wood and rope that had been overlooked by Frost as he had been picturing a differnt style of splint, plus his mind was mostly occupied by the riddle at the time. Using them, he managed to construct a rather crude splint for his injured comrade.

"Sir," the PSC said gathering up the scraps of paper after making the splint, "it seems these bits of paper have some kind of notation on them. Perhaps they are related to solving the riddle."

OOC: TBH, I never really did many puzzles, excluding word searchs. And the riddles I've come across haven't really been too hard to figure out.

Imperial:
the doors slid open whenever she got close.

RCO:

OOC:
".... in the wall.... studied the layout..... puzzle faces west.... look for the off colored."

In the Wall = The answer to the riddle obviously lies in the wall somehow. But, since you can't alter the wall, it must lie either on the surface, or something similar.

studied the layout = means whoever wrote that spent awhile studing the layout of the the room, all the way down to the decorations on the wall.

Puzzle Faces West = means that the writer had figured out the solution to the problem, and wrote that down as a clue.

Look for the off Colored = means there is something in there not of the same color as the other things of its kind.

So, taking all that into consideration, study the walls. Either I made it too difficult, or I've played the Myst series WAY to often.

"Well, we'll see what happens."
And Nekaru grabbed the one pointing to the left.

As soon as he touched it, the Slabs receeded into the wall.

The Invisible Stalker was waiting in the Alcove.

(OOC: Does the left passageway continue any further?)

Frederick rubbed the felldrake's head, smiling.

"Well, I suppose I won't be braving these depths alone."

---If this is a dead end---
Adventurer and Felldrake returned to the Hall of the Gods and proceeded down the other pathway, their way lit by the bullseye lantern.

---If this way continues---
Adventurer and Felldrake continued down the passageway, their presence preceded by the spotlight from the lantern.

"Well, I guess you helped me out. Now, so what do you want of me? I've got power to discover, so it better not take a whole lot of time."

Ignoring the pie, which smeared across the front of the Brigadier, Svetranova murmered to herself, "A ghost, hm? Well, if it exists... it must be comprised of energy if not matter. Energy has a quantum signature. Here goes nothing!"

With a thought, she fired her Quantum Impeller. Instantly, a ray of nothingness - a void in reality, no less - leapt at the ghost.

OOC: This weapon agitates a target at the quantum level with the result that they are moved some eighty light-years in a random direction. I'm fairly confident that it'll affect the ghost as it must exist as either energy or matter in order to interact with other, more corporeal, things.

Imperial:
the doors slid open whenever she got close.

The Duchess raised an eyebrow at how co-operative the doors were being now. Standing first close enough to the door on the left so she could a scan of what was inside, she moved to repeat with the door on the right when she was done.

RCO:

OOC:
".... in the wall.... studied the layout..... puzzle faces west.... look for the off colored."

In the Wall = The answer to the riddle obviously lies in the wall somehow. But, since you can't alter the wall, it must lie either on the surface, or something similar.

studied the layout = means whoever wrote that spent awhile studing the layout of the the room, all the way down to the decorations on the wall.

Puzzle Faces West = means that the writer had figured out the solution to the problem, and wrote that down as a clue.

Look for the off Colored = means there is something in there not of the same color as the other things of its kind.

So, taking all that into consideration, study the walls. Either I made it too difficult, or I've played the Myst series WAY to often.

OOC: I tried a Myst demo once (for one of the sequels, IIRC). Couldn't even figure out how to get past the opening area where your character first appears in the game.
Oh, and thanks for the info.

IC: After studying the words written on the scraps of paper, the self-appointed puzzle master stated what he thought they meant*.

"That doesn't help much," muttered Frost before ordering, "still, everyone who can should find anything else that seems out of place in here."

"Aye, sir," replied all the grunts as they began to hand check the stones and the rest of the chamber.

OOC: *I'm just going to go ahead and say he said the stuff you said they referenced. Alright?

(OOC: Does the left passageway continue any further?)

Frederick rubbed the felldrake's head, smiling.

"Well, I suppose I won't be braving these depths alone."

---If this way continues---
Adventurer and Felldrake continued down the passageway, their presence preceded by the spotlight from the lantern.

Ther passageway continued, then decended.

The felldrake gave a sharp yelp of surprise, when the ceiling dropped behind them, cutting off the way back.

It decended, and turned.

There were ten buttens on a door, numbered 0-9. There was also a puzzle.

"12, 52? Although greater in size, their equivalent is the same in time."

The Fell drake turned its head sideways in puzzlement. Obviously, they had to answer correctly to continue.

"Well, I guess you helped me out. Now, so what do you want of me? I've got power to discover, so it better not take a whole lot of time."

"I want to leave this world. I've been trapped her for sooo, long. The numbers of the years of my entrapment here are so large, as to be meaningless to you. I wish to go to the Elemental Plane of Air. Don't forget to step into the alcove."

Ignoring the pie, which smeared across the front of the Brigadier, Svetranova murmered to herself, "A ghost, hm? Well, if it exists... it must be comprised of energy if not matter. Energy has a quantum signature. Here goes nothing!"

With a thought, she fired her Quantum Impeller. Instantly, a ray of nothingness - a void in reality, no less - leapt at the ghost.

OOC: This weapon agitates a target at the quantum level with the result that they are moved some eighty light-years in a random direction. I'm fairly confident that it'll affect the ghost as it must exist as either energy or matter in order to interact with other, more corporeal, things.

OOC: Its protoplasm. You avoided a particularly difficult fight.

IC: The Ghost was gone. The only way forward was through its crumbled tomb.

The Duchess raised an eyebrow at how co-operative the doors were being now. Standing first close enough to the door on the left so she could a scan of what was inside, she moved to repeat with the door on the right when she was done.



OOC: I tried a Myst demo once (for one of the sequels, IIRC). Couldn't even figure out how to get past the opening area where your character first appears in the game.
Oh, and thanks for the info.

IC: After studying the words written on the scraps of paper, the self-appointed puzzle master stated what he thought they meant*.

"That doesn't help much," muttered Frost before ordering, "still, everyone who can should find anything else that seems out of place in here."

"Aye, sir," replied all the grunts as they began to hand check the stones and the rest of the chamber.

OOC: *I'm just going to go ahead and say he said the stuff you said they referenced. Alright?

Imperial: The Duchess found whatever she wished for the Tricorder to find. However, in addition to those readings, the left seemed to contain an abnormal amount of heat, the right, an abnormal amount of cold.

Probably from the young fire and frost dragons ALSO down those ways.

RCO:
The solutio was disapointingly simple. The answer was in the bricks.
The north had three odd colored bricks, the south four. The East nine, and the west 10.

If the 10 button was pushed, they would solve the puzzle.

The rats were in for a slight surprise as the Igorim, as well as stepping on and smashing the little beasties, plucked them off and bit them. Vermin were a natural part of thier diet.

Maxim meanwhile had found the right invention amongst the bags and piles of stuff and gave a barked order to clear a path, turned the napalm-thrower on the rat swarm and except for one hapless Igorim that happened to be closest to the center of the swarm began broiling the rats.

***********************************

"Well if the right way leads to riches, then I shall take the first way." Zeri commented to himself as he surveyed the room. Since the first door he'd noticed had been the center one, that was the one he was going to travel throught.

Walking to the door, he opened it and stepped throught.

Maxim:
Flame Broiled Rat was in no way appetising.

The way was clear. But the Temple shifted around them. They were only offered a way forward, but what a way to go. they could clearly see a HUGE pile of Gold. Untouched for a long time, it wasn't shiny, but a good polishing, and they'd be good to go.

OOC: Sorry. Accept a small pile of Gold with my apologies.
*********

Zeri meanwhile, had actually found the correct path, and was lead to a small pit, over flowing with Gold, Silver, Bronze, Gems, Crystals, Minerals, and this pile shone brilliantly in the torch light. there was a stairway down.

OOC: This is the original path I had intended for Zeri.

With the rats in an advanced state of charcoal, a few well shouted words and a properly placed kick or two got the Igorim moving again. They were for the most part a simplistic group and oft times needed motivation to work.

When they travelled down the corridor to the pile of gold, Maxim smiled. "Did you make sure to pack the lead machine?" He asked as he looked over the piles of gold for proper sized lumps or ingots. "Then pull it out and get it set up." He added as he selected a couple peices.

The purpose of the lead machine was an inverted philosophers stone. Rather than turn lead, or other base metals, into gold, it was designed to turn gold into lead. As well as producing lead, it created an interesting sludge that was a quite useful fuel.

********

Zeri looked over the various gems and precious metals before selecting a couple stones of various cuts including a dodecagon diamond and a few ounces of the metals and proceeding down the stairway.

Zeri was not greedy, nor had he taken the valuables out of a desire for them but as possible solutions if there were to be further mysteries or perhaps as a form of safepassage.

"I want to leave this world. I've been trapped her for sooo, long. The numbers of the years of my entrapment here are so large, as to be meaningless to you. I wish to go to the Elemental Plane of Air. Don't forget to step into the alcove."
"All right then, follow me. I know how to get you out- but I'm going deeper in, and I'm doing that first. All the same, if you want out, you best follow me until this adventure's over."
Nekaru walked in the alcove, and then looked back at the, well, whatever it was.
"So, are you following me or not?"

"Grud wept," breathed Svetranova, "I really wasn't sure that'd work. Which way now, Storm-General?"

There were ten buttens on a door, numbered 0-9. There was also a puzzle.

"12, 52? Although greater in size, their equivalent is the same in time."

(OOC: Not really sure about this one. I may need a hint.)

Frederick looked at the puzzle door carefully, pondering the solution. After a couple of minutes, he took out his book, taking note of the puzzle door on the left passageway, and flipped to a blank page.

Puzzle Door
"12, 52? Although greater in size, their equivalent is the same in time."

- Answer is between 0 and 9
- Has to do with numbers 12 and 52
- Answer is 'greater in size' = Largest answer?
- 'Same in time' = Eventually reaches both numbers?

Factors of 12: 1,2,3,4,6
Factors of 52: 1,2,4

- Therefore, the answer must be one of those 3 numbers.

1: 12 = 1 x 12, 52 = 1 x 52
2: 12 = 2 x 6, 52 = 2 x 26
4: 12 = 4 x 3, 52 = 4 x 13

- Greater in size - perhaps refers to 4 x 3?
- Also, could mean largest number.

- Most likely answer is 4.

Getting up, Frederick tenatively pressed down the '4' button.

With the rats in an advanced state of charcoal, a few well shouted words and a properly placed kick or two got the Igorim moving again. They were for the most part a simplistic group and oft times needed motivation to work.

When they travelled down the corridor to the pile of gold, Maxim smiled. "Did you make sure to pack the lead machine?" He asked as he looked over the piles of gold for proper sized lumps or ingots. "Then pull it out and get it set up." He added as he selected a couple peices.

The purpose of the lead machine was an inverted philosophers stone. Rather than turn lead, or other base metals, into gold, it was designed to turn gold into lead. As well as producing lead, it created an interesting sludge that was a quite useful fuel.

********

Zeri looked over the various gems and precious metals before selecting a couple stones of various cuts including a dodecagon diamond and a few ounces of the metals and proceeding down the stairway.

Zeri was not greedy, nor had he taken the valuables out of a desire for them but as possible solutions if there were to be further mysteries or perhaps as a form of safepassage.

Eventually, a side passage opened up. It decended. where did it go?

========================

Zeri heard the door close behind him.

OOZE dripped down from the ceiling. It was Black, and highly acidic. It started to close around Zeri. It was a Gelatenous Cube, and it was reforming into the cube.

It wiggled like a bowl full of Jello.

"All right then, follow me. I know how to get you out- but I'm going deeper in, and I'm doing that first. All the same, if you want out, you best follow me until this adventure's over."
Nekaru walked in the alcove, and then looked back at the, well, whatever it was.
"So, are you following me or not?"

The door closed, and the Alcove swung around in the same circles it did last time. Then a door opened.It looked like the SAME exact hall way he had entered from, but the stairs and entryway were missing.

The Invisible Stalker could only speak Auran, so unless Nekaru could also speak auran, the language of the Air, he would not be able to understand the Ivisible Stalker.

(OOC: Not really sure about this one. I may need a hint.)

Frederick looked at the puzzle door carefully, pondering the solution. After a couple of minutes, he took out his book, taking note of the puzzle door on the left passageway, and flipped to a blank page.



Getting up, Frederick tenatively pressed down the '4' button.

And pushing the four button delivered a great shock indeed, as electricty ran up his finger. The puzzle darkened for a moment, then relit, as it reset itself.

OOC: The whole key to the puzzle is in the word Time. 12 and 52 are two ways of measuring the same thing. But what is it? Not that I don't know, I'm just trying not to give away the answer. Its not like Trinity's first puzzle, its just a logic puzzle. Also, their just buttons. I never said just how many digits the answer was, just that four is not the first digit.

(OOC: I get it now! Thanks.)

"Gyaargh!" yelped Frederick as the electrical shock ran up his finger.

As soon as his fingers regained feeling and stopped hurting, he opened up the book once again.

4 is most certainly NOT the answer.

Perhaps 'time' is literally?

12 months in a year, 52 weeks, and 365 days...

Then it could be to push 3, then 6, then 5 in sequence.

Frederick, summoning up the courage to brave the potential electric shock again, pressed 3-6-5.

(OOC: I get it now! Thanks.)

"Gyaargh!" yelped Frederick as the electrical shock ran up his finger.

As soon as his fingers regained feeling and stopped hurting, he opened up the book once again.



Frederick, summoning up the courage to brave the potential electric shock again, pressed 3-6-5.
OOC: I didn't make it too obvious, did I?:(
The door opened right after he pushed five.

He saw a WIDE open area. If had the capability to measure its width, he would see it was approximatly the same size as The state of Texas. It was Plated entirely in Gold. Some odd number of miles away, in the center of the unbelievably huge room, was an Alter, and in that Alter, was a sword. The sword looked Rusted, and old. But whatever was struck with it, turned to Gold.

There was a small hovering platform nearby Frederick and the Felldrake could step on, that would carry them really fast throughout the room.

The small shuttle settled softly on the surface of Om and hovered. A door melted in the side of the vessel and a form emerged from within. The dark haired woman looked around to get her bearings and began traveling in a seemingly randomly determined direction.

Behind her the shuttle sealed itself and ascended into the clouds.



OOC:

I missed the link earlier. Sorry about the shortness of this post. It is hard to use a cell and make good long posts.

(OOC: No, not really. But you did set me on the right train of thought.)

"Astounding... This much gold would be enough to... well... devalue it immensely."

Frederick climbed onto the hovering platform, and beckoned for the Felldrake to get on after him.

As the platform moved, Frederick picked up a tiny stone from the platform and threw it at the gold in the room. Despite the platform's high speed, the travel time provided for a short respite.

"Say, do you have a name?" he asked the Felldrake, slightly idly, as he sat down pondering various things. He didn't expect a response, but it was a question he had to ask - he couldn't just call it 'lizard', after all. That would be degrading, and he had the feeling that it was more intelligent than a common animal.

Maxim looked between the two passages and decided that the odd passage was the right one before heading down the side passage. He had been about to use a directional device before remembering it had been left behind as it had been in the process of being upgraded.

========================

"A slime mold." Zeri commented as he had occasionally practiced the art of gardening and had to deal with the pseudofungal pests. Flame was one of the methods utilized to deal with them and while not the ideal, it was a practical solution.

Drawing upon the powers that remained to him, he drew a cloak of fire about him as protection against the slime.

The small shuttle settled softly on the surface of Om and hovered. A door melted in the side of the vessel and a form emerged from within. The dark haired woman looked around to get her bearings and began traveling in a seemingly randomly determined direction.

Behind her the shuttle sealed itself and ascended into the clouds.



OOC:

I missed the link earlier. Sorry about the shortness of this post. It is hard to use a cell and make good long posts.

It was almost calling her, an entrance in a deep valley. It was partially obscured, and hidden, as though it didn't want to be found. Maybe it was Fate, maybe it was luck. Butthe Dark haired woman could see the door hidden behind the boulder. Easy enough for her to just pass through.

(OOC: No, not really. But you did set me on the right train of thought.)

"Astounding... This much gold would be enough to... well... devalue it immensely."

Frederick climbed onto the hovering platform, and beckoned for the Felldrake to get on after him.

As the platform moved, Frederick picked up a tiny stone from the platform and threw it at the gold in the room. Despite the platform's high speed, the travel time provided for a short respite.

"Say, do you have a name?" he asked the Felldrake, slightly idly, as he sat down pondering various things. He didn't expect a response, but it was a question he had to ask - he couldn't just call it 'lizard', after all. That would be degrading, and he had the feeling that it was more intelligent than a common animal.

The fell drake looked at him curiously.

"Grak?" it screeched. in curiosity.

Maxim looked between the two passages and decided that the odd passage was the right one before heading down the side passage. He had been about to use a directional device before remembering it had been left behind as it had been in the process of being upgraded.

========================

"A slime mold." Zeri commented as he had occasionally practiced the art of gardening and had to deal with the pseudofungal pests. Flame was one of the methods utilized to deal with them and while not the ideal, it was a practical solution.

Drawing upon the powers that remained to him, he drew a cloak of fire about him as protection against the slime.

OOC: There was no other passage. Maxim was in a big box. He had to go out the side room.

IC:

It decended into a small room.

There were three Rocks. One that weighed ten pounds, on that weighed 30, and on that weighed 15.

There was a switch.

There was a door at the end.

The door was already partially opened, so what did the switch do? Was it worth potentially springing a trap to satisfy one's curiosity?

====================

Ah, but this slime had been altered by traveling to the depths of Om. Fire made it stronger, bigger. Ice didn't effect it at all.

Meanwhile, what about the Ri-anese?

They had entered the Temple, and were standing at the bottom.

The found another Hall of The Gods. Only they found the Great hall, where each God and Goddess had such grand Alters as to put to shame all other Alters erected to them.

They looked at all the Gods, Even Death was worshipped.

The knelt in turn, before each God and Goddess, even those they did not worship, or particularly like.

"Show us, oh great guardians of the temple. Show us the true way." Geoarty called.

The Room darkened, and a voice called out.

"You who would seek to find the true way, must first prove your honesty. There are others throughout Om in the Temple. Why should We favor you, when you are not even honest with yourself?"

"What do you mean? I am an honest man, in all that I know." Geoarty replied.

"Then why do you defend, that you withold knowledge from yourself?"

"I honestly do not understand." Geoarty replied.

"You, and those with you will be tested, as shall all other parties throughout Om. Proceed, but only at your own risk."

The Darkness lifted. The Sorcerers were scattered.

They felt so weary. They each lay back, and memories overtook them.

Worlds passed before their eyes. Actiopns and events, they they never did, and yet, they did. Spells seemed to flood their memory, a second identity, as though the first was false.

Geoarty stood, and looked about him.

"I am, Geoarty, no, I am, who am I? I remember, so many lives, such a long journey, but my life has barely begun. A new path, a new direction. I remember now. I am, I am not Geoarty, but I am not quite yet Xos again either." Said Geoarty.

Each sorcerer in their diffrent area, stumbled along down the corridor infront of them.

Back on the surface, at their door.

"Those silly sorcerers, they went and left the doors open for me. How accomidating." Kajeenith said.

Fire spread accross Om. Rampant destruction filled the skies. Plagues spread, and blood flowed freely. Mountains were topled, forests were uprooted, and the native peoples on the surface of Om, lay dead. Each one Crucified, with railroad spikes. The cross, it pointed head down, and was covered in blood.

The Void spread outwards from Kajeenith, and he wiped his sword clean on the tunic of a dead woman. It glittered in the fire. His steps echoed at first, but were soon drowned, by the cries of his army.

Kajeenith, The Mad God, Ruler of The Void, Father of Destruction, God of Nothing, had entered The Sacred Temple of Om, desecrating its holy grounds.

Morganna felt herself drawn to the dark shadow beneath the rocky outcrop that lie at the bottom of a nearby valley. She cautiously crept towards the hidden entrance, making sure she wasn’t being watched. After being sure there were no eyes upon her, she walked to the door hidden in the darkness.

She knew it would provide no hindrance against her, but since it was a temple it would be prudent to examine the structure before she went forward blindly. Morganna called forth a mote of light, casting a pale yellow incandescence across the surface of the stone. She carefully looked over the entire slab, reading any runes she might find.



OOC:

I assume the “end of the world” destruction in the earlier post hasn’t reached me yet.

(OOC: Kangaroos were named because of a failure of communication too, so why can't the felldrake? :D)

Frederick shivered slightly as Kajeenith enterd the temple of Om.

Looking at the Felldrake's curious expression, he chuckled good-naturedly and said "Grak it is, then."

He watched as the platform hovered into the centre of the room. Stopping, he looked closely at the rusty old sword, which appeared to be the only thing in the room not golden.

Gathering up a small pebble, he threw the pebble at the altar, where it bounced off it and into the blade of the sword.

The door closed, and the Alcove swung around in the same circles it did last time. Then a door opened.It looked like the SAME exact hall way he had entered from, but the stairs and entryway were missing.

The Invisible Stalker could only speak Auran, so unless Nekaru could also speak auran, the language of the Air, he would not be able to understand the Ivisible Stalker.

Nekaru had no clue what that thing was babbling about- it was speaking some weird language that he couldn't understand.
Normally, in a situation like this, he would simply stare at the persons's lips and his eyes would be able to figure out what they were saying. But since he couldn't see him normally, that was impossible.
Nekaru decided to continue down the hallway.

Maxim looked at the puzzle and decided to try it out. He couldn't be considered a true madboy if he didn't and he very much was.

Deciding on a potential solution he, and with an Igorim's strength, put first the ten pound, then fifteen pound and finally the thirty pound stone on the switch, removing the preceeding one each time. His logic followed a reduction multiplication where each was divided by five and then the two smaller were multiplied to get the largest.

====================

As he saw the slime grow larger and felt the first stinging drips of the acid contained within, Zeri began thinking of a method to deal with it. As a number of possible theories were countered, he remembered one of the crystals he had claimed earlier.

He had taken the margaritasite crystal out of an enjoyment of its vivid colour rather than out of any intrinsic value it might have possessed. Drawing out the crystal out, he proceeded to crush it. As it powdered he used a portion of his energy to strip the other minerals and turn it into a quite useful, if double edged, weapon.

As the potent caustic and slimy powder began working on his hand, he hurled it into the central most part of the mold. He almost pittied the mold, almost.

The dragon was rolling on the ground in pain. It shook its head, and leaped to sting Jonathan again. It was Bleeding.

Johnathon stepped back, and say that it was bleeding it virtually consigned it to death, Though it was still dangerous. Johnathon quickly loading a new clip into one of his guns before having to manage to side-step the main thrust of the tail. He grabbed the barb before it could twist and sting him.

He shot a single bullet into the tail to try and neutralise the barb.

Morganna felt herself drawn to the dark shadow beneath the rocky outcrop that lie at the bottom of a nearby valley. She cautiously crept towards the hidden entrance, making sure she wasn’t being watched. After being sure there were no eyes upon her, she walked to the door hidden in the darkness.

She knew it would provide no hindrance against her, but since it was a temple it would be prudent to examine the structure before she went forward blindly. Morganna called forth a mote of light, casting a pale yellow incandescence across the surface of the stone. She carefully looked over the entire slab, reading any runes she might find.



OOC:

I assume the “end of the world” destruction in the earlier post hasn’t reached me yet.

OOC: No, it takes place after you enter the temple.

IC: There was nothing, just the door hidden behind the Boulder.

These stairs lead up.

(OOC: Kangaroos were named because of a failure of communication too, so why can't the felldrake? :D)

Frederick shivered slightly as Kajeenith enterd the temple of Om.

Looking at the Felldrake's curious expression, he chuckled good-naturedly and said "Grak it is, then."

He watched as the platform hovered into the centre of the room. Stopping, he looked closely at the rusty old sword, which appeared to be the only thing in the room not golden.

Gathering up a small pebble, he threw the pebble at the altar, where it bounced off it and into the blade of the sword.

The pebble, turned Gold.

"Grak! Grrerrr snarl rawr"

Nekaru had no clue what that thing was babbling about- it was speaking some weird language that he couldn't understand.
Normally, in a situation like this, he would simply stare at the persons's lips and his eyes would be able to figure out what they were saying. But since he couldn't see him normally, that was impossible.
Nekaru decided to continue down the hallway.

It continued, and continued, and continued. He was in a rom with four tall statues. One of Herculese, one of Sampson, one of Id, The Ri-an Demi-god of Strength, high priest of Destruction, one of Deuce, Ri-an demi God of Chaos. There was a gun on the alter.

There was an inscription on the Gun.

Martian Bubble Gun.

The only disturbing thing, was that the Gun hovered a full foot off the Alter.

Beckenbauer had barely enough time to wipe the confectionary from his helmet before the Atopian has fired the quantum impeller.
Weapon analysis:
Designation - quantum impeller
Range - unknown
Effectivness - total
Conclusion: seek weapon for next upgrade
"A fine shot Lieutenant-Colonel" applauded the mech, "Keep your weapons ready, I suspect the Bolsheviks are trying to lull us into a false sense of security by suggesting their most powerful offensive weapon is a pie." Seeing that there was only one possible route forward, Beckenabuer came to a conclusion.
"Lieutenant-Colonel, I believe the enemy is trying to lure us into ambush. See how he tries to force us into one direction, no possible avenue of retreat or diversion: well all he has done is force us into Action Without Delay! On 5, put a ten-second burst of firepower down that direction, that'll shake those Zionists up," Beckenbauer commanded as he pointed his plasma cannon down the ruined tomb and powered it up.
"5...4...3...2...1...FIRE!" he roared, sending a concentrated stutter of plasma bolts into the dark tomb.

Johnathon stepped back, and say that it was bleeding it virtually consigned it to death, Though it was still dangerous. Johnathon quickly loading a new clip into one of his guns before having to manage to side-step the main thrust of the tail. He grabbed the barb before it could twist and sting him.

He shot a single bullet into the tail to try and neutralise the barb.

The Pseudodragon gave up and died.

The Temple flashed around him and Mr. Grey, they found themselves in a long decending hall.

Beckenbauer had barely enough time to wipe the confectionary from his helmet before the Atopian has fired the quantum impeller.
Weapon analysis:
Designation - quantum impeller
Range - unknown
Effectivness - total
Conclusion: seek weapon for next upgrade
"A fine shot Lieutenant-Colonel" applauded the mech, "Keep your weapons ready, I suspect the Bolsheviks are trying to lull us into a false sense of security by suggesting their most powerful offensive weapon is a pie." Seeing that there was only one possible route forward, Beckenabuer came to a conclusion.
"Lieutenant-Colonel, I believe the enemy is trying to lure us into ambush. See how he tries to force us into one direction, no possible avenue of retreat or diversion: well all he has done is force us into Action Without Delay! On 5, put a ten-second burst of firepower down that direction, that'll shake those Zionists up," Beckenbauer commanded as he pointed his plasma cannon down the ruined tomb and powered it up.
"5...4...3...2...1...FIRE!" he roared, sending a concentrated stutter of plasma bolts into the dark tomb.

It succeeded in clearing away the debris. Something was glowing on the other side.

From the way they came...

"Ohh. I feel Dizzy." A weak female voice said.

She stumbled out of the closed off hallway, and fell down.
Her robes were white. She had a big red Cross on her back, the Staff of Alcepus on her right sleeve, the Cadeuces on her right.

Obviously, she was trained i the art of healing.

She had also fainted.

she was the Ri-an sorceress of Healing. Ri-an's top physician.

Seeing the red of Bolshevism, Svetranova smiled. The Storm-General had been right.

Moving forwards in a single smooth motion, she picked the Bolshevik up with her Brigadier's left hand. Then, closing the 50mm railgun in her right hand, she pointed the index finger at the communist's head. The index finger contained a built-in maser weapon capable of cutting through hardened bulkheads on board enemy capital ships.

"Talk," she snarled, "or die."

Seeing the red of Bolshevism, Svetranova smiled. The Storm-General had been right.

Moving forwards in a single smooth motion, she picked the Bolshevik up with her Brigadier's left hand. Then, closing the 50mm railgun in her right hand, she pointed the index finger at the communist's head. The index finger contained a built-in maser weapon capable of cutting through hardened bulkheads on board enemy capital ships.

"Talk," she snarled, "or die."

Her eyes were still closed, she was talking, as though through a fevered dream.

"I am, who am I? I was, but I still am, right? No, I'm not, but, it was another life, but life isn't determed by death or body, that was the first rule. I remember now. I remember clearly." She said.
She shook her head, and Teleported to the corner, out of the hands of the Machine. She had a completly diffrent look now.

"I am Khalan, Ri-an Sorceress of Healing, Magi Mistress of the powers of Life and Death. It would be in your own best intrests NOT to kill me." She said.

Maxim looked at the puzzle and decided to try it out. He couldn't be considered a true madboy if he didn't and he very much was.

Deciding on a potential solution he, and with an Igorim's strength, put first the ten pound, then fifteen pound and finally the thirty pound stone on the switch, removing the preceeding one each time. His logic followed a reduction multiplication where each was divided by five and then the two smaller were multiplied to get the largest.

====================

As he saw the slime grow larger and felt the first stinging drips of the acid contained within, Zeri began thinking of a method to deal with it. As a number of possible theories were countered, he remembered one of the crystals he had claimed earlier.

He had taken the margaritasite crystal out of an enjoyment of its vivid colour rather than out of any intrinsic value it might have possessed. Drawing out the crystal out, he proceeded to crush it. As it powdered he used a portion of his energy to strip the other minerals and turn it into a quite useful, if double edged, weapon.

As the potent caustic and slimy powder began working on his hand, he hurled it into the central most part of the mold. He almost pittied the mold, almost.

Maxim caused a trap to spring on Jonathan, Nekaru, and The Two Generals with Khalan.

OOC: But I'll take care of that later, in their next posts.
====================

The Acid was dissolved. The slime screamed, and began to choke Zeri. If only he had some, water.

When nothing happened, Maxim decided to try and rearrange the stones, only to have on drop and crack rendering it unuseable. With a sigh, he lead his minions through the doorway and down the passage.

====================

Zeri began pushing through the slime as it tried to choke him. It was painful and he'd need a serious bath later but only the fact that it was trying to walk throught a massive mound of jello impeded his progress.

"SORCERY!" Beckenabuer gasped, taking a step backwards. The vanishing act and the change of appearance did not concern him as much as her mentioning of Death. "No, not again! I will not be the toy of wizards and cultists! Let me rest in piece damnit, have I not served long enough? I've been here since the Beginning, when is it my turn to go quietly into the Halls of Heroes?" he screamed, dropping his weapons and falling to his knees.

Gasping as the Storm-General slumped to the floor, Svetranova took action. As the AI covered the Bolshevik with slaved 25mm chainguns, she interposed her Brigadier's bulk between the enemy and her superor.

"Where is this? What is this? And most importantly, are you a Bolshevik?"

When nothing happened, Maxim decided to try and rearrange the stones, only to have on drop and crack rendering it unuseable. With a sigh, he lead his minions through the doorway and down the passage.

====================

Zeri began pushing through the slime as it tried to choke him. It was painful and he'd need a serious bath later but only the fact that it was trying to walk throught a massive mound of jello impeded his progress.

Maxim Found a large door. Maxim would be the first, to enter section 2 of The Temple.

====================

Zeri found himself before a door with a puzzle.

"I have Three Keys, and four Key holes. Using only the three Keys, how do you turn the four Key holes to open me?"

There were indeed three Keys hanging on the door. They were all three EXACTLY the same. There was a glaringly obvious solution to this problem, but would Zeri know what that was?

Hold a halo round the world, golden is the day, princes of the universe, your burden is the wait, so there is no better time, who will be born today, a gypsy child of daybreak, a king for a day...

In the background the music continued unabated, as the first of an experimental class of Gunships, designated Mosquito Boats, with an internal FTL engine and increased amounts of energy armament prepared to debark from Blackbird Yards.

The single Mardukan pilot began to run up the Faster than light engines, and input his desired coordinates. Moments later, with the ripping snarl of tearing canvas, the ship disappeared. It reappeared far away, well off course, and headed straight for the surface of a massive world that SHOULD NOT EXIST. Normally any error in transport would be so fractional as to be unimportant, a few thousand kilometers at most, but this was a few million light years, with no way to get back. The drives were all dead, and the comms were inoperative. The only mercy was that the new Mosquito Boats had enough armor to stand against larger opponents, and that he wouldn't burn up on entry.

~SNIP~

[QUOTE=Atopiana;12232090]~SNIP~[QUOTE]

Khalan looked down at the General.

"Poor man. I do not Toy with anyone, nor is it my intent to disturb anyone's slumber. This is The Temple of Om, which satisfies both the where and the What. As for Bolshevism, Governments do not concern me. I devoted my life to healing, not to politics. I do not care what government is in control, so long as it leaves me in peace to heal others." Khalan said.

Meanwhile, due entirely to Maxim's fiddling with the switch...

The Ceiling opened, Poison tipped Darts capable of piercing The two Suits of Armor fired down. They fired all over the room.

"A Trap!" Khalan yelled.

She burned the few that were headed towards her. It was all she had time to do. Her hood fell back, to reveal her Reddish Blonde hair. One eye was green, the other was Blue.

Pushing open the door, Maxim wondered what was inside as he stepped in. As it was, he sneezed.

====================

Looking from the three keys that were, from all appearences, the same Zeri also looked at the keyholes wondering how three could be made into four.

A sudden flash of insight made him realize that nothing said they had to be unlocked at the same time. Taking a key, he proceeded to turn them in each hole.

Hold a halo round the world, golden is the day, princes of the universe, your burden is the wait, so there is no better time, who will be born today, a gypsy child of daybreak, a king for a day...

In the background the music continued unabated, as the first of an experimental class of Gunships, designated Mosquito Boats, with an internal FTL engine and increased amounts of energy armament prepared to debark from Blackbird Yards.

The single Mardukan pilot began to run up the Faster than light engines, and input his desired coordinates. Moments later, with the ripping snarl of tearing canvas, the ship disappeared. It reappeared far away, well off course, and headed straight for the surface of a massive world that SHOULD NOT EXIST. Normally any error in transport would be so fractional as to be unimportant, a few thousand kilometers at most, but this was a few million light years, with no way to get back. The drives were all dead, and the comms were inoperative. The only mercy was that the new Mosquito Boats had enough armor to stand against larger opponents, and that he wouldn't burn up on entry.

It crashed on a Desert Island, in the middle of the ocean. The weight of the ship triggered something though. It started deep in the ground, then rose out of the ocean. First a bridge, from the Island out to the ocean, just stopping, then it rose, a massive temple entrance. This one had three peaks.

There was nothing else on the island, except a lone palm tree.

Maybe there was something in there, that could help. A way off the island? Why else would there be an entrance right here?

Well, the ship did Destroy an Alter to a sea God. Maybe people walked for great distances through the temple to get there. But surely they could worship at their beaches. Maybe there was another civilization, beneath the Crust.

As soon as the ceiling opened, the Brigadier projected an umbrella-shield, hardening the very air itself to an impenentrable barrier above both itself and the kneeling Beckenbauer. The darts pattered harmlessly off the solidified air, rolling down to the floor with a clattering noise.

Interesting composition, Lucie, said the AI, it would appear that the monomolecular edging of those darts is capable of penentrating the outer layer of composites. Suggest we retain one for later analysis.
Do it then.

Soundlessly, a small robotic arm left its compartment in the rear of the Brigadier, and retrieved a single dart.

"So you're a healer, hm?"

Pushing open the door, Maxim wondered what was inside as he stepped in. As it was, he sneezed.

====================

Looking from the three keys that were, from all appearences, the same Zeri also looked at the keyholes wondering how three could be made into four.

A sudden flash of insight made him realize that nothing said they had to be unlocked at the same time. Taking a key, he proceeded to turn them in each hole.

Something sneezed right back. As light fell on the room beyonnd, he could see statues of guards. There was no sign of any life in the room.

=================================

OOC: You win this time. I forgot one line of the puzzle.

IC:

The door opened. He found a similar room. Was it the same one?

It crashed on a Desert Island, in the middle of the ocean. The weight of the ship triggered something though. It started deep in the ground, then rose out of the ocean. First a bridge, from the Island out to the ocean, just stopping, then it rose, a massive temple entrance. This one had three peaks.

There was nothing else on the island, except a lone palm tree.

Maybe there was something in there, that could help. A way off the island? Why else would there be an entrance right here?

Well, the ship did Destroy an Alter to a sea God. Maybe people walked for great distances through the temple to get there. But surely they could worship at their beaches. Maybe there was another civilization, beneath the Crust.

"Mudderpocker... I'm too old for this kind of shit." A quick check of his systems showed that the power to the PT was totally shot, the powerplant had been totally drained by the extreme distance of the jump. The only thing that still had power was his armor, and his rifle. And of course, the anachronistic Chemical rifle included with all the ships as a result of Solari paranoia. To a mardukan it was nothing but a carbine, but it could come in handy in the shoulder mount configuration for his armor. Gathering his supplies, his armor, and what ammunition and tools he thought might be useful, the massive mardukan stepped into the sun, and moved on into the shadow of the temples entrance. Motifs of the sea and sky adorned the walls, and strange creatures unlike any he had previously seen. And, terrifyingly, images that he was familiar with. The dread Kraken, the giant Coll fish, and the Herzgovian Leviathan were all on the walls, as well as beasts from an even darker nightmare.

Pushing open the door, Maxim wondered what was inside as he stepped in. As it was, he sneezed.

====================

Looking from the three keys that were, from all appearences, the same Zeri also looked at the keyholes wondering how three could be made into four.

A sudden flash of insight made him realize that nothing said they had to be unlocked at the same time. Taking a key, he proceeded to turn them in each hole.

Something sneezed right back. As light fell on the room beyonnd, he could see statues of guards. There was no sign of any life in the room.

=================================

OOC: You win this time. I forgot one line of the puzzle.

IC:

The door opened. He found a similar room. Was it the same one?

It crashed on a Desert Island, in the middle of the ocean. The weight of the ship triggered something though. It started deep in the ground, then rose out of the ocean. First a bridge, from the Island out to the ocean, just stopping, then it rose, a massive temple entrance. This one had three peaks.

There was nothing else on the island, except a lone palm tree.

Maybe there was something in there, that could help. A way off the island? Why else would there be an entrance right here?

Well, the ship did Destroy an Alter to a sea God. Maybe people walked for great distances through the temple to get there. But surely they could worship at their beaches. Maybe there was another civilization, beneath the Crust.

"Mudderpocker... I'm too old for this kind of shit." A quick check of his systems showed that the power to the PT was totally shot, the powerplant had been totally drained by the extreme distance of the jump. The only thing that still had power was his armor, and his rifle. And of course, the anachronistic Chemical rifle included with all the ships as a result of Solari paranoia. To a mardukan it was nothing but a carbine, but it could come in handy in the shoulder mount configuration for his armor. Gathering his supplies, his armor, and what ammunition and tools he thought might be useful, the massive mardukan stepped into the sun, and moved on into the shadow of the temples entrance. Motifs of the sea and sky adorned the walls, and strange creatures unlike any he had previously seen. And, terrifyingly, images that he was familiar with. The dread Kraken, the giant Coll fish, and the Herzgovian Leviathan were all on the walls, as well as beasts from an even darker nightmare.

As soon as the ceiling opened, the Brigadier projected an umbrella-shield, hardening the very air itself to an impenentrable barrier above both itself and the kneeling Beckenbauer. The darts pattered harmlessly off the solidified air, rolling down to the floor with a clattering noise.

Interesting composition, Lucie, said the AI, it would appear that the monomolecular edging of those darts is capable of penentrating the outer layer of composites. Suggest we retain one for later analysis.
Do it then.

Soundlessly, a small robotic arm left its compartment in the rear of the Brigadier, and retrieved a single dart.

"So you're a healer, hm?"

"Yes."

OOC: OOCLY, I have no clue what in the heck I'm talking about. I have no knowledge of healing. So any discussions of medicene will probably be glossed over.

"Mudderpocker... I'm too old for this kind of shit." A quick check of his systems showed that the power to the PT was totally shot, the powerplant had been totally drained by the extreme distance of the jump. The only thing that still had power was his armor, and his rifle. And of course, the anachronistic Chemical rifle included with all the ships as a result of Solari paranoia. To a mardukan it was nothing but a carbine, but it could come in handy in the shoulder mount configuration for his armor. Gathering his supplies, his armor, and what ammunition and tools he thought might be useful, the massive mardukan stepped into the sun, and moved on into the shadow of the temples entrance. Motifs of the sea and sky adorned the walls, and strange creatures unlike any he had previously seen. And, terrifyingly, images that he was familiar with. The dread Kraken, the giant Coll fish, and the Herzgovian Leviathan were all on the walls, as well as beasts from an even darker nightmare.

Torches lit the way downward. At the base of the stairs, he would find an Alter to Jormangundr, The World snake in the Sea from Norse Mythology. The hall continued on, and split into right and left passageways. Both were partialy flooded.

Most of the darts bounced off Beckenbauer's armour, but a few managed to pierce the toughened exterior. Luckily they did not strike any major systems or conduits, and he simply stood up and pulled them out.
"Fools," he spat, "I am stronger than the flesh. It will take more than a few toys to level Storm-General Beckenbauer!" cried the Skgorrian as he shook his fist at the ceiling before turning to the wizard.
"What now, tool of the dark arts?" he spat.

Most of the darts bounced off Beckenbauer's armour, but a few managed to pierce the toughened exterior. Luckily they did not strike any major systems or conduits, and he simply stood up and pulled them out.
"Fools," he spat, "I am stronger than the flesh. It will take more than a few toys to level Storm-General Beckenbauer!" cried the Skgorrian as he shook his fist at the ceiling before turning to the wizard.
"What now, tool of the dark arts?" he spat.

"I've never been in here, how should I know? And if you two Don't start adopting a nicer tone with me, I swear I will incapacitate you two for the rest of eternity. You DON'T know me, You DON'T know my life, you DON'T know my work, so if you can't at least speak in a pleasant Civil tone, DON'T speak to me at ALL! She snapped.

In the depths of the raging storm that was Beckenbauer's mind, something clicked.
"What do you mean you've never been here before?" questioned Beckenbauer sharply, "You were right here, you appeared here. How did you get here?"

Torches lit the way downward. At the base of the stairs, he would find an Alter to Jormangundr, The World snake in the Sea from Norse Mythology. The hall continued on, and split into right and left passageways. Both were partialy flooded.

He paused to consider the altar for a moment, it was not a deity he recognized, so he didn't bother abasing himself in anyway. It was not his God, and so mattered not. Since the armor was proof against vacuum, it didn't matter that the hallways were flooded, he simply started forward, to the right. The water didn't even seem deep enough to reach the chest of the gigantic Mardukan, but it was good to have the armor anyway.

In the depths of the raging storm that was Beckenbauer's mind, something clicked.
"What do you mean you've never been here before?" questioned Beckenbauer sharply, "You were right here, you appeared here. How did you get here?"

"I came in with a party of Sorcerers through another entrance. We found a great hall Dedicated to all Dieties from Every Religon. Our leader asked To be shown the true way forward. But because our spirits were still asleep, we were not allowed to progress forward as a group. I'm going to be tested, you two are going to be tested, everyone in Om is going to be tested. There are more exploratory parties than just us in Om. The other Sorcerers and I, we've been searching for Om, for ages. as for how I got in this hallway, The spirit of the Temple split us up. The hallway I came from, is sealed off, it placed me back at the dead end part. I stumbled forward, and here I am."

Light brightened the room, and the local area of the Temple cleaned itself up, and restored itself, banishing the dust.

"I passed maybe?" she asked, confused.

The Jesters Tomb reassembled itself into a proper door.

He paused to consider the altar for a moment, it was not a deity he recognized, so he didn't bother abasing himself in anyway. It was not his God, and so mattered not. Since the armor was proof against vacuum, it didn't matter that the hallways were flooded, he simply started forward, to the right. The water didn't even seem deep enough to reach the chest of the gigantic Mardukan, but it was good to have the armor anyway.

The water deepened. The hallway closed.

The Cool refreshing refreshing water suddenly erupted into a storm of reaching grasping tenticles, which connected to a Primeval fish. It was 20 feet in length from its Bulbous head, to its Crecent shaped tail. It had three slit shaped eyes protected by bony ridges. It stayed under water while it attacked.

The tenticles sought to wrap around the man and rip off his armor.

Meanwhile, strong thoughts tried to enslave him, and make him subservient to the fish.

Maxim pulled out what had been an ordinary flashlight before he'd gotten his machine warping hands on it. It was now a highly powerful, miniture spotlight and could be utilized as a limited usage laser. Flicking it on, he shined it at the guards as he walked into the room while the Igorim followed with thier packs of stuff.

=================================

Zeri stepped through the doorway, wondering if the designers sought to drive off people by repetition.

The water deepened. The hallway closed.

The Cool refreshing refreshing water suddenly erupted into a storm of reaching grasping tentacles, which connected to a Primeval fish. It was 20 feet in length from its Bulbous head, to its crescent shaped tail. It had three slit shaped eyes protected by bony ridges. It stayed under water while it attacked.

The tentacles sought to wrap around the man and rip off his armor.

Meanwhile, strong thoughts tried to enslave him, and make him subservient to the fish.

A massive current ripped through the water, sending millions of amps through the fish. Enough power to start an industrial age combustion engine, or stop the heart of the largest beasts on Solari Prime. The massive hook slashed with frightening ease, seemingly unhindered by the resistance of the water, severing tentacles, while another hand drew a machete-like boma knife, and began its own gruesome work at keeping the beast at bay.

Maxim pulled out what had been an ordinary flashlight before he'd gotten his machine warping hands on it. It was now a highly powerful, miniture spotlight and could be utilized as a limited usage laser. Flicking it on, he shined it at the guards as he walked into the room while the Igorim followed with thier packs of stuff.

=================================

Zeri stepped through the doorway, wondering if the designers sought to drive off people by repetition.

A statue turned to Maxim.

"TURN OUT THAT LIGHT!" it yelled, shaking the room.

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

There was a beautiful amethyst Dragon in the middle of the floor. It appeared to be an adult.

A massive current ripped through the water, sending millions of amps through the fish. Enough power to start an industrial age combustion engine, or stop the heart of the largest beasts on Solari Prime. The massive hook slashed with frightening ease, seemingly unhindered by the resistance of the water, severing tentacles, while another hand drew a machete-like boma knife, and began its own gruesome work at keeping the beast at bay.

The fish died, it was sliced, diced, fried, and ready to eat. At least it would be if it wasn't poisonus.

The hall turned into a large open area. There was a single unconcous man floating in the water. He had gills, and was wearing sorcerer Robes bearing images of water. He was Ri-anese.

He flicked it off for a second to ask, "Why, are you scared of light?"

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Zeri paused. He really didn't need to confront a dragon at the moment. Deciding to try the civil approach as dragons were intelligent, "Hello there."

He flicked it off for a second to ask, "Why, are you scared of light?"

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Zeri paused. He really didn't need to confront a dragon at the moment. Deciding to try the civil approach as dragons were intelligent, "Hello there."

"You don't want to spring the trap, do you?" it asked.
______________________________________________

"Hello Lunch."

The fish died, it was sliced, diced, fried, and ready to eat. At least it would be if it wasn't poisonus.

The hall turned into a large open area. There was a single unconcous man floating in the water. He had gills, and was wearing sorcerer Robes bearing images of water. He was Ri-anese.

"Well pock. That can't have been healthy for him. Best drag his arse out of the water and see if he still has a pulse..." He commenced to the rather simple task of lifting the feather light man in a single hand and dragging him towards dry floor. He could tell now that the...man-thing still lived, though his health was questionable. A more thorough examination would have to wait though.

"And how does the trap work, a solar panel type arrangement?" Maxim asked the statue.
______________________________________________

"Lunch?" Zeri asked, "I'm not really a part of any healthy diet."

"Well pock. That can't have been healthy for him. Best drag his arse out of the water and see if he still has a pulse..." He commenced to the rather simple task of lifting the feather light man in a single hand and dragging him towards dry floor. He could tell now that the...man-thing still lived, though his health was questionable. A more thorough examination would have to wait though.

There was a Dry section up ahead. On Dry land, the gills disappeared. He coughed up the water in his lungs, and gasped for air. He sat up.

"I must find the source of that Jolt, it seems to have jarred my memory. My spirit is awake now!" he said. THEN he noticed he wasn't alone.

"OH! Hi! My name is Quis, Ri-an sorcerer of, and Magi-master of, Water."

"And how does the trap work, a solar panel type arrangement?" Maxim asked the statue.
______________________________________________

"Lunch?" Zeri asked, "I'm not really a part of any healthy diet."

"The entire room collects the light and causes a massive fire on the scale of a star, for a brief moment. Of course, Stars melt lots of things, and I don't want to melt, do you?" The Statue asked.

____________________________________________________

"Well shucks. You mean there aren't any Minerals in your bones at all?" The Dragon asked, very disapointed.

Svetranova thought an order.

Within a second, every gun that could be brought to bear on the Sorceress was. Four 25mm gauss chainguns. Two masers. A laser. A 50mm railgun. A flame-thrower. And, last but not least, the arm-mounted four-tube rocket launcher pack.

A second order.

The front of the Brigadier belched fire and smoke, incandescent beams of light and hollow shafts of heat distortion rippling across the room towards the Sorceress. So short was the distance, so fast did the munitions travel, that they should - so the AI computed - hit their target the instant they left the weapons. A roiling cloud of ignited fuel whoofed over the stones as the chainguns hissed their lethal song. Above it all echoed the tremendous CRACK of the railgun's report...

The Pseudodragon gave up and died.

The Temple flashed around him and Mr. Grey, they found themselves in a long decending hall.

With that he noticed Mr Grey, infact he had totally forgot that he was attempting to follow him. This time he thought he was, well not sure what he was but knew he knew him.

Johnathon approached and greeted him, The long descending hallwall made Johnathon slightly uneasy, pulling out his standard binoculors scouted the hall managing to turn up the contrast so that anything unusual would be easier to spot, after which he also got the IR binoculors out and did a reading.

Svetranova thought an order.

Within a second, every gun that could be brought to bear on the Sorceress was. Four 25mm gauss chainguns. Two masers. A laser. A 50mm railgun. A flame-thrower. And, last but not least, the arm-mounted four-tube rocket launcher pack.

A second order.

The front of the Brigadier belched fire and smoke, incandescent beams of light and hollow shafts of heat distortion rippling across the room towards the Sorceress. So short was the distance, so fast did the munitions travel, that they should - so the AI computed - hit their target the instant they left the weapons. A roiling cloud of ignited fuel whoofed over the stones as the chainguns hissed their lethal song. Above it all echoed the tremendous CRACK of the railgun's report...

She had Regeneration. Her wounds healed, burns faded. She was a whole sorceress again, then she was gone.

With that he noticed Mr Grey, infact he had totally forgot that he was attempting to follow him. This time he thought he was, well not sure what he was but knew he knew him.

Johnathon approached and greeted him, The long descending hallwall made Johnathon slightly uneasy, pulling out his standard binoculors scouted the hall managing to turn up the contrast so that anything unusual would be easier to spot, after which he also got the IR binoculors out and did a reading.

The entire hall was unusual. 24 hours before, it wasn't in this space. Other than a normal looking hallway there wasn't anything there.

"Well slain!" cried Beckenbauer, clapping the Brigadier suit on the shoulder. "Now let us delve deeper into this warren of Jews and Communists, and cleanse it of all that is not pure. SIEG HEIL!" he saluted loudly, sending echoes of it down into the tomb. Picking up his weapons, the Skgorrian strode deeper into the temple.

Well slain! Praise from the Storm-General! Deep inside the Brigadier, Svetranova blushed. Shaking it off, she put her suit into motion, although something was niggling at her.

Suit, she began, play back your recording of that weapons fire. Did I kill her or not?

There was a brief pause.

Estimate 87% probability of instant death, 13% probability of maiming followed by death. 100% probability of target's cessation of life.

Praise well earnt...

~SNIP~

~SNIP~

But she wasn't, merely unconcious.

It was a shame she was gone, because in the next room was a cloud of darkness. There was no escaping this battle. a Void Dragon was trapped in the room. The Void extended around them both, one could not escape the Void, unless one was allowed to. Its Black scales glowed with bright white light. Its teeth were sharp enough to grind diamonds, and its claws, long as scimitars, were sharp enough to tear through most metals. It looked at them, angry that they existed, that they had intruded upon its not existing. Its scales were hard enough to stop most bullets, but all Void Creatures automaticly had protection of the void itself. If they were tough enough to shoot at a weak unarmed sorceress, then a creature that could actually fight back should be no problem.

It sent its claws flying down on Beckenbaur, and whiped the brigander with its tail.

The young man that had come in behind Michael approached him now...after killing a particularly irratable reptile.

He was fast...a poor shot...but fast...must remember that...

As the young man approached he greated Michael

"Jonathan...but people call me Johnny" was what he said that was of any import.


"Michael, Michael Grey" was what he said in reply.

Then he looked about the new suroundings.

"This is an unexpected twist...but when walking through a legend I suspect we should expect the unexpected...or something like that."


I See You

Those words, were a very odd find ...odd for him anyway.
Definately not accidental.
Definately not of immediate importance either.

Michael reached back into his pack and produced a jar,

"Olive?" he offered the young Johnny a savory treat.

"I enjoy an olive after..." he nodded back towards where the body of a dead reptile should have been in an opening once open but now closed in chamber that should have been behind them but was no longer.

His weapon remained in it's holster.

He paused...

"I didnt expect to see anyone ... I really didnt expect anyone to see me."

He put emphasis on the word 'see' to note if it struck a cord with Johnny...perhaps the words were meant for him...but, it just didnt seem as likly.

...but again not a matter of pressing importance...

The way out was no longer what it had been....always plan

Morganna stepped theough the boulder and ascended the stairs. Once within the Temple she stopped and concentrated, extending her awareness attempting to get a feel of the area.

She felt the flow of energy pulsating through the stone at her feet. The tidel energies beating at the core of the planet. She matched her own energies to those she was detecting essentially becoming one with her surroundings. She felt an awareness that seemed to be centered in the Temple, but extended throughout Om itself.

That did not suprise her, she was aware of several sentient worlds or artifacts such as Tranquility Station or the Worldmind od Arneb IV which used the Gargants as it's body. Morganna tried to contact the awareness.

"Greetings, I am Morganna Aarisbane. I stand upon your doorstep and ask permission to enter the Temple. I have been asked by my superior to come here in search of knowlege. I fully understand such knowlege is valuable and you will have to test me. Please grant me the permission to proceede so I can prove to you I am worthy of your trust."

Morganna awaited an answer.

Morganna stepped theough the boulder and ascended the stairs. Once within the Temple she stopped and concentrated, extending her awareness attempting to get a feel of the area.

She felt the flow of energy pulsating through the stone at her feet. The tidel energies beating at the core of the planet. She matched her own energies to those she was detecting essentially becoming one with her surroundings. She felt an awareness that seemed to be centered in the Temple, but extended throughout Om itself.

That did not suprise her, she was aware of several sentient worlds or artifacts such as Tranquility Station or the Worldmind od Arneb IV which used the Gargants as it's body. Morganna tried to contact the awareness.

"Greetings, I am Morganna Aarisbane. I stand upon your doorstep and ask permission to enter the Temple. I have been asked by my superior to come here in search of knowlege. I fully understand such knowlege is valuable and you will have to test me. Please grant me the permission to proceede so I can prove to you I am worthy of your trust."

Morganna awaited an answer.

The mind responded.

"Several Detestable beings inhabit my body. I am wounded sorely, for the Void has infested my insides. My surface caretakers have been killed, and my body mutilated. I cannot recover and within one week, I shall die. Learn what you will, but if you fail, then despair not, for all things shall pass unto my sister, should her caretakers succeed in saving her. You WILL be tested, make no mistake, but enter the depths. A lost Ri-anese wanders below on the same path."

"Well, it looks like we've got good King Midas in sword form..."

The platform moved close enough to the sword to be picked up.

"But, the question is, is it safe?"

Picking up two more small stones, Frederick dropped one on the altar and threw the other so it bounced off the hilt.

"Well, it looks like we've got good King Midas in sword form..."

The platform moved close enough to the sword to be picked up.

"But, the question is, is it safe?"

Picking up two more small stones, Frederick dropped one on the altar and threw the other so it bounced off the hilt.

They both remained common stones.

"Well, I suppose it would make for a perfectly good substitute for shooting things... What do you think, Grak?"

Frederick pulled on soft buff gloves and gave the hilt a cautious jiggle. After checking its safety, he moved the platform away from the sword and unshouldered his rifle.

Taking careful aim, he fired a bullet into what appeared to be the weakest point on the sword, intending to sunder it into two.

There was a Dry section up ahead. On Dry land, the gills disappeared. He coughed up the water in his lungs, and gasped for air. He sat up.

"I must find the source of that Jolt, it seems to have jarred my memory. My spirit is awake now!" he said. THEN he noticed he wasn't alone.

"OH! Hi! My name is Quis, Ri-an sorcerer of, and Magi-master of, Water."

"Umm... You do realize that after that kind of hit you should be EXTREMELY dead, much like our pescato amigo over there? And that you probably just defied about 20 laws of physics. Right? And that I'm the one that just bitchslapped you with several million amps of electricity? And that you used to have pocking GILLS!?" T'leen was becoming slightly hysterical by this point. It simply wasn't POSSIBLE to survive that. Without the armor HE wouldn't have survived that, and he was surely more robust than this frail creature. Yet it lived, and talked, and somehow got rid of its gills. It simply wasn't possible.

"Well, I suppose it would make for a perfectly good substitute for shooting things... What do you think, Grak?"

Frederick pulled on soft buff gloves and gave the hilt a cautious jiggle. After checking its safety, he moved the platform away from the sword and unshouldered his rifle.

Taking careful aim, he fired a bullet into what appeared to be the weakest point on the sword, intending to sunder it into two.

And the sword broke in two. A gold fog drifted out of the sword, and the hall turned to stone. The fog disapated. It was now a useless pointless Rusty sword, broken in half.

It continued, and continued, and continued. He was in a rom with four tall statues. One of Herculese, one of Sampson, one of Id, The Ri-an Demi-god of Strength, high priest of Destruction, one of Deuce, Ri-an demi God of Chaos. There was a gun on the alter.

There was an inscription on the Gun.

Martian Bubble Gun.

The only disturbing thing, was that the Gun hovered a full foot off the Alter.
Nekaru looked at the statue of Id. For a long time, there was just silence.
The Nekaru's eyes twitched irritably as his right hand made a fist.
The statue of Id collapsed as a wall of air crushed it to dust.
Turning to the Gun, he poked it with the blunt end of his lightsaber.

"Umm... You do realize that after that kind of hit you should be EXTREMELY dead, much like our pescato amigo over there? And that you probably just defied about 20 laws of physics. Right? And that I'm the one that just bitchslapped you with several million amps of electricity? And that you used to have pocking GILLS!?" T'leen was becoming slightly hysterical by this point. It simply wasn't POSSIBLE to survive that. Without the armor HE wouldn't have survived that, and he was surely more robust than this frail creature. Yet it lived, and talked, and somehow got rid of its gills. It simply wasn't possible.

Quis hesitated, then shrugged.

"my magic lessens the impact. Make no mistake I'm NOT moving for several minutes. But I have had many lifetimes of experience with magic, and my spirit knows how to lessen the impact. Besides, there are creatures in the deep in some Realities, that actually produce Electricity strong enough to rival the heavens. Yes, I violated a lot of science, I am aware of that, but Science is not the only path of knowledge." Quis said.

He was sore all over his body.

He held out his hand, and green water flowed from his hand, and over his body.

"Ahh, the water of a recovery spring. Such a nice liquid to soak in." Quis said.

"Interesting... Might have been more fun to break it on some dragon's hoard, but all the same, interesting."

Frederick moved the platform across and picked up the rusted hilt anyway, despite having just destroyed the artifact with his carelessness. Stuffing the worthless hilt into his bag, he turned to Grak.

"Well, that was fun."

He then directed the platform to continue onwards.

Nekaru looked at the statue of Id. For a long time, there was just silence.
The Nekaru's eyes twitched irritably as his right hand made a fist.
The statue of Id collapsed as a wall of air crushed it to dust.
Turning to the Gun, he poked it with the blunt end of his lightsaber.

It spun around in place.

OOC: Why did you destroy ID's statue, out of curiosity.

Quis hesitated, then shrugged.

"my magic lessens the impact. Make no mistake I'm NOT moving for several minutes. But I have had many lifetimes of experience with magic, and my spirit knows how to lessen the impact. Besides, there are creatures in the deep in some Realities, that actually produce Electricity strong enough to rival the heavens. Yes, I violated a lot of science, I am aware of that, but Science is not the only path of knowledge." Quis said.

He was sore all over his body.

He held out his hand, and green water flowed from his hand, and over his body.

"Ahh, the water of a recovery spring. Such a nice liquid to soak in." Quis said.

"Gimme twenty minutes, a fusion reactor and a power cable and we'll see who's who and what's what. Why are you here, and what reason would I have for taking you with me? And if your whatever can keep you alive with a 12mm shell through your skull, maybe it'd be worth something. I'm less than impressed so far, except that you and thermodynamics seem to be on REALLY good terms."

"Interesting... Might have been more fun to break it on some dragon's hoard, but all the same, interesting."

Frederick moved the platform across and picked up the rusted hilt anyway, despite having just destroyed the artifact with his carelessness. Stuffing the worthless hilt into his bag, he turned to Grak.

"Well, that was fun."

He then directed the platform to continue onwards.

Eventually he reached a large door. if he could lift 100 pounds, he could open it no problem.

It spun around in place.

OOC: Why did you destroy ID's statue, out of curiosity.

OOC: Nekaru is simply Tenarius in the future- with different abilities and a changed name. Consequently, he has the memories of encountering Id.

IC: Nekaru didn't want to touch the gun, and since it seemed to exhibit no threat, he wanted to leave it alone. After all, he could fight perfectly well without a stupid gun.
He turned around and began to look for ankother way besides the way he came in.

Pulling the door upwards, Frederick was surprised at the immense weight of the thing.

"I wish I'd brought explosives," he remarked, "then doors would be no problem." as he attempted to lift it.

Moving his bag aside, he gripped the door and with a heave, pulled it open.

Motioning Grak through first, he walked into the next room before allowing the door to fall shut again. Unclipping his lantern from his belt, he shone the light forward and continued into the bowels of Om.

"Gimme twenty minutes, a fusion reactor and a power cable and we'll see who's who and what's what. Why are you here, and what reason would I have for taking you with me? And if your whatever can keep you alive with a 12mm shell through your skull, maybe it'd be worth something. I'm less than impressed so far, except that you and thermodynamics seem to be on REALLY good terms."

Quis looked at the man. then pointed at the dry land. Water became a Cold Fusion Reactor, a Power Cable, and a timer appeared on the wall began counting down from 25.

Quis's body flashed water for a moment.

"NOW I can survive anything, except the heat of a star. I will just simply be in a liquid state for a week or two. As for why you should take me with you, nothing said you had too, though it would be a good idea. Somethings in this temple may require a less scientific approach. I am an expert at less than scientific approaches. Also, What if your suit no longer becomes of use to you? If you recieve a terrible wound, I can heal you, using my less than scientific knowledge. Then there are things in there that no one can survive on their own. Besides, it'd get lonely by yourself, and who would watch your back?" Quis said.

OOC: Nekaru is simply Tenarius in the future- with different abilities and a changed name. Consequently, he has the memories of encountering Id.

IC: Nekaru didn't want to touch the gun, and since it seemed to exhibit no threat, he wanted to leave it alone. After all, he could fight perfectly well without a stupid gun.
He turned around and began to look for ankother way besides the way he came in.

The Invisible stalker picked up the gun, and pointed it into a dark space. The gun floated, carried by the Invisible stalker, to that dark space. Then turned a darkend corner.

OOC: Oh, I thought he was Tenarius's son. Intresting.

"So you are following me."
And with that, Nekaru delved into the dark space. Maybe there was something of usefulness there.

Pulling the door upwards, Frederick was surprised at the immense weight of the thing.

"I wish I'd brought explosives," he remarked, "then doors would be no problem." as he attempted to lift it.

Moving his bag aside, he gripped the door and with a heave, pulled it open.

Motioning Grak through first, he walked into the next room before allowing the door to fall shut again. Unclipping his lantern from his belt, he shone the light forward and continued into the bowels of Om.

as the door closed behind him, he was greeted by the blood thirsty roar of a white dragon.

Grak stood infront of Frederick, and roared right back.

The two conversed in Draconic.

then the Mother White Dragon sniffed Frederick.

They conversed in Draconic awhile longer.

then she looked at Frederick.

"He says his real name is Xithal, not Grak. He can speak Draconic, and write Draconic, but only understand spoken Commen, nothing more." Then she layed back down.

A young white dragon hatchling peeked from around a corner.

"Can I eat it momma? Please?" it asked.

"No, our Felldrake cousin is friends with it. we'll leave later, and I will instruct you further in hunting. this time don't try and take down a full grown Blue whale. Your not even as big as its tail."

"So you are following me."
And with that, Nekaru delved into the dark space. Maybe there was something of usefulness there.

the Martian Bubble gun glowed slightly in the darkness.

It continued straight, then stopped.

"Burn that which does not burn." was written on the door. Torches flared to life, revealing a log trapped in a pool of water.

Quis looked at the man. then pointed at the dry land. Water became a Cold Fusion Reactor, a Power Cable, and a timer appeared on the wall began counting down from 25.

Quis's body flashed water for a moment.

"NOW I can survive anything, except the heat of a star. I will just simply be in a liquid state for a week or two. As for why you should take me with you, nothing said you had too, though it would be a good idea. Somethings in this temple may require a less scientific approach. I am an expert at less than scientific approaches. Also, What if your suit no longer becomes of use to you? If you recieve a terrible wound, I can heal you, using my less than scientific knowledge. Then there are things in there that no one can survive on their own. Besides, it'd get lonely by yourself, and who would watch your back?" Quis said.

"Well no wonder you'll survive. It's flipping cold fusion. How do I get the brighter than a thousand suns effect out of cold fusion? Anyway, you make several points. The armor would be required to lose upwards of 40% of its integrity before it would become a hindrance. My armor can heal me until such a time as it is rendered inoperative, and I am never alone. If it is my time to be called to the God, then I will go with gladness to the Lord of Light. Out of the shadows and into the sun. If you're coming, lets go. It's not like I can nuke the temple with that reactor you whipped up. Once again god damn violating pocking physics." The demonic appearing armor, and the irritated Mardukan within began to walk off, allowing the freakish thing to follow as it would.

Nekaru simply smiled as he waved his hands and the log was lifted out of the water.
Meanwhile, he looked, frowned and snapped his fingers.
"This probably won't work, but here goes."
The fire slammed down into the water.

"Well no wonder you'll survive. It's flipping cold fusion. How do I get the brighter than a thousand suns effect out of cold fusion? Anyway, you make several points. The armor would be required to lose upwards of 40% of its integrity before it would become a hindrance. My armor can heal me until such a time as it is rendered inoperative, and I am never alone. If it is my time to be called to the God, then I will go with gladness to the Lord of Light. Out of the shadows and into the sun. If you're coming, lets go. It's not like I can nuke the temple with that reactor you whipped up. Once again god damn violating pocking physics." The demonic appearing armor, and the irritated Mardukan within began to walk off, allowing the freakish thing to follow as it would.

The sorcerer followed, freakishly quiet too. He was a very anomalous person indeed.

The stuff melted back into water.

They reached an intersection. To the right was an inscription of a whirlpool, to the left was an inscription of a waterfall.

"Intresting. Based entirely on those inscriptions, I say we go right. If what I think is true, then we're in for a descent, and there is no promise of something to gentle break our fall at the bottom, should it be too verticle. A whirlpool at least, is just a strong flow of water, unless it just empties into a rom with a hard landing. Either way, you have a bit of a softer path with a whirlpool." Said Quis, who obviously had no clue about what was ahead.

"So, I guess its your decision." said Quis.

Nekaru simply smiled as he waved his hands and the log was lifted out of the water.
Meanwhile, he looked, frowned and snapped his fingers.
"This probably won't work, but here goes."
The fire slammed down into the water.

The door opened.

OOC: I forgot another sentence again. It wasn't supposed to be that easy.

IC: Inside, was a Dragon, this one was a fire dragon. It had just returned from lunch.

"Hi." it said, as it yawned, and a jet of flame scorched the ceiling.

The sorcerer followed, freakishly quiet too. He was a very anomalous person indeed.

The stuff melted back into water.

They reached an intersection. To the right was an inscription of a whirlpool, to the left was an inscription of a waterfall.

"Intresting. Based entirely on those inscriptions, I say we go right. If what I think is true, then we're in for a descent, and there is no promise of something to gentle break our fall at the bottom, should it be too verticle. A whirlpool at least, is just a strong flow of water, unless it just empties into a rom with a hard landing. Either way, you have a bit of a softer path with a whirlpool." Said Quis, who obviously had no clue about what was ahead.

"So, I guess its your decision." said Quis.

I don't think it matters. Logically each path will lead to the same destination in the end. As such the route taken is immaterial. But I've had enough of being tossed about like a toy today when I landed. If I don't have to spin in circles like some drunk child's idea of amusement, then I'm not going to. And in case you hadn't noticed, something gentle to break my fall isn't very high on my list of priorities. You're not the only one that has a friend in the physics textbook. I'm going to use some of that fun science and rappel down the waterfall." With that he proceeded left, hoping he actually remembered to include the U-clamp, bounce pak, and super winch in his pack. And that he wouldn't have to rely on his suits AG to get him down.

"Aw geez, how cute."
And Nekaru simply closed his fist as once again, the air revealed itself by hurling incredible pressure on the dragon.
All the same, Nekaru didn't like this. It seemed too easy as he lit his lightsaber and closed his eyes. He probably shouldn't have atacked first, but he couldn't take chances- his ultimate defense was nearly useless against fire attacks.

"Well, Xithal, I suppose I'll have to learn Draconic, then." he remarked to his felldrake companion, whose actual name he had just learned.

Bowing to the white dragon, he made a request of the considerably larger and more powerful creature. He realised that offending one as powerful as the white dragon before him (though in all honesty, she was likely one of the lesser creatures inhabiting this dungeon) could result in his rapid and untimely demise.

"Hail, noble dragon. I humbly request passage through your domain, so that I might uncover the secrets of this ancient world."

Frederick was taking no chances here.

I don't think it matters. Logically each path will lead to the same destination in the end. As such the route taken is immaterial. But I've had enough of being tossed about like a toy today when I landed. If I don't have to spin in circles like some drunk child's idea of amusement, then I'm not going to. And in case you hadn't noticed, something gentle to break my fall isn't very high on my list of priorities. You're not the only one that has a friend in the physics textbook. I'm going to use some of that fun science and rappel down the waterfall." With that he proceeded left, hoping he actually remembered to include the U-clamp, bounce pak, and super winch in his pack. And that he wouldn't have to rely on his suits AG to get him down.

Quis followed him. They entered another pool of water. The walls squeezed shut behind them, then the floor dropped open. They landed on a bouncy surface.

Quis looked around the room.

"Good thing we went down the waterfall path." he said, indicating the spike trap beneath the whirlpool.

Then he noticed the puzzel on the wall.

There was a picture of a complete key.

Beneath it was a standerd key. The point was to reassmble the key. It was magnetic, and stuck to itself. Problem was, it was in 20 pieces.

Quis sighed.

"Stupid puzzels." he muttered under his breath.

Then gathered the pieces, sat down on the floor, and began attempting to put it together properly.

Quis followed him. They entered another pool of water. The walls squeezed shut behind them, then the floor dropped open. They landed on a bouncy surface.

Quis looked around the room.

"Good thing we went down the waterfall path." he said, indicating the spike trap beneath the whirlpool.

Then he noticed the puzzle on the wall.

There was a picture of a complete key.

Beneath it was a standard key. The point was to reassemble the key. It was magnetic, and stuck to itself. Problem was, it was in 20 pieces.

Quis sighed.

"Stupid puzzles." he muttered under his breath.

Then gathered the pieces, sat down on the floor, and began attempting to put it together properly.

"Not how I planned things, but ok. This works. Dumb luck is good. Is there a door here anywhere that this key is going to open?" He paused for a moment, turning ground penetrating sensors on the walls in an attempt to detect any concealed passages, or hidden doors.

"Aw geez, how cute."
And Nekaru simply closed his fist as once again, the air revealed itself by hurling incredible pressure on the dragon.
All the same, Nekaru didn't like this. It seemed too easy as he lit his lightsaber and closed his eyes. He probably shouldn't have atacked first, but he couldn't take chances- his ultimate defense was nearly useless against fire attacks.

The Sleeping dragon looked up angrily.

"What the Hell? Have you never heard the phrase let sleeping dragons lie? I'm going to kill you!" it roared. The Invisible Stalker shot it with the Martian Bubble Gun. A giant pink bubble enveloped the dragon, then it exploded. Dragon guts blew all around the room.

Behold, the power of the Martian Bubble Gun.

"Not how I planned things, but ok. This works. Dumb luck is good. Is there a door here anywhere that this key is going to open?" He paused for a moment, turning ground penetrating sensors on the walls in an attempt to detect any concealed passages, or hidden doors.

The walls heavily interfered, even with penetrating sensors. But the door was detected, behind a fallen wall piece.

Quis continued working on the key, amid the ocasional bust of energy from putting the wrong part in the key.

"Well, Xithal, I suppose I'll have to learn Draconic, then." he remarked to his felldrake companion, whose actual name he had just learned.

Bowing to the white dragon, he made a request of the considerably larger and more powerful creature. He realised that offending one as powerful as the white dragon before him (though in all honesty, she was likely one of the lesser creatures inhabiting this dungeon) could result in his rapid and untimely demise.

"Hail, noble dragon. I humbly request passage through your domain, so that I might uncover the secrets of this ancient world."

Frederick was taking no chances here.

"There is a door over that way. It leads to the inside outside world. You have to see it to understand." she said, point to an open doorway that indeed did lead outside. But it was bright outside, few details could be seen, other than that the doorway was by a snowbank.

The walls heavily interfered, even with penetrating sensors. But the door was detected, behind a fallen wall piece.

Quis continued working on the key, amid the ocasional bust of energy from putting the wrong part in the key.

T'leen did the logical thing, and set to moving the fallen section of wall to clear the path to the door. Weight would be immaterial to the massively amplified strength of suit and Mardukan. Even the hook was no hindrance, sinking deep into the stone and locking tight. With a careful lift, lest he damage what he sought to expose, he shifted aside the barrier. "Well, it's a door alright. Are we actually going to NEED that key to open the door? I mean it IS just stone. If I find whatever holds it in place I can just try cutting it and moving the thing. I guarantee a monomol blade will make a very nice cut."

T'leen did the logical thing, and set to moving the fallen section of wall to clear the path to the door. Weight would be immaterial to the massively amplified strength of suit and Mardukan. Even the hook was no hindrance, sinking deep into the stone and locking tight. With a careful lift, lest he damage what he sought to expose, he shifted aside the barrier. "Well, it's a door alright. Are we actually going to NEED that key to open the door? I mean it IS just stone. If I find whatever holds it in place I can just try cutting it and moving the thing. I guarantee a monomol blade will make a very nice cut."

"The Temple walls and doors follow less than scientific approaches. Despite your blade's strenth, it would be sundered in half, before you even got a quarter of an inch. Sometimes yes, that's a good idea, but, for the moment, lets just follow the path." said Quis, who stood up in one fluid motion and turned the five foot key in the door. The door fell downwards into its slot.

They were greeted by the sight of a Crystal Shield.

It rested on an Alter.

Beneath it was an inscription: "this Shield can defend against great Phsyical attacks, and non Physical attacks."

"Woah, an AEGIS Shield! Gnarly!" said Quis who had inexplicably adopted a surfers accent.

"The Temple walls and doors follow less than scientific approaches. Despite your blade's strenth, it would be sundered in half, before you even got a quarter of an inch. Sometimes yes, that's a good idea, but, for the moment, lets just follow the path." said Quis, who stood up in one fluid motion and turned the five foot key in the door. The door fell downwards into its slot.

They were greeted by the sight of a Crystal Shield.

It rested on an Alter.

Beneath it was an inscription: "this Shield can defend against great Phsyical attacks, and non Physical attacks."

"Woah, an AEGIS Shield! Gnarly!" said Quis who had inexplicably adopted a surfers accent.

"That's disturbing. Please never do that again. Ever. Just tell me, what's it DO. And why it has value beyond its obvious crystalline makeup. And WHY my sensors are going GC when they see it."

"There is a door over that way. It leads to the inside outside world. You have to see it to understand." she said, point to an open doorway that indeed did lead outside. But it was bright outside, few details could be seen, other than that the doorway was by a snowbank.

"Thank you for your time."

Frederick took a moment to note the new developments.

Left Passageway (Puzzle, Answer = 365) -> (former) Golden Hall -> White Dragon's Lair -> Inner World

Walking out to the doorway, he was temporarily blinded by the glare of the bright snow. Pulling on his goggles, and donning a scarf, he departed the indoors of the temple and gazed for the first time upon the inner world of Om.

After taking a moment to allow his eyes to adjust, he extinguished his lantern and stowed it in his bag before venturing forth into this strange new world.

The young man that had come in behind Michael approached him now...after killing a particularly irratable reptile.

He was fast...a poor shot...but fast...must remember that...

As the young man approached he greated Michael

"Jonathan...but people call me Johnny" was what he said that was of any import.


"Michael, Michael Grey" was what he said in reply.

Then he looked about the new suroundings.

"This is an unexpected twist...but when walking through a legend I suspect we should expect the unexpected...or something like that."


I See You

Those words, were a very odd find ...odd for him anyway.
Definately not accidental.
Definately not of immediate importance either.

Michael reached back into his pack and produced a jar,

"Olive?" he offered the young Johnny a savory treat.

"I enjoy an olive after..." he nodded back towards where the body of a dead reptile should have been in an opening once open but now closed in chamber that should have been behind them but was no longer.

His weapon remained in it's holster.

He paused...

"I didnt expect to see anyone ... I really didnt expect anyone to see me."

He put emphasis on the word 'see' to note if it struck a cord with Johnny...perhaps the words were meant for him...but, it just didnt seem as likly.

...but again not a matter of pressing importance...

The way out was no longer what it had been....always plan

Johnny was bemused, he had no idea this place was the place of Legends and neither did he know anything about the Legend, he was here purely because he was here, trying to survive while trying to work out what to do.

Obviously something weird was happening as he was having a hard time concentrating on Michael, but he was well accustomed to using his peripheral visual so he was using the mostly to keep tabs on Michael and his location.

He looked at the jar of olives and said "not on the job, but thanks anyway."

Looking back the dragon was gone... He was started to think that this was a dream, but what dream are you aware it's a dream and can control yourself as well. Eitherway he had to be on his toes as it seems anything could happen.

Seemingly as if Johnny knew what Michael was thinking at the shots he said. "I didn't really have the time to aim as accurately as I would normally" and then realised he forgot to use the laser pointer that came on the pistol. Next time, certainly.

The comments and emphasis about seeing and not being seen puzzled Johnathon but it didn't really mean anything so he let it slide.

"Shall we?" said Jonathon indicating the pathway keeping eyes ears and all his other senses open taking and filtering all the information about what's happen as much as he could.

"That's disturbing. Please never do that again. Ever. Just tell me, what's it DO. And why it has value beyond its obvious crystalline makeup. And WHY my sensors are going GC when they see it."

"It bends the rules. The ones you follow AND the ones I follow! It has the power to stop your strongest attack dead in its tracks. It has the power to stop my current strongest attack dead in its tracks. Its one of the most perfect shields you could ever hope to come accross. An aegis shield, it takes the lifetime power output of a star to make one. I won't worry you with details on how that's done. It uses less than scientific approaches. But even WE frown upon such methods. Its Tactical value to a single entity is beyond comparison though. Its a double edged shield though, while you use it, you cannot attack, but niether can you be hit. Effectivly, your out of battle. A national Leader, or at least, a very trusted General could hold one, and safely lead an army on the battlefield. Unless they use a Nuke. It does not defend against Nukes. This belongs in a treasury somewhere, or a mueseum, for all to see and marvel over." Quis said.

"Thank you for your time."

Frederick took a moment to note the new developments.

Left Passageway (Puzzle, Answer = 365) -> (former) Golden Hall -> White Dragon's Lair -> Inner World

Walking out to the doorway, he was temporarily blinded by the glare of the bright snow. Pulling on his goggles, and donning a scarf, he departed the indoors of the temple and gazed for the first time upon the inner world of Om.

After taking a moment to allow his eyes to adjust, he extinguished his lantern and stowed it in his bag before venturing forth into this strange new world.

The Ceiling, it was made of Crystal. He was on a mountain top. The ceiling glowed brightly, and was made of all sorts of Colors. The world extended for as far as he could see.
Xithal was impressed. A world within a world. A path lead down the mountain.

Johnny was bemused, he had no idea this place was the place of Legends and neither did he know anything about the Legend, he was here purely because he was here, trying to survive while trying to work out what to do.

Obviously something weird was happening as he was having a hard time concentrating on Michael, but he was well accustomed to using his peripheral visual so he was using the mostly to keep tabs on Michael and his location.

He looked at the jar of olives and said "not on the job, but thanks anyway."

Looking back the dragon was gone... He was started to think that this was a dream, but what dream are you aware it's a dream and can control yourself as well. Eitherway he had to be on his toes as it seems anything could happen.

Seemingly as if Johnny knew what Michael was thinking at the shots he said. "I didn't really have the time to aim as accurately as I would normally" and then realised he forgot to use the laser pointer that came on the pistol. Next time, certainly.

The comments and emphasis about seeing and not being seen puzzled Johnathon but it didn't really mean anything so he let it slide.

"Shall we?" said Jonathon indicating the pathway keeping eyes ears and all his other senses open taking and filtering all the information about what's happen as much as he could.

It went down, but no puzzle. Instead, they ran accross A man covered in mold. He was still alive, and hadn't been there long, but of all things, MOLD was growing on his body.

He was sitting next to a Collumn, asleep.

Slabs were on the wall, with words on them.

Indeed, anyone would be.

"Amazing, is it not?" remarked Frederick while standing just outside. A sky of shimmering crystal, and a whole world below to explore.

"Well, let's head down and see what else lies upon this impressive world."

Frederick walked down the mountain path, silent with wonder at this 'inside outside' that existed somehow within the temple.

"It bends the rules. The ones you follow AND the ones I follow! It has the power to stop your strongest attack dead in its tracks. It has the power to stop my current strongest attack dead in its tracks. Its one of the most perfect shields you could ever hope to come accross. An aegis shield, it takes the lifetime power output of a star to make one. I won't worry you with details on how that's done. It uses less than scientific approaches. But even WE frown upon such methods. Its Tactical value to a single entity is beyond comparison though. Its a double edged shield though, while you use it, you cannot attack, but niether can you be hit. Effectivly, your out of battle. A national Leader, or at least, a very trusted General could hold one, and safely lead an army on the battlefield. Unless they use a Nuke. It does not defend against Nukes. This belongs in a treasury somewhere, or a mueseum, for all to see and marvel over." Quis said.

"Has no one ever thought to bash with it? I'm taking it with us. Let's move on." He reaches out to grab the shield.

Indeed, anyone would be.

"Amazing, is it not?" remarked Frederick while standing just outside. A sky of shimmering crystal, and a whole world below to explore.

"Well, let's head down and see what else lies upon this impressive world."

Frederick walked down the mountain path, silent with wonder at this 'inside outside' that existed somehow within the temple.

An entire day later, he reached the base of the mountain.

"Has no one ever thought to bash with it? I'm taking it with us. Let's move on." He reaches out to grab the shield.

Quis, who had the shield, hit the Alter with it as hard as he could, the Alter crumbled. He handed the shield over.

"what kind of shield can't shield bash?" he asked. He lead the way around the corner, and came out of a Cave. a Green Dragon was nearby, eating an Elephant.

The Sleeping dragon looked up angrily.

"What the Hell? Have you never heard the phrase let sleeping dragons lie? I'm going to kill you!" it roared. The Invisible Stalker shot it with the Martian Bubble Gun. A giant pink bubble enveloped the dragon, then it exploded. Dragon guts blew all around the room.

Behold, the power of the Martian Bubble Gun.
"What... the... hell?"
That was certainly a powerful weapon, to put it mildly. But Nekaru felt that it would be probably better to let the Stalker have it. After all, he wasn't any good at using guns.
Might as well find an exit.

"And beside the silly instinct for self-preservation, which doesn't even make sense in a statue, do you care?" Maxim commented as, as with all good mad boys, self-preservation was non-existant. "Where's the mechanism?"
____________________________________________________

"Not to the best of my knowladge. I do happen to have a few ounces of a couple precious metals on me I can give you if you want them." Zeri replied taking the small masses of valuable minerals he'd picked up earlier out of a pocket.

Sure it might only make a light snack, but at least it would be something else that was being snacked upon.

Quis, who had the shield, hit the Alter with it as hard as he could, the Alter crumbled. He handed the shield over.

"what kind of shield can't shield bash?" he asked. He lead the way around the corner, and came out of a Cave. a Green Dragon was nearby, eating an Elephant.

"Then saying you can't attack is a bit of a misnomer. Your shield is a weapon as surely as your hook, or boma knife, or sword, or gun. Which is why you don't really need a weapon if you can viciously beat something in the face with an unbreakable shield." He paused for a moment. "That's a dragon."

"What... the... hell?"
That was certainly a powerful weapon, to put it mildly. But Nekaru felt that it would be probably better to let the Stalker have it. After all, he wasn't any good at using guns.
Might as well find an exit.

The Gun floated around the room, then wind blew the blood off the door.It needed a more solid hand to open it.

"And beside the silly instinct for self-preservation, which doesn't even make sense in a statue, do you care?" Maxim commented as, as with all good mad boys, self-preservation was non-existant. "Where's the mechanism?"
____________________________________________________

"Not to the best of my knowladge. I do happen to have a few ounces of a couple precious metals on me I can give you if you want them." Zeri replied taking the small masses of valuable minerals he'd picked up earlier out of a pocket.

Sure it might only make a light snack, but at least it would be something else that was being snacked upon.

The Statue stepped away from the Collumn. A Glass line ran floor to ceiling.

___________________________
"Oh, I think I'll just go outside and gnaw on a boulder." The dragon said. It head butted a door, and it opened, to the outside.

"Well, I'm guessing I can trust you- for now."
Nekaru opened the door, and for some reason, his eyes picked up something. he couldn't quite figure out what.

"Then saying you can't attack is a bit of a misnomer. Your shield is a weapon as surely as your hook, or boma knife, or sword, or gun. Which is why you don't really need a weapon if you can viciously beat something in the face with an unbreakable shield." He paused for a moment. "That's a dragon."

"Yes. Its peacefully eating an elephant, and not us. Let us not change that." Quis said.

"Good Idea." The Dragon said. then it belched, and continued eating the Elephant.

"Well, I'm guessing I can trust you- for now."
Nekaru opened the door, and for some reason, his eyes picked up something. he couldn't quite figure out what.

That was because Light of the inside outside world greeted his eyes. He was at the base of a mountain, The Grass was Blue. why? no one knew.

"Now what would happen if I went and broke that glass." He muttered before pausing and asking the statue, "Why would someone leave a self-aware anything in a room with a trap. Wouldn't they realize you'd want to keep yourself alive?"
___________________________

"Would you mind telling me a little more about this place?" Zeri asked, "And your name. I am Mahzerius."

Thoroughly tired by the time he reached the base of the mountain (having just marched for an entire day), Frederick understandably felt it was a good time to set up camp.

"I think we'd best stop here and rest for the night. I, for one, am pooped."

While he hadn't prepared for a whole world inside the temple, he had heard tales of the immense size of the temple, and had brought a clockwork portable bed.

Rummaging through his bag, which seemed to contain far more than its size would suggest, he took out a small box and placed it on the ground. Taking a smallish device from his pocket - the clockwork device he had been using earlier - he opened the box and placed the device in a slot.

Winding a small crank on the box, the clockwork device was set into motion, unfolding the box into a simple bed. Taking the box and putting it back into his pocket, he pulled out a small pot, another box (which Xithal would soon learn expanded into a small stove), a few tins and a paper cookbook.

He sat down on a convenient rock and set about cooking a simple meal. Unsure about what his draconic companion would eat, he set out a few of the tins. "Well, what'll you have?". When Xithal had motioned which one, he opened it up and poured it onto a flat stone. Frederick himself just warmed up a tin of precooked food.

For the next hour or so, Frederick sat and ate, before lying down on the bed and catching some much needed sleep.

"Now what would happen if I went and broke that glass." He muttered before pausing and asking the statue, "Why would someone leave a self-aware anything in a room with a trap. Wouldn't they realize you'd want to keep yourself alive?"
___________________________

"Would you mind telling me a little more about this place?" Zeri asked, "And your name. I am Mahzerius."

"I don't know. Maybe that is the trap."

___________________________

"This is the Inner outer world. The World beneath the surface of Om. The Mountains hold up Outer Om. Its really a giant Cave, but you can't tell. We have Seasons, night, and Day here." The Dragon said.

Thoroughly tired by the time he reached the base of the mountain (having just marched for an entire day), Frederick understandably felt it was a good time to set up camp.

"I think we'd best stop here and rest for the night. I, for one, am pooped."

While he hadn't prepared for a whole world inside the temple, he had heard tales of the immense size of the temple, and had brought a clockwork portable bed.

Rummaging through his bag, which seemed to contain far more than its size would suggest, he took out a small box and placed it on the ground. Taking a smallish device from his pocket - the clockwork device he had been using earlier - he opened the box and placed the device in a slot.

Winding a small crank on the box, the clockwork device was set into motion, unfolding the box into a simple bed. Taking the box and putting it back into his pocket, he pulled out a small pot, another box (which Xithal would soon learn expanded into a small stove), a few tins and a paper cookbook.

He sat down on a convenient rock and set about cooking a simple meal. Unsure about what his draconic companion would eat, he set out a few of the tins. "Well, what'll you have?". When Xithal had motioned which one, he opened it up and poured it onto a flat stone. Frederick himself just warmed up a tin of precooked food.

For the next hour or so, Frederick sat and ate, before lying down on the bed and catching some much needed sleep.

Actually, Xithal ran off and hunted in the nearby forest, dragging back a dead Panther to eat. Then he settled down for a good nights rest, near the uneaten haunch of his dead Panther.

The land at the foot was Red in color. The Grass was Blue, the Tree bark was Green, and the leaves red. The Crystal roof slowly dimmed, then points of light, like stars could be seen, and a great glowing nimbus, like a moon appeared.

"Suit yourself." said Frederick, as he stowed the unused cans in his bag and crushed the others before dropping them into a garbage bag.

---

Frederick watched the false sky darken and stars lighting up with wonder, though fatigue quickly won over and he fell sound asleep. He was prepared to ignore the odd colouration of the things around him in his tiredness.

"Maybe somewhere within you holds further information." Maxim commented as he pulled out a hammer. Talking statues held interest to him, mostly to take them apart and make them more better.

___________________________

"Could you tell me anything about further toward the core or perhaps a path that leads further inward?" Zeri asked, his speech switching to draconic for the odd word.

ooc: Bad grammer, I know, but it fits.

"Suit yourself." said Frederick, as he stowed the unused cans in his bag and crushed the others before dropping them into a garbage bag.

---

Frederick watched the false sky darken and stars lighting up with wonder, though fatigue quickly won over and he fell sound asleep. He was prepared to ignore the odd colouration of the things around him in his tiredness.

When he awoke, Xithal was holding off a Cobra that was intent on eating either Frederick or Xithal. Seeing that it was losing, the Cobra slithered away.

"Maybe somewhere within you holds further information." Maxim commented as he pulled out a hammer. Talking statues held interest to him, mostly to take them apart and make them more better.

___________________________

"Could you tell me anything about further toward the core or perhaps a path that leads further inward?" Zeri asked, his speech switching to draconic for the odd word.

ooc: Bad grammer, I know, but it fits.

"Don't you break me!" the Statue said, stepping backwards.

_______________________________

"All I know is, those who follow the path to the village never return." the Dragon said.

It looked at a distant hill pointedly, then turned back to gnawing on the Boulder.

"So you can move. Then you get to serve as our guide." Maxim commented with a smirk. "What do you call yourself?"
_______________________________

"Thank you, and one final question. Can you recommend a nearby place where I might rest?" Zeri asked as while he didn't need sleep, he did need to recharge and in fact begin restoring his energy to a level he hadn't used in ages.

Om was beginning to look like his full strength might be the minimum to survival.

"Yes. Its peacefully eating an elephant, and not us. Let us not change that." Quis said.

"Good Idea." The Dragon said. then it belched, and continued eating the Elephant.

"I'm just sayin. That's a dragon." He paused once again. "Nope, that's it. Thought I had something else to toss out there. Let's go." He headed off, not avoiding the dragon, but not approaching it either.

Frederick was surprised, to say the least, when he awoke to the sight of a Cobra attempting to consume either him or his companion. Grabbing his rifle, he moved to shoot it, but by then it was too late and the snake had slithered off.

"Xithal, are you okay?" he asked, as he packed up all the paraphernalia that he had set up last night.

After packing everything up and ascertaining that the felldrake was not seriously injured, Frederick looked for an obvious path and continued travelling along it.

Imperial: The Duchess found whatever she wished for the Tricorder to find. However, in addition to those readings, the left seemed to contain an abnormal amount of heat, the right, an abnormal amount of cold.

Probably from the young fire and frost dragons ALSO down those ways.

OOC: Lol, and here all I brought were grunts, no Elementals or Espers in this group.

I take it that 'fire dragons' breath fire and 'frost dragons' breath ice, correct? I draw my knowledge from my experience of the Warcraft universe.

Oh, and I'm going to ask now, if I RP things right here, does that mean I get to add fire/frost dragon(s) to my party if I make friendly? Or are these not the kind one could befriend?

IC: "Hmm," muttered the Duchess as she pondered the choices.

Turning to the group, she asked, "So, any preferences to heat or cold?"

OOC: I'll leave it at that, for now, as my brain is 99% asleep.

RCO:
The solutio was disapointingly simple. The answer was in the bricks.
The north had three odd colored bricks, the south four. The East nine, and the west 10.

If the 10 button was pushed, they would solve the puzzle.

OOC: As its 0338 hours in the morning, so I'm going to keep this short so as to keep my brain from melting down.

IC: The different colored bricks were located and counted. Realizing that the numbers matched up with those in the riddle, they matched up the right numbers to figure out which wall faced which way. That's how they noticed the west wall had ten off-colored bricks, so they entered that number into the keypad.

“There has to be a way to save you. I will try my best.”

Morganna dispelled her psychokinetic manifestation of her body and attempted to sink into the floor. The stone refused to yield to her immateriality. Puzzled, she tried the walls and discovered the same thing.

She reached out with her senses (now attuned to Om itself) and discovered the energy flowed through the stone of the corridor, preventing the material from being affected by physical and nonphysical effects. This wasn’t going to be that easy.

“Please lead me to your first test.”

Morganna continued further into the Temple looking for a way “below” to meet with the sorcerer.

OOC: Johnny can see Michael just fine as I am not using the sight slipping effect, on him or in an area capacity.


His memory is all that is effected, and given that I assume he is of high intelliegence(and not already prone to memory problems) he should be fine as long as they are together with remembering Michael...though letting him leave his sight might make it more diffcult...or he might keep forgetting his name.

IC:
He saw the man with mold all over his body and winced silently to himself....
poor bastard.But he isnt dead?

He raised his hand to tap Johnny's shoulder with his other he placed his fingers to his lips...

What kind of person just lays down in the open in this place?

He didnt speak but simply moved quietly to the where the words were, he didnt not touch the man or the walls...

This still felt bad...but the thought of being covered in mold can spoil one's mood.

He produced his weapon, and dialed it down to subsonic so it wouldnt make any noise when he shot the man...he leveled it at the man as he approached the words...he wouldnt shoot the man as long as nothing odd happened...and a tap in the shoulder wouldNT kill him.

He really wanted another olive...

That was because Light of the inside outside world greeted his eyes. He was at the base of a mountain, The Grass was Blue. why? no one knew.

Nekaru looked around. Where was he? It must be some paralell world. Ultimately, the only place it looked like he could go was up on the mountain.
He waved his hands, and the air picked him up and carried him up the mountain.

"So you can move. Then you get to serve as our guide." Maxim commented with a smirk. "What do you call yourself?"
_______________________________

"Thank you, and one final question. Can you recommend a nearby place where I might rest?" Zeri asked as while he didn't need sleep, he did need to recharge and in fact begin restoring his energy to a level he hadn't used in ages.

Om was beginning to look like his full strength might be the minimum to survival.

"You know what, your beginning to irritate me." Then the statue Brought all 980 tonnes of weight down on Maxim.

________________________________

"Pick a spot, any spot, No spot is any safer than the other."

"I'm just sayin. That's a dragon." He paused once again. "Nope, that's it. Thought I had something else to toss out there. Let's go." He headed off, not avoiding the dragon, but not approaching it either.

They came, to the crest of a hill.

A Structure went from floor to ceiling. Quis went to a nearby river that flowed into the building, and put his hand in the water.

"That's a city." he said a moment later.

"Oh funt this," snarled Svetranova, "a sodding cloud of nothing with teeth?"

Reaching out, she grabbed the things' head with all the force her Brigadier could muster - enough to crush feet of steel or punch through armoured bulkheads.

Then she electrified the hull of her suit. Eight million volts coursed through the outer plating and into the thing. That's unlikely to do much, she thought, but it's worth a go.

Frederick was surprised, to say the least, when he awoke to the sight of a Cobra attempting to consume either him or his companion. Grabbing his rifle, he moved to shoot it, but by then it was too late and the snake had slithered off.

"Xithal, are you okay?" he asked, as he packed up all the paraphernalia that he had set up last night.

After packing everything up and ascertaining that the felldrake was not seriously injured, Frederick looked for an obvious path and continued travelling along it.

They came to a walled city.

Men armed with Phaser pistols were standing outside as guards. They were looking at Frederick, surprised to see someone come from the mountain.

OOC: Lol, and here all I brought were grunts, no Elementals or Espers in this group.

I take it that 'fire dragons' breath fire and 'frost dragons' breath ice, correct? I draw my knowledge from my experience of the Warcraft universe.

Oh, and I'm going to ask now, if I RP things right here, does that mean I get to add fire/frost dragon(s) to my party if I make friendly? Or are these not the kind one could befriend?

IC: "Hmm," muttered the Duchess as she pondered the choices.

Turning to the group, she asked, "So, any preferences to heat or cold?"

OOC: I'll leave it at that, for now, as my brain is 99% asleep.



OOC: As its 0338 hours in the morning, so I'm going to keep this short so as to keep my brain from melting down.

IC: The different colored bricks were located and counted. Realizing that the numbers matched up with those in the riddle, they matched up the right numbers to figure out which wall faced which way. That's how they noticed the west wall had ten off-colored bricks, so they entered that number into the keypad.

OOC: I draw from D&D and my own design, but your pretty much correct.

You CAN make friends, but they won't come with you, and if you don't act quickly, you'll have to explain yourself to their parents.

RCO

The wall rearranged itself, into an opening.

A Scroll of parchment sat in a glass case.

“There has to be a way to save you. I will try my best.”

Morganna dispelled her psychokinetic manifestation of her body and attempted to sink into the floor. The stone refused to yield to her immateriality. Puzzled, she tried the walls and discovered the same thing.

She reached out with her senses (now attuned to Om itself) and discovered the energy flowed through the stone of the corridor, preventing the material from being affected by physical and nonphysical effects. This wasn’t going to be that easy.

“Please lead me to your first test.”

Morganna continued further into the Temple looking for a way “below” to meet with the sorcerer.

He wasn't that far away. His robes had Symbols on them, Scientific, and Magical. They blended into the Symbols of Magiscience, the marriage of the two paths of Knowledge. He was unconcious. He was laying on an Alter to the Incarnations of the Multiverse. Though its true the Incarnations had no one particular form, these statues still managed to capture each incarnation truely. He was laying on the Alter to Beldragos. Though, how he managed to get there was unclear.

OOC: Johnny can see Michael just fine as I am not using the sight slipping effect, on him or in an area capacity.


His memory is all that is effected, and given that I assume he is of high intelliegence(and not already prone to memory problems) he should be fine as long as they are together with remembering Michael...though letting him leave his sight might make it more diffcult...or he might keep forgetting his name.

IC:
He saw the man with mold all over his body and winced silently to himself....
poor bastard.But he isnt dead?

He raised his hand to tap Johnny's shoulder with his other he placed his fingers to his lips...

What kind of person just lays down in the open in this place?

He didnt speak but simply moved quietly to the where the words were, he didnt not touch the man or the walls...

This still felt bad...but the thought of being covered in mold can spoil one's mood.

He produced his weapon, and dialed it down to subsonic so it wouldnt make any noise when he shot the man...he leveled it at the man as he approached the words...he wouldnt shoot the man as long as nothing odd happened...and a tap in the shoulder would kill him.

He really wanted another olive...

The man yawned, stretched, and woke up.
He looked down.

"Oh my." was all he said.

He stood up.

"Guess I better take care of this." he said.

He closed his eyes, The Mold lifted itself off him, and attacjed itself to a nearby moss pile. It became Lichen.

"Ros, Magi-master of Earth." he said by way of introduction.

Nekaru looked around. Where was he? It must be some paralell world. Ultimately, the only place it looked like he could go was up on the mountain.
He waved his hands, and the air picked him up and carried him up the mountain.

At the top, he found the mountain connected to the Crystal roof. the Crystal roof was bright, but not blinding. It glowed, and was producing the daylight effect.

Not too far away, he could see a young woman camping.

"Oh funt this," snarled Svetranova, "a sodding cloud of nothing with teeth?"

Reaching out, she grabbed the things' head with all the force her Brigadier could muster - enough to crush feet of steel or punch through armoured bulkheads.

Then she electrified the hull of her suit. Eight million volts coursed through the outer plating and into the thing. That's unlikely to do much, she thought, but it's worth a go.

The Void dragon looked irritated. It opened its mouth, and began to absorb Svetranova's Life energies, her physical body, her armor, her weapons, all of her. It couldn't completly absorb her, and reached its limit.

Fission reactor power cut 40%, whined the automatic reports as the display screens scattered momentarily with static.

"Hm," murmured Svetranova, "brute force doesn't do it. Electricity doesn't do it. Let's try the quantum impeller..."

Again the shimmering ray leapt from the impeller projector, catching the strange enemy full on.

Fission reactor power cut 40%, whined the automatic reports as the display screens scattered momentarily with static.

"Hm," murmured Svetranova, "brute force doesn't do it. Electricity doesn't do it. Let's try the quantum impeller..."

Again the shimmering ray leapt from the impeller projector, catching the strange enemy full on.

The dragon laughed. It was a Paradox creature from the Void. There was only one way to successfully beat it, and that was to launch something explosive down its mouth.

"Foul beast!" cried Beckenbauer as the claws sent him sprawling, "you will suffer for this outrage!" He then picked up his chainsabre and started slashing at the creature, blasting away as well with his plasma gun. "Throw one of your grenades in its face, that it might know our fury!" He commanded the Atopian.

"Foul beast!" cried Beckenbauer as the claws sent him sprawling, "you will suffer for this outrage!" He then picked up his chainsabre and started slashing at the creature, blasting away as well with his plasma gun. "Throw one of your grenades in its face, that it might know our fury!" He commanded the Atopian.

The dragon opened wide, accomidatingly.

It began to absorb them both.

"A grenade?"

She could hardly believe her ears. This thing had shrugged off her most powerful weapon, as well as her suit's strength, and it seemed to have drained her reactor somehow - and Beckenbauer wanted her to grenade it?

"I don't have any! This is a Brigadier, not a Captain! Wait-"

Punching her left arm fist-first into the things' maw, she ripple-fired eight 40mm HE rockets straight down its throat...

"A grenade?"

She could hardly believe her ears. This thing had shrugged off her most powerful weapon, as well as her suit's strength, and it seemed to have drained her reactor somehow - and Beckenbauer wanted her to grenade it?

"I don't have any! This is a Brigadier, not a Captain! Wait-"

Punching her left arm fist-first into the things' maw, she ripple-fired eight 40mm HE rockets straight down its throat...

The Dragon stopped. then it Blew apart. The Void disappated.

There was a door, light poured from it. It lead to the inside outside world.

The Inside outside world. It was another world, inside Om. It was connected to the Outer world, through the mountains. The Sky was Crystal, and it glowed, providing light.

The Grass, it was Blue, the Ground was red, like Clay, they were high up on a mountain. they could see a Very large city in the distance. It was looked like a Civilization capable of space travel.

"HA! In your face, being of Nothing," spat Beckenbauer as he fired off a few rounds in celebration. "The New Man triumphs once more." He had to dial down his visual receptors to avoid being blinded by the light, but soon was able to make out the details of the scenery.
"Look!" he pointed at the city, "Buildings! Perhaps we have found the mythical lair of the Bolshevik."

"Excellent slogans young one!" callled out Beckenbauer as he ignited his rocket boots and followed just behind her, keeping his plasma cannon ready and charged.