• Open • Terror on the Zynyx: The Windshear Brotherhood

[Nir'wei]

Link to thread: Tears of Smoke and Fire.
PCs involved: Nir'wei
Brief summary of what you did.

Nir'wei arrives at the Mire, discovers that the Jacadons are distressed, and investigates one of the nests, finding traces of the poachers and missing eggs. A Jacadon mother arrives but Nir'wei uses stealth and camouflage abilities to remain undetected as he leaves, following the trail left by the poachers by foot.

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Message from: Pig Boy

Okay, even with your highly advanced field-craft skill, Navigation at competent means you make somewhat slow time through the mire, although you are well capable of doing so safely and avoiding most of the dangers of the Mire. We'll be moving into Phase 2 now, so if you want to cover the rest of Nir'wei's travels leading up to the 21st, that'll do for your next entry. Here's what happens otherwise, what he finds at the end of his search: The tracks left by the poachers number in the dozens, which might seem strange, as usually such groups make their way by stealth rather than strength in numbers. Even so, the leavings of several injured and dead litter the path to the coastline cliffs, to the southwest of the Mire, where it drains out into the sea and south to Volanta territory. Eventually, he comes upon a gathering. There, he sees a woman with silver hair, and two fancy swords on her hips. She's handing over a pair of eggs to men wearing robes, several of them have bare wings, avriel, but as if the feathers had shed or been torn off of them. They all bow their heads in reverence toward the eggs, but sneer at the one handing them over. The silver-haired woman holds an egg of her own, that she ostensibly intends to keep to herself. Words are shared between the two parties, the red-robed figures and the silver-haired warrior woman. The robes: "The Windshear Brotherhood will be at your heels, you know." Silverhair: "Doesn't matter. We've dealt with river pirates before, they cut as easily as pigs in a pen." The robes smiled, several of them, "And what will you do with your egg?" Silverhair shrugged, "There's a buyer, deep in the Storm Wastes. Some crazy hermit, but he has something we can use." The robes look at each other, uncertain. But then they bow and back away into a portal, which opens up, and swallows them disappearing after the last. Silverhair watches them go, and then turns her attention to the egg in her hands. Down to her side, a Slensteed canters to her side, and she mounts up, followed by several of her warriors. She turns to face Nir'wei, where he stalks in the darkness. She signals to the men, and they turn on Nir'wei, as she begins running into the forest astride her slensteed. Nir'wei will have to deal with these organized bandits, before he can pursue her.

[Pig Boy]

Phase 1 Concluded!

Stage 2 of the Terror on the Zynyx: Discord Among Spirits

21st of Ymiden to 40th: ( Phase 2 ends on the 1st of August 2023)

The Mire, Stormwastes, & Zynyx Market: The Lightning Knights stationed in Zynyx Market, with the help of famous busy-body Praetorum a mercenary captain, find out that the Windshear Brotherhood, as well as Miranda Duskblade, and possibly other groups have designs upon the Jacadons that have settled the Mire. They begin mobilizing immediately, trying to gather volunteers among the safari hunters, and poachers in exchange for pardons to help guide them through the waste and wipe out the threat of Miranda Duskblade once and for all.

Meanwhile, sea battles are seen on the coast of the Mire, as unidentified red-painted ships clash with the Windshear Brotherhood ships, many of which are seen sailing southward to recover from the pounding they took in Volta.

Volta: Clemengoth begins announcing his return, as storm clouds gather on the western horizon. He will arrive sometime on the 25th of Ymiden, by most of the Voltan weather-watchers calculations. His protective field around Volta has long since dissapated, and a sphere of lightning and clouds is seen drifting toward shore on the 26th...

Zynyx: Scattered reports of foreign pirates are seen up and down the coast of the river. They have taken to attacking civilians, merchants, and military alike, taking the actions at Volta as an act of open aggression by the military, they're not messing around now. Although they will still steer clear of larger vessels, unless they can gang up on them. They're still not taking slaves, but are looking for captives who are inventors and technologists and scientists and healers. They aren't targetting those cloaked by the Order, however, for some strange reason.

Rharne and outlying areas: Strange reports of missing persons come trickling into the Lightning Post guard stationed. Mostly derelicts and criminals disappear, but a few innocent people are also taken, who happen to be suffering from trauma or some other form of mental illness. The Rharne Prison is empty, which is reported by several transport carriages taking people to and from there.

[Praetorum]

Link to thread: viewtopic.php?t=31781
PCs involved: Prae
Brief summary of what you did: Pretty much just what was stated in the modnote—only extra is that Prae healed Dria after she got hit
Link to review request, please: viewtopic.php?p=201076#p201076

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Message from: Pig Boy

After he heals Dria, Praetorum receives another lead from her, to bring back to the LIghtning Knights or pursue himself if he wished to. She tells him of a spot on the edge of the Mire, between it and the Stormwastes. A small elevated plateau that overlooks a stretch of the wetlands to the west, and is often used as a staging area for poaching operations. She said that many safari runners and poachers have been avoiding it of late, seeing red robed figures with spindly appendages stretching out of their shoulders, standing on the Plateau.

[Vivian Shiryu]

PCs involved: Vivian Shiryu
NPCs involved? ( please give me links). None that I'm controlling.
Brief summary of what you plan to do in this thread – what (if any objectives are you meeting?) Meeting with Clemengoth.
What skills etc are relevant to your plans here? Hopefully make an alliance with Clemengoth.

!	Message from: Pig Boy
	Esherbombed

[Vincent Steinitz]

Linked to thread: A Game of Shadows
PCs involved: Vincent
NPCs involved?
Brief summary of what you plan to do in this thread – what (if any objectives are you meeting?): Vincent want to find the source of the singing and the reason the mysterious woman approached him. He also wanted to find out if there's a link between his mentor and the mysterious woman.
What skills etc, are relevant to your plans here? probably his Sovereign spark (Novice) and Larceny (Competent)

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Message from: Pig Boy

As Vincent travels down the winding way, toward the haunting voice, he notices on all sides corpses, standing as if at attention at either side of the tunnel. They all don't attack him, but it's clear they're standing is the work of necromancy, as they move a little, their heads following him as he moves through. It might not be a good idea to antagonize them as they aren't attacking yet, but then again it might not be good to leave a growing number of undead intact behind him as he proceeds. Feel free to describe how Vincent deals with these, and post the next part (whether in a different thread if you wish to split it up, or in this thread if you want to continue in a single thread.) These are weaker undead, husks and marrows mostly.

[Azrael]

Free Boat Ride
PCs involved: Azrael
NPCs involved? Anona, the diri of thirst.
Brief summary of what you plan to do in this thread: Azrael is going to try and get the problin on the Courteous Slime under control and might dump a few more drinks to the spirits he saw in the water. He is curious if they can get drunk so he wants to run an informal test.
What skills etc are relevant to your plans here? He's pretty good with blades and he has two of them. Not as good with unarmed but he is a competent athletic.

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Message from: Pig Boy

The problins clearly don't seem to enjoy the presence of Azrael. They flash their little green teeth and their manes bristle with hatred, but if he moves toward them they scatter. IT seems they're not awfully enthused about engaging him, although the ones that he kicks with his foot seem to enjoy the energy of the aggressive action. But otherwise they give way for him as he ventures down below decks, to check the bar. There, he'll find the place in utter chaos, male and female servers getting their hair pulled, and then skin bitten (although the problin teeth aren't sharp enough to break skin, it looks like it hurts), and then a strange scene of a few problins at the bar, the bartender cowering beneath it while they stood and sang a song, breaking out some cigars that had been lying around and smoking them. They all appear to be singing a shanty song together, wordless and unintelligible. The hearth is lit in the depths, and most of the Problins hiss at the flames that are sputtering out, although some of them begin approaching the fire, ready to throw whisky and ale bottles at it...

[Revan Blackhand]

Three Shadows In Little Garaia
PCs involved: Revan Blackhand
NPCs involved? Namira, Diri of Shadow
Brief summary of what you plan to do in this thread: Revan answered in the affirmative and woke up in Little Garaia with the sounds of a snake moving about. He wants to find out what the whole midnight visit and kidnapping was about.
What skills etc are relevant to your plans here? He's a decent sneaky thief guy but he is wandering a little.

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Message from: Pig Boy

As Revan awakes in the shadows of Garaia, there's faint enough light to sustain his illusion, albeit quite dark. Even so, he is able to navigate some of the way through Namira's helpful pointing and guiding him. Strangely, the spirit does seem to know the way, as quiet and reticent as she was about the whole episode with the woman who asked the question. Once they arrive at a fork in the cavernous tunnels, one leading upward, one leading downward. Namira points downward, where the sounds of haunting singing can be heard. Upwards, the hissing and sllithering of a snake is very audible. But no creature in sight yet. It seems to be up to Revan to choose which way to go, but Namira appears to want him to go down. A voice sounds in his head then, "Courage or Security? Your choice."

[Nir'wei]

Link to thread: Blood and Mud.
PCs involved: Nir'wei
Brief summary of what you did.

Nir'wei tracks down some poachers, confronts "Silverhair" and her warriors, defeats them, then interrogates Silverhair for information.

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Message from: Pig Boy

Gaddwin follows the Avriel through the portal, and finds theirself on the other side, at a red-hulled ship of strange design, Junk-style sail ship with a great canopy of sails and canvas. There, the unfeathered avriel appear to be in cooperation with others than avriel. Humans, biqaj, and other assorted rough-looking individuals. The eggs are swiftly taken below decks, and Gaddwin follows after. Deep in the bowels of the ship, a dimly lit room, where a woman sits, waiting for the eggs. She heavy leathers and armor wears a whip and a crossbow lays at the side of her desk. She appears nothing too special, just a scarred sellsword by the look of her. However, when she sees the eggs, born reverently toward her, she smiles. "Valtharn will be pleased. You may yet earn her favor." Meanwhile, Nir'wei and his beasts had overcome the woman with silverhair and the swords. He'd done so handily, and tore her arm asunder. He delivered his ultimatum. And while he couldn't be sure she'd telll him all the truth, she did tell him a few important facts. One, the people she handed the eggs to were from the Cult of Valtharn, a secret soceity operating out of Athart and in tandem with the Slave Raiders. They'd subjugated the avriel, promising them something, she didn't know what. The Windshear brotherhood is the naval force of the Aeolian, the ruler of Athart. They operate independently, however, and are at odds with the slavery that the slaver nation engages in. However, they are paid well to protect the naval interests of the Aeolian. Why they're sailing as far as Rharne isn't something she knows, but does know they have an interest in acquiring technology and resources that can help them in their interests in Athart. It's speculated that they wish to overthrow the Avriel there, and reestablish a human-run state, as it was in earlier centuries before the coming of the Avriel. Finally, when asked for her next of kin, she said her mother Blanche Duskweaver lives in the Dust Quarter of Rharne.

[Revan Blackhand]

Three Shadows In Little Garaia
PCs involved: Revan Blackhand
NPCs involved? Namira, Diri of Shadow
Brief summary of what you plan to do in this thread: Revan has decided to trust Namira and go down the tunnel leading to the spooky singing, which he thinks is the braver option because he has no idea what's ahead of him whereas he thinks it's just snakes if he goes upward. His choice was made to appease Namira more than anything else/ to show trust. He is still interested in finding out what the kidnapping was about and singing strike him as closer to the figure who kidnapped him than snakes.
What skills etc are relevant to your plans here? He's a decent sneaky thief guy and he's all alone in a very dim lit place... well maybe he isn't really all alone.

!	Message from: Pig Boy
	Reviewed. Wait for a modded thread in a moment.

[Azrael]

Free Boat Ride
PCs involved: Azrael
NPCs involved? Anona, the diri of thirst.
Brief summary of what you plan to do in this thread: Azrael is trying to separate the problins from their victims but he isn't intentionally aggressive about it unless he needs to be. He tries to dance and clap along with the problins at the bar but doesn't do anything to them and then he stops the problins from throwing alcohol into the fire. However in the process of doing that he accidentally covers another in alcohol before accidentally tossing it into the hearth. He is currently trying to put out the burning problin using a tablecloth.
What skills etc are relevant to your plans here? He's pretty good with blades and he has two of them. Not as good with unarmed but he is a competent athletic.

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Message from: Pig Boy

As the rolling streams of water surround the boat, eventually if Azrael focuses long enough to listen to the spirits (which by dint of his Mortalborn Heritage he can do), he'll hear them bubbling laughter and mirth. "Riverman wants to make a deal. Toss him some more problins, and he'll grant an audience." Meanwhile, the problin had burst into flames, and was starting to catch on the dry tablecloth that Azrael tried to smother him with. Soon the problin died from its burns, but the fire was still catching along the table cloth and across the spilled alcohol on the floor. Workers that had somehow won free of the problin harassment managed to form buckets to put out the fires, but it was starting to get smokey, causing many of the problins to get friskier, and the poeple to get demoralized.