The rabbit chuckles at Sia's question to Inlé. "I've grown to my full measure, two-legs. Name's Hackfoot.""Wow." So if I survive long enough, I might get that big...
"Hellion's a God, kit." Hackfoot looks back at the rabbit ranger. "A god of technology, a god of exiles and strength. He brings all who would listen into the fold, and demands the blood of those who denounce him."I don't think I like this god.
"He speaks to those without direction. Especially those hunted by the League." Hackfoot gives Edynn a glance.
I like him slightly more.
"My old warren elder claimed that His path would only lead to ruin. Redtooth's words held sway with many of the older and younger, but Hellion offered us something great." Hackfoot spreads his arms wide. The party notices the number '83' stitched into the fur of his right forearm. "A chance at power! A chance to strike at the Technic League that continues to hunt us!"
And now I'm back to not liking this god now. I mean, going after the League ain't bad, but this... doesn't feel right... Inlé ponders as he intently watches Hackfoot monologue.
Sialea considered what Hackfoot asked her and then shook her head slowly, "I don't think so, where is it?" As he continued to speak she saw the numbers stitched into his fur and felt another flash of concern, something just as nebulous as before, and winced slightly at what must have been a painful process. "Power can be a good thing but you wouldn't be the first to try and trike at the league. As I understand it many have tried and all have failed, what makes your group different from the others?"
...you are. Very... desirable. For one with no tusks or scars. His words are tentative, and uncertain.
There's another pause, and the half-orc's tone turns fearful. Hellion looks down on such thoughts. 'Base desires', He calls them. True faithful don't have them.
"It is far to the northeast of this town, strange one." Hackfoot's nose twitches with fervour. "And what makes us different is that we have the power of a true God on our side! You should speak with our high priestess--she can explain it better than I can. I'm but a simple, humble follower."
As Hackfoot said their "True God" was what made them capable of winning Sialea knew they were destined to fail...or were they? She wasn't sure. Something about this still bothered her and she looked at her companions, reaching out to them mentally, "Should we go speak with this high priestess or deal with these guys first. If we end up fighting her and leave them behind us they'll probably attack us and get us killed. On the other hand I don't want to kill them just because they might stab us in the back later." There was a pause on her thoughts then, "Also, do we want to deal with her right now or rest first? I'm nearly out of magic and not of much use in any future fights."
There's a shudder in the half-orc's mind. ...I do not wish to think of it.
There's a pause.
...Ausk. My name's Ausk. My tribe exiled me for my interest in the strange weapons of Numeria, and the priestess offered me a purpose.
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"Would you be tempted to leave the followers of Hellion if you had a chance to study and work with technology directly, learn what makes it tick?" Sia was curious if such an offer would work and felt for this poor exile, "My pap is well known in the town above and works with the machines alot, he might have a use for another apprentice, especially one who's big and strong like you are, as my little sister and I aren't strong enough to lift some of the things we work with. He'd also be willing to teach you about the technology and how it works." She gave a mental smile of amusement then and continued, "You could also leer at me and think all the lascivious thoughts you want, within reason, as long as you don't direct them towards my little sister." Her mental voice was stern then, "If that happened I would have to melt your brain." She said the last as a warning as opposed to a threat.
Your mention of allowing you to ogle her is met with a brief feeling of uncertainty that's swiftly brushed aside. Your terms are acceptable.
"Definitely a bad situation, if we attack them now it might draw the High Priestess and others in here too." Inlé responds to Sialea.
"We are certainly no friends of the Technic league. I rate them as slightly better than the crud you wipe off your boots before you go inside on most days."
He began neutrally. He certainly wasnt about to worship any god, besides Nethys. Ever so subtly he adjusted his robes not to hide his holy symbol really as to well make it less obvious.
"How many worshipers are with your high priestess? Does she have any acolytes with her?"
He began trying his best to sound merely curious totally not trying to dig out any tactical information or anything.
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"My old warren elder claimed that His path would only lead to ruin. Redtooth's words held sway with many of the older and younger, but Hellion offered us something great." Hackfoot spreads his arms wide. The party notices the number '83' stitched into the fur of his right forearm. "A chance at power! A chance to strike at the Technic League that continues to hunt us!"And now I'm back to not liking this god now. I mean, going after the League ain't bad, but this... doesn't feel right... Inlé ponders as he intently watches Hackfoot monologue.
Edynn nods in response, Inlé's thoughts mirroring her own. She studies those in the room as the conversation proceeds, focusing her attention on the large rabbit.
"How many worshipers are with your high priestess? Does she have any acolytes with her?"
"About twenty. Not all of them are combatants--only a few, us included, are allowed to bear arms." Hackfoot snorts. "Some of us don't need them."
"And not all of us have the depth of faith Hellion demands." The large rabbit snorts and glances at Ausk, who flinches. "...but I think the four of you might."
Why? Inlé thinks to himself while trying to keep his face as blank as possible.
"Our leader is currently preaching to her flock, and will be praying for renewed strength later. If you felt so inclined, we could allow you to stay the night and rest--so that you may prove your faith to her in the morning." Hackfoot continues.
Inlé shifts his head quickly between the others, curious what option they would pick.
Edynn shares a glance with the others. She felt no inclination to trust Hackfoot, but was also of the opinion that they could likely fight their way out if needed. She turns to Sia, who seemed to be making most of the non-combat decisions for their group.
Sialea considered the offer to stay overnight and what that might mean for them. It could simply get them killed or it could given them a better idea of what they had to deal with. She realized that Ausk might be able to help turn the odds in their favor when the fighting started. She let her thought's touch his again and asked him a question while she said, "I thank you for your offer but I think we would be more comfortable finding someplace separate for the night and return in the morning."
...A few of my brethren are dissatisfied with our leader's guidance. They joined the faith for the power Hellion promised--and they feel as though they are not being given their due. Their faith is strong, but their loyalties... I do not think so.
The rabbitfolk, on the other hand, seem desperate, fanatical even. They are not to be provoked. His words are spoken with an undercurrent of great fear.
Hackfoot's nose twitches with renewed fervour before snorting. "As you wish, two-legs. Hellion prefers strong faithful, and no others."
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And yet here you all are.
"Then I suppose we will be leaving." Edynn says turning toward the way out.
Inlé nods and promptly hops along after Edynn.
"I suppose our next step would be to find somewhere safe to rest." Edynn says as they leave. "Did you have anywhere in particular Sia?"
Sia considered where to ho and then said, "I think there are two options. Either we return to teh surface to rest, which would take a lot mroe time than I think we need to, or we go back to the previous level. I believe there was a room with some beds i it. We can see if we can lock the doors and use that place to rest for the night."
"That sounds good."
"I agree. The room on the previous level should suffice." Edynn replies.
The party returns to the elevator and back up to the science wing, finding a spot in the medical facility to settle in for the night. The machinery looms over the party as they prepare to camp, silent, uncaring & unmoving.
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You dream of flying through a wondrous aurora of ever-shifting & scintillating colours, seated atop a being of great power. Flashes of strange worlds appear before your eyes for mere moments before they pass you by. You catch glimpses of countless civilizations--some nascent & tribal, others ancient, sprawling and ascendant.
Part of you wishes to linger, to get further glimpses into the lives of these peoples. But your mission... your mission is too important.
The last vision you experience before waking is one of a great, shining city of metal and knowledge.
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Fireday? 5th of Neth, 4717 AR
The next morning comes uneventfully.
"So what's the plan?" Inlé asks after getting all of his yawns out.
Waking up, Edynn puts her armor back on and re-packs what gear she has. "Do we go and see what the cultists and their leader are about?"
"Yeah. Was mostly asking how we wanted to go about that specifically. Wanna just go in like before or try and sneak in?"
"I am not very effective at sneaking, but walking straight in to a cult with the express purpose of just seeing what they are about seems...risky."
He finished his words by stretching and then adjusting his holy symbol.
"I believe that I am capable of stealth when required. Perhaps a stealthy approach at first and those less skilled stay in reserve." Edynn suggests.
"I'm sneaky too, what about you, Sia?" Inlé asks after hopping and getting a few thumps out of his system.
After a night's rest Sialea woke with the barely remembered tatters of an amazing dream quickly vanishing from her mind. It had felt so real yet there was no way it could ave been. The remnants faded quickly from her, lost in the fog of her past, and she began to meditate for a time to arrange her mind. As she did she let her powers reach out to her friends and connect with their emotions weaving a link between them and her. She would be able to push their emotions, to an extent, to help them if circumstances allowed. Any who resisted the connection felt that the weaving simply frayed apart and was lost with no ill effects.
When Sia was finished meditating she ate breakfast and listened to the discussion of how to approach the cultists. At the question of her stealthiness Sia laughed, those with the emotional bond could feel the humor vibrate through the connection pleasantly. She gestured to her nearly naked form and asked, "Do I look like someone who goes anywhere unnoticed?" She smiled and said, "I can try to be stealthy but I have no great skill at it."
Inlé smiled through their bond, but wasn't quite sure why. "Well yea people would notice if you just try to hide right in front of them. But you're clothes are great for sneaking. Not heavy and they allow a lot of movement."
His mind had seemed calm and warm in the morning as he gathered his thoughts in ritual prayer, slowly leafing through the pages of his holy book. It wasnt until the end of his prayers that his thoughts veered torwards troubled things, a tiny spark of worry set in the back of his mind.
He should have asked the the folk they ran across yesterday if they had been suffering from headaches, or had some dark thing in the recesses of their mind. He glanced to Sialea... He should have asked Sialea if she could have helped his daughters night terrors. He shook it off, there was work to be done. If all went well, they could speak with this cult peacefully. he had doubts that it would go so smoothly however.
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When she connects to Edynn's mind, Sia feels a sense of everything being.....muted. The brawler clearly accepts the connection, but to Sia, it is as akin to touching something while wearing thick gloves or looking through a window with extremely thick glass. Everything muted or downgraded somehow. Yet there was the occasional pulse of intensity underlying the downplayed emotional landscape.
"I believe you are both right, while your physical appearance commands attention, you also make less noise than most people." Edynn adds.
"Urghflpha.... I don't feel so good actually..."
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"What is wrong Inlé?" Edynn asks her small friend.
"My tummy and arms hurt..." the rabbit man moans. "Do you think it could have been because of those plant things we fought yesterday? I haven't touched anything else bad I think?"
"It is possible that they could have been infected with something. Celen, would you be able to determine if Inlé contracted anything?" Edynn asks the cleric.
He frowned and shook his head.
"I am very sorry my friend, I didnt even think of such things with all the goings on. Hold still and let me take a look at you."
"Ugh, death by plants.... I EAT plants." Inlé grumbles while remaining still.