Hello everyone, the gameplay thread is open for dotting!
The land of Seshar is a dry desert crisscrossed with artificial waterways created in days long past. The village of Redstone lies upon one of these waterways, flourishing due to its brisk trade in stone quarried nearby and its extremely capable clave of three Aeon Priests.
And then, one night, everything changed.
A young quarry worker awoke from a dream so horrifically disturbing that he could no longer sleep. He soon discovered that something similar had happened to his brother, and his mother. The next morning, he learned that everyone in Redstone had had a disturbing dream. Even stranger, it seemed that it had been the same dream. That night, the exhausted villagefolk settled in to catch up on their lost sleep, but found that it held only the same nightmarish visions as the previous night.
As days and nights passed, their fears were continually confirmed—whenever someone in Redstone tried to sleep, they experienced the same awful dream. The Aeon Priests worked to find a cure for what seemed to be some kind of mental disease, but found none.
They sent away to other towns and villages for aid. Weeks passed, and the sleep-deprived villagers began to lose the ability to function. Fatigue and depression set in. Some people fled Redstone for good. A few committed suicide.
Two days ago, the Aeon Priests thought that they had discovered a possible solution. Without telling anyone (so as to avoid a panic that they, too, were fleeing Redstone) they trekked off into the open desert, leaving behind their guard, Hataniah, to keep people out of the tower while they worked.
They have not returned.
Each of you has been hired on as a guard to watch over the river craft piloted by a man named Deymish, on his way to Redstone to deliver medicine. Deymish doesn't know any details about the illness there, just that he's to deliver his shipment to the clave there, and that it is extremely urgent.
You are to be paid 3 shins per day, but only once Deymish has been paid for the shipment.
Deymish is a broad-shouldered, bearded man, about 40 years of age. He has a broad nose and bright eyes. A good-natured fellow, he tells jokes and shares in any labor he asks of another. His boat is a 5.5m wooden trow with a synth sail that—even fully loaded—glides along a river seemingly effortlessly.
Seshar is well-known to Deymish, with its strange, winding waterways. He knows the risks, but makes his living on his boat anyway, frequently employing a few strong arms to help with would-be raiders as well as large cargoes—or in some cases both.
Mako sits on the lop of the trow, close to the waters edge, his cloak pulled fast against the wind of passage.
He pays little heed to the waterways, as he has made this trip before and knows that has had little to no trouble on it in the past.
He turns his attention instead to the other guards on the trow, peering at them unashamedly through his torn hood.
What brings you all on the path to Redstone then? his voicebox mechanically chirps.
Reggie glances up quickly at the familiar robotic voice, leaning on the mast near Deymish. The sun is bright and his rheumy eyes struggle thanks to months spent living amongst the mutant outcasts.
You know me, Mako, Reggie grunts, I need to prove to the world that I can be a man of worth. I need to prove it to myself.
Admiring the craftsmanship of the trow, Reggie runs his hand along the side of the vehicle, That, and I like boats
Looking from side to side, his tentacle moustache curls inquisitively. What of our charming new companions?
I am interested in learning about all the people of the ninth world. Variety allows me to slake the thirst of my curiosity. Let's pass the time on this onerous boat ride learning about yourselves.
Poking his finger at the rocky exterior of one of his new companions, Reggie exclaims What of you, hard man? What stories can you tell me that will stoke my passion for knowledge?
A terrible grinding noise, like a stone avalanche cracks forth from the pile of unhewn grey marble. The stone shifts and settles slowly.
Standing before you is an impressive, vaguely humanoid creature. In the noon day sun you can make out its ‘body’ is flecked throughout with yellow crystals. Its eyes glow red and warm, like lava. At least twice as tall as a human, it casts a cold and unflinching shadow across the craft.
Stone that Speaks has been careful to keep near the centre of the boat for fear of tipping it over and plunging its new comrades into the unknown depths below.
It bears no clothing or weapons, and carries naught but a simple sack.
At Reggie’s touch its crystals flare briefly purple and it slowly turns it’s head towards the squid headed flesh bag.
“Nnkkk”.
Marko starts alert from his lounging position on the rail.
Whaaa...! I thought you were the cargo!
Aadya comes out from where she had been perched under Stone That Speaks’ left leg, glowering. Her hood has fallen down to reveal a wild mass of hair. Her gaze alters quickly between her two new companions.
“This is not cargo! This is Stone!” She brushes her hand against Stone that Speaks’ leg. For a second it looks as if her hand falls right through him. She falters but regains balance and reconfigures her angry expression as if nothing happened. “YOU are cargo.”
She knocks Reggie the Tentacled’s finger away from Stone that Speaks. An instant later she grabs his hand and looks into his face. “We’re here because this is where Stone is walking. Why are you an octopus?”
Reggie feels his tentacles drying out in the hot sun. The pain is tolerable, but unnecessary. The young Jack's aggression pales in comparison. Bending down, he reaches into the river to scoop up some water and splash it on top of his head. His now moistened tentacles wiggle in delight.
"Ah, that's better!" Reggie exclaims, before turning to face Aadya, "I can assure you, young lady, that I am no octopus. These marvelous facial appendages are a beautiful blessing I was born with, much like your hair or" he points at Aadya's stony ally "your erstwhile companion's hard exterior."
"I have never met a rock that converses quite as well as you. But still, I was hoping for more than 'Nnkkk'. Mako, you ever see the like of this?"
Aadya watches Reggie splash his head and can’t maintain her angry demeanour. She laughs and grabs one of his tentacles with one hand while twisting a strand of hair around with her finger. but quickly lets it go and retreats back to Stone that Speaks. “Stone, are these good people? Do we fight them? Do they need help?”
Stone That Speaks looms menacingly, though you cannot tell whether it’s by accident or design, and looks at Mako. "Not…cargo."
It slowly turns its head back to Aadya.
"Help…"
"They….do... not… know…my…kind."
Reggie seems pleased, if a little flustered by Aadya's change in tone.
I do not know your kind, but I hope to find out.
Glancing at Deymish, Reggie asks What kind of speed can you get out of this baby? How long until we reach our destination?
A small tentacle raises in concert with his eyebrow broadcasting his interest in disembarking.
Deymish has been watching the exchange with bemusement. "Come now, leave... ah... it?... alone. I've never had any trouble on these trips with Stone around." Deymish gives Stone a friendly pat as he makes his way over to Mako.
"Come, Mako, I'll need your arm shortly, we're here."
Redstone has a population of about 300 people, most of whom work in the quarry. The aldeia is built into the side of the 50-foot (15 m) escarpment at the water's edge, so the whole village is a sort of ramp from riverbank to the level of the surrounding desert. Most of the buildings, not surprisingly, are made of bricks quarried from the area.
Generally speaking, the nicer, larger homes are near the top of the village, and the roughest, smallest are near the water. The tower of the Aeon Priest clave is at the very top, taller than any other building in the community. Beyond it, into the desert, lies the massive pit of the quarry.
Redstone is best known for the strange bricks quarried from the earth near the village. The stone is strong and resilient. Its real appeal is its appearance. Not only is it bright red, but the material has a lattice of thin black lines running through it. No matter how the stone is cut, these lines always run perfectly perpendicular or parallel to each other, and all angles are right angles.
The patterns are intricate and unnatural, but have no obvious meaning.
It's just after midday as the skiff pulls easily into the dock. There's very little activity, none in fact. Several humans are dozing in the shade of one of the nearby buildings.
"Right then. Time to earn your passage, everyone. We need to get these four crates of medicine up to the clave's tower."
Alright, alight....
Mako stands and, like a magician revealing a trick, dramatically pulls at his cloak, revealing his mechanical right arm.
The arm is a hulking brutalist monstrosity of metal. Heavily armoured and covered with exposed pistons and motors, its striped with high visibility yellow.
Where his hand would be, instead is a oversize three digited claw, which whirrs while it rotates on its wrist.
He stands there posing for a second, then - after a quick looks to see if anybody is impressed - he picks up as many of the crates as he can carry
and takes them off the boat.
Stone that Speaks lumbers up to the crates, giving Mako a gentle (to it!) nudge. It scoops up two crates, makes its way to the jetty, and waits stoically by Deymish.
Aadya follows Stone, keeping her hands on one of the crates from below. She smiles proudly.
The tips of Reggie's tentacles point towards the sky, and are dragged up as if by invisible wires. Why bother lifting things, when you can just make them lighter than air? he asks. Small stones and other detritus on the deck of the trow begin to shake and are lifted into the air. One corner of the remaining crate lifts off of the ground, and the crate pirouettes on one corner before gently floating off the deck.
Reggie turns and walks off of the trow, the crate following closely behind. It bobs in the breeze, occasionally being directed by one of Reggie's rear tentacles.
Mako's claw locks down on to one of the crates with an unnatural whirr, his servos barely straining. Stone grabs another two, while Reggie's bobs along behind him.
Deymish offers a satisfied grunt. "Right then. Let's get these to the clave's tower shall we."
Redstone is surprisingly empty as far as you can tell. The few villagers you can see on the street either appear to be napping, or have the sunken, dark eyes of the sleepless. Your boots stir up a thick red dust as you make your way towards the tower.
Mako, you know this to be quite unusual. The markets and tavern should be bustling with post-lunch activity.
The clave's tower is surrounded by a solid, circular wall. The wall is 3 metres high, half a metre thick, and made of redstone. A locked gate of iron bars blocks the entrance. Beyond the gate you can make out a lush, well maintained garden and lawn.
Before the gate stands a tall woman with pale brown skin and short hair. She wears brigandine armor and a helmet, and carries a long spear (she has a small sword as well). The woman eyes you suspiciously.
"Hold! Can I help you, strangers?"
Mako stares around in obvious concern as they leave the boat.
What happened here... I heard it was bad, but I never thought it would be this bad.
As they walk, he stares at the faces of the people they pass, hoping to see a glimpse of somebody he recognizes.
By the time that they reach the calve's tower he had become noticeable agitated, but resolves himself to complete his task as quickly as possible and then go find out if his family is ok.
Aadya takes her hands out from under Stone’s crate and waves shyly at the armoured woman. She slowly backs away until she’s behind the rest of the group and eyes the wall. After a moment, she nudges Reggie forward. As Reggie moves, Aadya leans her back against the wall and disappears into it.
Reggie raises his eyes to meet the gaze of the guard.
You should let us in because we are such friendly and attractive denizens of the ninth world. calls Reggie as he pirouettes and gestures at (most) of his companions.
You should let us in because you are good people inhabiting a clave. Those types of people usually have charity in there hearts, no?
Picking up Bertha and slamming the butt of his immense hammer on the ground, he continues But you WILL let us in because we have the medicine that you have ordered. That you need.