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Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2024 6:09 pm
by Rune
The journey to the Warrens, and once within, to the Second Deep took almost a week. They were attacked multiple times in the First Deep but the creatures who chose to risk their lives against the formidable group of hunters lost them without causing any major injuries or ailments. All knew that the Warrens grew more dangerous and more strange the deeper one went and while they remained vigilant there was, in their case, cause to hope that the oddity might also hold the hope for their future.
A vast plain of open land spread out before the group as they slipped from one depth to the next. It was not always obvious when one was underground but the exceptional difference between the closed, often cramped, damp passageways of that area of the First Deep opening into this wide open space was easy to understand. It looked, from above, almost like a farmland, or perhaps a wild place that might someday be farmland, and it was far warmer than it was in the sunlit but Frost locked lands above. After almost two years of freezing temperatures the humidity of the valley had men peeling off their thick woolen clothing.
From their height they could see several paths down, the first led west to what might have been a village except that the buildings were unlike anything the Zaichaeri men had ever seen. It was impossible to tell from so far away what they were made of but the structures were not like ones typically constructed of stone or wood. It was also to far to see if the structures were occupied or abandoned. The second path led directly down into the heart of the valley where some sort of animals could be seen moving as a group, what type of animals, predators or herds they were unable to distinguish. The third path led to the east and a great abundance of plants, the ground covered in thick brush with trees, or possibly mushrooms with branching arches rising high into the immense cavern.
If the structures were a town, and the town held sentient life, perhaps they would be willing to offer aid or trade for what Dreyfus and his people needed. If the animals in the valley were edible or tameable, or both, they could be a great asset. If the plant life of the forest to the east was edible and could be harvested regularly since there were no seasons to halt growth in the Warrens, they could also be a salvation to the hungry villagers. The group had brought as much food as could be spared but they had already consumed almost half of their provisions, they would not have enough to investigate all of the options and still return home, a choice would have to be made.
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2024 10:58 pm
by Dreyfus
⚜ There was contemplation in his eyes as he looked at the paths before him, as there were many opportunities before them. Of the three paths before him, the village was the most curious of them all. The group he had brought was that of twelve. If he split the team up evenly, there would be four fighters in each party, a hunter and a farmer. One group could go after the fauna, the other after the vegetation. Dreyfus would investigate the village. If somewhere to come up, each group would shoot a caster shell into the sky and Dreyfus could be to them within moments.
"Stay sharp and be careful." he instructed, splitting the group just as he had contemplated. With a leap Dreyfus had cleared several miles towards the town that laid at the end of one of the paths, while his group invested in the other two paths. Donivan was with the fauna party so he knew they would be somewhat ok, so his attention for danger was with the group investigating the foliage. His concern also fell to the village and whether anyone actually lived there. Once he propelled himself to the main entrance of the village with his control of kinetics, he mentally prepared for conflict.
Anyone living within the warrens could be all there in the head, and he was expecting hostility, if anyone was even there, as he crossed the threshold of the village gates. For the moment all seemed to be well, as everything seemed to be still, and given the attacks they had suffered prior to reaching this point, he knew better than to let his guard down. ⚜
"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2024 7:02 pm
by Rune
The physical toll that using Kinetics to propelling his still flesh body so quickly was intense, but Dreyfus' other rune enabled him to endure it and then heal from it, though it also made him extremely thirsty.
As he crossed the threshold of the village the first thing that struck him was the architecture, it was Zaichaeri, and not old. The buildings themselves might have been a few hundred years old but no more so than those in a village that might be found in the land above. They were well maintained and had a lived in appearance to them, there were foot prints in the dirt of the road and laundry hung out to dry between the houses. There were cooking smells and cleaning smells and all the other smells, good and bad, that existed where sentient beings lived.
For all that, there did not appear to be anyone there, either for eyes to see nor blood detection to sense. There was a little blood, but if it was investigated all that was found were recently caught fish waiting to be gutted and a few haunches of some kind of meat waiting to be cooked.
As Dreyfus walked through the city the distinct feeling of being watched washed over him, first from one side, then, when he turned to look, the other. When he was near the center of the little town the voices came. They were quiet, and didn't seem hostile, if anything, they seemed curious, some afraid. The only word he could catch among the whispers was, 'Stranger'. The whispers grew more concentrated, as though a discussion were being had and then, suddenly, went silent.
Then there was a woman on the road before the intruder, perhaps thirty years old and looking human. Vitalis felt the blood in her veins, Kinetics felt the aether of her existing, and yet also not existing. For a moment the solidity of her wavered and she all but disappeared before becoming, perhaps, solid again.
"Hello." She greeted, cautious but not hostile.
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 12:01 am
by Dreyfus
⚜ Depletions and Disappearances
⚜
⚜
⚜ 3rd of Frost, Year 123, A.o.S
⚜ His body tensed as the woman came into view, her form shifting between solidity and translucence before settling. She didn't seem hostile, and he ensured she felt the same from him. With his hands raised a bit, he took a few steps closer to her. "I wasn't expecting to find anyone here, though the whispers seemed to prove me wrong. I mean you all no harm I promise. I wasn't honestly expecting to find a village like this down here." he spoke, his tone diplomatic and comforting. He didn't want to scare them, as he needed some answers.
"If I may ask, how long have you all been down here? The architecture is Zaichaeri, but I haven't seen it before, even among the older estates above." He made sure to stop several feet away from her, the only thing between the two being a large fountain of sorts. He wondered if this was truly a person or a phantom of a bygone age. Being that she was the only one to appear before him made him think the latter if the experience he had with his mother's spirit was any indicator.
He knew he had to play this one carefully, lest he and his people be doomed. "Care to tell me if there is anything of edible note around these parts. My people and I are desperate and are in search of a food source. Is the plant life and fauna here safe to consume?" he inquired, his eyes holding concern and hope for a favorable answer. If it turned out not to be the case, he would have to find another way somehow. ⚜
"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2024 9:10 pm
by Rune
"We were not expecting to find our village deep in the Warrens either, but many things changed, when the Storm came."
Her voice was wavering as though the waves of air that carried it were undulating like water, but her tone and expression were even and clear. No fear crossed her features but she did observe him keenly, looking more curious than anything.
"We have been here since the Mists washed over the village." A troubled look came, as though it had not been a positive experience, but no one who endured a category five Mist Storm came out of it unscathed.
The whispering continued around him as though he could turn at any moment and see villagers gossiping about a newcomer down any given street.
"There are fish in the river." Here she pointed toward the group of nets, some hanging to be repaired, some dipped down into the water. There were a few baskets that held both strange looking fish and water plants.
"And some of the plants taste good." There was hesitation in her voice and, after a moment she added, "But I don't know if they are safe for people to eat. We eat them, when she need to eat but we have been...different, since the Storm."
She stepped around the fountain slowly as though trying to get a better look at the tall man.
"You could take some with you, if you wanted, the plants are everywhere along the riverbank but the fish aren't plentiful. How many people do you need to feed?"
She was still coming closer until Dreyfus could see that her form, like her voice, seemed to move as though she were underwater. When she was an arm's length away she reached out and quite quickly darted out her arm to touch his chest. Her fingers could be felt, pressing to the front of his coat, but also as if they were pressing into it, into him. It was not a painful sensation, though decidedly strange. The woman looked disappointed but also confused as she stepped back, but still not afraid.
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2024 5:34 am
by Dreyfus
⚜ There a curious intent in his eyes as he looked to the woman as she spoke. He could hear the otherworldly aspect in her voice, but not to the degree that I could have been understood as malevolent. There was caution from the woman as she inched ever so close to the vampyre as she explained. It seemed that they could at least gather vegetables for the people but it wouldn't be enough in his opinion.
He even questioned if taking them would be worth the risk, she did after all say that the village had been subjected to being hit by the Mists, which he could only infer as Dreadmists. It would explain their unique predicament. His eyes regarded the woman more as she came closer to him, plunging her hand into his chest. His gaze shot down at her as she stood there, and yet there was no pain or discomfort to him, besides the unusual sensation that came with it.
"I'm curious as to what happened to your village. You said that the mists blasted it, is that why you are the way you are now?" he inquired, looking around as the whispers continued to stammer about him. He wondered now if it was still safe to remain here. He now began to wonder what else lurked here. If this is what the mists could do to the people here, then there was no telling what other horrors lay in wait out there. He hoped that those who came with him were safe. Crimson eyes looked to the woman as she was his only way of knowing what would come next for them. ⚜
"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2024 3:59 pm
by Rune
"Are you...dead?"
The women seemed at first not to hear Dreyfus' own questions, not as though she were unable, but as though she were too caught up in her own confusion. When she realized he was asking she drew he hand back close to her own chest and held it there, expression wary.
"We don't know what the Dreadmists did to us. Sometimes we are here, sometimes we are..." Her eyes went far away and her form became less substantial for a wavering moment. "Elsewhere. We don't seem to need to eat or sleep, or even breathe but we become more... stable? Stable when we do those things, when we continue to live our lives.
"Some people from the village were killed during the Storm, some came with us but aren't here anymore. Those who remain are able to take sustenance from living things, plants, animals. It's like eating but it doesn't take up the physical form of the thing. When we are very stable we can physically eat. We just..."
Her eyes came back and focused on the newcomer again, a stubbornness filtering into her stance and expression.
"We just want to live."
The murmuring around them became stronger, and other forms began to coalesce, a small village worth, surrounding Dreyfus and the woman. They were every age, men and women, children, even a few babies in the arms of their parents. They looked like those you might find in any village of the region except that they had the same watery edges and insubstantial forms as the woman. Their eyes didn't look hungry like a predator but they did look as though they thought Dreyfus might have answers for them.
A moment after the village people had become apparent a flare rose high into the cavern and exploded.
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2024 1:55 am
by Dreyfus
⚜ The woman's question made him chuckle, but if only for a moment. "I'm somewhat in between alive and dead my dear." he assured her, a tinge of sympathy echoing his words. She would explain the situation in full to the vampyre and he began toiling over the possibilities in his mind with the information she was feeding him. It seemed that the mists indeed corrupted these people in a way, and from the looks of things caused them to take on ghost like qualities. It was like they had become phantoms of their former selves, clinging to the routine to remain corporeal in this world.
Soon the vampyre found himself surrounded by the inhabitants of the village. He could see the look on their faces, that look of wanting to hear what they needed to know, to find answers, sadly he had none for them. Whatever the mists had done to them he wasn't certain he could do much to aid them, but he could respect their want and will to live. As he contemplated the best course of action, his attention was needed elsewhere, a flare going up and exploding in the air. It was from Donivan's group. That didn't bode well as if the marksman was calling for help, he knew it meant they were in trouble. He hoped that wasn't the case and that they had found something he needed to see, but he would be cautious nonetheless.
Looking back to the woman, he took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I need to see to my people, but I will return. I can't promise I'll be of any help though." and with that he was off, Accelerating himself forward, creating Kinetic platforms as he leaped from one to another. With his sword drawn he could see where the group was and came in to land just a few feet behind them, using Push to soften the landing and take some pressure off his limbs. ⚜
"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:00 pm
by Rune
When the Vampyr took the woman's hand a sigh seemed to pass through the crowd encircling folk, like a wind through grass. In that instant, Dreyfus felt some of his life force pass through him, down his hand, and into her. Her eyes brightened and her form lost its seemingly hesitant nature to reclaim its material quality. The rest of the group leaned in, hands extending slowly as hungry children reach towards a meal.
But then the one around who they had centered was gone, leaping away on invisible platforms of aether, leaving behind yet another hungry, desperate group of people. When he came in to land softly on the subteranian plant-covered plain upon which his men stood, circled together in a position that was defensive but not in immediate danger the leader spoke.
"There is game down there, my lord, but it is well guarded." If Dreyfus let his eyes follow the pointing outstretched arm that accompanied this he would see that there were herds of some large, bovine-like beasts grazing on the not-grass vegetation but, moving among them, almost equally large, were other creatures, quite obviously predators. The grazers did not seem to be afraid of them, in fact, they seemed to settle more easily when they were close by.
"They seem to be in some sort of symbiosis." Donivan continued when he had his lord's attention. "Any attempt to approach is strongly contested. We could try to kill all the predators but, if the herds allow them, there must be something more dangerous to them out there."
There was always something more dangerous in the warrens, but the tone in Donivan's voice implied he did not suggest risking the lives of the villagers trying to find out what that might be."
Still, he looked at Dreyfus' face, waiting to see what he would say.
Re: Depletions and Disappearances [Dreyfus]
Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2024 2:16 am
by Dreyfus
⚜ Donivan's report was indeed troubling, and he pondered what could possibly be more vicious than the animals guarding the bovine creatures down there. "Stay here." he ordered, handing one of the expeditioners his sword. He would approach the herd of animals, grazers and protectors alike. He wasn't afraid of them, and as he got closer he opened his awareness within the aether flux to encompass the entire area. If something was out there more dangerous than the predators that protected the grazers, he would feel it.
The vampyre came within feet of the animals, waiting, anticipating them to lunge at him in defense of the grazing animals. He would make quick work of them, but if they held any sort of self-preservation they would know better than to attack him. He was often told by those of his village of his natural intimidating aura. He couldn't risk his people getting hurt, so he would be the sacrificial lamb in this instance. He also hoped the people of that village wouldn't hold it against him. He could assume that they needed to feed off the living in order to retain their own selves. In a way, they were reminiscent of Vampyres.
Feeding off of others in order to maintain one's self. He pitied them, but only a little, as he was in the same boat as they were. For now, he would ensure the game was secure for his people, and whatever was hunting these grazing beast crushed under his heel. Kinetic energy began to pulse within his hands as he wouldn't be caught unprepared in case the predator attack at once. He could see the edge the other protective animals where towards him, but he knew this was only a defensive mechanism, as he was a threat, but there was definitely one greater to them than he was. ⚜
"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
