Prepare for the #LodanRespawn2024 Existing characters may choose to be displace from/have memories of different timelines, thereby allowing returning members the option to retcon their whole character. These changes are the result of the "Unnatural Fog" plot device that is running between now and the Respawn. The plot is simple: no matter where your character is, that place is shrouded in a thick fog that suspends time, but not thoughts or memories, so even if they're repeating the same day over and over again, they continue to remember, so each time feels like a new day. For those retconning OCs; this is where new versions of themselves have the opportunity to replace the old versions. Official lore and tree updates will be announced asap
Edith was where she was supposed to be. Danny had told her about this mission along with a few others, so there she was, waiting in the rain for the signal. And she was miserable. The feline anderwoman hated water, she had a deep fear of it, so while standing in the middle of a rainstorm was not her idea of a Sunday picnic, she knew it was important for her to be here to support the Brotherhood and her own guildleader. So she sucked it up and used her fear as a means to stay alert and aware. She could only fidget with her black eye mask so many times, it was getting heavy due to soaking up the rain now and irritating her. She looked about her, waiting for her fellow M.I. debriefs, she knew she was supposed to be on the opposite side of the base, so where were they?
With a heavy sigh, Edith shivered, she really hated water.
Queens.. did they double the sentry? Caitlin thought... The small cluster of them were huddled under the brick archway that cojoined the RR station and the EIRAL base. The door leading into base at the end of the brick walkway was -of course- locked and they were going to have to take the janitorial path as predicted. The rain was coming in so heavy that she couldn't see at first where the exterior guard was. It wasn't until after Edel asked, that Caitlin spotted the floating light source.
"Wait a second," She whispered, and leaned out for a better look. The light struck again and another lantern lit. "We're losing the cover of darkness..." She whispered, mostly to herself but the others could still hear. "They've got an extra sentry, lighting the fenceline. We have to go, is everyone ready? The goal is to get passed the fence and around the side of the HQ without getting caught. If you're seen... Run. Run like hell and away from the others.. Don't draw attention to the whole group. We need the majority of us to get inside. We dont know where they're keeping him. We need to keep our numbers high if we're going to seek him out and free him."
The half-blood thief peered into the gloom and grumbled as she adjusted her umbrella, snapping it shut for the time being, useless as it was in this storm. "You lead, I'll follow. Best bet would be to check below first for him. Dungeons and all that stuff." the blue haired girl said quietly, prepping herself for the move. She glanced to the MI members who were in their disguises. "Don't have to mention we're not here to kill anyone. Most inside are just doing their jobs. We get in, get Skye, get out. Nothing extra." she whispered before returning her focus to the EIRAL base.
Post by Danny Ravensdale on Aug 7, 2015 18:51:26 GMT
Danny stared at Ikuze for a long moment before turning to look at Caitlin. She stood and waited for the order to move. The blue haired girl might want to just ghost through, but if they were caught or discovered then a fight's what the army'd get. Given the nature of the endeavor, Danny didn't think the army would have any compunctions about shooting to kill. She intended to do the same.
Danny turned and looked at Lasair before shaking her head disparagingly at Ikuze. The red head would understand.
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Aug 7, 2015 19:02:37 GMT
Edelweiss nodded at Cait's comment that they should hurry, and turned to look a couple meters away from the light sources. It was hard to see anything right through the storm, and she hoped Jade hadn't moved from the initial spot she stabilished for her before the signal was given; it was almost as bad as trying to aim at something while blindfolded. Use the EIRAL light sources for reference, that was the base's fenceline. A couple more to the left and... Bingo. [Deceit I, casted once]
Jade blinked looking up at the sky, confused for only half a second at the bloom of colorful lights shining in the sky through the storm before she readied herself to start the little task she had been given. "Once you think you saw fireworks, go ahead." She browsed Edelweiss' previous intructions in her mind. Simple and easy enough for a child to understand. "Run to the guards nearby, distract them. We need a few minutes to get inside. Say the storm caught you, that it's scary, you can't see a thing, cry. If you can't shed tears, soaking your face should do the trick. Don't try to follow us. Just keep their attention for as long as you can, and once it's done head back home." There the small girl went, making sure to slip a couple times on the way, wet braids and wet face, weeping like only a child can afford to. The usual tray of sales was equally soaked, awkwardly held against her chest, and any food still on it officially ruined by the rain. A lot of the people should know her as the muffin girl who once in a while sold baked pastries around there, and there was a probability those two female sentries might recognize her. That could be an advantage, but was also good reason to not push her luck. She genuinely tripped when she was right in front of Gladys Hayden and Jovena Barbados and ended up falling over her own tray. Ok, that made real tears fall and should help with the rest. Her 'job' for today was just that: cry on the sentries and take their attention away for a couple minutes, and not do anything suspicious.
Edelweiss saw the little stray light of Jade's electrical little lantern making way to the sentries, so much smaller and flimsy. So proud of her little worker. She turned to look at the others. "That's our little help. We should have 2 minutes of free run to get in, 5 if we're lucky. Whenever you're ready to go."
Post by Caitlin Cockfoster on Aug 7, 2015 22:33:12 GMT
"Ready now," Caitlin spoke quickly then lead the dash out of the brick covering. She kept her body low to the ground and ran as fast and tight as she could. Thank heaven's she wasn't wearing a dress. She could just imagine the trouble Ikuze would have with hers, swishing and getting tangled up in her legs. Hopefully she wouldn't trip, and no one would hear, been there done that, didn't wish to repeat Cait thought to herself. Once she reached the fence she dropped down to her belly and held herself ready to bolt if anyone came their way. Her eyes were on the guards. There were two... NO... dung, now there were three. A third guard was coming out the front entrance. No turning back now. They needed over that fence while the guards were busy shooing Edel actress off the premises. The change in shift thought might pose potential problems.
Cait looked back over her shoulder and waved her arms to her sides "Spread out," She hissed. If one of them got caught. she'd like to keep it that way...just - one - of them.
The rest would have to make a stealthy dash for it.
She sat her glass down next to the decanter and leaned back. This was nice... like falling into a vat of marshmallow fluff. Calm, muffled, the rest of the world blocked out by the closed door to his cabin, and here they were safe inside. Safe from reality, safe from their own complicated lives. Safe from duty. Safe from context. Just. Safe. --Caitlin
At first, he could scarcely believe that there was someone standing before him. There had been many specters here in the past, but none of them real. It was only the light blinding his senses that convinced him, forcing him to throw his arm over his face. It burned into the back of his mind so much that he had little chance of recognizing the figure in the doorway. Even had he the keep sight of one not imprisoned in the darkness, he still would not have recognized the man. Much of the outside world was forgotten. All but Alistair, for the fire of hatred was enough to consume this entire kingdom. If not for the memory of Caitlin, he might have exploded long ago.
"How long?" were the first words uttered. In how long, he did not know, but they came out as a growl of a voice long disused. Even Skye himself did not recognize it. There were no other questions or responses, however. Just the one question he longed to know. How long had he rotted in this god forsaken pit? He did not expect an answer from his jailer, but he asked just the same.
Even through the darkness, Andronikos could see clearly the sorry state the prisoner was in. But that didn't matter to him. "How could you do that to your family?" he murmured, anger searing through whispered words.
A new voice echoed throughout the cell as footsteps found themselves inside. Andronikos peered around his shoulder at a soldier - Lorraine was her name, he remembered. "I have it handled. Leave us."
Just as another light was lit, a crashing sound came from behind her. Gladys jumped back, blinking to try and see what had caused the sound. Through the sheet of rain she could sort of make out the figure of a child who seemed to be upset and clutching something to her chest. The guard bit her lip; no one had told her what to do if a child wandered into the compound. She waved towards Jovena—an actual guard—and hoped her gesture would be noticed through the rain.
Until she ran over, however, she bent down to the kid and tried to shout over the rain, “Are you okay?”
“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” ―William Faulkner
Post by Jovena Barbados on Aug 7, 2015 23:22:28 GMT
Jovena had been scanning up and down the fence, from one lantern to the next, and then back up to where Gladys was lighting more. Each time she moved forward - Jo would start the scan over again. The motion of Gladys waving her arms in a come-hither gesture grabbed at her peripherals and Jovena clutched her gun tighter as she ran toward the other. "What is it?" She asked quickly, looking around for trouble. What she saw was a crying child.
"Queens, in a freaking monsoon? Where are her parents?" she shouted over the crying and the rain pour.
How could he do that to his family....Words spoken by a man who truly knew nothing. He remembered Lorraine's warning about the man conspiring with Alistair. Now he was right hand to a monster. There were no words or discussions that would convince such a man that all of this was based on lies and deceit. He didn't look up, he didn't speak. There was no point. Let the blows come as they may. There was little the man could do to so thoroughly destroy him as had already been done.
He was prepared, until he heard a voice impossible to forget, for it was her words that echoed in his mind so often. If only he had listened, things might have turned out different. Or Alistair would have simply found another means of attack. He listened closely to Lorraine's words with the large man. So, it was she who had been feeding him. His hard warmed slightly with the thought that someone could have such compassion for a man slathered in so many lies. The other's had abandoned him in favor of avoiding the likely wrath of their new High Commander, but not Lorraine. Still, it hadn't been enough to secret him out of his cell in the middle of the night, but he was thankful for the slight kindness she had shown him. If she wanted to continue to survive in this place she should do ask the large man asked. No one else needed to get hurt because of him.
Post by Lorraine Blackmoore on Aug 7, 2015 23:56:56 GMT
A slight quirk of her brow was the first sort of response she could give as her blue eyes trailed down to the grovel at her feet. Felix had sniffed at it then shied away. "Handled," she said sternly through pursed lips. Never once in her service had she spoken against orders. She had always obeyed, always followed, always remained calm. Lorraine was calm now but beneath the storm continued to brew within her. Defying Androikos, the auburn haired woman stepped around him so she was at Skye's side. As she directed her gaze to Andronikos, both her brows raised and her lips remained pursed. Without a word, she knelt beside Skye and gently placed the meal beside him, touched his shoulder, then rose to stride over to the cell's entrance where she stood and waited.
"Unfortunately, I do not think I can follow those orders, Andronikos." Deliberately she did not use any titles. "You have little authority to be within the cell and I suspect foul play. Criminal or not, he is still a citizen of the city until execution or he carries out the rest of his sentence here. As such, it is my duty that upon suspicion, I remain and keep watch until the next guard come to relieve you." She faced him and stood with back straight, chin held high, and hands at her back. Behind her back, she gestured with her fingers for the fox to abandon the cell and the beast did just that, slinking passed her and out of the door.
"He is a murderer." Andronikos said smoothly as he walked closer, anger boiling through his being. She suspected him. Of hurting the prisoner, it seemed. Doing exactly what she thought he would do would not help the situation in the slightest - and she, defying orders of a superior, made it entirely worse. He wanted badly to beat the two of them into black and blue walking bruises - and it is exactly what he would have done if not for the problems it would bring for him, now that Lorraine was here. Rage pulsed through his veins even so. In his experience, words were useless and those who used much of them were liars or pretentious babblers, and he hated them. But in this instance, if rage couldn't be expelled in the usual manner, "Of his family! He killed the people who loved him most in cold blood AND YOU EXPECT HIM TO BE TREATED LIKE A CITIZEN? If I had it my way THIS WHOLE ENTIRE CITY would be WIPED CLEAN OF MONSTERS. MONSTERS LIKE HIM! EVERYTHING INHUMAN SHOUlD DISAPPEAR" His eyes ran with the fury of death as he turned to that pitiful excuse for a human being, Skye, "Do you know what I would do to have a family again?"His words came out broken, parched, and he fell into his silent stupor once again.
"Do you know what I would do to have a family again?" The words cut into him like a knife. Of course he knew what he would do, what he would give up, and what he had already given up. All because of some game EIRAL high command had played to keep him in the fight. With so much time to reflect he knew it must be true. Alistair had been but a foot soldier answering to those in power; groveling for scraps at the table. He wouldn't have acted on his own. It was true, Faolan's contract of service was almost up, he would have returned to his family and left the fighting to others. With their loss he became the butcher of Cornwall and the scourge of Anders. The lie had affected him just as it was now affecting Andronikos.
Still there was nothing to be said. He was grateful once more to Lorraine, and the bit of human contact she had given him in this never ending night, but he didn't want her to suffer any more than she already would. If he spoke to her she might be seen as conspiring with him. It mattered little if he was to remain here, a prisoner of time. If only they would close the cell door and let the darkness come back. It hurt a lot less than the brilliance threatening to blind him.
Post by Lorraine Blackmoore on Aug 8, 2015 2:54:41 GMT
Lorraine was silent throughout Andronikos' outburst. When he was through, she regarded him cooly before speaking up in her usual calm demeanor, "A murder he may be but the laws are law. Do you think you are the only one to suffer, Andronikos?" Her tone shifted to one a nurturing mother might use. "Many families lost their loved ones to war, to petty thieves and criminals. I understand your pain and your resentment, that monsters should be killed, but be careful, Andronikos, for what you say. By allowing your rage to consume you, you become a monster." She lowered her gaze for but a moment to Skye then lifted her gaze as she stepped away from the door and deeper into the cell. "You say that everything inhuman should disappear, correct? Anders are just like us... he is just like us. He didn't kill his family, Andronikos. You were fed lies from the very moment Alastair approached you the day you stood before those barracks when you enlisted." Perhaps she shouldn't have spoken, shouldn't have revealed what she heard but maybe there was still hope for the brother she spoke with. "You were going to beat an innocent man for nothing because you allowed the true monster into your head."
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Aug 8, 2015 4:01:15 GMT
The man in the fox mask bit his tongue, the smile fading. As Danny looked to him, he nodded back. The message was understood, and as long as Ikuze was here, he’d do his best not to use his voice. It could be assumed Edelweiss might recognize them, given that they’ve all met each other, but the two pirates shouldn’t have a clue as to who was under the masks.
When Caitlin made the order to move, he followed, keeping pace with Danny the entire time. When the ‘spread out’ command came, he dashed to the left, away from Ikuze, and hopefully Danny wouldn’t be too far off. Edith should have arrived at the other side of the base by now, and hopefully the other members invited would be able to make it. She could handle things on her own, but having backup was always nice.
He waited a moment before heading forward, however, not exactly wanting to be the first one to run towards the battle.
Post by Jovena Barbados on Aug 8, 2015 5:29:02 GMT
"Shh Shh now, Oh Be Quiet child and answer me!" Jovena reached for the young one to shake her. She was hysterical and that would do none of them any good. "You city people need more tough love in your liv-" Her jaw snapped shut and her eyes snapped up. Lightning split the sky and she could swear she'd seen movement by the fence line. Her jaw clenched and she shoved the sobbing minor at Gladys.
"Get her of military property, then go get Andronikos. Somethings up." She didn't wait for answers, she started creeping toward where she'd seen a dash of movement a moment earlier. It was pitch black again, excluding the periodic glowing orbs on the fence, and the yellow light from the HQ windows and doors. Jovena glanced back for a second, checking her six, and saw the silhouette of a figure standing there. Relief washed over her, the duty swap was on its way. If she had a whistle , she'd be blowing it, but alas, she did not. No time to stand around and brief him on the occurrence, she had to act, and hope he'd use his eyes to figure out the rest.
She lodged the butt of her rifle in her shoulder and held it 45 degrees to the ground as she proceeded to the line between public and private property.
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