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
"Well it still feels like a hell hole..." Zone mumbled as she curled up on the girls lap somewhat, closing her eyes in the process. Either way it sucked and she couldn't help it. "Don't even ask about the whole flyin' thing..." Zona said as she wrapped her hands around her stomach. "Flyin' is different than being in a movin' object because you the one who does the moves and what not... For me that's like walkin' or runnin' on air, but this.... Uggghhhh...." She grumbled as the train seemed to be turning a corner some, rocking even more. She didn't understand how people could stand this torture, all the moving and swaying and not being part of solid ground, but not being in the air at all... And in a way she too didn't get why she could stand being in the air and doing all that she did, but put her on a train or a boat or something and everything just went down the drain... Oh well, just another thing that made her weird.
Zona lay there on the girl's lap as the train slowly started to stop. The beginning part of that was fine but once the train actually stop it seemed like it hit something. "Yes! We are finally here!!!" Zona cried out as she pushed off Elaine's lap, only to realize that was a bad idea. Sitting back down Zona held a hand over her mouth once more, "I... Just need a minute." She said rather fast as she pressed against both her mouth and stomach before letting out a sigh, "Remind me not to take this... I'll walk next to this thing..." Zona added as she finally stood up and began to make her way to the train door.
Badger: The cuss you are. Mr. Fox: The cuss am I? Are you cussing with me? Badger: No, you cussing with me? Mr. Fox: Don't cussing point at me! Badger: If you're gonna cuss with somebody, you're not gonna cuss with me, you little cuss! Mr. Fox: You're not gonna cuss with me! -Fantastic Mr.Fox (2009)
The instruction was clear. Gladys followed it without even thinking about whether or not it was redundant. She did what she was told, something she had excelled at since childhood, save for the time she ran away. It was good for the army though; while over people complained about the work or the orders, she was content in deriving happiness from the fact she was a part of something bigger than herself. So she worked hard, trying to prove herself day in and day out.
And it had been rewarded on that day when Kalum Wulfgang approached her, offering her a position in his own personal squadron. Since then things have been different. Not really good different or bad different, just…different. The other soldiers never teased her or sent her off to polish equipment or run an errand. She found herself having more time than she knew what to do with, so she put it towards training more, trying to learn more ways to be useful in combat. Things changed even more after the day she killed the murderer. It was almost as if people respected her after that. It was such a change, and one she didn’t know how to handle.
But despite all that, she still did as she was told. When she was told to get on a train and help with a mission, she went. When she was told to check her gear, she did. And when she was told to help unload the cargo, she worked. A model soldier in a lot of ways, and yet she still had a lot of areas left to grow.
“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
General Willingham was engaged by two people--a man and a woman asking about the ongoings of their surroundings, concerns they had, what they should do, and anything else they needed addressing. As there was much to do the general led them off towards the church. Kalum frowned as he watched the man go but their was not much he could do. After all Willingham would be of high demand for the rest of the day since he was over seeing the whole operation. With an exhale through his nostrils the huntsman turned to look over his squadron. Gladys, Davis, Adams, and the rest were gathered nearby tending to the train's cargo.
Down the way he spotted the Mingo's leader, people he assumed were his employees, and his contraptions hard at work. Further down was Edelweiss, a woman he still respected despite the evil feline she harbored back at home. Off some place behind him Vieka had been aiding those who were sick or hurt and Kalum had half the mind to stop by and say hello though obligations tied him down. Surrounding him were several other faces he recognized though none he knew personally or cared to speak with.
A sudden sound caught his attention, however, and the soldier stopped to look up and see Caracalla in the sky. Confused, he assumed the other team had finally joined them from the ground unit but when he turned something else greeted him. There had only been the sounds of people moving or chatting--nothing warning them of the sudden boom as heavy artillery impacted the top tower of the church with a loud BOOM. Fire and smoke filled the sky as shrapnel and stone rained down on them. Seconds later a large chunk of the building came hurling across the square before crushing a crowd of people with the General and the two with him underneath. As the rubble rolled away before skidding, red smears were left behind. Dirt was pushed aside as the chunk continued to slide before coming to a grinding halt just a few yards beside Kalum leaving the soldier wide eyed and in shock. Tearing his eyes from the smear that had been people moments ago, he looked to the crest of the hill only to see Sveden troops beginning to surface.
The silence that had fell upon the square erupted into panicked cries as many people rushed back for the trains. "Get those crates off the train quickly! All EIRAL personnel off the trains now! Get to arms! Load as many people on as possible! Now, now, now!" Kalum's orders broke over the panic as he rushed for Amon. "Your engineers, can you get them to rig the stationary trains to load civilians? Can you get the tracks to release more than the three trains?" It would take time to load each train and longer to evacuate the city. Three trains could leave at once with the nearest of three cities being half an hour away... But they did not have the time to wait and they needed those other trains now.
Another round of artillery was fired and each impact sent chunks of metal and stone into the air. In the distance the Sveden troops were beginning to advance upon the city.
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Jan 6, 2016 23:48:46 GMT
Suddenly she felt like there was someone staring at the back of her neck. It wasn’t unnerving as it might sound, though. Not this time. Glancing behind, she spotted a hint of silver in the crowd and raised a hand in a quick wave along a smile before turning to focus her attention on the people talking to her.
”Hello Las. It’s good to see you.” She replied simply with a chuckle at his greeting and further comments. That was Lasair being Lasair, alright. Although by now she knew him at least well enough to not take his flirtarious talk seriously – the man was a flirt, but more out of being on a hunt for smiles than actually looking for anything else, and she’d never seen him with a girl in that sense. Edelweiss was in fact starting to suspect they might be both different and similar in more than one thing. ”We met before.” She nodded at the mention of the redhead twins, the smile still on her face. So they were MI workers as well, that’s always good to know. ”It’s nice to see you two again, though I didn’t expect you’d come along Lasair. I think I’ll disappoint you though, the work here shouldn’t be all that impressive (only there’s a lot of it so the help is very appreciated); it’s just carrying around supplies and directing refugees---”
She was going to say more, but the remaining volunteer Lasair had brought, Sayvahn (what a peculiar name), addressed her as well and... it is fair to say he left her speechless. Lasair’s flirting could be considered so very subtle compared to this one’s flattery. The man was flashy… Yet, why was his name so familiar to her? It wasn’t a very common name around… oh. "Sayvahn... Oh, you were the one Mala was staying with before one of my workers brought her to CAEsAL. Pleased to be made your acquaintance. Are you Mala’s foster father?” Since he didn’t seem old enough to be her actual father... ”She’s a quite… unique girl.”
Any further words were lost to the eery ambient silence of the following seconds, and then there was chaos. Explosions of fire and smoke, debris, blood. Sveden… Edelweiss’ eyes fell on the part of the church that had received damage, and made mention to move, but in that first moment she couldn’t – not with how she immediately had a surge of her own workers flowing to her for directions. So for that, she remained standing close to Lasair; if his own workers are still willing to assist, be it under her instructions or his, the time was now.
”Divide into teams. Heavy-lifters help EIRAL – finish unloading as fast as you can. Any others help secure the people. Send a team to check the church for injured, any severe cases are to be brought to me or her” She pointed at Vieka’s general direction. ”Light injured or unharmed are to be brought to the trains. Now. Lasair, are you with me?”
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Jan 7, 2016 0:40:28 GMT
Lasair’s parents found their way over to a nice officer. He said his name was Willingham and he was more than happy to answer their questions. Leading them out of the crowd, he gestured towards the church they stood under before pointing to the different trains and where each one led. It was while he was explaining each destination that the boom of artillery sounded overhead, and all too suddenly a chunk of that very church was crashing towards them. There were only a couple seconds, four or five at most, before the building landed on them. In those few seconds, the husband quickly grabbed his wife, attempting to shield her from the impending doom. A smear of blood was left behind as the tower rolled away, most of it was red, but the black blood of Anderswelter was in the mix too.
Meanwhile, the conversation around Lasair suddenly became insignificant as the explosion rocked through the place. The MI leader turned to look towards the sound, his eyes, while not perfect, could still make out the hair colors of his parents. His mom’s sunset colors that matched his own, and his dad’s silky midnight that shined in its own unique way. Lasair saw the part of the building dislodge and begin descending towards them. In this moment, time seemed to slow down around him. He wanted to scream, tell them to move, to get out of there. He wanted to run over there and get them out of the way himself. But his legs were frozen and quickly going numb. His eyes were glued to them, the last fleeting glimpses of his parents as the mass of brick moved ever closer to them.
Time returned to normal speed as the sound of the building crashing into the ground reached his ears. He couldn’t look away from where his parents had been standing just a moment before. His legs gave out, causing Lasair to fall to the ground, landing on his rear and elbows with a thud. He didn’t hear Edelweiss give her instructions, didn’t hear the screams of the crowd or the mass panic that was starting. All his ears were filled with was the crashing of the building and the sounds of his parents voices. It had been his idea for them to leave the city, it would be safer he had said. They didn’t want to go, but they agreed anyway. It was because of him that they were here. It was his fault that they had died.
His mind became filled with that phrase and it’s variations: It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault they’re dead. It’s all my fault again.
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Jan 7, 2016 0:49:24 GMT
Elaine rolled her eyes. "Flying is moving!" She argued under her breath. She sat quietly until she felt the train grind to a halt. "Finally!" She stood up when the blue haired girl got off her lap but turned around and patted her back again absently as she looked out the window. Motion sickness was going to kill the poor girl. "You can't walk all the way home Z." She followed the other girl off the train looking around in awe.
"This is a really pretty place. In that weird...war-ish kind of way." She wandered around a bit looking up and trying to see over the heads of the crowds.
Well, he had done it. Rendered the woman speechless. Surprised, even. Just as planned, taking the light a bit away from Lasair, although, the two seemed more of friends then potential lovers. Frankly it wouldn’t matter. All he needed was to get on a good side with either of them to be able to cut thus sizzling locks. Though, he had to admit, he wasn’t expecting the stranger to know of Mala. Raising a brow, that suave air of his faded away as his expression hardened. So, that’s where Mala went to on the nights she didn’t return home. Of course, the girl wasn’t obligated to stay with him, although she may have felt as such, spending most of her nights curled in front of his fireplace. A mixture between obligation and respect perhaps? Though, he laughed inwardly about the foster father bit. Foster mother, was more like it, but alas, that was a story for another time.
“Indeed.” Taking a breath, he was going to continue. Going to say something witty. Something light heartened. But a boom took that from him. Took everything —the white noise from the air, turning it black with smoke, then the calm as people watched, stunned. Shrapnel and glass rained from the church building, where hellfire climbed and where a man leaned on the statue as if she could protect him from the onslaught. Sayvahn watched, stomach tightening as the church steeple crumbled, broke, tumbled like some sort of awful toy, ripping people apart, scraping them across the cobblestone like some sort of filth found beneath a show. It left stains, left skid marks of red and black, remains of people, of hair and bone. Sayvahn continued to look, to stare as people around him jumped into action but he—he could only stand there and watch the spectacle, amazed, enthralled even. As other people fumbled about in order to help, he ushered in a confused smile, shock taking hold of him as opposed to logic. This was too much. The irony, too breathtaking. He wanted more of it. More of that radiant sound, but not on them, no. On the bastards who did this. And to let them brand the cobblestone red and black in the name of Lodan and not Svedan.
But Lasair. He was on the ground then. Staring at the desecrated church as if his own religion had crumbled before his eyes, and perhaps it had. The woman called out for him, to join in to help. But Lasair— he had that look. That look of being too far gone to understand what was at stake now. Whatever world he had been in, it was now gone. Bending down, to Lasair’s height, Savyahn stared at the man. “Lasair.” He yelled, but the man couldn’t hear him wherever he was. “Lasair. Get up now.” Still no response. He was in shock. Blast it.
“Lasair. I’m going to get you out of here, okay?” Taking Lasair’s arm, Savyahn attempted to wrap the limb around his shoulder, being loose enough just in case the man returned to his cognitive state. If he did, he would only steady the man instead of practically carrying him out, but until then, uppsie daises. “Lasair." He repeated the name, it practically burning on his tongue as the smoke drifted to them. "Can you hear me?”
“In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught." ― Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Jan 7, 2016 4:29:52 GMT
Edelweiss didn't expect Lasair's reaction, or lack thereof. But there was something about it that felt familiar, in a sad way. That face of his... shock and horror, terrified pain and dull disbelief all at once. Likely misplaced guilt as well, although that part she couldn't be sure. She'd seen a face like that times before. In the mirror. She followed his gaze to land in the church debris. She could discern a pool of blood beneath. Someone he knew? Someone he brought... and Edelweiss suddenly remembered the little talk they'd had, first about Danny and then that led to MI coming as volunteers mixed along CAEsAL. It had not been too long ago. She remembered feeling distraught and hollow, and then his hand on her shoulder. It had felt distant back then, something awkward, a little foreign. It didn't anymore. She was sure he would understand it now... and of all the things she had wished, prayed he never did...
Her mouth pressed into a thin line. Sayvahn was trying to get a reaction out of the other redhead leader, and she better do something too. "Las." She crouched down next to him, almost sitting on her own ankles (it wasn't a very comfortable position but was better to stand back up fast than kneeling) and reaching out to hold his face with both her hands and make him look at her. "It's not your fault. Think what you want, anything, anything except that that was you. Please." The world wouldn't stop for then though. Nor would Sveden, or the fire, or the screams and tears of the wounded and panicked. So the redhead woman slipped herself under Lasair's arm on the opposite side of which Sayvahn had taken and helped lifting Lasair back on his feet. "The medical area should offer better shelter than out in the open at least... Let's take him there."
"All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." - John Dalberg-Acton
Amon was about to respond to Wern when the explosion happened. He flinched, looking for the source of the explosion, wincing a little at the sight of the church building chunk crushing a group of people.
"I hope that wasn't..." he thought, attempting to figure out if the crushed victims were anyone he knew. He barely had time to finish that thought when Kalum came rushing over.
"No promises," he responded. "YOU HEARD THE MAN! GO GO GO!" he shouted at the group in front of him. "You, you, and you," he said, pointing at two other engineers and Wern. "Come with me," he said, leading the way, subtly ordering 4 steambots to follow them, intending to use them as cover while they attempted to figure out and fix the town's inefficient train system.
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
When he heard the bang, Wern’s instinct was to cower, to duck down, and to curl in on himself to avoid any damage from debris. His agility saved him from the initial impact, from that initial explosion on the church, but fight or flight told him to run away. So he did. Or at least, he tried. He looked up just in time to see the church spire fall, to watch it crumble to the ground, to crush, something familiar catching his eyes as it tumbled down. Something bright, the color of flame. He recognized the color, but no, he couldn’t be here. But the light, it was extinguished. Gone underneath the rubble, torn as it skidded toward them. Wern froze, trying to process the thought. He couldn’t be there, could he? There was no reason for him to be. But there was blood, not just red, but black. Oh cogs, it had to be a different Ander. Had to be.. There had been a crowd of people. But now, there was only blood and remains, and oh cogs, was that a—.
Wern threw up alongside the tracks, gagging, trying to keep his breakfast down. There was no use. He heaved, listening as a solider ordered Amon to do something, something with the trains. And there was screams, and oh Cogs why did he think this was such a good idea? Shaking he steadily turned around to see if he could help, again, catching a glimpse of that church tower, and the angel, she was crying, as if asking the heavens, why did the sky rain down fire and ash? Wern staggered, nodded hazily at Amon’s command. How he was so fine a situation like this, Wern could hardly understand. Was he used to this? No, he couldn’t be. But maybe, that’s what guild leaders do. Keep calm. Stay level headed. Be strong. And for a moment, Wern found that his fear of the man waned, if not disappeared as he was the only one Wern could rely on then. So, he followed his guild leader, holding onto his pack as he tried to hold down another wave of nausea and unease.
What is important to me is the experience of making. I leave all my work outside and often return to watch it decay.- Andy Goldsworthy
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Jan 7, 2016 8:51:50 GMT
He was vaguely aware that he was being picked up off the ground. Wait, when had he been on the ground? The question remained unanswered. His eyes were dilated, his heart was racing, and all the voices going on around him only felt like a dull echo. He thought he heard words, but it was like they were being played in slow motion and with a lot of fuzz and static mixed with them. “Lasair,” they said. “Get up.” “Out of here.” “Hear me.” And then a break. More fuzz, more static. And then another voice came through, it almost sounded like the same one, but it wasn’t. “Las,” they said. “Your fault.” “Anything.” “Please.” His vision was blurry and filled with the color of stone, the same stone of the church. It was all he could see, all he could feel. He wanted this to end, wanted to get up and move, wanted to feel something, anything, but his body was on lockdown, his mind frozen, all he could do was divert all effort towards not thinking about what had just happened. All he could do was be numb.
Pyre scanned the area, he noticed a lady being harassed by many a man, he could help there but not today he thought to himself, there is people in greater need oh help and besides she looked like it was all under control. Pyre also noticed the medical tent filled with people in need of help, I wonder if Vieka here he pondered trying to see if he could spot her.
Silence filled the air time seemed to slow, stop even before a loud explosion rung through the air the force of which caused him to jump and almost fall from his perch. He turned looking at where the church once stood. He stared at debris he could see the remnants of people that was standing now under where rubble and rock lie. The death would have been instant he thought to himself. Closing his eyes he flushed the sound of the explosion trying to forget the noise quelling any thoughts.
Pyre reopened his eyes after a few minutes of peace in his own mind, rejoining the chaos around him. He smiled, “Okay old girl this chaos, even being up here wont help me help.” He glanced down to see small crowd near the rubble, “Dam, looks like they lost someone close. At least they are buried instantly and near a church no less.” He chuckled to himself,placing a kiss on the angels cheek and hopping down “See ya love!”.
He sounded like an arse but it was how he coped, gotta keep spirits high.
Post by Zona K. Noakes on Jan 7, 2016 23:12:09 GMT
"I so can walk home, just watch me." Zona said as the nausea began to pass now that she was on solid ground. Looking up she noticed the large and absolutely gorgeous church that stood strong in front of her and the angel statue just a little bit away. Zona couldn't help but smile at the stone creature, she admired how tall the statue stood and how strong she looked with her wings out. Ahh.... If only Zona could walk around like that, everything would be so much nicer and easier for her, God that would make her job easier. Just as she was about to turn to Elaine and say something about the statue when the loud and ear piercing boom came.
The whole ground seemed to move under her feet at that horrid sound. She was used to the sound of the mortars whistling though the air but this one sounded to be on top of everyone, one that meant death and destruction was coming no matter what. Just as soon as the sound came a large chunk of the building came flying to the ground, crushing a group of people, leaving nothing but a trail of their blood as it rolled across the ground. Zona stood there in awe, disbelief and some other third thing with her mouth hanging open some. Screams were all around her and she had a hard time focusing one what to do or where to go all she could do for the moment was let out a somewhat hoarse chuckle, "Well I guess I won't be walkin' home yet..."
The two needed to find their guild leader but the people around the two girls were in a panic, running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but really who could blame them, not only were they inches from death but they just saw a group of people get squished like bugs by a large rock. Shacking her head some Zona snapped herself back to reality, turning and looking around some, "Come on! We have to help get these guys out of here." She said to Elaine as she noticed a group of people off to her side.
Badger: The cuss you are. Mr. Fox: The cuss am I? Are you cussing with me? Badger: No, you cussing with me? Mr. Fox: Don't cussing point at me! Badger: If you're gonna cuss with somebody, you're not gonna cuss with me, you little cuss! Mr. Fox: You're not gonna cuss with me! -Fantastic Mr.Fox (2009)
Post by Elaine Anncroft on Jan 8, 2016 0:39:58 GMT
Elaine instantly ducked as a deafening sound pierced the air. Her hands flew up above her head in a defensive pose before she straightened up to look around. The ground beneath her feet was no longer sitting peacefully, it was shaking and cracking and crumbling sounds of destruction filled the air as a portion of the building came loose and fell to the ground in the most terrifying way possible. She watched mortified as a group of innocent people were crushed into red marks on the ground. The girls eyes were wide and she was white as a sheet, frozen in place in.... in...... she couldn't think. Those people, they didn't have a chance. She felt herself trembling although she couldn't quite place why. She'd seen death many times before, and she'd been the cause of it more often than not.
War, a battle of life without definite reason. Both side fought because they thought they were right. The women and children become the unintended targets of one man's fury. One command can take hundreds to thousands of lives. And a girl of seventeen years of age witnessed part of this first hand. People she knew maybe trapped or dead.
Elaine was snapped out of her thoughts at Zona's voice. "What?" She turned noticing the crowd. It was chaos. She nodded at Z and pushed down her thoughts. She was an assassin, a trained killer. She helped many and hurt many, this should be no different. But no one could do anything with everyone in such a panic. "Zona, go help get people up on their feet." The dark haired girl took off pushing through the crowd and looking around. Halfway through the crowd she noticed a woman getting pretty much trampled. "Everybody stop!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as she shoved through the crowd and helped the woman up. She saw a few heads turn. "Head away from the building!" She yelled at anyone who would listen. "Get out from under it! Now!" If anymore shells hit that building all the panicking people below it would meet the same fate. Part of her dreaded heading out into more open areas but it might be the only way to save some lives. "Come on, I got you." She pulled the woman's arm over her shoulders supporting her.
With Amon's assured aid, Kalum had other orders to give. Turning away from the Merchanic's guild leader he left to grab two or three other soldiers who were trained engineers within the order and knew the trains inside and out. "Go with the Mingo's leader! Help them anyway you can! Get those trains operational now!" A collective "understood," was the reply he received and off the trio went after Amon's flock. As Kalum stormed off to deliver commands to the others he passed a heavy set man vomitting and could only pity him. Carnage was something they would see plenty of today.
A second boom sounded as another shell impacted the town though this time it skipped over th church and destroyed the Lady of the North. The man perched a top had been lucky to leave when he had or he would have met the same fate. Back at the rails a thousand people screamed as they tried to board the train while EIRAL fought to keep order. A sudden groan made Kalum stop in his tracks and look to the source. Despite the magic resist platings the overflow of andersweltler on the mechanic marvel with the loss of EIRAl's dominantly human personnel, the train was struggling. The lack of time and trains to transport people was bad enough now there was the issue with dividing people to equalize the--piercing screeches filled the air as Sveden troops reached the first structures of the city. There was no time to worry about the trains they would have to hope that the magic resist metal would hold.
The revving of chains filled the air as swords quipped with motors cut down anyone in their way. Not all Sveden troops were decked head to toe with steel armor and machinery but enough of them were to pose a threat that made most of EIRAL quiver. Kalum looked on with clenched teeth for a moment as they came storming down the streets. Every where they came blood and carnage was left behind. "All able soldiers engage in combat!" Those not aiding in the evacuation took up their weapons to fight back. Sounds of rifles and pistols filled the air while others tried to set up a sentry. People screamed and ran this way and that making it harder for the soldiers to get clean shots.
Despite the gunfire, Sveden troops shrugged it off. Bullets ricocheted off the armored units while those undressed in armor collapsed on the ground. A new sight greeted any who watched the hills. Giant monstrosities in all shapes began to appear on the crest. The infamous walkers stood tall on their two legs firing down upon the city without a care if they hit their own troops or not.