Saus

As we play, occasionally we'll close a thread and open a new one to keep the size of threads (and relative complexity) down to a dull roar. Here's where we store the closed posts from the history of Errant Road.
Locked
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Saus

Post by Graybeard »

"We have to follow it."

Brother Miguel and Sister Rose looked at each other, then at Argus, with a succession of puzzlement, shock, and horror playing on their faces. What had got into the man? Was he seeing something they weren't? And what could this incredible walking colossus have to do with Father Egbert?

Well, ours not to reason why, Rose thought. But there's a practical problem, and there are some things that we have to do. "Okay, if you say so," she said. "But we can't follow it cross-country in the wagon, and it's walking a lot faster than we can. If I read this map right, we'll hit a minor crossroad a short distance south of here, close to where that thing appeared. Let's head down there and then turn west."

"I'd been thinking the same thing," Miguel said. "We should be able to follow it as far as the coastal mountains, but I have no idea what happens after that. I suppose we cross that bridge when we get to it." Rose set the wagon in motion as Miguel continued, "One other thing. I absolutely must-must-must tell Colonel Bogiel about this." He reached into the carrier-parrot cage.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
User avatar
Drannin
Prince of Space
Posts: 1350
Joined: August 15th, 2008, 2:46 pm

Re: Saus

Post by Drannin »

Argus stared at the titan receding in the distance. He struggled to get a hold of his thoughts. WHich is why he nearly jumped out of his skin when Harker said "Argus," right by his hip.

Spinning, Argus was about to make a hostile comment about Harker speaking... with those teeth... at a place uncomfortable close to his crotch. And then Argus saw Harker's expression. It was concerned and serious. Which Argus had never seen on Harker before. Ever.

"Boss... as your familiar and friend, I need ta talk to you in private." Harker walked a short distance off, obviously wanting the old mage to follow. Argus did so, bemused. This was something new... A short distance from the others (who were working industriously), Harker turned to face Argus. "Boss... what are you doing?"

Argus scowled. "I'm following that monster."

"Why?"

Argus reeled. "Why? Well..." he floundered a moment. "We're searching for Father Egbert. We suspect him to be in this area. A giant golem just happens to burst out of the ground near where we're looking. You call that a coincidence?" It suddenly occurred to Argus that he had just come up with a decent reason on the spot.

Unfortunately, Harker saw it too. "Just came up with that, eh?" Argus started to protest, but Harker continued. "You're scared for Fayna. So am I. But Boss... she's a smart girl, with a survival sense she inherited from... well, someone." Argus rolled his eyes at this. "This is Tsuiraku we're talking about, Boss. They can handle a giant golem, honestly. What could you possibly do? You can't catch up to it. Can't destroy it. What could you possibly do that she couldn't do for herself?"

Argus slowly deflated. "I... I know, Harker. But what am I supposed to do? She's almost all I have left... even if she won't speak to me."

Harker shrugged. "Dunno about that last, but... what CAN you do right now?" Argus blinked at this statement. And thought about. Really thought. And looked at Harker long and hard.

"Harker... you've changed."

The beaver-morph shrugged. "I've been on my own for a few years, Boss. I learned to smarten up. Some." Argus considered this a moment, then walked over to the others, with Harker in tow.
***********************************************************************************

Argus walked up to Sister Rose, who was busy seeing to the wagon. "Sorry. I took a moment to think about it, and we'll never catch up to that thing. But if Father Egbert really is in the area, it may be worth checking out where it rose up out of the ground. We may get some answers there."

"Just as well," said Harker strangely. "I had a better angle than you guys, and that thing was wearing some sorta battle-kilt. And it's WAY too anatomically correct."

In the ensuing silence, Argus slowly lowered his face into his palm. Right in front of Sister Rose...
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Saus

Post by Graybeard »

Brother Miguel and Sister Rose looked at each other, then shrugged their shoulders with a synchronicity that an onlooker would have found amusing. "Either way," Rose said, setting the wagon in motion. "Maybe best is to get down to that intersection and check out the situation, then decide." The wagon lurched down the road as its passengers watched the huge figure lumber westward.

It didn't take long, however, before the wagon's rate of travel slowed. To this point, the road from Heamish had generally been quite good, passing through farmland and forest on well-maintained surfaces that a wagon or coach could make good time on. As it turned south, though, the surface roughened considerably, and Rose had to devote her attention to dodging obstructions. The countryside was roughening to match; shallow but steep-walled gulches, some with fast-flowing streams in their bottoms, combed the roadway and forced the horses to labor up the hills, while Rose had to brake carefully on the matching downhills.

Furthermore, the countryside looked ... wrong. The farmland was giving way to forest, and the trees didn't look healthy. Many had died, and the survivors looked like they were struggling. There were oddly discolored leaves, twisted and gnarled trunks, weird fungal infestations growing out of branches. Not a bird sang. Even the flies seemed to be giving this region a wide berth. The horses didn't like it either; Rose was fighting to keep them moving the wagon forward.

"We're reaching the travel-not-recommended-without-guides area now," Miguel observed nervously. "Sasha, you've studied this area more than we have. Do you have any idea what's going on here? I don't like it."
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Saus

Post by Graybeard »

OOC: As soon as we get an explanation from Sasha as to what's going on here, I propose that we lock up this thread for ease in information management, and start a new one called "Centoriel," to use V-S's name for the region the doughty crew is now entering. I have a feeling we may be doing stuff in the Centoriel region for a while, and it would be a good opportunity to introduce new players/characters. Any difficulties with that?
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
User avatar
Drannin
Prince of Space
Posts: 1350
Joined: August 15th, 2008, 2:46 pm

Re: Saus

Post by Drannin »

(OOC: Fine by me. Gonna put a call out for new players?)
User avatar
Viking-Sensei
Evil Admin Overlord
Posts: 1193
Joined: August 14th, 2007, 12:18 pm
Twitter @: Kallisti_x
Location: Vikingopolis, USA
Contact:

Re: Saus

Post by Viking-Sensei »

While the intrepid crew had been hot on the golem's trail, Sasha had been pouring over her small portable library looking for something that she knew she'd seen... and then she found it.

"I think we need to pull over now." She said in a polite yet insistant tone, with a certain degree of urgent emphasis on the "now" at the end. "You all have to see this."

Once the wagon had come to a stop off to the side of the road under a slightly-better looking tree, Sasha laid out a 3-ring binder with a bunch of documents stamped "CLASSIFIED" with the Tsuirakan Seal.

"I got ahold of several files on this area a few months ago thanks to the Tsuirakan Freedom of Information Act... but I hadn't had a chance to do more than leaf through them, so I didn't know... "
CENTORIEL: A BRIEF HISTORY

Centoriel was a major city in Veracia leading up to and following the Mage/Priest Armed Conflict. It was most famous as a weapons research facility and the home to the now-disused Heretical Armorment Vault (See cross-ref page 43-HAV for further information). It is now currently abandoned.

Pre-Conflict Centoriel
Before the Mage/Priest Incident, Centoriel was the fourth largest community in Veracia. It was the chief agricultural hub of the region, and was an active trade and commerce venue.

The primary religious leaning of Centoriel was M[REDACTED], with over 1/2 of the known churches in the M[REDACTED] sect located in Centraila.

Centoriel's Part in the Conflict
Due to the abundance of natural resources and the central location along trading routes, Centoriel was one of three major weapons research locations during the events leading up to the MPAC. Early scouting reports indicated that this was the primary location for [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and War-Class Golem construction. At the end of the conflict, much of this was left in Centoriel, with the anticipation of another Armed Conflict on the horizon.

The Heretical Armorment Vault was located in Centoriel, and was used to study [REDACTED] and other weapons used by Tsuiraku that were captured. This, along with the Knowledge, [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] make up the four primary Vaults maintained by Veracia.

Given it's prime location and it's importance overall, Centoriel was one of three targets selected by Tsuiraku for the final attack that ended the MPAC. Due to the Veracian surrender after the first of these three attacks, the proposed attack on Centoriel was never completed.

After the MPAC - The Fall of Centoriel
Since there was never another major conflict after the MPAC, the munitions, war golems, and [REDACTED] remained there for some time. Some of them were moved to the [REDACTED] Vault in Lorenzel, while others were presumably distributed amongst local communities or dismantled.

Seven years after the MPAC, a reported accident took place in the caverns underneath Centoriel where a majority of the munitions were stored. Over the next two days, a magical fire started and grew to the point where it could not be contained. Over the next sixteen weeks, the city and surrounding areas were evacuated, the Armorments Vault was sealed, and the remainder of the munitions unaffected by the fire were moved to Saus.

The magical energies cast off by the underground fire (which is still burning, the last time anyone checked) and the decaying munition stocks make this region extremely dangerous to travel in without a guide. According to Veracian officials, the "full power of the magical fire is contained by Luminosita's grace", making this region exceptionally dangerous to travel through during the Festival of Departure.
How could a plan this awesome possibly fail?
Image
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Saus

Post by Graybeard »

OOC: So on that note, the new Centoriel thread is open for business. I propose to move Viking's last contribution to that thread and lock and archive this one. Any objections? Going once, going twice...
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Locked