Seven(?) against the Convergence

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
Jack Rothwell
Teller of Tales
Posts: 2405
Joined: June 17th, 2010, 7:35 am
Location: Liverpool, England

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Jack Rothwell »

Tamina's reaction between the clang and the sharp lurch of the craft was probably unhelpful to the group's current situation. The kobold instinctively lunged for the sturdiest part of the bulkhead, buried her claws into it and pulled herself bear-hug tight as gravity played merrily hell with her insides.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" She contributed.
User avatar
Drusia
Veteran of the Errant War
Posts: 1293
Joined: September 7th, 2009, 9:53 pm

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Drusia »

"But you make me strong," Therese nearly whispered. "Help me be strong some more." She leaned forward to make the held hand the start of an embrace...

I'm not sure whether to be touched by words or embarassed by the obviousness of that pick-up line. Both? Never mind, I could use the hug --

Sirens? What for? Did the elf pursue us? That's one of those things I kinda forgot to ask about - what happened to the elf after I got stabbed.

Therese starts, pauses, moves away. And then the ship is falling.

I reach out and grab Therese, hugging her, holding her. If I'm going to die after all, I don't want to die alone.

-- Desiree
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

Therese wasn't the least bit concerned about the obviousness of the pickup line, which she had not really intended as such. She merely clung tight to Desiree.

Up amidships, Sister Rose, whose acrophobia wasn't being done any good at all by the falling sensation, did the same to Argus.

[OOC: Leaving... who to cling tight to whom?]
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: While Tim hugging Tamina would be a true Kodak moment, he is in fact trying to scramble for his "battle station" controls. The one thing is just as futile as the other, under the circ's, but that's what his instincts are having him do.]
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

[OOC: I was going to write a big long thing that would resolve a large number of things and conclude this thread, but let's do it bit by bit for the moment, although the big long thing is still coming.]

It seemed like an eternity, but it was really only ten or fifteen seconds before Sister Rose noticed two things. One, she and her colleagues weren't in complete free fall; the descent of the airship, or at least the part of it they were trapped in, was slowing. Two, the filmy magic covering the controls wasn't there any more.

And then there was a third thing, which she realized as soon as she, Argus and Tim applied their muscles to the control column, hauling it back as hard as they could, to raise the nose of their crippled ship and further brake the dive: they weren't on an airship at all, but rather a glider.

"Look out there," she grunted, nodding to a porthole since she didn't want to take her hands off the stick. "We've got wings now." It was so; stubby flight surfaces protruded into the sky, and the horizon beyond them was leveling out as they gained purchase and the ship came under control.

And another thing: the bulkhead in front of them had two windows in it. What lay beyond them was not the shattered remains of the bridge and cabin, as she'd expected, but rather, another view down to the ground, and that one too showed that their descent was becoming more of a controlled glide and not a crash in the making.

Lastly, the magic had returned to the controls -- but now it was making subtle adjustments, stabilizing their vessel as though a skilled pilot was at the controls, rather than scared passengers.

Apparently Khoo's thesis project wasn't quite the innovation he'd believed it to be. She and Tim applied their muscles to bringing the glider in for a safe landing, rather than a crash.

But where? And why?
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Alberich »

To Tim's way of thinking, "where" was obvious -- the ground. "Why" was equally obvious -- to avoid crashing. "What would happen after" was in the Lord's hands, but with the ship crashed, they would not be able to leave their noncombatants behind in a safe place. All the more reason not to have brought her along in the first place. But happily there was only one of her now, and there were plenty of mages and fighters to keep the danger off of her (if she could be induced to stay nearby).

Maybe it was just as well this mission was covert. That way Tim the priest wouldn't get a memorial stone that said, "Died Gallantly Defending a Heathen Harlot." Yet he knew he would do exactly that when the time came.
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

The improbable glider rumbled in to an unexpectedly controlled (if still bumpy) landing, and a relieved, unhurt Sister Rose started to climb out and check out the situation. However, as she opened the emergency hatch, she noticed something.

Rather than plummeting to earth as flaming wreckage from which the rescue glider had saved most of the passengers, the airship was still up there. Furthermore, it was accelerating. Rose could almost feel the magic from down on the ground as it lumbered, then streaked, northward, toward a mountain range that lay before them from east to west. Trailing what may have been the first contrail ever to be seen in the Errant World, it passed behind the ridges and was lost from sight.

Her puzzlement growing by the second, she checked herself for injuries, finding none other than minor bumps and bruises from the still-not-gentle landing. Nobody else seemed hurt, either; the rough landing hadn't opened Desiree's healing wounds, which was a great relief. Now she could begin making sense of what lay outside.

They'd landed in a broad valley between two mountain ridges. Few trees were present, and the ground was covered with low, soft, spreading vegetation. Tundra, she thought. This must still be high, cold country, even if it wasn't on the peaks. All of that cold-weather gear in the hold might be useful. Had Father Amalric planned that?

She voiced that thought to the other passengers ... and as if in answer, there was suddenly an immense flare of light from beyond the ridge where the speeding airship had gone. Even in broad daylight, it looked as bright as the sun, or even brighter. And it was clearly coming from the ground level, from an unseen point beyond the horizon; the light at that source must be brighter than a thousand suns, she reckoned ... and it could only have one cause.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
User avatar
Jack Rothwell
Teller of Tales
Posts: 2405
Joined: June 17th, 2010, 7:35 am
Location: Liverpool, England

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Jack Rothwell »

Tamina, on the other hand, didn't appear to have noticed that the craft had come to a halt. The humanoid was still firmly pressed against a wooden beam with her eyes clamped shut, babbling hysterically to herself in the Killikah tongue.

"<Spirits protect me! Every time, every damn time I'm on a vessel this happens! If it aint sea monsters, it's missiles, or crazy elves, or something else! Spirit of Atmosphere, bring this mechanical bird safely home! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh...>"
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

Sister Rose may not have understood the kobold's language, but there was no mistaking her frame of mind. She stepped softly over and placed her hand over Tamina's paw.

"There, there," she said in her most soothing tones. "We've landed safely. We're not going to fall out of the sky. In fact, it looks like we're in a safe place." That even seemed to be true. There were obviously no predators or weird magic users or elves in sight, and in this terrain, possible threats could be seen coming a long way away. "We're safe now --"

If Rose was going to say more, she was interrupted by a BOOOMMMM that thundered across the landscape, apparently coming from the direction of the magical glare and sounding like the crack of doom.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Alberich »

Tim searched the glider to see who was on it and whether everyone was all right. Rose seemed to be comforting the kobold but Tim wanted to make sure of everyone else. He had a suspicion that Amalric had died with the airship in that spectacular explosion...

[OOC: And yes, I caught the "thousand suns" reference.]

...for reasons, and based on information, known only to himself. Well, obviously he hadn't been disloyal or treasonous -- otherwise he would not have put them into an escape craft packed with the means of survival -- so the thing to do was to see who was here, who was all right, and whether any maps, letters, or communications had been left behind. Questioning Father Amalric's motives could be left to a court of inquiry later on.
Locked