Key Quest The Breaking Point


Age: 6 | Height: | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#1
key quest

The stairs go up and they go down.

It's a simple choice, really.

Within lights illuminate the pathways, though there seems to be a wash of golden light spilling upwards from what you assume is quite a deep spiraling set of stairs downwards.



You have 48 hours to respond, detailing your character arriving and any preparations they might have made. So that nothing is missed, please include a quick summary at the bottom of your post.

REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding, but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters - join at your own risk!

Those in {PQ} Semper Fidelis have first right of refusal for being already on the scene.

1. Kristopher
2. Lucas
3. Roana
4. Maea
Reserve Team - IF the party dies, a reserve team will be allowed to take their place.

1. Are
2. Amalia
3. Jigano
4. Rory

Roana Steadman
Soldier

Age: 35 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 6 - Strg: 24 - Dext: 26 - Endr: 24 - Luck: 11 - Int:
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#2
The crack if lightning, the earthquake - only the dead would miss that...and even they might be stirring.

Roana's boys were prepared for this, and held hands as they scurried to their Aunt's house down the road. Phoebe would watch them was Roana did what she always did - diving head first into danger. The former Captain was already running as she donned her armor, practiced hands fastening the leather to her person. Krosis was the last thing in place, fastened to her hip. By the time she arrived at the Spire, she was ready for war, her hair pulled back in a messy bun.

The sleepong mob outside made het laugh. Idiots.

Two sets of stairs. One party was already heading up, but Roana knew what direction she was going. Safrin thought the key was down. Safrin was Ronin's goddess. So she was going down. "Nice work." she said genuinely to those near the top of the stairs. This was it. This was where she could keep her promise to Ronin. "Let's go kick some barrier butt, shall we?" she said, immediately heading downstairs, eyes trained towards the glow. Despite her eagerness she was completely on guard, prepared for whatever they might face, and whatever traps there might be. Light feet, scanning eyes, hand on the hilt of her blade.

It ended tonight.
Roana
'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Are Jormsson
Cobbler / Leatherworker

Age: 31 | Height: 6'4" (193cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 3 - Strg: 20 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 6 - Int:
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#3


Are
Seeing them all gathered gave Are second thoughts, a fine middle ground could still be salvaged from what little honor he still had left. He stopped short of the party gathered outside the spire. A short nod and that worried smile wishing them all good luck, friends and strangers alike.

Are to reserve team.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#4
Maea was scared, as she stared up at the Spire. More terrified than she had ever been in her entire life. Behind her she could practically feel the edge of Rory's disapproving stare cut into her back, the hopes and fears and wishes of a thousand people and more like a weight on her shoulders. Was this how Roana had felt when fighting the demon? Was this the weight of responsibility? The mountain an aspiring leader had to shoulder? It was heavy, so much that her knees could buckle at any time.

I should not be here. The gods...

But the Hollow was dying. If the land died, the people she wanted to protect would die as well. Not today, perhaps, and not tomorrow. But slowly and surely as the passage of time, they would die. The land would fade, the water dry off. Trees and plants and all the creatures of the forest, reduced to dust and drifting off on a dry wind... She could see it, like she saw it every night in her dreams.

They couldn't let The Voice escape... but she could not let her people perish either.

In the end, she chose the people. It was not an easy one to make, but she chose as the Spire flared up in a blue light and her bones reverberated in tune with the earth. Maea had dressed herself in plain hunting leathers, sturdy boots and with Ludo's black scarf wrapped about her waist like a sash. She had braided the hair and wrapped it around her head and donned a simple hunting knife. Almost in an afterthought she had added a handful of nails to one pocket - potential weapons in a pinch - and slung a full waterskin over the shoulders, and left her home. Not knowing whether she would ever see it again.

Now she stood teetering on the edge, watching Roana's back disappear into the Spire ahead of her.

"Forgive me, Ludo. If I survive this, I will never go against the will of the Old ones again. I swear it."

The whispered prayer was simple but heartfelt. Then Maea breathed out a trembling sigh and began to follow the soldier, down.

__________________________

Maea has brought a hunting knife, five iron nails, and a waterskin.  

Abilities
Base Telekinesis: Can move small objects in a 5ft radius
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic

Water manipulation: Can manipulate water. Must be within a 5ft radius, control is weak and unstable and requires concentration. Can manipulate water in glasses and puddles.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic

Items
Type: Dark
Ludo's Rags | A shawl made of pitch dark, lightweight material. The wearer will not feel cold or the effects of the cold, regardless of the temperature. You look spooky.
MAEA
just a glimpse of truth
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Lucas Copperhead


Age: 38 | Height: 6'0 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 - Strg: 20 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 18 - Luck: 7 - Int:
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#5
Lucas
clever as the devil and twice as pretty
Well this was a lovely little development, wasn’t it? No sooner had they revealed the ancient script, apparently put in place just for them - Ascend - Forgive - when the Spire crackled and rumbled like a stirring creature, and light streaked up towards the sky. Lucas winced as it hit, illuminating the barrier all around and stinging his eyes.

The door hissed open, and chaos ensued. Familiar faces, strangers, up, down... well. Lucas had been in Hell. It was a simple choice for him. Baring his fangs in a grin, he strode inside and in pursuit of Roana. This was it.
Kristopher Neculai
Craftsman / Artist

Age: 310 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship:
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#6

   Being underground was hardly new to Kristopher, as he had spent over a century in a fucking collapsed cave, so he didn’t see any problem with taking the low road - so to speak - when the option was given. Of course he wasn’t exactly thrilled to do it, but he ultimately didn’t mind.

   However, in addition to his brethren, it seemed a few bugs decided to join them. He felt a discomfort in his gut at the new additions, especially as one of them had the nerve to offer such an apathetic compliment. His lip twitched at the brunette when she suddenly acted as though she was the leader here.

   He rested his hand on the pommel of his blade, and he decided to take up the back. After all, the alpha wolf always walks behind the rest of the pack.




KRISTOPHER
Hell’s Bells ringing, my secret music...


Age: 6 | Height: | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#7
key quest

The air does not seem to resonate with your steps as you begin to descend. However as you do, rather than warm light spilling up from sconces on the wall, the light turns cool and crisp and blue. Electrical, almost.

The staircase begins as stone, however the lower you go the more overgrown it seems to become. The air is moist and heavy and moss has begun to creep out of the crevices. Lower still and now the voices upstairs are dulled almost to a point where you have to hold your breath to hear them. Actually..it is unnervingly quiet.

Nevermind.

The walls are a smooth spiral as are the stairs. Eventually though patterns seem to emerge. Long and twisting, winding and elongated. Faces that look at you with forked tongues.

The sound of rushing water? Or is it—

hissing.

You judge you are quite low down now. Walking back up will be quite the chore if you ever do walk back up. There seems to be a rustling just behind the stones of the wall, and beneath your feet you wonder if there is stone at all anymore, or if it is simply earth molded into a rough facsimile of stairs. Eventually, you come to the bottom. There is simply a wall and little else.

Upon the wall you see the following


(click here to see the snakes in colour for visual-ease. You can also click on the image to make it larger.)

The ascendeds will notice that the lines of each snake seem to glow faintly with the same blue light as they saw outside when opening the door.



For this round, you may discuss your actions together OOC and have ONE member of your group post with what you chose to do. You have  24 hours to reply.



Your initiative order is Roana, Lucas, Maea, Kristopher. Keep in mind that your 'turn' is only about 6 seconds long. If you try to do too much, your latter actions will be ignored or rolled at disadvantage.


Starting HP

Roana: 100
Lucas: 34
Maea: 36
Kristopher: 12

Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
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#8
He had wanted them all to slow the fuck down and think about what they were doing. To prepare plans and discuss the sorts of difficulties they might encounter when the barrier fell. Hell, to discuss what they might find inside the Spire before leaping into it without looking. He had meant to teach Maea about how to look for traps in stonework, traps for the killing of men rather than animals. He had meant to train himself more, as well, gaining a better feel for the powers of flight and animal-calling he had gained.

He had meant to find a way to calm everyone the hell down before someone went off half-cocked and did something they couldn't undo.

Fuck.

Now he stood outside the Spire, countenance grim and blue eyes nearly hidden by wide black pupils as he stared into the open door and gritted his teeth against the worry and anger and frustration that coursed through him. The idiots were going to get themselves killed! He wouldn't weep many tears for some of them, to be fair. The assassin had apparently gone in already, as had the gloryhog. But Maea, his guildmate and student, had thrown herself into danger and he wrapped his hand more firmly around the hilt of his rapier, the other clutching the black iron lantern which held his Sparkbird feather as he wondered whether she would be alive the next time he saw her. He had his first-aid kit slung over his back, and he could only hope he wouldn't need it. Only the presence of Amalia and Rory steadied him against flinging himself through the door after them to try and pull the fools back out again, but he was no longer the foolhardy youth he had once been. He stood tall and firm as a statue against the night, and only Isuma, safe in her basket in the guildhall, would know the strength of the emotions that burned through his blood in the dark.



Jigano to reserve team
Amalia Chandrakant
the Archangel
Baker

Age: 29 | Height: 5'6 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 5 - Strg: 49 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 52 - Luck: 49 - Int:
JYOTI - Mythical - Starwhale (Humpback)
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#9
Amalia
She hates it.

Her grandmother would have tsk'd at the word; her mother would have smirked; but in this moment Amalia embraces it deep within her soul. There is no part of this she does not hate: the speed, the conflict, the deaths, the drama. The world is changing faster than they can breathe, and innocents are caught within the crossfire while the girl stands and waits, hating it for happening, hating herself for being unable to stop it.

One group ascends into the Spire; the other descends down to the dark; and Amalia is left in the wild outside, hateful and frightened and angry and shamed. Should she have stopped them? Should she still? Like a wild thing she paces, prowls, the staff clutched in her white-knuckled hand emitting an eerie glow. Roana she does not care about, the Ascendeds she does not know, but they are people, with footsteps and an impact, and Maea- well, the girls may be far from friendship, but the albino child is a part of her story as surely as any other Natural. Amalia may have felt bitterness at her slights, may have looked at resentment at the bond shared with her mother, but none of that would make her wish the other endanger her life.

Though she still hates her for doing this, for feeding into the foolishness they find themselves in.

"Safrin, please keep them," she murmurs to the sky, though there is no evidence that the Goddess is listening today.

As the last of them vanishes into the dark Amalia stops in her tracks and finds her way to where Jigano stands, staring into the dark. One hand reaches to grab his shoulder: "If it starts to sound bad we'll go in after them," she murmurs, half a promise, half a curse. She does not wish to lower the barrier, but she will not stand aside as others are hurt. She would pull them from darkness if she could- though she hates them for bringing it to this point.



Amalia joins the reserves
Leatherworker

Age: 36 | Height: 175cm / 5'9 | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#10
This was a Jigano he did not know: this was the Jigano he had wondered about, as he laid upon his bed in the Infirmary, told tales of a man who had had enemies and had fought them. Tales of a man whose decisions had gotten others killed. As feral as Rory was in the dark, his hair a moonlight river, his eyes dark and grim. An elegant, thin sword upon his hip.

A storm he thought as he slowly drifted from his previous vantage and down towards the Spire's dark mouth, which threatened to swallow his friends; his heart pricked uncomfortably as his feet moved. What if they chose to duck into the dark before he had finally come down to join them?

His hand reached out to Wessex in passing, silent pride and gratitude that she had chosen to step back, forgiveness that he was now choosing to step forth.

Rory had little interest in what lay in the Spire; he wanted neither to release the Voice, nor bring down the barrier. He was curious, in a way, about what resided within those granite walls, and he couldn't say that he was overly fond of anyone who had stepped into its maw. He had cared for Maea before all of this went down, and once it smoothed over, he would care for her again, but the only reasons he came close stood outside.

Jigano. Amalia. Wessex.

For them he would brave the dark, to protect them, to try and bring them back safely; to convince them not to press on, for what was the rush? What was the hurry, the eagerness to wrap themselves in death's black embrace? If those within failed—died or elsewise—there was time. Time to.. time to what?

The part of him that had camped out by the Spire for days, sleepless and gaunt and afraid, just wanted it all to end. Bitterly. In whatever way—but not at whatever cost.

So he stood, a dark shadow among his friends, wishing he had the strength in his hands and arms to grasp them and pull them back into safety.

Part of surviving in Caido was knowing when to let go.

And that was why he now learned about dying.

For he did not want to let go.



Rory to reserve team, please.
Kristopher Neculai
Craftsman / Artist

Age: 310 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship:
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#11

   Kristopher eyed the snakes beneath the word puzzle that he recognized as the same kind of puzzle as was outside of the Spire. He peered at his companions and stepped forward, not at all unnerved by the hissing noises.

   “The word is ‘efficiency,’” he said quietly, but loud enough that those near him could hear. He wasn’t sure what exactly to do with the snakes in the strange pattern, and no doubt messing it up would be disastrous, but if this was to be his end, there would be no regret, as he was helping to free his goddess.

   He reached out and touched the snakes, moving his hand along the familiar glow and hoping for the best.


Kristopher spoke ‘efficiency’ aloud and traced the entire snake pattern.




KRISTOPHER
Hell’s Bells ringing, my secret music...


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#12
key quest

As the ascended touches the engraving on the wall, electric blue light spills from beneath his fingertips as he traces.

It all goes so well at first, the winding and twisting shapes lighting up brilliantly until—

szzzzzPHRINK

Electricity sizzles suddenly, leaping out from near the bottom of the pattern and up and onto Kristopher's fingers. Within him circuits are overloaded and though pain is a far away thing for him, internally can feel that things are going quite wrong.



For this round, you may discuss your actions together OOC and have ONE member of your group post with what you chose to do. You have  24 hours to reply.



Your initiative order is Roana, Lucas, Maea, Kristopher. Keep in mind that your 'turn' is only about 6 seconds long. If you try to do too much, your latter actions will be ignored or rolled at disadvantage.

Ending HP

Roana: 100
Lucas: 34
Maea: 36
Kristopher: 5

Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#13
The puzzle was perplexing, all the more so because Maea couldn't actually make out all the letters of the cipher. Between her poor vision and near illiteracy, it was only with Kristopher's vocal aid she could discern the word written on the wall.

She flinched at the sizzling sound when electricity discharged from the pattern, and though she remained wary of the man - especially after the encounter a few nights ago - she still felt a pang of concern that he had been hurt.

"Are you alright? I think..." Squinting at the pattern, she only saw the faint outline of a circle at the outer edgesof the pattern. With trembling fingers she reached out, bracing for lightning to eat at her too... and traced quickly along the outline of the design. A circle to connect all the snakes, as efficiently as she could think of.

_______________

Maea traces a circle around the outline of the pattern.
MAEA
just a glimpse of truth
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦


Age: 6 | Height: | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#14
key quest

Will there be an explosion?

Will the entrance way collapse around them?

Will some horrific monster suddenly appear and—oh gods will it make what happened to Ronin look like absolutely nothing and at all and will it—

oh.

As Maea's finger traces the shape absolutely nothing happens. Though the hissing sound grows louder (or is it water? Is the presence of the snakes on the wall just a coincidence?), all remains as it is.



For this round, you may discuss your actions together OOC and have ONE member of your group post with what you chose to do. You have  24 hours to reply.



Your initiative order is Roana, Lucas, Maea, Kristopher. Keep in mind that your 'turn' is only about 6 seconds long. If you try to do too much, your latter actions will be ignored or rolled at disadvantage.

Ending HP

Roana: 100
Lucas: 34
Maea: 36
Kristopher: 5



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