Post your IC messages here

It is the day after the Grand Masquerade. Bleary-eyed revellers are still singing and brawling on the palace grounds, and the Kossacks have their hands full with arrests and allegations of theft, deceit and slander. Discarded masks are strewn everywhere, as are items of clothing and other less savoury items. All in all, a typical Decados party.

You are at landing bay 42, getting ready for departure. The ship you will be traveling in is old and battle-worn but looks serviceable. The evening is humid and the steam billowing from various service vehicles around the ship gives the whole scene an eerie look. Burly porters load the cargo bay with supplies, and ground crew check the engines and clear out most of the hull rats.

Lord Kazimir is here, along with an old priest who sprinkles the ship with holy water and intones an ancient blessing;

Almighty and everlasting Pancreator,
the creator and upholder of men,
who hast in every age
inspired thy servants with courage and skill,
we give thee thanks
for the example of those who have gone before us;
for the starmen of our nation;
for all who in great or small ships
have braved the perils of the dark;
for all who have given their lives for their country
For ourselves, grant, O Lord,
that we may ever be conscious of thy ruling hand.
May we be found watchful at our posts.
Make us ever mindful of the needs of others,
sharing our joys and bearing their burdens
in the work which thou hast given us to do;
and keep us always in thy love and peace;
through the Pancreator, our Lord.
Amen.
This message was last updated by the GM at 16:05, Tue 27 Feb 2018.

In reply to Soren (msg # 2):

It was an odd experience being summoned by a Prince of House Decados, and more than a little unexpected being on the run as Azhi was. He thought his name and abilities would be unknown to anyone on Severus, as he had just made the jumps necessary to come in the night before. His contacts back on Criticorum advised the masquerade would make an excellent cover for travel here while allowing a certain amount of anonymity to be maintained. However, one such as the Prince must surely have an extensive information network to catch all the secret goings on in his territories - either that or someone in the network sold him out. Something to worry about for later, he supposed. Seeing no way to decline such an invitation, Azhi of course accepted the summons in stride.

Being stripped of his weapons before being allowed into the throne room was a little off-putting, but didn't bother Azhi overmuch. After all, he was never really without weapons, or defenses, he smirked inwardly. More intriguing than the summons, however, was the reason behind the invitation: apparently the Prince was sending his niece on a dangerous quest into some deep pocket of space Azhi had never heard of before now. Of course, explaining his little slavery and bounty predicament to the Prince was no issue - the Prince admitted it was in fact part of the reason he chose Azhi in the first place.

Azhi didn't like that so much was known about him while he knew almost nothing about this Prince or his house; at best it left him disadvantaged, but the worst case scenario could be disastrous. So, more than a little on edge about the whole thing, Azhi asked for a short time to meditate and mull over the proposition. The Prince granted a recess, but told Azhi he would need an answer before the tenth hour arrives so as not to delay the mission departure. Azhi gave the Prince a curt nod of acknowledgement before turning and following the Prince's attendant into another section of the palace.

Using the quiet room provided, Azhi readied himself for the meditation ritual he was about to perform. First, he sat on the cushion in the middle of the room with crossed legs, hands on his knees, and fingers entwined in the sacred form of introspection. Leaning forward slightly, he blew out the only lamp lighting the small room, before settling back into a relaxed but upright pose. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, he let the darkness envelop him in its embrace before reaching out with his mind to open the connection to his Guardian. A faint, flickering aura of shadow and smoke surrounded Azhi, its slightly off-shade color of black dancing around his perfectly still form.

Unknown to Azhi, time passed quickly around him while in his meditative state. So, the connection to his Guardian was severed abruptly, causing some backlash of energy, when one of the Prince's attendants drew open the door and curtain flooding the room with light. Azhi opened his eyes squinting in to the face of a terrified woman. It was immediately clear she had no idea how to process what she had just seen. Firmly, but politely, he advised the girl it best not to speak of what she saw. He took her silent, slight nod and wide eyes as agreement. Not bothering to wait for anything else to happen, the girl turned and began a brisk walk back toward the Prince's chambers.

Following a short distance behind, Azhi rubbed his temples in an attempt to soothe his aching head and process what he was shown in his vision. He couldn't make much sense of the rapid stream of images that played over and over in his mind, but it was clear that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger, and the fate of the universe may just hang in the balance of this decision. Azhi had no real choice but to go. Steeling himself, he made ready to tell the Prince what he needed in return.

The meeting was short, as the Prince had anticipated all of Azhi's demands; something else that plagued Azhi. The Prince was not outwardly disingenuous, but his quick acquiescence to Azhi's requests seemed a little odd for sure. He was even a bit overly generous in his offerings to sweeten the deal with a bonus if the mission was successful. Still a bit uneasy, Azhi struck the deal, signing the contract in blood as was Decados custom... or so the Prince said. The terms were simple: Azhi would accompany Lady Alina as her guard on her mission, and in return, the Prince would lend his assistance in the resolution of Azhi's personal matters along with the provision of some undisclosed bonus.

Azhi took a short break to catch a shower - possibly the last for a while - and restock his supplies. Never a good idea to travel without snacks after all. Then he went down to the landing bays. Coming around a large freighter being unloaded, he entered bay 42 just as some priest was finishing a rite of blessing on their ship. Near the rear of the vessel, a woman decked out in black and green was having a veritable hissy fit over the lack of baggage space. Azhi took a moment to appraise his charge. She wasn't unattractive, but with this behavior he figured at least some of her baggage was not of the physical kind. Having enough of the moment, Azhi strode forward and lightly tapped the woman on her shoulder to get her attention before stepping back to a respectable distance. Extending his hand as she turned, he said, "Lady Alina, I presume? I am Azhi. Your uncle has hired me to be your guard."
This message had punctuation tweaked by a game editor at 02:09, Thu 01 Mar 2018.

Lady Alina whirls around when Ahzi taps her on the shoulder, a small glittering blade suddenly appearing in her hand. She lowers the blade when she sees the uniform of a Decados bodyguard.

‘Here’s a tip for you. Don’t ever sneak up on me like that again if you value your life! Especially when I have a hangover.’ She pinches the bridge of her nose and scowls at the bright glare from the headlights of a maintenance golem lumbering by.

‘Uncle Hyram sent you, you say? I can normally take care of myself but I suppose an extra weapon or two would come in handy. Stow your gear and get settled in. I might test your combat skills when we’re in space.’

She turns to Paavo. ‘Captain, please find me a good cabin and for pity's sake tell me you serve decent food on this ship!’
This message was last edited by the player at 18:24, Fri 02 Mar 2018.

Almost as an afterthought, Alina adds ‘Oh, and I want to stop at Criticorum. I have some business there.’
This message was last updated by the player at 17:06, Fri 02 Mar 2018.

Captain Paavo finishes watching the stevedores load the last of the cargo (gems and metal ripped from Severus's flesh, mostly) just before the Decados and her apparently new bodyguard approach.

“Lady Alina,” he says with a jaunty bow, “I'm Captain Paavo Umpionen, recently hired by Lord Kazimir. This,” he gestures at the ship, “is Garm's Fang. You can bunk in the best cabin, but we don't carry a cook unless you brought one yourself, so the grub is standard spacer fare. You might enjoy roasting some hull rats instead.”

The Captain has a classically chaotic Charioteer look. His hair is cut in a Vuldrok style, but he's wearing Engineer utility webbing over a bare chest and Hawkwood military pants. A ragged Istakhr cape completes the outfit. His skin sports barbarian ink and Scraver prison tattoos, not to mention a disturbing number of scars and a few crude piercings.

“I'll be selling this cargo on Criticorum, so you'll have time for your business. We'll take on manufactured goods there for sale on Leminkainen, or tech if we want to stop at Byzantium Secundus first. Then it's on to barbarian space.” Paavo licks his lips in anticipation, one hand unconsciously caressing the hilt and trigger of his large blaster axe. Realizing what he's doing, he snaps  back to a more normal posture.

“Once the rest of the passengers arrive, I'll give you the grand tour of the ship.”
This message was last edited by a game editor at 17:19, Fri 02 Mar 2018.

Knowing when he has been dismissed, Ahzi waits a moment to listen to the pilot before doing as the Lady says. Curious fellow, this pilot, what with all the layers and apparently itchy trigger finger, but definitely someone Ahzi feels he can get along with. Some of the tattoos and scars are familiar... The scars will bear some deeper investigation; something he will have to ask about later.

Mention of Criticorum brings a mixture of memories and feelings. So much left unresolved and definitely full of risk. Ahzi must not be captured, and to be returning to the place of his escape so soon is surely ill advised. Still, he must go where his charge, and this quest, will lead him. Finding a decent place that is relatively out of the way, Ahzi sits back to wait for the "Grand Tour" as promised - no need to stow the only pack he has. Watching the rush and bustle of departure procedures, Ahzi rests and becomes lost in thought.

Brother Otto cautiously approaches the ship, carrying something heavy in a small box. He sets the box down in front of Paavo with a grunt and massages his back as he straightens up.

'Blessings of Saint Paulus be upon you, Captain' he says, making the sign of the Jumpcross.

'This is the... ahem.. device you no doubt have been told of. Please keep it somewhere safe and hidden for now.'

The Eskatonic coughs and takes a quick swig from a small brown bottle he retrieved from one of his many pockets. He squints at the ship and nods.

'Looks fast. Is it well-protected? Good shields? Fully stocked med bay?'

Jonas arrives with a scowl and a couple of heavy bags.

He squints at the ship thoughtfully and gives Paavo a guarded nod of acknowledgement. "This your tub here, then?" he asks. "Not much to look at, is she? Seems sturdy enough, I'll grant you, and I can see someone's been takin' care of her. Mind if I have a poke around?"

Spacecraft aren't really the engineer's forte, but he's never met a piece of tech that didn't make him want to crack open its hatches, fiddle with it, flip through the maintenance manual and get to know its intimate secrets.

Alarus stands silently behind Lady Alina, carrying only his knapsack, which at best holds a change of clothes and basic provisions. He offers a polite nod to the Captain, and to Alina's new bodyguard when he arrives. Paavo's explanation about the ship's food doesn't appear to phase him, and he has the recognizable air of someone well accustomed to commercial space travel.

Paavo surveys the group. Two quiet ones, three talkers. Could be worse.

“Thanks for the blessing, Brother, and if you'd like to do a fuller one in the mess right before we take off, that'd be peachy.” He doesn't blink at the mysterious package.

He answers both the Eskatonic and the Engineer at the same time. “She'll keep us safe and apace while we're in the void. According to my mechanic, her spirit is strong. And assuming you're Apprentice Fischer, you're welcome to look, but only touch when he says the stars are properly aligned.” Paavo twitches in a small half-smile, but the expression is fleeting.

“I think that's everyone Lord Kazimir told me to expect, so unless you've got some unfinished business with this humidity, let's board and be on our way.”

Paavo heads toward the ship with the mysterious package, waiting beside it to be the last to board.
This message was last edited by a game editor at 21:01, Fri 02 Mar 2018.

Alina hesitates for a moment. 'There was some talk of a Sir Markus joining us, but I guess he changed his mind. Let's get going. I seriously need to lie down.'

As she passes Paavo on the way to the ship, she nonchalantly tosses him a jumpkey.

'By the way, this should open the gate to Cadavus. Kazi told me you didn't have that one.'

Paavo catches the key and grips it tightly. So casually is such wealth and power tossed around here! Still, if I play my chons right, I might get to keep it. He pockets the jumpkey.

Once everyone's on board, Paavo performs a discreet—but not secretive—ritual. He plucks a bit of native vegetation growing through the tarmac and digs out the muddy soil underneath. Still crouching, he rubs the soil between his fingers. Less than 72 hours planetside I get a mission that will take me right back across the whole damn Jumpweb. I guess it's no surprise Mother Severus is a bitch, too. Thanks, Pappa. Paavo tucks the vegetation into a small pouch and blows the dried soil from his hand, then gets on the ship without another look back.

“Alright, everyone, you can stow your gear in this bunkroom for the time being. I'm feeling space-jittery and eager to get off this rock. We'll do the tour after we clear the planetary defense net. Tic! Get out here and meet the poor, hapless souls we're schlepping back to your 'hood.”

From the engine room emerges another bizarre-looking figure. “Everyone, this is my mechanic, Ecliptic Eagle. Vuldrok, in case you can't tell.” Ecliptic Eagle is a spry, middle-aged man, barefoot and wearing only a pair of short leather leggings, laced up the sides. Beneath the engine grease on his skin you can see tattoos of Jumpgates and wave functions. His tool belt is adorned with beads and feathers, and in addition to some of the usual tech redemption gadgets it sports a wicked-looking half tomahawk, half hydrospanner device. “How's the engine looking, Tic?”

The Maghtaw mechanic speaks very accented Urthtech. “She have picked up hostile ricu from the black spirits here, Humble Void, but I have realigned the thrust stabilizers to compensate.”

Paavo shudders, but that same half-smile appears briefly on his lips. “Excellent. Prepare the engines for departure." He hefts the mysterious box. "And put this where we put that one thing that one time. The rest of you, just up this ladder is the mess, where there are chairs for everyone. Strap in. I'll take the forward ladder and head to the cockpit.”

The pre-flight checks and squawker chatter with the Decados space traffic control tower occur without a hitch. When Ecliptic Eagle uses the internal comms to inform him that the engine's ready, Paavo slaps the shipwide speaker button. “Alright, new crewmen and ladies and Ukar, I hope you're strapped in. Taking off now. Say goodbye to Severus.” Garm's Fang shudders as she accelerates skyward, but the inertial dampers and gravity systems hold.

The journey is begun.
This message was last edited by a game editor at 03:46, Sat 03 Mar 2018.

Seeing that everyone had settled and headed into the mess, Azhi made the short climb into the galley area himself.

"Ahem... Hello all. The Captain mentioned something in passing about hull rats. Figure I may as well start the search now. Anyone want to join me? Never know when we might need an extra snack... "

'Garm's Fang' ascends through the clouds over Severus, and after clearing the planetary defense net, the ship enters deep space.

Looking back at Severus, it resembles a jewel of emerald and sapphire spinning through the heavens around a rose-tinted sun, its polar regions lightly tinged with soft white from ever-present mists. From space, Tsaritsyn and Jakovgrad, largest of the great fortress-cities, are visible amidst the green of the lush Severan jungles.

Looking ahead, and even from this distance, the majestic sight of the flagship of the Decados fleet, the 'Nicholas and Alexandra' can been seen, surrounded by a flotilla of support ships.

After some course corrections, the engines go on full burn, heading towards the Severus jumpgate.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:24, Sat 03 Mar 2018.

Alarus nods to the Ukar. "I'll join you." Having stowed his knapsack in the bunkroom, he accompanies Ahzi on his search of the ship.
This message was last edited by a game editor at 07:22, Sat 10 Mar 2018.

Hunting high and low for any signs of pesky hull rats, Alarus and Paavo both manage to find a few and trap them.

Ahzi is searching behind some access ports when he hears something. Do hull rats sneeze?

Head on a swivel, slapper shots in his side-arm, Ahzi steps light and cautiously down the corridor. Searching especially deep into the bowels of the ship he closes his eyes and tilts his head to let the Darkness speak to him.

A slightly muffled sneeze shatters the near silence - barely audible above the thrum of the engines and blowing ducts. Instantly, Azhi swings his revolver around toward the location of the sound - eyes snapping open to pinpoint the origin. Too loud to be a normal sized hull rat, and those pesky Severus insects don't sneeze, so...

Sternly, and still holding the revolver level with the hiding space, Ahzi says, "You've been found, so you can step out of the crawl space now. Do it slowly, or the meting out of consequence will be swift."

Turning slightly over his shoulder, he shouts, "Captain, Tic, Sir Alarus, better come down here. We have a bit of a situation."

Then, he waits.