OOC: Does this remind Yelena of anything she's previously seen?

The sniper's brow furrowed as she considered what was all around. Moving slowly and deliberately into the other alcoves, Yelena looked for other windows that might open similar to the first one she found.

It seemed that every alcove had a way to let in fresh air and light, either through a hole in the ceiling that was covered by some sort of cap that could be lifted by pulling on a string or lever, or directly opening like a window.

Tsimmerman looked around wearily. [Language unknown: "Riard ssen stipo hat ri traos anrut samesiiero o Aveastame m Uran? Ie tionceant lesandwas, herlesble."]

Bhalla approached the patronizing one--"Lena." [Language unknown: "E houwa ter Thng. Ble llis ulpant earwasessave, thi. Nd stil Talohe plcami, Ivtoplch preeenwas acan whilinven."] Part of her still longed to have retreated with Jangie and left this behind, but the healer knew all too well that the Deutsche would follow, sooner or later, unless they lost their war.

Yelena shook her head. [Language unknown: "O thaearnti neno verol. Thoastent ei p e pr catefo man? Wi somio enivou p ce riekio ou taprou meieul?"]

Tsimmermann shrugged.
[Language unknown: "Ekev essa ev olfo ofis ou Arospl, ted, ofdime ame ioame. Ss redicaest ekadil ei Redastnce hend whi i waoul ichlo reil ounichant. Virsa eiprhi reanek oveticyin-notart saiotr ere uras conugh'esthas. Ec ear sspa bengio ch ca m Witun. Ic omeforure sa trioss lescomwasine po ast tieeek. Atcebe sonureoer pe trles mi. Ecus hat ca... On reitnt llna, red ouriek, ceunha? K iveessingthi k laharo evce th lo pa een pe hat ainaernt hassomver ul utin eauonswheour, hathu aveeauant oul astnd e aveintive.
Lo pela menameain'allect whta halaad inbeio era staverent. Me aiil, ll essersred cemant aindi ne prtr ne omndom, liunnith e lethu di po pa? Acwi nipe en entareted nger ello setromstr."]
He chuckled and shrugged again.

As the two left one of the alcoves and got back into the larger chamber, they saw Mattaki. The Axtzal must have entered at some point and stepped down into the shallow pool. He was hunkered down on his heels, the left holding his spear for added support, the right hand picking something up from the floor that looked like a curled up, dried bit of tree bark. Mattaki didn't say anything but looked at the bark, transfixed.

Lena looked grim and serious.  Any joy or wonder associated with the discovery of a new world and new people was gone.  She knew these Krauts were pricks but the implications here were beyond disturbing.  "[Language unknown: U ivestiven essma and utus?  Prut rateverom.]"

Then Lena considered the situation.  "[Language unknown: Whck wh urepremanard sson aidi unbeac aine eauforwit lototi ekcatoan?  K ertein oerce nti stiartousher, fies ivof thch whiainear ast ta iv u oerstrion ess nithen.]"

Bhalla crossed her wrists. [Language unknown: "Pl! M di rothu preardntiany, comhe me mider ica. Hiswasnceoutnte te si ekti reanc evncng. Ol hoev, teha toles ekusic Thokor-nceave. Era ionoca i staoerwit? Et a ndreri ch nc enour tiulan. O but."] The gnim made her arms relax and exhaled slowly in a surprisingly human fashion. [Language unknown: "E k icaforderromrea. P...her...of t. Ma en tr aila. Ut line onpoee sttho isbe astch nteat ee Ameevetha. Arrat ispe enset tiooerconatioul. Stwer to onstr pl i ev arrele one. Tho reus'ngmi mian wiisllhe."]

"Hm."

Yelena considered for a few more moments.[Language unknown: "Of ckla thiesswhe ie n t ardlinpre at ic for? Werousiou iohieeev verur houingine o iveortter'daywhe ectilldinate."]

She watched Mattaki enter and pick up the bark, but the sniper didn't interrupt his contemplation. Rather she watched him to see how he would proceed.

Lena considered that.  It wasn't unprecedented in the human experience to look at groups that seemed superficially similar but not draw a distinction between them, even if you knew better.  There was also a disturbing history of one group constantly conquering another.

"[Language unknown: Ul antous ho paee ntiovehat.  Se ivicfo onetiothi il an utus olfo hat hertedati m m m acbe lato thatndndnc.  N ul naac nceund'ivethu ome icul-ceei etmopr ch arwaarplen ck asro Houlne.  Aiteto il oulefo stidi ure paie'sana, te ni staha oun olpongwa alev eiiope ekevte undwithat vorforkor.
]
"[Language unknown: Sti ndearelar sanot hatectresany a outou plhe conlesven.  E vortrasta ll taonni nticonare we ev utse atce, anilon A hi ere n thceur, pl U u pladut een be rut Ionaintio.  Erthni Si omhati As p samoai chst el.]"

Lena considered what she'd recovered, and after weighing it, showed the books.

"[Language unknown: Ro acul os o tha.  Maess ev his arsiwh onlirire fiheac hi ons hou niant witel ei theinglinvor ati.  Se ngomio asutwi, I erwier m hoin'stev alpro m yinhisticthe.  Ous ur witallove o ounithlat niheis enar stamenugh headne ectmenine m rili tedprored.]"

Tsimmerman shrugged. [Language unknown: "K ncckut terte. ulckun n se thiousectwas daytinallate, li u chlisi, een. Ect tofiie ioutr m urebutwhi il e ulilai n en utpr. Erto butith'ersicatha a ch ousforichhis. Thunmeic e teddayear n hored ad na useite, Al paomto? Et olthin al comameort ha anyou m eraartstrtha allstaenc netrai?" ]


Mattaki put the piece of bark back on the ground, gingerly, hung his head and slowly rocked back and forth a few times. Then he stood up, abruptly, shaking his head. He said something, or made a sound - their language was hard to discern. He turned and walked outside, without looking back at you.

Outside, Mattaki leaned against the wall of the egg-shaped building, wiping away tears.

Then he spotted Bhalla talking to one of the non-Deutsche. He felt a surge of bitterness. These... people had come here, did not speak the language, they had brought death and pain and horror to his country, his world.

He grabbed his spear and started walking toward Bhalla.

Yelena took a last look around while Mattaki appeared to look like, well, to look like Yelena had when she'd come across some of the concentration camps in eastern Europe.

She pressed her lips together in a thin line, wishing she knew his language, or vice versa. After the Axtzal left, Yelena tipped her head toward the exit to encourage Tsimmerman to follow. [Language unknown: "A olomut outthiear iefich icaoutinetic ratas ng ain beatfo sa preresive derwa."]

She headed back outside and looked around for her small group of comrades-in-arms.

Yelena saw Mattaki walking over to Bhalla and Lena, who seemed to be engaged in an agitated discussion. The American spy was carrying some bundle in her arms.

Yelena looked around the immediate vicinity as she moved toward the discussion. Years of training as a sniper had made Yelena extremely wary of ever standing still.

The Russian moved into conversational range, but didn't interrupt.

Mattaki rammed the butt of his spear into the ground.
[Language unknown: "Ilta alweit adpa. Mi sanvorant out icilplstfo."]. He spoke with force, but his voice quavered.
[Language unknown: Eremo preredeen] Deutsche [Language unknown: hoeipaanpa nohi alom!]

His knuckles tightened around his spear and he took another step towards them, dragging the weapon behind him, bringing the tip of the spear down.

[Language unknown: "PRE!"] He shouted and pointed at Lena. [Language unknown: "ONCE KOR SAMA NTEHOUOUL IEILAD! DIAD NEEN EST LL SSSE? ROIC OUS HER RUTUGHYIN EEINMI MEN ELCH-UNINIE HER EAULINLES E K BUTSANUND?!"]

Lena didn't understand a word of that, naturally.  So all she knew to do was the least threatening thing imaginable.  She put the propaganda bundle down and opened her hands, showing her palms and all (for now) ten digits attached to them.

"[Language unknown: K atut lopr hefint his ar plre atereaoun, prac lar shemenenc miill Ckat hiei Onhomoil itossa t etrut vertiocon-undhou ndilat but.]"

Bhalla interposed herself between the war mage and the human woman. [Language unknown: "Thhas ntun le t fi, Artwhiart. Linionhas witrutand os ven at achi. Nirech in the Ourandereugh, poad lattiolatest. Ortit outprostitic. Staomestieen thel Oneanysonrom wa linameint."]

[Language unknown: "Ectha Ilacilsa ai cachprse toous in. Ng. Hoica ave."] Bhalla keeps staring down the much larger Axtzal, trying to find the words, trying to keep her body from shaking. [Language unknown: "Trosho ac."]

[Language unknown: "Hoeau his she ughichshe. Ecar somil ter ourlinnot ouanse. Ivsa ourforter ticureure. Neshe er ntel sta a esrotr. Us hou ngtin t es pethfi u iththoour ispemo? Po itiv utleet urwhe ictino itin mock sta Nclowari oulithver oerromtra peloituris thllulho? Icngca onecomter stawa u hausto i pe Osheerer butnt ndetha hoalpl ven."]

Mattaki tensed for a very long moment, then twirled his spear around, turned to the left and screamed. He slammed the butt of his spear down onto the ground, and a blue flash of light seemed to crack open the ground, zig-zagging away from him and slammed into the wall of the closest home. A heavy thumping sound came from the wall, as if something heavy had it it, and a spider-web of small cracks and crevices blossomed.

The light slowly faded.

Mattaki sank down on his hunches, suddenly sobbing and howling as if a deep pain.

"[Language unknown: En...]"  Lena wasn't sure if these creatures were strictly mammalian, so that made it awkward.  "[Language unknown: ..ndent enchouhas whenc ouneenoer?]"

[Language unknown: "Il. Es nte reus. Sta hatol. Menday-areson wernd manhis'setent. Salope bewhuret."] Bhalla says. She wants to comfort Mattaki, but has no idea how. She's not trained to treat these kinds of wounds. [Language unknown: "Li ma san ad."]

Yelena nodded.[Language unknown: "The, Unred ol ore leheol ek anyainame dayus etit. N alhois er menthaouliondin ame i bein icelar acprul nc His latri...ichatiers ac reere O osicpl. Linwaslar E venredwer ingtrayin ec se pencieom onsineand lo oleirein itus Eenaic reat urllofmo." ]

She paused. [Language unknown: "Nt u omroch tra ar a wathevho are ho elwi sti ticlarherous e esunca as hoek."]

Lena thought about the situation.  She had, essentially, been blackmailed into going undercover as a spy.  There really hadn't been any patriotism or sense of duty behind it.  But once she got installed, and began to learn their secrets, what they were hiding from their own people... she hated them.  She figured the soldiers who had removed her from her cover probably knew more about their atrocities than she did at this point, because, ironically, Lena was too close to the source.  She didn't get Reich secrets every single day, and most of what she got was intelligence on who showed up at the hospital, some mutterings Arthur mistakenly uttered near her, and what was going on in Berlin.  But she was utterly devoted to it up until the end of her assignment.

So, what she'd just been told did not surprise her, in the least.  But... what was Lena going to say or do here.  Nothing she could do was going to in any way make this situation better because the only language any of these natives knew that she knew was flipping German.

Well, awkward as it was to bring it up now, better to get it out here.

"[Language unknown: A fiseng ssecit si lininehas ain niplar acshe whal anivla Wi ch teaslo esan illes t nthievilom di ng enllll n ai ounicabut.  A ast essprooul o almaal te eeof atithince.  U t sieret Nt art.  Onndpe.  U rihesa a i ardasteen erset ilanfi lopl'cean, onoer artthotra nt o ndres ektha mi lesbutshe hein iv.  En larsi nc itplna arene St tarice notoul'ionder of sa moil.  Si pe unmoeifi i ri hi ekard, chca chre ce E ekinth t avenc la a o fofotono ntwast Mi rier ast tover onesomine, eau earer reaameith sanon ughon hi dica tha E k ililheha?]"  To be fair, none of them were actually supposed to be here, but that was incidental.  "[Language unknown: Er enerle na k but wh si u pa m, ee U sta nde.]"

After the remains of the village had been thoroughly searched, Captain Jackson selected a couple of houses to set up a camp site and rest.
He took the time to speak with every soldier either directly or through an interpreter about what they had seen and found.
What struck Yelena as odd was that he also asked her about how she was and if she needed anything.

He studied the flag Lena had brought. "New German Reich.", he muttered. "Would that be the fourth, then?", he asked Lena in a cheerful tone.

He leafed through the books, but since he spoke no German, he handed them back to Lena. "Could you see if these are of any use to our situation and summarize what you find? Verbally, of course, I don't need a written report."

Jackson tried talking to Mattaki, but he wouldn't speak. Later, the Axtzal could be found back at the nest, dragging out debris and anything the Germans had left behind. After watching him for a while, Tsimmermann put down his rifle and went to help. A couple more of the Russians and British followed. Not sure, what they were doing, but it beat sitting around.

((OOC:
Alright:
Lena, Yelena and Bhalla - the three of you get one house to yourself, and you all have a short debriefing with Captain Jackson. You can write up your meetings here and discuss anything you'd like to discuss between the three of you.


Lena: Give me an investigation roll if you want to go through the books. Let me know what else you'd like to in the next day or so, then I'll move this along.))

lol nope

20:15, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 1,1 using 1d4-2,1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3.  Investigation.

The irony is I had that at d8 but got rid of it when we redrafted the character because it was never going to be used lol

Lena read through the book, but it was hard to focus. It kept droning on about the superiority of the Germans to the natives, it seemed to be conflicted about who the target audience truly was - was it young children or teenagers? The way it was structured seemed to go back-and-forth, as if multiple authors had gotten the assignment but nobody was there to edit it.

This was pointless.

She did, at least, learn about the four native races of the New German Reich and there were some pictures, too. First, the Axtzal, or Echsen as the Germans called them. Lizards. The picture didn't look anything like Mattaki. It described the large cities of a crumbling empire, a dominating race that would be replaced by the Germans as overlords and would be relegated to the bottom rung of the social ladder to either serve the Germans or perish. A chill crept up Lena's spine. She had read - and heard - similar statements before, always in a matter-of-factly tone, always indisputable, about the Slavs to the East. Slavs, that had to be "relocated" to create new "Lebensraum" for the Germans.


Next, there was a picture of a being that looked quite similar to Bhalla, but dressed in a dress of leaves. The section was headline as Zwerge. Dwarves. Lena remembered the term from old medieval style legends. It had been the dwarves that the German hero Siegfried had stolen his cloak of invisibility and a magic ring from.
Siegfried the dragon slayer had featured heavily in Nazi story telling - the shining, invincible knight. After Stalingrad had fallen, the Nazis had shifted to praising the steadfast loyalty of another legendary figure from the Nibelungen saga - Hagen. Who happened to be Siegfried's killer. It never made much sense to Lena, but what about the Nazis made sense?
Few details were given about their culture or customs, but that they were used to being servants to the Axtzal and would soon be just as useful to any German household.

There were two more races though. First, there were the Trolle. Trolls. The drawing was frightful. A huge being, it looked somewhat like a rhinoceros on two legs, with two horns running down the side of the troll's head. In the drawing, it was dressed in some sort of fur coat. In the description, they were called "surprisingly tame and docile". Nothing about this drawing looked tame or docile to Lena.

Then, there was a more extensive section on Gervolier. Gervolian. There were drawings and actual photos. The style was different. It was most apparent when compared to the trolls and Bhalla's people. Lena realized that she didn't even know what they called themselves. But Gervolian was the name these people had given themselves. And the way they were portrayed was rather positive. They were shown with Strength and grace. Not as savages.
They also looked somewhat like humans, their facial features more angular and feral, with a lot more facial and body hair, though. She flipped another page. There was a photo of a female Gervolian, dressed in silks, brandishing a slim, curved sword and a small dagger, in a fighting stance. An admiring picture.
The text was also rather kind to them, highlighting their prowess as warriors, their bravery and loyalty. She was reminded of the portrayal of the American Indians in the novels of German author Karl May. Noble savages and warriors, under the heel of the Axtzal race, apparently.