first verse Augury: Ten of the Void

[I think I am here. he/him]

21 hours ago, Sorana said:

“How long is the journey?"

She asked mostly to fill the silence in the carriage.

“Five hours,” the man dressed in formal clothes said as Price sat down and the carriage began to move out of the military complex. The man looked to Price and nodded to the man and woman who were seated with them.

“Both Truth’s. Being transferred for further testing.”

Price nodded and gestured to Sagitta. “Intensity.”

The man’s eyebrows raised and he nodded curtly. He looked to Sagitta and frowned. “Not very often we see Ta’e’iloans. It’s way across, past Cahaya.” Both Price and the man scowled at the mention of the enemy country.

[+Sorana she/her]

44 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

The man’s eyebrows raised and he nodded curtly. He looked to Sagitta and frowned. “Not very often we see Ta’e’iloans. It’s way across, past Cahaya.” Both Price and the man scowled at the mention of the enemy country.

Sagitta leaned back, unsure if it was wanted that she said something else. They were talking to each other, not to her, about her. Just like Price and the doctor had done. Slave. She felt sick at that word. Doing his tests to eat and sleep to regain her strength it was one thing, but to be talked about, to be expected to serve in his bed, to be a slave, it was something so fundamentally different that she had swallow bile rising in her throat.

They hadn't locked the door. The guards, she hadn't seen any bows or crossbows, maybe she could jump outside, he'd taught her how to soften the impact. And then run. Run away. But where. Sagitta clenched her fists so hard, that she drew blood. She had nowhere to go. Nowhere to flee to. Nowhere but back to the kiling. Looking outside her shoulders sagged and she looked down at her hands again. Blood, so much blood, everywhere. Dripping down on the floor, staining her cloths. Everywhere blood. On her sword and her armour. So much blood. She stared at the small drops, saw something else, saw what she'd done and who she'd been. Quietly she wished that Price would give her a chance to ask question, but at the same time she knew that it was clever that he didn't. As long as she was lost, she would never escape. Sagitta continued to look outside, wanted to get an impression of the country she'd stumbled into, an idea of the world she'd ended up in.

"Tell me about Tühine."

She said quietly, not adressing anybody, but instead she threw the question into the room, let it hang there to see who would pick it up.

[AonEne he/him]

18 hours ago, BringerofShadows said:

“I believe he owed me an apology,” Her voice was calm, but you could feel the anger behind the calm demeanor. 

Gati raised his eyebrows. “Care to explain that one some more?” 

[Truthless of Shinovar he/him]

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Oh crap, I forgot about this!! Can anyone give me a brief summary of what has happened so far?

Edit: Also, this is my 999th post, does anyone have any idea what I can do for my 1000th?

 

Edited August 12, 2019 by Truthless of Shinovar

[+Sorana she/her]

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Sorry, I only follow the god's actions loosely, tbh.

 

Ene:

Do you have a rough outline of the cultures of the three realms? Their political system, maybe one on earth we can use as base? It would be great if I could play with Sagitta being a foreigner a bit more, but I don't want to make too much up, as this is your setting.

@AonEne

Edited August 12, 2019 by Sorana

[AonEne he/him]

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So far the gods had a meeting (and are still waiting for some people to show up) to discuss the Augury, but then Entropy kidnapped Sensation and Negation and Truth went to rescue him. Meanwhile Price is doing tests on Sagitta and they’re going to a different facility to do that. Jay’s character (forgot the name, sorry) made something and sold it to another guy. Super barebones summary. 

Sorana, Tühine is a monarchy, but I don’t think I’ve mentioned either of the others so far so we’ll say Cahaya (no, I don’t want to say Canada, leave me alone autocorrect) is also a monarchy and Ta’e’ilo is a constitutional monarchy. You can really decide pretty much anything you want as for culture, I don’t want to be restrictive or anything and I don’t really have anything set in stone on those fronts. 

 

[BringerofShadows she/her]

5 hours ago, AonEne said:

Gati raised his eyebrows. “Care to explain that one some more?” 

“I believe he was a threat, so I brought him here. Might you explain why you are intruding into my War Camp? That wouldn’t be a wise decision especially because you are harboring an enemy of the state.” Entropy said coyly. 

[AonEne he/him]

“I am here because you attacked Sensation,” Negation returned calmly. “I don’t approve of us attacking one another, since there are so few of us. We’re supposed to be doing things on the side of Good in this world.” He shivered slightly in a cool breeze that swept from the tent entrance flaps. “That has to be why we have these powers in the first place. We shouldn’t be trying to kill each other.” He glanced at Truth, then back at Entropy. “And I don’t know what you mean when you say I’m harboring an enemy of the state. Of what state? Who?” After a beat, “And why did you call Tion a threat?” 

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Calling it right now she means Izzy because of her ethnicity. Maybe 

 

[Archer he/him]

Tion snorted quietly when Entropy invoked the ‘state’, but the rest of her words concerned him. The goddess was acting to calmly, and choosing her words to carefully: actions at odds with the view of her he was trying to cultivate in Negation’s eyes. As Negation rebuttaled, he pushed a little harder on the General’s intangible emotional threads, trying to make her angrier at him.

“Drop the charade, Victoria,” he interjected before she had a chance to respond to the question, amplifying his voice with his Power so that the soldiers outside of the tent would be able to overhear his end of the conversation. “You’re among equals here. Your jurisdiction is a sham, built on reckless abuses of your power.  Do you know how hard it is to cover up your body count? Don’t forget the reason you have a rank to pull, young lady.”

To cover his bases, Tion focussed on the military men assembled around them. They were experienced soldiers, many of them battle-hardened and tough as nails. He warped his words with his mind, making them inflame their patriotism and desire to defend their leader against his insults, but at the same time, he also pushed on their fears and doubts, planting the seeds of mistrust in their minds as he carried on with his targeted tirade.

“This used to be your War Camp, Vic. But there’s only one of you, and three of us, so…” he half-shrugged, nodding meaningfully at Negation, hoping his standing safely behind her would not be too at odds with his bold talk. “She who has the power make the rules, and I do believe that yours is almost depleted. How’s about you call for backup, and show us what tricks you’ve taught your pets?”

Edited August 13, 2019 by Archer

[BringerofShadows she/her]

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I actually was writing my response, thank you very much. 

“I see you’ve noticed my soldiers, Tion. Good thing I’m smart enough to block your powers.” Entropy smiled. “Now, as I was saying, the Gods are a threat to humanity, and the little Cayhain girl was smuggled across the Tühine border for that meeting.” She paused, looking at Negation. “I suggest you leave, as nobody wants to fight.” 

Edited August 12, 2019 by BringerofShadows

[Archer he/him]

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Sorry!

4 hours ago, BringerofShadows said:

"...nobody wants to fight.” 

Entropy's words rang in Tion's ears. 

“I see you’ve noticed my soldiers, Tion. Good thing I’m smart enough to block your powers.” 

The god's eyes widened. His jaw dropped. He shook his head back and forth too quickly, and did everything else he could think of to make it seem like he was pretending to be surprised but doing a poor job of it.

“So you are!” he stage-whispered with palpable mockery. “How smart of you!”

But despite his double-bluffing exterior, he was extremely confused. As he hammed it up, he eyed Truth suspiciously. Maybe they told her? But, when? And why?

“My entire worldview-” he used his Power to make an illusionary explosion around his head “whoomph! Totally changed. Mind. Blown.”

The God of Sensation then nudged Negation with his elbow. “I suggest we wrap this up before she spills any more secrets.” With a mischievous look in his eyes, he glared at Entropy smugly. “For someone who doesn’t want a fight, you certainly seem to be readying for one.”

He snapped his fingers, sending blasts of Power at the other gods in the room, ones that would create detailed, real-time illusions along the walls of the tent, showing what was on the other side of them. Conveniently, the droves of soldiers he made appear were all malicious-looking and well-armed, whether that was an accurate representation or not.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Archer

[AonEne he/him]

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5 hours ago, BringerofShadows said:

...the little Cayhain girl was smuggled across the Tühine border for that meeting.”

Um, no? That's not a country they crossed. Tühine is far right, Gati and Izzy just went through a good amount of Cahaya to where the other borders met where the gods were meeting.

Gati blinked at the sudden appearance of the soldiers on the other side of the tent. That's annoying, she mused. She wasn't particularly worried about them, as she knew she, Tion, and Truth weren't in danger from soldiers like this, but she'd have to be careful about what she said...though Tion had noted that Entropy had been telling them sensitive information. Hmm. She nodded a quick thanks at Tion and Negated the effects of his Power on her, returning her view of the tent walls to normal. The way they stared was creeping her out.

"How are you blocking him?" she asked conversationally. "And by the way, if you think we're a threat to humanity, then why have you - as a goddess - joined the war? Isn't that a bit of a contradiction?" Gati had never cared much for it herself - she'd even considered trying to discreetly end it a few times, but usually wasn't able to get up enough willpower to actually interfere with anything big. Maybe the Augury will change that.

Edited August 13, 2019 by AonEne
fixed something

[I think I am here. he/him]

19 hours ago, Sorana said:

“Tell me about Tühine."

She said quietly, not adressing anybody, but instead she threw the question into the room, let it hang there to see who would pick it up.

Everyone in the carriage looked to her. Price’s eyes looked to her bleeding hands, and his breath caught. Could she increase the intensity of her own hands to cut her hands? Imagine the effect on manufacturing tools, saws would be so much more efficient —

No, the bleeding was an injury, Sagitta was a person, not a tool. A person. But, it was so easy to think of people under Price’s control as tools, so easy to think of the utopia that would form out of a world sustained on the remarkable research of Instincts and build on a foundation of Cahaya’s ashes and not consider the ethics. But he had to, a good researcher didn’t let himself grow detached.

There was a pause throughout the whole carriage and finally the one who answered her was the man dressed in plain clothing. His eyes were unfocused and he slouched, looking at nothing in particular.

“Tühine, Tühine... you know 94% of Tühinines don’t know the original reason the war was started? You know... you know Tühine means ‘Void’ in another forgotten language? You know...” the man continued to mumble trivial facts about random topics until his words drifted back to the country.

“60% of people are scared of the police. Exactly 21 attempts to overthrow the crown have happened since the beginning of the monarchy, 1 within the last 50 years. Tühine’s national animal is the grey and red emperor butterfly...”

[+Sorana she/her]

2 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“60% of people are scared of the police. Exactly 21 attempts to overthrow the crown have happened since the beginning of the monarchy, 1 within the last 50 years. Tühine’s national animal is the grey and red emperor butterfly...”

Sagitta stared at the slouched man terrified. Run. She needed to run. Otherwise she would end like the man. Her eyes focused on Price her fear vived in her face, her hand moved towards the door of the carriage. It probably wasn't looked. Slowly she shifted her weight, never looking away from Price. A doll. He needed a doll, not her. He would break her, just like they had broken the other two. She looked outside again.

A forest, there in the distance. If she waited a bit, she was closer to the trees. And once she reached the trees she would be free.

[I think I am here. he/him]

44 minutes ago, Sorana said:

A forest, there in the distance. If she waited a bit, she was closer to the trees. And once she reached the trees she would be free.

Price looked at Sagitta, her hand near the door and his eyes widened. He shook his head subtly so the others in the carriage wouldn't see. She was thinking of running. There were a whole lot of problems with that, from the forest animals to the police but Price didn't have the time to explain them. She was afraid of the Truth Instinct. Maybe she thought she would end up like him. What could he do?

The other woman in the carriage was attentive. She looked to Sagitta.

"Hello, woman," she said in native Ta'e'iloan, loud enough so everyone could hear. The formally-dressed man sat upright, looking at her with caution. Of course, no one but her and Sagitta could understand the words.

"Do not mind him. He is crazy."

[+Sorana she/her]

15 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

"Hello, woman," she said in native Ta'e'iloan, loud enough so everyone could hear. The formally-dressed man sat upright, looking at her with caution. Of course, no one but her and Sagitta could understand the words.

"Do not mind him. He is crazy."

Sagitta froze at the familiar language, looked at the woman. The accent. A native speaker. She was a native speaker.

"Hello, woman."

She replied in Ta'e'iloan as well, enjoyed the soft melody of the words. Something familiar in this strange and foreign country she'd ended up in.

"May your name be a part of history and never forgotten."

She added a general greeting and looked her over. How could she have missed the features earlier? She could ask her questions, get a truthful answer. She had to-

"Why are you here?"

She asked instead.

"What happened to you?"

[I think I am here. he/him]

18 minutes ago, Sorana said:

“Why are you here?"

She asked instead.

"What happened to you?"

The woman exhaled softly, looking to Sagitta with a bored expression. She was at first glance about 10 years older than to Sagitta, and had Tühine features as well as Ta’e’iloan. She smiled a little, however, at the greeting. “And yours as well.”

When Sagitta finished her questions the woman answered.

“My grandfather sailed, he crashed into Tühine,” she shrugged. “And then he had a child and that child had a child and that was me. I was a very poor girl, and there was not very much option on what I had to do for money. But fortunately, before I had to do anything unsavoury,” she tapped her head.

“I heard that I could get food and sleep from the military. And here I am.” She gestured to the carriage. She tilted her head and looked at Sagitta with sympathy. “I guess it was different for you?”

The man dressed in formal clothing perked up at the conversation. “What are they saying?” He asked Price, who shrugged. Was he supposed to be worried? Maybe they were planning an escape. The formally dressed man continued looking back and forth between them but he couldn’t decipher it. He asked the raving man to translate but the man just cited a piece of the Ta’e’iloan constitution instead.

[+Sorana she/her]

36 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

The man dressed in formal clothing perked up at the conversation. “What are they saying?” He asked Price, who shrugged. Was he supposed to be worried? Maybe they were planning an escape. The formally dressed man continued looking back and forth between them but he couldn’t decipher it. He asked the raving man to translate but the man just cited a piece of the Ta’e’iloan constitution instead.

Sagitta looked away from the woman at the question, back to Price. He'd shaken his head. He'd realized what she was planning and he'd shaken his head.

"Yes, it was different for me."

She replied, switching languages again. Tühine was heavy on her tongue and she probably had a terrible accent, but she was grateful her mother had insisted, that they learned the languages of the countries they traded with. Her eyes rested on Price again for a moment, then she leaned her head against the side of the carriage. The woman was here on her free will, so it couldn't be that bad. And maybe it was better to wait until she was stronger anyway. No use to rip her wound open again and die of a blood infection. That she was still alive, was a wonder.

"Very different."

[I think I am here. he/him]

22 hours ago, Sorana said:

“Very different."

At the change back to Tühine the formally dressed man calmed down and he watched both of the women with narrowed eyes. Price looked as Sagitta moved her hand from the carriage and looked to the other woman. He didn’t know what she had said, but it had worked. Unless they were coordinating an escape together and so Sagitta waited. Who knew?

“Don’t do that again,” the formally dressed man warned them. “If you do so I can label it as a security threat and have you two get penalties.” At this the woman and even the crazy man paled. Price looked to the formally dressed man.

“Won’t that be a bit harsh?”

“We have no idea what they’re talking about. It could be a plot to kill the Queen for Infinity’s sake!”

[+Sorana she/her]

4 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“We have no idea what they’re talking about. It could be a plot to kill the Queen for Infinity’s sake!”

Sagitta looked to formal clothed man straight in his eyes.

"If you'd asked politely what we have been talking about, I might have been inclined to translate."

She stated cold fury hardening her voice. She knew it wasn't the wisest thing to do, neither was it the best thing to do, but still. She had her pride, and she expected to be treated respectfully. During her years in the army she had learnt the hard way that the moment you weren't respected, you were prey. Anger at Price, simmered beneath her fury, but she kept it in check - for now. She wouldn't die here, and if they wanted to have a conflict - she would show them what she was able to do.

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 15/08/2019 at 2:11 AM, Sorana said:

Sagitta looked to formal clothed man straight in his eyes.

"If you'd asked politely what we have been talking about, I might have been inclined to translate."

“I wouldn’t risk a lie,” the man said and gave Price a look - a look to make sure nothing bad happened. Sagitta was his responsibility, at least on this trip. Price didn’t like the idea of that, but he knew that if any trouble started with Sagitta, the Supreme Generals wouldn’t hesitate to punish him for not keeping her in check.

“They were probably talking about normal things,” Price said. “We should have asked them, but:” he looked to Sagitta. He had to maintain good standing with the formally dressed man as well. Always take the middleground, except when Tühine was on the line. “Talking in a different language can be extremely stressful to those who are supposed to make sure no trouble is caused.”

[+Sorana she/her]

15 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“They were probably talking about normal things,” Price said. “We should have asked them, but:” he looked to Sagitta. He had to maintain good standing with the formally dressed man as well. Always take the middleground, except when Tühine was on the line. “Talking in a different language can be extremely stressful to those who are supposed to make sure no trouble is caused.”

Sagitta turned to him, the movement fast and carefully timed to be on the verge of threatening. Despite the last weeks, despite the fact that she was weak compared to before, she was still a tall and strong woman. She had lost a lot during the last weeks, enough that she would have to concentrate on training, on building her muscle back up to be able to fight as she had before, but the way she moved when she was preparing to fight, to defend had stayed the same. She was a soldier. Had spent years on a battlefield, She was alive because she was good.

"Are you implying that I don't honor my word?"

She asked him, her voice even, but hard as steel.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Sorana

[I think I am here. he/him]

2 hours ago, Sorana said:

“Are you implying that I don't honor my word?"

She asked him, her voice even, but hard as steel.

Price’s breath caught in his throat, but his nervousness only manifested as a slight movement of his arm, to adjust his spectacles. He knew the dangers of working with soldiers, he had tested on a few himself. But that never took away from the envy, nor the fear that at any time a soldier could probably snap Price in half.

“I don’t imply anything,” he replied, voice soft. It was another tell of his fear which he found annoying.

“I am straightforward. When I want to tell you something, I will tell you. There is no need to play word games in an environment like this. I am a scientist, not a soothsayer. Understand?” His voice was much softer now and he cleared his throat to restore it. To the side the crazy man continued rambling:

“Understand, understand, the word for ‘understand’ in Tühinine and Cahayan languages is the same, with a very small accenting difference.”

[+Sorana she/her]

54 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“I am straightforward. When I want to tell you something, I will tell you. There is no need to play word games in an environment like this. I am a scientist, not a soothsayer. Understand?” His voice was much softer now and he cleared his throat to restore it. To the side the crazy man continued rambling:

His soft voice was nervewrecking. How he asked if she understood. As if she was a child, not able to make sense of his words. Her eyes narrowed when she realized that she was loosing again, that contrasting his words he was playing word games and he was a master. This was a battlefield where she lacked the experience to win.

If she replied with a yes, she accepted him as standing above her. If she replied no, she implied that she was too stupid to grasp his words. If she fell silent she was the sulking child.

"I doubt this is about understanding."

She replied instead. She had been content to stay for a while, to take the time to sort herself, to find out how she wanted to go on, which kind of life she wanted to lead. But this, these expectations - he had tricked her. Had fooled her into agreeing to something she hadn't grasped, she hadn't been able to understand. How easily they spoke about punishment, about slaves. About serving.

What to say next. That is was about trust? She had trusted him to keep his side, and he was, keeping it to the word. Never enter a bargain, when you don't know the circumstances. Her mother would be disappointed. Had she really forgotten that much, during her years in the camp? Sagitta realized, that she had been quiet for so long, that whatever she added would only make the situation worse. And so she kept her mouth shut, leaned back, assumed a posture, that looked relaxed. Her tense fingers spoiled the image, but it was the best she could do for now.

[I think I am here. he/him]

3 hours ago, Sorana said:

"I doubt this is about understanding."

That seemed as much as an agreement as he was going to get, so as Sagitta casually leaned back Price tried his best to do so as well. The formally dressed man raised a silent eyebrow at him - the way Price had handled the situation was... unconventional - and the plainly dressed woman just looked at her feet. Price occupied himself by closing his eyes and trying to meditate, a technique he’d learnt from some books at the military library.

Destroy, destroy, all of his problems would be gone so easily if he just destroyed all of them, ripped them all to shreds. But he knew he couldn’t do that. He didn’t have the strength or power. He was a ledger, not a soldier, he couldn’t destroy an enemy soldier, let alone his problems. But still, how easy would it be if he could will his problems away and they’d be obliterated?

You have the Instinct. You have Entropy. You decide what gets destroyed and what doesn’t.

He had his Instinct. But he knew his Instinct alone wasn’t enough if he wanted to take care of all his problems. He’d have to be a god to have that much power.

“Jyzny will not be as tolerating of aggression,” the formally dressed man said.

Edited August 16, 2019 by I think I am here.