Into the Dark

[kenod]

"Lots of darkness," Karin jokingly replied, "combined with a number of beautiful or impressive sights, and possibly some horryifing things that will make us wish we never signed up."

[Rushu42 she/her]

1 hour ago, kenod said:

"Lots of darkness," Karin jokingly replied, "combined with a number of beautiful or impressive sights, and possibly some horryifing things that will make us wish we never signed up."

"So what's the downside?" Sarah asked with a grin.

[Voidus]

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

“Yeah,” Wes said, scanning the room as he spoke.

“But some people are here for reasons than to help people, I think. Like to spy, or see what other guilds are doing.” He was young and naive, but Wes wasn’t stupid. At least, he didn’t think he was.

“But, I agree, everyone here must be here for themselves, like you and me, otherwise why would they be here?” He shook his head.

“The longer I’ve spent in the outside world, beyond the headquarter walls, the more I learn something new. Like how altruism is a myth, at least in this place. Everyone’s got secrets, an agenda, a plan, a hidden power or spike or motivation. They never taught us that in school.”

Glad I didn't go to school. Whisper thought to herself. If they didn't even learn that much then what was the point?

With a small sigh she looked around the room, towards the varied individuals gathered here and there, most now making their way over to the posting by the door, trying to push their way to the front to see if they had made it onto the list. Each of them would be hiding something, probably several somethings. People always tried, they filled themselves up with their own secrets, some took it a step further and tried to hoard the secrets of others as well.

Everyone has things they want to keep hidden. She wrote down. Things they're not proud of. Things they're afraid of. But if we knew everything about everyone then no one would be able to surprise us. A world without secrets wouldn't be very interesting I don't think.

Some in the counterintelligence department knew secrets, others had a thirst for finding out the secrets of others. Whisper just liked secrets for their own sake, the unknown was an unfathomable depth of mystery and surprise, trying to shine a light into that was both pointless and dangerous. Some things were dangerous to know, some secrets had a mind of their own. Sometimes when you stared into that chasm of mystery, it stared right back at you.

A brief shudder travelled down her spine before she could suppress it, causing another small smile.

Going to see if you were picked? She asked, standing up as she did so and gesturing towards the posting.

She wondered what was down in the caverns, waiting for them all to arrive. What secrets waited for someone to stare into the darkness.

[AonEne he/him]

1 hour ago, Rushu42 said:

"So what's the downside?" Sarah asked with a grin.

Any downside can’t possibly be bad enough to counter the upside of there not being cars down there, Myriad thought. Well, hoped. She supposed ACE might have something to move people around in, but it was unlikely to be as bad down in the confines of stone. She’d be careful around whatever it was anyway, if it existed. “Taking notes,” she said instead. 

[Rushu42 she/her]

Suddenly, the spanreeds owned by Myriad and Kendul (and Tels, but he's not here right now) began flashing, ready to write this message.

Kendul, Tels, and Myriad,

I have finished an interview with the Chairman of the ACE. Please report back to me on what you have learned as soon as possible. The article must be released tomorrow. 

Sincerely,

Aln

@AonEne @Lord Furret @Truthless of Shinovar

[overlord stick]

24 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

Suddenly, the spanreeds owned by Myriad and Kendul (and Tels, but he's not here right now) began flashing, ready to write this message.

Kendul, Tels, and Myriad,

I have finished an interview with the Chairman of the ACE. Please report back to me on what you have learned as soon as possible. The article must be released tomorrow. 

Sincerely,

Aln

@AonEne @Lord Furret @Truthless of Shinovar

Kendul looked at the message. 

We're finally going to go into the tunnels soon. Naturally, I was on the list. Apparently, they sent a team down there that disappeared suddenly a few days ago. I suspect there's more they aren't telling us though. I'll send another message as soon as I have more information. He wrote back.

[+ElephantEarwax he/him]

16 hours ago, Sorana said:

Her face softened the slightest bit when she accepted his compliment with a grateful incline of her head. "I've often found, that beauty lies in the eye of the one speaking." She stated and looked at his earring and cleaver again. "Maybe the fact that you interact and communicate with them adds to them having a conciousness. Like a mind withers, if it isn't trained."

"As to my bond," pensively she tapped her fingers against her ellbow. The number of her oaths was less important than the fact, that she was an Elsecaller, but if he didn't know, she'd prefer to keep it like that. "I think, you might see that once we're in the tunnels. But as you have been very open with answering questions, I will answer like that: I am very proficient with my surges."

In the end that might be more important than the oaths. At least when it came to judging her threat level.

"Why do you go down there?"

Changing how his feet were placed on the floor and relaxing his arms, Adren replies, "Why do I go down? I had no plans. I've been avoiding most things for a long time. And I decided that this was a good reason to come. To try to get the party back."

Putting his hands on the small of his back, Adren leaned as far back as he could, his back crackling the whole way down. As he was straightening up, he sprung forward groaning slightly, and harshly coughing into his shoulder.

*The woman is right. You should get to a hospital and checked out. 

"Quiet you," Adren turned and whispered at Jethro.

Looking back, Adren asks, "Why do you go down?"

[+Sorana she/her]

5 minutes ago, ElephantEarwax said:

Looking back, Adren asks, "Why do you go down?"

"The last time a new company set up in this city they invaded it shortly afterwards." Her voice turned icecold. "My plan is to try to prevent this."

"Let's check if they accepted us on their little team?" She suggested, when she saw the commotion, heard people start talk to each other about the fact that they had been chosen. She knew, that the decision to take her along was political and not about her skills, or at least not only about her skills.

"You said, you're talking to your earring and cleaver. Did their personalities change? Do they sometimes are in a bad mood and you have to help them?" Brashen hissed at her ear at her question, easily understanding, that she was indirectly asking for a second opinion, maybe a different view on a situation. There was a large gap between an awakened object and her spren, but sometimes changing your points of reference changed the whole picture.

[Rushu42 she/her]

7 hours ago, Lord Furret said:

Kendul looked at the message. 

We're finally going to go into the tunnels soon. Naturally, I was on the list. Apparently, they sent a team down there that disappeared suddenly a few days ago. I suspect there's more they aren't telling us though. I'll send another message as soon as I have more information. He wrote back.

The last party disappeared? Came the reply. That's odd. The chairman was very insistent that that hadn't happened. What else have they found down there?

[AonEne he/him]

15 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

Suddenly, the spanreeds owned by Myriad and Kendul (and Tels, but he's not here right now) began flashing, ready to write this message.

Kendul, Tels, and Myriad,

I have finished an interview with the Chairman of the ACE. Please report back to me on what you have learned as soon as possible. The article must be released tomorrow. 

Sincerely,

Aln

@AonEne @Lord Furret @Truthless of Shinovar

Myriad wrote what she had been told from the people she’d been chatting with. And I’m going down. 

[Grey Knight]

Quote

Is it too late to join?

 

[overlord stick]

Quote

I don't think so, we haven't left for the tunnels yet, so you should be good. 

 

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

42 minutes ago, Grey Knight said:

Is it too late to join?

Quote

No it's not too late. I can say you were put into the approved list of expedition candidates. Which of your characters are you hoping to send to the thread? :]

 

[Grey Knight]

4 minutes ago, ZincAboutIt said:

No it's not too late. I can say you were put into the approved list of expedition candidates. Which of your characters are you hoping to send to the thread? :]

Quote

One I'm working on right now- a dragon-themed space marine.

 

 

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 27/09/2019 at 8:44 AM, Voidus said:

Going to see if you were picked? She asked, standing up as she did so and gesturing towards the posting.

She wondered what was down in the caverns, waiting for them all to arrive. What secrets waited for someone to stare into the darkness.

Wes turned and for the first time saw the posting was up. So quickly? Quickly he nodded at the girl and rushed to where the names were listed down, looking at each one down the list until he reached his name. He smiled, though inside he pondered about the other Wes’ words, couldn’t help but disagree. A world without secrets would be great, he thought. Then everyone could just be honest and be happy, not paranoid and making their own secrets to counter the other guy’s secrets.

Smiling he turned to the other Wes and gave a thumbs up to show he’d been chosen. He briefly considered whether to signal that she’d been chosen as well, but he didn’t, instead walking back to where they’d been sitting. She liked secrets and being surprised by them, she’d written to him. Maybe she would prefer to go to the post and see for herself whether she was chosen, instead of having Wes spoil the suspense.

Wes prided himself on this little piece of politeness, even though the truth was no one would really care or notice it.

Edited September 28, 2019 by I think I am here.
For some reason my post autocorrected saying Wes was sad :( He isn’t :P

[That Violin Guy he/him]

Quote

Very quickly, I will be relatively inactive for the next two days. This is a warning.

 

[+ElephantEarwax he/him]

On 9/26/2019 at 11:52 PM, Sorana said:

"The last time a new company set up in this city they invaded it shortly afterwards." Her voice turned icecold. "My plan is to try to prevent this."

"Let's check if they accepted us on their little team?" She suggested, when she saw the commotion, heard people start talk to each other about the fact that they had been chosen. She knew, that the decision to take her along was political and not about her skills, or at least not only about her skills.

"You said, you're talking to your earring and cleaver. Did their personalities change? Do they sometimes are in a bad mood and you have to help them?" Brashen hissed at her ear at her question, easily understanding, that she was indirectly asking for a second opinion, maybe a different view on a situation. There was a large gap between an awakened object and her spren, but sometimes changing your points of reference changed the whole picture.

"That is a wise reason to join a crew, but here is a thought. If they were going to invade, they may be trying to remove some of us from the fight before it starts." Adren whispered in a thoughtful tone.

"Lets go see," Adren said. He picks up Jethro and hangs him from a small clip on his belt. 

"Why do you always put me down here, I can never see anything."

"It's because he doesn't want people to see you ." 

"No it's not," Adren mumbled at them. "I don't have a good place to put the clip any higher,"

Jethro makes a sound remarkably close to a sigh for bit having lungs. 

"Your last question is an interesting one. They do have moods, like most other sentient things, but they are very affected by the situation at hand."

"While you are going to the caves, do you have anyone going to keep an eye on the company on the surface?"

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

Quote

Hello! Time skip imminent in 1 hour!

Update: Time has skipped! It is now the 24th of Witrosa and it is 07:30 in the morning, and everyone should assemble in the crater outside city limits to prepare to descend into madness the cavern system!  

Corette slid down the last few feet into the bottom of the crater, boots skidding on loose gravel. She shouldered her pack, grateful for the familiar jostle of the small oxygen tank tucked within; she had a feeling she'd end up needing it, if her reserves ran thin. The area around her thumped with Investiture, her Seeker's senses picking up dozens of unique signatures all over the place. There were already about twenty people down at the bottom, almost all of them in the olive green and orange of ACE. Corette felt her eyes light up when she caught sight of the deep hole descending down into the earth at the other side of the crater.

A new world, just waiting for me. 

She smiled, tuning her Bronze for the rhythmic pulses of a Coinshot; she found several, but none of them were the Director. Either she wasn't here, or she wasn't burning Steel. A flash of early morning sunlight on smooth golden hair told Corette that it was the latter. Director Stancel stood at the center of the group, pointing, nodding, and delivering orders in her clipped, efficient voice. As Corette approached, the woman's sharp amber eyes alighted on her and she gave the barest sliver of a smile.

"Good morning," she said, then motioned to one of the men beside her. He fished around in a large box and pulled out a pair of olive and orange coveralls, a headlamp, a harness, and a palm-sized tablet. Corette took them, sliding her pack off and quickly stepping into the coveralls, which fit surprisingly well.

"Here is your tracking node," Stancel said, holding out a small device the size of a pea. "Pin it somewhere within your coveralls, and do not lose it. You will be able to keep track of both your own location and that of others through the device in your hand." She pointed to the little tablet.

"Thank you, ma'am," Corette said, taking the little device. Stancel nodded approvingly.

"Based on your file, you have previous exploration experience?"

Corette bobbed her head. "Yes, scouting mostly, keeping watch, as well as --"

"Free diving," the Director finished. She gave a small sigh, checked something on a clipboard, and then pointed towards a smaller group that was assembling off to one side. "You'll be joining our scouting team, Seeking for anything out there that might be coming our way. Thank you for arriving promptly."

Corette gave another nod before walking over to the group of scouts. Her eyes continued to flick towards that black crevasse that sat there, waiting to swallow them whole.

Edited September 29, 2019 by ZincAboutIt

[+Sorana she/her]

3 hours ago, ElephantEarwax said:

"Your last question is an interesting one. They do have moods, like most other sentient things, but they are very affected by the situation at hand."

"While you are going to the caves, do you have anyone going to keep an eye on the company on the surface?"

Quote

I simply went on with out conversation after the time skip, I hope that's alright for you. Otherwise I can edit.

Althea looked over those assembled. She had been accepted into the team, and she was still trying to sort her feelings in that regard. Without saying something she joined Adren again, planed to finish their conversation. Things had picked up, after the announcement of the members, with the preparations to meet here, to get everything ready and sorted.

"To answer your question." She said instead of a greeting. "Yes, I do have a few watching the company on the surface. What good that will do."

She tried to recognize a few familiar faces, commited those that were already here to her memory. "I have to admit I am a bit unsure, what they expect us to do now." She told him, and watched a young woman receive a tablet and then join another group of people. "But to adress another concern of yours, I agree, the tunnels would be a possiblity to get of us. Thankfully I am hard to imprison."

At least as long as she had access to stormlight. Without, she was helpless as a mouse. Nothing she'd advertise, although she knew, that she had to be careful. If she ran out of spheres down there, the consequences would be grave. As usual she caried a bag of spheres, made sure to do nothing to highlight her bracelet. Devaan's advice was sound. It was better to have two different supplies, one only accessable by her, instead of relying completely on a bag with spheres that could be stolen easily.

[Rushu42 she/her]

4 hours ago, ZincAboutIt said:

Corette slid down the last few feet into the bottom of the crater, boots skidding on loose gravel. She shouldered her pack, grateful for the familiar jostle of the small oxygen tank tucked within; she had a feeling she'd end up needing it, if her reserves ran thin. The area around her thumped with Investiture, her Seeker's senses picking up dozens of unique signatures all over the place. There were already about twenty people down at the bottom, almost all of them in the olive green and orange of ACE. Corette felt her eyes light up when she caught sight of the deep hole descending down into the earth at the other side of the crater.

A new world, just waiting for me. 

She smiled, tuning her Bronze for the rhythmic pulses of a Coinshot; she found several, but none of them were the Director. Either she wasn't here, or she wasn't burning Steel. A flash of early morning sunlight on smooth golden hair told Corette that it was the latter. Director Stancel stood at the center of the group, pointing, nodding, and delivering orders in her clipped, efficient voice. As Corette approached, the woman's sharp amber eyes alighted on her and she gave the barest sliver of a smile.

"Good morning," she said, then motioned to one of the men beside her. He fished around in a large box and pulled out a pair of olive and orange coveralls, a headlamp, a harness, and a palm-sized tablet. Corette took them, sliding her pack off and quickly stepping into the coveralls, which fit surprisingly well.

"Here is your tracking node," Stancel said, holding out a small device the size of a pea. "Pin it somewhere within your coveralls, and do not lose it. You will be able to keep track of both your own location and that of others through the device in your hand." She pointed to the little tablet.

"Thank you, ma'am," Corette said, taking the little device. Stancel nodded approvingly.

"Based on your file, you have previous exploration experience?"

Corette bobbed her head. "Yes, scouting mostly, keeping watch, as well as --"

"Free diving," the Director finished. She gave a small sigh, checked something on a clipboard, and then pointed towards a smaller group that was assembling off to one side. "You'll be joining our scouting team, Seeking for anything out there that might be coming our way. Thank you for arriving promptly."

Corette gave another nod before walking over to the group of scouts. Her eyes continued to flick towards that black crevasse that sat there, waiting to swallow them whole.

Half climbing, half jumping, Sarah made her way quickly down into the crater. On her back she now wore a large pack, and she carried a sturdy wooden staff, one end capped with sharpened metal. She came dashing up to Stancel, calling as she approached, "Am I late?"

[kenod]

Karin walked down the crater and looked at the group that was already gathering down below. Her standard dress had been swapped out for more useful clothing. Instead she wore thick sleeveless coat, cargo pants and hiking shoes. With her she carried a backpack filled with medical equipment, chemicals and a basic chemistry set, everything carefully wrapped up to prevent it from accidentally getting damaged. Seeing Sarah she walked up to her, raising a hand in greeting. "Hey," she said enthusiastically. "I guess you got some adventuring gear ready as well?"

[overlord stick]

Kendul arrived at the crater, dressed in padded robes, gloves meant for fighting, and a satchel carrying basic supplies, a few spanreeds, several spare pair glasses, and many pouches of sand.

He looked down, assessing the depth He took a running jump, and fell into, but not before doing several flips. He slowed his fall with sand flight before he hit the ground. He slowly walked over to Corvette, adjusting his eyewear.

"So, how long until we descend?

@ZincAboutIt

[AonEne he/him]

Myriad didn’t like that they were meeting at seven-thirty in the morning. That was when people started their jobs, and that was when traffic began. She’d had to get up at five to avoid most of it, and had been hanging around the crater ever since. At least being early meant she hadn’t been late, like last time. Thinking of how close yesterday had brought her to another death...she shuddered. 

She was still in the body she’d been in for the meeting. While she’d had chances to change it, she didn’t want to have to explain that the new person was actually her; too many questions, too much confusion. So instead she had used some of the woman’s chrysts to buy a fresh set of clothing, practical but still nice. Her bag, containing her Scholar’s Guild materials, Soulcaster, and painrial, hung over one shoulder, strap tangling with the black braid she’d done. 

Joining the queue of people surrounding the ACE officials, she noticed Kendul and waved at him. 

@ZincAboutIt @Lord Furret 

[overlord stick]

4 minutes ago, AonEne said:

Myriad didn’t like that they were meeting at seven-thirty in the morning. That was when people started their jobs, and that was when traffic began. She’d had to get up at five to avoid most of it, and had been hanging around the crater ever since. At least being early meant she hadn’t been late, like last time. Thinking of how close yesterday had brought her to another death...she shuddered. 

She was still in the body she’d been in for the meeting. While she’d had chances to change it, she didn’t want to have to explain that the new person was actually her; too many questions, too much confusion. So instead she had used some of the woman’s chrysts to buy a fresh set of clothing, practical but still nice. Her bag, containing her Scholar’s Guild materials, Soulcaster, and painrial, hung over one shoulder, strap tangling with the black braid she’d done. 

Joining the queue of people surrounding the ACE officials, she noticed Kendul and waved at him. 

@ZincAboutIt @Lord Furret 

Out of the corner of his eye, Kendul noticed someone waving at him. He turned around and frowned. It was that girl, Myriad. Strangely, she seemed happy to see him. He waved back. 

"I see you actually showed up, unlike Tels. Do happen to know wherever he went? I haven't seen him since the last meeting."

[AonEne he/him]

3 minutes ago, Lord Furret said:

Out of the corner of his eye, Kendul noticed someone waving at him. He turned around and frowned. It was that girl, Myriad. Strangely, she seemed happy to see him. He waved back. 

"I see you actually showed up, unlike Tels. Do happen to know wherever he went? I haven't seen him since the last meeting."

“No idea,” she said with a shrug. “I haven’t seen him since then either. Think he ran into some trouble, or just decided not to come?”