AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic - A Breath in the Silence: "Life" in Tarkuul

As per an Agreement the Fireblooded warrior, standing 175 cm above the ground in bulking armour, restocks his supply of negative energy resistance potions and leaves word to the living guard barracks of his departure to the shadowplane, more specifically the city of Shadowscape.

The brooding Castellan seems to be growing more and more agitated as he makes his rounds and inspections. He grows impatient with his undead laborers in the Court of the Living, cursing their lethargy and correcting their mistakes with a firm hand and tone. Inevitably, when he runs out of things to curse at, repair or correct for the day, he retreats to the library, or the magically sealed tunnels of the Cynosures. The shadows writhe and twist about him, even when sitting perfectly still with a book, betraying his obvious preoccupation. Oddly, his annoyance doesn't seem at all consistent, his expression changing from a scowl of irritation to a forlorn look of regret and apathy without any prompting.

Elsewhere in the City, sounds of combat could be heard in the late hours of the morning, coming from the newly built arena. The muffled crackle of spells and the ringing of swords is sporadic, suggesting sparring rather than actual combat.

The half-drow by the name of Tharion who recently been a common sight in Tarkuul can often be seen around the different areas within the Living City. Either be it in the deepths of the library, carefully studying old maps or reading an old tome, or high up in the tower of the damned where he experiments with different materials. A notebook in hand he can often be seen walking around the edges of the city measuring, calculating or simply observing different angles or seemingly useless objects... Whatever the reason he seems to be very busy.

Two Sentinels wearing the cloaks of a Centurion rank would now flank the door to the Keeper's chamber within the Crypt. None but the Keeper himself would be permitted entrance. Their appearance would seem rather sudden, and perhaps unexplained.

The High Captain can be seen traveling around the Court of the Living on what appears to be a wyvern. Though it seems to be undead. He doesn't appears to have taken flight yet, however.

Short elven woman with long, red hair and dressed in very feminine clothes of the same tint is lately a frequent visitor to the city. The girl definitely stands out, but despite her innocent appearance she doesn't seem to be lost at all. She has been seen talking to a few people, but her main interest seems to be the library, where she spends very long hours.

One solitary priest in ragged robes was -very- insistant on a message reaching the hands of the Captain of the Living Guard preferably Sicarius. Very little else was said and the situation uneventful.

If approached, a crooked undead, leaning on a wizard staff
would simply answer to the inquiry..

Sicarius resigned from his position several months ago.
High Captain of the Living Guard is Gerald Edmund.

The High Captain can be seen in the city preparing for something. It would seem that the Living Guard is mobilizing soon.

Begrudgingly, Beldor is seen returning a few of his personal effects and books to a desk in the Tower of the Damned. Seems he'll be about for a while.

A hobbly overweight person and hunched over is seen with High Captain Edmond going first toward the tower of the damned and then into the main castle. Another person in the same tattered robes carried several packs walking behind. A hood and mask covered the face to obscure and prevent any recognition. Soon word gets out the person is a woman seemingly overweight or possibly pregnant but you know how rumors are. One thing that -can- be verified is there is definitley a person staying up in one of the guest lounge rooms in the castle. Shortly after getting things organized the servant is given something. He nods then walks out of Tarkuul without uttering a word and is never heard from again.

Though he decided not to join the forces of Tarkuul in Cordor, the High Arcanist did
not make his appearance around the Living City ever since the caravan carrying
supplies set out. He was last seen heading towards the Court of the Living.

For the past several weeks a female dragonkin has been a regular inhabitant of the Living City. When not lounging on the edge of the dias in the Court of the Undying, she is frequently shadowing the Castellan.

After a recent discussion with Speaker Mherun the lithe figure can be seen moving around the massive library looking for books on the Planes of the multi-verse, and the origins and nature of illithids. If asked she'd say she was interested in learning about the Far Realm.

A few days later.. out of nowhere the High Arcanist returned to the Court
of the Living. Oddly enough he was soaked head to toe and reeking of salty
water and fish.

Calypso can be seen out of her room and walking around now carrying a bundle of blankets around with her, or thats about what anyone gets to see of the actual baby.

Apparently, she had it and is walking around now, but just outside her room only, seemingly pacing, bundle and book in one arm and flipping the pages with the other. The baby lets out a bone wrenching scream that is comparative to fingers on a chalkboard. She's been around long enough to be able to take some punishment but only so much. Once it realizes it's getting to Calypso it giggles and does it again purposefully tormenting her as she tries to go back to her reading seemingly, by her look sometimes, considering violent alternatives to the screaming but they soon pass as she copes.

The dungeons seem to be getting some use out of them. A small figure, normally hooded down to her nose with pale green skin poking from it can be seen about them. No screaming is heard, or people for the dungeons is seen entering or leaving. However muffled noises of mumbling, shuffling and scratching of ink on parchment may be heard.

During the small hours of the day the waves splashing against Tarkuul are met with a an odd noice. Clawed hands grasping at the rock as a blue skinned undead emerges over one of the walls in the court the of living. It makes its' way through the court of the undying and then descends into the crypts. Leaving small puddles of water in its steps.

Gerald can be seen as usual in the Court of the Undying working tirelessly at the forge. One might think that Havok was getting tired of him by not, but there he was regardless. Oddly enough instead of making weapons of metal parts for the Court of the Living tonight though, he seems to be making mundane digging tools. For what though isn't know...

Grim exits the crypts quickly followed by half a dozen peculiar blue-skinned undead. Each carrying different mundane tools. Leading them through the court of the Undying to the court of the living he is seen instructing them to make a plunge into the water.
Not leaving the court himself he instead sits down on the edge of the court, taking out a water skin and a book. Though it is not reading he does. Instead he sits at the ready with a quill in his hand, the tip resting on an empty page for now. For hours to come.

The undead would almost seem to be eager to dive into the cool depths of the ocean, quickly disappearing from site as though they were made for such a watery climate...

Calypso spent a few hours speaking with some others out in the court of the undying after taking a short walk to get some fresh air. The baby was in hand as she dealt with it whilst speaking with them. After a time they all decided to go there seperate ways so Calypso headed back up to her room. Two others were seemingly headed to the same area, or close, outside her room in the lounge.

She left again from her room some time later the two on the couch she had small talk with and left with the swaddling of blankets she had been carrying still in tow apparently still carrying around the child. Rumors would say she left out of the gate with the child and took the port out of Tarkuul. When she returned there was no sign of blankets or a baby and she doesn't mention anything of it to anyone unless of course they ask.

//I would add that the "Voice" would more than likely know what happened in Calypso's room before she left "some time later" PM me for details if needed.

Dill can be seen starting to carry boxes down to the dungeons with her and back from them seeming to be filled and somewhat heavy. Mumbling to herself she seems to always depart to the same place with the boxes returning once empty. The Ghostly Kraken

The scarce Necrophant, Laura, makes enters back into the living city but halts before she is able to enter the temple, as she decides to observe a gathering of the cities residents. After the events that came after, she finally entered the temple and not a moment too soon as time shifted and midnight fell upon the temple.

After her unholy prayer, she was visited by the First Knight, a brief conversation followed and Laura, instead of departing the living city, took up residence.

Over the coming days, she's present more often, as her 'come and go' behavior ceased. For the time being, she observes the city and it's people.

On one particular day Naltyrr made a memorable appearance in the Living City as he came through it's leyline, what made this memorable was his dragging the bloodied remains of what could have been a drow through as well.

Naltyrr proceeded to drag the remains of the unfortunate other drow through the streets and into the Temple of Velsharoon. Later on if anyone was inquisitive enough, inside the Temple there were words of experimental mishaps, resurrection and potential discounts for sorcerers.

After some time two drow would exit the temple and exchange some words, one of these drow of course being Naltyrr and the other it seems, the now resurrected drow of the bloodied remains that were dragged in previously. After exchanging words, the two drow depart the Living City.

With naught to do during her unofficial prison sentence, the prison being the city, the young Necrophant, Laura, made her way back to her room after her midnight vigil. Within her room, she knelt beside her bed and closed her eyes, in an attempt to meditate.

She finally begun thinking on a single thought, drowning out everything else around her and in her mind. That one intrusive burning light, burning inside her mind like a scorching brazier, and there she meditated, in an attempt to endure the flame.

Moments passed...

...A soft thud echoed through the halls...

...The Necrophant was passed out.

The newest Initiate of the guard, now wearing a helm very simular to that of the one the sentinels wear stands eerily still, even though alone she knows she can enforce no laws. Her post was mostly uneventful save for when speaking with the Captain albeit briefly. After standing at the self appointed guard post she makes her way to the Court of the Undying after hearing the constant hammering in the distance and offering her assistance to Gerald as a weaponsmith and carpenter if needed. One thing that is quickly and easily noticable she apparently is immensely strong. She works tirelessly seemingly like some disciplined machine driven by some inner aingst, although it doesn't seem to effect her work, turning out one flawless blade type after the other depending on what is needed.

//She's a Master Weaponsmith and Journeymen Carpenter

In the wee hours of the morning, a muffled "thud" or perhaps "crack" sound would rumble through the Living City. Barely audible as though from a great distance perhaps, the sound more felt than heard. A few seconds after the sound, a small gout of air escapes from the water just north of the Court of the Undying, churning the waters there momentarily, causing them to bubble and roil before subsiding once more.

Soon it becomes apparent that the High Arcanist
did not return from the field last night..

Dead wrote:

Soon it becomes apparent that the High Arcanist
did not return from the field last night..

And it doesn't take long for a fireblooded Warrior to file a report to the Captain of the guard, addressing his concerns. Anything that isn't part of the norm is immediately reported as per the new standards and watched, especially the High Arcanist.

After promising to build a treehouse a task brought to fruition by a visit with the local ghost of the city, apparently known to most as "Suzy", and by request from said ghost Calypso uses her jouneyman skills as a carpenter to construct a small treehouse in the Court of the Living in the large tree just north of the Ghostly Kraken. She only spends at most a day on it, and can be seen up in the tree of said spot during such time. She ever so often looks around seemingly speaking to herself but in effect is speaking to the city, making sure the city has no reservations for her to continue. It's uncertain as to -why- she has decided to undergo such a strange ordeal.

Other than this unexpected task, Calypso does what she can to get to know the city once more and the prime players within, not only in the Living Guard but the Council as well as the Magistrum. When she's not at work on the treehouse she is either at self imposed post with her helm scanning over a book or with a Watcher asking more questions about the Living City and the Living Guard which patrols it.

As is often the case with the Living City, it would seem not to answer, though interpretation of the lack of response would ultimately be up to the individual.

Though the reasons may not be clear, a small contingent of the undead labor force that has been slaving away at completing the Court of the Living, peals off from the main body and begins constructing two bridges. It would quickly become apparent that they are of the same design as the bridge which currently connects the Court of the Undying and the Court of the Living to each other.

It has been already two days since Alumna Mystar was seen on the streets. Few claim to have seen her being carried unconscious on the shoulders of a greater undead, which was following Lucius Blackwater all the way from his office in Triune Towers to Castle Tarkuul.

In between making sure that regular patrol routes are upheld in absence of any superiors to make sure of it; one of the Watchers of the living guard spends much of their time making inquiries to the Moorhound privateers and their men. Seemingly they are working to familiarize themselves with maritime operations.

Returning to the Living City via ley-lines, the High Arcanist was
followed by his Wingerwight, carrying a crate full of old tomes.

A great, muffled "cracking" sound is heard from deep beneath the Living City, more felt than heard, and a great torrent of bubbles rise to the waters' surface northwest of the two Courts.

Minutes pass without further event... until a great behemoth of stone and silt and earth rises inexorably from the deep, sending out a great ripple of a wave as it comes to settle atop the surface of the waters.

Any traveling to the City in the wake of this event, might notice that the entirety of the City now sits a good foot or so lower in the water than it did previously.

Very soon after, a noticeable shudder rolls through the Enclave. Those who have felt it before, or who are familiar with sea travel, would know that the Enclave itself has begun to move...

A thoroughly annoyed High Captain returns to the city, wearing only the leathers that are normally worn beneath plate armor and his tabard. He soon makes his way to his quarters in the Castle and returns in his Living Guard uniform, wearing the Ashen Edge.

Shortly after his return, Gerald finds a brand new shovel tucked into his bed. On it, a note reads:

Welcome Home.

Gerald sighs, adding the shovel to one of his bags of holding along with the other ten shovels he has.

Hashim , towering as always, Peeps into the captains office to greet his superior and welcome him home. He also presents a ruthless skirmish upon ceyrens mill to avenge the captain and punish Lord wiltun for the unlawful capture of the captain .
He also asks what gerald is going to do in the near future, Beside digging?

Some could have found already that Mystar spent the last four nights in one of the bedrooms in the Castle.

There is a neatly stacked elven body, lying on her back on one of the beds, the woman seems to be at least unconscious. A few larger bruises on her right arm and a large amount of dried blood on her left cheek can be noticed at first glance.

Inhabitants of the Living City might be somewhat surprised to note the presence of a large group of kobolds (eleven to be precise). The kobolds were escorted into the City by none other than the High Captain and a small number of the Living Guard, accompanied by two well-armed kobolds and some others.

The new arrivals typically congregate in the Court of the Living where it seems they've been offered temporary housing. The kobolds move as a group and do not appear to speak, even with one another. Instead, they communicate together with a series of expressive hand gestures that immediately halt when approached by outsiders, who they just stare at nervously. Any kobolds who approach them receive a warmer reception, and they appear particularly attentive if Slathalin happens by.

A scantidly clad man wearing a skull mask is seen about Tarkuul, having heated yet hushed conversations with a skeleton that follows him.

Next to havoc, the dark one eyed blacksmith of tarkuul, a genasi clad in a smith's tunic worked fervently upon a set of full armoured plates. The metal underneath his hammer gleams orange in the dark evening and each strike upon the anvil causes sparks to soar into the cold and humid air around tarkuul while the sound of metal against metal echoes across the courtyard: Truly the right place for a child of the elemental planes.

The elemental smith stuck another set of metal into the roaring fire and pressed the bellows four times with his foot to feed the flames the oxygen it so desperately craved before continuing on another set of smouldering metal: Way past midnight the sound of the two blacksmith's could be heard around tarkuul.

Later the next day a poster is put up next to the barracks of the living guard.

Suits of Full plate completed:
Three (3) suits of full platemail made out of Silver
One (1) suit of full platemail made out of Bronze
Two (2) suits of full platemail made out of Steel
Two (2) suits of full platemail made out of Darksteel
One (1) suit of full platemail made out of Adamantite
One (1) suit of full platemail made out of Milthral
Twenty-One (21) suits of full platemail made out of Iron
Six (6) suits of full platemail made out of Cold Iron
One (1) suit of half-platemail made out of Iron.

Thirty-nine (38) in total.

You are lagging behind, Captain.

The time spent training after having her very life drained is apparent now. The long nights reading over the books in the library finally have paid off as the first successful summoning witnessed by Orgul is performed. A famliar sight appears in the summoning circle as the ground tremors slightly a burst of hellfire spews forth from within the circle. This time, however, it's not an enchanted armor being used to summon the fiend, it's the blackest of hearts and the darkest of souls. The Initiate isn't just dabbling anymore.

Having felt it for some time but dismissing the whole notion, now that the Initiate has a small amount of free time she finally decides to take a walk around the city and investigate her suspicion and to her surprise she finds her first notion to be correct...

Not long after her looking over the edge of the city wall at the subtle wake she continues on with her investigation and finds another surprise, but tactical none-the-less. She notices a small shrine in the court of the living, the relentless one, ...Umberlee. Once her self-imposed inspection of the Living City is completed she goes and reports what she's learned to Gerald she doesn't mention it to anyone else, either in her haste or for other reasons.

The elemental smith and Raziel KainBjorn takes their time to make proper inventory in the courtyard of the dead, leaving nothing to chance.

Unlike a certain Watcher, Gerald continues his smithing without any exuberant displays.

Laura saunters around the city, watching all the happenings and the doings with interest. It was approaching midnight, and she made her way to the Vaunted Temple. Inside, she knelt before the idol and began trying to concentrate in her mind, that one burning light. She concentrated on it, praying for her undead lord to give her the endurance to see what was through this pain-staking light...

A Breath in the Silence: "Life" in Tarkuul

Who is online