Ishtaroth
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58 
Physical Description: Until summoned, Ishtaroth is a small knife, seemingly carved out of bone. After being summoned, it takes on the shape of a suit of armor. Its plates are of bone, with thick, glistening flesh covering the joints.
Registered: Sept 30, 2016 18:17:29 GMT -8
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Post by Ishtaroth on Jan 2, 2017 11:52:48 GMT -8
in the midst of the idyllic plains surrounding Isra, a veritable village of small tents have sprung up. They surround a strange metallic spire that stretches up out of the ground, and people busily march back and forth between tents, bearing various excavation equipment. In one corner of the camp, a hastily established smithy is particularly busy, with a constant stream of carts arriving and departing. There is a tall fence running around both the camp, and the spire at its center. By the gate, there is a small tent set up next to a much larger sign.
"Explorers Wanted. Apply Within."
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Ambicat Guess
Established
Roleplay posts: 47
Age: 36
Physical Description: Standing at 3’2, Ambicat is on the short side, even when compared to most other gnomes. His thin, constantly smirking lips are mostly hidden by a bushy, well-maintained, mustache that connects to a pair of long sideburns. His wheat-colored hair is long and unkempt, covering his ears. He is pale and of about average weight, with very little muscle. His eyes are brown.
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Clothes and Equipment: In most circumstances, Ambicat wears a simple green and red farmer’s outfit with a brown cape tied around his neck. The clothes are ragged, although it looks like Ambicat has tried to keep them somewhat presentable, if the patchwork repairs are any indication. On his belt, he carries a sickle with a makeshift extended handle.
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Player's online availability : GMT-5; I usually check back at least once a day.
Registered: Jan 1, 2017 20:59:50 GMT -8
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Post by Ambicat Guess on Jan 2, 2017 13:03:16 GMT -8
“I believe this is where I get off,” says Ambicat as he jumps off the merchant’s cart. He gives a friendly wave to the kindly merchant who had allowed him to hitch a ride to the camp he had heard about recently. The merchant returns the wave, before turning around and continuing towards one of the tents in the camp.
Smiling, Ambicat turns away from the departing cart and towards the remainder of the camp. Once again, he finds himself absolutely awed by the sheer size of everything around him. For most of the people at this camp, he figures, it might not look that out of the ordinary. To a tiny gnome like him, however, the high walls and tent city were like nothing he’d ever seen before. For a moment, he just stands where he is, taking in everything around him. After a short while, he spies the tent with the large recruitment sign next to it.
“Well,” he says to no one in particular, “I assume that should be my first stop, then.” Trying his best to smooth out his messy hair and mustache (without much success, mind you), he makes his way towards the tent, and pokes his head through the flaps at the front of the tent. “Hello,” he says, “I understand you’re looking for volunteers."
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Ishtaroth
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58
Physical Description: Until summoned, Ishtaroth is a small knife, seemingly carved out of bone. After being summoned, it takes on the shape of a suit of armor. Its plates are of bone, with thick, glistening flesh covering the joints.
Registered: Sept 30, 2016 18:17:29 GMT -8
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Post by Ishtaroth on Jan 2, 2017 13:43:58 GMT -8
The inside of the tent is a bare-bones affair, with an unadorned desk sitting at its center. A man sits behind it, carefully doing paperwork. As the gnome steps inside, he looks up.
"Welcome! We are currently seeking brave and intrepid heroes to delve into the ruin at the center of camp. Now. This job has the potential to be incredibly lucrative. Our successful explorations have produced some utterly priceless magical artifacts. However, while we have been doing our best to provide adequate safety equipment, the ruins remain impossibly dangerous. We have yet to see a fatality, but some not insignificant injuries have been reported. This job is high risk, but very high reward. We have guides on site to provide direction to the unexplored areas, and will provide the most efficient safety measures we can. Beyond this, you will be offered a price for any artifact you manage to bring out. You may accept it, or keep the artifact. You are welcome to stay in the provided accommodations, and food will be provided."
He shuffles through his papers, before pulling out a legal document at least ten pages long.
"The contract, for your perusal. Should you sign on, I will take you to receive your basic training. We are not responsible for death or permanent injury of staff, considering the dangerous and unpredictable nature of this work."
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Ambicat Guess
Established
Roleplay posts: 47
Age: 36
Physical Description: Standing at 3’2, Ambicat is on the short side, even when compared to most other gnomes. His thin, constantly smirking lips are mostly hidden by a bushy, well-maintained, mustache that connects to a pair of long sideburns. His wheat-colored hair is long and unkempt, covering his ears. He is pale and of about average weight, with very little muscle. His eyes are brown.
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Clothes and Equipment: In most circumstances, Ambicat wears a simple green and red farmer’s outfit with a brown cape tied around his neck. The clothes are ragged, although it looks like Ambicat has tried to keep them somewhat presentable, if the patchwork repairs are any indication. On his belt, he carries a sickle with a makeshift extended handle.
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Player's online availability : GMT-5; I usually check back at least once a day.
Registered: Jan 1, 2017 20:59:50 GMT -8
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Post by Ambicat Guess on Jan 2, 2017 14:11:36 GMT -8
Ambicat quirks an eyebrow at the man behind the desk as he steps into the tent, “You are truly a master of the art of motivational speaking, sir.” he says, with no small hint of sarcasm. “Of course, if it’s brave heroes your looking for,” he continues, tossing his brown cape (which might have been created to be a towel at one point, it’s hard to tell) behind him, “I am exactly what you need.”
Smiling proudly, Ambicat draws himself up to his full height (all 3’2” of it) and walks over to the desk. Reaching up, he takes a hold of the legal document, and begins to flip through it. It does not take long to figure out he is most likely not paying the actual text too much mind, and really only looking over the basics as he tries to find the places to sign. After a few minutes, he places the contract down on the desk.
“Okay, I’ll sign on. Just let me borrow something to sign this with, and show me the way.” Ambicat declares, smiling happily and holding out his hand to shake.
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Ishtaroth
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58
Physical Description: Until summoned, Ishtaroth is a small knife, seemingly carved out of bone. After being summoned, it takes on the shape of a suit of armor. Its plates are of bone, with thick, glistening flesh covering the joints.
Registered: Sept 30, 2016 18:17:29 GMT -8
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Post by Ishtaroth on Jan 3, 2017 13:33:29 GMT -8
The bureaucrat hands him a pen and waits for him to sign, before waving him through a tent flap to another room. He returns to busily shuffling his papers.
As he steps through to the next room, he'll find himself greeted by a woman in relatively light leather armor. Notably, she is missing both an arm, and part of a leg. She nods to him as he enters.
"Alright. You so you signed the contract. That makes you either very stupid, or very brave. I signed it as well, and I find it works best if you're a little of both. My name is Kelly, and I will be your instructor on the basic procedures to follow inside the ruins. You follow them, and you keep a modicum of saftey."
She gestures at her missing arm.
"I didn't, and it cost me an arm. I was lucky, too."
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Ambicat Guess
Established
Roleplay posts: 47
Age: 36
Physical Description: Standing at 3’2, Ambicat is on the short side, even when compared to most other gnomes. His thin, constantly smirking lips are mostly hidden by a bushy, well-maintained, mustache that connects to a pair of long sideburns. His wheat-colored hair is long and unkempt, covering his ears. He is pale and of about average weight, with very little muscle. His eyes are brown.
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Clothes and Equipment: In most circumstances, Ambicat wears a simple green and red farmer’s outfit with a brown cape tied around his neck. The clothes are ragged, although it looks like Ambicat has tried to keep them somewhat presentable, if the patchwork repairs are any indication. On his belt, he carries a sickle with a makeshift extended handle.
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Player's online availability : GMT-5; I usually check back at least once a day.
Registered: Jan 1, 2017 20:59:50 GMT -8
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Post by Ambicat Guess on Jan 3, 2017 20:55:40 GMT -8
Ambicat takes the pen with a grateful smirk. He quickly jots down a sloppy-looking A. Guess onto the contract, then turns to follow the bureaucrat’s directions to the next room. As he enters through the tent flaps, he turns and gives a quick, casual salute to the bureaucrat, who by this point has probably gone back to his papers.
“Hello there,” Ambicat says as he enters into the next room, “The name’s Ambicaaaaaaa…” His introduction is cut short as he turns around to see the partially amputated woman before him. Trying not to let his surprise show on his face, Ambicat silently listens to Kelly’s speech. When she concludes, he nods in understanding, then opens his mouth to address his instructor, still trying to give a slight smile, even as his mind is racing.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kelly,” he says, as he looks at her severed arm, “Well, it doesn’t look so bad, at least you were able to survive your ordeal, and you probably have some stories to tell as well. By all means, explain these procedures, I’m eager to hear them.”
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Ishtaroth
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58
Physical Description: Until summoned, Ishtaroth is a small knife, seemingly carved out of bone. After being summoned, it takes on the shape of a suit of armor. Its plates are of bone, with thick, glistening flesh covering the joints.
Registered: Sept 30, 2016 18:17:29 GMT -8
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Post by Ishtaroth on Jan 4, 2017 12:34:23 GMT -8
Kelly wastes no time, and begins explaining.
"First of all, the ruins are of a civilization with an unparalleled knowledge of magic, and its workings. Despite the disrepair, the ruins are absolutely steeped in violent and uncontrollable mana. Uncontrolled exposure to it has a number of deleterious effects, the most notable being a permanent resistance to healing magic. Early on, we tried to use mages to explore, but the ambient mana has strange, chaotic properties. One of the mages died on the first day, and we decided to try a different approach."
She lifts a heavy looking block of lead.
"This was our solution. These blocks are imbued with a runic matrix that soaks up mana from the body. The local magic, instead of slowly seeping into your flesh, and melting you from within, is harmlessly soaked into this block. Pay attention to it, though. If it soaks too much, it starts to get hot. If it goes too far, you're covered in molten metal, and no longer have a protective ward."
Next, she lifts up a chain, also made of lead. It has ten links.
"Now, besides the initial insulation against ambient magic, We also issue these. Each link is imbued with a different ward, each with a different threshold. The big block is useless against more directed magical attack. These wards serve to siphon off large quantities of magical energy in one go. Hang them somewhere where you're not touching them. They're only good for one go before they melt. My fist trip, I burned through all of my links, and decided to go just a bit further. Big mistake. Five feet in, there was a trap. It burned off my arm. Five inches difference, and it would have been my head. On the way back, I learned that there were traps I hadn't triggered on the way in. You have ten links. If you have less than three, run for the exit."
She sets down the chain and picks up a bundle of cords, each of a different color.
"Lastly, as an explorer, you are expected to exercise proper preparation for those who come after you. When you're in the ruins, the red rope means death. If you see it hanging from something, it means that there's a trap there, or something that will kill you. Don't touch it, and you'll be fine. You'll also have your own length of the red to mark the your own missteps. The green means that the area is safe. Don't step outside of it, unless you're ready to take some risks. The yellow marks an area that is in active exploration. There might be unmarked traps, but it's second safest, after green. The last color is orange. It signifies a section that is only partially explored. You will be given a length of orange rope. Your procedure will be to tie down your rope to the edge of one of the green or yellow areas, and then head into an unexplored area. As you find traps or malfunctioning artifacts, mark them with the red. When you decide to turn back, leave the rope where it is, and follow it back. If you found something that looks small or safe enough to be safely carried, do bring it back with you. Everything make sense?"
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 15, 2024 0:33:45 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2017 13:01:52 GMT -8
As Kelly and Ambicat were going over the details of the mission, another woman clamored into the area, out of breath from running. She barely stood over 3 feet in height and had what appeared to be a human-sized hatchet on her back (although at her size it would require two hands to properly wield) covered slightly by the filled rucksack on her back. She bent over to catch her breath as she spoke.
"Sorry (huff) sorry I'm late (huff).....I h-heard you (huff) needed help with (huff) an exploration? Am I (huffdamnI'moutofshapehuff) am I too late?"
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Ambicat Guess
Established
Roleplay posts: 47
Age: 36
Physical Description: Standing at 3’2, Ambicat is on the short side, even when compared to most other gnomes. His thin, constantly smirking lips are mostly hidden by a bushy, well-maintained, mustache that connects to a pair of long sideburns. His wheat-colored hair is long and unkempt, covering his ears. He is pale and of about average weight, with very little muscle. His eyes are brown.
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Clothes and Equipment: In most circumstances, Ambicat wears a simple green and red farmer’s outfit with a brown cape tied around his neck. The clothes are ragged, although it looks like Ambicat has tried to keep them somewhat presentable, if the patchwork repairs are any indication. On his belt, he carries a sickle with a makeshift extended handle.
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Player's online availability : GMT-5; I usually check back at least once a day.
Registered: Jan 1, 2017 20:59:50 GMT -8
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Post by Ambicat Guess on Jan 4, 2017 15:48:19 GMT -8
Ambicat's eyes went wide as he tried to process all of the new information.
"I think I get it. Just to recap, green means safe, red means a trap, yellow means in progress, and orange means only partially explored. Tie down an...orange rope...it is orange right...when you begin exploring a section. Don't take ropes back with you. Hold onto the lead things, and if they begin to break or melt, turn and run for it, and take any artifacts with you. Also, avoid using magic, because the ruins make it go... deletarious... what do you mean by that, exactly?" he paused for a moment, "On second thought, I feel like I don't want to know. I'm ready, do you want me to begin now? On an unrelated note, do you hear something outside?"
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Ishtaroth
Committed
Roleplay posts: 58
Physical Description: Until summoned, Ishtaroth is a small knife, seemingly carved out of bone. After being summoned, it takes on the shape of a suit of armor. Its plates are of bone, with thick, glistening flesh covering the joints.
Registered: Sept 30, 2016 18:17:29 GMT -8
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Post by Ishtaroth on Jan 5, 2017 22:24:09 GMT -8
The halfling would be stopped by the bored looking bureaucrat at the front of the tent, who would explain the situation in the same way as before, before handing her the contract to read.
In the next room, Kelly begins answering Ambicat's questions.
"We seem to have another visitor. If you'll simply wait outside, I'll be giving the other new employee their basic training, and then we can head into the ruin."
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: May 15, 2024 0:33:45 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 23:54:53 GMT -8
Orani nodded to the receptionist and headed inside the ruins to speak with Kelly.
"Um...hello? I was told to come here for the expedition training..."
She looked over to Ambicat and seemed surprised. It's not often she met someone her own height.
"Oh! Hello, sir, would you happen to be the tra-"
As she spoke she looked over to Kelly, stopping herself mid sentence.
"No, nevermind, she must be the trainer."
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Ambicat Guess
Established
Roleplay posts: 47
Age: 36
Physical Description: Standing at 3’2, Ambicat is on the short side, even when compared to most other gnomes. His thin, constantly smirking lips are mostly hidden by a bushy, well-maintained, mustache that connects to a pair of long sideburns. His wheat-colored hair is long and unkempt, covering his ears. He is pale and of about average weight, with very little muscle. His eyes are brown.
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Clothes and Equipment: In most circumstances, Ambicat wears a simple green and red farmer’s outfit with a brown cape tied around his neck. The clothes are ragged, although it looks like Ambicat has tried to keep them somewhat presentable, if the patchwork repairs are any indication. On his belt, he carries a sickle with a makeshift extended handle.
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Player's online availability : GMT-5; I usually check back at least once a day.
Registered: Jan 1, 2017 20:59:50 GMT -8
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Post by Ambicat Guess on Jan 6, 2017 18:57:53 GMT -8
Orani nodded to the receptionist and headed inside the ruins to speak with Kelly. "Um...hello? I was told to come here for the expedition training..." She looked over to Ambicat and seemed surprised. It's not often she met someone her own height. "Oh! Hello, sir, would you happen to be the tra-" As she spoke she looked over to Kelly, stopping herself mid sentence. "No, nevermind, she must be the trainer." Ambicat is just as surprised at seeing Orani as she is. With the exception of the people he left behind, he could not recall ever meeting anyone else as short as he was since he first set out. His expression of surprise is quickly replaced by a smirk when the new arrival seems to react to Kelly in a way similar to his own. "Hello there, looks like we're going to be working together." he says to Orani, before turning back to the trainer, "Of course, I'll wait for you, then" he says, as he ducks through a tent flap leading outside. Once outside, Ambicat's eyes wonder down to the weapon at his hip. He pulls his sickle out of a loop in his belt, and begins to inspect the blade for any sort of damage or dullness. He gives the modified farming-tool-turned-weapon a few practice swings, trying to determine if the lengthened handle throws off the weapons balance too much. After a few moments he nods in satisfaction before going back to his inspection. "No magic allowed, huh? So this is going to be my only protection on this expedition?" he muses to himself as he wipe a smudge off of the sickle's blade with a clean corner of his tunic, "Not exactly the most heroic first act of a adventure." As he continues his inspection, Ambicat's gaze falls to the handle of the sickle, and he smiles. There, carved into the wood, are the initials A. H."Oh, what am I worrying about? Every hero has to start somewhere, and this is going to be where my story begins," he declares triumphantly, placing the sickle back on his belt, "I'm ready." |
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