Complete Comms Main Story (S4) Marked - Team Time EX

[Raid Boss]

"WAAGH!!!"

No matter how brief the vision was (1d4=2 – below average), Sven still managed to see the frightening Magia(?) and the egg from Luthien's thought-linking.

"What the hell? Was that a Magia next to an egg?" Sven spoke while clutching his head. It looked as though the visual thoughts invading his mental space physically pained him – most likely from Luthien's elven traits.

"I'm not sure what the egg is, but it seems like a Magitech contraption, we need eyes on it, it… could be dangerous. I don't have any way to tell right now. If there was a way to get it, or at the very least get a sample of it, I would like to, I mean, I would be able to take a look and tell you guys everything I find out."

@Yugam @Luthien - Scene Ends

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: Team Time EX
Wait - @Rael, what are you doing that we can't just do over messaging?

We have kind of a situation going on right now. There's a worrying status effect that we should be reporting to someone, I think.

It's really not the time to be roleplaying shady meetups in the dark.

 

[Rael]

Rael
To: Team Time EX

Landers can't message people like we can. At least I think they were a lander...

No, no reporting shall be done! You heard what the Commander said, we are not supposed to say anything about what happened!

But apparently there's more to know about the Dragonship Assault that will happen in a few days time.

If we even have that long... Oh, she saw us...

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: Team Time EX
At the very least, we're talking to the commander about the status. Whatever being "watched" means, it's going to affect us and the camp somehow.

What do you mean "you think they were a lander"? Who are you talking about?

 

[Rael]

Rael
To: Team Time EX

There was a person, I think, who knew about what we did. However, they weren't in the tent with us, and unless one of you went around telling people things, there is no way they could've known.

If the rumors of the assaults are true, then we have much, much more to worry about than if we are being watched! We are talking about the lives of Landers and Starcalled here!

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: Team Time EX

caught some rumors about a woman coming back from camp in a bad state - screamed at the commander about how they shouldn't be fighting the machines, then got tossed in containment.

also got something about the MIT having ways to predict magitech movements. I can believe that - they're machines, after all. they have their patterns.

anyway, I'm heading back to the tent. I hope y'all aren't getting in trouble - my night got real weird real quick.

why are there so many goddamn nobles at a forward camp, anyway...

 

[Luthien]

After hearing the words from the guards the elf would turn to look at Meriam, doing the universal "hush" sign as she pressed an index finger to her lips, before a few hand movements would land a request in the Faerin's HUD.

Notice

< Lúthien > has sent you a friend request!

It was then Lúthien's own HUD would receive a new message, the blonde breathing out a sigh of relief as she noticed it was from the veteran member in their group. Once Meriam had confirmed the friend request Lúthien would quickly add the girl to their conversation.

To: Team Time EX, @Meriam
From: Lúthien

< Meriam has been added to the conversation. >

Actually you might want to be careful coming back to the resting tents, Ash... there's various guards outside and, from what I can hear, it sounds like they want to keep us contained. Something about us being dangerous and also targeted by the dragonship or w/e.

Seems the Commander is the one that gave them the word too...​

There was a pause before the girl reached for something in her pocket, pulling out the sketch that Meriam had shared with her before and handing it over to the Faerin before writing her a message.

To: @Meriam
From: Lúthien

Can you reach Sven? See if everything's alright on his side, or if the Commander's guards are also around his tent?​

@Raid Boss | @Ash Vargold | @Kyra Vashtana | @Rael

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: Team Time EX

fuckin... seriously? at this rate I'm just gonna find a corner somewhere and log out.

it's not like they're wrong - we still have no idea what being "marked" means. but at least they could like. talk to us about it? there's no good reason to be so shady about it.

we don't know anything about the commander rumor yet, right? assuming that your super secret informant wasn't just lying about the whole thing

 

[Luthien]

To: @Team Time EX
From: Lúthien

Unfortunately no...

The most I was able to learn from his dreams is that he has quite the, uuuh, admiration we could say for King Astor—though with his level of care for the King I don't think he'd betray the crown... but then that kind of conflicts with the letters Vern showed us.

Granted, for all we know what Vern was saying was fucking bullshit too, so...​

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: Team Time EX

it's probably not that hard to fake letters in this world. use some magic or alchemy or something.

hell, we don't even know what the commander's handwriting looks like. we are the least qualified people to figure out how legitimate a stack of papers is.

 

[Raid Boss]

Notice

Meriam Fairweather has accepted your friend request.

@Luthien​

Meriam Fairweather
To: Team Time EX

Yeah... I don't know what's going on, but since I've been resting here the entire time, there's always a different guard coming in the tent to ask if I was okay every few hours.

It's like they are taking shift?

Also... I haven't been able to get in touch with @Kyra Vashtana and @Rael at all. If this is true, what if they had been taken prisoner by the Commander's guards?

AAA

What if they are being tortured right now? Forced to eat mudpie and mustard?

I mean, that's my personal hell. It's just absolutely disgusting.

Meriam Fairweather
To: @Luthien

I haven't been able to get in touch with senpai at all.

AAAAAA

What if he's also been captured and is being tortured with mudpie and mustard?

I'm just going to lie down here and die if that was the case. RIP me, Luth.

 

[Luthien]

She can't reach Sven...?

One eyebrow raised slightly as she turned to look at Meriam, judging by the response of the Faerin it didn't sounds like it was normal for her to not reach the researcher... unless she was panicking more than usual due to the circumstances? A hand softly patted the player's back, trying to comfort Meri slightly, before Lúthien turned back to her UI.

To: @Meriam Fairweather
From: Lúthien

It's okay Meri, I'm sure he's fine...

I'm guessing he's normally awake at these hours, right? Where would he be most of the time?​

The elf couldn't help but frown slightly, trying to figure out where she might've screwed up as the knowledge had been imparted to the man. She was sure that she'd done her best to not mention anything out loud... did that meant the Commander had them watched, and also followed, from the start?

To: @Team Time EX
From: Lúthien

Hey Ash, any idea where Kyra and Rael might've run off to? Actually... where are you right now?​

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: Team Time EX

oh, hi meriam. i wouldn't worry about them being forced to eat weird things - if they're anywhere, it's probably some kind of holding tent to keep them from getting into trouble until morning.

I just left the entertainment tents. still heading back your way, but I'm taking the scenic route

I haven't seen kyra and rael since I went for that walk. rael was going to get food, I think, but I don't know about kyra. if they were in trouble I'd think they'd say something in chat - or well, rael might? kyra plays in immersive, so I wouldn't be surprised if she forgot.

@Luthien

 

[Raid Boss]

Meriam Fairweather
To: @Luthien

Yeah, no response when I sent him a PM earlier. Wait, let me try again real quick.

......

Uummmm... Luth?

Why does it say that "This player cannot be found?"

I didn't get that message the last time I...

The hand Meriam was using to navigate her UI began shaking as her face twisted into one of great concern.

 

[Luthien]

Lúthien felt her blood run cold the moment her eyes read over the new message from Meriam, a hand reaching over to grasp the Faerin's own as she could see her begin to shake and her face twist. She gave it a tight squeeze, trying to reassure the girl, even has her hands flew through her UI screen.

To: @Meriam Fairweather @Raid Boss
From: Lúthien

Hey, it's alright Meri... maybe the comm system is glitched. It's okay, we'll go out and find him in a moment, alright Meri?​

There was no way the elf was staying in this tent for one more second, and she wasn't about to leave the smaller Faerin on her lonesome either. Already her fingers had pulled up a new message, this time private, before que furiously type away towards the only veteran player int he party that Lúthien knew.

To: @Ash Vargold
From: Lúthien

Ash, we have a problem... Meri just triedt o contact Sven again via PMs... but this tiem sheg ot a "This player cannot be found?" error when trying—and that didn't happen earlier whne she wrote to ihm.​

The hand that wasn't holding onto Meriam was trembling slightly, though Lúthien did her best to hide that fact from the Faerin as she continued to type—any errors in her message ignored inf avor of expediency. Again she gave Meriam's hand a tight squeeze with her own, though if it was t comfort the Faerin or ground her own thoughts was hard to tell...

 

[Ash Vargold]

Voice Mail

To: @Luthien
UI-lock.

Both of you. Log out. Now.

Voice Mail

To: @Rael, @Kyra Vashtana

I'm about 5 minutes away from howling for you if you keep ignoring party chat.

 

[Luthien]

Luthien turned to look at Meri (@Raid Boss) directly in the eyes, the elf kneeling down to be closer to the Faerin’s height as she quietly whispered.

“Meri, I need you to log out right now and don’t log back in for a little bit… can you do that, please?”

She did her best to try and hide the tremble in her voice, both hands now grasping Meriam's own. Her eyes then began to look around for any possible areas the elf could use to slip out herself and meet up with Ash.

 

[Rael]

The sudden influx of notifications ticking up by the second at the periphery of her vision made her momentarily pull away from her conversation, giving the prisoner time to read the letter.

Rael
To: Team Time EX

That's... That's quite a lot of messages... Wh-What's going on?

Ash? Luthien??? Oh, Meriam is also here?

We are alright, no need for howling. In a bit of a bind, but nothing dangerous. Best you don't come for us.

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Kyra's face took on an expression of shock as a purple envelope appeared in front of her, suddenly speaking to her in a voice she recognised, slightly slowly, as Ash's. At the end of the short message, the purple envelope asked her if she wished to reply.

"Oh...uhm...yes! Reply!"

She spoke aloud, not realising that no one else nearby could hear the envelope that very obviously floated in front of her, clearly visible to the others but silent even as it seemed to open and close like a mouth.

Voice Mail

To: @Ash Vargold, @Rael

Sorry Ash! Been a bit busy and all! Haven't been ignoring you, well not on purpose, but none of the letters came through on my end...I guess I still need to be paying attention for them, I'm sure they'll arrive in a bit once I check the whole mail system...

I'm fine! Oh Rael's here too! Funny story but I got arrested and thrown in jail and I guess Rael's watching over me or something along those lines! We met this interesting lady here who is telling us all about how the commander is some sort of traitor, and how the Dragonship people just want to talk and save us or something, and she's been telling us about how she put bombs on her friends because...well, I guess that part's not important. I think she may be slightly schizophrenic, or possible disillusioned schizophrenic...it's really interesting! She has some very ear-catching stories, and I've been having a great time just listening to her!

But yeah, we're fine here, mostly. I mean being in jail kind of...is less than cool, I guess. They took my scythe - which reminds me, I need to get like a ticket or something for that. Make sure I get it back. Do you think they realise I don't really need it? I mean, it's not like steel bars will keep me in or anything. Silly people.

Oh! Side note, who's Meriam?

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash Vargold
To: @Rael, @Kyra Vashtana

rael. could you please tell kyra that people can in fact hear her when she talks out loud.

someone just got UI locked. Sven, apparently

And then, a minute later...

Ash Vargold
To: @Rael, @Kyra Vashtana

why are you in jail