PPU Adventure #1

[AnimaStone]

Anima has been staring up at the mountains. When Pinata speaks to him, he once again quickly throws his head back into alignment with Pinata's eyes. This time, however, Pinata notices that Anima's eyes have changed from brown to a reddish purple.

ANIMA: Yes. I will go with you.

Anima looks down at the ground for a few seconds. When he looks back up, he looks directly at Bass. In a sort of singsong voice, he begins to talk.

ANIMA: The King of the land is now far gone,
His spirit sent forth and still going on.
The land is slain and the springs are dry,
And naught is writ in survivor's eye.
The tomb of the King of days to be
Lies dead in the City by the Sea.
And when you return, for return you will,
Trust nothing 'till nothing you find on a hill.

Anima's eyes immediately shift colors to silvery blue once he has finished saying this. He looks around at the disbelieving faces of the Basurake's crew.

ANIMA: What? Why are you all staring at me? I thought I just said that I agreed to leave this place. Let's go.

Anima walks aboard the Basurake.

[piñata]

*The others follow Anima onto the ship.*

Piñata: Well, that was weird.
Elfie: Indeed.
Oddveig: I don't trust him.
Piñata (rolling his eyes): You don't trust anybody.

*A towering mantis-like form approaches Piñata as the party gets back on the ship.*

Anima (leaping back in surprise): What the hell is that?
Piñata: His name's Qrel. He's my executive officer. To answer your question more literally, his species is called the Vratix.
Elfie: I thought they had Vratix in EM.
Scythe: Apparently not.
Piñata: Qrel, I presume by the way you're towering over me that you have a report?
Qrel (lowering himself onto four legs to put himself back at eye level with Piñata): We apologize for frightening the newcomer.
Anima: We?
Piñata: Vratix are a hive mind. He's including the other Vratix on the ship, as well as the civilians back home in PPU.
Qrel: We have analyzed the situation as we understand it, and we have come to the conclusion that the enemy is like us.
Piñata: What do mean exactly by "like us"?
Qrel: We mean to say that they are in constant communication with each other, and may be similar to Vratix. To be exact, another hive mind.
Piñata: Thank you, Qrel. If your hypothesis proves true, it just might be a huge help.

[AnimaStone]

Anima looks intently at Qrel as he speaks to Pinata.

ANIMA: Yes. They are... united, but they are not a hive mind. They can never be a hive mind because they were never truly individuals, and they never have the possibility to be one; even if one dies, the mind does not lose a voice.

Anima looks at Pinata.

ANIMA: Do you understand?

Anima looks back at Qrel.

ANIMA: It is of no importance. Let us leave. Do not even try to fight them. You are all obviously weakened, and even I, who am what I am, am not entirely unaffected. We are too weak to fight them.

Anima looks back at Pinata.

ANIMA: You spoke of a "PPU". What is this place?

[piñata]

Piñata: It's another plane, which I created with green mana in order to protect nature and give some of Olwe's native species a permanent home should humans ever encroach on their territory, about... 900 years ago, wasn't it Elfie?
Elfie: Yes, I believe that's correct.
Piñata: Anyway, the Vratix live there now, as do the Ewoks and Phanaton.
Elfie: And quite a few Elves too.
Piñata: Elfie helped me create PPU. You can see his hand in it in some places where there are infusions of white or blue mana mixed in with all the green. That's actually why PPU has oceans... it's Elfie's fault.

*Static walks up to the group.*

Static: What are we doing? Leaving, or staying here?
Piñata: The new guy warned us to leave, and I'm inclined to agree with him.
Static: I'll have the crew ready us for departure at once.

*Static strides off, barking orders to random crew members as he goes.*

[AnimaStone]

Anima quickly looks up at Pinata.

ANIMA: 900 years? You are older than I thought. What kind of magic do you possess?

Anima looks at Elfie.

ANIMA: It is of no importance. You spoke of infusions of white and blue mana. Tell me, is there any red or black mana?

[piñata]

Piñata: In order to keep the plane stable, we used all five colors in its creation -- but we used red and black very sparingly. There is a swamp and a mountain range, though. Oh, and to answer your other question, I'm a Planeswalker. So are Elfie, Devo, Static, Belgeroth, Scythe, Secole and Bass. The person we're going to see at The House of Lore -- Medwyn -- is a Planeswalker as well. He's nearly as old as all of us combined -- in fact, the only Planeswalker older than him was Foretel.

[AnimaStone]

Anima quickly looks up at Pinata.

ANIMA: Foretel... a planeswalker? How unfortunate for him that he could never leave his plane. The magic of planeswalkers may be great, but not great enough to repay the debt a Fisher King owes to his land. Especially one of so great a King.

After a few seconds, Anima speaks again.

ANIMA: A mountain range? Good. I will need that very much. Is it only mountains, or does it also contain volcanoes? Pure mountains themselves do not embody the kind of chaos I must have to maintain myself. I thought you might want to know, I am a red mage at my basest level, so I must have chaos to keep.... certain innate qualities that come with being a red mage.

[piñata]

*Piñata looks to Bass briefly. Bass nods and holds up one finger.*

Piñata: Yes, there's one volcano there. And I do understand about being a red mage... I was in Serra's Realm once, and trust me -- no matter how allied green is with white, Serra's Realm is no place for a green mage.
Elfie: You're just still holding a grudge because they disqualified you from the tournament.

*Piñata glares at Elfie, but remembers the last time Elfie Logic was used in an argument against him, and therefore keeps his mouth shut.*

[AnimaStone]

ANIMA:....Good. Do you have anything aboard this ship? A mana generator, perhaps? I'm already feeling a little weak.

Anima looks out the window.

ANIMA: We should go. They are getting closer. You must get back to the Great Transport at once.

(OOC: Get to the transport if you want, but don't actually get away yet...)

[piñata]

*Piñata glances to Static questioningly. Static gives a thumb-over the shoulder gesture.*

Static: Mana generator's back there. Knock yourselves out.

*Bass and Anima depart for the mana generator.*

Piñata: All right, let's blow this popstand.

*Airship Basurake's (OOC: I assume that was what you meant by "Great Transport" ) engines fire as the preflight checks begin. The evil presence moves closer still.*

(OOC: For those of you who were wondering what a mriswith was when I mentioned it earlier, the following scene contains a brief description of their appearance and abilities. Also, in case you're wondering, this scene is occuring FAR away from Basurake's current location.)

*Aratar, flanked by a quartet of bodyguards, strides imperiously up the driveway leading to his mansion. He doesn't see the scaled creatures watching him from the shadows, and doesn't notice that the front door of the mansion is open until he reaches the first step leading up to it. His bodyguards all draw their weapons, and Aratar draws and ignites his double-bladed lightsaber as well.*

Aratar (pointing to two of the guards): You two, go around back. If the trespasser is still in there, you might need to cut off his escape route.

*The two guards nod and move around the side of the house. Aratar continues inside with the other two. He slips on something wet on the ground. When he looks down, he sees a pile of human entrails, and the eviscerated body of a servant nearby. Glancing around the foyer, he sees more servants and security personnel, all of them disemboweled.*

Aratar: What the fork...

*A scream around the side of the house cuts him off. Aratar turns to go outside and help his bodyguards, but finds his way blocked by a nightmarish-looking reptilian creature that seems to have materialized out of thin air. The creature is already in the middle of its attack, slashing at Aratar's belly with a three-bladed knife. Aratar brings his lightsaber up, removing the knife and the hand holding it, before reversing his weapon's direction and sweeping the other blade across the creature's midsection, killing it in exactly the same way it killed his staff. The death howl of the monster sends a chill up Aratar's spine, which is not an easy thing to do.*

Guard #1: What are they?
Aratar: Mriswith. I can't thoink of who would send them, though -- their original master is dead.
Guard #2: Where are they coming from?
Aratar: They were probably here all along. Mriswith can blend in with their surroundings, and are immune to most magical forms of detection as well.

*Aratar decapitates another mriswith even as two more take out his remaining bodyguards. Two humans and a towering hulk of an Aven walk into the room through the open front door, taking care to step around the mess on the floor. Aratar recognizes the two humans.*

Aratar: Krotos? I thought you were dead.
Zeles: I am most definitely not Krotos. Although now that you mention it, the resemblance is rather striking.
Aratar: Who are you, then?
Zeles: You may call me Bane. The Aven is my adjutant, Diatryma. And this is...
Aratar: Lanfear and I already know each other.

*Lanfear smiles at Aratar. A smile from a woman as beautiful as Lanfear usually carries the promise of good things to come, but the meaning suggested by this particular smile causes Aratar to step back involuntarily.*

Zeles: You know what we have come for.
Aratar: No, as a matter of fact I don't.
Zeles (gesturing to a mriswith): Don't play games with me, Aratar.

*The mriswith jams the three blades of it knife into Aratar's thigh. Aratar cries out in pain.*

Zeles: Give me the Spear now, and you may yet live to try to take it back from me.
Aratar: It's in the dungeons below the mansion.
Zeles: Show us.

*Aratar reluctantly leads the group downstairs.*

[AnimaStone]

Anima's voice shouts from the back of the ship.

ANIMA: No, you fools! You have to get to the Great Transport! It's...

After a few seconds, Anima's voice speaks again, deeper this time.

ANIMA: Over the mountains. Foretel created the Great Transport as a safety measure. Any incoming traffic transports to wherever the Great Transport dictates, and any traffic that wants to leave has to leave through another area, but only if it has the permission of Foretel.

Anima walks into the main room again. His eyes are a definite shade of red, and his muscles seem fuller, although his outline appears to be somewhat blurred, and his hair appears to move slightly of its own accord.

ANIMA: The position of the Great Transport changes each day. Only eM natives, or those whom Foretel favors, can sense where it is. It is over the mountains today, in the N&R. If you can get us there, I can fake Foretel's authority. But I will need you to tie me to the bottom of the ship.

PINATA: You want us to do what?

Anima snaps his head into alignment with Pinata's, eyes blazing.

ANIMA: You must tie me to the bottom of the ship. I... I have my reasons. If you prefer, it is to help keep the ship safe from them.

PINATA: Okay... whatever. Tie him up.

A few minutes later, a makeshift harness has been tied around Anima's waist. Anima is about to jump from the side door. Anima stares straight at Pinata.

ANIMA: Be sure that I do not fall.

Anima jumps. The Basurake continues to go on.

[Scythe]

After reboarding the ship, Scythe makes his way over to where Mint had been sitting. She was still there, laboriously cleaning the parts of one of her blasters. the parts were arrayed in neat rows on the table-top, and most of them now gleamed in the light and smelled of gun-oil and antiseptic. Without looking up from her work, mint asks, "So, what do you think of this new one; this "Anima?"

Scythe replies, "He's an interesting character. Something's odd about him, but I think he's trustworthy..."

They pause for a moment to watch Anima exchange a few words with Pinata and jump lightly out of the craft in a makeshift harness.
Mint smiles wryly. "Not exactly the right time to go skydiving..."
"Heh," Scythe grunts. "Something fishy is definately going on...

Mint snaps the sight back onto her blaster and zeroes it. "And where are all the other inhabitants of eM? I fear the worst, but what does anyone stand to gain by destroying all those who lived here?"
Scythe hands Mint a blaster clip. "Only time will tell, and all that jazz." ;D

[piñata]

*Lightning crackles around the point of the Spear as Aratar holds it. He looks up at Bane.*

Aratar: What's to stop me from plunging this into your heart?
Zeles: You're welcome to try. But you don't know who you're dealing with. In fact, I doubt you know what you're dealing with.
Lanfear: I grow tired of this. We should just kill him and take the Spear.
Zeles: We cannot kill him. He is mentioned in the prophecies. (OOC: The bad guys have their own prophecy. I might elaborate more on it later.)
Aratar: You've made a grievous mistake in underestimating me.

*Aratar spins around. The head of the mriswith that stabbed him earlier separates from its body as the Spear cleaves its neck. Planting his feet as he whirls back around to face Zeles again, Aratar thrusts the Spear at him. The last thing Aratar sees before the universe goes black is a spray of blood erupting through the air.*

[meanwhile, back aboard Basurake...]

*Piñata watches Anima dangling off the side of the ship, hoping this plan of his works. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Belgarath walk up and stand at the railing next to him.*

Belgarath (looking down at Anima): He's even crazier than you are.
Piñata: Hey! I'm not crazy, just Arendish.
Belgarath: Oh. That actually explains a lot.
Piñata: Hopefully he's not going to get himself killed. I imagine that would fork up the prophecy pretty bad.
Belgarath: I happen to know some things about prophecy, and I'm inclined to agree with you. This fellow is important.
Piñata: He's certainly mentioned enough.
Belgarath: In the prophecy, you mean?
Piñata: Yes. I'm only mentioned three or four times. I guess this time around I'm a fairly minor player.
Belgarath: The others look to you for leadership. That makes you a fairly major player.
Piñata: They shouldn't. I've already let them down once.
Belgarath: How?
Piñata: I violated the Wizard's Third Rule. In doing so, I played a large part in bringing about the fall of the Conclave.
Belgarath: What is this "Wizard's Third Rule"? I've never heard of it before.
Piñata: Passion rules reason. That's the Wizard's Third Rule. I violated it by acting out of a selfish desire for vengeance instead of in the best interest of others.
Belgarath: And you've learned from that mistake, obviously.
Piñata: Not enough. The man I lost my temper with last time is named in the prophecy. I'm not sure if I can work with him instead of against him. I swore I'd have his head mounted on the wall over my fireplace, and you know how seriously Arends -- even those who aren't full-blooded -- take their oaths.
Belgarath: If you put fulfillment of your oath before fulfillment of the prophecy, what will happen? How many people will die?
Piñata: Everybody. The events at the end of the prophecy are referred to as The Last Battle for a reason. If we lose this time, evil has a permanent hold on the world, and quite possibly the entire multiverse.
Belgarath: Then you know what you have to do.
Piñata: Yes. I have to forgive the man responsible for the deaths of both my wives. I have to become friends with Aratar.

[AnimaStone]

After several minutes, the Basurake passes through a region of heavy storms. In about five minutes, the Basurake is through, although lightning struck the ship several times in that interval.

ANIMA: Raise me up!

Pinata and Bass pull Anima back into the ship. Anima begins to step out of the harness.

ANIMA: That storm... that was no normal storm. That was created before I was born in the Great Slaughter engineered by mononoke86. It was the effect of an impossibly huge randomization spell cast by Duncan Angelfire. Even though the spell is wearing down in power, the lightning in the storm is still strong enough to energize a red mage fully.

At this point, Anima has completely taken off his harness. His eyes rapidly change from a blazing red to black to silver, and back again. His hair seems to be blown by an invisible tornado in every direction. More disturbingly, however, Anima's shape appears to be constantly changing. One moment he is shorter, then he is taller, then he is more muscular, then he is like a twig.

ANIMA: As you can see, the lightning has not managed to reduce me to the pure essence of red magic... but this is more than enough. The Great Transport is directly west from here. Go quickly; I will be concentrated on deflecting their... attentions.

Anima closes his eyes and begins to hum softly.

PINATA: Uh... should we...

Anima makes no sign of noticing.

BASS: I've seen this before. You can't reach him. He has retreated into his inner consciousness.

PINATA: Alrighty then. (to Scythe) Due west! Full speed ahead!

The Basurake makes a slight turn and sails on, into a region of increasingly dark and stormy skies.

[Scythe]

(ooc: Oh, so I'm driving now? All right ;D )

Scythe looks down, realizing that he had plunked himself into the pilot's chair. All right! Let's see what she can do... He sends the Basurake into a smooth bank that carries it into the storm ahead. Some lightning begins to flash around the ship, and Scythe jukes the ship about, altering direction, altitude, and velocity to avoid the occasional nearby strikes. Scanning the ground below, the party searches for any signs of activity. "We should check there..." Anima suggests as he points to a lone mansion that sits on a hill like a defiant outpost of reason against the chaos of the storm. Rather than moving in closer, he sets the ship down a fair distance from the mansion so as to avoid detection. Scythe shuts down the non-essential systems, and stands. "The storm should have covered the sound of our approach. Shall we go out for a stroll on this fine evening?"