ROLEPLAY

This text, and the following ones, are the translation of a thread available here.

#1 Storyteller



OOC:

N.B: This thread is preparing the next step of the « SOS Theocracy » player event. The first part summarizes key events of the SOS, adding some elements that contributed to it but haven’t been related on the forum. If you haven’t read the SOS yet, you are strongly invited to do it before reading what follows.
Note that we are currently looking for translators in English or German. Please, contact me if you want / accept to translate some of the texts in one or the other of these two languages.

Thank you very much!

**************

"It’s working even better than I’ve ever expected it to", he thought.

Before him, the female had touched her feet, removed her clothes, and exposed her body in various manners she would never have accepted upon normal circumstances. She had entered a Kitin nest without weapons or armour, and had been revived by the Karavan… still under his control. She had a firm willpower, a powerful pride. Now, he was her master.

The final test was still to be done. Take her to the city hall and have her sign a wedding act…

The thought was so absurd that he burst into a nervous laughter. It was impossible that the serum could work that well. He was afraid that it might work that well…

**************

An igara was gliding into a lazy spiral over the jungle’s sky. Nothing could really evade its sharp eye. In the moist and warm atmosphere, on the ground, it could see between trees and plants: a blue two-legged thing was moving with difficulty under the whip and goad lashes of a torturer half of her size.

For the bird, they were demonstrating a truth it had seen proven a great number of times. Truly, I tell you. The smallest ones often prove to be the most vicious ones.

**************

The labyrinth was a dream for a Cuttler. The preys were passing ceaselessly. Armas to eat till bursting, homins from time to time and, still, to cross it, you really had to be a jerk…!

Between the predator and the prey, one recognition instant suffices at any time.

When the hunting exhilaration took its stooges and pack brothers, they sometime attacked the nearby village. Sometime, it did it also. No good food, over there – at least, no easy one.

However, sometimes, some good food could exit it. The four two-legged creatures that where leaving it now, would perhaps be delicious. Nevertheless, they were more looking like hunters than preys. They were looking for traces…

**************

An homina. Dodges a blade fallen from the sky. Rolls into the habitation… She rummages, she finds.

A vial. Pink, mauve… hard to say. The well-kept secret from a raving mad ally.

**************

It scratched its ear. As far as it was concerned, it was only “it”. It was it, it was everything, nothing was real before entering its senses reach, nothing was real after exiting this reach. It ran with joy and abandon on the pontoon. Its run ended on an interrogative note. Before it, three things that walk upright, were standing before it in a triangle. Pain could be read on one face, rage on the other one, indecisiveness and incomprehension on the one of the female. It scratched its ear again, as it didn’t understand anything itself. It looked finally on its left side. A big green-haired male, his body covered with brown, unmatching, unstitch fabric… well… with a look of never having had a good day, tried to nail it with his claw.

When it bit his foot, the homin guards pelted it with their powerful magic, in order to protect the ugly.

No matter who starts the assault, no one ever stands up for a yubo in distress.

**************

A javing observed the gathering, the masses stopping together like a herd, going into action for something it didn’t know about. They were wearing shining objects, things that may, in its nest, please the one that would lay eggs for it. Maybe it could steal something by following them.

It went higher, higher, still higher. The warm winds carried it always higher. Above the nest of the six-legged, it lost some of them, but it found them back further, where the green becomes desert. It was warm, it was dry, if it could get some treasures from here, the she-birds would be at its feet to get the privilege of laying at the centre of its fortune.

Further, it followed them, its eyes greedy, attracted by the brightness, by the sparkling beauty. Still they joined others, and argued in their strange and un-harmonious voices.

And then, from the depths promised only to the most daring of the thief birds, came the shouts of the combat, the bump of weapons and the smell of blood.

Its curiosity died, and it flew on the wings of the wind. Some treasures, even for it, were definitively too costly to gain.

**************

The torbak was vivacious, strong, powerful, but it had been taken as easily as a gubani.

She was a shadow, he was whiter than the inside of the bread. The dizzy torbak quickly got a bag on its head, and its legs fastened. Climbing the wall with the beast wasn’t easy. The hanged creature struggled as much while it was pulled towards the top of the wall, as when being taken down on the other side.

There was a crash. The creature was released, and some magic used. The distraught beast rushed trough the broken door.

Behind it came the homins. The animal had its usefulness. The traps had triggered on it, they could rummage. The mutilated corpse of the ferocious creature would make believable explanation for the less thorough minds, but not for the most curious ones.

Time went. They hadn’t found a thing. The marauder sorcerer hadn’t the goo-based mixture he had created at home anymore.

Now that she knew about its existence, she guessed that he had used it on her. She guessed that others among her kind had been used as guinea pigs. She discovered that his perversion went back long before the day he had moved over to the enemy’s side.

"He doesn’t keep anything here anymore. No need to look further. Only thing left is to question the slave..."

They still had a packet when they climbed the wall of the marauders camp back. This time, it wasn’t a torbak.

**************

-Sage Sorrow shall die!
-Ného dai ké
-Let me accomplish my mission!
-No one will die today

-He will kill me if I don’t obey.
-How could he do that?
-I’ve got to serve Jena.
-She babbles deliriously…
-The dark queen and our goddess.

Osquallo shows the vial found on the marauder to the healer:
-You should have a look at this.

In the dark depths where the roots prevail, where the kitins prevail, the echoes of the laugh of an insane homin still resonate.

#2 Ezek

Late in the night, just before dawn, a Kelen’s bar regular was busy with one of his favourite vices, drinking. Anyhow, his contact was late, which was typical from the desert homins. An impressive shape finally joined him and ordered something to drink as if nothing had happened. The two marauders spent a long time ignoring each other. Aktimostains were patrolling in silence, merciless shadows that seemed to float in the darkness. The sun now threatened to tear the blackness with its blinding light. One of the two finally decided to speak to the other one.


-You’ve got any news? Whispered the Fyros.
-May be. Answered the Tryker as discreetly.
I’ve administrated a purple nightmare to my spy. In a few days, he may have what you’re looking for.
-He may? Rumbled the dark-skinned marauder.

The Tryker looked the concerned homin smiling, showing his small sharp teeth. His mad eyes stared at him and tried to make him lose his patience.

-This soldier doesn’t matter to me, and moreover he’s a pain in the neck. I’ve got no obligation to help you, even if she’s also a marauder.

The Fyros stood up and grabbed the Tryker by the throat with a snap. He told him, glowering:
-Then why are you doing it!
-Ha ha ha ha!!! The small homin exploded in an hysterical laughter.
-Don’t tease, otherwise I just crush you and throw you to feed the cuttlers!

The Tryker caught the Fyros helmet and slammed it violently on this one’s nose, taking advantage of the surprise to get free from the grip of the furious homin.

-He he he, don’t get so irate, frahar, I’ve got my own objectives, that’s all. Said the Tryker calmly.

Seeing that the noise was attracting the attention of the patrollers, the desert marauder suppressed his ire with difficulty and order for another tankard.

-It’s icky, this alcohol, isn’t it?
-Yep, I’ll never get used to it.

The Tyrker took two beers in his bag, and hold one out to his interlocutor.

-Where does it come from, this?
-Avendale.
-Yes, sure, but how did you get it?

The Tryker smiled and said nothing.


The Fyros hated this insolent shrimp who answered half, when at all, to his questions. Yet he thought he could use him to get his own way.

-So, the spy shall join us where and when?
-Somewhere in barely a few days.
-Well, you’re as precise when sober as when drunk, you know!

The black Fyros stroke him a slap behind the head and the momentum made the Tryker to spill his beer. He grumbled. He smiled to the impertinent and had his hand on the hilt of his sword from habit. The small marauder bust into a twisted laughter, before giving his command to Kellen.

-I’m supposed to send him an izam giving our position, we’ll join him very soon. If he hasn’t the answer yet, I’ll send him back over there, but the time we’ve got isn’t infinite.
-You’re sure that your spy won’t betray us? After all…
-I’m sure he won’t before his waking up.
-And if it were the case?


The Tryker stabbed his dagger in the bar’s wood and gave a hint of an unhealthy smile.
A heavy silence set in.

#3 Sovyc

Evening rich in adrenaline and concern. A homin hunting is being put in place. Some “Larmes” are getting together to drag a villain of the worst kind before the Court.

Massive and fast teleportations around the planet. We’ve covered quickly the many lands, inspecting their least nooks.

This ugly, treacherous, lying and unhealthily intelligent homin snaked easily between our fingers. The mercenaries wouldn’t stop to review the situation, the Zoraï decided to think for a few minutes.

“Where could he hide? Which place a marauder would never hide in?”

Suddenly, his shadow was seen in Zora, the real place he was to be taken to. This vile Tryker is evidently very sly. This one sees us and flees quickly.

We’ve left again in various directions, looking for him. His track appeared a few moments in Fairhaven; Trykers always go back to their source to drink to it… But he disappeared quickly after a fast beer at the bar, probably without paying.

Don’t be discouraged… The Zoraï who I am thinks, more or less rationally: “Being Ezekiel the Insane, what would I do?” Especially since my second personality as Louf is always sensitive when it comes to Ezek and his “madnesseries”. Going back to Zora at full speed, coming right upon him at the gate of the town. A pike and a sword went into a bloody fight. My comrades came to my help to control this demon of the lakes.

Ingfarah and Corwin holding him firmly. A strong rope circled his hands and feet. Gesticulating and howling on my shoulder, he was dropped off in Zora’s jail.

We have no faith in Ma-Duk nor Jena. We have no real proof of their value. We give our faith to the Zoraï Awakened to prove us that their wisdom exists. That the killing of my foster brother won’t become reality.

#4 Ezek



I still haven’t finished restoring the laboratory that the two intruders have demolished. There are only three homins who knew how to enter it, me included. Nonetheless, the ones who have done this dirty trick are neither one nor the other, and I’m not generated enough, not yet, to destroy my own working place. I’m still missing some equipment, I’ll have to contact the Black Circle to get it. The difficulty in my projects always lies in the conception of the poison itself. Very delicate, very long to be produced. I let the matis homina take care of what remains and I take my equipment. Better to take everything along… just in case.

I activate my zin crystal, and the wind takes me away.

***

Black-robed, I’m trying to merge into Atys, in order to better gnaw it from inside. I only hear my heartbeat, my senses staying alert. Jungle. I’ve gained Haven of Purity and silently reached Zora without being seen. There are patrols and some unimportant life seeds. You’ll get your comeuppance. I’ll offer you to death at some other time.
It’s hard to cross the town without being seen by anyone, you’ve got to be patient. I’ve got the whole night.
Slowly, step by step.

Hold on!

A shape shows up and I crouch in the shadows. I know you, lovely homina, and I know you well enough to let you pass and change my aim.

I beat a retreat and reappears on Tryker ground. I just can’t help loving water… sometimes, you just cannot fight you own sap. I swim and I take my time, till I reach the capital’s docks. I dive under these ones and come to the surface, where there is less activity. I manage to get what I want, but something is wrong.

What is it?

This paranoia. It’s sharper than usual.

I know that you’re here… But you’re not Her… Who are you…

I take my crystal again and go back to Zoraï land. You’ll look for me somewhere else, while I finish my work.

I come back to my departure point, and you are far away. What is fine with the Masks is, they’re so big that they forget to look down. I turn a corner.

So do you.

Surprise!

Of course it’s you… You know my hunting grounds, my habits. You’re the only one who can find me with such ease and clairvoyance.

Usurper.
You’re wearing the mask of my brother.

***

I wake up in a cage. My skin is split all over, and closing slowly. What happened? I open my eyes laboriously and see shapes talking together. Some Zoraïs and two Fyros. I try to stand up, but I notice that my feet have been tied at ankles level, and that my arms have been also in my back. The effort reopens my wounds, I can’t stop from testing my shackles. The Usurper tells me to calm down. The Rage rumbles loudly, so I blow them off.

-Let’s go, he’ll appear before the Court at the next assembly, she says.
-Yes, boss.

The male Fyros doesn’t say a thing, for his part. I cannot identify him, he has never removed his helmet. They’re all leaving, but the Zoraï finally comes back later. He carries on stabbing my flesh with his pick. It hurts, then I laugh. I burst into a mad laughter and he gets angry, and I sink again into unconsciousness.

Has my colleague already met the spy?
Has this one woken up?
Marundak, I don’t trust you, what have you done with this double agent?

#5 Nizyros


Excerpt from the logbook of a Black Fyros.


"""Dua, Thermis 13, 3 CA 2574:

Ordinary day at the Marauder Camp in Hidden Source.

My tryker friend – this mad scientist – set a date for me beneath the stable.

He had news to give to me regarding our inquest. I waited while crafting jewels, when I saw him arrive.


Dua, Thermis 15, 3 CA 2574 Mad scientist

It has been now 7 days since we last met. I was supposed to go to the Lakes to meet the spy, in order to get his report regarding the inquest.
I was also supposed to join the Tryker, so that I could administrate a bit more potion to he spy.
Unfortunately, no news from him? It has already been 7 days, without him giving any sign of life. And the potions effects won’t take long before vanishing.


Dua, Thermis 15, 3 CA 2574 Spy

During the discussion with the spy, this one has asked me for information about a Tryker girl. He was wondering about her since, seemingly, they’re supposed to know each other. According to the claim of his guild mates.
I hence ask a friend to investigate about this Tryker girl, so that I can carry on searching the Mad Scientist.


Dua, Thermis 16, 3 CA 2574 Mad scientist

After a lot of encounters and questions, my search is slowing down. Indeed, no one has seen the mad scientist for more than one week, and the last person who has seen him, couldn’t tell me more about it.
So I go on with my searches by alerting the members of his clan.
After some talk, we’ve arrived to 2 hypotheses.
1- Either he has been attacked by Ktins. NB:"Kitin activity during the past few days has been worrying." Report from various governments around Atys.
2- Or he has been trapped by justice-seeking homins.

Due to the liabilities of the mad scientist, I think that the second hypothesis is the most plausible. Therefore I decide to go and investigate on this one.


Dua, Thermis 16, 3 CA 2574 The spy

Report from my friend regarding the Tryker girl. She would be the spy’s daughter. I therefore have got to honour my promise and set a date with the spy for a meeting in the lakes, in order to provide him with the required information.
Will he have got his mind back? Or will he still be under the influence of the drug? I’ve got to take some precautions before the meeting.


Dua, Thermis 20, 3 CA 2574 Mad scientist

8th day without any news regarding the mad shrimp. I’m starting to believe in the second theory. So I’ll try to know more about who may be against him to that point.

After some talks with various Marauders at the camp stables, one of them told me about the kidnapping perpetrated by the mad scientist. Who was the abducted homin? Who rescued her from the claws of the shrimp?

To many questions without answer for now, I’ve got to speak with the boss of the Tryker’s clan, to get more information regarding this kidnapping.


Tria, Thermis 21, 3 CA 2574

9 days without news on the mad scientist. I’ve got to hurry to find him. Tonight, I’ll meet the spy, to tell him about his daughter.
I hope to see the boss of the mad scientist’s clan in the meantime.


Tria, Thermis 21, 3 CA 2574 Spy

I’ve gone to the meeting to give him the information regarding his daughter.
No one has come. I think that the poison has dissipated. I won’t be able to find the culprit of our inquest, mine and the mad scientist’s one.


Quinteth, Harvestor 29, 3 CA 2574 Mad scientist

It has been several days since my friend has disappeared. I must definitively find his boss in order to get more data regarding his past actions. Unfortunately, she’s not to be found anywhere.


Quinteth, Harvestor 29, 3 CA 2574

I’ve finally managed to find the mad scientist’s boss. She has confirmed that he had abducted a Zoraï girl named Xiaomei.
And that a certain Fey-Lin had done everything she could to get her back.
Therefore, I decide to carry on with my theory and to contact an old friend of mine, so that she inquires about Fey-Lin.


Quinteth, Harvestor 30, 3 CA 2574

Report about Fey-Lin: No family relationship with the victim of the mad scientist. This confirms my theory. It’s not about revenge, but all about Justice. The information cost me 75 seeds of Supreme Saurona.

Therefore I decide to go to Zora incognito, to search for information about the mad scientist.
That’s were I’ve come upon the notice board of the Zoraï assembly.


^Excerpt of the minutes of the Zoraï Circles Assembly^

I think that the mad scientist is shut-away somewhere in the zoraï capital. Action should be quick: his trial will probably take place at the next Circles assembly."""

#6 Ezek


Time…

But why should I give a toss about it…

Nights and days don’t exist where I am…

At the beginning, I raged, still under the Black Sap influence.

After some time, the lack effect finally appeared, and sine then, I’m terribly thirsty…

Nonetheless, I cannot be more deranged than I already am…

Something has changed, my cell neighbour had said it…

I’ve finally shut up, but now I’m hearing…

The call of something transcending…

My prisoner condition…

Silence.

From the bottom of the jails…

I can hear a young homina crying…

I know who these tears belong to. Dëkalzzë…

I’ve recognized you and I’m patient, I’ll do as I’ve promised to…

I’ve taken stock of everything I’ve to do, the list seems to never end…

Till then, I’m going around my cage and I’m observing, on the lookout out for the lesser flaw…

I’m terribly weak and I’m saving my last strengths, nastily…

I’m cultivating that rictus of mine, which hangs to my lips…

I’m looking at my torturer with a vicious look…

And I’m thinking of You…

My Silence.

#7 Storyteller

Stuck up in the Cities of Intuition

The marauder known as Ezek, from the Clan de la Sève Noire / Black Sap Clan, will appear in Laï-Le ban to face the accusations of murder attempt on the person of the Sage Sorrow, of murder on the person of Initiate Pao-Len, abduction on Zoraï Xiao-Mei, torture, use of Zoraïs for dubious experiments, and more generally of robery and pilfering. Laï-le Ban will take place on Folially 12, 2nd CA, 2575 at 21:00.

Sunday, 13 October 2013 19:00:00 UTC (1 decade ago)
To understand how this specific assembly takes place, here is a useful link (in French - short summary available in English here): http://fr.ryzomnomnom.com/wiki/Justice_zora%C3%AF

#8 Denakyo


Finding her sorrow sister again, after so much time. Still imprisoned, “for her own security”. It was as well, but Denakyo had other reasons to keep Xiao-Mei locked in than the ones given by the Zoraïs.

Lor li-yum let them alone, without suspecting what they’ll talk about. Whispering in the basement of the town hall, they exchange the last news.
Short extract

Xiao-Mei says:: Fey-Lin told me that she would ask the gibads to host me, but I’ve still no news…
Ylang Hao shivers at this thought: Gibbais? In the jungle, in the open? Né, it’s a bad idea!
Xiao-Mei sais: Yes… I find also it is a strange idea…
Ylang Hao says: He… He’s sold you…
Xiao-Mei says: What? What are you speaking about?
Xiao-Mei holds her breath.
Ylang Hao shivers: Ezek… He was supposed to get you back, but no… another slaver has bought you from him, he intends to take you as soon as he’s free… They’ve agreed on an exchange… A new toy for the puppeteer, a Zoraï girl for the Antekamis… Don’t… Don’t tell I’ve told it to you… They…
Xiao-Mei says: But… who… who is the other piece in the exchange, in that case?
Ylang Hao looks at Xiao-Mei in terror.
Xiao-Mei stares at Ylant Hao: Don’t tell me that…?
Ylang Hao says: The other Zoraï I’ve told you about… You remember? I…
Ylang Hao stops talking, not daring to say more.
Xiao-Mei feels like crying: Staying in jail is the best future I can get… It’s not like life…


Lor li-yum interrupts them while they’re putting a plan together to kill Ezek:
-Youg ladies… Laï-le Ban is coming quickly.

Sick at heart, they join the trial place. Xiao-Mei goes in the accuser’s row, trembling at the thought of confronting her torturer.

Denakyo skims for a while the knife she’s hiding, and then let her hand fall down, and joins the defender’s row. Killing the mad shrimp, yui, that would ease so many things. But she just cannot resolve to to dot it. Price to pay is too high.

Process goes on, and she manages to read her text without stammering. If it wasn’t for Ezek, there, she would even be quite proud of herself. She tries to ignore the insults, but she’s dying for all this to be done.

Lor li-yum suddenly raises his head, alerted by some agitation at the edge of the Lai-le Ban. A shout rises from the crowd attending the trial:
-Marauders!

Denakyo feels paralysed. Then she stands up, and while, around her, homins are fighting, she starts running away where she can. She almost falls in the arms of the marauders before scurrying away on the other side. While she’s trying desperately to escape, she thinks back of Xiao-Mei. They’ll free Ezek, but they’ll also take her back, that’s for sure. She sidles in between the pylons of the bar, and she sees her friend trying to heal the fighters, while the marauders advance towards the prisoner… and herself.

She goes down the rows, and takes her hand:
-Come on, we’ve got to run away!

While they’re running, she thinks she can hear the mad laugh of Ezek.

The follow some detours before reaching the townhouse. Samoa, one of the zoraï fighters, has understood their move and is escorting them.

Here, surrounded by the walls and the dynastic guards, they can believe to be a bit safer. Marauders won’t have enough time to find them. That’s what they hope, at least.

They comfort each other, considering the dark days to come. Ezek has been freed, that’s for sure. Denakyo says:
-Here… we’re safe… if the guards manage to hold them. They won’t take you again. Samoa hears her and swears that the marauders won’t have them.

Denakyo finds it difficult to breath, such as she worries about how sh’ell justify this new treason to her master. She whispers:
-I was supposed to take you to him as soon as I got the opportunity… But that, I’ll never do it! But how can I justify this…

She bursts in tears. Xiao-Mei whispers:
-We could take advantage of this to disappear together, couldn’t we?
-I cannot… I haven’t found the antidote. But you…

Denakyo twists her hands:
-Where could you go to be safe? Prime roots? It’s their territory… Desert? They’re everywhere… Lakes perhaps? But no, Trykers have too much love for gold…

Xiao-Mei sighs:
-I don’t know…
-If only we had…
-If we had what?
-Nothing. We don’t have it anyway.

To die by their own hand, yes, it was the only way to escape, but marauders only knew the poison that could destroy the life seeds, and despite all her efforts, Denakyo hasn’t managed to get some.

Samoa walks back and forth between the room and the entry, keeping an eye on the rumble of the city. While he’s at his further, Xiao-Mei suddenly has an idea:
-And if we asked the Rangers for their protection?
-Almati?
-Yes, they can’t go over there…
-It’s true…

Denakyo shows something that looks like a true smile, for once. She waits for Samoa to move further again in one of his errands, and whispers:
-It’s worth giving it a try. Let’s try to jostle diplomatically everyone.
-Yes, you’re right.
-Let’s have your haircut changed quickly, we’ll find you a ranger dress over there, and you hide among them.
-And you?

Denakyo pulls a disillusioned face:
-As for me, you know… Only thing I can hope for is, he gets tired quickly. But we’ll have to make the guards move away.

Above, Samoa is trying to get news from the other fighters. He can see from the corner of his eyes, the two Zorai girls whispering, and he thinks that they’re in a great need for comfort.

Denakyo says a short prayer to the Kamis, and walks toward the guard:
-You think we could go back in town? Xiao-Mei received a cut from a marauder’s sword, I think it would be better to see Kia Bo-Boo to check if it wasn’t poisoned.
-Né… My mission is to protect her, not to expose her… Marauders can come back.
-We stay here and you go and check if the way is safe? The townhouse is full with guards, we won’t be at risk…
-Hum, yui, stay downstairs, it won’t take me long.

They make sure that he goes far away enough before leaving behind him. The other guards can’t even imagine what they’re going to do.

As soon as the way is free, the exit the townhouse, walking at a fair pace, but not quickly enough to get noticed. They go directly to the healer.
-We’re going to help the rangers in Almati Wood, could we have teleporters?

The master healer smiles, he sees such as them all day long. He’s too far away to have heard about the din at the trial, he gives their exit to the two hominas without paying them more attention.

They go a bit further, they know they don’t have much time left.
-Once there, says Denakyo, change your haircut, your tatoo, find a ranger outfit, and a new name. No one should know who you have been. Not even me… that way, I won’t have a chance to betray you.
-What can I do for you? Just tell me.
-I;.. I’ll have a message passed to the ranger encampment. I’ll tell you, if you can help me… Maybe… Now, run!
-Understood. Thanks for everything! And good luck!

Xiao-Mei breaks the pact and leaves, letting a tear of her mask flow for Denakyo.

Denakyo thinks as fast as he can on how to get out of the wasp’s nest she’s just entered in. First, the Zorais.

She runs back to the townhouse, almost colliding with a distraught Samoa who exits it. He yells:
-Where is she?

She tells him that they’ve gone out to watch for him returning. Her attention has been distracted and, suddenly, Xiao-Mei wasn’t there anymore. She maintains this version and enhances it when Fey-lin and Lor li-yum come a few minutes later, visibly tired from the fight. For an instant, she fears that they can see right through her. They are Awakened, not simple guards easily fooled. But slavery and Antekamis are a good school for who wants to learn how to hide the truth on its mask. She tries to reassure them, telling them that she didn’t seem to be under influence, rather healthy. She’d like to tell them but.. no. Xiao-Mei should be free, and she’ll never be free here. She hopes that she’ll know how to hide, that no one will ever guess… Ochi kami no.

Worst part is still to come. And there… which story could she make up, to justify that she has taken away, and helped to escape, the one she had been promised to her master?

While she goes back despondent to Min-Cho, her story forms. She repeats it to herself, almost convincing herself of its truthfulness. If he believed it, even slightly… She may get through once again, without having to betray Xiao-Mei.

She has done everything she could to remove Xiao-Mei from the Zorais. How could have she imagined that the Zorai would give her the slip as soon as she would have her back turned on her? She was sure she had gotten her trust… She had deserved it, but the fugitive should have had teleporters with her…

The best lies were the ones who were the closest to the truth.

#9 Xiao-Mei


Free! Finally free! Xiao-Mei was filling her lungs as much as she could with the delicious fragrance of freedom.
Maybe all this was only a dream, an illusion, but for tonight, she was willing to believe it, she wanted to dream…

The Rangers would help and protect her, she was sure of this. She had attended several of their meetings, before the Puppeteer found her again, and if there was anywhere on Atys homins devoted to others and interested by the information she had, they were the ones. And then… they, at least, wouldn’t deliver her to the justice of one of the nations, since they had chosen not to belong to any…

The Zoraï was repeating her arguments to herself, as if she could make herself convinced of them… if the Rangers didn’t help her… she wouldn’t have any chance left… and neither would Denakyo.

She searched for Wilk Potskin in the encampment… without success. She was told that he was very busy with the recent kitins’ invasions, the management of the termites experiments, and the various political consequences these ones had had, not even considering the worries around the goo-infected rangers… in short, she was told rather to contact the main representative of the rangers.

Xiao-Mei was a bit disappointed when she heard this, but she wouldn’t surrender. She searched her memory, trying to remember the various leaders attending the meetings.

- Who was there again…? Matis-girl, rather pretty, leading the meeting, what was her name again… let’s see… Kiwalie! And a strange Matis also… not always getting approval from everybody, but willing to get answer to his worries… Chonchon… yes, that was it, he had an easily-remembered name, this one… who else? Well, well… A small Tryker-girl, without any blazon, but who seemed to know everybody, Krill was her name… Xial-Mei smiled while thinking back to this funny small homina always stuck to a beer barrel. She continued her list… a strange researcher, a Tryker also, Zorroargh and a Fyros-girl who seemed to know her, Shaakya, and then… a last Matis, a rather discreet one, but was never at a loss for words… Zilon… rather handsome homin, considering he was a Matis… The Zoraï thought again, she was probably forgetting some others, but she couldn’t remember more…

She wrote a copy of her letter per person she had listed, and sent an izam carry it to each of them.

#10 Kiwalie


Kiwalie watched the izam landing on the handle of her pick

She started reading the missive with attention, memories of Paolen’s murder and Sage Sorrow’s aggression during the Assembly in Zora coming back in one second.

Xiao-Mei, the youg Zoraï, under the influence of the drug administrated by a marauder, an insane whose sole aim was the destruction of hominkind, had managed to escape from Zora’s jail…

Her torturer, Ezek, had also managed to escaped during his trial, helped by a marauder’s assault. All attending homins had fought, but without succeeding in detaining him.

She started thinking to the homina, to the dangers she had to face, to her guilt, to the effects of the drug maybe still in her body.

The Ranger meeting was due in a few days. They could take some decisions together in order to protect and care for her. After all, they already had to care for the goo-contaminated Rangers, so they wouldn’t refuse to help the Zoraï-girl. At least she hoped for it.

She tore a pact towards FH. She had to take something to feed her in the coming days, so that she could stay hidden in the camp. She knew that Wilk’s tent was empty. It would make a good hiding place.

Once her bag bull, she asked a Kami to teleport her to the Almati Wood. Entering the camp, she looked for the fugitive, but there was no trace. The Ranger guards didn’t seem to have notice anything abnormal.

Kiwalie entered Wilk Potskin’s tent and took a look inside. It seemed to have been empty for a moment. She smiled and left an opening, hoping that she would have the idea to enter there. She put a bag of shookilate cookies, a beer barrel from Ba’Naer, and a dish full with grilled termits.

Another task was waiting for her, now. The leaders of guilds wishing to join the Rangers had to be informed. She left, hoping they would be busy with the reconstruction of the Kitin observation camps.

#11 Krill


The New Horizon caravan stopped on Avendale’s beach, and Krill took foot again on the sawdust with thanks to the transporter. This service was definitively making life easier for the ones who didn’t live in the capital. Especially for the ones well-considered enough by the Lakes government that they didn’t have to pay for it.
As any real Tryker, she loved when she hadn’t to pay.

The small homina immediately homed to the bar, humming. For now, she felt like having a good fresh beer at Ba’Dardan Naroy… She smiled while corrected inwardly: okal*, she always felt like having a beer. Or so her friends made this point quite often and willingly.

She passed before her apartment and waved in a friendly way to the guardian.
Mac’Doyghan Breggan gave her salute politely back, but made a gesture for her to wait a moment.
Krill stopped, a bit surprised, and waited while the guardian came back towards her with a letter: “An izam has come for you, nair*-Krill.”
The Tryker took the letter with a “Grytt*, nair-Mac’Doyghan”, and set out again happily towards the bar, turning her letter one side and the other, and wondering who may have been writing to her.



Krill was comfortably sited on one of Ba’Dardan Naroy’s poufs. She finished her second beer tankard with a satisfied sigh, and opened her letter.

«To the representatives of the Rangers»? What was this? The Tryker checked the address, but her name was properly written as addressee. Since when was she a representative for anything? And for the Rangers, furthermore…
Representative of Ba’Naer Liffan, she wouldn’t have said an*. Especially if it could lower her beer note.
But her only link to the Rangers, in addition to a certain amount of distance with all kinds of fanaticism and a vague tendency at considering all homins as worthy of interest until proven otherwise, was the translation she provided for their meetings.
Kiwalie payed her well. With dappers and beer. And she always added some cookies as a bonus. Krill smiled at this thought. Oy*, it was really worth getting bored rigid with politics at a power of four – since the Rangers were trying to be well-considered by all four nations, it meant multiplying problems and palavers. Notwithstanding their bizarre interests. Krill had learned scores of things about termites that she would never have thought about without all this. And that she would probably never use all the same, but well…

The Tryker shook her head and started reading again.
Xiao-Mei…
She remembered vaguely of the Zorai. She had seen her at the trial – no, Zoraïs didn’t say trial – at the “laï-le ban” for the Marauder.
Krill frowned while emptying her third tankard absent-mindedly. She had been so busy translating the pompous language of the speaker, with bits of taki slipping everywhere in it, and the insults of the defendant – toub, no, Zoraïs didn’t say defendant either – the insults of the “paï-ho”… Even when the Marauders had come in to free their stooge and all had turned into a pitched battle – or not pitched at all, by the way – it had taken her some time to realize. For that matter, she still hadn’t understood everything. But she had received a certain amount of blows, some of them quite painful.

The more she thought about this evening, the more she felt she would probably be unable to recognize the Zoraï if she ever met her again.
However she remembered her voice. She had sounded both terrorized and decided when she had accused the marauder. Ezek. Which was not surprising if only half of what was said about the hell she had suffered, was true.
He was probably the one she was calling the puppeteer in her letter.

Krill resumed her reading.
After the attack, and Ezek’s escape, Fey-Lin had feared that Xiao-Mei may have been taken back also by the Marauders.
It didn’t seem to be the case. She had apparently taken advantage of the confusion to escape, and seek for asylum among the Rangers.
It wasn’t necessarily a bad idea. The attack in Zora had proved that the Marauders could carry out limited but efficient operations against the Nations.
The Rangers had their own army, their own camp, and access to places of the Bark that the Nations had forgotten.
But would that be enough against Marauders? Who also had preserved links with the Lands of before the Swarm?
And would the Rangers accept to engage into a conflict between homins? Wilk Potskin had clearly said – she had been paid for translating it – that the Rangers would accept Marauders help to fight the Kitins… Maybe by explaining thoroughly that said Marauder was planning to spread Goo all over Atys? Well, he had said, or confessed, something like that during the laï-le ban. But he hadn’t made much sense by this time, so could it be used against him?
Krill sighed. All this was a kizaraks nest. She ha-ted politics.

She took again the letter, emptying a new tankard – Ba’Dardan was familiar with his client, and didn’t wait for her asking to refill it.
Why was this Zoraï writing to her?
She had seen her only at the tria… at the laï-le ban. And she had only been there as translator. How come she knew her name? And what made her think that she could be of any help?
Krill had no official role. Nowhere

She sighed again. She couldn’t ignore a call for help. You weren’t to abandon a tali*.
Simple as that.
Even if it was a Zoraï you had seen only once and you were incapable of recognizing her.
Even if you had probably gotten mixed with someone else to receive such a letter.
Even if you had no power at all among the Rangers.
Even if your value at fight was close to null.
Even if you had nothing to offer in exchange for the information that Xiao-Mei pretended to detain, and you would probably don’t know what to do with it anyway.
Even if you hated everything that looked even remotely like politics.
And even if the help you provided was limited to giving the message to someone who had enough knowledge and power to do something useful with it.

She read the lettre several more times, and then stood up.
The representatives of the Rangers… It was vague.
The only one she felt enough at ease with, to approach, was Wilk Potskin. And he was almost unreachable, because of the preparation of the expedition towards the Old Lands.
Melga Folgore… was really too much involved in politics. His sole name was enough to make her want to use some of the more ironical comments she kept for the Taliari when they were getting really too serious.
And she had no idea about the rest of the command structure.
She paid for her beers, and took her teleportation pacts and perals. Almati. Maybe she would be lucky and come upon Wilk in the Woods.
Otherwise, she would have to go through the non official structure, the “not-really-rangers-who-would-like-to-become-rangers”, who may know about the others ranger officers. She smiled, suddenly forgetting the sadness caused by the remembrance of Xiao-Mei’s situation: maybe Kiwalie would have some cookies and beer to share, while she would show her the letter…

#12 Storyteller


It was the beginning of the evening in Zora, and even the birds seemed to believe that singing couldn’t be allowed. The words were said with the intonation you use to break a too-heavy silence, and the stress of some was palpable.

The witnesses of the criminal acts of the defendant – the Paï-ho – were many. The homins already convinced in advance of his guilt were legion.

May only one of you stands up, he thought, and your name, your face, I’ll remember. You’ll have to pay, YOU’LL HAVE TO PAY! Oh yes, just once, I’ll nail my poisoned needle in your tender flesh, I’ll break your will, and you’ll be my slave…

The ones brave enough to risk his wrath by speaking from the Nanka row… were only two.

On the defending side, two homins stood up and said: “There no doubt that the Paï-ho is guilty.” It was proposed to ease his sentence, to take some time to learn from his experiments with the goo…

HAHAHAHAHA! Oh yes Matis, you, I’ll have you in my laboratory, directly, you’ll see, you’ll learn… HAHAHAHA! Yes, it’s clear, you’ll love that. I’ve a new kincher, in a cage, maybe you’ll feed it.

The time went on, the assembly filled with curious homins, who were thinking they were safe from the caged criminal.

The shock took almost everyone by surprise. The Kai-ho – the judge who was leading the assembly, frowned first.

Yes! Brothers! I’m free, free, FREE !!!! Never will these dirty and feeble conceited homins resist hold against the horde of my kin!

The fights raged and the Pai-ho’s jail was broken. Among the marauders, only one hearted one was left behind. Ki’gan… who still managed to escape, since no one dared to approach and sequestrate him.

The sorcerer had escaped. His revenge would be dreadful. On whom would it descend upon?

************************************

Further in the town, an ominous building rises above the ground. The couple of warriors who patrol there haven’t been involved in the fights, and don’t leave it to join in the confrontation with the marauders who threaten to take possession of the city. The threat they have to take care of is inside the building, not outside it.

Near the ground, a tiny fenced opening let the sun shine in one of the dark cells. Bluish finger intertwine on the bars. Two ominous eyes and a worrying smile are outlined on the face barely touched by the light.

An exultant laugh bursts. A creaking voice cackles words that no one grasps, that no one understand.

In big strides, the mad neighbor is running towards freedom.

#13 Storyteller


Avendale, wind-battered city. Rain is falling in a gloomy gray and, on the pontoons, passers-by lift up their collars on their throats. They’re not paying attention any more to a faded portrait that may have been stuck up since the building’s erection.

The face would have been unrecognizable, if it hadn’t been for the underlined form of the filed horns of the mask. An infamous Zoraï. A rebel to the nations. The Devourer of Hope.

#14 Chonchon


The Rangers were so engrossed in their palaver, they wouldn’t see the despaired homina.
We had come meet her and, finally, we haven’t taken her under our wing.
I’m ashamed.