Crimson Paladin

Champions Have Arrived in the New World: A Problem Children and No Game No Life-Inspired Isekai RP

Augis

Augis peered through a brass spyglass from the edge of the clearing, observing as the "champions" were summoned. It was a last ditch attempt to save Silver Sun, to summon those from beyond to aid them. Assuming these folks were chosen carefully, it could work. It was the same logic he employed when he made a deal with that unknowable entity from beyond the stars- that someone from outside Nova Terra could be trusted to not have a stake in any of the other other settlements at Silver Sun's expense. There was always a chance it could backfire, but the only alternative was an inevitable doom for the settlement.

He watched carefully as they plummeted to the ground. For a moment it looked like they were falling too quickly, and that they might hit the ground at high speed. This worry only lasted a split second, as the arrivals' descent was momentarily halted right before crashing into the clearing. What was much more surprising was the transformation of one of the arrivals into a massive serpent. Even with the midair stop, the snake came down with ground-shaking force, knocking Augis off his feet.

"What in the world were they thinking," he complained to himself as he got up and dusted himself off, slightly annoyed that his white robes were now covered in dirt. "Why would they change into something that would hit the ground with even greater momentum? Unless, perhaps their momentum was conserved in the mass change," he briefly wondered aloud.

Recovering his monocular, the warlock looked through it, observing the new arrivals and waiting for Lila to greet them. At least one of them, a swordswoman from the look of it, had fallen directly onto the snake, but neither she nor her impromptu cushion seemed injured. One of them lay motionless on the ground. I hope that one's not dead, it'd be a tragedy to perish so soon after being summoned, Augis thought.

"DRAGON!" shouted another of the arrivals, a child who seemed quite distraught at the sight of the serpent. The child fled from the snake, slinging what looked like some spell or grenades at the serpent. The time for passive observation was over; Augis needed to intervene. Even if the snake looked like it could handle whatever was being thrown at it, and even if this little girl was more capable of taking care of herself than her stature suggested, they couldn't let her run off into an unknown world.

Muttering an incantation to call upon the power of his patron, Augis invoked a spell of levitation on the child, intent on halting her hasty and unnecessary retreat by suspending her a meter in the air. He remained at least somewhat concealed behind the brush, intent on not giving himself away before Lila could explain everything to them.

@Styrgwyr

Chronicles of a Lost War

Aerarius

When the dust cleared, Aerarius was able to perceive several bandits charging in his direction. At that moment, with no more than a few seconds to react, a figurative switch was flipped in the automaton's mind. Aerarius charged ahead, striking down two of the bandits with a wide swing of his sword, splattering blood upon his brass exterior. This provided just enough of an opening for a third bandit to strike the right side of his torso with an axe, but it had little effect on his alloy body beyond leaving a small dent in the plating. Without hesitating, Aerarius swung his sword back at him, cleanly slicing through the bandit's neck before the man had a chance to fully realize his mistake.

Aerarius didn't understand the mechanics of it, but he could swear in these moments he could feel the rush of adrenaline as if he was still a being of flesh and bone. As much as he might scoff at Sylphie for losing herself in her frenzies, he wasn't too different when things got heated, and at this moment, Aerarius the cautious analyst was gone, replaced by Aerarius the brass footsoldier.

The wise and logical choice would be to focus on taking some of them alive, to thoroughly interrogate them on not only their ill-intentioned operations, but on the general state of the world. They seemed to be of little direct threat to beings like himself and Sylphie that he could afford to hold back. Even at this moment, Aerarius recognized this, but in this state of mind, he did not care. As long as these wicked scoundrels continued to fight back, Aerarius would give them battle to the best of his ability.

Champions Have Arrived in the New World: A Problem Children and No Game No Life-Inspired Isekai RP

Star-gazing Warlock

Name: Augis

Age: 24

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Appearance: Unknowable ones from beyond the stars, hear my pact and lend me your power!

Personality:
Augis is a seeker of truths. He wants to know how the universe ticks, and why Nova Terra seems to tick differently. He wishes to gain insight into the unknown, and understand the uncomprehended, but he is not a fool. Augis knows the risks of delving too deeply into things beyond man's ability to perceive, and the dangers that the unknowable beings from beyond can pose, thus believes it is best to take it slowly than risk his mind being destroyed. If anything, his limited knowledge of his patron makes him all the more terrified of such beings, and he dreads the prospect of ever meeting one in person.

His pact with a being from beyond was not solely to sate curiosity, however. He cares deeply about his home, and has watched as more and more were taken from it as others took advantage of Silver Sun's weakness and misfortune. The only hope for the fallen kingdom's survival, he believes, is with the aid of those from beyond Nova Terra. Those beings may be terrifying, incomprehensible to human minds, and unknowable in their intentions, but they are at least far removed from the predatory politics of Nova Terra...he thinks.

In person distrustful of outsiders, especially those native to his world. Silver Sun's neighbors are nothing but opportunistic predators, and those beyond the world are unknown, possibly unknowable, wild cards. At the same time, Augis is aware that having faith in outside help is Silver Sun's only hope for survival

Abilities:
Warlock's Pact:
Augis has struck a deal with a powerful cosmic being and has been granted many powers. His contact with the entity has affected his mind, causing him to be immune to telepathic or psychic attacks from mortal beings, but at the same time it has become attuned to the whispers of his patron- and those of any related or similar beings. He is capable of casting a number of spells that touch the minds of others, such as charm, suggestion, and telepathic sendings. Additionally, his pact has granted Augis a few special powers that do not expend his own mana:

Eldritch Blast- Augis fires a powerful magic beam at his foe. He can optionally choose for the beam to knock its target back.

Disguise Self- Augis casts an illusion upon himself to appear as somebody or something else. It does not alter his voice, however.

Levitate- Augis can suspend someone- or himself- in the air.

Skills:
Eldritch Lore
Both through his own studies and communing with beings from beyond, he has obtained not-inconsiderable knowledge of eldritch matters.

Universal Interpreter
As part of his pact, Augis can read any written text.

Telescope and lens crafting
Augis was taught by his father to craft and maintain telescopes, and knows how to craft all the necessary parts, including the glass lenses. He can produce lenses for other purposes, as long as he knows the needed dimensions.

Astronomer
Augis is learned in the field of astronomy, and the associated mathematics.

Backstory:
Augis was the son of an astronomer who lived in Silver Sun. He was brought up to follow in his father's footsteps of charting the stars and determining the laws that govern the universe. He was taught mathematics, learned how to build and maintain telescopes, and when necessary, navigate using the stars. When he was 17, his father died, but Augis continued to carry on his legacy, observing the cosmos and making calculations. One thing perplexed him, however- he could not make his calculations add up. The laws that more less consistently governed much of what he observed did not seem to apply to Nova Terra. No matter how he tried, he couldn't make the math work out. Finally, he made a breakthrough- he observed something in the night sky that behaved similarly anomalously. He built a more powerful telescope to observe it, hoping that it'd lend insight into his own world. When he observed it, something gazed back at him and sent whispers into his mind.

Terrified, Augis smashed his telescope to pieces and for the next few weeks, he could not even bring himself to look into the night sky. As time passed, curiosity eroded his fear, and he began studying what he had found. He traveled to other communities to learn all he could of what he had made contact with. He traveled from place to place, studying these unknowable beings. As he learned more, the prospect of forming a pact with whatever he saw became more tempting. He was not blind to the plight of his home community, and here he had found something seemingly removed from the vicious politics of this world with no stake in the further debasement of Silver Sun. He built a new telescope and began observing the corner of the cosmos where that...thing resided. Soon enough, it noticed Augis, and with the knowledge he learned, he struck a pact with it for power.

For the next several years, Augis endeavored to develop his newfound powers and deepen the pact in hope of gaining even more power. He served as a mercenary with various communities, and made contact with others who had struck similar bargains. He occasionally got into trouble or associated with the wrong people, and it isn't a coincidence that he has focused on obtaining powers useful for keeping less enlightened folk from skewering him. During this time, he also witnessed firsthand the gruesome consequences of delving too deeply into or associating too closely with the unknowable things beyond the stars, lessons that he has taken to heart. When he felt that his powers had developed sufficiently, he returned home to Silver Sun, now even more diminished than it was when he left, and offered his services in hopes of helping to save it.

Origin: Nova Terra

Champions Have Arrived in the New World: A Problem Children and No Game No Life-Inspired Isekai RP

Here's my completed submission.

Star-gazing Warlock

Name: Augis

Age: 24

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Appearance: Unknowable ones from beyond the stars, hear my pact and lend me your power!

Personality:
Augis is a seeker of truths. He wants to know how the universe ticks, and why Nova Terra seems to tick differently. He wishes to gain insight into the unknown, and understand the uncomprehended, but he is not a fool. Augis knows the risks of delving too deeply into things beyond man's ability to perceive, and the dangers that the unknowable beings from beyond can pose, thus believes it is best to take it slowly than risk his mind being destroyed. If anything, his limited knowledge of his patron makes him all the more terrified of such beings, and he dreads the prospect of ever meeting one in person.

His pact with a being from beyond was not solely to sate curiosity, however. He cares deeply about his home, and has watched as more and more were taken from it as others took advantage of Silver Sun's weakness and misfortune. The only hope for the fallen kingdom's survival, he believes, is with the aid of those from beyond Nova Terra. Those beings may be terrifying, incomprehensible to human minds, and unknowable in their intentions, but they are at least far removed from the predatory politics of Nova Terra...he thinks.

In person distrustful of outsiders, especially those native to his world. Silver Sun's neighbors are nothing but opportunistic predators, and those beyond the world are unknown, possibly unknowable, wild cards. At the same time, Augis is aware that having faith in outside help is Silver Sun's only hope for survival

Abilities:
Warlock's Pact:
Augis has struck a deal with a powerful cosmic being and has been granted many powers. His contact with the entity has affected his mind, causing him to be immune to telepathic or psychic attacks from mortal beings, but at the same time it has become attuned to the whispers of his patron- and those of any related or similar beings. He is capable of casting a number of spells that touch the minds of others, suchas charm, suggestion, and telepathic sendings. Additionally, his pact has granted Augis a few special powers that do not expend his own mana:

Eldritch Blast- Augis fires a powerful magic beam at his foe. He can optionally choose for the beam to knock its target back.

Disguise Self- Augis casts an illusion upon himself to appear as somebody or something else. It does not alter his voice, however.

Levitate- Augis can suspend someone- or himself- in the air.

Skills:
Eldritch Lore
Both through his own studies and communing with beings from beyond, he has obtained not-inconsiderable knowledge of eldritch matters.

Universal Interpreter
As part of his pact, Augis can read any written text.

Telescope and lens crafting
Augis was taught by his father to craft and maintain telescopes, and knows how to craft all the necessary parts, including the glass lenses. He can produce lenses for other purposes, as long as he knows the needed dimensions.

Astronomer
Augis is learned in the field of astronomy, and the associated mathematics.

Backstory:
Augis was the son of an astronomer who lived in Silver Sun. He was brought up to follow in his father's footsteps of charting the stars and determining the laws that govern the universe. He was taught mathematics, learned how to build and maintain telescopes, and when necessary, navigate using the stars. When he was 17, his father died, but Augis continued to carry on his legacy, observing the cosmos and making calculations. One thing perplexed him, however- he could not make his calculations add up. The laws that more less consistently governed much of what he observed did not seem to apply to Nova Terra. No matter how he tried, he couldn't make the math work out. Finally, he made a breakthrough- he observed something in the night sky that behaved similarly anomalously. He built a more powerful telescope to observe it, hoping that it'd lend insight into his own world. When he observed it, something gazed back at him and sent whispers into his mind.

Terrified, Augis smashed his telescope to pieces and for the next few weeks, he could not even bring himself to look into the night sky. As time passed, curiosity eroded his fear, and he began studying what he had found. He traveled to other communities to learn all he could of what he had made contact with. He traveled from place to place, studying these unknowable beings. As he learned more, the prospect of forming a pact with whatever he saw became more tempting. He was not blind to the plight of his home community, and here he had found something seemingly removed from the vicious politics of this world with no stake in the further debasement of Silver Sun. He built a new telescope and began observing the corner of the cosmos where that...thing resided. Soon enough, it noticed Augis, and with the knowledge he learned, he struck a pact with it for power.

For the next several years, Augis endeavored to develop his newfound powers and deepen the pact in hope of gaining even more power. He served as a mercenary with various communities, and made contact with others who had struck similar bargains. He occasionally got into trouble or associated with the wrong people, and it isn't a coincidence that he has focused on obtaining powers useful for keeping less enlightened folk from skewering him. During this time, he also witnessed firsthand the gruesome consequences of delving too deeply into or associating too closely with the unknowable things beyond the stars, lessons that he has taken to heart. When he felt that his powers had developed sufficiently, he returned home to Silver Sun, now even more diminished than it was when he left, and offered his services in hopes of helping to save it.

Origin: Nova Terra

Champions Have Arrived in the New World: A Problem Children and No Game No Life-Inspired Isekai RP

Here's my incomplete submission. Still working on a few things like specific abilities.

Star-gazing Warlock

Name: Augis

Age:

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Appearance: Unknowable ones from beyond the stars, hear my pact and lend me your power!

Personality:
Augis is a seeker of truths. He wants to know how the universe ticks, and why Nova Terra seems to tick differently. He wishes to gain insight into the unknown, and understand the uncomprehended, but he is not a fool. Augis knows the risks of delving too deeply into things beyond man's ability to perceive, and the dangers that the unknowable beings from beyond can pose, thus believes it is best to take it slowly than risk his mind being destroyed. If anything, his limited knowledge of his patron makes him all the more terrified of such beings, and he dreads the prospect of ever meeting one in person.

His pact with a being from beyond was not solely to sate curiosity, however. He cares deeply about his home, and has watched as more and more were taken from it as others took advantage of Silver Sun's weakness and misfortune. The only hope for the fallen kingdom's survival, he believes, is with the aid of those from beyond Nova Terra. Those beings may be terrifying, incomprehensible to human minds, and unknowable in their intentions, but they are at least far removed from the predatory politics of Nova Terra...he thinks.

In person distrustful of outsiders, especially those native to his world. Silver Sun's neighbors are nothing but opportunistic predators, and those beyond the world are unknown, possibly unknowable, wild cards. At the same time, Augis is aware that having faith in outside help is Silver Sun's only hope for survival

Abilities:
Warlock's Pact:
Augis has struck a deal with a powerful cosmic being and has been granted many powers. His contact with the entity has affected his mind, causing him to be immune to telepathic or psychic attacks from mortal beings, but at the same time it has become attuned to the whispers of his patron- and those of any related or similar beings.
(specific abilities are still being worked on)

Skills:
Eldritch Lore
Both through his own studies and communing with beings from beyond, he has obtained not-inconsiderable knowledge of eldritch matters.

Telescope and lens crafting
Augis was taught by his father to craft and maintain telescopes, and knows how to craft all the necessary parts, including the glass lenses. He can produce lenses for other purposes, as long as he knows the needed dimensions.

Astronomer
Augis is learned in the field of astronomy, and the associated mathematics.

Backstory:
Augis was the son of an astronomer who resided in Silver Sun. He was brought up to follow in his father's footsteps of charting the stars and determining the laws that govern the universe. He was taught mathematics, learned how to build and maintain telescopes, and when necessary, navigate using the stars. When he was 17, his father was killed in a challenge, but Augis continued to carry on his legacy, observing the cosmos and making calculations. One thing perplexed him, however- he could not make his calculations add up. The laws that more less consistently governed much of what he observed did not seem to apply to Nova Terra. No matter how he tried, he couldn't make the math work out. Some time later, he made a breakthrough- he observed something in the night sky that behaved similarly anomalously. He built a more powerful telescope to observe it, hoping that it'd lend insight into his own world. When he observed it, something gazed back at him and sent whispers into his mind.

Terrified, Augis smashed his telescope to pieces and for the next few weeks, he could not even bring himself to look into the night sky. As time passed, curiosity eroded his fear, and he began studying what he had found. He traveled to other communities to learn all he could of what he had made contact with. He traveled from place to place, studying these unknowable beings. As he learned more, the prospect of forming a pact with whatever he saw became more tempting. He was not blind to the plight of his home community, and here he had found something seemingly removed from the vicious politics of this world with no stake in the further debasement of Silver Sun. He built a new telescope and began observing the corner of the cosmos where that...thing resided. Soon enough, it noticed Augis, and with the knowledge he learned, he struck a pact with it for power.

For the next several years, Augis endeavored to develop his newfound powers and deepen the pact in hope of gaining even more power. He served as a mercenary with various communities, and made contact with others who had struck similar bargains. He witnessed firsthand the gruesome consequences of delving too deeply into or associating too closely with the unknowable things beyond the stars. When he felt that his powers had developed sufficiently, he returned home to Silver Sun, now even more diminished than it was when he left, and offered his services.

Origin: Nova Terra

Chronicles of a Lost War

Aerarius

I can't say I'm surprised. Sylphie was never one for subtlety, Aerarius thought as he silently assessed the situation. There didn't seem to be any traps ahead, and the bandits were already alerted, so he saw no point in trying to preserve the element of surprise. Lastly and most importantly, he knew he wouldn't learn much by sitting back here while Sylphie and Izel did all the work.

"If you don't mind, Byron, I'm going to assist them," he spoke to the beastman. Immediately after voicing his intentions, he dashed up the hill after the others. A small, metallic dome shaped shield unfolded around his left arm. His right arm gripped the sword resting in a rigid sheath on his waist, drawing it from its resting place.

His seeming enthusiasm to join the fray wasn't to shed blood or amuse himself. No, Aerarius' goal was to gather information and knowledge. The fighting style employed by the bandits, the architecture of their camp, the armor and weaponry they used, all of these were things he wished to know and understand. It wasn't an option to stay behind, because if Aerarius did so, Sylphie would kill all of the bandits and Izel might turn the camp into a smoldering crater before he had a chance to observe, study, and perhaps capture someone to interrogate.

The two of them had already dispatched the bandits in their way, so he would need to head further up. The automaton rushed past Sylphie and Izel, bashing a bandit with his shield along the way, and slowed to a stop at the breach where Izel's fireball struck. Shrouded by the smoke and dust of the explosion, but also unable to see what lay beyond, he slowly walked forward out of the smoke, no longer afraid of anything the bandits could possibly throw at him (or, for that matter, whatever his more reckless allies might throw from behind him) and ready to reintroduce the might of the Brass Legion to the world.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Fleuri kept his distance from the prisoners during the return trip, instead riding closely to the rescued captives. His armor was He didn't like looking at the broken expressions and defeated postures of soon to be executed brigands. The knight instead preferred to focus his attention on the people that had been rescued, a deed that not only felt more spiritually fulfilling, but also helped lend meaning and justification to their grim task of ferrying the bandits to their eventual executions. Just as Reon and Mayon were inseparably connected, the Reonite duty of bringing justice to the guilty was interwoven with the Mayonite duty of protecting and aiding the innocent.

Even in our darkest duties, it is comforting to look upon the real reasons we fight, to know that we make a difference to the people of Thaln...

From beneath his helmet, Fleuri glanced at the child that he and Dame Verenna had rescued, still wrapped in the Reonite knight's white cape. He had no intention of asking for it back, letting the boy keep it was the least he could do. Perhaps it might even inspire the child to aspire join the Iron Roses someday, he thought.

There was one other matter on his mind- the death of Sir Rickart. While the death of one knight may seem minor especially compared to the number of brigands they had slain in turn, the loss of any Iron Rose was always a tragic affair to the Order. This was a dangerous line of work and it was expected that knights would perish from time to time, but such assurances provided little comfort. Fleuri wondered how Fanilly would handle it. To his knowledge, was the first death under Fanilly's command, and no matter how adept a commander she may prove herself to be, it would not likely be her last. He didn't envy the burden that her station as Commander carried.

The knights made their way through the capital city of Aimlenn like a grim parade consisting of blood-stained knights, wounded and rescued men and women, and carts of doomed criminals. While Fleuri was no longer the glory hound he once was, the awe and approval of the common folk was a welcome relief to him. It was an even greater relief when the prisoners were handed over, their fates now out of the Iron Roses' hands.

When the knights returned to Candaeln, there were a number of things Fleuri needed to do. He would need to remove his armor and get the bloodstains washed out. He also needed to thoroughly inspect his arms and armor for damage sustained during the battle. Lastly, he needed to get some rest. The first thing Fleuri did, however, was walk along the hall looking upon the weapons and portraits of past knights. I wonder if Sir Rickart will be honored here, he wondered. His gaze eventually came to a specific portrait, a painting of his ancestor Armand Jodeau, the first of the family to dedicate himself to Reon, and supposedly one of the first Reonites to join the Iron Roses. There was no display case for his armaments, for they had not been seen since the day he ventured out on by himself on a quest that he never returned from. The Jodeau family had at times sought to find out what happened to Armand and even constructed a place of honor in the family crypt in hopes of someday properly interring his mortal remains, but they lacked the wealth to fund a thorough search, and to this day no Jodeau knight had managed to pick up his trail.

I know I've made some bad mistakes, but wherever you are, I hope I have managed to live up to your example.

Down the hallway, Dame Radistirin, the First and Youngest, was standing in front of Elionne's legendary sword, speaking to it as if she was conversing with the Starlight Saint herself. Fleuri could not discern what she was saying, but he had no desire to butt in. Even further down the hallway, he could see two of the other knights speaking to a visitor. Unwilling to approach the new arrival in his blood-stained armor, he headed to his quarters to clean himself up.

Chronicles of a Lost War

Aerarius

As the rest of the group hurried off, Aerarius knew little of what was going on except the rest of the group had elected to deal with a banditry problem. Most likely Sylphie had gotten a whiff of evil and needed to break her 300 year dry spell. Aerarius tagged along wordlessly. Despite her seeming bloodlust and the concerns of other members of the party, the demigoddess' moral compass had always seemed properly calibrated. Aerarius himself had not been given any context to these bandits' ill deeds, but he trusted Sylphie enough to go along with it.

He followed the group through the woods until they came upon a guarded and fortified trail, clearly the approach to the aforementioned bandits' hideout. Byron asked whether they should just rush in, or try the subtle approach.

"I'd be wary about this path," Aerarius chimed in. It's clearly guarded, and it's the perfect place to rig up a manually activated rockslide trap. If you'd allow me to take point through the woods, I'm fairly certain I can withstand any traps they may have set up in there." He wasn't invulnerable, as the tragic fates of the rest of the Brass Legion had shown, but his metal body should be able to withstand any swinging log or pit traps that the bandits could conceivably have set up in the woods.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

The battle was over. The sight of the captain presenting Jeremiah's severed head broke the morale of the remaining bandits, and their will to fight evaporated. Fleuri removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his face, relieved that the battle was over. There was no time to waste, however, for there was still much to do, from preparing the prisoners for transport, to rescuing the captives, to tending to their wounded. Fortunately, while the battle was littered with dead bandits, Fleuri was not seeing any knights among the fallen.

For the first few minutes, Fleuri helped to bind the bandits still in the camp. He didn't like looking at their faces, knowing what fate awaited them. No doubt they were murderers and plunderers who killed and kidnapped innocents, and it was Reon's will that justice be meted out to these evildoers, but he took no pleasure in looking upon the faces of doomed, broken men and women. It never was a problem when fighting necromancers and their mindless undead thralls. Zombies and skeletons didn't surrender, they didn't show fear or pain, and killing them was objectively an act of mercy. As for the necromancers pulling the strings, it was never an option to take them alive- they were simply too dangerous, and their crimes too heinous in Reon's eyes. Perhaps it was for the best that he remain a little compassion for the undeserving, rather than risk becoming too callous to summon compassion for those that do deserve it. And perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that he had not been directly involved in the War of the Red Banner, killing nobles and soldiers for choosing the wrong side in a civil war.

While tying the hands of one of the bandits, Fleuri overheard a commotion coming from one of the tents. While he finished binding the raider, another knights- specifically, Dame Verenna (as a Naga, there was no mistaking her for anyone else)- slithered inside to handle it. From the sound of it, they were having some trouble with one of the captives. After Mari sent the two other knights away to bring provisions, Fleuri made his way to the tent in hopes of helping out.

"You said you need a blanket, Dame Verenna?" Fleuri asked as he put down his sword and helmet, then unclasped and removed his white cape, which had remarkably remained unstained throughout the battle. "Here, will this do?"

@FlappyTheSpybot

War Never Changes

High Inquisitor Tektus- The Vessel

Tektus sat in his throne in the control room of the Vessel, meditating on Atom as the submarine sailed north. The interior of the submarine was a strange mixture of the somber atmosphere of a holy site of Atom and a functioning nuclear-powered naval vessel. Skulls and bottles filled with radioluminescent substances sat on instrument and control panels, their soft, constant glow a strong contrast to the constantly shifting colors emanating from the buttons, screens, and lights on the panels. The red glow of the submarine's own lights were drowned out by the yellow radioluminescence of the dangling flasks that served to illuminate much of the room. Robed Children of Atom sat at the stations, operating the Vessel with a surprising level of precision and care. Getting the submarine operational had been one of Tektus' pet projects, although until they had retaken the Capital Wasteland from the Cult, they lacked the technical knowledge to utilize it to its full potential beyond its role as a bringer of Division via ballistic missiles. It was only through a thorough scavenging of the nearby Air Force and Navy installations and cooperation with the scientifically-minded folks in Rivet City that they had gained the understanding of the Vessel necessary to make use of most of its systems.

There was much to ponder on. The Brotherhood of Steel had returned to the Capital Wasteland. A campaign had been hatched to jointly invade Point Lookout with the Free Commonwealth. It would be a costly battle, but it was essential that they cleanse the region of the Cult's foul influence. The matter of the Brotherhood of Steel was another story. They were entrenched in the Enclave's old bunker, built specifically to withstand the power of Atom. It was unclear how much of a threat they posed to the faith in the Capital wasteland, but they would need to be watched closely.

Tektus looked forward to reaching the Island. While it was his duties that took him in that direction, it was also a much-needed pilgrimage for the spiritually taxed High Inquisitor. The last report stated that things were quiet on the Island, with no further tensions with Arcadia and Far Harbor. The most prominent issue was the ever-present danger for pilgrims sailing to and from the island, a matter that may keep Tektus in the region for a while.

"High Inquisitor, we have a bit of a situation," spoke one of the crewmen, interrupting Tektus' meditation. "Our sonar is picking up something in the north."

"What do you mean by "something"?" Tektus asked, rising from his chair and walking over to the sonar screen. "What are we looking at?"

"This is indicating a great deal of noise in the water to the north, a lot more than a single boat," the crewmember explained, gesturing to the screen. Tektus nodded, not completely sure what he was looking at but satisfied with the operator's explanation. "Should we adjust course?"

"Not yet, child," Tektus commanded. "Helmsman, bring us to periscope depth. Our duty is to make this route safe for pilgrims, and if these ships are a threat to our flock, we must find out." There were several factions that could conceivably put together a fleet of ships, and Tektus needed to find out who and what they were dealing with.

For the next few tense minutes, the submarine drew closer to the surface, as the sonar signatures drew closer. The control room was silent except for the sounds of the submarine. The normally patient High Inquisitor grew anxious. Atom, grant me clarity, so that I may see the threats to your faith, he silently uttered in prayer. Finally, the Helmsman broke the silence.

"High Inquisitor, we are at periscope depth, and the periscope has been extended." Finally, Tektus thought, as he approached the periscope and peered into it, eager to see what they were dealing with.

Any relief that he felt quickly faded as he began to discern the approaching ships. A veritable fleet of boats was heading south. These were not simple fishing vessels, but ramshackle warships. No, they were more than that. The ships looked more like derelicts and wrecks than seaworthy vessels, yet sailed in seeming defiance of their ruined state. Yet Tektus could only discern a few at the front- more lay behind, but a radiation fog blanketed much of the fleet, concealing them from the periscope's view.

Not a lot of things fazed Tektus- he had seen many terrible things in the faith's war to drive the Cult from the Capital Wasteland, and even more horrors in his duties to root out its lingering, hidden presence- but this brought pause to him. These weren't simple pirates or sea raiders, these looked to be something out of old mariners' tales- a fleet of ghost ships, following the fog wherever it blew. Or was it the fog that was following them?

"Retract the periscope, and dive and continue our course," Tektus ordered as the ships sailed closer. "Our brothers and sisters at the Island must be informed of this threat. If the Island has already been threatened, then we must hear them."

"What did you see, High Inquisitor?" one of the crewmembers asked. "What is this threat?"

"Superficially, a pirate fleet," Tektus answered. At its core, something that should not exist in this world."