Mataus

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Above ground going below ground
Traveller was surprised at how fast the stranger, Sciaac, bounced back up after the undead warriors had been briefly cleared. If that wasn't surprising, however, an appendage from Sciaac tore an incoming undead warrior to pieces. Traveller's eyes went to Sciaac, and he gave a small nod of respect to Sciaac before following after the fellow warrior. After a few more undead fell, Traveller was in the clearing created by Fionn, the last remaining individual above ground. "Fionn, we're all clear!" He called out before entering the staircase himself.

Traveller paused at the bottom at the stairwell, where he swore he saw a bunch of glowing green emeralds. Ivas' reaction spoke differently though. It seemed as if a trap went off, causing more undead to rise. Except, Traveller could see now, these enemies were different. They appeared to be a sturdier foe. Once again, Traveller raised his sword, although this time he raised it with fatigue setting in.

Persistent World

Put EH lower down on the site and call it a day.

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Above Ground

Traveller cut down another skeleton before he backpedaled towards the underground chamber doorway to catch a respite from fighting. His arms were starting to feel heavy and he felt his endurance waning from the effort of keeping his shield up while also swinging his large sword. It was in the moment of rest that he heard one, no, two others fighting. "Fionn, Zharak!" He yelled, "there are two others fighting inside the horde!" They probably already knew but were too busy fighting to do anything about it at the moment. Zharak was getting his well earned vengeance and Fionn was gunning down the undead horde with waves of light. Both were doing an applaudable job at holding the undead back.

Traveller took a deep breath, then charged forward. He dashed through whatever gaps he could find in the horde and destroyed any corpses that got in the way with his sword. His shield flared as the army of corpses hammered him with rotting limbs, but for now he would hold. Traveller didn't exactly know how good of a fighter Sciaac was, just that individual had managed to stay alive this long. Luckily Sciaac was already near the entrance to the underground chamber, so getting back wouldn't be an issue, especially with Sciaac's firepower. Within moments of leaving, he had reached Sciaac. "Let's go!" He yelled before turning and cutting down some approaching skeletons.

Admiral Forge

Preston Forge

Name: Preston Forge
Title: Rear Admiral Forge officially, Admiral Forge unofficially.

Influence: 5 (Global); Admiral Forge has control over four UFP destroyers: UFPS Stalwart, UFPS Gryphin, UFPS Savannah, and the UFPS Gorden. He commands his small fleet from a carrier designated UFPS Fortitude.

Group(s): United Federation of Planets

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190
Age: 42
Race/Species: Human
Appearance: Lightly tanned causation with crew cut brown hair and blue eyes. He has a rough face which is handsome in its own way. He also sports a stubble beard. Forge is leanly muscled and holds a respectable physique.
Personality: Forge is a calm, collected man. If the sailors under him were asked how they viewed Forge, they'd probably say that he is a solid man who they could trust in combat. He has a steady morale compass; he isn't the type of man the UFP would turn to if they wanted to secretly commit war crimes. He is also loyal. He's not the type to betray the values he believes in or the people he vowed to protect.

Abilities:

( 3 ) Forge's solid ability to lead has led him to become an Admiral in a powerful world spanning nations.

Items:

( Collective influence of 5 )

• Stalwart class destroyer: A destroyer 300 meters in length, 40 meters in height and 80 meters in width. It features several dual railgun stations which fire 250 mm slugs. For defense, the ship has several 35 mm AI controlled autocannons and the Phalanx Missile Defense System (PMDS) which tracks and explodes incoming projectiles. It also hosts two marine platoons of 40. One meter of composite armor.
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• Fortitude class carrier: A carrier of 900 meters in length, 225 meters in height and 300 meters in width. The ship lacks firepower, instead, it carries two battalions of 450 marines. It also carries 120 F-45s. For defense and it has a dozen 35 mm AI controlled autocannons as well as the PMDS. Two meters of composite armor.
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• F-45: A starfighter 15 m in length, 9 m in wingspan and 5 m in height. It has a 40 mm gatling gun in the front and carries up to 8 cobra air-to-air missiles and/or viper air-to-ground missiles in an internal bay. 100 mm of composite armor.
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Background: Growing up on Fixion Prime under parents enlisted in the UFP military, Forge was involved with the UFP in the very beginning. He grew up in a decent neighborhood with other UFP families. He went to school at a UFP academy where he was the captain of the soccer team for several years. As soon as he reached the age of 18 he began school at the UFP Naval Academy. After quickly moving through the academy, he was assigned the rank of lieutenant and stationed on a destroyer at the gage of 21. After a series of clashes with hostile starships, at the age of 25, Forge moved up to take the seat of the captain, who was going to resign that same year. After being a captain for 12 years he was promoted to a Rear Admiral.

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Having been the second person to head down the stairs, Traveller had been able to look, with difficulty in the dim light, over a small section of the carvings etched into the walls. None of the books on the Rzailian empire could compare to the amount of knowledge he found before him. A university or a library would kill for a copy of these walls. In fact, the temple he was raised at would love to add this story to their archive. But for now the story would remain lost to the ages, as those who could record it were surrounded by an army of the dead. His gaze swept over the carvings and the recesses to the door. As Traveller approached the door, he knew he was out of luck. Locks were not his specialty. An ordinary door he could beat down... but not this. It was better left to the others in their group... assuming they could open it themselves.

Traveller turned from the door and went straight back to the doorway, where he could feel Fionn unleashing his arcane armament. On the way up he passed several of the adventures he had met earlier as well as some newcomers. He would have to speak with them later. There was definitely a diverse gathering of heroes; it wasn't a normal Ecetopia group that may form to stop the local bandits. He pondered on the way evil could draw good, like how magic attracted mages. It was a good thing, otherwise the universe would conquered by evil. Reaching the top of the staircases, and without further ado, Traveller released his large sword from its magical bindings on his back, then finally joined Fionn at the entrance. Fionn wasn't the only one up there holding the undead back, there was a dwarf swinging away.

Sword in hand and his arcane shield protecting him, Traveller went into the fray. His sword moved in a blur, cutting through entire bodies and shattering bone where the sword's edge didn't make clean contact. Every time he brought an undead warrior down he would 'blink' to the next nearby one, making him a blur as well. His shield flared here and there when hands swatted at him, but the undead here used numbers to kill enemies... not speed. Not yet at least. That was also a problem. One by one the bodies in varying states of decay went down, but to win any battle here Traveller would have to be killing droves with every swing of his sword. The best he could do was help keep the entrance somewhat clear for the others. At the same time the constant use of magic would tire him out. They would have to close the entrance to the city soon.

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Hearing Fionn mumble and following his gaze, Traveller spotted the newcomers as well. However, he barely had time to study the figures in the distance, not that he would have been able identify them at that distance anyway, before the wind picked up. Then, like Fionn, his head turned to see the building surge of energy at the obelisk.

After the gathering energy was released in a terrifying wave of necromantic energies, Traveller adjusted his stance to something more suitable for the situation, then he stood still in the eerie quiet for a moment, waiting for the inevitable to happen. Sure enough, a hand thrust through the sand near them. Then another and another. Soon enough, there was the beginnings of an army rising from their sandy graves. Fionn yelled to get moving and Traveller did just that. Voph, after what appeared to be a brief hesitation to stay, had already descended and had announced that it was clear, for now. Traveller took a look over his shoulder at the approaching undead before descending as well.

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Traveller caught the gaze of Rosa for a moment as she scanned everyone. It appeared that she was sizing everyone up, figuring out who was capable. He had made his assessments of the others earlier on and still stuck by them. Their group was capable, especially if they on their way to kill a bandit gang opposed to a Lich and its army. They also possessed many different types of weapons: Rosa and Voph carried guns among a few sidearms; Nakreyya had an assortment of daggers; Fionn was a user of the arcane arts as was Traveller, although his spells were still unknown; Grug had an abomination on his arm, the abilities of which were unknown as well. Traveller assumed that at least one of them would hold the weakness of the Lich.

While Traveller did not think that the others could discern what he was thinking, Rosa and Voph's topic of an ego made him wonder. He had been certain about the destruction of the Lich. The thought was one born in overconfidence in himself and the strangers he had just met. He started to realize that he would have to give the Lich more credit. Furthermore, Voph's statement about overconfidence made the choice for Traveller; he would have to cool off a little. "Yes, both of you are correct. If this Lich has an ego then we should exploit it. However, in the process we should also stop to examine ourselves. We need to be precise and calculating in our movements. We cannot afford to make any mistakes out of ego or revenge if any of you seek it." His comment not being directed to anyone in particular, just the group as a whole.

The brief statement distracted Traveller from the plagued magic, but with the distraction gone he once more felt sickened He raised a finger, drawing a rune in the air. It was a simple, nearly translucent, dark blue circle. Once faded, a dark blue shield surrounded Traveller before going translucent. With that, Traveller felt the magic nexus retreat. "This place is corrupted beyond anything I have ever seen..."

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

The transition of the terrain they marched on did not go unnoticed by Traveller. The sand became bone, aged half a millennium, split into many slivers. The air seemed almost toxic. The sounds of the wind as it tore through the land brought even more dread to the land. But alas, the monolith, standing above the land around it, came into view. His eyes tracked a raveina obscura as it parted from its murder, only to watch them, its entire existence hating the travelers. This land, Rzail, was a curse to Ecetopia. A cancer. A mark that unbalanced the entire world.

They were there to stop it. The Kindred. Voph. Rosa. Even the caravan would contribute. So many different individuals had come to halt the evil arising in Rzail. Then Traveller's eyes locked onto a tent near the monolith. They weren't the first to reach monolith of Rzail after so long and the man wasn't entirely sure they would be the last. The magic here sickened him more than the air ever could. It wasn't the strength of the magic that sickened him exactly. It was how corrupted, how evil, how unbalanced the magic was. Traveller closed his eyes a moment, taking a steading breath.

Once his eyes opened he noticed another detail which left him uneasy; there was a large arm protruding from the sand of bone. In its arm rested a stone tablet which probably held the the famous words seen in every old book about the Rzail conflict. Before Traveller could recall the stanza from his memory, a cry broke through the dreadful sound of the wind. The bird's harrowing gesture to the cairn could not, would not be missed. "Come then, Karnorouri, you have disturbed the balance of life and will now pay." Traveller thought, his head turning to survey his companions who would help him defeat the Lich. "And the harbingers have arrived."

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Hearing Voph's question about food, Traveller decided to answer: "I don't see anything we may eat in our surrounding environment, but I do see a caravan that might supply us if our luck would have it." Traveller himself wasn't too low on food, but he wanted to have a good cache of food in case he was injured and couldn't use his summoning magic.

Rosa's mention of how the three of them would fall before the Lich made him think. It was a disturbing thought. A truth that would shake any seasoned adventure. They were dealing with a powerful entity, one that would shake the balance of the world.

With Traveller's attention on the conversation between Rosa and Voph, and what he planned to say to the caravan, Traveller missed the entire group heading their way. "Pay attention, damnit," he said under his breath. He stopped walking, turning toward the new group. He thought about whether or not it would harm Traveller, Voph, and Rosa if he gave up their purpose. He decided that the newcomers shared their purpose. "Greetings, we seek to stop the Lich, or so these two with me have said." He paused for a moment, eyes moving between each one of the newcomers. "I assume you seek the same path?"

The other group seemed to be of power. They also appeared to know each other. An organization, perhaps? "With what group are you aligned?" Traveller asked, giving in to his curiosity.

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Traveller looked at Rosa for a moment, his gaze expressionless. "I assumed that you would not aide me when you said it was an issue for me. I see that is not the case. Thank you." With her help Traveller decided he might actually leave the caravan with supplies, although with the way Rosa was moving, he wouldn't have time to hear about the way of life for desert caravans. Rosa was right about stalling, though. He could feel the power of the Lich. It was like a dam was breaking. . . the dam would only crumble more as time went on, further letting out more of the Lich's power.

Voph's straightforward logic was appreciated. What he said sounded solid and he said it in a confident way. Confidence meant a lot in a person as long as they knew some bounds.

Traveller's green eyes shifted to Voph as Rosa addressed him. Rosa was definitely laying it down for Voph. She seemed to be a very cautious person, a person who stood out from the average sword-swinging hero. It made Traveller wondered if she attained those scars from the mistakes of others. Of course, the caution could also be a case of having a strong sense of survival.

He motioned to the caravan, "alright, let's go." With that, he started walking toward the desert caravan.