EliteCommander

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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The camp was being packed up as J’eon approached Kareet. Most of Nellara’s soldiers were going to join up with the reinforcements Kvarr had brought at their camp nearby, somewhat farther from the Jotunheim. They were going to be taking a single boat back to Arcaeda which could only hold so many people, though it was not as if they needed a large escort. The Ascendancy’s riverways were safe and frequently patrolled, as they were the lifeblood of trade that connected nearly every one of their major settlements. The General, meanwhile, intended to remain in the area, at least until they had negotiated a more comprehensive deal with the Warden.

“I just want to invite you to give your account to the Sages. Despite everything else that has happened, that event has not left my mind. The creature was strange…like something that shouldn’t exist. It may not be as important, but it is still worth making records of.” Kareet answered J’eon, giving a quick glance towards the Jotunheim. “Besides, if you really want to fulfill orders for the Humans, you will be able to access actual, proper tools in Arcaeda.”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

“I just…” Kaleeth began, though there was a rather long pause from her. “I realize that things will never be the same. I’ll never be myself again. I’ll always be broken like this. We’ll never have Meesei, and so many others who didn’t come back.”

She shook her head, sighing softly at the thoughts that were pouring through her own mind. “We won, but Vile still took all of that from us. From me. We deserved to be able to be happy. We didn’t provoke him, didn’t do anything, he just…took from us. I’m never going to be able to go run, or hunt, or…well I guess I can still swim, but I won’t be able to live like I want to anymore.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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The moment Zey had returned, the General’s focus had shifted solely back to her. He hardly had to guess to know what to expect from Esedel; the Humans were more of his concern. Still, their requests were not unexpected considering what he already knew. He did quietly question why it was that they apparently made clothing that was particularly prone to being inflamed, but it was an easy enough request to fulfill. They would have to be made custom for the shape of the Humans, given that there were no other people on Kanth-Aremek of similar size who also wore them, but it seemed that Silbermine already had a head-start in that regard. Lightning mages, though, were something that he may have already been equipped to handle.

“Depending upon your needs, the forces accompanying me may be sufficient to supply lightning. Lightning mages are a part of our mage regiments.” Kvarr proposed. It was undeniable that the Ascendancy was a smaller nation than Mythadia. Their neighbor to the northwest could field greater forces in every respect, but the Ascendancy was centralized, and much more organized. Mythadia had to rely on the cooperation of local lords, most of whom organized themselves differently from one another. The Ascendancy’s military organization was standardized across their territory, so Kvarr had only to identify himself in Lenkik to take command of their local forces.

“As for land…I do not think it necessary to seek it out anywhere else. I think it is quite obvious that you would not wish to leave this ship of yours behind, under any circumstance. I think it is fair to say that your home in this world is wherever the…Jotunheim happens to be. I understand this, and I think it is fair to grant you a slice of this land where you have crashed, until such a time as you wish to cede it. The Archmagister would be honored to invite you to Arcaeda to discuss and formalize this agreement with her in person.” Kvarr added.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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Kvarr hummed, glancing aside slightly in the direction of Shirik. “If I am being honest, I’ve had little time to familiarize myself with the civilians who have accompanied the Castigator in her camp. Obviously, the Iriad is an outsider to the Ascendancy. I…cannot help but to feel that there is something familiar about them, though. I may have read a tale or two about a being that would fit their description. Unfortunately, I haven’t spent too much time reading stories these last few decades, so I can’t say I remember them. They are certainly unique; I am curious how they can live imbued with flame.”

There was not too much time for Kvarr nor Esedel to speculate. Those who had gone off after the Life mage soon returned, accompanied by the mage himself. Evidently, his malaise had been dealt with, and the Humans’ leader made it clear that she was ready to get to the meat of these negotiations.

“Of course.” Kvarr answered Zey. “I am quite familiar with my counterpart here, and those she represents, but I am most curious to hear what your people would want.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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Provided the most direct explanation was the correct one, and there was no further deception afoot, the notion of one or more Kriliterans still being alive was a significant discovery that would make for a notable report back to the Order of Sages.

And it was only the fourth one this week.

Still, there was something to be learned here. Some of Kerchack’s, or rather “Kolvar’s”, general awkwardness made more sense now. The arrival of the Humans was still a far more valuable subject for her to investigate, and even had the potential for her to produce an entire encyclopedia. Any substantial, detailed investigation into the Kriliterans would have to wait until she had learned what she needed from the Humans. Which, of course, made his apparent intention to kill himself all the more inconvenient. His corpse would tell her much less than he could.

“Hmm, what purpose would this death serve, Kolvar?” Kareet asked. “Thusfar, you have not encountered any representative nor servant of a S’toric state. The Warden, this Thought mage, General Kvarr, all are in service of Mythadia or the Ascendancy, respectively. Slavery is a forbidden practice in both nations.”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Kaleeth looked off to the side in silence for a few moments after Janius sat down beside her. It felt like she stayed trapped in her own thoughts until the silence was just awkward enough that she had to answer. “Sometimes, it feels like everything isn’t even real. This war has just been going on for so long…it’s hard to think of it actually being over.” She answered. That, in itself, was not an uncommon sentiment around the clan, but there was still something more that was clearly bothering her.

Eventually, Kaleeth leaned over towards Janius, though she was still staring off blankly ahead of her. “Sometimes, I think I’m just going to wake up one day and everything will be like it was. Meesei will still be here…I won’t be hurt. And sometimes, I wish it were all true, no matter how selfish all of that is.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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“This Castigator is a bright one, I would say.” General Kvarr answered. “Besides, despite how others may see us, rank and order still rule in the Ascendancy. She would not defy the wishes of the Archmagister.”

Kvarr gave a glance off towards the woods, in the direction the intoxicated Life mage had stumbled off to. “I know what to expect from you, and you know what to expect from me. We are prepared to deal fairly with Mythadia. The greatest uncertainty we have is with our new visitors. Once their leader returns, I believe we should get down to business. As nice as these festivities are, I think there are some questions we should not leave unanswered for too much longer.”

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Kareet of Arcaeda

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While speaking with Vigdis, Kareet went silent for a few moments. After finding Niftari in the index and searching back through the book to the relevant section, her gaze focused down on the text. It was in a section on S’toric history, of all things, though the deity was not one that pertained to the S’tor. Rather, it was associated with a people they had conflicted with ages ago. Kareet had an answer, it seemed, but it was one that created far more questions for her to investigate.

“Why would he invoke the name of a Kriliteran god…” Kareet said aloud, though she was mostly speaking to herself. With this new, and fairly intriguing, revelation, her focus in the moment was shifted. She simply could not let a good mystery lie without attempting to address it, and more than that, she had information that might be relevant to the others.

“I…must go, must…see what is happening.” Kareet spoke up, clearly half-distracted in her own thoughts. She kept her thumb on the proper page, then closed the book and stood up to rush off after Kerchak and the others.

Kareet came upon the scene just after Kolvar explained himself to the others. For a brief moment, she took note of the unusual appearance he had taken on. Off the top of her head, it was nothing she recognized, but she did her best to memorize every detail she could see. Regardless, it only made for a short delay before she started to bring up her findings. “Why is it that you told one of the Humans of your reverence for a Kriliteran deity, Kerchak?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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General Kvarr ripped off a piece of meat about comparable to the size of a small cooked chicken, swallowing it all whole. Outwardly, he was seeming quite relaxed. He leaned forward on the table, bringing him a bit closer to Esedel so he could speak more softly. “I thought we might be of the same mind. The arrival of these Humans…who knows how our kin up north will respond? It would not suit us to become so distracted with each other that we lose sight of the real threats.”

Kvarr shifted his gaze slightly in the direction of the Jotunheim. “They do not have any more than a village’s worth of people here. And a small one, at that. Yet, I can’t help but to wonder, if they could arrive here, could not others? I think it would be wise for both of us to get to know them well. It may also be wise to ask them if they want a wall or two.”

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Kareet of Arcaeda

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Kareet was rather absorbed in the book she was reading when Vigdis found her, and was rather reluctant to pull her eyes from it even after being questioned. She had an interesting question before her, and she believed the answer was close within her reach. In that situation, she simply could not bring herself to avoid trying to answer it. She did not ignore Vigdis, but she was half looking to the Human, and half to the book in her hands.

“Hmm? Oh yes these…um…events.” She turned another page. “It is a nice show of courtesy. Respect. Something of that nature. For setting the tone of negotiations, I believe.”

For a short while, it was not certain if Kareet had even registered Vigdis’ second question. She was continuing to scan the pages in front of her, though she did speak up before Vigdis could. “Are you asking about entertainment? I know there are an abundance of options in Arcaeda. Sports, theater, art, music, tournaments, competitions, many bearing influences from most cultures across Kanth-Aremek. The Ascendancy’s culture was built up from a collection of all the people that formed it. Tekeri culture before the Ascendancy was…primitive. Small, scattered tribes in the mountains. They hunted, had some limited farming, and mostly just lived in their superstitions with little ambition to grow. Worthless." She muttered, with no small amount of scorn in her tone. “Through much of its early history, the Ascendancy grew from the immigration of the outsiders Archmagister Vyana sought to attract to her nation.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr and Kareet of Arcaeda

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Kvarr, on his part, did not see the need to send anyone further after the Life mage. An intoxicated party guest hardly seemed like a concern worthy of more than a few concerned companions. Of course, he understood quite well Esedel’s intentions, but his lively, friendly exterior remained unchanged. His only break from the conversation was to grab another beer.

After a moment, Kvarr leaned forward onto the improvised table and tilted his head towards the Warden. “It is always good to catch up with you, sister, though I imagine you won’t be able to stay away from your Kerak for too long. Our kin from the North are never so kind as to give us time for a break, are they?” Briefly, a more serious and concerned expression flashed across Kvarr’s face, though it was quick to return to normal. “I think it benefits us both to get this all situated sooner, rather than later.”

Kareet, meanwhile, ended up finding her thoughts quickly distracted, despite her best efforts. The peculiarities surrounding Kerchak were all just building on one another. The way he acted, it felt obvious that he was not originally a Tekeri. His accent coupled with his behavior made that much clear. Of course, neither she nor many others in the Ascendancy would particularly care about that. The law gave no special privileges to Tekeri visitors or citizens, so a Life mage who preferred their form would find no obstacles. Yet, the question of exactly what he was still nagging at the back of her mind. The god he had mentioned, Niftari, was not one she was familiar with, yet she was sure she had heard of it before. She just could not quite place where it was from, and she knew well that it was going to bother her to an unreasonable degree until she could remember. Without a word, aside from occasional muttering to herself, she got up from the table to go grab her bag and see if she could find some relevant reference material among her books.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr and Kareet of Arcaeda

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Overall, many of the natives were perhaps surprisingly calm at seeing the transformed Kerchek stumble away, at least from the perspective of the Humans. Kvarr was watching with mild curiosity before Zey called for his attention. “That was the Life mage who called himself Kerchek. I can only guess that he tried to make a transformation that did not go as he intended. I did notice he was a few drinks in; perhaps he underestimated their strength? You see, any magic requires precision of mind and body, and drunkenness impairs both. A Life mage does not require effort to maintain a transformation, so I imagine he tried to make some transformation that went awry.”

There was a short pause from Kvarr. He may have had little cause for alarm, but there was a detail that had his curiosity. He glanced off towards the bushes, though Kerchek was already out of sight. “I do not at all recognize what it is he became, though. In all my centuries, I have personally met with every sort of person who calls Kanth-Aremek home, but that was nothing I have seen before. As in, it does not even resemble anything I know of. It could have been a form he created entirely on his own, but he would need to be quite an advanced Life mage to accomplish that.”

Kareet, nearby, had naturally seen Kerchek as well, though even with all of her studies, she struggled to place what she had seen him become. Add on the fact that he had mentioned some strange god she had never heard of, and she found herself wondering exactly where it was he had come from. She would have to do some research if she wanted to find some lead that could place her on the right track.

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Wodan

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The expedition that the Jotunheim, and by extension Wodan, had been slated to undertake had not anticipated encounters with alien life. Yet, the existence of the Yenge had made it a non-zero possibility. Wodan’s creators, in his training data set, had included provisions for that possibility. He had certain base guidelines for how to approach new forms of life, though as always, he could only provide advice for the Human crew members who would be having contact with the locals. His role did not give him the authority to provide orders to them.

“It is my duty to warn you of potential emotional biases in your observations of the locals. You may be inaccurately anthropomorphizing the local populations. They clearly possess the necessary degree of intelligence to be considered sapient, but their natural instincts and brain chemistry may lead them to respond differently to the same stimuli, compared to a Human. It is my…responsibility to warn you that it may be dangerous for you to rely on your previous experiences exclusively with Humans to inform your decisions.”