The Travellers Tales of Otto Von Weirdigan

[Otto]

Once again the cold strong rainy winds of the moorland night hit Von Weirdigan as he slips and staggers up the waterlogged and uneven bank from the mine entrance. The blood on his face and hands are quickly washed clean from the torrential downpour.

'Swin! Stop rolling about in the mud and let me know what in the wide wide world of sports is going on around here!' Otto shouts into the howling wind as he steps up to the throng of dogs and the unfortunate captain.

'Randle, Alabaster, Enailis, Raz heel ya little buggers!' he snarls as the moorland rain quickly soaks him through to the skin.
Swin manages to roll from under the hounds.
"I dispatched men as soon as the alarm was sounded, Otto, Father Richards has informed me that there was attempt at a ritual or even 'The Maker' forbid desecration" replies the Military Man.

"We found a cavern below your position, accessible from a lower entrance, there we encountered several other masked figures, who put up quite a fight" he continues

<This isn't isolated either Otto, there's been flashes of intrusion and fighting in a number of border towns and a few near Centrum City> says Trance

The rain squalls and twists across the moors.
'Lets get into some cover so we can talk' Otto shouts above the howling winds. 'Otherwise we're going to catch our deaths out here.' he added with a trace of irony.

'Where is the nearest homestead from here?' he asks Swin as he grabs him by the shoulder to steady the captain.

The Xert orders the dogs onward and away from the mine as the humanoids trudge up the sodden ridge to the flat moorland.
Swin's men fan out, some continuing their vigil at the entrances to the mine, others accompany the pair of humanoids as they take refuge beneath a wide canopied tree.

"I've asked for any news on what's been happening" says Swin, as he lights a cigarette, "By all accounts strange goings on have occurred in several towns, what with all this war business going on, its all a bit rum"

[Otto]

Its then that the patter of the rain is broken by a deafening drone, peering out from under the tree, the pair see the fuselage lanterns of over a dozen large skyships, possibly Dreadnaughts all hurtling south.
'Uh oh' the Xert exclaims as he leans on the tree trunk with one hand and plucks the cigarette out of the captains mouth and puts it in his own.

'Picked hell of a day to nick one of your cigarettes, could you make out any insignias on those ships?' he asks Swin casually trying to hide his disquiet as he squints into the low cloud base where the ships were swiftly about to enter.

Spot of 27, a crit.

What is south from this location geographically? And did the skyships look like they were descending?
'I wouldn't discount that information Captain, I have it on good authority that these incidents are confirmed 'an they smack of initial incursions prior to an invasion'

'I facking hope not for all our sakes' Otto thinks.

<Thirteen Plus Airships sighted on this bearing heading in a southerly direction. We are ascertaining identification> he transmits on the SuperEtherCommsInterPlanitari to Trance.
Headware Links overlay with enhancement mageware, throwing Otto's sight up into the rain swept sky, at the rear of the Dreadnaughts flutter the flags of the Mechanist Empire.

<Confirmed as Imperial Mechanist Dreadnaughts, heading for Krais> replies Trance, 'Damn she's getting fast' thinks Otto
<Fackin show-off> adds Sting helpfully
"Arowlff" barks Raz for no reason whatsoever
Krais is south of Adracia, if you remember the orc attack on Goodlund came from the hordes in Krais, this is where the Mechanist Empire drove Adracia's goblin population.
'Mechanist Dreadnoughts, I think heading towards Krais' Otto says to the captain, as he kicks Stings persona before it can retort in his headware.

He is wreathed in smoke as he exhales a deep breath and tosses the cigarette to the earth, and gestures to Swin to follow him into the rain. The hounds, with a strong air of common sense stay in the comparative shelter of the trees, harrassing and playing with the soldiers who good naturedly play along with their antics.

'Right Captain, here's how I recommend you go about your duties for the time being. There are incidents occurring all over the local area, who and what they are doing we will try and find out. What I recommend at this time is that a centre of operations be made in either Goodlund or some other homestead that will prove tactically sound for defence.' Otto steps under the canopy of an oak tree, away from Swin's subordinates and the dogs. He crouches down and picks up a twig.

He proceeds to draw a rough map in the wet mud with it.

'Goodlund Garrison obviously has the most serviceable telephone network in the area so I suggest you make that your field ops base.' Otto draws a large circle with three smaller circles around it. 'Outstations should be made in the local villages of Stent, Kamerick and Cay with small contingents of your troops.' he points at the three circles. 'A small company of ten for each should suffice comprising of a radio operator, a few swift runners and small arms soldiers.'

'The three villages are located around the Goodlund region so an early warning network will be established quickly and efficiently.'

'I suggest that you put the garrison on high alert to be able to respond swiftly to any assault or infiltration that is detected. But remember we don't want to sow panic amongst the local populace, so an amount of decorum is required Captain agreed?''

'Swin, your input please.' Otto stands and looks at the Captain as if almost trying to gauge his mettle.

Sense Motive roll.

Sense Motive of 17

Swin is very composed; you suspect that an individual with a strong character was placed in charge, maybe because of certain strong personalities within the town of Goodlund.
Swin takes in the outlined plan "Sounds like a sound plan Otto", he says, his eyebrow raising, "Some military experience yourself?"

As Swin calls upon his nearest soldier, your headware zones in on further vibration, looking up you see tiny shapes high in the cloud cover, analytical programs draws upon meat memory.
'Faster moving frigates' you think.

"Otto, we need to head back,” says Swin, as he himself begins to trudge back towards the track leading past the mine, as he does one of his men runs through the mist.
The soldier stops and gives Swin some news.
"Otto" the captain shouts over the rain.
As you catch him up, he turns, his face slick with the downpour, his khaki uniform now a damp darker shade.
"We've captured one of the intruders Otto, we've got it back at the Fort"

[Otto]

The Altairian Megahound pack with a flurry of bobbing heads and scrambling paws rush from the canopy to catch up with their master.
The Altairian Megahound pack with a flurry of bobbing heads and scrambling paws rush from the canopy to catch up with their master.

'Some good news at last!' Otto steps out with a renewed vigor alongside the officer on the winding track that leads into the wooded outskirts of Goodlund. The woodland grounds are adorned with daffodils and primroses that are surrounded with fresh green heather on the banks with which the hounds snuffle, disturb and relieve themselves against. The canopies of the trees are buffeted heavily from the ferocious onslaught of the winds, leaves fly past their cold wet faces and dance like frenzied insects on the woodland track.
The rain and wind is forgotten for a moment as he traces all of his steps and actions within the last hour and a half.
He fills Swin in with all the details of his experiences within the mines and lets him know what they are up against.
'I suggest you muster your Lieutenants and your section leaders pronto back at the Garrison so we can get them set to work' Otto advises as he attempts and fails utterly to wring the rain water out of his battered bloody sleeves of his jacket.
'And I need to get home to see my wife and get a wash and a clean set of clothes on. And also to investigate this.' he holds up a small vial containing the green substance that he picked up earlier.
'I wish this fucking weather would clear up,' He peers with distaste into the sky with its mucky dark clouds. 'But I suppose in some ways it may hamper some of their plans'
'Let me be over reacting!' Otto mutters to himself, as the clump and squelch of his hobnail boots on the sodden track take him closer to his hometown, a town that could be under threat of conflict again.
Ameda scowls at you as you enter, but this quickly dissolves with relief and she hugs you for a time.
Enailis, Randle, Raz and Alabaster greet Rosie, Raz with his silly 'My tail is my enemy' dance, while Enailis stands aloof and lets everyone come to him.

Changing into dry clothes you feel much better, some Chirick Seed Tea also revives you, as a garrison soldier arrives to escort you to the fort.
'I'll be right with you corporal!' he shouts down the stairs. 'Take a pew and I'll be right down.

[Otto]

The rumble and the unsettling creak of the upstairs floor denotes the haste of the Xert, as he grabs a few items from the bedrooms and tears down the stairs and with a crash shoots out the front door to the hounds barn. He promptly slips over on the soaking mud, messing up his fresh trousers.

Cursing audibly, he proceeds to unlock a multitude of padlocks, and remove the chains that are put on the barn door when the dogs aren't there. He throws the doors back and leaps inside out of the continuing rain.

Otto looks around the room with approval at the design of the megahounds home. The sheen of the treated redwood walls and flooring give off a subtle sweet organic smell that even the dogs natural odour that hangs in the air could not dissipate completely. A large glass skylight with thick cotton blinds is fitted into the high flat roof and would on better days welcome the sunlight into the barn. Gas powered lanterns were arrayed in all of the barn corners, and a larger chandelier was situated in the centre of the ceiling.

The room is open planned, with five large dog baskets adorning it tidily and in a militaristic fashion, two on either side of the width and a single basket at the far end. Behind the baskets are five large oval swing doors cut out of the wooden walls, and on each door there are detailed carvings of each dog with their name above it that act as an excellent entrance and exit for the hounds. Amdea had carved them, and had also painted a megahound family portrait with all of the dogs portrayed in oils that hung on the furthest wall behind the lone dog basket.

'What a talented girl!' Otto marvels at his wife's creativity.

A huge shag-pile carpet is placed in the centre of the barn; where a variety of old bones and hand made dog toys are strewned about it.

Otto pulls the carpet aside with a great deal of effort. He opens a cunningly designed trap door and scuttles down the ladder to his laboratory.

And not before time! The thump of the swing doors and the sounds of the many heavy paws of his hounds make Otto react quickly. He dashes back up the ladder to the trap door opening, and slides over a metal grill.

As usual, howls of indignation arose from the throng.

'No! You know you're not allowed down here!' Otto holds his forefinger at his pets and admonishes them through the grill as they all crouch around it sniffing and licking it. 'How many times? Eh? Eh?’

'Important equipment!' he shouts as he steps down the ladder again.

[Otto]

Otto trudges down a ladder of some six feet in length that brings him to a heavy wooden door of oak of which he unlocks and opens. The mechanical roar of power generators instantly assault his ears.
A flashlight winks into action in his hand and he moves swiftly to a tilly lamp that is hanging up on a nail in the wall beside him and ignites it with a gesture. He picks the lamp up and surveys the room and with another gesture the deafening sounds are silenced.
Dust falls like ghostly rain in the half-light upon a large grand piano that seems to be the centrepiece of the room. The vibration of the now silent engines is palpable but hidden in the darkness. The Xert drags an old chair across to it and sits down; he unlocks the key cover and lifts it up revealing the black and white ivory keys. Cracking his fingers and rolling his neck he begins to play a chaotic piece of music that is both complex and discordant.
The difference engine adapted from a piano accepts the protocols that Otto enters and electric lights wink into being one by one revealing the rest of the room.
<Lights activated, ambient room temperature of the kennels 13 degrees centigrade. Homestead temperature 20 degrees centigrade. Coal reserves remain for five hours intense operation until generator hibernation. Fault diagnosis’s on generators processing> a subetheric voice like that of an engineer, that speaks into a voice tube to the bridge of a ship says swiftly.
Otto had not been idle, and had tinkered greatly with the piano to bring it to its current mech-awakened state.
<Thanks Stradivarius, activate the dogs floor heaters if you please to a temperature of twenty two degrees C. De-activate generator two. Pump fresh H2O into this room.> Otto is silent and relays his speech through the pianos keys.
<Protocol accepted, water is being diverted and heated now. Generator two is powering down. Air circulating.> an audible click is heard from the depths of the piano, and the vibration ceases from the right hand generator and a cool air starts to enter the room.
The room is roughly thirty feet square and had been hewn out of solid rock long ago by all accounts, as it had been here when Otto had first laid the foundations of their home. He had modified the shape slightly to perfect it and had excavated two medium size pipe tunnels to be able to vent the exhaust fumes for the coal powered electrical generators. The vent pipes were patched through to the fireplace of the main house to avoid any unwanted interest.
It had been a long and laborious job bringing all of the components for the machinery down here as Otto had built the generators all from the floor up. Zorranson had helpfully supplied him with all of the parts required and it proved to be easier to smuggle them through without arousing the interest of the locals. But then again the town was being rebuilt at the time which obviously helped.
The generators (which bear a resemblance to that of a German U Boats but smaller) are positioned on either side of the room and are raised above the floor on mountings to prevent unnecessary vibration. Two large coalscuttles are housed above the generators that appear to be operated on a timer as coal blocks drop intermittently into the chute to the burners.
<Strad, activate the subether amplifier for a five minute pulse of conversation in ten minutes time. Continue with my current commands>
Otto stands and the keys continue to play the discordant chimes. The keys rising and falling like waves.
<Protocol accepted, coal reserves remain at five hours until hibernation. Will notify the user of amplifier success. Automated actions enabled.>
The piano had been a gift for Otto and Ameda from Zorranson for their help and support and had to be winched into the stone foundations at the very begining of the building work. A few puzzled expressions and questions by the locals were assuaged by Amdea stating that she hated her husband playing it and that was the only place she would allow the wretched thing to be placed.
But Amdea was in fact an excellent pianist and some evenings they both would come here to rattle the old ivorys and dance to Stradivarius's pre-programmed music.
And for this last reason, the room was decorated very nicely for what to all intents and purposes was an engine room. A thick brown carpet had been laid throughout, save for the 'scuppers' below the engines that could promote a serious fire danger however unlikely.
Bookshelves containing a wide range of Gothican classics, scientific and technical manuals down to romantic pulp were ranged throughout the room. An 'L' shaped comfy settee was placed in the left hand corner of the room as they walked in with a small coffee table in front of it, and a drinks cabinet is strategically placed nearby. Sepia pictures of her family and original paintings of the local moorland are placed on the walls.
Otto however walked to the far end of room. Between the generators to a desk with many shelves and cabinets above and below it, and with rattles and clanks he pulls out what he's been looking for; a microscope with the glass plates and a few small candles. With a gesture the candles are lit and the microscope is placed over it, he pulls out the green glass that he found in the church and the mine and places it on the plate and peers intently at it.

Research of 22

<Strad, pull up all planetary radio chatter and relay it through to me if you please. Filter all non-essentials>
<And also find out if this shit weather is going to abate> he adds with an afterthought.
<Protocol declined. request re-input> Strad states.
Otto sighs at Amdea's profanity filter that she insisted he install, and re-enters the command without the 'gutter talk' as she called it.
Stradivarius seems to disappear into the Ether, before returning after some 10 minutes, it is then that its sub-etheric voice returns distantly.

<Analysis indicates that the stone is a Jade derivative, it is particularly conjusive in Sixth Dimensional Heka manipulation, specifically around the modification of weather patterns>

<Derivative origin of the material is at various locales around the Mushu Peninusula>

<These weather patterns are originating from an extended cold front off the Cathemore Highlands>

<Coal reserves stand at 5 hours generator use>
The Xert peels his eye off the microscope and extinguishes the candle beneath it.

<Righto> He says as he produces a large stoneware pestle and mortar from a wall cabinet above the desk and attempts to grind down the crystal to a fine powder.

<Patch through the planetary radio chatter if you please Strad.> Otto repeats to the Difference Engine.

Is it possible to grind the crystal?

No the material is too tough.

[Otto]

<Planetary Sub-Ansible Link now established, Communication channel now open> states Strad

Opening a drawer marked hazardous chemicals from underneath the desk , Otto peruses a number of blue, green and red rectangular glass bottles that are embossed "NOT TO BE TAKEN" on them.

Each bottle is labelled with its contents, and the Xert pulls out bottles marked Hydrochloric and Sulphuric acid. He dons a pair of safety goggles and pours a drop of Sulphuric acid into the mortar and at a safe distance checks the results.

<Trance, I have activated the amplifier in Stradivaruis. Requesting a patch through to all of the radio chatter that is occurring planetside please so I can hear what is happening.>

<Strad, can you tell me what race populate the Mushu Pennisular?> He adds with an afterthought.

Research of 24

<"Hi Otto, patching you through>
The channel opens up, the immediate proximity of the planet is quiet, your aware that a radio silence is maintained, lest any industrious Gothican inventors overhear.
However as the range expands you pick up the chatter between ships orbiting the outer planets.
What is it that Otto is listening for?

<A comprehensive list is currently unknown> replies Strad <Here is what is known>

<Humans, Jinteki-Oni (Half-oni), Juunishi-Po (Dwarven animal people), Kensho (Dwarven goblin relations) and Orklins, it is theorised that due to the advanced numbers of spirit-humanoid interaction, many more species may be present>

I'm attempting to patch into the communication relay between each of the warring factions. Hopefully gleaning information off them.

[Otto]

The chatter from the Mechanist sides is easy to intercept, lots of troop movement along their northern and eastern fronts, skirmishing has occured largely confined to oceanic and avian battles. The thing that both concerns and amuses is that there is also a lot of bravado chatter and non-chalant chatter which dosen't seem to give the impression of an impending war.
The volume of Heleo-telegraphic is immense, with lines of commerce, industry and banking flowing across Adracia.

The Mushu are more difficult to decypher, largely because they don't seem to rely on any technological communication, the only info you do gain indicating orders sand troop movements is translated from music box type devices.

The things of interest are a message mentioning 'The sudden storm' and an expedition 'To the summit'
<Strad, can you pick up any more information from this Mushu transmission?> he asks as the acid pops and fizzes in the mortar.

<Also, list the mountain ranges on the Mushu Penninsular.> he adds as he gets a round glass fire extinguisher grenade to hand from a stowage installed by engine number two, and apprehensively looks again at the mortar.

What is the reaction to the jade derivative with the introduction of the acid to it?

<It is very difficult to deduse anything further from these transmissions> replies Strad, a list of mountain ranges across the Mushu peninsula datavises into Ottos headware.

A volatile reaction arises from the petrie dish as the acid reacts with the jade, Otto watches somewhat dubiously with one of those 'Perhaps I shouldn't have started this faces'.
Eventually the war within the dish ends, with the two components setting into a smooth paste that pefectlu fills the dish, Heka levels remain ambient.
At this present moment in time, from Otto's point of view who seems to have instigated this war? I take it the Mushu have obviously been blamed, but Otto is as you know a little more open minded.
Could it be an offworld venture? Or just an excuse for the Mechanist State to wipe out their rivals?
Well currently it appears an internal affair with no obvious off-world interference other than its colonial masters, the status quo of the world has been altered, an uneasy peace has existed for a long time between the two empires, the Mushu Empire gaining size and power while being dismissed by the Mechanists.

Your visit to Scarathera was the factor that tipped the scales, the Mechanists sudden decision to eradicate the Fel provoked what the Mushu decided was a territorial grab and thus hostilities have followed.

With a Research of 22, Otto will conduct the same experiment with other acids in his storage and will assess the effects with them. He is trying to find an agent that will destroy the Heka Emissions.

With an Arcane Science roll of 19, would there be any other way of destroying the heka emissions? And do these crystals seem to act like powerstones for sorcery?

'I've got to try and stop this conflict before it blows up like a firestorm' Otto thinks grimly as he rattles around in the bottle stowages.

[Otto]

Yes you could develop an anti-magic field by taking the principle of the Anti-abnormality and altering it to Heka patterns, the stones definately appear to be linked to some form of magical ritual.

<It would appear statistically that you may be one of the elements to prevent his> replies Strad

<You have some one who wants to talk to you> says Strad

<Indeed.> Otto relays to Strad with slight irritation in it reading his thoughts.

<Patch them through. Use any encryption possible to mask my location>

A voice sounding both terse and tense crackles into the ether.

"Mr Von Weirdigan, I understand you have encountered foreign agents within your town, this is not an isolated event, the reason for my contact is to request as to whether you have had any contact with Lord Ivelliian?"

<Who am I speaking to?> Otto enquires amicably.

"This is Colonel Gadus, Imperial Liason for Centrum City" replies the voice

<I can't say that I have recently Colonel. Why, is he missing?>

A long pause comes from Gadus, before he continues

<Yes, he went on some Hunting Trip, absolutely nonsensical in the middle of a virtual world war, and hasn't been contactable> says Gadus,
a small degree of frustration venting through.

<Doctor Significant He#'##'#>
Otto's headware sensors seem to jump, as a Heka form seemingly like a combination of water and golden light, expands into the workshop.

Squinting Otto can vaguely pick out a figure in the distance immersed within the light, the outline of the figure betrays maybe wings upon its back.
A stern bark thunders through the stillness of time.

[Otto]

'Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young
In a world of magnets and miracles
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary
The ringing of the division bell had begun'

A feeling of falling, freefall extreme.
Rain hits the cybernetic face.
Randle and Enailis bark expectantly at Otto Von Weirdigans feet.
Looking down at his two erstwhile canine companions, Otto looks at the haughty hound.
"It had to be you"

[Otto]

Ulfar staggered, his boots only gaining purchase due to his leg muscles bearing down.
His shotgun roared, the next black clad assailant flailing back nerve impulses animating a headless body, spinning his Admantium short sword buried itself into the chest of the next, sheets of rain made the battle a mixture of grey and white flashes, blurring humanoid movement, the briefest glimpse of the surrounding woodland and his assailants.

“Come on yer bastiches” the dwarf muttered, as the remaining six assassins drew in their noose.
‘Ulfar Tarkil’ grinned, just like the tales of old. Again the pregnant pause ended abruptly by the surge of his opponents, knives and daggers flashed, however despite being outnumbered his opponents lacked the almost immense fortitude and unwillingness to die that Ulfar possessed.
A minute passed and only Ulfar stood, bleeding from a dozen wounds, the assassins dead at his feet.

Fighting back the wave of queasiness that washed over him from his blood loss, Ulfar pushed his legs to a sprint and raced into the Cathegore Woodlands.
His heart sank when he found exactly what he’d expected, within the clearing of their camp, lay the bodies of his four charges, the first and last time he had left his master, his master and friend.