Re: The Wretched Rite - Round One - The Rose Ring
12-27-2011, 12:11 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by Aryogaton.
Wake. Awake. Lucid again.
M. stood and gleaned its surroundings, noting how different they were from the last thing it could remember. A brief moment of recollection immediately categorized those previous events as absurd, even more so the fact that M. did not realize this until apparently now. Although nature neither nature spirit nor tree could sleep or dream, the panther’s vague memories of idle nights, absurdities, and the feeling of waking to a warming sun allowed M. to rather confidently call it a dream. All that was left to answer was why it had fallen asleep in the first place, and what happened prior to falling asleep.
As tantalizing these answers were, the immediate scene demanded more attention. There was an organized line of Walkers—though some reminded M. more of common animals?—passing boxes, collecting water from the nearby river and dumping it on the nearest burning building, hardly making a difference. River.
The River was an ally, and these creatures were throwing it into fire.
With no clear source of cover aside from the sparse trees, M. simply ran towards the chain and tackled the nearest biped animal with a full bucket, spilling its contents of regular river water on the cobble. The chain began to disperse until one bucket further up the chain burst, revealing Alluvion. M. made no hesitation to pin down the creature that had the River in captivity.
“River friend, you are awake, we must return to the hill so we can continue our work. You took a long time to wake up, this walker-thing gathered you into a cage so I followed him here.
It looks like a beast but thinks like a walker. What is this creature?”
Alluvion made no reply, hesitating from even making a move. Clearly he was disoriented and not as quick to snap alert as M. from an unexpected sleep.
“There is nothing to do here. Let us go. We must start work.”
“The animals here are burning... I do not like fire.”
M. looked towards the inferno, seeing nothing but the satisfying destruction of unnatural construction. Animals? Any inhabitant of these dwellings was as fiendish as the ones that cut down the existing trees here in the first place. M. could understand the River’s dislike of fire, but if they kept their distance and corralled it to consume this village and this village only, it would be of no harm except to those that do not belong here. Does the River wish to extinguish all fire from the world?
“The walkers put you in a box. Why would you help them? The forest is more important.”
“They are calling to me I cannot ignore them.”
“The trees call to you.”
“Trees burn too. We should remove the fire first.”
Corralling the fire would have sufficed. Why slow? Perhaps the River refuses to take risk. True, it is possible that the fire reaches the forest. Unlikely, but possible. It was also true that the sparse, confined trees in midst of the village were in partial danger. It may be best to follow the River in this case, stunting current progress in order to keep a powerful ally and guarantee reclamation with less inherent risk. Yes, after this, the Walker-like creatures would be disorganized and weakened, and the charred remains in the center of the village would provide an excellent site of growth, beginning with the grasses and lichens that will spread and begin the recreation of fertile ground. A plan was underway.
Alluvion abandoned the bucket chain and unexpectedly moved towards a seemingly arbitrary direction. M. stood, confused, as the River contradicted everything he had said and left with apparent disregard of the inferno he had wanted to eliminate. Perhaps the River was indecisive as well.
Follow him.
If the River wishes to abandon both his own and M.’s goals, then so be it. M. would proceed with reclamation on its own.
You can start with that building over there.
The appropriate place to start would be the hill. No…
The Library is the center of the village. Go to it, goddammit.
If the Library falls, the rest of the village would soon follow. This is true because… it was filled with books.
Books are made of trees.
The Library is the core of Walker abomination. Of Walker knowledge, as well. If M. collects this knowledge, it could provide insight to future encounters…
M. found itself surrounded by bookshelves, seething at the sheer quantity of trees it required to construct this site. This was not the time for destruction, however. M. came here to collect knowledge. It weaved through the shelves, arbitrary taking a variety of volumes and fitting them underneath its canopy, stopping only to notice a movement. Movement, as well as a distinct smell of swamp. M. saw Adelaide’s grin for only a moment before she climbed a flight of stairs into the attic.
It had collected enough books. It was time to burn the Library to the ground. But… the friendly swamp creature was in it. M. did not notice whether it had passed by Alluvion on the way, or whether they were even going to the same place, but the sound of activity in the floor above suggested there were more individuals there. Perhaps more M. would recognize as well, or maybe the attic was full of the most important of Walker knowled-Just go!
Wake. Awake. Lucid again.
M. stood and gleaned its surroundings, noting how different they were from the last thing it could remember. A brief moment of recollection immediately categorized those previous events as absurd, even more so the fact that M. did not realize this until apparently now. Although nature neither nature spirit nor tree could sleep or dream, the panther’s vague memories of idle nights, absurdities, and the feeling of waking to a warming sun allowed M. to rather confidently call it a dream. All that was left to answer was why it had fallen asleep in the first place, and what happened prior to falling asleep.
As tantalizing these answers were, the immediate scene demanded more attention. There was an organized line of Walkers—though some reminded M. more of common animals?—passing boxes, collecting water from the nearby river and dumping it on the nearest burning building, hardly making a difference. River.
The River was an ally, and these creatures were throwing it into fire.
With no clear source of cover aside from the sparse trees, M. simply ran towards the chain and tackled the nearest biped animal with a full bucket, spilling its contents of regular river water on the cobble. The chain began to disperse until one bucket further up the chain burst, revealing Alluvion. M. made no hesitation to pin down the creature that had the River in captivity.
“River friend, you are awake, we must return to the hill so we can continue our work. You took a long time to wake up, this walker-thing gathered you into a cage so I followed him here.
It looks like a beast but thinks like a walker. What is this creature?”
Alluvion made no reply, hesitating from even making a move. Clearly he was disoriented and not as quick to snap alert as M. from an unexpected sleep.
“There is nothing to do here. Let us go. We must start work.”
“The animals here are burning... I do not like fire.”
M. looked towards the inferno, seeing nothing but the satisfying destruction of unnatural construction. Animals? Any inhabitant of these dwellings was as fiendish as the ones that cut down the existing trees here in the first place. M. could understand the River’s dislike of fire, but if they kept their distance and corralled it to consume this village and this village only, it would be of no harm except to those that do not belong here. Does the River wish to extinguish all fire from the world?
“The walkers put you in a box. Why would you help them? The forest is more important.”
“They are calling to me I cannot ignore them.”
“The trees call to you.”
“Trees burn too. We should remove the fire first.”
Corralling the fire would have sufficed. Why slow? Perhaps the River refuses to take risk. True, it is possible that the fire reaches the forest. Unlikely, but possible. It was also true that the sparse, confined trees in midst of the village were in partial danger. It may be best to follow the River in this case, stunting current progress in order to keep a powerful ally and guarantee reclamation with less inherent risk. Yes, after this, the Walker-like creatures would be disorganized and weakened, and the charred remains in the center of the village would provide an excellent site of growth, beginning with the grasses and lichens that will spread and begin the recreation of fertile ground. A plan was underway.
Alluvion abandoned the bucket chain and unexpectedly moved towards a seemingly arbitrary direction. M. stood, confused, as the River contradicted everything he had said and left with apparent disregard of the inferno he had wanted to eliminate. Perhaps the River was indecisive as well.
Follow him.
If the River wishes to abandon both his own and M.’s goals, then so be it. M. would proceed with reclamation on its own.
You can start with that building over there.
The appropriate place to start would be the hill. No…
The Library is the center of the village. Go to it, goddammit.
If the Library falls, the rest of the village would soon follow. This is true because… it was filled with books.
Books are made of trees.
The Library is the core of Walker abomination. Of Walker knowledge, as well. If M. collects this knowledge, it could provide insight to future encounters…
M. found itself surrounded by bookshelves, seething at the sheer quantity of trees it required to construct this site. This was not the time for destruction, however. M. came here to collect knowledge. It weaved through the shelves, arbitrary taking a variety of volumes and fitting them underneath its canopy, stopping only to notice a movement. Movement, as well as a distinct smell of swamp. M. saw Adelaide’s grin for only a moment before she climbed a flight of stairs into the attic.
It had collected enough books. It was time to burn the Library to the ground. But… the friendly swamp creature was in it. M. did not notice whether it had passed by Alluvion on the way, or whether they were even going to the same place, but the sound of activity in the floor above suggested there were more individuals there. Perhaps more M. would recognize as well, or maybe the attic was full of the most important of Walker knowled-Just go!