tushanshu | Entries tagged with † miles vorkosigan

[ For those who have spoken to Milyn before, they might note a stark departure from her usual bubbly smiles and demeanor. Instead she addresses the console with a level gaze and a calm, succinct tone of voice. ]

Hello Foreigners. The source of the miasma has been identified.

In the time of the initial war with the Enemy, three vessels existed representing the three Planes of Life, Dreaming and Death. The trinity was thought lost during the final battle with no trace of them remaining... until now. It appears that one of them -- the vessel of the Death realm -- remained hidden within the Palace of the Landed Sky and has been, as you can see, opened. These vessels contain lands which exist inside those Planes.

As you have no doubt witnessed, the black fog permeating the city is only one symptom of the corruption contained within this dimension. It poisons what it touches and will continue to spread, overtaking everything if it is not stopped, blighting both body and mind. I have tested it extensively and nothing I have found so far suggests that anyone here possesses an immunity to it; you may note that even the magics and abilities you harness likewise cannot purge it.

There is no other way to stop the contamination in Keeliai other than to strike at its source: within Kithika, the land housed inside the bottle itself and encompassed by the Death Plane.

By imperial decree of the Alderwood Emperor, all Foreigners capable of combat must report to the Palace immediately. You will be sent to Kithika through the vessel, to locate and destroy the source of this affliction. Bring any weapons and tools you have to aid you. If the corruption cannot be cleansed it will infect everyone and everything in the city before spreading to Tu Vishan.

If you fail, there will be nothing left for you to return to.

withthebrotherhood

[The video feed shows Toad (in all his scummy green glory) focused and frowning as he messes with the console. It’s not like there wasn’t an explanation, but he’s bad at listening. And refraining from touching things.]

Ah… freakin’… stupid… Heeeey, it’s workin’!

[He immediately brightens. Then scowls again when he remembers what he turned it on for.]

So, uh, I'm new. Hi. Anyway, how cool are people with this deal? Maybe someday do something to fight the weird evil whatever it is, get a house on turtle island?

[The roof over his head aspect is actually quite a selling point for Toad. And there's something unnatural about admitting he exists on some kind of public channel and not just hiding in the shadows, but it seems to be what people do here.]

‘Cus that’s stupid, but how stupid? Is it worth playin’ along? I didn’t see a lot of dumpsters to dive in and stuff, so can you even be, like, no, fight your own monster, I’ll be over here, hiding. Do you actually get in trouble or go to turtle jail?

[He’s a follower. And a coward. Having some idea of how much of a tantrum he can get away with throwing will be helpful.]

...Toad out.

strategisch

Just when I think I'm finished with unexplainable happenings.

[Armin is tired. Dead tired. He sits in front of the console and occasionally rubs at his face, or his temples, or shoulders while speaking, and sports some rather impressive dark circles under his eyes.]

The other day, I was doing my food shopping in the Wood Sector. Usually I buy things on sight or by tastes the Kedan give me, and that's alright, but... Out of nowhere...

[He looks so at a loss it's almost comical.]

I could read Kedanese. All of it. Everything! And even stranger, I still can't speak it! I see the words on the signs and I just... I know what they mean. When I see them, I can sound them out as well, but when faced with a Kedan to actually communicate, I can't do it anymore. Honestly. I can only read.

[Somebody please make the ride stop, I would like to get off now.]

Please, somebody say this has happened to you as well. I think I'm going insane. I must not be getting enough rest...

angermanaging

[The image opens to a rare sight: Tony and Bruce, attempting at least for now to look professional in front of the camera. On Bruce, it just means that he looks slightly more serious than normal, still as unassuming and haggard as ever. On Tony, it means that he looks a little too perfectly put together, like a team of stylists and PR personnel came through and worked him over before letting him out in public. Visually they look like opposing bookends, especially with the varying heights.

Bruce clears his throat. Public speaking is not his strong suit, and he's a bit grim from the Archive's disappearance, which he'd noticed very quickly. It makes it hard for him to talk business, with the idea of anyone replacing her patently impossible, but Bruce never lets sentiment get in his way.] Hi. Uh… You might know us already, but there's been a lot of-- appearances and disappearances lately, so maybe not.

[ Tony chimes in then, with a brief half-smile toward the camera that’s recording them. ]

And if you don’t know us, I’m Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries. [ He nods toward Bruce. ] And this is Bruce Banner, Chief—Well, basically he’s my second-in-command. Officially, he’s—What did you put on the brochure, JARVIS? Head of Whatever? [ JARVIS did not, in fact, put anything on the brochure. That was all Tony. And since there’s no one else in view, it might look like he’s talking to thin air, especially since he keeps talking without waiting for anyone to respond to the question. ] Yeah, that’s his title. Anyway, since there’s so much turnover in the city, we wanted to let those of you looking for employment know that we are hiring. If you’re a scientifically or technologically minded individual with experience in the field. We’re a company, not a daycare, so, you know, some experience is required.

Though age isn't a precluding factor, [Bruce adds.] If you're brilliant at fifteen… you're still brilliant. We try to work on things that are related to our-- stated purpose here, but while we're waiting for developments, we're available to be commissioned. I did the hydroponics greenhouse about eight months ago, for example. It's still functioning. [Mostly run by NPCs at this point, but there's no reason to shut it down.

It may be obvious that Tony hasn’t been paying much attention to what Bruce is saying as he blinks abruptly and says, apropos to nothing: ] And Head of Fun and Mischief. [ He winks conspiratorially at the screen, dropping his voice to a stage whisper that’s completely pointless, given that Bruce is sitting right there in earshot. ] I know he probably doesn’t look it, but Bruce is like the most fun guy I know. Which means he’s in charge of organizing the monthly office party. [ If Tony has any sympathy for dropping a ridiculous promotion on Bruce out of nowhere, he certainly doesn’t act like it. ]

--Wait, what? [Bruce was trying to get through all the things he wanted to say without fumbling too much, which is really all the goal he usually has when posting, and it takes him a second to realize that Tony isn't just going off on a brief tangent, he's going off the track entirely.] I decline the position, [he says dryly, the second he recovers.] Having it monthly is… way too many parties. I know you actually do work. A lot of it.

[ Conducting official business is as boring as sitting through a staff meeting and Tony’s used up his professional quota for the month. That decline gets an immediate shake of his head, as he looks over at Bruce and points a finger. ] Nope. No can do. You can’t decline the position and then try to manage the parties. You either have to take the position or you have to attend mandatory weekly parties. One or the other.

[There's a momentary pause as Bruce calculates that in his head.] So if I take it, I don't have to go? [He's skeptical. Tony seems bound and determined to get him out and socializing, and that seems like too obvious a loophole.]

If you take it, you can schedule the parties whenever you like. [ Which Tony knows means that the Stark Industries social calendar will get really empty really fast. But that’s the beauty of being the boss; he can call an emergency party whenever he feels like it. ]

Fine, [Bruce sighs, and decides that's entirely enough of that. An astute viewer might notice him rolling his eyes as he reaches out and switches off the feed.]

sophos

[It's Annabeth! A little less tired than she's been the last few months, but somehow a little more fidgety.]

Everyone knows we're basically here to fight that creature, right? I call him Mally, since saying his name is still dangerous unless properly warded. [A beat.] Thus far he's been impossible to kill, but not to defeat or pushback.

[She runs a hand through her hair, apparently not realizing she's just tugged out a handful of strands from her ponytail.] What I want to know is - what we know about that. About all the other times he's been stopped in the past.

It seems kind of stupid to keep hoarding it, since we all have a stake in what happens. [Hahaha that's funny Annabeth, with what she's potentially sitting on. Mages more powerful than Eshai and sketchy allies, how do they work??] People have been sacrificed to stop him before - Emperor Eshai's sister among them, to extend the life of another turtle, Asti's sister Sinbrilee. Mally was trapped in someone's body and torn to pieces at least once, too. If we need to stop him permanently, we need to know what works and what doesn't.

[Tapping her fingers absently on the desk in front of her rn.] About a year ago, when the turtle dove underwater, the barrier was breached by reanimated corpses - jiangshi - and it's more than likely Mally was responsible. Eshai believed so herself. The creature primarily works through manipulation and subtleness, rather than flash and spotlights. He might be laying low as of late, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's doing nothing.

[Maybe she just wants as many people as possible to know whatever they can, because the more people who can be proactive, the less she has to do the same. And maybe she wants to compare to what Eva's told her, too, before deciding how to go about dealing with it.]

ironwood

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Tu Shanshu

VIDEO | MILYN | LANDFALL EVENT BEGIN

001 [Video]

5th; video

06 ☣ VIDEO;

Ω video

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