Fantasy The Deadlands

[Cartoonicat]

The guard that addressed her peered over her shoulder at the four in the background. He frowned. "A Nightmare has been camping the Northern area for several weeks, now," he said. "You and your..." he hesitated, seemingly unsure of what to call them, "...friends should head elsewhere. It isn't safe outside the barrier and we cannot allow entry for just anyone." His eyes flicked to hers. He looked apologetic. "If you come alone, however-"

"What are you doing?" Said the other guard. He was ignored, however.

"-you can come inside temporarily. Your friends will stay outside; we don't want their trouble," he explained. "If you're not willing to part with them, we can't help you."

- Enter Magdarene City
- Stay with the group
- Something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Well, so it came to that after all. Dynis was not looking forward to being on her own again, but she needed to progress. She only needed to concentrate on getting the barrier down.

"Yes, okay."' She told the guard. "I'll go alone." Then she turned around to the group. "Be careful. I'll see you in the morning." Of course, she was gonna bring them inside, even if taking the barrier down meant endangering a whole city.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Nodding, the two guards retreated to their posts, though one of them made a signal to the top of the gate, where others stood in shining armor. Several minutes passed before a figure draped in white robes appeared standing between a handful of guards. An almost blinding blue light appeared from their hands and, right before Dynis, a small opening in the wall presented itself. Daria made to move towards it, and the barrier shot small sparks in her direction. She stumbled back with a scowl.

It was clear only Dynis could enter. Behind her, the only one who didn't look too worried was Manir but, then again, he hadn't heard of the Nightmare until now. Perhaps ignorance was bliss after all.

Upon entering, she found it to be much cooler inside than out despite the sun beaming down from above. The two guards that had let her in nodded and opened the gates. Inside, it looked nothing like the Deadlands: There were tall palm trees and beautiful shrubbery decorating walk ways made of several different types of stone. The opulence of the city, just even at the front gates, was beyond anything she had ever seen. Directly in front of her stood a large map detailing the general areas of the city and how to reach them.

​

- Downtown
- Residential
- Market
- Military & Industrial
- Center Oasis

 

[ArcticFox]

"Well this is convenient." Dynis murmured, examining the map. The place felt nostalgic, in a way. It's freshness and plantlife reminded her of Napari, though it was far more extravagant. A slight feeling of anxiousness crept down her spine, but she drove it away. She had no time for sightseeing, she was there to get their barrier down and get her group inside. So she went into the military district, hoping she would find some clues there.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Beneath her feet laid not sand, like Verona or Junip, but intricately designed tiles made of several different colors and patterns. The people walking around here appeared clean and well-kempt, half of them donning guard's uniforms slightly different from those at the gates. The other half wore bright robes and sashays. As Dynis made her way through the Military & Industrial sector, those who she passed eyed her warily and kept a wide berth between them. Nobody seemed to want to be near her.

One building caught her eye, designated by a giant, slowly spinning compass that hung over the street. She did not know what it indicated, but Dynis could investigate and walk inside. She could also ask a guard for advice or keep exploring on her own - though everything she'd seen so far appeared quite otherworldly. Not to mention, she had until sundown to get the others inside the barrier.

- Go inside
- Ask a guard
- Keep walking
- Something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Better not to ask a guard and get more attention drawn. It seemed that people already started avoiding her. Must have been the bloody robes. She entered the building with the compass, quite in wonder as to what secrets it might contain.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Upon entering the building, Dynis saw a large, strange-looking structure that reached to the ceiling. Beneath it, several pipes pumped glowing color either into the floor or from it - she could not tell. The room smelled like Helen's garden but significantly stronger, the fumes making Dynis' nose itch and her eyes water. Several people shouted across the room from balconies, all dressed similar to the robed individuals outside, but one stood behind a desk. They hadn't noticed Dynis yet, for their attention was on several documents in front of them. Actually, nobody had noticed her; the room was quite busy.

- Explore discreetly
- Go to the desk
- Something else

 

[ArcticFox]

Perhaps that was her advantage. She was bound to be noticed at some point, but for the moment Dynis chose to stick to cover and try to look around for any clues, using every bit of stealth she had. She could always pretend to be a clueless tourist if she got caught, which was not far from truth.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Upon perusing the area, Dynis saw not much more than crates stacked upon crates, each labeled different things. One had not been closed properly, the lid ajar just enough for her to see a slew of potion vials inside. Judging by the contents of the building, it must have been some sort of alchemist's factory. Dynis could subtly steal a potion from the open crate, or she could leave it. There did not seem to be much else other than crates and labels to look through.

- Go to the desk
- Leave
- Optional: Steal the potion

 

[ArcticFox]

When in doubt - pack it in your bag. That was her new motto. So she pocketed the potion, hoping no one saw her, before making her way to the figures at the desk. Perhaps asking would be a better way to go after all.

 

[Cartoonicat]

An elderly man, she came to find, stood at the desk. He glanced up at her in between checking things off on a piece of paper, the feather tips on the quill-pen swaying precariously as though they were almost alive. "What do you need?" He asked, voice raspy and tired but not irritable. His eyes looked her up and down. Before Dynis could answer, he let out a surprised huff. "You've come from the outside recently." With a tsk, he shook his head and looked back at his papers. "You will not last long in here."

- Ask about the barrier
- Ask what he means
- Ask about the building
- Ask something else

 

[ArcticFox]

"Apparently, I will not last long outside as well." Dynis said, trying to take a peek at the man's papers. "What is this place?"

 

[Cartoonicat]

He pushed towards her a blank copy of the paper he was holding. It looked to be an order form. "Sorrel's Alchemy Emporium," he recited, voice growing monotonous, "where dreams are brewed." Then he gestured towards a massive open book at the edge of the desk. "There's the catalogue," he said. "Might be a bit out of your price range, though."

Upon looking further, one basic potion of any kind costed ten silver. That costed more than a night at an inn in both Verona and Junip, meals included. There was a Gold Section, which read 'Mana-infused potions, for the adventurous sort!'. The prices there were even higher, some reaching fifty silver per potion.

"If you're not going to buy anything, you should probably leave. Sorrel doesn't appreciate loiterers."

- Ask something else
- Look at the basic potions
- Look at the Gold potions
- Something else

 

[ArcticFox]

"Just one question, please." Dynis said forcing a smile on. "Could you tell me who created the barrier around the city?"

 

[Cartoonicat]

"Wha?" The man tilted his head, then shook it. "You're an outsider, ah... Well, it's basic knowledge around here, so I suppose I can tell you. We've a council of mages here who use their magic for the prosperity of Magdarene. This means fresh, flowing water; continuously growing crops; nice, cool air; and the barrier. The one you're looking for is General Ezra, who works in this sector. Not super friendly, though, and rarely comes out of the Diplomatic Affairs building." He gestured towards the door, then flicked his wrist to the left. "Out the door, to the left. Head straight and you'll be there."

He sighed. "Now, are you gonna shop or not?"

- Browse the catalogue
- Head to Diplomatic Affairs
- Something else

 

[ArcticFox]

"Thank you. Not right now." Dynis smiled and went out of the building. She made some progress at least and was determined to find the general in charge of the barrier.

 

[Cartoonicat]

It took Dynis at least ten minutes to traverse the length of the Military & Industrial sector. Along the way she passed many buildings similar to the first, but each with different products on catalogue. It seemed, judging by how people carried out large crates at a time, it was a place to buy in bulk. Magdarene City ran rather efficiently on it own; just from what Dynis could tell, they had a fully-functioning economy within its walls, independent of the Deadlands outside. How they managed that was a mystery.

After climbing several stairs that at first didn't seem to amount to much, Dynis arrived at a tall bridge overlooking the rest of the sector below. Beyond it, a massive entryway into a shining gold building that practically dwarfed the other buildings she'd seen on the way there. Dynis did not see a sign indicating this was the Diplomatic Affairs building, but she'd followed the old man's instructions completely and he seemed rather capable.

- Go in
- Don't go in

 

[ArcticFox]

Well, she came so far, he might as well follow through. Without anyone to complain to or to look for advice, Dynis picked up the pace and continued into the building.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Inside, much like Sorrel's Alchemy Emporium, was bustling with energy and people and voices. Workers ran by with scrolls and papers piling so highly in their arms it seemed a miracle they did not drop them. Nobody stood out to Dynis as particularly important, but perhaps they'd be willing to answer questions.

"Absolutely not!" Came a loud, booming voice from a nearby stairwell. It sounded like a man. Out stepped a group of about six people, all crowded around a tall figure draped in white. Dynis recognized the robes as those from the gate. She could approach the figure, but so many people were already talking to him; if Dynis wanted, she could wait for them to disperse, though who knew how long that would take.

- Approach now
- Wait to approach

 

[ArcticFox]

It was probably not the best tactic to swamp the man, he looked preoccupied already. She decided to linger on the edge of the group, waiting for them to leave him alone before she approached. Perhaps she would be able to pick up some interesting bits and pieces of the conversation while she waited.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Towards the front of the crowd ran a man who did not look like the rest; instead of regal robes or a colorful sash, he wore clean trousers and a dark shirt. Of them all, he looked the least opulent, which made him stand out like a sore thumb. "But General-"

"I said absolutely not. Now know your place-"

"If the Nightmare feeds here, then why would it move on?" The man continued. The people around them looked a mixture of stunned and disgruntled, for he interrupted the General - the man in the white robes. "Like a stray, it won't leave if it thinks there is accessible food-"

Scowling, the General shook his head. "If word gets out that we are open to the Deadlands, more will come and our haven will fall to what it was centuries ago. If you give them an inch, they take miles. This discussion is over; the barrier will stay up."

"But-" Suddenly the man stopped talking, lips clamped shut. His eyes widened and he pulled at them, though they did not part. Eventually, the crowd around the General dispersed, several casting sympathetic glances towards the silenced man.

- Approach the General
- Approach the man
- Approach someone else
- Leave

 

[ArcticFox]

The man was against the barrier, while the General was for it. Dynis knew that it was better to seek out like minded people. She waited until the crowd dispersed and then approached the man, hoping he was able to talk again.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Once the General left the room, the man's mouth snapped open and out came a disgruntled shout. He clapped a hand over his lips and looked around, a scarlet blush creeping up his neck. The people around him had startled, scowled or laughed, and went on their way. His eyes fell downcast until Dynis approached him, at which point his gaze trailed up to meet her face. "Oh, it's you," he said, sounding surprised. His face looked soft, unmarred by the harshness of the Deadlands, with pale blue eyes and light skin. Most interestingly was his hair, which nearly reached his shoulders in length and appeared highlighted with gentle blues and greys. It did not look natural, for dark roots could be seen quite clearly.

His features hardened. "I know exactly why you're here," he said. After looking around, he pointed to a door off to the side, leading to another room. Quickly, he made for it. Gestured for Dynis to follow without much of an explanation.

- Follow him
- Do not follow him

 

[ArcticFox]

"Yes, it's me." Dynis answered, but she was completely puzzled. He did not look familiar to her. Still when he motioned for her to follow, she did so. She needed to find out if he had any useful information for her or this was just a waste of time.

 

[Cartoonicat]

He pulled her into a small, empty room that looked closer to a spacious closet than anything. Peeped his head out of the door cautiously before closing it just enough for light to still seep through the crack in frame. Then, he turned to her, brows rising with energy. "Your friends are the ones outside, right? I recognize your staff," he pointed to it, "and your robes. Napari Priestess, right? None live here, currently, and word of outside happenings travels fast in this district." He paused and took a deep breath, having spewed all of that in one go. "Have you heard of the Nightmare? The Legend of Nondrasi? Erm, doesn't matter if you haven't... a-anyway, your friends and my city are in trouble unless we get them inside before dark." Another breath - he'd not given Dynis a chance to speak at all. "Problem is, I can't get the General to agree to dropping the barrier."

He did not look like he'd stop rambling any time soon, but Dynis could wait it out if she wanted to.

- Introductions
- Ask about Nondrasi
- Ask about the General
- Ask about the barrier
- Ask about a plan
- Let him finish