GuyYouMetOnline

OOC: Pretty good so far, guys (and girls). Hopefully, the people who haven't posted yet will post soon. I'd like to have some 'good guy' characters and some 'bad guy' characters. Things seem good so far. Those of you who haven't posted yet, try to keep things about even. I don't want only a couple 'bad guy' characters and all the rest 'good guys'. It's okay if the numbers aren't exactly even, but if there's a significant majority on one side, try to play on the other side. I'd like to have similar numbers of 'good guys' and 'bad guys', so let's try to do that, okay? --------------------------------------------------------- [color=indigo][/color] [color=indigo]"Did you find them?" Kiva asked as Garudamon landed.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Yes," Garudamon told her. "They're up ahead. It looks like they've found another target."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]Kiva and her Digimon were after a group of Karatenmon that had been causing problems in the area near Serenity. A merchant in Serenity had given Kiva the job of getting rid of them. She didn't think that would take too long, so she'd accepted. And now she, Hawkmon, and Garudamon were in the forest near Serenity, tracking down the Karatenmon.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"What kind of target?" Kiva asked Garudamon.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Looks like another merchant caravan," Garudamon replied. "This one's got some protection, but they don't have anything the Karatenmon won't be able to handle. A couple Greymon escorting, the Monochromon pulling the wagons, and the merchants, who probably can't fight very well. And unfortunately, we probably won't get there in time to save the caravan. We should get there before the Karatenmon leave, though."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Well, at least the caravan Digimon'll probably soften the Karatenmon up for us," Kiva said. "They may even take one or two Karatenmon with them. And we'll finish the Karatenmon off. So let's go."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]Garudamon swooped down, and Kiva and Hawkmon leapt to the ground as Kiva triggered Hawkmon's digivolution to Machinedramon. As predicted, the Karatenmon had wiped out the caravan by the time Kiva and her Digimon arrived, but they were there before the Karatenmon left the area.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]There were four Karatenmon. One rose into the sky to do battle with Garudamon, while the other three faced Machinedramon. "So you want to take us on," one of them, presumable the leader, said. "Bad idea. Tell you what: leave now, and we'll let you go unharmed. If you stay, there won't be anything left when we're done with you."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"We'll see about that," Kiva replied. "Machinedramon, take them out."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]The three Karatenmon took to the sky. They flew around, occasionally swooping down to attack, but then returning to the sky just as quickly. They were fast, too, and Machinedramon was having trouble getting a hit in. He kept firing Giga Cannon shots, but the Karatenmon avoided every one.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]The Karatenmon would come in to attack Machinedramon, then pull back before Machinedramon could hit them. Fortunately for Machinedramon, he could take a beating. He couldn't move very fast, so it was hard for him to dodge enemy attacks, but he could take quite a lot of punishment.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]The batle continued like that for a while. Eventually, Garudamon returned, having taken care of her opponent. The three Karatenmon fighting Machinedramon recognized the threat posed by Garudamon, who was able to close in on them land hits much more easily than Machinedramon. So the three of them focused on Garudamon, being sure to keep moving so Machinedramon wouldn't get a good shot while they dealt with Garudamon.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]Garudamon didn't attempt to fight the three Karatenmon. One Ultimate taking on three would have been suicide. Instead, Garudamon began some complex evasive maneuvers. She didn't attack the Karatenmon at all; she just evaded. The Karatenmon didn't notice that Garudamon was slowly drawing them closer to Machinedramon.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]When the Karatenmon were close enough, Machinedramon fired Giga Cannon. The shot hit and took out one of the Karatenmon. Garudamon hit another Karatenmon, with Wing Blade, which injured her but wasn't enough to finish her off. The other one, the one Kiva'd identified as the leader, landed in front of Kiva and Machinedramon, and the injured Karatenmon landed beside her.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"You did better than I expected," the leader said. "I don't suppose you'll let my companion and I go, will you? I give you my word that we won't cause any more trouble."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Yeah, and I trust you about as far as I can throw you," Kiva replied. "I have no way of holding you to your word. We both know that. No, if I let you go, you'll lay low for a while while you replace your former companions, and then you'll be back to doing the same thing."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Perhaps," the Karatenmon responded. "Either way, it doesn't seem to be relevant. You're going to finish the two of us off right now, I assume."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]Kiva nodded. "You're a smart one[/color][color=indigo]. Yes, we're going to finish you off. And you obviously know that you can't take us. If you still thought you could, you wouldn't have tried to surrender."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Maybe," the Karatenmon replied, "but then again, maybe not." Before anyone could react, she attacked not Machinedramon or Garudamon, but her surviving companion. One hit was enough to finish of fthe injured Karatenmon. The leader absorbed the data from her kill and began to glow.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Well, shit," Kiva said. "She was about ready to Digivolve, and she knew it."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]'Wild' Digimon, Digimon who weren't partners or befriended, could Digivolve, given enough time. The process could be sped up by defeating other Digimon, as Karatenmon had just done. It took much longer for a wild Digimon to Digivolve than it did for a partner Digimon to gain the ability, and when a wild Digimon Digivolved, the Digivolution was permanent. Also, many wild Digimon never reached the higher levels. Some reached Champion but never got to the higher levels, while others stoped at Ultimate. Some were able to get all the way to Mega. This was to assure that players of all levels of experience would be able to find wild Digimon at an appropriate level for them.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Get ready, guys," Kiva said as Karatenmon completed her Digivolution into the Mega-level Ornithmon and took off. "This could be interesting."[/color]

Guy: "What kind of weapon is this thing? I mean, come on! It looks like a huge penis!"

Okay, another long period with no activity. Let's try not to let this RPG die off, okay? Somebody needs to post, and soon (and I can't, because I made the most recent post).

You're good, Circeus. Okay, this RPG has officially started, so go have some fun. I'll be leaving sign-ups open for a while, so if you want to participate but haven't signed up yet, then go ahead and sign up.

Kiva leaned back in her chair and looked at the clock. [i]You're late, Alexa,[/i] Kiva thought. [i]Hurry up and get here, will you? I want to stop working and start having some fun.[/i] Kiva was sitting behind the front desk at a facility owned by the company Electronic Worlds. EW was a recently founded company that had taken off very quickly. It was a VR company. EW didn't actually manufacture VR equipment, though. It ran VR facilities. Virtual reality equipment wasn't avalible for private purchace. It wasn't exactly simple, for one thing. A VR unit wasn't a simple headset. It was a large and complex piece of equipment. One had to lay inside the VR unit. The unit provided the direct nural feed used to immers the user into virtual reality. It was also equipped to properly maintain the user's body while the user was in VR. It could give the user water intraveniously, for example, or provide muscle stimulation. VR units simply couldn't be placed in people's homes, and not just because of the complexity of the units. Virtual reality required computing power on a level that simply wasn't avalible for private ownership. For that reason, VR equipment couldn't be used in one's home. It wasn't hard to gain access to a VR unit, though. They were popping up all over the place. Many recreational facilities and community centers had VR units installed. However, most VR units were found in dedicated VR facilities, such as those run by Electronic Worlds. Kiva was an employee at a VR facility run by Electronic Worlds. She was the woman at the front desk. When people came in, she got them signed in and assigned them VR units. She was also the one who took care of registering people, and she was also the one people came to with comments or complaints. Kiva had never thought that VR technology would be sucessully developed, at least not in her lifetime. It just seemed too complex. The necessary computing alone would prevent it from happing, she'd believed. But she'd been wrong. Oh, she'd been right about the complexity, and about the necessary computing power. In fact, security around VR equipment was very tight because of that. Nobody wanted a hacker to gain access to that much computing power, so access was carefully regulated, and users were extensively monitered. But such computing power was indeed avalible, just not for private ownership. Another problem that Kiva had seen was safety. Even if the equipment was perfected, made so that it was impossible for anything to go wrong, what happened if the power went out? Well, that hadn't stopped VR. The equipment was very safe, though certainly not perfect, and users were required to assume responsibillity for any damage they sustained while using the equipment. The power concern was a big one, because if the power went out while one was in VR, one would, at the very least, sustain brain damage and partial memory loss, with death a very real possibility. Because of this, there were extensive precautions taken. For one thing, all VR units had backm-up bateries. The bateries were only good for a few minutes, but that was more than enough time to pull a person out of VR. An instantanious extraction from VR was possible, though it usually resulted in severe disorientation and nausea. The emergency batteries made an immediate extraction unnecessary, though every unit was designed to perform an immediate extraction if the battery also failed. In addition to the emergency batteries, larger VR facilities, including the one Kiva worked at, had backup generators that would take over and provide power in the event of a power outage. The smaller facilities normaly did not have backup generators, and neither did places like community recreation centers that only had a few VR units. For that reason, they were not as reliable during thunderstorms and other conditions that significantly increased the risk of a power outage. If the power failed, the emergency batteries would kick in and last long enough to pull the users out of VR. In facitities with backup generators, however, users weren't immediately extracted if a power outage occured. For that reason, large VR facilities were very crowded in such conditions. The necessary complexity of VR programs had been another reason Kiva'd believed VR wouldn't happen. This was especially true of [i]Digimon[/i], which was currently the most popular VR program by far. [i]Digimon[/i] was an entire virtual world, fully interactive. Kiva'd always thought that the complexity of such a program would prove impossible to overcome. She'd been wrong. Kiva sat up as woman entered the front room from deeper in the facility. She relaxed when she saw that it was not a VR user. It was Alexa, who replaced Kiva for the evening shift. Alexa'd come in through the employee entrance in the rear of the facility. "About time you got here," Kiva remarked as Alexa approached the front desk. "Sorry about that," Alexa replied. "Traffic was nasty. Anyways, I'm here now. And I've already clocked in and everything, so how about you get out from behind that desk and let me take your place." "Sure," Kiva said. She stood up, and Alexa sat down in the chair Kiva'd been using. Alexa looked at Kiva. "I'm assuming you want me to put you on a unit." Kiva nodded. "Of course. I'll go into VR just as soon as I clock out. And I'll be using [i]Digimon[/i], as I'm sure you guessed." "Indeed I did. I'll get you placed right away." Kiva slid herself into the VR unit and placed her Digivice into the machine's input slot. Some people, her family included, wondered how Kiva could still be interested in a game she'd been playing for three years, especially concidering that she worked at a VR facility. Of course, Kiva's job didn't directly involve virtual reality. And as for being a player of [i]Digimon[/i] for three years, well, Kiva didn't think it was possible to get bored with [i]Digimon[/i]. THe VR unit began to insert Kiva into virtual reality. Kiva didn't think she'd ever get used to the insertion. She'd managed to adjust to the fact that her VR ''body' was just a computer construct, even though it looked, felt ,and behaved identically to her real body. She'd quickly acepted that the seemingly real world of [i]Digimon[/i], and the amazingly life-like Digimon themselves, were nothing more than part of a program. But she would probably never get used to the actual insertion. [color=indigo]After the brief moment of blankness that accompanied the insertion, Kiva was in virtual reality. She was in the city of Serenity, which was where she'd been when she logged off at the end of her previous session.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Welcome back," Kiva heard a familiar voice say. It was Hawkmon, her partner. The befriended Garudamon was there, as well. One thing that did take Kiva a little while to get used to was the fact that Hawkmon and Garudamon, despite being in exactly the same position and condition as when she'd logged off previously, always had clear memories of the intervening time. She did, however, find it very useful, as they usually knew the status of whatever objective she'd been pursuing before logging out. "Good to be back," Kiva said. "Anything interesting happen since I left?"[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Not too much," Hawkmon replied. "Tensions between various Digimon clans have continued to rise, but there hasn't been any open conflict. Things could get nasty soon, though, especially between the Avis and Aria clans of bird Digimon. And then there's the whole Daekos thing, of course."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]Kiva nodded. "Of course. Anything new about that?"[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082] Daekos was a clan of dark Digimon that had been the cause of quite a few problems in the past. The clan had been laying low for a while, probably because its plans usually didn't succeed. But recently, Daekos had been doing something. And not just any something. This was at the center of a system-wide event.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]Things happened on their own all the time in the world of [i]Digimon[/i]. Sometimes, however, the server administrators (the people who ran the game) added events of their own. They were always sure to make their events fit naturally with what was happening on its own in-game, though. But their events were always worth participating in.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]The server admins' upcoming event looked like a big one. Daekos was up to something, something that would involve a large-scale battle. It seemed that Daekos had allied with other dark Digimon clans, and had also recruited several independant Digimon. Also, it was possible that Daekos wasn't truly the center of this army.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Well," Hawkmon told Kiva, "it's pretty much confirmed that there'll be a new evil Digimon leading the army, but aside from that, no, I don't know anything new. How about you? Any new info on your end?"[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"Actually, yes," Kiva replied. "It's been officially confirmed that, like other such events, this one will be accessable to all levels of players. There'll be easier opponents for newer players, and tougher opponents for those who are more experienced. Also, the gathering point has been set. It's on the Digivice's map. Anyone who wants to participate needs to be there in..." she checked her Digivice's clock, "about an hour and a half, game-time. There'll undoubtably be a lot of people there. And there'll undoubtably be some 'evil' players on Daekos' side. Should be one hell of a ride."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]An hour and a half might have sounded like quite a bit of time, but that was game-time. [i]Digimon [/i]used time compression with a factor of 3. This meant that in-game time was three times as fast as time in reality. For example, an hour of in-game time was only twenty minutes in real time. The time compression allowed players to play longer while less real time passed. And a time compression factor of three wasn't high enough to put any real stress on one's mind. Significantly higher factors could, but a factor of three was perfectly safe.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"So what do we do until the event launches?" Hawkmon asked Kiva.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]The event began in an hour and a half, but Kiva wouldn't need to allow much time to reach the gathering point. The creators of [i]Digimon[/i] had known that players wouldn't want to waste too much time traveling, so they'd added a quick-travel feature. When one was [/color][color=indigo]traveling from one location to another, one reached one's destination very quickly.[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] [color=#4b0082]"We wander around the city and see if we can find somebody who has a quick job for us," Kiva told Hawkmon and Garudamon. "So, let's start looking."[/color] [color=#4b0082][/color] --------------------------------------------------------------- OOC: All right, here we go. In your first post, have your character log in. For those of you whose characters are new players (which is everyone who didn't specify how long their characters have been playing [i]Digimon[/i] for in their sign-ups), this doesn't have to be your character's first log-in, but it does need to be one of his/her first. After logging in, you can do whatever. Explore the world of [i]Digimon[/i], get into fights, meet other characters, whatever. Ues you're imagination, and I'll tell you if you screw something up. If you're interested in the event I mentioned in my post, I'll be revealing more about it in later posts.

Sakura and Jokopoko, you're both fine. I'm going to see if I can't get this started by Sunday.

Okay, everyone's good so far (although I would appreciate it if you could get rid of all those smilies, Revelation). I'll leave sign-ups open for a few more days. I'll probably start this early next week.

Your sign-up's good, Frankie (but I'm sure you knew that, seeing as how you're using your old character). Oh, and I forgot to say this, so I'll say it now: if you don't specify how long your character's been playing for, I'm going to assume that he/she is a new player. That doesn't necessarily mean that he/she is playing for the very first time; it just means that he/she hasn't been playing for very long. Now, here's my sign-up (I'm also using my old character, though I did change her age): Name: Kiva Salqarian Age: 25, and has been playing for about three years. Gender: Female Username: Kiva Appearance: A little over 6 ft. tall, aand of about average build. Good-looking, but not beautiful. Over the so-called 'ideal' weight, which basically pusts her at about the ideal weight (in terms of health) for one of her size and build. She's in very good physical shape, as well. Partner Digimon: Hawkmon Digivolutions: Champion: Thunderbirdmon Ultimate: Gigadramon Mega: Machinedramon Befriended Digimon: Garudamon

Hey, that's the old version of the one I used! Thanks, Frankie. I did find a different Digidex site ([url="http://shiningevo.ultimatedigimon.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia.html"]click here[/url]), and it seems to be pretty good. It has plenty of Digimon that the one I used doesn't. Feel free to use it if you want to. Just realize that it uses the Japanese terms for the levels. The site has a list of the Japanese level terms and their American equivalents (click on 'notes'), so use that if you don't know the equivalents already. Oh, and one other this. Armor Digimon (ones reached using Digi-eggs) are treated as Champion-level Digimon unless they appeared as a different level at some point (Rapidmon, for example, is an Ultimate-level, as Rapidmon was clearly stated to be an Ultimate-level in Season 3 of the show). Human Hybrids are also treated as Champions, while Beast Hybrids are treated as Ultimates. The human-beast combination hybrids (I forget what they're called) are treated as Mega-level Digimon.

[left]Okay, this is an RPG I did a while ago, and I've decided to try it again. If you participated in the original, feel free to use your old character.[/left] [center][size=3][b]Welcome to the world of [i]Digimon[/i][/b][/size][/center] [i]Welcome to [/i]Digimon[i].[/i] Digimon[i] is a fully interactive virtual reality game. Players will explore an entire virtual world, interacting with other players as they wander throughout the vast landscapes of the Digital World. It is a world inhabited by creatures called Digimon. Many are dangerous, but fear not. You will have your own Digimon for your protection as you travel the world. You will encounter many Digimon. Some will be good, some neutral, and some evil. Will you fight for truth and justice, or will you cause death and destruction? Will you protect innocents, or destroy them? The choice is yours.[/i] [i]New players are advised to browse the[/i] [url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=723044#post723044

Welcome to the [i]Digimon: Immersion v2.0[/i] underground thread. This thread contains detailed information about precisly how [i]Immersion[/i] will work. Most of it is information about the workings of the VR game [i]Digimon[/i]. This is also the place to post questions, comments, or concerns. Well, there's a lot to cover, so let's get started, shall we? NOTICE: The Digidex site I used for the original [i]Immersion[/i] doesn't seem to be around any longer, and I don't know of any other good Digidex site. Could somebody please provide me with one? [b]Basic Information:[/b] First, here's something that came up in the original version of this RPG. Someone whose name I will not mention thought that he needed permission from his parents to join the RPG, since he was under 18 (I'm not making this up). Obviously, this is not true. That bit about needing a parent or guardian's permission was added only for realism. The same goes for the warning. It's just there for realism. Now, moving on. This RPG takes place in the year 2040. Virtual reality technology has become a reality (no pun intended). VR equipment is not avalible for purchase, however. It's not just headsets, after all. That's just not realistic. VR equipment is large and complex. Each individual unit contains a space large enough for a single person. The person's body is maintained by the VR unit while the person is in VR. VR units are avalible for use in most recreational facilities, and there are many dedicated centers that have nothing but VR equipment. [i]Digimon[/i] is a virtual reality program. It's the first of its kind, an entire interactive virtual world. Much like the MMORPGs we have today, [i]Digimon[/i] players can meet and interact with players all over the world. The language barrier is bypassed by a translation feature. If a player is interacting with another player that speaks a different language, what they say is translated. The translation system's 'voice' is rather mechanical-sounding and has problems with tone, but it does allow players who speak different languages to understand each other. The virtual world of [i]Digimon[/i] is populated by creatures called Digimon. Digimon have disctinct personallities and can think and plan on their own as well as humans can, the result of advanced AI. However, no Digimon will ever consider the possibility that it's nothing more than part of a program. To them, game-related terms are simply normal, a part of everyday life and really just how things are said. Our characters in this RPG are simply people who play the game. They have normal lives. There wil be times in this RPG where characters are not actually in the game. It's okay if you only briefly mention these occasions, but you must at least mention the fact that most of your character's day is spent outside of the game. To make sure that there's no confusion, let me clearly state that in this RPG, Digimon is nothing more than a VR game. In the world of the RPG, there have been no TV shows, card games, video games (aside from the VR one), etc. It's nothing more than a VR game. Oh, one more thing: you are [i]not[/i] allowed to use Digimon you make up at any point in this RPG. In order to avoid confusion later on in the RPG, I'll state here that our characters all live in the same city. I know this may seem an unnecessary rule, but I do have a reason (and no, I'm not going to tell you what it is. It'll become clear eventually). [b]Game Basics:[/b] [i]Digimon [/i]does not have any one set storyline. Players are free to explore the virtual world, doing pretty much anything. There are, of course, plenty of evil Digimon for players to fight, and sometimes taking care of them can be a long and involved process. There are also planty of wild Digimon to fight. I'll be introducing events into the story, but it's up to you whether or not you want your characters to participate in those events. And feel free to come up with events of your own. Yus your imagination, and I'll tell you if there are any problems. Players do not necessarily have to be 'good guys'. Many players choose to be 'bad guys' (or girls). They and the 'good' players often go up against each other, and epic battles between multiple players are not uncommon. I'd like to get some 'good' players and some 'bad' players. Important note: a player's partner Digimon does not need to match the player's actions. For example, a 'bad' player can have a Patamon for a partner and use the Patamon-Angemon-MagnaAngemon-Seraphimon line. Wild Digimon, however, do have such restrictions (for example, a wild Angemon would never harm innocents, while a wild Devimon would never protect innocents). Time in the real world and the VR game is synchronized; if a week passes in reality, a week passes in the game. However, while in-game, players will experience a kind of time-compression effect. It's a bit complicated, but basically, players are able to do more in a specified period of time than they would otherwise be able to do. Time is compressed by a factor of three; an hour in reality is equivelant to three hours' subjective time for those playing the game. Hybrid Digimon (the ones the Season 4 Digiddestined turned into) are treated as normal Digimon in this RPG. Humans don't turn into them; they digivolve from lower-level Digimon just like any other Digimon. In the original version of this RPG, people kept coming up with ideas for game mechanics for the VR game. If you have an idea about how something could work in the VR game, you must PM me with this idea. If I approve it, then you can use it in your posts. Just be sure to get my approval before introducing and game mechanics. The same goes for bugs and glitches. [b]Player role:[/b] What kind of game would it be if the players did nothing more than stand back and issue orders durring a battle? Okay, an RPG. But that's just not a good genre for a game like [i]Digimon[/i]. Why bother entering a VR world for something like that? In [i]Digimon[/i], there are always ways for a player to enter a battle alongside his or her Digimonr. A resourceful player will be able to find many ways to infuence the battle. Use your imagination, but be realistic. If you're in a jungle invironment, you won't be able to, say, electrify your opponent with a power cable. Be creative, but make sure that what you do fits with your characters' situation. [b]Befriending Digimon:[/b] Though a player starts with only a single partner Digimon, he or she can befriend up to two others (if your character isn't a new player and you want him or her to have befriended Digimon, you must list them in your sign-up, along with their levels). The player can attempt to convince any wild Digimon to come with him or her. Usually, the player will have to do somethig for the wild Digimon in order to befriend it. Lower-level Digimon are easier to befriend than higher-level Digimon. It's easy to befriend a Rookie-level Digimon, but almost impossible to befriend a Mega-level Digimon. If a player has two befriended Digimon with him or her and wishes to befriend another, the player must get rid of one of his/her befriended Digimon. Once successfully befriended, the Digimon becomes essentially another partner, though there are a few differences between befriended Digimon and partner Digimon. These differences are as follows: First, befriended Digimon are subject to the same allegiance restrictions as wild Digimon. A 'bad' player will not be able to befriend a 'good' Digimon such as Angemon, while 'good' players will be unable to befriend 'bad' Digimon such as Devimon. Second, a befriended Digimon can choose to leave the player. This usually only happens for reasons of allegiance (for example, if a 'good' player with a befriended Angemon starts to become a 'bad' player, the Angemon will leave that player). And third, befriended Digimon cannot be made to Digivolve. A befriended Digimon is stuck at the level it was at when befriended. For that reason, players almost never attempt to befriend Rookie-level Digimon. Some Digimon were portrayed os one-of-a-kind in the shows. A good example is the Soveriegns from season 3 of the show. Each of them was one-of-a-kind, and each had its own role to play. They were also far more powerful than other Digimon. In the VR game of this RPG, there are also one-of-a-kind Digimon. There are not the same ones that were one-of-a-kind in the shows. You may befriend or use as partners Digimon that were one-of-a-kind in the shows; they'll just be no more powerful than other Digimon of their level. No players have uber-powerful Digimon (though some Digimon are more powerful than others, of course) or Digimon with a greater importance. [b]Digivolution:[/b] When someone first statrs playing [i]Digimon[/i], that player's partner Digimon is able to digivolve to the Champion level only. As the player travels with that Digimon and gains experience, the Digimon will eventually gain the ability to digivolve to the Ultimate level, and then finally to Mega. This only applies to partner Digimon; as I stated earlier, befriended Digimon cannot digivolve. Use your own judgement as to when your partner Digimon becomes able to digivolve to higher levels, and I'll tell you if you need to change it. Also, if your character is not a new player, his or her partner Digimon may already have the ability to digivolve beyond the Champion level. If that's the case, you must specify which lever your partner Digimon can digivolve to in your sign-up. [b]Changing Digimon:[/b] As I mentioned in the sign-up thread, I will allow you to change your partner Digimon in the middle of this RPG. You can only change it to another Rookie-level Digimon. You'll probably also need to change your Digivolution line, though you can keep it if your new partner has those same potential dgivolutions. To change your partner, PM me. Tell me which Digimon you want to change to, and what you want its Digivolution line to be. I'll either approve or deny the change, but don't worry about getting a 'no', because unless you choose an illegal digivolution line, you'll undoubtably get a 'yes'. You must then post your new Digimon and its digivolution line in this thread. After you've done that, I'll post your character switching partners. This same procedure applys for changing just the digivolution line. Some experience will transfer from an old partner Digimon to a new one, but not all of it. If your old partner Digimon had gained the ability to digivolve to its Ultimate form, your new one will gain the ability to digivolve to Ultimate after just a couple battles. If your old partner Digimon could reach Mega, your new one will stat with the ability to reach Ultimate. You can also change any part of your partner Digimon's digivolution line, provided that your partner is able to digivolve into the new line. You can change as much or as little of the line as you want, though changeing lower levels may necessitate changing higher levels in order to keep a valid chain. Changing the digivolution line has no effect on your partner's digivolution ability. It you partner is able to digivole all the way to Mega and you decide to change its Ultimate and Mega forms, it'll still be able to digivolve all the way up to Mega. [b]Partner Deaths:[/b] In the VR game [i]Digimon,[/i] a player's Digimon can be killed ('deleted' is the term that's usually used in-game). If a player's partner Digimon is deleted, the player is logged out of the game. If the player wants to continue playing, he/she must choose a new partner. After doing so, the player is restarted in a random location taken from a specified set of various in-game cities. Any Digimon that the player had befriended stay with the player. Also, the player's new partner gets some experience from the old one, just like a normal partner switch. It's rare for a player's partner to be deleted. Wild Digimon usually don't do it because they've been programmed not to do it. Players rarely do it because if a player deletes someone else's partner, that player becomes a target and is usually pursued by multiple players, often working together. Like partner Digimon, befriended Digimon can be deleted. The deletion of a befriended Digimon has no effect on the player who befriended it. The befriended Digimon is gone, but that's it. Okay, I think that's everything. I'll edit if I think of anything I forgot to mention. If you still have questions, please ask me (either in this thread or via PM).

[color=purple][color=purple]Katie watched as the others walked off, leaving her with Leo. She knelt down beside Leo.[i] Why did Artime save you?[/i] she wondered. [i]Whatever the reason, it can't be anything small. Selestiae would not have Come unless the other three gods have withdrawn from the world, which means that Artime is acting against the will of Nox. And though Nox is unlikely to notice something as insignificant as the saving of a single human's life, there's still a chance that he would. Artime would not take even that small a risk without a good reason. So what's he trying to do?[/i][/color][/color] [color=#800080]Katie began to wonder what Artime's intervention meant for her and Leo. She'd always had feelings for Leo, and she suspected that despite the way he acted, Leo had feelings for her. But the two of them seemed to be on oppisite sides. Artime and Selestiae were firmly opposed, and Katie was a folower of Selestiae. Leo had been saved by Artime, and Artime would not have saved someone who was likely to turn against him. Which meant that Leo would be against Selestiae. Katie wasn't sure what would happen between the two of them, but she knew that she probably wouldn't like it.[/color] [color=#800080]Katie stood up and turned to look at a nearby cluster of farily large rocks. She could feel something over there, and she quickly realized just what it was. After making sure that Leo was positioned such that his head wouldn't slip below the water, she walked over the rocks. The one waiting behind them was exactly who she'd thought it would be. "My lady Selestiae."[/color] [color=gray]"I had expected it to be longer before I appeared before you again, Katie," Selestiae said, "but that was not to be. I waited for the first oppotunity to speak with you, and this is that opportunity. And do not worry about your friend in the water overhearing. He is currently unconcious (sp?), and even if he weren't, I am masking our conversation. It is not possible for anyone else to hear us. We are hidden from sight, as well, but I still thought is best for you to come behind these rocks. This way, if any of your companions return before I am done with you,they will not see you suddenly appear. You will simply walk out from behind these rocks and join them. You can simply tell them that you came over here to relieve yourself. There should be no problems. Of course, it's quite unlikely that any of them will return before I am done here, but it never hurts to take precautions. Now, do you have anything to tell me?"[/color] [color=purple]Katie nodded. "Yes. I didn't actually witness this particular event myself, but Kay, who did witness it, told me what happened. According to her, Leo was dying when Artime saved his life. She also told me that Artime said he was watching over her."[/color] [color=gray]"Artime intervened in the death of a human? I didn't expect that, even from him. Focusing on individuals is not something he often does. Did Kay give you any idea as to why Artime saved Leo's life?"[/color] [color=purple]"No, my Goddess. And I have been unable to think of any reasons Artime might have had for his actions."[/color] [color=gray]"There is certainly a reason. Artime would not have taken such an action without a very good reason. I don't know what he could possibly hope to accomplish, though. I would like to discover his intentions, but even without knowing what he is planning, I am confident that he can be dealt with."[/color] [color=purple]"That is most certainly true. Also, I have not yet talked to Kim about what may or may not have happened to her. I did hear Kylipso ask Kim about a riple in space, but Kim has not approached me, and I have not yet had a chance to ask her about it. I hope to have the chance soon."[/color] [color=gray]"Do what you can, but remember not to risk giving yourself away. Also, know that I may be appearing before your entire group soon. When I do, you must be sure to avoid anything that would betray your alleigence. Do what you must to keep them from suspecting you, even if you must fight and kill ones loyal to me."[/color] [color=purple]"I understand, my Goddess," Katie replied.[/color] [color=gray]"Good," Selestiae said, and dissapeared.[/color] [color=purple]Katie returned to her position beside Leo and waited for the others to return. She again found herself wondering about what would happen between her and Leo in the future. A sudden noise brought her out of her thoughts and back to reality, and she saw that Leo had dissapeared."[/color] [color=#800080]"Leo!" Katie shouted, jumping to her feet. "Leo, where are you?"[/color] [color=navy][color=purple]Katie heard a noise behind her and spun around to see Leo crouched on a rock. [/color][/color][color=purple]"Leo, what are you-you're awake!" she exclaimed.[/color] [color=purple]"Leo? That's my name, Leo? Heh, sounds alright. Could be worse." He looked around at the valley.[/color] [color=purple]"You really don't remember, then?" Katie asked.[/color] [color=purple]"Nope, don't remember a thing about anything." Leo laughed again. It was a very strange laugh, and it made Katie feel uncomfortable. "But you obviously know me," Leo continued. "Care to tell me?"[/color] [color=purple]He jump[/color][color=purple]ed down from the rock[/color] [color=purple]Katie nodded, and began to tell Leo everything she knew about him; she told him about his family, his skills, his areas of interest, the way he acted, every significant event in his life, everything she knew.[/color] [color=#800080]Virtually all of what Katie said was the truth, but there were a few things that she left out or changed. She didn't mention anything about Leo's religious beliefs, for example. Also, though she described his relationships with various people pretty accurately, she did make a few alterations.[/color] [color=#800080]"Unlike Kim," Katie said to Leo, "you knew Kylipso pretty well, and you didn't like her very much. You always hid this from her, though, and I don't think she knows how you really felt about her. But you told me what you really thought. You almost never agreed with anything she said, and you found that her attitude made you... well, a bit uncomfortable.[/color] [color=#800080]"Kay, Dred, and Quincy you only met a couple days ago. So did I, for that matter. I really don't know much more about them than you do, and you hadn't known them long enough to develop oppinions about them."[/color] [color=#800080]"Now, as for you and me, well, I've had feelings for you for quite some time now, and I never really tried to hide it. And I'm prety sure you had feelings for me, though you never admitted it. You acted as though you found me annoying, but it wasn't hard to see through the act. It was clear to me that..."[/color] [color=#800080]Eventually, Katie finished her overall explinations, and moved into a very in-depth description of the events of the past couple days. She made no mention of Selsetiae or anything relating to her status as one of Selestiae's followers, of course, and she also refrained from mentioning Artime at all. She just said that Leo had a miraculous recovery from his injuries, and if Kay or someone else mentioned Artime's role in saving Leo's life, she'd simply say that she didn't tell Leo because she didn't believe it to be true. But aside from those changes, everything she told him was the truth.[/color] [color=#800080]"...so I turned around, and there you were on the rock," Katie finished. It was then that she spotted the others returning. As they drew closer, she pointed out each person to Leo, telling him their names.[/color] [color=#800080]The others eventually noticed that Leo was awake, and they rushed over to him and Katie. Katie found herself wondering just how they would react when they discovered that Leo had lost his memory.[/color] ------------------------------------------------- OOC: Hope that's good, Ecstacy

Okay, I'd like to get in another post with Katie before everybody returns to her and Leo. I'll probably get that post up tonight.

[color=gray][i]Artime was up to something. Selestiae knew this. She hadn't actually caught Artime in the act, but she'd sensed one of the other gods doing something. And Artime was the only one who cared enough about the humans to aid them despite Nox's order. Selestiae didn't know what had been done, but Artime was certainly the one who'd done it.[/i][/color] [i][color=#808080]Selestiae didn't know what Artime was up to, but she wasn't worried. Artime would be unable to do anything major without Nox discovering his actions, and anything he could do without Nox or Ninyata discovering it would not be any threat to her. Selestiae did want to know just what Artime was up to, but she wasn't worried.[/color][/i] [i][color=#808080]Selestiae did know one thing about whatever Artime had done. Whatever it was, it had happened near where Katie had been. The next time she appeared before Katie, she would see if Katie knew anything. And if Katie's companions were involved, then perhaps Selestiae would put in an appearance before them.[/color][/i] [color=purple]Katie moved over beside Leo. "Leo? Are you all right, Leo?"[/color] [color=#800080]Leo didn't seem to be completely aware. "I- who- where-," he muttered.[/color] [color=#800080]"Are you all right, Leo?" Katie repeated.[/color] [color=#800080]"He seems delerious," Kay observed. "I don't think his mind's fully recovered. He survived, thanks to Artime, but passing that close to death has to be hard on the mind."[/color] [color=#800080]"He'll be all right, though, won't he?"[/color] [color=#800080]"Don't worry about that, Katie," Kay said. "Artime would not save Leo just to let him die a few hours later. Leo will be fine, of that I'm certain."[/color] [color=#800080]"I wish I shared your certanity," Katie replied. She turned back to Leo. "Come on, Leo. Snap out of it. Please, Leo."[/color] ---------------------------------------------------- OOC: Okay, let's just keep carrying Leo with us and arrive in the valley. This RPG needs to start moving again. We need to get things happening.

Despite some dissagreements, Gold Team got its mission completed faster than any other team. I just got the last post up. It's a long one, but I did have a lot to put in it. Anyways, it's done now, and with it, Gold Team's mission is officially over.

[color=teal]Liquid watched as Vulcora attacked the submarine. She could tell that in addition to the physical strength the creature was demonstrating against the submarine, Vulcora posessed great power. Liquid could feel the beast's power, and to her surprise, she recognized the power she felt. She'd sensed the same energy within the amber talismans.[/color] [color=teal]Liquid found herself wondering about the intentions of the Councilors who'd taken the submarine. Had they indeed been trying to hit the workshop? To Liquid, that made sense, yet there was the mater of that one Atlantean who'd clearly been trying to get Vulcora's atention. Raynor seemed to think that the Councilors had intended to wake Vulcora. Liquid didn't know if that was true, but it was definitely possible. Personally, she didn't think that was the case, but she was willing to admit that it was possible.[/color] [color=teal]It didn't take long for Vulcora to destroy the submarine. The creature was returning to the crater when she noticed Raynor and Gold Team and came to a halt. Her gaze then passed over the city of Atlantis. Many of the Atlanteans had fled the city, but some remained inside it. Vulcora saw them, and then looked over the Atlanteans who'd made it out of the city.[/color] [color=teal]M[/color][color=teal]elinoe was the first to realize what was going on. "Vulcora thinks the Atlanteans were all involved in waking her. And she's not pleased."[/color] [color=teal]Raynor was frantic. "She'll destroy the city, and everything around it! We have to leave, now!"[/color] [color=teal]"Escape is not an option," Tetros told him. "Vulcora moves too quickly. Neither us nor any of the Atlanteans will be able to escape."[/color] [color=teal]"We have to do something!" Raynor exclaimed.[/color] [color=teal]"Is there anything that can be done?" Melinoe asked.[/color] [color=teal]"The bombs," Liquid said. "If someone can get close enough to stick a bomb to [/color][color=teal]Vulcora, that could take the thing out."[/color] [color=teal]"That won't be easy," Tetros observed.[/color] [color=teal]"At least try something," Raynor pleaded.[/color] [color=teal]"I don't know if any of us could pull it off," Tetros replied.[/color] [color=teal]"I'm going to try it," Liquid decided.[/color] [color=teal]Melinoe looked at Liquid. "That's suicide! Vulcora will kill you before you get [/color][color=teal]anywhere close to her."[/color] [color=teal]"I'm going to try it anyways," Liquid replied. "Tetros, give me a bomb. Actually, make it two, in case I lose one. No more then that, though. This way, you'll still have two left if I die."[/color] [color=teal]"Defending Atlantis was not part of our mission," Melinoe said. "Our mission was to reclaim or destroy the submarine, and the submarine was destroyed."[/color] [color=teal]"I don't care if it's not a part of our mission," Liquid stated firmly. "I'm doing it anyways."[/color] [color=teal]"Very well," Tetros said after a brief pause. He handed Liquid two of the bombs. "Just be careful, all right?"[/color] [color=teal]Liquid nodded. "I will."[/color] [color=teal]Liquid turned towards Vulcora. She used her power to manipulate the water into pushing her forward, allowing her to swim through the water much faster than any of the others could. As she headed towards the beast, she remembered a [/color][color=teal]conversation she'd had with Kaida at the start of her previous mission. [i]I guess I haven't changed after all,[/i] she thought.[i] Here I am, doing the same kind of crazy sh!t I always do. I've cheated death so many times. Will I be able to do it again?[/i][/color] [color=teal]Liquid gave herself a mental shake.[i] Focus,[/i] she told herself. [i]I have to stay focused.[/i][/color] [color=teal]Vulcora was diving towards a group of Atlanteans. Liquid tried to intercept, but Vulcora was too fast. The beast reached the Atlanteans before Liquid could. The Atlanteans tried to fight, but there was nothing they could do. Vulcora killed them.[/color] [color=teal]As Vulcora located her next target, Liquid closed in on the beast and threw one of the bombs at it. She drew on the water to propel it towards Vulcora. But without worning, she lost control of the water. Vulcora had effrotlessly pushed her control away and taken command over the water herself. The beast couldn't know what the bomb was, but she clearly recognized that Liquid was using it to attack her, so she used the water to push it aside. The bomb spun off into the depths of the ocean.[/color] [color=teal]Vulcora's attention was now focused on Liquid. The beast closed in very quickly, leaving Liquid very little time in which to react. She was able to use the water to push herself out of the way of Vulcora's charge, but Vulcora had passed before she could throw the second bomb.[/color] [color=teal]Vulcora circled around and came towards Liquid again. But this time, the beast was not heading directly towards Liquid. Vulcora encircled Liquid, then stopped moving and looked at her.[/color] [i][color=navy]Who are you?[/color][/i] [color=teal]The voice didn't seem to come from anywhere, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Vulcora was its source. "I could give you my name," Liquid told the creature, "but that reall doesn't reveal much about me, does it?"[/color] [color=navy][i]True. Perhaps a different question is more appropriate. [/i]What[i] are you?[/i][/color] [color=teal]"I'm really not sure," Liquid replied honestly. "I used to be a human, but I'm pretty sure I stopped being one when I was changed eight years ago. I'm not quite sure what I am now, and I don't know what changed me."[/color] [color=navy][i]Can you not sense it as I can?[/i][/color] [color=teal]"I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to be sensing, to be honest."[/color] [i][color=navy]I would have thought it impossible not to sense. I can sense it clearly.[/color][/i] [color=teal]"What exactly is it that you sense?"[/color] [color=teal]As Vulcora returned to the volcano, Liquid made her way back to the others. "What happened?" Melinoe asked her when she reached the group.[/color] [color=teal]"Well," Liquid began, "as you saw, I didn't kill Vulcora. I tried to get a bomb on her, [/color][color=teal]but failed. I was going to try again with the second bomb when Vulcora spoke to me."[/color] [color=teal]"She spoke to you," Raynor repeated.[/color] [color=teal]Liquid nodded. "Yes. She spoke to me. Well, it was more like a voice in my head, but that doesn't really matter. Anyways, she had a few things to say. Apparently, when the Councilors hit the side of the volcano with their torpedoes and woke Vulcora up, she attacked and destroyed the sub in anger. But her rage did not end with the destruction of the sub. She killed several Atlanteans, and probably would have killed many more before her rage faded. But when I closed in to plant a bomb on her, she felt my essence, and this shocked her out of her anger."[/color] [color=teal]Liquid paused briefly, then continued. "Vulcora told me that what she felt within me was an echo of her own power. She told me that it's the same power that the amber contains."[/color] [color=teal]'The essence of amber," Raynor said. "The energy contained within the amber. It's what gives the amber its power."[/color] [color=teal]"Well," Liquid explained, "apparently, that power comes from Vulcora."[/color] [color=teal]"You're saying that Vulcora created the amber?" Raynor asked.[/color] [color=teal]"Not exactly," Liquid replied. "It's her power that results in the existance of the amber, but she didn't deliberatly create it. I'm not sure exactly how it works, though. Vulcora didn't go into detail, but basically, the magic amber found inside Mt. Ipsion is there because Vulcora makes her lair inside the volcano. Her engery is what gives the amber its properties."[/color] [color=teal]"And why did she tell you this?" Melinoe wondered.[/color] [color=teal]"As I said, Vulcora sensed her energy within me," Liquid explained. "And she could tell that the energy came from the amber, rather than directly from her. She said that amber had bonded with me."[/color] [color=teal]"Wait a minute," Tetros said. "Are you saying that it was the Atlanteans' amber that changed you from a human to what you are now?"[/color] [color=teal]Liquid nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Vulcora didn't tell me that, as she didn't know that I was once human. She could tell that some amber had bonded with me, and with that information, the rest was easy to figure out."[/color] [color=teal]"But why would there have been amber on the surface?" Tetros wondered.[/color] [color=teal]"Atlantis has lost track of small amounts of amber over the years," Raynor put in. "It's not unreasonable to assume that some of it ended up on land."[/color] [color=teal]"I didn't exactly live near water at the time of my change," Liquid said, "although I guess that someone could have found some of the amber and taken it with them. Anyways, why the amber was there doesn't matter. It was there, and it's what changed me. I'm not sure why it bonded with me, though. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the amber was on land, or maybe the amber object broke, releasing the power contained within it. I don't know. But the amber did change me, of that I'm certain. And senseing the amber bonded with me is what shocked Vulcora out of her anger. She never wanted to destroy Atlantis. She was simply consumed by her anger, and sensing the amber bonded to me shocked her out of it."[/color] [color=teal]Raynor faced Liquid and assumed a position that Liquid did not recognise. It was clearly one of respect, and there could have been some submission in it, as well.[/color] [color=teal]"We of Atlantis are in your debt," Raynor said to Liquid. "You may not have defeated Vulcora, but you saved us from her fury. For that, we are deeply grateful... Daughter of Amber."[/color] [color=teal]Liquid sighed. "I knew you'd call me that. Look, Raynor. I don't believe in prophecy, okay? It's nothing more than guesswork and imagination."[/color] [color=teal]"I don't share your belief, Daughter of Amber," Raynor replied.[/color] [color=teal]"And that's fine," Liquid told him. "You're entitlesd to your own oppinion. Just please stop calling me 'Daughter of Amber'."[/color] [color=teal]"I think I can do that," Raynor said. "I can't promise anything where anyone else is concerned, though. Other people will undoubtably call you that."[/color] [color=#008080]"It really doesn't matter, though, does it?" Tetros put in. "After all, we've completed our mission. There's no more reason for us to be here. We should get going."[/color] [color=#008080]"Um, yeah, about that," Liquid said, turning to face Tetros and Melinoe. "I've been thinking about this since we arrived in Atlantis, and I've reached a decision. I'm staying here."[/color] [color=#008080]"You're staying here," Tetros repeated after a couple seconds.[/color] [color=#008080]Liquid nodded. "That's right. I've decided to remain here in Atlantis."[/color] [color=#008080]"Why?" Tetros asked.[/color] [color=#008080]"Since my change, I've been isolated," Liquid explained. "Oh, sure, I interacted with humans, but I wasn't one of them. Ever since that night eight years ago, I've never really fit in anywhere. I don't belong on the surface. I realized that pretty quickly after we arrived in Atlantis. I'm not meant for life on the surface. I belong here, underwater."[/color] [color=#008080]"Is this another part of what Vulcora told you?" Tetros wondered.[/color] [color=#008080]Liquid shook her head. "No, she didn't say it, but it wasn't exactly hard to figure out. I learned from Vulcora that amber bonded with me, changeing me into what I am now. And it was the amber that's changed the Atlanteans into what they are now, right, Raynor?"[/color] [color=#008080]"That's right," Raynor confirmed.[/color] [color=#008080]"Okay, so the same thing changed me and the Atlanteans," Liquid continued. "The Atlanteans were changed more slowly than I, but they were simply in contact with the amber. Amber bonded with me, and that's probably why my change was more rapid. It's quite likely that the Atlanteans are slowly becoming what I already am. Hell, I may have some more changes to go through myself before the amber's done.[/color] [color=#008080]"Anyways, the Atlanteans were changed by the amber into forms suited for life underwater. I was also changed by amber. Like the Atlanteans, my form is suited for life underwater. This is where I belong. It's where I've belonged for eight years, but I didn't know it until now."[/color] [color=#008080]"So you've made up you mind, then," Tetros said. "Well, I don't know if I like your decision, but it's yours to make. I'd need to use force to take you back with me, and I'm not going to do that. So, as long as you're sure that this is what you want, then go ahead and remain here. I wo't make you return with Melinoe and I if you don't want to."[/color] [color=#008080]"Thanks," Liquid replied.[/color] [color=#008080]"Well," Tetros said, "I guess this is it."[/color] [color=#008080]Tetros, Melinoe, and Liquid were floating above Atlantis. Raynor was there as well. The other citizens of Atlantis had all returned to the city. Some were still a bit unsetled, but that was understandable after everything that had happened.[/color] [color=#008080]"I guess so," Liquid replied.[/color] [color=#008080]"Again, I thank you for all you have done," Raynor said.[/color] [color=#008080]"We were just doing our job," Melinoe remarked.[/color] [color=#008080]"Even so, this city owes you a debt of gratitude," Raynor replied.[/color] [color=#008080]There was a pause, after which Tetros turned to Melinoe and said, "Well, we'd best be off. Goodbye, Liquid."[/color] [color=#008080]Liquid and Raynor watched Tetros and Melinoe depart. When the pair was out of sight, Liquid turned to Raynor. "I don't know about you, but I'm dead tired."[/color] [color=#008080]"That's understandable," Raynor said. "You've had a busy day. Let's go find you a place to stay."[/color] [color=#008080]"Sounds like a good idea to me," Liquid replied. "Oh, and one more thing."[/color] [color=#008080]"And what would that be?" Raynor asked.[/color] [color=#008080]"My name isn't 'Liquid'. Liquid's just a code name, or something like that. My real name is Laqara."[/color] [color=#008080]"I've got it, Laqara," Raynor said. "Now, let's go find you a place to stay."[/color] [color=#008080]Liquid nodded. "Let's." She followed Raynor down into the city of Atlantis. The city which was now her home.[/color]

That post coming any time soon? I don't mean to sound impatient, but it's been a while since anyone posted, and I was the last one to post. It'd be nice if someone could post soon. I don't want this RPG to die off.

Yeah, I plan to use this opportunity to establish a few thinks about Katie, so at least let me post before we reach the valley. I should have the post up by Sunday, so it won't be that long a wait. EDIT: Okay, I did what I wanted to do. Go ahead and have us arrive at the valley.

[color=purple]At the group walked, Kay came up beside Katie. "You doing all right?" she asked.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Yeah, I'm fine," Katie replied. "How's Leo holding up?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"He looks all right to me. I'm certain he'll be fine. Artime would not have saved him just to let him die."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"I... I suppose not."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"You don't believe what I told you, do you?" Kay said to Katie.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"No, I don't," Katie admited. "I'm not saying you're lying or anything, it's just that... well, what you told me is pretty unbelievable. It'd be hard to accept even if I did believe Artime-or any god, for that matter-existed, which I don't.'[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"So you're an atheist?" Kay asked.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Katie nodded. "I am. None of the belief systems out there seem true. I actually find religion facinating as a topic of study, but I've never found a religion whose beliefs actually seem to be the truth about why things are the way they are. And that's not due to a lack of looking, I assure you. As I said, I find religion facinating as a topic of study. I can describe more belief systems then most people know exist. I just haven't found one that seems true."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]What Katie had said was only partially true. She was indeed interested in religion as a topic of study, but she was most certainly not an atheist. She was a follower of Selestiae, but only she and her parents knew it. Atheism was a fiction that Katie had maintained for her entire life. She and her parents, also followers of Selestiae, had concealed their beliefs out of fear of persecution. As a result, everybody who knew her thought that she was an atheist. An atheist who enjoyed studying religion, but still an atheist.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Meanwhile, Dred and Kim were deiscussing the events of the previous day. "I just can't think of anything that would have caused that disaster," Dred said.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Neither can I," Kim replied. "We could see if Katie has any ideas."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Katie?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Kim nodded. "If any of us can think of anything, it's Katie. She knows all kinds of stories and legends, most religious in nature. She really knows just about everything there is to know about religion. She loves learning about it, even though she herself is an atheist. She probably knows of a few stories that fit with what happened."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Then let's ask her," Dred replied.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Let's." Kim looked back at Katie, who was speaking with Kim. "Hey, Katie!"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Katie ran up to Kim. "What is it?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Dred and I were just discussing what happened yesterday," Kim told Katie. "I'm wondering if you have any ideas about what happened, if you know of any legends that fit with the destruction that occured."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Katie was silent for a few seconds, after which she said, "I can think of two legends that fit what happened. I'll start with the Cataclysm, which is by far the more well-known of the two."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=purple]"Go ahead," Dred said.[/color] [color=purple][/color] [color=purple]Katie nodded.[/color] [color=purple]"According to legend," she bagan, "the Cataclysm will result in the destruction of the world. It comes about as a result of the gods abandoning the world. Different versions of the legend offer different reasons for the gods' abandonment of the world. The most common version is that all the true believers pass into the realm of the gods, leaving only the unfaithful behind. The gods then abandon the the world, which no longer has anyone faithful to them. This abandonment results in ongoing disasters that end in the complete destruction of the world."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"What's the second legend?" Kay asked.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"The legend of the Coming," Katie answered. "It's not a very well-known legend. It plays a central role in the religion of those who follow Selestiae, who according to lore is the goddess of magic, psyche, and the elements. The legend of the Coming says that one day, Selestiae will decend upon the world, bringing with her death and destruction for those who follow any of the other three gods, which are, of course, Nox, Artime, and Ninyata. Selestiae's followers believe that the Coming is the beginning of paridise for the faithful and punishment for everyone else."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]'I suppose that you believe neither," Kim said.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Of course I don't," Katie replied. "You just asked for any legends that sounded like what happened, and I told you about the two I know that sound like what happened."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"I know," Kim said.[/color] ------------------------------------------------------ OOC: Okay, so there you have it. Everyone thinks that Katie's an atheist. And remember, she's maintained that facade her entire life. She's not going to slip up, and none of the others suspect that she's lying.

[color=teal]Raynor had some of his soldiers escort the captured Councilors to the prison. He took others with him to go capture the rest of the Councilors. He left a couple soldiers, Algaebra among them, in the workshop, just in case any of the Councilors showed up there. He also posted guards at all of the entrances to the cavern network, ensuring that nobody could enter or leave the network undetected.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Gold Team remained in the workshop. Their job now was to get the submarine back to the surface. "Can you pilot this thing?" Liquid asked Tetros.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"I was given information about how to operate it before we left on our mission," Tetros replied. "I now know prety much everything there is to know about this particular kind of submarine. So yes, I can pilot it. I'll need some time to prepare the it for departure, though."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Is there anything Melinoe and I can do to help?" Liquid wondered.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Tetros shook his head. "Not really. You wouldn't know what to do, and it'd probably be more trouble for me to explain it to you than it would be to just do everything myself. So the two of you just wait while I prepare it for departure." He entered the submarine, leaving Liquid and Melinoe outside.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]After Liquid and Melinoe had been waiting for a while, Algaebra approached them. "I thought you'd be gone by now," she remarked.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Tetros is busy preparing the submarine for departure," Liquid explained. "Once he's finished doing that, he's going to pilot the sub out of here."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"So you're having him do all the work?"[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Well," Liquid said, "since he's the only one of us who actually knows anything about what he's doing, yes."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"I see," Algaebra replied. "Must be boring for you, just waiting for him to finish the preperations."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Probably no worse than being stuck here on guard duty is for you."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"That's true."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"There are a couple things I've been wondering about, though," Liquid told Algaebra.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Yeah? Like what?"[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Well, there's Tritonias. His blood looked like it had been infused with amber."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Tritonias had been infused with amber," Alebra explained. "Such an infusion has its advantages. Infusion augments one's physical attributes. It also gives one continual access to the amber's power. Most of us need to be holding an amber artifact to make use of the powers of the amber, but one who's been infused has no such need. Of course, infusion is very, very uncommon."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Why is that?" Liquid asked.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Well, for one thing, the process is time-consuming, a bit dangerous, and extremely dificult to do. Also, amber used in an infusion can't ever be retrieved, not even after the infused person dies. The process is only made avalible to members of the Council. As you saw, Tritonias was infused. Raynor is infused, too. He underwent the process before Tritonias' bunch took over the Council. Of course, few Councilors undergo the process, and even if it was made avalible to everyone, there wouldn't be too many people who underwent infusion."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Why not?" Liquid wondered.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Because most people believe that the infusion process changes the core of one's being. They think that infusion turns you into something else. They consider those who've undergone infusion to be something different from other Atlanteans. Personally, I think that's just not true, but unfusion isn't avalible to me anyways, so it really doesn't matter."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Interesting," Liquid said. "Now, there's one other thing I'm wondering about. As Tritonias was dying, he said 'Vulcora'. Do you know what he was referring to?"[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Yes, I do," Algaebra said. "Remember how I told you about the legend of the Amber-Eye? Well, Vulcora is the name poeple gave to it. There are actually two versions of the legend of Vulcora. One says that Vulcora sunk the island of Ipsion. The other says that Vulcora was not responsible for the sinking of Ipsion. That verson says that Vulcore bestowed the amber upon our ancestors, allowing them to survive underwater. Of course, both versions of the legend are nothing more than stories, even though most Atlanteans believe that one version or the other is true. I didn't think Tritonias was dumb enough to believe either version, so I don't have any idea why he used the name."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"The Amber-Eye is real," Melinoe told Algaebra. "I have felt its presence."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Yeah, whatever," Algaebra said dismissively.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]It was then that Tetros emerged from the submarine. "Preperations are complete," he told Liquid and Melinoe. "We can leave anytime."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Just then, there was some commotion by the workshop enterance. A group of Atlanteans ran into the workshop, followed by a second group. Raynor was with the second group.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Those are Councilors!" Algaebra exclaimed, indicating the first group. "What are they doing?"[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]The intention of the Councilors quickly became apparent as they ran towards the submarine. "They're trying to take the sub," Tetros concluded. "I don't know why, but I can't think of any other reason for them to come to the workshop like this."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]There was no more time to talk. Gold Team was all that was between the Councilors and the submarine, and they'd been caught off-guard. They didn't have time to prepare themselves before they had to act.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Things happened quickly. Melinoe attacked the Councilors with her whip. Liquid chose a Councilor and charged him, using her powers in conjunction with physical attacks to take him down. Tetros tried to block the Councilors' path into the sub. He took out one of them, but the second Councilor to come at him benifited from an amber infusion. With his enhanced strength, he threw Tetros out of the way. Tetros hit the floor and skidded a fair distance, ripping up his vest in the process.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]There had been ten Councilors. Liquid and Tetros had killed one each, and Melinoe had gotten four of them with her whip. The remaining four made it past Gold Team and into the submarine, closing and sealing the hatch behind them.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Damn," Tetros swore as he picked himself up. "And they'll have sealed the hatch, too. We're not getting in that sub."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Then we should destroy it," Liquid said. "We have your bombs. I don't know what the Councilors are going to do with the sub, but whatever it is, it can't be good. So we need to take the thing out."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"That's a good idea," Tetros told her, "but unfortunately, I lost the bombs when that guy threw me."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Then we find them," Liquid replied. "Assuming that none ended up in the water, they should be on the floor somewhere."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]It was at that moment that the sub began to move. "Oh, ****," Tetros said. "The sub's completely prepared for departure, thanks to me."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Then we don't have any time," Liquid observed. "We need those bombs."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Gold Team scrambled to pick up the bombs, but by the time they'd found all four, it was too late. The submarine had left the workshop, and there was no way any of them would be able to catch it. All they could do now was watch through the exit that had opened, the exit through which the submarine had passed. They jumped in the water so that they'd be able to watch. Raynor and the other Atlanteans in the workshop jumped in after them.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"What happened?" Liquid asked Raynor.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Well, the Councilors we captured here were taken to the prison and locked up," Raynor explained. "I took my soldiers to go get the remaining Councilors. But unfortunately, they seemed to have seen us coming. They fled into the caverns. We pursued them to here, but unfortunately, we weren't able to stop them. And now there's no telling what they'll do."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Gold Team and the Atlanteans watched as the sub, which was now a fair distance from Mt. Ipsion, turned around and came to a halt facing the inactive volcano. "They jusd di something," Liquid said a few seconds later. "I can feel a disturbance in water, and it's coming out way."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"They've fired two torpedoes," Tetros stated. "Probably not nukes, as I doubt the Councilors have any idea how to arm those. These'll be conventional warheads, so they'dd damage noly the area where they his. Unfortunately, they seem to be coming for us."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"I have the amber talismans that proove the Council's guilt," Raynor told Gold Team. "If those four Concilors on board that submarine have target the workshop, they'll destroy the talismans, which are the only prof of their guilt that we have. With that proof gone, they'll be able to blame me and my people for everything. And I don't know if we can do anything at this point."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"We don't have to," Tetros told him. "Look. Those torpedoes are off course. They're not going to hit us. They'll hit below the workshop."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Liquid looked at Tetros. "They'll miss?"[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Tetros nodded. "They'll miss. It's not surprising, really. Those four Councilors may have been studying the sub for a while, but this is their first time using it. They're bound to screw up."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]As Tetros had predicted, the torpedoes hit Mt. Ipsion significantly below the workshop. They exploded upon impact, blowing chunks of the volcano everywhere. And then, something else started to happen. "I feel... something," Liquid said. "Something powerful."[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"As do I," Melinoe added.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]"Any idea what it is?" Tetros asked.[/color] [color=#008080][/color] [color=#008080]Melinoe returned her gaze to the ocean. "Vulcora."[/color]

[color=purple]Katie had just started wondering what was keeping the others when she sensed... something. She didn't know what it was, but it was definitely there. She was also able to pinpoint the location of whatever it was. And she knew that it was the staf Esliri that allowed her to sense it. She just didn't know what she was sensing. A few seconds aftet she'd first sensed it, whatever it was dissapeared. Katie no longer sensed anything.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Katie found herself faced with a decision. She could either go investigate the area where whatever she'd sensed had been, or she could stay where she was and wait, as she'd told the others she would do. It didn't take her too long to make her choice. [i]Esliri probably wouldn't have allowed me to sense whatever I sensed if it wasn't important. I should go investigate.[/i][/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Katie began heading for the area where whatever she'd sensed had been. Before long, she came into sight of the others. They were all together, and they had Leo with them. Katie waved at them. They saw her and waved back, and Katie ran over to them.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Hay, Katie," Kay said. "We were just coming back."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"I guessed that when I saw that you'd found Leo," Katie replied.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"It's a good thing we ran into you," Quincy remarked. "I don't know what we'd have done if we thought you'd gone missing, too."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Yeah, I thought you were supposed to be waiting in case Leo came back," Dred remarked.[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"I know," Katie said. "It's just... I felt something a little while ago. I don't know what it was, and I decided to investigate. Whatever it was, it came from the same direction you all were coming from. Did any of you happen to see anything?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Um... yeah, you could say that," Kay replied. "Leo was dying, but the god Artime saved his life. Artme said that he was watching over us."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Artime?" Katie repeated. "You're sure it was Artime?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]Kay nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"Well, with everything that's been happening, I guess I can accept that," Katie said. "But you're right, it is hard to believe. I mean, what's special enough about Leo that a god would save his life?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"I... I don't know," Kay admitted. "But there's obviously something."[/color] [color=#800080][/color] [color=#800080]"It would seem that way," Katie replied. "Anyways, we've found Leo. What do we do now?"[/color] [color=#800080][/color] ------------------------------------------------------- OOC: Okay, I left what happens next open. If anyone wants to travel to other cities and towns, then go ahead and post our characters deciding to do that. Oh, and remember that nobody suspects that Katie is a follower of Selestiae (have I said that too much yet).

OOC: Um, isn't Kay supposed to be by the hole? You should probably edit her into your post. --------------------------------------------------------- [color=gray][i]So far, things had gone pretty much exactly as Selestiae had planned. Things hadn't been quite perfect, though. Karnig's mistake could have been a problem, but she'd corrected him after the first incident of violence. If he followed her instructions, he should have no problems wining the hearts and minds of the people she'd placed him in command of.[/i][/color] [i][color=#808080][/color][/i] [i][color=#808080]Selestiae was not angry with Karnig. She'd been displeased, but she recognized that Karnig was only human. Unlike her, he was imperfect, flawed. Like all humans, he screwed up from time to time. Selestiae recognized the imperfection of mortals, and she was willing to make allowances for it. She knew that humans learned from their mistakes. If they weren't allowed to make any, they wouldn't improve.[/color][/i] [i][color=#808080][/color][/i] [i][color=#808080]A key difference between Selestiae's followers and the rest of the human race was that Selestiae's followers recognized their inferiority. That was one reason that Selestiae's followers had always been a minority. Most humans were unwilling to recognize the fact that they weren't the masters of the world. Selestiae's followers were the ones who did know that they were inferior, imperfect.[/color][/i] [i][color=#808080][/color][/i] [i][color=#808080]Selestiae's way was quite simple. The way she saw it, it was the right of the superior to rule over the inferior. HUmans, she knew, realized this, even though they wouldn't admit that they weren't at the top of the chain. Humans practiced Selestiae's way all the time, from keeping dogs and other animals as pets to forcing horses to carry them around to killing animals like deer not just for food, but for sport, for enjoyment.[/color][/i] [i][color=#808080][/color][/i] [i][color=#808080]To Selestiae, this was the right of the human race, as humans were superior to such animals. And she, as a goddess, was superior to humans and all other mortals. Therefore, she and the other gods had the right to rule over humans, to force the human race to bow to their desires. However, the other gods, especially Artime, did not share her view. For that reason, Selestiae had been unable to impose her rule on the world. But now, Nox had ordered the other gods to withdraw, to refrain from intervening in the affairs of the world. Selestiae was now free to rule over the world, as was her right.[/color][/i]

If the need arises, sure, but I don't think I'll end up having to do that. Karnig's just building up Selestiae's army right now, and that's not something that requires frequent posts. I'm sure there'll be no problem with you being gone for a few days. If there is, I'll post with Karnig. Oh, and Starwind, you made a mistake in your most recent post. Kay, Quincy, and Kim already found Leo. Quincy and Kim went to get help, but Kay stayed behind. However, your post didn't even mention any of that, and when Kylipso and Dred found Leo, your post said nothing about Kay being there. You should edit your post and correct your mistake.

OOC: Okay, this post is a long one. -------------------------------------------------- [color=#2e8b57][color=seagreen][/color][/color] [color=#2e8b57][color=seagreen]Liquid wasn't quite sure what to make of this 'Big Amber-Eye' thing. It certainly sounded like nothing more than a legend, a story created to explain the sinking of Atlantis. But Liquid and seen enough legends that turned out to be true that she wasn't going to dismiss the possibility that this Amber-Eye thing actually did exist. She didn't think the thing was real, but she was wiling to admit that it wasn't impossible.[/color][/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Do you have any idea why the city really sank?" Liquid asked Algaebra.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]The Atlantean shook her head. "That's still a mystery. We don't know what caused Atlantis to sink. It's one of the two mysteries of our city, the other being where the amber came from."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"I was wondering about that myself," Liquid said. "Alkesel mentioned that the amber allowed you to survive underwater, but he didn't seem to know too much about it."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Not much is known. Our ancestors found it inside Mt. Ipsion, and they used it to survive, but they never knew how the stuff came to be, and nobody since then has figured anything out, either."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"How was the amber discovered?" Liquid asked.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Now that's something we do know," Algaebra replied. "It's an established part of our city's history."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"I'm curious about that, too," Liquid said. "I find this city facinating, and I'd like to know how it came to be. I asked Alkesel about the history of Atlantis, but he didn't seem to know muich."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Well, what did you expect? I mean, you don't find too many educated people working at prisons."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Liquid chuckled. "True. I take it you know a bit more, then?"[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Certainly. I'd be happy to summarize our history for you."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Please do."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra nodded. "All right, then. As you know, the city of Atlantis was not always submerged. Our city was originally built on the island of Ipsion, a rather large island with the inactive volcano Mt. Ipsion at its center.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Even then, Atlanteans were close to the water. Many children swam before they walked, and there wasn't a single person over the age of 10 who'd never been on a boat. The population sustained itself mainly through fishing. Atlantean fishers were the best, and there were quite a lot of them. They went all over the ocean, bringing in many varieties of fish. There was always a significant surplus. What wasn't used by the population was traded for farmed goods and other things that were made elsewhere. Overall, the city was very prosperous.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"As I said earlier, nobody knows what caused Ipsion to sink. When the island began sinking, taking Atlantis down with it, anyone who could got out of there. Every ship in port was packed as full as possible. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room for everyone. Many people had to be left behind when the ships departed.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Those left behind ascended Mt. Ipsion, hoping that the island wouldn't sink completely. Their hopes were in vain, as the island did not stop its decent into the sea. When that became clear, they retreated into these very caverns, where the water could not reach. It was a move of desperation; they had no other options.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"With the entire island underwater, the people were trapped. They were too deep to make it up to the surface of the ocean on a single breath, and even if they weren't, they'd have had no way to go anywhere. And they only had enough supplies for a couple days. All seemed lost, but then someone stumbled upon the magic amber.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"With the amber, our ancestors were able to survive underwater. They still had no way to travel anywhere, but they were no longer doomed. They could explore the ocean, catch fish for food. But although they could live underwater, they still returned to these caverns. Back then, one could only survive underwater with the amber. If you lost your amber talismin while in the water, you were basically dead. But as you can see, things are different now. We Atlanteans have been changed by the amber, givin forms that are naturally able to live underwater. When the Atlanteans changed, we expanded out of the caverns and rebuilt our city underwater."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Fascinating," Liquid said. "I wonder just where the amber came from, why it was there?"[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Well," Algaebra replied, "like I said earlier, we don't know. That didn't stop our ancestors from using it, of course. We actually still have many of the original talismans used by our ancestors. They aren't used, though. They're kept more for historical value, although they must have some practical importance, seeing as how only members of the Council can access the room where they're stored."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Well, that's too bad," Liquid rearked. "I would have liked to see them. Anyways, please continue with Atlantis's history. I'm finding it very interesting."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra nodded. "All right. So, our ancestors rebuilt Atlantis beneath the waves. Concluding that the gods had sunk Atlantis as punishment, they decided to make some changes to their way of life. First, they would do away with..."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Eventually, Gold Team reached its destination. Algaebra halted them in the middle of a hallway and indicated a position on the wall. It looked like a normal wall, but there was a small panel of some kind. [/color] [color=#2e8b57]"That's what we call an essence lock," Algaebra explained when she saw the confused looks on Liquid's and the other two's faces. "Each person has a unique... well, 'aura' is probably the best word, but it's not quite a perfect fit. Anyways, everyone has a unique aura that we call their essence. One can't detect it through normal means, but we can 'see' it with the amber.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"An essence lock contains imprints of various people's essences. When you place your hand on the essence reader, it compares your essence to the stored imprints. If there's a match, the door opens. If there's not a match, the door stays closed. Fortunately for us, my imprint is still in this lock, as Tritonias doesn't know I'm actually with his enemies."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"So, this technology is related to the amber, then?" Liquid remarked.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra nodded. "Indeed. I don't know how it works, but I do know that amber is involved. Remember, only the amber can read an essence. Each essense lock has a smal amount of amber."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra placed her hand on the essence lock. For a second, nothing happened, but then a concealed door swung open. Algaebra stepped through it, followed by Gold Team. The door closed behind them.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"You know," Liquid said as she examined the room, "this workshop is almost exactly the way I thought it would be."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Tetros nadded. "Same here."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]There wasn't anything too unusual about the workshop. It was perhaps half water and half land. The submarine rested in the water, but was secured at many spots to the walls, and to the dry part of the workshop. There were walkways along either side of the submarine. Equipment was scatered all over the place, most of it unfamiliar to Liquid and probably Atlantean, though there were some things that had clearly come from within the submarine.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Nobody's here," Melinoe observed. "It appears that our timing was fortunate."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Not fortunate," Algaebra replied. "This was deliberate. I knew that there probably wouldn't be anyone in here right now. That's why Raynor had you wait for so long, so that when I brought you here, we'd be alone."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Smart," Tetros said. "Let's make use of this opportunity, then. We need to find something that incriminates the Council specifically. That's probably not going to be easy. Algaebra, you'll know better than we will what kind of things will do the job. Any clues as to what we should look for?"[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Well, the essence lock helps our case," Algaebra replied. "Those aren't exactly easy to get. And I can act as a witness, since I've seen Council members in here. However, it'd be best if we had something more. Somethink like-"[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Like?" Liquid prompted when Algaebra stopped talking.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra pointed "Like that."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Liquid, Tetros, and Melinoe looked where Algaebra was pointing. She was indicating a trio of odd-looking items that Liquid couldn't identify. They seemed to be of Atlantean origin, and when she focused, she could feel some kind of energy within them. It felt... normal was the only word Liquid could think of. Something about the energy she felt just seemed right, somehow. "What are those?" she asked.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra turned to face Liquid. "Remember the amber talismins I told you about on the way here? The ones our ancestors used before they were changed? Well, those three objects are three of the talismins."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Are you sure?" Melinoe asked.[/color] [color=#2e8b57]Algaebra nodded. "I'm sure. Even though most people can't access the room where they're kept, everyone knows what they look like. Those are definitely three of the talismins. Tritonias and the other councilers must have been trying to use them to help with something, probably operating some of the devices we've found on the submarine. The talismins must have been brought recently, too. I've never seen them in here before. I wonder why the councilers would risk using something that points so clearly to them? I mean, it's literally not possible for anyone else to access the talismin room. It has an essence lock that recognises only current members of the Council. So why did they use those talismins?"[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"A risk assessment, probably," Tetros guessed. "They concluded that they needed some amber, and they didn't want to risk somebody noticing that there was some amber missing. So they took the amber from a place only they could access. I just wonder why they didn't take it with them when they left. Leaving it here seems like it'd be too much of a risk."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]As if on cue, Melinoe said, "We're not alone in here. I can sense several people in the submarine. They seem to me moving to exit it."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"There has to be at least one Council member in there," Algaebra said. "Probably more than one. If I were them, I'd be very, very secrative about using the amber talismins, so I'm guessing that everyone in there is a member of the Council."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]At that moment, several Atlanteans emerged from the submarine, led by Tritonias himself. The High Councilor spotted Gold Team ad do anything. "Well, we've been seen," Liquid observed "It would seem that things are about to get interesting."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"I don't think we have any choice but to fight," Melinoe said. "I realize they outnumber us, but we have some significant advantages of our own. I don't think we'll have too much trouble."[/color] [color=#2e8b57]"Maybe will will," Tetros replied, "and maybe we won't. Either way, it looks like we're about to find out."[/color]

Well, I think that whatever we do, Leo needs to be found. If the search for him goes on much longer, this will become really boring. So let's find Leo within the next post or two, regroup at the Temple, where Katie's waiting, and then go from there. I don't think too much time should be spent on hunting for supplies. Maybe somebody can post about finding some food and water in what's left of the Temple. But we shouldn't spend too much time on stuff like that, as that can also make an RPG boring (as I know from experience). About encountering followers of Selestiae, well, maybe if it's just a few people. Remember, the 'good guys' aren't exactly a huge group. They couldn't come anywhere close to taking on an entire city. There's just a few of them. They could fight a similar-sized group of Selestiae's followers (perhaps people on patrol, or something like that), but not a large force. Oh, and just to make sure this is clear, when followers of Selestiae are attacking the 'good guys', Katie will not hesitate to join the 'good guys' in battle against them. Yes, she's actually serving Selestiae, but in the interest of keeping her true alleigence (sp?) a secret, she will fight followers of Selestiae if they attack, and she will not hesitate before doing so.