A Venture into the Dark

[Sarrus]

(Now closed for new entries.)


Let’s be honest, when you came to the city of Torus you didn’t expect to be viewing it from the window of a cell. You expected to be zipping along the catenaries and seeing the sites. From your mining car you could have seen the huge doughnut shaped cavern with its stone structures. You could have looked up and seen the cavern of the city’s legendary ruler – the feral dragoness, Nieran. You could have gone deep into the network of tunnels running throughout the mountain in which the city resides and watched as its natural harvest was claimed.


Instead your hopes of seeing the sites or making a life for yourself have been dashed and now you find yourself incarcerated. Perhaps you could have perceived this, something didn’t seem right. It wasn’t the unnatural feel of the artificial daylight of the city. It wasn’t the misfit bunch that make up the citizens. It wasn’t even the smell. It was nothing more and nothing less than dread. An infectious foreboding that everyone feels but no one talks about. Something was definitely very wrong. Perhaps that is why the Gardaí where not in the mood for reasoning with you.


Having been there for a few days now, you know the footsteps of all the guards. You and all your new companions therefore know right away that someone new is approaching your cells.

[Angder]

Angder sits against the plain wall of his cell, the lock is not one he can pick, and the guards are smart enough not to fall for the usual tricks. Sighing, he gazes over to his 'Bed', little more than a low wooden table with an uncomfortable pair of blankets on it.

The thought of spending the rest of his life here scares him.

Hearing footsteps outside, Angder gets up and limps to the door. two days ago he tried to knockout a guard in order to escape, they denied him yesterdays food over that stunt, and now he was too hungry to even walk properly.
Angder peers through the bars on the door, trying to catch a glimpse of who was approaching.

[Sarrus]

The figure appears to be dressed for digression, he has a set of long grey robes and a hood pulled over his head, the tip of a black reptilian snout can be seen poking out from under his hood.

Spotting Angder looking at him he smiles, perhaps it was intended to look warm but it seems slightly worrying. Turning he steps up to the barred door of the cave and extends a clawed hand. For a moment it looks as if it might have been to open the door but instead he puts it through the bars and offers it to be shaken.

“Sarrus” He says politely. “The guards have been telling me all sorts of stories about your escape attempts… They did not seem particularly amused but I must admit I was impressed… how would you like to be able to walk out of here and give them a smile as you do?”
 

[Angder]

Angder narrows his eyes, and looks at the hooded figure, "And I suppose your doing this out of the goodness of your heart..." Angder looks over his shoulder at the cell behind him, and then turns back. "whats the catch?"

[Sarrus]

Sarrus chuckles before answering "Good question, I assume you have spent enough time in this city to know that nothing is without a catch." He pauses for a moment before raising his voice to address all the occupants of the cell. "The more perceptive of you might have noticed this already but something is very wrong outside the walls of the city. The college of arcane arts has appointed me to investigate the darkness but I cannot do it alone." He pauses with a sigh "I have tried but have had little luck convincing any of the Gardaí to accompany me. In any case, they are defenders at heart and this is a job that will require stealth and perception above all else."

He looks around at each prisoner in turn. "Nieran has granted me permission to free anyone who will agree to accompany me."

[Suzumibachii]

Remained sitting silently listening, her emerald eyes closed as as smirk spread over her face. Her small form tensed up underneath the dark clothing she was wearing before her voice echoed around the room. "Of course they wouldn't help, as if weak minded fools like them would be able to do anything." She giggled softly before moving her hands over the metal bracers covering her wrists the markings inscribed in them preventing her from using magic. "It took 10 of them to bring me down." she boasted before standing up "Get these bracers off of me and get me my staff and I will join you."

[Sarrus]

Sarrus looks at Jade and her expression is reflected in his face. "Is that so? Well I will be more than happy to, once we get outside..." He pauses for a moment before returning to addressing the group "Any more interest in my little offer?"

[Oedipus Rex]

Karthus was standing in a corner of the cell. his forelegs were latched together, and then latched to his body. His legs were chained together with just enough gain for him to slowly walk if he needed to. a large leather guard was wrapped around his face, almost like a dog's bite guard. He looked more chained up than somebody in a mental hospital.


When the man approached, Karthus rose his head slowly and eerily watched him, his blood red eyes gleaming at him, without making a sound.

[Sarrus]

"Ah..." The dragon says, meeting the gaze of the mantis. "I can see that talking might be an issue with you, friend. I will have to assume that's a yes."

[Oedipus Rex]

Karthus slowly nodded, reinforcing the man's assumptions.

[Angder]

Angder peers out at the figure, and taps the door eagerly "Just open this cell up and I will go where you point me." Angder then turns away to try to hide his grin. His legs are still weak, but with the door open freedom will only be a short sprint away, he knows the layout of the prison, and most of the guard patrols in his area of the prison. As soon as the door is open he will be down the corridor, and round the corner.

No catch, no investigating darkness, just a short run, and a quick exit from Torus...

[Niphi]

Thaese chuckles from the darkness of his cell. He stands up and walks forward, gripping around the bar of the cell door with his paw, "I wouldn't be so eager following this wizard on his little errand, Neiran isn't the kind of ruler to allow the likes of us such an easy freedom. Knowing her, this will most likely result in your deaths, and for what? To safe guard this rotting husk of a city?" He spits on the ground in disgust, "And who's to say we won't be thrown straight back in here if we do survive?"

[Sarrus]

Sarrus looks from Angder to Thaese with a smile. "Well... it depends on how well you think you will do in here really... You are all welcome to rot in a cell if you like, I wont try and stop you." He looks back at Angder "I wouldn't be too excited either... there is one more little catch."

The dragon holds out both of his hands in front of him and mutters something under his breath, the light between them seems to warp away until hovering silently between his talons are four bands, black as shadow with runes around them, they look just large enough to fit over the heads of each of the prisoners. "These are something of my own design, you choose to put them on, but once you do, you cant take them off again." He holds them out through the bars of the door. "Its just a small formality but you must be wearing one to be eligible for our little deal, Nieran's orders."

[Angder]

Angder sighed, he was smart enough to know what this meant. "Kill switch, enslavement, or do they simply keeps us in a certain area" he asked, as he took his band, and begins to put it on.

Still, some chance was better than no chance. not taking this opportunity would be significantly worse than taking it, right?

[Sarrus]

As Angder puts the band on it shrinks around his neck, the strange material does not seem solid and sinks into his skin, leaving a band of runes around his neck.

"Its not a kill switch... its sort of a combination of the other two." Sarrus shakes the bands. "Anyone else?"