"Shut up." Was all she mumbled, looking away soon afterwards - not even much more than a half-hearted response before going over and nudging him - and tightening her grip on the Punisher. "...What now?" She asked the man, now wondering what exactly to do. Wandering about was just irritating to her, but she was fortunate enough to have the Helm cover her anxious look.
OOC use the tag <before briefing> if you need to do replies for that stuff. We can try to tie loose ends before the mission starts Free emotes for @bossaroo & @Draconion <Mission#3 Briefing> @Draconion @kanila @bossaroo @Maleth @Skarboy @Kalle @Grall_Stonefist @Vulpas @Vlayden @Wata In the end, there was no rest for the wicked. Only couple of days after the Kabal returned from the realspace raid and after going through the business of selling all of those slaves and whatnot while also admitting new members in, the Archon Zar'uil once again summoned his lieutenants to his throne room for another briefing. One interesting thing to mention was the presence of until-then unknown Corsair Kholivaz who, after getting accepted into the Kabal, also received an invitation to join the briefing - hopefully a pleasant surprise for the returning Heliarch. (OOC @Skarboy here you can find the proper description of the throne room and Archon himself Spoiler: Spoiler The chamber they entered now was quite large, at each side there were great statues of old Archons made to look as if they were holding the ceiling, although since the chamber was also quite high it was impossible to see its end so the statues gave the impression as if the occupants of the chamber were being looked down upon by those ancient Dark Eldar. The warriors from their escort moved and took position around those statues, keeping close watch on the newcomers. In front of them, further in the back they could see steps leading to a great dais on top of which a throne was placed, a thing made of crimson marble which had the effect of always raining blood down onto the steps beneath it. Sitting on the throne was a tall Dark Eldar dressed in crimson robes lined with silver, although bulky enough for them to know he was carrying some sort of armor beneath. He was armed with an archaic single-barrel pistol of unknown design and a silver blade that seemed to draw the light onto itself and shape it in forms that would invite madness if one would focus too closely on it. The Archon himself was looking somewhat young, although his eyes showed otherwise - a pitch black well of infinite malice and hatred, completely in tone with his position. ) Inside the throne room, as usual, they saw two dozen Kabalites skulking around the statues while six Incubi stood guard near the dais (Hierarch no where to be seen at the moment). Besides Zar'uil who awaited them on the throne stood their Seneschal Kouron, looking dour as ever, while Archon's Bale-hound Gorm remained in the shadows behind the Archon, scanning the room with its yellow eyes. "Congratulations on your performance during the raid," the Crimson Lord began, "Those actions gave us much prestige as well as assets to climb the ranks and become the strongest force on this Tier. I hope that you'd be happy to hear that another takeover is in the works and soon if everything goes according the plan, the entire Nether's Gale will bow to us. Another thing that I wished to inform you of is the presence of Kholivaz," he spoke and nodded towards the Corsair, "We met once, long ago actually, but I'm sure he doesn't remember me for I was just a lowly Kabalite back then," the Archon smiled a viper's smile, "And I know of his skills personally so his addition into the Kabal was only logical next step." Leaving Kholivaz to ponder on who the hell was exactly this Zar'uil guy for he was quite sure he'd never seen him before, the Archon continued with the talk. "And now, I have a proper task for you all that will finally employ your personal skills and cement your place in the Crimson Moon." Hololit display in the middle of the room activated and showed them a planet covered in ice and snow. "You're looking at the planet Kelih, a world that was once a part of the Old Empire. Before the Fall, it used to be a winter palace of one of Eldar nobles, quite a dashing place actually or so I was told. There were many balls held there, it was quite lively and all and then once She Who Thirsts awoke all of it was destroyed in an instant. Now, only ice remains while any signs of the civilization were buried under all that snow long time ago." "I need something brought back from it," Zar'uil said and presented them with a small crystal key he pulled out from his robes. "Within the palace there's a vault. This key opens it. Inside the vault there's a small ornate box, covered with black drake skin, you'll know it as soon as you see it. I want that box returned to me. Everything else you find there is yours for the taking and also, don't try to tamper with my item, I'm going to tell you right now - it's beyond your skill to open it." "Pretty simple task really and if you accomplish it, know that each of you will get a rank of Sybarite (OOC or appropriate) when you return with the prize, with everything that goes with that rank of course. You'll be going alone, with one Raider, using an ancient Webway gate hidden on the planet." "Any questions?" "Oh, I forgot to mention. Mon'keigh scavengers, the so-called Cult Mechanicus explorers found the planet as well and are currently doing excavations to reach Eldar ruins beneath the ice, but I'm sure such small obstacle won't cause you too much trouble."
<Barracks> A slow refrain of ambivalently ironic applause drifts over the relative silence of the barracks square. Thû's gloved hands smack into each other in a lazy rhythm that causes all eyes to drift towards the enigmatic figure. @bossaroo "Well then. I shall go pick our new Enforcers," he says, leaning in towards Ave'ras to speak in a confidential undertone. Without waiting for a reply, he crosses the bloodstained ground. One by one, he taps three conscious candidates on the shoulder. "You, you and you. Come with me. Oh, and carry those two others over there," he adds, pointing at two unconscious figures nearby. Every single one of his picks appears to share three common characteristics - youth, uncommon creativity and spirit, even - particularly - those who lost their bouts. With uncertain glances between themselves, the three that are able to walk seem to come to the conclusion that it is in their best interests to comply with this mysterious figure. Picking up their unconscious new compatriots, they follow in Thû's wake as he exits the barracks. <Briefing> Listening in silence to Zar'uil's latest briefing, Thû cannot help but think that this is one of those ostensibly straightforward missions that will degenerate into utter chaos. A mysterious artifact, a frozen wasteland of the a planet and Mechanicus explorators - an explosive mix, if ever he's seen one. The Mechanicus, in particular, he has known from of old. Superstitious barbarians wallowing in ignorance while claiming to worship knowledge, yet, for all that, very formidable in both their callous determination and their command of bizarre technologies. In any case, his haywire pistol - which he made the armourers go over with a fine-toothed comb on pain of death - will certainly come in handy this time. Glancing over the new joiners, his eye lights upon the corsair, Kholivaz. He remembers seeing the man fight in the free-for-all on the barracks square. With this latest revelation of him being an old acquaintance of the Archon, he wonders just how old both men really are, particularly as he recalls Kheradruakh's veiled hints at Zar'uil's history.
<Berfore briefing> Seing that he had allready become a target for 3 of the maddened kroot, Hetax started spinning his hook lightly around in its chain, he would need to pull any of these 3 close, so it would just have to be used as a more conventional weapon. Though with that in mind he also started firering his splinter shotgun, aiming low to try and make sure the kroots even if simple shields, dident absorb his toxic payload.
<Before briefing> @Vlayden Kaesar did a careful stretch of his back and fixed his silver white hair ponytail a bit better. He was obviously in pain, not bothering to hide it. "Now, darling Venessia, we play by the rules decreed on us by our Lord Drach." He chuckled and fixed a playful stare at her. "This is what you wanted, right?" He let the silence hang for a moment, still staring at her. Then he turned away, he was off to fix his injuries. "See you soon, our honor awaits." Kaesar waved back at her without looking back. <Briefing> Kaesar stood unusually stoic and with a helmet on this time, not far off from Venessia wherever she was. He regarded the newcomers with little interest, instead stewing on what he got himself into. "For my own benefit..." He muttered quietly. It was going to be possible mechanicus foes too, didn't sound as fun to practice violence on. This better amount to something. He is going to be dead otherwise, or worse yet, bored.
<Before Briefing> @Wata She just gave off a scoff and jabbed him in the backside - not harmfully, mind you - with the Punisher, before going on her own way. "Yeah, yeah; just don't go dying." <Briefing> The Incubus would keep her helmet on as before with the Punisher held in both hands over her shoulder; if anything, it was rather easy to mistake her for a male with the heavy armour and muscled physique. Her gaze turned to look over the others in the group for a long moment as she gauged their reactions, trying to see who would decide on doing what, or how; even glancing to Kaesar for his own reaction.
Despite all evidence to the contrary, his every action implied that he was exactly where he belonged. Among the Kabalites stood one of their newest members in the armor of a Corsair, having just gained entry to their brotherhood and yet he had gained inclusion to the highest of briefings within the Kabal. In any organization as cutthroat as one ran by Commorrites, this was an absurd rise in status. Meteoric rise to power or prestige couldn't even cut it. Any sensible member of the Dark City would be sweating at the possible implications, their potential to be a sacrificial lamb or a target for every other member in the room as astronomical as Kholivaz's own ego. Yet here he stood among those gathered, eyes facing towards the Archon seemingly at ease. Arms crossed, weight placed on his right foot, weapons at rest in their sheaths and holsters. He paid those around him no mind, confident that any who raised a blade against them would be unceremoniously split open by chainsword, his laughter the last thing they heard. And yet.. Something unexpected had come up. It was rare for one who held nothing but his own freedom and strength dear to be given a compromising situation barring shackles. Yet here it was, the one thing that could potentially still hold Kholivaz back. His past. Who are you? When Zar'uil had addressed him, he had given no indication that the news bothered him. The former Hellion hadn't moved a muscle, simply meeting the Archon's gaze. His eyes hadn't widened in surprise, his hands hadn't inched down towards his weapons. Not even his breathing or heartbeat had changed. But his mind had begun racing. There had been a sudden potential for violence in that stillness as Kholivaz considered just who might be standing before him. His past as a Hellion had been filled with enemies. Most who had died to vengeful Craftworlders aboard the Anamnialoc, over a century ago. Admittedly he had never doubted the Haemonculi had simply returned, satisfied to have considered him a potential casualty and yet.. Kholivaz finally blinked his eyes, those pools of darkness betraying nothing of the frantic search of his memory that had taken place. As a thief among thieves in the Middle Darkness, leaving couriers split open on the pavement far below, he had made more than his fair share of enemies. Just how Zar'uil had known him would be revealed in the future. Until then, Kholivaz would use the Kabal as it used him.
Listening to the briefing, Heltherith was quite sure she knew why the stranger from the Black Heart though that her next mission would tell her that her next mission would give a chance to find further information about Zar'uil's identity, given the mention of the box and the freedom to loot the rest of the place to their heart's content. Course, upholding her side of the deal most likely meant cracking the box that the Archon wanted, despite his claims of it being beyond their skills to crack. That was the sort of thing the Wych expected to be a bluff to dissuade them from trying, but she'd have to lay her own eyes upon it to see if it was possible or not. (And find a way to make sure that Zar'uil didn't notice someone had taken a look inside the box.) Also, that the Archon also knew someone called Kholivaz, a Corsair that apparently he knew for a long time which might also be useful information... And another infuriating question that needed to be answered. That and there was the matter of Mechanicum scavengers as well, but compared to the internal/external politics she might be involved with, they were almost a footnote to the Commorrite. Still, she then broke her silence to say "If all we're getting is a single raider, I presume that those of us with experience in leading with a small number of forces would be a better option to lead the team." Sure it might be a not so subtle hint about her desiring leadership of this mission, but she was confidant that rejecting support last mission might give her a more convincing case to be made the leader.
Kholivaz glanced sidelong at the Wych already jockeying for the position of leader, a snort emanating from within his mask. New to this Kabal he may be, curiosities abounding about his connection to the Archon, and perhaps most of all was his questionable presence in this meeting. Yet in that look alone, there was insolent protest. You? In charge of me? Ignore the fact that the former Hellion had not been in a position of leadership for over a century, lack of trust among Craftworlders and Commorrites sidelining him to the bloody and glorious stage of assault. "One with history concerning the mongrel metal worshipers would be better suited. The details are lacking enough as is, I do not need my other eye blinded by lack of experience, so to speak." And there it was, the barb tossed out as the most casual of contributions to this briefing. It wasn't a direct challenge to her claim, but it was enough for Kholivaz that others might contest for the position.
- Across the way Yrara began thinking for a moment. "Interesting offer but the Archon, has been quite generous, Though I shall keep this offer in mind, I must decline at the moment," Yrara said looking to his fellow colleague, as he did know he could be useful he could as well be replaced, he already remembered that other Hamounculus that unfortunately survived and not had been among one of the beings he was experimenter on, So the possibility of the archon replacing him was still possible maybe protection maybe needed but for now he Yrara believe it would be wiser staying where he was. -Briefing Yrara listened with interest as the Archon explained there mission, Not only would they be going out exploring a lonely interestingly enough pre fall world but they might also get some more metal in there diet to experiment on, Oh this gave him a bit of joy for new possible experiments and tests on those Metal headed monkeigh's he kept his grin up up as the conversation went on. He had to wonder what might be in that box, Possibly something of great value or nothing of interest at all, his eyes scanned the others as he looked to them wondering if any of them were planning or scheming for the next mission, and mainly if one of them wanted the box.
