|
Post by kain17335 on Jan 5, 2014 21:14:37 GMT -6
Prologue: Small Beginnings
High above the world of Gallus there lies the High Ridge mountains. A series of natural walls creating barriers between two sections of the world. A world where steam reigns as the miracle fuel of the age. Fuelling both the mechanical monstrosities of the world and driving the nature of men in the pursuit of power. However, on these mountains lies a city, high above the wars and destruction down below. This city, is known as High Lagoon. Settled by a powerful madman who hallucinated and thought he'd found an unfrozen oasis. High Lagoon found a whole different type of oasis. It's copper rich ore brought a high income to the predominantly Russian inhabitants. Followed by rare rubies and emeralds that fuelled the expansion of the city to the size it is today.
Within this city, along the ice covered pavements lay a workshop, where a brutish old man worked on a locomotive. His faced was wrinkled and bedraggled. Like the man had seen more days than he should have. His oil covered overalls seemed just as old, as if he'd never even bothered to take them off at night. "Hermine!" the man shouted, standing up and looking over the car. The girl he was shouting for was somewhere, for sure. Probably trying to build something out of spare parts again no doubt, not that he would ever allow her the fuel rations to power it.
Far outside of this workshop however, outside the walls of High Lagoon. A line of soldiers stood to attention, High Lagoon did not have a large amount of troops to defend it. The weather itself was the best weapon they had. An officer stood in front of the line. Pacing from one end to another as he inspected them. Each carrying the normal supplies of clockworks rifles and backpacks. "Only five of the eight that I sent out two weeks ago have returned. Either they have been cowards and fled or they died out there and I don't care." The man said, there was one that stood out from the group, a man who towered over his lesser comrades. He turned to his right, a leftenent stood there, awaiting for orders. "Maxim, did they perform well?" he asked, this being Maxim's first time as a supervisor made it more interesting to hear what he had to say rather than the men waiting in line.
Not everything is so orderly in High Lagoon however, within one of the slum streets, a fat, hooded slaver walked through, a barb notched whip clutched fimrly in his hands and he trudged along. Most slaves stayed in their workplaces, others needed... persuasion. Not that it happened very often. With there being such a low population in High Lagoon slaves were in high demand, so they were treated better than most. If compared to the other cities in Gallus.
|
|
|
Post by guycoolspore2 on Jan 5, 2014 21:26:49 GMT -6
Kaiser woke up, sore and not exactly happy to be getting up so early again. His house was small. Nothing to really be proud of, but property was property. His pants were still incredibly dirty, but his fingers didn't seem to be hurting that bad. Looking out the small and not at all proportionate window, his frown became bigger. No blizzard.
Well, no need to keep him waiting, he thought, and, slipping into the pieces of cloth that counted for shoes here was out the front door, waiting at attention for the fat bastard that would usually be here by now. I wonder if he slipped and died. Oh, well.
|
|
|
Post by Imperator on Jan 5, 2014 21:39:18 GMT -6
Maxim turned to his superior and lifted a leather glove clad hand in a small salute and spoke with a firm Russian accent. "Yes, Sir. I'd say they all performed rather... Adequately." Maxim turned back to face the line of men. "Though in all honesty, sir. It's a miracle this many survived. No doubt there's been better line ups, but there has certainly been worse."
|
|
|
Post by kain17335 on Jan 6, 2014 13:11:56 GMT -6
"Working on those schematics again, eh?" he shouted, leaning back down to the locomotive. "Hows about you actually do some work! Maybe you'll actually be able to build those things." He leant up, scratching his balding head. "Damn thing won't start." he muttered, before giving the contraption an almighty kick. To no avail however, the beast lay dormant. "Tell you what." he smiled, placing his tool down on the trolley next to him. The shimmering brass monster sitting there, waiting for a driver. "Fix this thing and I'll give you three fuel rations to build something. I need a rest."
Once the slaver reached Kaiser's home he found the man waiting outside. "Good dog." he said in a humiliating manner. Patting the man on the head before grabbing his arm and dragging the man with him. "You've got a new master to look forward to now, lucky you!"
The officer looked to the group, it was obvious they'd had to watch someone die out there. Or even kill them, out of spite or mercy, he did not care. He waved his hand at the group, authoritatively shouting "Dismissed!" to them all. Rest was rare in High Lagoon, so these men should grab it while they can. "Do you know how the others died, Maxim?" he asked, taking a few steps forwards, beckoning the young man to follow.
The soldiers had left feeling rather uneasy, seeing their number dwindle like it had did have an effect on a few of the guardsmen. Which was probably why one of them had the bright idea to drown their sorrows in a local tavern. After dropping of their belonging at the barracks of course. One too many times has a guardsmen been left outside the city with nothing but their uniform and a knife because they had lost it all in a poker game. "Hey, Dominik!" one of the other guardsmen shouted as they placed their belongings in their footlockers. "You feel man enough tonight to drink something, eh?"
|
|
|
Post by Imperator on Jan 6, 2014 16:11:20 GMT -6
Maxim followed the officer, walking a few steps behind him. "Only two, Sir. The last one didn't make it back in time, so we had to leave him behind. If he's not dead by now, he soon will be." Maxim fell silent for a few seconds before clearing his throat and continuing. "As for the other two. One apparently slip of a ledge and broke his leg in the company of another recruit. He was left to freeze to death. I would have slit his throat myself, but the boy was probably too focused on his own survival to even care about the suffering of another. The last one, but the first to die, simply refused to even try to survive out there and attempted to come back. I shot him on the spot."
|
|
|
Post by guycoolspore2 on Jan 6, 2014 17:05:00 GMT -6
"Oh, piss off, you oversized marshmallow. I can walk myself. Besides, you know you'll miss me." He flashed a sarcastic smile and pulled away, chuckling. "I know I'll miss you, even if you're the one that made me lose twenty pounds in the last month."
|
|
|
Post by Courier6ix on Jan 6, 2014 18:11:10 GMT -6
Dominik considered this. "That all depends, are you drinking to be drunk, or drinking to have fun? Either way, a night's rest sounds far more entertaining." He wasn't a fool, drinking at a low rank could end....in a mess. But he wasn't a pussy either, he'd drink but right now he just wanted to sleep. Rest and military didn't often go together, you took what you got.
|
|
|
Post by kain17335 on Jan 6, 2014 19:01:56 GMT -6
"Very good." The officer stated as the two re-entered the cities walls. Snow still fell even though the huge walls look as if they'd at least block something. "They were weak, better they die now rather than later." They took a sharp turn just as they entered a city. A tavern stood at the end of the street. "Fancy a drink to celebrate?" he asked, a slight smile on his face, not really something that seemed to fit the man very well.
Dymlin had already started to nod off when his apprentice loomed over him. Making him think for a moment someone was making an attempt at hislife, not that there was anything that was very special about the man. Once Hermine had informed him of the man's own stupidity he burst into a fit of laughter. Coughing a spluttering afterwards as he failed to breath properly. "That'll be in then, won't it." he laughed, slowly lifting himself up off of what could only be called a sheet and a steel frame, not really a bed for a man of his age to be sleeping on. "You can really tell I'm not what I used to be!"
The slaver laughed hysterically, slapping the temple of Kaiser's head with the back of his hand. "You never did know when to keep your mouth shut." He said, still laughing. He knew for a fact that, if Kaiser were to even try to run or escape he'd never find a way out. "Maybe you'll be lucky and your new master will only beat you half as much as I did!"
"Bah, you probably couldn't hold it anyway!" the man said, waving his hand dismissively in Dominik's direction. Before long however the men had left for the tavern. Leaving the last of the group in the barracks, alone.
|
|
|
Post by guycoolspore2 on Jan 6, 2014 19:10:35 GMT -6
Kaiser rubbed his temple, still smiling. "I don't know. There's some bonding to be obtained from it. Remember when poor Scott acquired your last bottle of Whiskey and you thought it was me? Oh, I still have that scar. I would show you, but I'm afraid that smile will be slapped off, too."
|
|
|
Post by Imperator on Jan 6, 2014 23:22:31 GMT -6
Maxim smiled at the thought of a drink, he could use something to help warm him up. "That would be nice, Sir. And since you're offering, you'll be buying then?" Maxim chuckled quietly, partly from his superior's smile. It unsettled him more than he would care to admit.
|
|
|
Post by Courier6ix on Jan 11, 2014 13:14:37 GMT -6
Having a few drinks couldn't hurt, but Dominik decided that it wasn't worth it. He knew that his comrades were just going to go and get pissed most likely, and he wanted to not have a hangover in the morning. Especially so since if they were getting a break, there's a chance tomorrow was going to be hard with a possibility of an early wake-up. Returning to his section of the quarters he straightened out stuff so any surprise inspection wouldn't phase him, then he cleaned his guns. He almost wasn't tired but looking at his covers he decided that he wanted as many hours of sleep as possible. Turning out the light, he covered up and went to bed.
|
|
|
Post by kain17335 on Jan 12, 2014 17:15:48 GMT -6
Dymlin thought for a moment, Hermine had proved herself multiple times before.Maybe she needed something that was actually a challenge rather than the odd clockwork rifle.He couldn't put it off much longer either, she needed an actual challenge to put on her record. "All right, you deserve something." He said, trudging along to the back of the workshop. He opened the store cupboard and dragged out something on wheels, Hermine couldn't tell what what it was due to the large cloth draped over it. Upon lifting the cloth up, Hermine we revealed a large set of brass armour on a mannequin. The back of it was covered in the workings of a power source though Dymlin made no effort to explain what it powered. "There, it was originally a prototype armour suit that a merchant sold me. Never got it working. Take it apart and make something of it, I never did."
Before long the slaver had dragged Kaiser to what seemed to be a workshop of some kind. The only lit house on the whole street. "Now you be good now, don't want to end up getting cold now, do we?" he laughed, pushing the young man to the side before knocking on the door.
"You deserve something for a job well done." the officer said, he'd done well on his first solo assignment. Though his leadership qualities needed to be tested. Dragging a few men out into the cold may have been a show of strength. But there was no proof that anything Maxim said was true. Tomorrow would be the time when he could truly prove himself.
|
|
|
Post by guycoolspore2 on Jan 12, 2014 17:23:19 GMT -6
Kaiser nodded and stood at attention once more, though his curiosity was marching at quick step. What would they be like to their new slave? They obviously would look down at him, but what if they were worse than his master before the slaver? What if they were to cut off ears like he'd heard some would do? Maybe a nose? Mouth?
|
|
|
Post by Imperator on Jan 12, 2014 17:28:37 GMT -6
Maxim cracked a small smile. "Thank you, Sir." He knew he shouldn't completely relax just yet. But for now he was going to enjoy a nice drink to warm himself.
|
|
|
Post by kain17335 on Jan 12, 2014 17:53:05 GMT -6
Dymlin laughed, it seemed Hermine had squeezed just a little too tightly when she thanked him. "Such an act is deserved for someone far younger and far better looking my dear." He smiled, walking away from Hermine and her present. When suddenly a loud thud was heard from the door.
When the door opened, Kaiser gazed upon the little wonders that were strewn across the workshop. A old man greeted them, with a girl far behind him lauding over something shiny, it was not completely visible, however. "You're late." the old man said, he didn't really look like he should even be walking around any more. The slaver grunted, pushing Kaiser into the workshop. "Well he's here now, tell me if you have any problems." he growled. He'd rather have seen Kaiser and many others swinging from the gallows rather than sold to someone as kind hearted as Dymlin. But he was never one to turn down a sale, seen as Kaiser was the only one left unemployed.
The bar was dimly lit and filled with smoke, making it hard to see from one side of the room to the other. The officer ordered two brandy's and handed one to Maxim. On one side of the room Maxim could clearly see the group of men he'd lead only a day ago. When they saw him and their superior their faces turned more solemn. As if the sight of those two brought fear to them. "You'll be leading them tomorrow, you know." the officer said to Maxim, pointing to the group with glass in hand.
|
|