The Lost Sea: Lovecraftian Naval RP - Thread 2 - Games

Ephraim could clearly see the Magpisk filling up quick, and began considering his options. He knew he would have to drop off those they've gotten out of the water, but he wasn't sure how safe it was to drop them off the shore yet, since the inferno could flair up if something unexpected were to occur, at least in his mind. He looked towards the nearby vessels also assisting in the rescue effort, and decided to do something silly: "Hey!" he yelled towards the vessels, "Is it safe enough to drop them off the shore?" he asked loudly. He hoped that he'd get an answer, but didn't discount the possibility of not receiving one.

Fallensteller steadied herself upon the Messenger's reassuring words. While he suggested she was quick to judgement, she felt rightfully paranoid. Things were significantly more dangerous than she anticipated them to be, and concealing her activities aboard the Zuflucht would be difficult. The analogies used, comparing her sacrifice of Officer Pletcher to a candlelight in a cave helped her grasp the situation more easily. Perhaps she could mislead Calcifer by planting diversions on other ships. Maybe some would arise on their own, thanks to men like Captain Tobey. The Messenger also mentioned summoning small creatures. It seemed like a fine idea for the sake of influencing the ship and to create the needed distractions on other vessels, but first she would need to know what summoning entails. "Well then... that clarifies quite a bit," Fallensteller finally replied. "You mention summoning and it brings up an important detail. A book, or rather an ancient Ardeni executioner's log, has fallen into my possession. And that brings up another..." Fallensteller cleared her throat and shook her head, skipping right to the heart of the matter. "Another captain in this fleet, a certain William Tobey, is an expert on the strange and occult, or as much so as a man from the Old World can be in this day and age, and has decided to collaborate to some extent with my measures to affiliate myself and my ship with the Lord. There are rumors in the fleet that he is working in Raum's service just as there are rumors about me, but I am quite certain that it isn't true, at least not yet. He sees his work as more of a scientific endeavor of some sort. Either way, while he is not a loyal follower, he did help me translate the names and many of the crimes listed within, and also reunited me with the dagger you sought to give me on Campo Diablo. "Serastan Tiani... that name stood out, as did his sister Raya. Many of the Lord's followers were on the pages of that book, and I wonder if there remains a way to contact them."

Cattapoli, Dagger Rock "Therasmus? A curious name... I have a lost soul aboard my ship who chose his name as Erasmus. Perhaps you'll both have lots to discuss, though he is far less of the... scholarly sort," Mannfred said. Last he had seen Erasmus, the skeleton had redecorated his brig-cell-turned-cabin into a small parlor with music and works of art he had bartered for from around the ship. The skeleton spent most of his time listening to records and sketching pictures in his notebooks. "Very well, then. We'll figure out what vessel you wish to sail upon when we reach the surface. I think its time we left this place." The admiral took his pistol and silver bullets back from the marine who was holding them, and he briefly checked on Krantz, Varadi, Fawnstar, and Fontaine. Once everyone was squared away, the marines gathered their wounded and dead. Two of the marines kept behind Therasmus, watching him for the time being, as the party made their way back through the filthy dungeon and back to the surface. Once they were back in the courtyard, it was clear there was something going on near the bay. At this distance the fire didn't look terribly large, but in the night it was impossible to miss. Mannfred frowned as one of the marines who had stayed up top hurried over to him and saluted. "Admiral, sir, there's been a cultist attack at the docks. A cart laden with oil exploded and has caught a portion of the docks on fire. There are also rumors of some looting and scattered attacks, as well as a potential report of a fight near the consulate," the marine explained. "A squad arrived not long ago by jeep with the news." "Understood. Tonight will be unfortunate as lives and property will be lost, but by tomorrow I suspect the cults will have bled themselves dry. We've forced their hand, and their leadership is dead," Mannfred said. He suddenly twitched slightly, like there was a pain in his head, and he brought his hand up to his eye to cover it. He growled ever so slightly and looked away, his face obscured by the darkness. The marine beside him holding the lantern lowered it a little more to keep from illuminating the admiral's face. The soldier coughed slightly, looking stoic. "Will you be returning to the dreadnought, sir? We have three jeeps here for the VIPs." Mannfred nodded, still looking away from the group. "That will be for the best. Vunor, Fawnstar, take one of the vehicles with a squad of my men and return to the consulate - if that is agreeable to you, of course. Krantz, Varadi, and Fontaine - you may take the other and return to the fleet. I suspect our subordinates are handling the situation well, but having our senior officers return to their posts is desirable. Therasmus, you will wait here with me for the moment." Just outside the keep were the three jeeps with a few marines near them, awaiting to take passengers anywhere. Cattapoli, Magpisk The small dinghy drifted near the escort vessel, the Buttero, and Ephraim called out to the sailors on board. It was difficult to hear with all of the commotion on deck, the water, and the pier, but one of the sailors with rolled-up sleeves and a beret approached the railing and leaned over it. Ephraim had to repeat himself to be heard, but the sailor caught the message and he cupped his hands around his mouth. "The upper docks should be safe! There's medical care up there!" The sailor shouted, and he pointed in the direction he was talking about. Further up the concrete pier, towards the market, was a series of wooden docks that were outside the cordon and being used extensively by rescuers and fire fighters - and was out of the way of the fire and led right into the marketplace. At that moment one of the closer and smaller docks nearby cracked and tumbled into the water, sending up embers and flames. Thankfully all the people near it had swam away or been picked up, but it was clear that this area wasn't very safe despite the hoses from the escort vessel washing the area with water. Some of the fire had been extinguished already, though it still burned elsewhere. Abyss, Raum's Cathedral "William Tobey," the Messenger said, tasting the name and thinking on it. "Hmm. You are right in assuming that he is not a true follower, though I suspect that can be changed with some... encouragement. His efforts remain wholly unto himself. His desire for knowledge can easily lead him into our lord's embrace. For now, he is only a step away. Perhaps you can close that distance since you are already acquainted."" "And an executioner's log, you say? How curious. I wonder how that little thing survived all these years, most of the larger settlements were completely wiped out. Never mind that. From what you say about there being many followers listed on those pages, and a sibling pair, then I believe its one of the later purges. As the war raged on among the gods, many of the mortals began to reject their patrons for various reasons - for safety, or hatred, or simply fear - and many of those who refused to renounce their faiths were executed. Worshiping Raum was illegal from the start, of course, but many siblings found solace and comfort in praying to him. And as such, they became targets - be they true worshipers or not. A brother and sister pair were most vulnerable during those times, while if they had more siblings, or siblings of the same sex, they were marginally safer. A brother and sister alone made people think of Raum and Valentina, and they feared that." "Serastan Tiani is an Illian name. Ilya was a pleasant wine region, one of the numerous territories of the Aetherian Empire. Its possible their souls could be contacted, though going through that book will be trial and error. It is unlikely you will find a soul that is entirely... intact. Be they corrupted, insane, or otherwise. I can easily give you the knowledge to conduct a seance to speak with the dead, as well as knowledge on summoning them into this realm as physical entities. The Illian's never had much martial prowess, they relied almost entirely on mercenaries, so keep that in mind if you are looking for a soul to fight for you. An Illian will probably be a merchant or a farmer. And if you are looking to summon a criminal, just know that their... worst traits are typically amplified in death, if their soul lingers on. A murderer would find it hard to resist the urge to kill, a thief the urge to steal - even from their masters, if not sufficiently bound and warded. Souls of dead humans can be useful - necromancy has always been useful - though raising the dead has always been a cheap art. If you want power, you want demons. An army of skeletons, ghosts, and phantoms make for good fodder or cabin servants. Don't expect them to be too useful, unless you are lucky."

Vunor nodded to the admiral, "Very well. I hope we can convene in the morrow to discuss this more at length, Mannfred." he said before opening one of jeep doors and motioning for Fawnstar to enter before entering himself. --- Nita thanked the guards for their help before climbing back into the carriage with everyone else. "Lets finally get to Dagger Rock." she said to the driver as the carriage began to move.

In the short time that Fallensteller had spoken candidly with the Messenger, she sensed that she had gained more in terms of wisdom and perspective than she had from listening to the Admiral or reading his codex throughout the preceding weeks. Here in these ancient halls, no matter how dusty or very near abandoned they might be, lay the secret to speak to - or even raise - the dead, and a teacher of utmost wisdom to pass it along. Being the only mortal privileged to visit this place in so long... It was difficult to remain humble, as it was never one of Fallensteller's talents. But the privilege was also a burden; being named the Lord's most valuable servant as well as a bridge between realms was as prestigious as it was compelling; she could never lose sight of the ultimate goal, no matter how tempting it was to toy with the divine forces she was being entrusted with. "To impart that knowledge of seance and summoning on me would be most useful," she replied slowly, having given it deep thought, "not for the sake of raising an army of the dead, but as stepping stones to greater tasks, further down the line. You spoke of that place Kadesh, and I do believe we are travelling there. There is a man who served on my vessel of the lowest character who, to my embarrassment, was once my first officer. He accompanied Calcifer into a divination ritual at Blackstone Keep, and upon his return was so disturbed by the vision he partook in that he attempted to murder me. I imprisoned him in my brig and attempted to break his will to resist us. Ultimately, he was taken from me by the Vice Admiral, who apparently believes the fool has lost his mind... I do worry about him, as he knows too much, but I digress. I used techniques which agitated him and brought him to the precipice, and he told me everything he saw in there. "Calcifer wishes to take us to a place he called Nadesh, where we are to find the Divine Chalice you described and destroy it. Of course, I am loath to allow that to happen, and I'll do as you say and climb to the Star Nursery. Perhaps I can shake those heretics into a more pure form of worship when I demonstrate the destructive power of the Sun Spear against the Lord's enemies- a divine flood of fire and death. And when the disguise worn by Calcifer is done away with, I'll have made sure that I've explored every possible alliance I can form with the other captains. They may not yet be loyal, or even willing to serve, but perhaps I can drive them to abandon Calcifer on some other motive. I understand, now, what you meant about there being many possible plans." She smiled, darkly. "However, I feel more confident in our prospects with the wisdom you've passed on, and the skills that you offer. Thank you."

Torsson yelled at the crowd. "BACK OFF!" He took a firing stance and raised his rifle so that the barrel was at knee-level. Four of his men, two on each side, followed suit with ghe riflemen taking a knee. Those armed with 7mm submachine guns remained standing. "Last warning! Back off now!" --- Kahleen and Dahl navigated through the maze of tents, firefighters, debris and wounded. They walked up to a pair of Gothian marines arguing loudly with a group of shopkeepers. Kahleen entered the discussion after introducing herself as a superior. After hearing the case she glanced over at the shops and the fire creeping towards it. She gritted her teeth. Dahl made a subtle shake with his head. It's going to be quite the risky move. She then spotted one lf the fire engines and stopped them. "We need more water over there! Let's give these people some breathing room," she said loudly to the group of firefighters. The Zamerian then looked at the shopkeepers. "Ten minutes. Take what you can carry. Go."

"Welcome to the party, gentlemen!" Graves yelled towards the arriving reinforcements. He quickly turned his attention back to the cultists. "Finish them off, boys! We'll sort out for any survivors later." --- Fontaine was ready to call it a night. He needed to have his head looked at after the hits he took. But there was something that was bothering him. "What about our new...friend? Will he ride with you?"

"Erasmus..?" the demon repeated, rocking forward slightly on his toes as he contemplated the name. "Purely coincidental naming convention, I assure you. Or is it? Hm. Possibly. Regardless, I will be sure to speak to him if given the opportunity." After he was not being directly spoken to he would simply stand there, completely still and observing what the others were speaking about as a new arrival greeted them. At the mention of violence and all of the cults, he simply adjusted his glasses that suggested indifference yet curious interest at the conflict taking place above. It was no doubt he certainly stepped into something interesting, but he did not see himself darting through burning buildings to rescue mortals like some kind altruist. "Efficient, very efficient." he says to the admiral. When Mannfred appears to have some kind of an episode, getting him to cup a few fingers around his chin in thought. When the group was assigned their duties and split up, Therasmus couldn't help but notice that the admiral requested him to be alone. Fontaine's question got him to nod in agreement, quite curious over what would happen next as always. "Indeed, admiral. What reason would you wish for me to stay here? It seems like the excitement is following your men assigned to cleaning up this mess." he pauses, head turning toward the group as they began to fan out. "No complaints from me, of course. If you have any questions for me, please, feel free to ask."

"I imagine he'll want to have a nice chat with you." commented Krantz, before departing for the jeep. Váradi followed closely behind, really hoping that the demon wouldn't be going with them in their jeep. He didn't care if people talked, but he hated when people droned on and on about things, which is what this demon Therasmus seemed to love to do. A few moments later, they were climbing into one of the jeeps, leaving a spot for Fontaine to sit.

"I wouldn't mind sharing a seat with him, if that is alright with you, admiral." Fontaine could get over his prejudice towards the demon's long winded mannerism. Wasn't the first time he had to put up with someone like that. One of the soldiers taped him on the shoulder. "I think you dropped this, captain." The man handed him over his cane. Fontaine let out a 'huh', remembering he had brought the thing all this way and that he had dropped it when the demon attacked. He thanked the soldier before turning his attention back to their new friend from the abyss. "As I said, I wouldn't mind traveling with Therasmus. Several of my officers should be handling the excitement around the city and I would very much like to check up on them. A chance for him to see us conduct business up close."

Tobey was not quite sure about how to apply this information, but he recognized that it could become quite useful. He got up and motioned for Andria to follow him. With some reservation she got up from the bed as Bennett and the guardsman eyed her but followed her new master obediently. When they got to his quarters, Tobey instructed Bennett to call in for the night and leave him and the Heran. Andria looked around Tobeys quarters, studying the noble interior mixed with the curious collections of books and strange artifacts that littered the tables and shelves. Tobey instructed her to have a seat, and she carefully sat down on the same chair where poor Neustadt had been earlier that same evening. He brought her a few papers, full of sketches of the blackstone sorcerers tattoos and scarification, "You seem to be quite familiar with the subject of magic. Is this something you could also enlighten me on. Specifically if it has any real connection to this trinket." he said, as he placed the earring on top of the papers. --- Norrys and his men arrived at the docks, only to find them in utter chaos. He spotted the gothian soldiers in their current predicament and his expression soured. Pointing his pistol upwards, he signaled for his men to stop.

Ephraim cupped his own hands around his mouth, and shouted to the sailor, thanking him. He turned towards the others, his pals and those rescued. "Alright! We're gonna move the shore now, everyone," he told them, just to reassure that he was indeed gonna do it, and began steering the almost-doesn't-qualify-for-a-dinghy towards the upper docks, in the direction the sailor pointed.

Cattapoli, Dagger Rock Vunor settled into one of the jeeps with Fawnstar and a couple marines. The vehicle's engine sprung to life and the headlights were turned on, and it eased across the grass and towards the dirt road which led here. The driver waved his pith helmet at everyone before gaining speed on the road and hurrying into the night, going back towards the capital. The other two jeeps were now idling as people began to get ready to depart. "Therasmus will be riding back with me. There will be plenty of time tomorrow to chat with out new found colleague, Mister Fontaine. He may even elect to join your ship. However, it would be wise if you got some rest tonight," Mannfred explained, turning just slightly to observe the party boarding and loitering around the jeeps. His face was still in shadow mostly as none of the marines had their lanterns near him, and the jeep lights were all facing the opposite direction. "I do not doubt he will enjoy a tour of the fleet and all it has to offer - but for tonight, I would like to speak with him alone," he said, turning his gaze to the demon. --- The jeep with the shaman and consul sped down the dirt road through the dark, the fire from the docks illuminating a portion of the sky and giving the night an eerie red glow. Just up ahead of them was an approaching wagon with a lantern, and the driver maintained his speed while the marine in the passenger seat steadied his rifle. "Please hold on, we have someone approaching," the man said to Vunor and Fawnstar as the jeep continued on. After a few moments the lantern was flashed a couple times and the wagon slowed to a stop on the side of the road. When it was clear there were humans in the wagon, the jeep slowed to a stop alongside them. "Captain Spaghetti!" The marine driver exclaimed, peering up into the wagon. "Good evening, sir. If you are looking for the admiral he is still at the dungeon with the others. They should be coming this way soon." Nita and her party didn't make it in time for the rescue, though it was clear Fawnstar was safe as he sat quietly in the back of the jeep beside Vunor and two other marines, who were sitting across from them. Cattapoli, Gothian Perimeters Torsson's aggressive stance sent more of the Cattan peeling away from the crowd, thinning it by about a third, though many still remained - either there to watch or remain provocative. Most people didn't seem intent to get involved with foreign soldiers, least of all humans with guns. A few guardsmen in their long cloaks were approaching from either side of the perimeter to see what was going on and they began to direct some people away. Then, a rock was thrown from the crowd and at the Gothian soldiers. It cracked against one of the spotlights and fractured the glass. Another brick came flying, but it landed short. Some people got worked up at this and began to shout louder, while a few more realized this wasn't for them and they quickly broke from the crowd. Near the center of the bulk of the gathering were two Omae males swaddled in heavy robes and scarves. They were short and difficult to spot, but their tall ears stood out on occasion. Both of them were watching the Gothian's intently after the rocks were thrown. They glanced at each other and split up, one drifting to one side of the crowd and the other moving to the opposite. The Gothian's were looking more aggressive and angrier now after a couple rocks had been thrown but a fair number of agitators remained. Just as it seemed that the rocks were the most of it, two black and spherical objects were tossed from the crowd and at the Gothian's. These orbs landed on the ground and rolled towards the perimeter, and were sparking and smoking profusely. A couple seconds passed before both detonated almost simultaneously. They cracked loudly like tree limbs being snapped, accompanied by a flash like lightening. A surprisingly large amount of smoke began to cover the line between the upset beastfolk and the Gothian's, and the smoke was painful to breath. It stung the eyes badly. ["They are attacking us!"] Someone from the crowd called out as many shouted in bewilderment and alarm at the explosions. From the far side of the gathering another voice called out, ["Fight for your lives!"] At that point many of the Cattan simply started to run away, some coughing from the smoke as they darted for buildings or back down the street, but a number near the front of the perimeter charged the jeeps instead. --- The small squad of Cattan firefighters pushed their wagon towards the area Kahleen directed them too, their feathered hats bobbing with their movement and looking comically out of place and dangerous for firefighters. It took them only a few moments to get their hose ready and aimed at the section of fire near the shops, and four of them quickly began applying pressure to the water-pump they had. They looked like they were driving a rail push-cart but going no where as they pushed the lever up and down. With permission to enter, the shopkeepers and their families took off running for their stores without a word to the humans, more intent and clearing out whatever they could. It seemed doubtful that they would obey the ten minute limit Kahleen imposed, but they seemed grateful enough to be let through. Cattapoli, Alleyway Fight The skirmish was fast turning to a slaughter as the reinforcements added to the firepower. Rifles and pistols shot anything that looked remotely Cattan, and the beastfolk guards accompanying the reinforcements kept well back as the humans did the killing. Smoke from the grenades had began to drift away, though gunpowder haze was now making it difficult to see. Still, with the sudden lack of movement and shooting, it seemed as fast as the attack had started, it had ended. Over a dozen Cattan lay dead in the alleyway, with a scattering of men belonging to Graves' group. One of the men was still alive, a knife buried in his gut, and he was gripping it weakly as he was laying on his side against the cobbled street. Blood ran easily across the ground and gathered in cracks. One of the cultists was still alive and unharmed, but when they failed to jump and enter a window to escape - and a bullet narrowly missing them - they shouted that they were surrounding and they put their hands up. The air was still crisp with the irritants from the smoke grenades so some of the reinforcements were slow to enter the alley. Veranhal, Mariner's Boon Andria was silent as she was led along to the new room, her eyes cautiously examining the people around her. She looked uneasy to be alone with Tobey in his quarters, and she sat stiffly at the table. Her eyes were discreetly looking around. Before she could do anything, she was confronted with the sketches and drawings Tobey had made. Andria eyed them over. "I... I don't know what these mean. I've heard mutilation could somehow channel magic through the body but such a practice is... distasteful," she explained, eyes darting away from the pages and back around the room. There was a pencil nearby and her eyes lingered on it. Cattapoli, Magpisk Dozens of sailors, marines, beastfolk, and any other interested party were rushing about the docks. Electrical and mechanical pumps were all over the place, with large rubber hoses snaking their way off the docks and into the dark bay water. Teams of sailors were huddled around the fronts of the hoses to direct the powerful water sprays. An effective wall of water was being put up and some of the fire was being extinguished, though the other end was growing as they had no way of reaching the opposite end of the fire. As Ephraim and his boat neared the docks, it caught the attention of several marines who were standing around with nothing to do. They hurried to the side of the dock and got down on their knees, reaching down to help lift people out of the Magpisk. However, some of the men were far too wounded to be pulled up this easily. Abyss, Raum's Cathedral "This man who attempted to murder you sounds thoroughly damaged, though even a damaged man is very dangerous. Perhaps you should seek a way to deal with him definitively. A thorn pushed aside remains to prick the gardener tomorrow, but a thorn cut away will shrivel away," the Messenger intoned cautiously. "It is curious Calcifer calls it Nadesh rather than Kadesh... it could easily be a dialect difference, though the difference in meaning is notable. Kadesh means 'surviving people,' while Nadesh would mean 'dead people.' To call the island Nadeshi, then, would be comparable to calling it a graveyard. I cannot tell if he sees meaning in this, or he is simply being poetic with his naming conventions. Regardless - I will warn you not to put too much faith into the islanders. They are weak willed and will be more useful in death than they will be in life. I don't expect them to readily follower you, even if you proclaim to serve the lord. They are very hostile to outsiders." The robed man then stood from his seat, causing some ash to flutter about around him just from this simple motion. He placed one pale hand firmly on the wooden table and slowly lifted it upwards. From beneath his hand a book emerged from the hardwood of the table, a thick leather tome with a heavy metal clasp to keep it closed. The cover was stitched together at all sorts of odd angles, like flesh, and then it became apparent that it was flesh. A book made from human leather. "Within this tome you will find all you need to know, and more. The Necrolan is a book of death. A necromancer named Caldrake penned this over several years of his life, and bound it in the flesh of his own body when it was complete. A fragment of his soul still lives on within the book and it will respond to your touch, taking you to the knowledge you seek when you desire it. Do be sure to feed it from time to time."

"Push them back!" Yelled Torsson. He lowered his rifle and fired several shots into the cobblestone street. His men followed while the machinegunners gritted their teeth, pulled back their charging handles and hoped that the loud noise would be enough to deter the crowd. --- Kahleen continued to walk alongside the perimeter with Dahl at her side. She stopped near the edge of the docks to speak with two Cattan guardsmen when Dahl nudged her. "Ma'am." Kahleen raised an eyebrow as Dahl gestured towards a small skiff on a nearby pier. Onboard the skiff was Ackermann. Chained to the boat. Kahleen motioned for Dahl to follow as she approached the skiff.

Gingerly, Fallensteller took the Necrolan into her hands, her mind boggling at the terrible power which occupied its pages. "I- I'll use this responsibly," she said, assuring herself more so than the Messenger. To complete the tasks he had recommended her, she now grasped the complications involved and knew that Ackermann would need to die. "You're right about my errant officer, of course... as long as he lives, he's not just a danger to me, but a symbol to anyone else who would resist. ...And, I'll keep in mind what you've said about Kadesh. When I encounter them, I'll determine the appropriate action." --- At the docks, Ackermann was being guarded by two of the Dawnbreaker's marines, who were mainly positioned to prevent him from trying to seize control of the skiff and flee while the majority of the men accompanied Dobbs in some rescue work. One of the guards noticed the Marine Officer's approach and gave a quick salute. "Ma'am, the Vice Admiral is elsewhere at the moment," he said. "We can pass along a message if you like."

Kahleen returned the salute but soon her natural expression turned into a frown. She gestured at Ackermann. "Why is Commander Ackermann chained to the skiff?"

The marine guard seemed a bit surprised that Kahleen wasn't aware of the drama that took place on the Zuflucht days earlier. "Well, uh, the Commander attempted to murder a superior officer, ma'am. We accompanied the Vice Admiral to the Zuflucht earlier tonight to inquire about the incident and he decided it would be best to transfer Commander Ackermann into Dawnbreaker custody for the time being." Ackermann glanced up from the floor of the boat, his face half-shrouded in darkness from the fiery light about the waterfront, but from what Kahleen could see, he was in very poor shape.

Kahleen grunted. Her eyes met Ackermann's and she could sense the pain running through his body. "I understand." She gestured at her hip-flask. "Let me give him some water at least. The man doesn't look too good." Before the guards could respond Kahleen climbed aboard the Skiff. Dahl held up a hand. "Just let the woman do what she wants." The Zamerian silently walked up to Ackermann and kneeled down. "Commander," she said while removing her flask from her belt and uncorked it. "Here's some water. Drink" She extended her hand and studied his features.

The guards looked a bit uneasy but didn't protest the Zamerian's boarding of their skiff, as she was a superior officer. They provided her some room to inspect Ackermann, who eagerly took up the flask and drank the water within. His face was marked with numerous self-inflicted cuts, as were his hands, and he had a generally gaunt look about him with bulging, mad eyes. When he had finished gulping down the water, he wiped his face on his sleeve and spoke to her. "I'm in good hands," he said quickly. "It was torture. Dobbs saved me."

The disguised demon cocked his head ever so slightly at the mysterious nature of the admiral's request, the hands behind his back tightening their grip ever so slightly as he pondered on the meaning of it. He definitely had many a hypothesis on what he might be up to, but for once he decided to stay (relatively) quiet as he deliberated on where this might lead him. A personal request from the admiral? No, likely not. Therasmus knew how hostile the admiral had been when he introduced himself, so he was not expecting an amicable discussion to take place in private. The demon wasn't exactly capable of feeling fear like lesser creatures might, but he was growing anxious trying to figure out what might happen. "A private discussion? Curious. I was under the impression that you did not like to converse with the likes of me, admiral. Hmm... It is most definitely a boon if that is not the case." Therasmus states, starting to walk beside the admiral as they were preparing to leave. "A tour of your fleet does sound rather intriguing, indeed. It has been quite some time since I have looked upon such methods of transportation - seeing how things have advanced in my absence is always an enlightening experience. Often rudimentary solutions and advancements, but it is interesting to take note of, no matter how quaint." he concludes with a curt nod. "Yet I digress. I am happy to speak to each and every one of you, should you desire." Therasmus remarks to Fontaine. "As I am sure I stated, I am looking to assist your expedition for our mutual benefit. The more information we share - the better."

Kahleen placed a hand on Ackermann's left cheek. "What happened Sebastian?" She observed his cuts. "Who did this to you?"

Ackermann jolted a bit when he was touched. "F-Fallensteller..." he grunted as he settled back down. "She surrendered herself to Raum... I don't know why, but she embraces him. I couldn't help myself after Blackstone; I had to try... she had me locked up... made me listen to the wire, over and over. I- I couldn't do the cross, I kept having nightmares, and then I'd wake up and she'd be there with the wire, her eyes are bright red behind those glasses... I swear on my mother's memory that that woman is a devil."

Fallensteller? Ackermann's own captain had tortured him? She opened one of our pouches and offered Ackermann a small packet. In reality it was a basic Gothian field ration in the form of a fish sandwich protected by a small brown cloth. "If Fallensteller is as evil as you claim then she must be stopped." She sighed. Seems like Jäger is in over his head. That arrogant fool will have no idea what he's walking into. Kahleen eyed Ackermann. "Sebastian, what can you tell me about Fallensteller? You mentioned her eyes, anything else?"

Ackermann was slightly shocked that he was being believed so readily. "Well... there's nothing physical besides her eyes. She still looks the same..." He took a large bite of the sandwich and concentrated on his scattered thoughts. Then, when he spoke again, he seemed much more like himself, and able to articulate: "She asked me why she kept me suffering instead of just executing me. She said she could just sacrifice me to Raum and nobody would care!" he suddenly roared, angrily, as he remembered a detail he hadn't given to Dobbs. "That technician who went with me into the chamber at Blackstone where we got that vision, his name was Pletcher- he... he went missing, the night I was thrown in the brig, and they're trying to say I had something to do with it. But Pletcher's the one who had the wire, or maybe it got to Lieutenant Schuster... either way, he went missing right after that. And I feel like I know why." He looked Kahleen dead in the eye. "She wanted me to serve Raum. That's what all of this is about- treachery against the fleet. If I had spent another night in there, I'd either be dead or she'd have gotten what she wanted... She'll be looking for converts anywhere she can get them. Don't let anyone from the Blixtvåg go alone with her or anyone in her inner circle. Schuster knows something, that rat..."

"The night has been exciting. But I'll be dodging the sandman for some more work I'm afraid." Reginald answered to Manfred's suggestion. 'Still holding out on us, are you? You weird bastard.' Fontaine was annoyed at the admiral and that his offer was declined on the demon's behalf. He hid his dissatisfaction as best as he could and got inside the jeep. "You can drop me off near the consulate. I want to see if my men got into any trouble while we were away." --- "Come here, furball!" Graves shouted at the cultist. The bastards cost him a few men and had the nerve to try and run away after all of that. Frustrating. He was halfway on showing his frustration on the cultist, when he remembered the instructions from Malery. Be professional. So instead of the usual roughing up, he had the cultist restrained. He was just hoping that the idiot would try something. Just give him an excuse for a beating. But no. That never came. "Now, as I said earlier. We will take you, drag you even, to the guards." He got behind the cultist, gun pointed at their back. "Get moving."

"Well that was fun." said Váradi sarcastically, as Fontaine climbed into the jeep. He just wanted to go back to the ship and sleep, honestly. The wine from earlier had made him a bit drowsy. "I knew Mannfred would want to keep the demon with him for the time being." commented Krantz, looking to Fontaine. "Long-winded, isn't it?" "Yeah. Talked far too much." muttered Váradi. A moment later, the jeep jerked slightly, signifying that it was now moving. ------------------- Eventually, Von Strauss returned to the bridge of the Eisenstrasse. Returning to her positon as the commanding officer. "Ma'am, the situation down on the dock is being contained, though we have a possible situation brewing over among the Gothians." stated one of the officers, before motioning to the observation windows. "Oh? Lets have a look, shall we?" said Von Strauss, taking a pair of binoculars from the officer and stepping over to the windows. She peered down, looking over the situation below before spotting the Gothian troops. Interesting. There certainly was a situation brewing, but the Gothians could handle it. They had dealt with much worse than this, considering they had also dealt with the Pavlovians back home. She continued to examine the situation, before spotting a skiff from the Dawnbreaker. They must have saw the fire and sought to help out. She could see that one Gothian officer, Kahleen, aboard the skiff speaking to...Ackermann? He seemed to be chained to the skiff, and had guards defending him. How very interesting! Fallensteller must have asked Dobbs to take care of him after what had transpired. That, or Dobbs was going to deal with it himself without her approval. He was the Vice Admiral after all. She was then reminded that it had been a few days since the last time she and Fallensteller had spoken. Maybe another meeting for tea was in order? She'd radio the Zuflucht in the morning and ask. After the past few days, and the incident tonight, they'd have a lot to chat about.

"Long-winded doesn't even begin to describe it. Either it has nothing of value to say and is trying to hide it with rivers of words, or that demon is hiding something." There were a few seconds of silence. "I don't trust either of them." Before he continued, Fontaine remembered who the driver was. He then continued. "And I am convinced that we are being taken for a ride we can't get off from. Do any of you have the same feeling or am I crazy here?"

"And I am convinced that we are being taken for a ride we can't get off from. Do any of you have the same feeling or am I crazy here?" "Yeah. So far, it seems we're not needed all that much beyond a little help here and there." responded Krantz. He didn't want to say too much, considering the man driving the vehicle belonged to Mannfred's group.

Ephraim was thankful that they were able to get many of the folks they've rescued back to shore, but he worried about those that they were having trouble pulling up. He knew they'd have to return soon to help in the effort once more, so he decided to suggest something aloud: "Hey, we'll need to get back to work soon, so perhaps someone could join us to keep an eye on these unfortunate folks?" he suggested aloud, with his hand aimed at those too wounded to be helped up, with a pained expression of empathy on his face; "That is, unless someone has an idea on how to get them out."

Kahleen listened at Ackermann in silence with a few nods to confirm that she'd heard him. Fallensteller was a snake, but it was not new information. Accussing her of torture and, gods forbid, using one of her men as some sort of offering or sacrifice to Raum was a heavy accusation. She sighed. Jäger would never believe it. Kahleen studied Ackermann's face some more. It was clear that wasn't in the best shape. There was no doubt he'd actually try to kill Fallensteller if considering all the suspicion around her was combined with the vision at Blackstone. However he was in bad physical and mental shape. She'd even go as far as calling him traumatized. There was simply one way to find out the truth. She reached for the sack of rocks, grabbed it and untied the top. She carefully placed the rocks between her and Ackermann and removed some of them, leaving only enough letters to form the word truth or lie. "[Almighty ones, I pray for your help in this dire hour. My comrade's mind has been set astray and his words are cloaked by the influence of dark servants. I pray for you to illuminate the true nature of his words, wether it be the words spoken by man seeking help or words spoken by a corrupt soul.]"