Deus Ex Machina

[Eryndur]

A gigantic tree-like structure... opaque eyewear... smiling gleeful faces... self-awareness... liquid white-hot rock... darkness, then light.. a voice, sinister...

"The following constructs are hereby purchased by the Throne of Cyre, and are Her Majesty's sole property. As per the Throne's wishes, they are designated as follows: 6th Special Operations Squad, Eston Company, 3rd Army. Units are:

3AC-42X. Function: Heavy Infantry.
GR8-C15. Function: Heavy Infantry.
GSU-13A. Function: Heavy Infantry, Equipment Repair.
R7-2B3. Function: Medium Infantry. Wilderness Adaptation.
SD-85. Function: Reconnaissance, Subterfuge.
IWM-13. Function: Experimental Element-based Magical Support.
AR-88. Function: Tactical Support, Unit Repair and Augmentation.

All units are operational and programmed for warfare. Primary objective: protect the land and citizenry of Cyre. Welcome into being, warforged...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ONE YEAR LATER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's a hell of a mess, Corporal, I won't lie to you," shouts Colonel Dansern over the unceasing bombardment. "We're holed up in this valley with the cursed landslide to our rear, and stinking Marguul tribesmen entrenched along the road."

A searing flash of red is accompanied by a low whine outside the dun canvas tent. You and the colonel duck instinctively as the ensuing explosion rocks the ground beneath your feet.

The slim Cyran warlord steadies himself against the map-laden table. The everburning torches staked into the ground are almost an afterthought, as the night sky outside the tent is constantly alight with the strobing effects of devastating sorcery.

"Filthy traitors! We've problems enough with Karrnath and Thrane, and now this! They send Breland packing, and suddenly they think they've got a nation! A nation of what, I ask you? Snot-dribbling, slack-jawed, hunchbacks?"

Dansern rubs his handlebar moustache in frustration, his most recognizable trait. "Enough of that. Corporal Erran, bring your squad of things in here. I want to have a look at them."

Outside, the wind howls through the mountain passes, chilling every man to the bone. But you are not men. You all stand rigid, entranced by the exchange of wondrous magicks. The towering height of Pargon's Peak looms over everything in sight. The camp is laid out below on the valley floor, a thousand small white tents dotting the rocky landscape. Horses scream in the distance, terrorized by the spell artillery. A few uncontrolled fires are hastily being put out. The stars are blotted out from the smoke. Somewhere, unseen yet heard to the south, a battle rages. The chaos, the darkness, the struggle to persevere -- it all calls to you on a deep level, something you can't quite understand.

It feels as though you were born for this. You know of no other existence. War is your sole purpose.

[sblock=OOC]Erran is inside the command tent with Colonel Dansern. The rest of the party is just outside. The tent is on a small rise that overlooks the main camp. Pargon's Peak is the largest mountain in the Seawalls. It is the entrance to the famed Seven Caves. Until last year, this was Cyran land, but the upstart nation of Darguun now battles to withhold it.[/sblock]

 

[Mellubb]

GSU-13A also known as Fixem has a pin of isignia marking the regiment he was given by one of the soldiers for repair work to a non-standard issue short sword a while back. Fixem is installing the pin into his forearm when the corporal comes to gather them. Fixem has become a sort of go-to-bot to fix up items that aren't exactly autorized for soldiers to have. Fixem has a strict no questions asked policy and works for trinkets of metal he uses to decorate his body. He would probaly do it for free if he didn't enjoy the process of shaping his given body so much.

 

[Redclaw]

Yes, Sir! Erran shouts, working to be heard over the din. He quickly steps out into the magic-rich air, ducking instinctively with each flash of color or sound.
Form up, Tin Soldiers! The Colonel's ready to inspect your soulless selves! Show him what you're made of! Erran does his best to hide his frustration that the 'forged don't seem phased by the artillery.
Then his eyes finally notice what the repair unit is working on. Fix'em, haven't I told you to stop adding non-standard decorations to your shell?

 

[Voda Vosa]

"Yez zir" the metallic voice of SD-85 'spider' sounds somehow not serious, as always. His thin and rather small body erects from his usually encumbered position.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

IMW-13 - Warforged Druid "Dog"

IMW-13, self-designated Dog, turns and smartly salutes at his superior officer. Unlike the others here, its plating is made of ironwood, and it reflects no light from the sorcerous battle above.

"Yes sir," he says in a clipped voice, and taps his fingers on his thigh.

"Small Dog, heel," he commands, and a hip-high sleek-furred hound trails right behind the warforged as it enters the tent.

 

[Mellubb]

Fixem replies Yes, sir you did. But you also said I should show pride in my unit. That is all I am trying to do sir. as he slowly stands up. When does the Colonel expect us?

 

[Necro_Kinder]

Craft barely hears the orders given to him. Partly because of the noise of the spell barrage, and partly because he is so fascinated by it. "Yes, Sir" he says with a salute, then walks into the tent.

 

[Zurai]

Grace turns away from his fascinated observation of the magical artillery bursting all around at the Corporal's call. "Yes sir. Presenting for inspection." Grace's shell gleams almost like hematite in the flashes of explosion in the night sky.

 

[Redclaw]

When does the Colonel expect us?

The young half-elf rolls his eyes at at Fix'em's lack of understanding of the military world. The Colonel wants to see you now, soldier. Are you going to keep him waiting?
[sblock=Mellubb] Yes, I fully understand the irony of that, considering your recent return stateside. [/sblock]
[sblock=ooc] Let me know if I annoy anyone with orders. I have no real desire to take that on, but I figure for interactions with superior officers that we need to have it look like I'm in charge. [/sblock]

 

[Eryndur]

The squad enters the tent, presenting themselves at attention. An aide in the rear of the tent is filling glasses of water for your refreshment, but upon your entrance, he stares, nonplussed, and sets the pitcher down. Colonel Dansern slowly walks down the line, squinting suspiciously up at each of you. Displeasure informs every feature of his face.

"Sixth Squad. Hmm. Well, better you than the living," he mumbles under his breath. He takes a step back so he can see all of you, and places his hands behind his back.

"The situation is as follows: Pargon's Peak is the western end of this gods-forsaken front, and we're not likely to hold it. Once we fall, the Dhaakani clans of the deeps will overrun the Cyran flank, and we'll have to cede the entire southern half of our nation to this Lhesh Haruuc bastard." He pounds his fist on the table.

"If this happens -- when this happens -- the Third Army will withdraw to Making, and you're on your own. You've been chosen for this assignment by General Risala herself, as your Special Operations squad apparently shows impressive adaptability." Dansern's tone of voice betrays how little he believes this.

Pointing in the general direction of the mountain, he says, "You are to enter the first of the Seven Caves, high up on Pargon's Peak. We've found a safe route to the entrance, and can guide you there. Once inside, you are to reestablish contact with a Cyran agent that goes by the name 'Coaldust'. He had numerous goblin contacts in the Seawalls, and he was charged with navigating his way underground to Marguul Pass. The queen, for whatever reason, wants to know the fate of this agent. General Risala has specifically informed me that Coaldust's mission is of the highest importance to the nation."

Dansern walks over to a satchel and pulls out a large sealed envelope.
"This contains the confidential details of his mission, of which even I am not privy. I am to warn you that the envelope is magically trapped, and will not open safely unless Coaldust's signet ring is placed on the seal. Any tampering with this package will destroy it completely, and probably you with it." He hands the envelope to Erran.

"If Coaldust is alive, report back to Making with his status. If he's dead, you must take on his mission, whatever it may be. Questions?"

[sblock=OOC]Erran's status as squad leader is only perceived as such by others outside the squad, due to the prejudice against warforged. In actuality, you are all of equal rank. The armies of Cyre have yet to allow the formation of warforged-led squads.[/sblock]