Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:21 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

A rumbling started in the distance, and at first she thought it was thunder. Worried that it was Etanu, Nerine was relieved to hear that there were no signs of the feathered dragon in the sky. The mages' efforts were taking their toll and her body was feeling heavier by the second. Pygmalion received a message from Antikythera and by his tone it didn't sound like good news. He did his best to limit how much others could gather from his conversation, but worries were starting to bubble to the surface. Wild beasts were now fleeing from the west and approaching in towards the east, but they were ignoring the mercenaries and focused on running as far away as they could. "Keep going! We're almost there!" How much longer until they were finally done? Everyone was just about to reach their limit when the metal obelisk that had been keeping them hidden from the dragons' eyes suddenly stopped glowing. Murmurs spread through the expedition camp as black smoke was rising in the west Haltian Mountains. Then…the temple sprang back to life.

The mana coursed through the ancient stones as a powerful vortex pushed the mages towards the exit. "We've done it! Something is happening!" With the automatons' assistance, the mounts and vehicles were ready for departure. The exhausted mages were carried up onto the sleds and beasts of burden as the vanguard took the lead. Explosions rocked the western part of the mountain range as something was going on that caused Zao to fight. The metallic obelisk that had acted as their cover began to dislodge itself from the earth, taking to the skies and setting itself on a direct collision course in the direction of the dragon's roars. A mass exodus of wildlife was heading towards the eastern side of the island, a sight never seen before in ages past. It was almost as if they believed they would receive salvation once they reached the sea. The port city of the Hiafae was still standing, steaming craters with cooling rock littering the tundra. The internal reinforcements that had been brought from the Machinarium had held, and the damage was greatly reduced. The docks were still a wreck, but it was a comforting sight to see they had a place to return to. 

"Lady Angela has restored the Prison of Howling Gales!" The news triggered a flood of cries and shouts while people were hugging each other in relief. Good news came from the Prison of Molten Stone as well as Zao's lack of presence had assisted treks to restore the mana within the temple. Finally, she lost consciousness. Having endured a grueling trial of mental and physical fortitude, Nerine was totally spent. Any news that came in would be learned once she was rested, and it would be something they all needed to hear.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:02 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

"They're getting close. Almost there…" Her fingernails scraped against the table as anxiety was building. Zao had arrived on Itjivut and Raorik was nowhere to be seen. They absolutely could not have another repeat of the Prison of Howling Gales. The decoy was still effective as Zao ignored the place where the real temple resided, however she still couldn't figure out why the ice drake hadn't shown up. Were they avoiding each other? Baltil might be able to gain ground in progressing in their temple while Zao was here, and she still hadn't gotten word on the solution for Onnen. She contacted her remaining staff in the Machinarium. "Prepare to dispatch the mobile towers above the skies of Itjivut. I will relay the target coordinates once they are ready to go." The wait was finally over. The time had come to put her plans into motion. They would live or die with how this would all play out. Closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath, she began to send the coordinates for the mobile towers. Once her staff were ready, she would open portals for them to send them through. Portals through folding through the fabric of space emerged as the currently cloaked towers descended. If they didn't incapacitate the dragons, then they could at least buy the mages more time to finish what they came to do. 

"Target is currently circling the skies above Points 1, 3, and 7. Repeating flight pattern confirmed. Initiating start-up procedure." As Zao was making his rounds, the invisible towers dropped their cloaking shields and began powering up. "Triggering Option A for execution." The runes for the curse sequence ignited and began to drain the life energy of the great dragon. Though just a trickle, it caught his attention and a flaming floe of lava was sent hurtling towards two of the towers. "Towers 1 and 7 are reporting an intense rise in temperature. Structural integrity is now 85%." Standing to her feet Shiloh began tearing at her hair as she looked at the projection from her wayfinder's widget. "Nonononononono–" Throwing on her knapsack and shoving in a magic potion, she bolted out of her cabin through the door, widget in hand. It was too soon in the loop for her to lose any of the towers. The longer they stayed up the stronger their efficiency would be. She needed to stall the dragon for at least five more minutes before she could accept any losses. Opening a portal to the towers' location, she ran as she tried to see which ones needed emergency shielding. 

"Structural integrity for Towers 1 and 7 are now 63%. Towers 2, 3, and 5 are facing minor structural damage." She was hyperventilating now, her mind high on adrenaline and drawing a blank. Skidding to a stop, she instinctively crouched down as she saw the massive dragon in the middle of the snow-covered valley. Tall timber trees that were maybe centuries old were flattened and splintered trunks were burning as cooled lava was solidifying around their bases. "What do I do what do I do?!!" She went into a panic as the dragon started thrashing around. "Accelerating execution of remaining towers with structural integrity above 50%!" If she couldn't slow the damage down, then she had to speed hers up. The runic inscriptions on all towers flared to life, intensifying the combination of curses. Taking out her skyshard boomerangs, Shiloh rushed in to draw Zao's attention away from the machinery. Something bounced off of the gargantuan dragon's thick rocky hide, prompting Zao to turn around to see what foolish insect had chosen to disturb him. A single lone human in flimsy-looking armor stood out against the stark whiteness of the landscape before running in the opposite direction. 

Letting out a roar, the arrogant dragon was incensed that someone dared to attack him. As the bellow was ringing in her ears, Shiloh began to make a turn in her path in an attempt to keep him within range of the towers' effect. 

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 7:18 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

"DRAGON INCOMING!" The mages were still using their strength to draw in mana when an alarm went out among the expedition. The earth shook as the smell of ash and brimstone came from outside. "Zao is here?! Since when did he arrive?!" Nerine gasped, looking out through the temple's doors. From the way the great black dragon was flying, he seemed to be passing by than making a grand entrance. The primordial dragon looked more like a mountain than a living creature with pieces of cooled igneous rock falling off of its immense body. "Keep going! Don't stop now!" One of the mercenaries shouted her way. Pygmalion came in having checked the status of the metallic obelisk that had fallen nearby. "We should still be safe for now. The pillar's magic is still obscuring us and the temple from view." He had taken the time to explain its purpose to the fighters and others who weren't busy channeling mana. "There's a second obelisk farther away to the west that's generating a projection of the Prison of Eternal Frost as a decoy." 

"How much longer before you lot are done? I've got a bad feeling in my bones, I'm sure of it." Andras spoke up, worry setting deep new creases into his brow. "Patience Mr. Andras, some things can't be sped up by force." Pygmalion answered, but the mercenary wasn't convinced this time. "That thing out there isn't going to protect us. It's only keeping us hidden–you said so yourself!" The automaton raised his hands in defense. "Yes, but we should be safe as long as it isn't damaged. Once the mages finish their task we will get moving right away–" The man wasn't having it this time. Nerves were getting frayed and the bitter cold was chipping away at everyone. Grabbing the automaton by the front of his clothing, the old mercenary shook him with anger in his eyes. "Look here you–I'm not going to stand around while we're defenseless just because a piece of glowing metal is working some magic. All you've done is talk while we're doing all the work! Open your bloody eyes and see things for what they really are you greenhorn–" He grabbed the piece of cloth that was over Pygmalion's eyes and tore it off, freezing up when he saw what was underneath. "–Gods, what on earth are you?!" 

Andras let go of Pygmalion as he took a few steps back. "I understand your fears and concern Mr. Andras, we're all in this together. I assure you that the Steward of Antikythera will keep their end of the deal should we ever run into trouble. That glowing piece of metal is a testament to that promise. Now if you would be so kind to return my blindfold to me, I would appreciate it." The mercenary dropped the blindfold and turned to leave in a hurry, then the automaton went over to retrieve the fallen piece of cloth from the snow. Once it was back on, he turned to face the others who had gathered out of curiosity. With a smile, he said: "There's nothing to see here, please return to your stations." As the crowd dispersed, he turned his blindfolded gaze to the skies that were growing thick with grey clouds.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:53 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

Westward from the temple's location a shadow fell over what appeared to be a perfect copy of the Prison of Eternal Frost. Ice chunks the size of houses rained down upon it, yet it remained unmoved. Meanwhile at the true temple a strange metallic pillar crashed down from the sky, lodging itself into the frozen earth. Spider-like legs protruded from its sides as they dug themselves deeper to anchor the strange construct. Runic script on the obelisk's sides lit up as it began emitting some sort of arcane field. The group keeping watch outside the temple were on their guard, but the fallen pillar didn't appear to be doing anything aside from that. They had no idea what it was, and word reached the vanguard who had finished patrolling the temple of any dangers that lurked in the dark. "What do you think it is?" "No clue, but it's not making things worse."  "What's it doing anyway?" 

In her cabin, Shiloh began monitoring the status of both obelisks that had landed safely in their target locations. The two structures were stable, but signs of signal disruption warned her that something was happening to the west pillar. Commanding the flying spider drones, she flew them towards the general vicinity to get a visual verification of what was going on. The increased turbulence had her suspect Raorik had come home. The drone's maneuverability was being impacted, the visual information she was receiving was shaky at best. But the feedback confirmed her guess–Raorik had taken the bait. And not a moment too soon, as the east pillar was generating the invisibility field. The false image of the temple would hold his attention for a while, but she was getting uneasy knowing the dragon was there. Her staff were updating her on the gathering progress by the hour, and so far everyone was alright. She kept the drones aloft longer to watch what the frost drake would do.

When it noticed its attacks were doing little damage, it flew off and dove into the sea. "And he's gone. Now, what are you planning?" Did he notice he had been attacking an illusion? The extreme weather conditions prevented her from having her drones attach a tracking device to the elder dragon while it had been distracted, otherwise she wouldn't be so concerned. "Pygmalion, I spotted Raorik off to the west a few minutes ago. The west pillar decoy was a success, however I've lost sight of the dragon. Stay vigilant. Is the east pillar still operational?" The reply came back loud and clear. "Affirmative, captain. The east pillar is still functioning. No signs of extreme weather anomalies just yet. Mana gathering is still underway." She sighed in relief. "Keep up the good work. I'm withholding sending ground forces for the time being as to not alert your presence to the dragons. If the situation changes, send a distress signal immediately." Things had gone quiet for a while now. When things went quiet that was when they were most likely to go wrong.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:15 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

"We're almost there! Keep going!" The sleds rattled as the mounts charged full speed ahead. The smell of blood was thick in the air as a trail of dead beasts were left in their wake. The Hiafae made short work of a pack of wolves that crossed paths with them on the way to the temple, then they were back on the road. There was no time to waste as no one knew the current state of the Prison of Eternal Frost. Overhead some of the vanguard saw something fall from the skies, only to be followed by silence. "What was that?" She asked one of the elves. "We aren't sure. It's not one of the dragons, that we can tell." She didn't have time to ask more when the towering figure of a frost behemoth loomed in the distance. The others in the expedition party were discussing whether to confront the beast or to take a detour around. Some wanted to go straight ahead, others believed it would be better to take the time to avoid it. "If we kill it, we'll be here longer than it'll take to just go the extra distance. We don't have the resources to deal with injuries." A Hiafae hunter argued. "Yeah? Well I say we kill it now so we don't run into it later. We don't need another thing to keep a lookout for out here in this godforsaken wasteland." A middle-aged mercenary spat back.

One of Shiloh's staff went to intervene. It was Pygmalion, one of the more human-looking automatons the deity had created. His appearance was that of a young man with dark hair and a blindfold covering where his eyes should be. "Now now, let's not get into a fight. We can save that fighting spirit for later, alright? Since we're strapped for time and we're limited in manpower–I'd say we go with Isyndr on this one, Mr. Andras. The faster we get to the temple, the faster we can set up camp out of the cold." Pygmalion's diplomacy skills were impeccable, and something about the way he sounded calmed the two men down. The reins on the mounts cracked with a lash and they set off again, this time with the shape of Raorik's former prison on the horizon. The group then split into three: the mages and the vanguard went inside the temple to secure the area, the other half of the expedition's fighters kept watch outside, and non-combatants along with Antikytheran forces set up tents for an extended stay.

She was with the mages and started gathering mana while the vanguard checked for any threats that were inside. The prison that held the frost dragon was dark and cold, though slightly better than the outdoors without the constant wind and snow. The air was stale and an aura of heaviness filled the place. Centuries had passed while the dragon laid in a dark slumber here. Pushing aside her doubts and worries, Nerine began to focus. The mages began to draw in the ambient mana, gathering it into the central point of the temple. The air hummed with energy as something stirred in the ancient ruins. The old stones resonated with power as the combined efforts of the Hiafae sorcerers and others brought back the magic that had been dispersed upon Raorik's awakening. Hours passed peacefully without incident, meanwhile signs of an incoming storm were beginning to form further west at the dispatch site of the strange object they saw fall earlier.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:50 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

"Steward, the mobile lightning towers are now nearing completion. What should we do with them?" Galatea informed her of the progress of her secondary plans that were under construction in the Machinarium. "Activate their cloaking devices after positioning them. Once Ice or Thunder enters into their combined area of range, drop the cloaking shields and initiate the spell sequences." The dark-haired female automaton gave a short bow before leaving to carry on the message back to the others. "Understood. Positioning will commence once the initial tests prove successful." As the portal to Antikythera closed, Shiloh went back to her cabin to go through her blueprints. She still needed a plan for Zao. Timing and location were critical for the positioning and activation of her mobile towers, a modified version of what she used during the Onnen invasion. Ice and Thunder were code for the dragons Raorik and Etanu, while Magma was what they used when referring to the great black dragon. To capture Etanu or Raorik, the mobile towers needed to be arranged in a circular pattern like a large sea net used in open-water fishing. They would be hidden under a spell of invisibility until one of the two dragons was spotted heading their way, and once the dragon entered their area of range, they would become visible. They would then activate the powerful binding curses etched into their outer hulls, sapping the dragon's vitality while inflicting every single debilitating effect known to man. The power they drained would in turn power the runic curses, creating a positive feedback loop that would grow stronger the more time passed. 

And if that wasn't enough, she would send in the spider drones to keep the dragon disoriented and distracted. The towers didn't have any combat capabilities due to their role in crippling the drakes just enough for them to be subdued, so it was critical that they weren't hit by any of the dragons' attacks. It wasn't a perfect plan and it heavily relied on the element of surprise–but it was the best she could come up with. As for Zao…she would need to find a way to keep him grounded in a secluded location. Or if her luck turned around, she could sink him into the depths of the sea. Inflicting increased gravity was her method for keeping the massive armored drake down. She didn't have the firepower to blast his scales apart. The amount of force required to make a sizable dent would likely obliterate a nation off the map, and the other deities might not be too keen on having her make something with that level of power. Grisial bombs didn't have the best reputation after what happened to Karith ages ago. There was the alternative of trying to kill Zao via internal damage, but who knew what the internal environment of a drake that was a literal volcano would be like? "Oh wait, I need to get Galatea to send in that other thing I had her set up." 

She hurriedly opened a portal to the Machinarium and got hold of one of her automaton staff. "Send an announcement to get the mirage monuments ready for deployment in the Haltian Mountains–it needs to be dispatched immediately." The obelisks were one of her initial experiments in illusion magic for the mobile towers, but these constructs could be used to create highly convincing projections. After the prison in Onnen was destroyed, she had the idea to hide the real location of the other temples while creating a false image elsewhere to fool onlookers from above. So if the three primordial dragons decided to have an all-out brawl again–they wouldn't be breaking the real thing. One would hide the real temple with a fake image of more snowy mountains, while the second would act as the decoy. The dragons wouldn't know unless they tried to land. It was the least she could do to give the mages an additional layer of protection. Lying down on the bed, she heaved a heavy sigh. "Let's hope they make it there safely…"

Author: Nerine, Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:05 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

Construction started straight away, and the materials from Antikythera were a welcome sight to the Hiafae. Normally they would have to import these at a great cost as Itjivut's resources were limited. Shiloh told them she was willing to let them keep what was used to rebuild in exchange for information on how they crafted their weapons and armor as well as sailing knowledge. In such desperate times like these, she never missed an opportunity to gain something in the end. Even if it was under the excuse of preparation for future incidents, nobody was interested in questioning the truth behind that. From the years she had spent working with Shiloh, Nerine was familiar with how the goddess did business. She wouldn't intentionally put people in a completely disadvantageous situation, and while she did perform acts of good for the world–her reasons were much more down-to-earth than lofty or noble. If she sent forces to defend an area it was due to potential negative impact on worldwide trade or to nip a problem in the bud. Even if her intentions were selfish, they had limits. And sometimes that selfishness was a mask she wore to keep up appearances. She had her ruthless side as well; as what she did during the insect invasion from Onnen showed. But she never used those methods again once an agreement had been established between the continents.

With the settlement now secured against earthquakes and bombardment from above, what was left over was used to bolster the outer walls. Heavy machinery would be less effective in these conditions as they were slow and difficult to maneuver. They would be adopting the Hiafae's methods in fighting as it best suited the region. A week passed and the first monster attack following Raorik's obliteration of the harbor began at nightfall. It was a long battle as the creatures were trying to breach the defenses from every corner, but they retreated once too many were killed. The morning was a beacon of hope once it ended, and the bodies were broken down for supplies. Bones for weapons, skins and pelts for clothes or armor, meat for food or magic reagents. Weapons used in the fight were retrieved and repaired if damaged. The harbor was rebuilt, but not to the same extent as the city walls and houses. It would be unlikely for ships to make it here now. Shiloh had her staff in Antikythera spread the word to friends and family around the world that sea travel to Itjivut was now impossible and that portals were their safest bet. Letting other kingdoms know the current state of the ice island would help reduce needless casualties.

They were now moving into the second phase of their plan, which was sending teams to gather the Prison of Eternal Frost's mana. Vehicles magical and mundane were all prepared for the trip, and Shiloh was reluctant to see her go with the expedition. "Make sure to use the emergency flares in case you need help." She said, still unwilling to let her go 'alone'. Shiloh had to make the difficult decision between overseeing the settlement or acting as a guard for the traveling mages, one she didn't believe was a choice. "I will, don't worry so much. You can't be in two places at once. And now's not the time to try." The deity sullenly said nothing, but the Rosenite knew she had been thinking about it. There was no time to lose, so the sleds and mounts with Hiafae and sorcerers quickly departed into the icy tundra.  

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:02 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

Right now they had to focus on several things at once, but if possible they needed to narrow that list down as quickly as possible. Their biggest issue was fending off disasters caused by the dragons since those did the most damage. So damage control was their first objective. The less damage they sustained from weathering attacks, the more resources would be left to handle other matters. Monster attacks didn't coincide with the dragons' assaults, which worked heavily in their favor. Nobody wanted to be around when the elder dragons were about. Once the casualties had been accounted for, Shiloh opened a portal the Machinarium and instructed her staff on the other side to begin transporting building materials through. Instead of rebuilding stronger structures over the current buildings, they would create reinforced supports inside. Her reason was to maintain the illusion that the settlement was the same as before to Raorik. If any of the dragons saw that the city had become more resilient, they would attack with greater force. They were reusing the original structures to mask the bunkers underneath. With the city's defenses secured, they could organize their efforts and divide their forces to send expeditions to the temple while protecting against monsters. 

The Hiafae were hardy people, so they could have smaller groups hunt down anything that came too close to the walls while the main force would travel with the mages to gather mana. Shiloh would be sending in her automatons to support the defenders in the settlement as she wasn't sure if the sheer cold would interfere with their functioning. To prevent a possible repeat of what happened to the Prison of Howling Gales, the deity began to discuss plans on how to capture one of the primordial dragons. The temples couldn't handle three dragons at once, and if they were able to restrain one that would make things easier for everyone across the three continents. Based on their observed abilities and tendencies, their best bet would be to restrain Etanu or Raorik. Zao was almost twice as large as the other two and had the greatest defenses against damage in general. Shiloh in particular wanted to capture Raorik, as Etanu typically didn't stay in one place for very long. Raorik was a more cunning hunter so they would have to be very careful in setting things up.

Although all three dragons were powerful, they held advantages and disadvantages. Zao could shrug off damage but he couldn't keep up with Etanu's speed or Raorik's flexibility. Etanu specialized in hitting fast and hard, but could be out-maneuvered with deception. Raorik could lurk beneath the depths and could avoid direct attacks easily, but being caught in a grapple by Zao would put the frost drake in a bad spot. Heavy armor-piercing projectiles would be ideal to break through his scales. Ensuring Raorik was completely cornered before capture would increase their chances of success. She didn't have anything to take on Zao at the moment, but she did have an idea for dealing with Etanu…

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:42 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

As they were finalizing their next course of action, a portal opened with Belen and her daughter Chrysanthe coming through. She and her second child shared a hug before bringing the two inside to warm up. Chrys looked worn out, but otherwise didn't seem hurt. Something about her daughter's sudden appearance told the scholar something had happened. After a cup of warm tea, Shiloh's son and Chrys broke the news to them. "Mom, the Prison of Howling Gales is destroyed." Shiloh put her head in her hands while her mind tried to process that her daughter had just said. "What? What do you mean it was destroyed?" It was true the ancient prisons that had sealed the dragons were old, but she still couldn't wrap her mind around it. "I was there when it happened–all of a sudden the three dragons started attacking each other on the island, and the damage caused it to fall from the sky." The scholar sank into a chair trying to make sense of it all. She had initially thought the temple had been leveled, but the whole island?! The temples were the main method being used to gather mana. Without them, would containing the dragons even be possible? "What about the temple in Parvpora?"

"As far as we know, it's still intact." Belen replied. It was a relief, but still not welcome news. Chrys and Belen were preparing to head back to Arri and she asked more about how Sularia was handling the extreme weather disturbances. Once they left, the little optimism she had was now gone. "It's not something that wasn't impossible." Shiloh spoke up after a long silence. "The prisons are thousands of years old, structural integrity tends to degrade over time." "But one of them was completely destroyed! We didn't have time to fully study the structures in Onnen to replicate the ancient magic that kept it sealed for so long." Shiloh didn't have an answer to counter that. Weariness and the continual fight against freak natural disasters was finally setting in. She felt like she couldn't take it anymore. When they tried to make progress, a single attack from the dragons would push them back to the start. They kept rebuilding and were barely hanging on to survive another day. What if the other temples were destroyed? What if they couldn't contain the elder dragons?

"This is going to be a pain and a half… But I think I have an idea. We might've been working under a false assumption about the temples this whole time. From the information we've found about the dragons' imprisonment, they were all first incapacitated before being sealed. The reason why they were able to break out was because they weren't held back. Raorik was put into hibernation, Zao was chained, and Etanu was literally petrified. The prisons weren't meant to keep the dragons in, they were to keep people from finding them and accidentally compromising the bonds. Unless we can kill the dragons for good, we'll have to follow the same plan." There was a bit of irony in how the usually pessimistic goddess was trying to cheer her up. But no matter how far-fetched the concept, they had to give it a try. 

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:42 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

By some miracle, they made it unscathed and into the harbor. The docks were overblown with a layer of ice, but the Hiafae had been busy keeping it clear. There were barely any ships anchored, which made sense with how bad sea travel was. The rescued people were ushered in for treatment, the dead were resurrected, and a report of what had happened was relayed to those in charge. Monster incursions had grown more frequent with the draconic disturbances chasing them from their homes and the tundra warming up. Everyone was grateful to get out of the freezing cold. Even though things had turned out better than she'd thought, that knot in her stomach wasn't going away. Nerine handed her a steaming mug of a spiced tea since the slightest bit of alcohol made her violently ill. As the warmth seeped into her fingers, her body started to relax. Hours passed and she fell asleep, missing the evening meal. Instead of waking her up, they let her sleep since she didn't get a wink throughout the return trip from the sea. Despite being a deity, psychosomatic stress still took a toll on her body. Prior to things going south, she didn't have the best sleep habits either.

In the dead of the night when the winds were absolutely silent, she woke up with a start. The lights were out and a smoldering fire was crackling in the fireplace. Everyone else was fast asleep. Then there came a low rumbling, something that she didn't recognize. It was gradually getting louder and closer when she felt an overwhelming presence approaching. Running to the windows, she frantically looked around to see if anybody was outside. It was too dark out and the lanterns had been shuttered for the night. She began shaking everyone inside her cabin with a wide-eyed look. "Hey! HEY! GET UP!! SOMETHING'S COMING! SOMETHING'S–" A terrible maelstrom blasted the city as an echoing bellow from above drowned out the rest of her words. Massive chunks of ice smashed into the pier, devastating the docks and the ships that had been anchored. Lights began to flicker from the other lodges as everyone was watching the destruction in horror. The attack only lasted for a few minutes, but the aftereffects were immense. 

When morning came, they were greeted by the grim scene in the harbor. They could kiss any thoughts of future rescue attempts goodbye with the docks in shambles. One lookout who had managed to take cover before the bombardment mentioned he saw a serpentine coil rise and fall into the sea as the freak blizzard struck. "Raorik." She sighed. "Looks like we know the source of the rumors now." The frost drake was likely the one who had been sinking ships in the sea, either from above or below. Getting supplies and help was going to be very difficult from here on. The rest of Canelux was struggling with intense snow storms disrupting trade and communication between political powers. Arri was frozen over, which posed a new challenge for the desert nation. Snow was only good once it melted, not while it was still solid. The Hiafae were assessing the damage while Nerine came back from checking if there were any casualties from last night's surprise attack. "No deaths fortunately, a few injured due to a large ice chunk as big as an iceberg caved a house in." Crossing her arms as her breath turned to mist in the cold, she asked: "Do you think it can be salvaged?" She looked towards the harbor. 

Shiloh rubbed her face with her gloved hands. "I don't know. Even if it can, who can say it won't get trashed again? Raorik doesn't act like Etanu or Zao, he likes to strike when people think they're safe." It was hard to decide it that was a good or bad thing right now. Etanu would just scorch the earth, while Zao would make the area practically uninhabitable. "Let's try to see if we can help. We need to reinforce our defenses here. The monster attacks are eating at our supplies too." Eating anything that wasn't humanoid could help supplement food supplies, but that was only a short-term problem. Once they could keep the main settlement safe, they could consider dispatching teams to gather mana in the thawed prison.  

Author: Nerine, Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 1:20 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

The winds started to pick up as a fresh blast of ice swirled in the air. She looked over as Shiloh gripped the railing of the upper deck, eyes straining at the arriving lifeboats. They were almost here, and soon they needed to get the boat moving. Even though she kept telling her everything would be fine, it was hard not to be nervous too. When the rowboats were hoisted back up and everyone was accounted for, the blizzard began. Freezing gales howled as they tore across the top deck. The sails were being blasted this way and that, and the thick corded ropes that held the rigging were pulled taut. Nerine was nearly floored by the fierce winds, holding fast to the mast as the captain quickly maneuvered to steer. Orders were being shouted as loud as possible over the intense weather, and visibility was dropping fast. A mistake in turning would mean they wouldn't see land and risk falling to the same fate as the abandoned caravel. "ALL NON-CREW MEMBERS, BELOW DECK NOW!" Came the shout in Adelunian common. The Hiafae mages cast protective spells to shield the sailors while protecting those who were scrambling to get out of the storm. The ship began to rock as the sea became violent, waves turning choppy.

Inside the captain's cabin, she and a few others warmed themselves by the fireplace. There were other fire pits like these in the crew's quarters below as well, but the captain's cabin had portholes that allowed one to see outside. But right now all she could see was white as the blizzard raged, and she had to hold onto the furniture to keep her balance. The lanterns swayed back and forth as they were flung from one side of the cabin to the other. Shiloh gave a grunt when she hit the wall, but fortunately seemed alright. Thinking the rocking was finally over, the Rosenite made the mistake of letting go of the fixture she was holding and let out a scream when the vessel began to roll and pitch. "Nerine!" The deity yelled from behind, and something quickly grabbed her before she collided with the desk. Her heart was beating wildly in a panic, then she saw several pairs of shadowy hands wrapped around her legs coming from the floor. "Thank you Shiloh, I should've known better than to do that." She said, catching her breath. "We should probably tie ourselves to something in this room until we get out of these waters. Things are getting worse outside." The roar of the winds turned into shrieks as it sounded like the walls would be blown in any moment. 

Shiloh looked pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes now that they were out of the elements. "I really don't like ships. I must've forgotten what seasickness felt like." The brunette woman covered her mouth and began to dry heave, then wrapped her arms around a fixed post as she slid to the floor. "Shiloh are you–" "No–yes. I'm fine." That was the default answer the deity would give when she was trying to hide her discomfort. It was obvious she wasn't feeling well, but the woman was stubborn in keeping things to herself. "Get my wayfinder's widget out. I need to see how much longer we have before we reach the port. Since visibility is practically zero, it's the only way we can know if we're still on course." Turning the device on, a light projection of the eastern coast of Itjivut and the surrounding sea appeared. There was a partial map of their journey out to sea and a blinking dot that would move slightly on the image every few seconds. Nerine studied the moving marker for a few moments before replying. "We still have a ways before we reach the city, but we're moving westward in the right direction." Shiloh sighed heavily and rubbed her face. "Good. Now we just need to hope we don't face a headwind or something worse." 

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2021 5:20 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

As much as she wanted to stay inside the safety of the Machinarium, Shiloh didn't feel comfortable letting her staff go on their own. With how turbulent the Nyella had become with the three primordial dragons awakening, she wasn't taking any chances. The feeling of drowning in the icy waters of the ocean depths was a terrifying thought, and with the rumors of the sinking ships she had knots in her stomach. Surviving the disasters wasn't an option–they needed to make it stop, one way or another. The Clepsydra had to be left in the hangar of her temple since stalling above the sea would leave them sitting ducks for the intense hailstorms. Having the airship damaged wasn't worth the attempt. Uneasiness crawled up her back as they began the voyage. She couldn't tell if she was shaking due to the jitters or the cold. Chances of survival if you fell into these frigid waters was slim, as hypothermia would make short work of anyone who didn't drown from the shipwreck. And then there were the creatures of the deep who were waiting for an easy meal. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she tried to think on the bright side. If they could recover the intact corpses, they could at least try and resurrect the poor blokes. 

The silence was the worst part of the journey, even more so than the freezing cold. Everybody was tired mentally or physically. Unless you lived completely underground, you likely experienced one of the disasters brought by Zao, Etanu, or Raorik. When she heard the Hiafae speaking amongst themselves and readying their harpoons, she squeezed the rune she had prepared in case of an emergency. One of the lookouts noticed movement in the water, everyone had to be on guard. If they ran into whatever had been capsizing these ships, she wouldn't be able to salvage their vessel. Shouts soon rang out when movement beneath the water's surface was spotted again. Then the lookouts discovered a ship that had become trapped in the ice floes. As the armored hull broke its way through the sheet ice, Shiloh could just make out the ship's silhouette on the horizon. Hopefully the ship's passengers hadn't been stuck for too long. Supplies would burn out fast the longer you were out on the sea. 

"I don't know if we should board the ship right away once we get close enough." She muttered, standing with arms crossed and bundled up in as many layers of clothing as she had. Nerine, the best mage of her staff was dressed the same way with only her eyes exposed as she turned to look at her. "The ice should be solid enough for the sailors to climb up onto the deck without using the lifeboats. We could also avoid getting the smaller boats frozen in this way. At least one mage will be going along with the search party to open a portal that leads back to our ship." Shiloh shifted uncomfortably, doing her best to move her toes inside her boots. "That's not what I'm worried about, but I see what you mean. I don't know if it's safe for any of us to be out on the ice, especially when the lookouts saw something moving in the water." 

"Maybe it was a whale or a seal? Even in these cold waters there are aquatic creatures who are adapted to the temperatures." It was hard to argue against that, but her persistent paranoia held strong. If she had done things her way, she would have had the mages open a portal to the other ship first, then check the condition of the people on board. The lifeboats were being loaded with ice picks, stretchers, and climbing equipment when she felt the ship rock slightly. Nerine noticed that she stiffened, and tried to calm her down. "It's the waves, Shiloh. Just the waves." Nervously she squeezed her hands together. "Right…" 

The boats were dispatched to the ship, and the Hiafae quickly scaled the walls onto the upper deck. There was a flag waved that signaled that the coast was clear, and a portal appeared for the sailors to bring in whatever was found. Supplies, tools, and people were carried through. Many of the people that were brought in were nearly frozen to death as their sources of fuel and heat had been running low. Everything that could be used was scavenged and the lifeboats were heading back. From the items they found, it was a merchant ship that had been carrying a group of traders from Abed. The chaotic weather patterns had forced them off course and they found themselves deadlocked in the ice. The ship wasn't equipped for that, so they had been facing a slow, painful death by frostbite or starvation. Having been out on the water long enough, the Hiafae crew began to turn back for the ice island. It wasn't the most efficient method, but it paid to be safe than sorry. Getting caught on the sea when a storm picked up was something all sailors knew not to risk. 

Author: Nerine, Posted: Mon Jan 4, 2021 7:17 PM, Post Subject: The Rolling Coil [Event][O]

She never thought she'd see the day when she would be glad to see the ice island. At the moment Arri was being buried under sleet and hail. The people of the desert nation weren't used to freezing temperatures and snow. Due to the frost dragon Raorik's influence, sea travel between Itjivut and the mainland had become impossible. Flying by airship held a considerable risk with the ice storms, leaving magic portals as the most reliable method. Without mages, the ice island was essentially cut off from the rest of the world. The sudden thaw had caused changes in the patterns of creatures that lived far away from the city, increasing monster activity surrounding the location of the temple. Right now the Hiafae leaders were weighing their options on how to best approach the situation. The records left behind by their forefathers mentioned the great sacrifices that had to be made just to imprison the elder frost dragon, and it was possible history would repeat itself. Itjivut was already a land scarce in resources; killing the dragon likely would not be possible without divine assistance. The fact that the past members of the Conclave hadn't done so left her with more questions than answers. 

Right now Nerine was traveling with a group of seasoned Hiafae sailors and bloodmages to rescue survivors of a wrecked fleet that had the misfortune of being out on the sea when Raorik emerged. Numerous reports of ships sinking south of Adeluna fueled rumors of sea monsters picking them off as easy prey, while others believed it was the dragon's doing. No matter who or what was responsible, time was of the essence. Survivors of a shipwreck wouldn't last long in the frigid waters. The sails of the ship strained under the icy winds as the reinforced hull of the vessel plowed through the ice. The Rosenite was wrapped up from head to toe, with her nose and mouth covered to protect them from frostbite. Icicles and rime were already building up on the ropes even though they had set sail only three hours ago. The keen-eyed sailors had multiple lookouts to spot anyone drifting in the water as well as any dangers from above. The mages were prepared to use magic to hide the ship from view in case Raorik was spotted. Warriors armed with harpoons and spears crafted from bone were at the ready. The atmosphere was somber yet tense, with the icy winds howling above it all.