Lords of the Water Mark

Wolfsbane · **Joined:** Nov 11, 2005 **Posts:** 4273

For once in the desert wasteland, there was no wind. No sandstorms, no sudden little gusts, nothing. This meant good and bad news to the travellers of the region. The good news was that the sight was much, much better than usual, and that the chance of getting lost in the dunes was reduced dramatically. The bad news was that the sun shone even brighter on days such as this one, and that you'd soon perish to it's warmth if you weren't well prepared.

Fortunetly for Svensson, he was well prepared. A recently, very recently in fact (he'd seen the owner die of thirst a mere thirty minutes ago), looted umbrella gave him all the shelter he needed from the murderous sunbeams shining down from above. That, coupled with the water he had, was all the preparation he needed for the moment.

While standing on the top of a big dune of sand, the ghoul saw something interesting and set off towards it. Having climbed the next dune, he got a closer look at the interesting thing and decided to investigate it.

The big metal object gleamed in the sun, offering such an unique sight that Svensson just stood and stared at it for several moments. Then, his trance was broken by a sudden realization; someone was watching him.

He spun around instinctively, drawing a sawn-off shotgun from the back off his belt as he did.

Xiao_Caity · **Posted:** Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:34 am **Post subject:**

Liz Greyson hated windless days. In order to survive the sun, she wore a massive hat woven from straw she'd once traded for her medical services and a poncho that reached her knees and covered almost her entire body. Anything more and she would be too weighed down to make good time, not to mention that she'd dehydrate even faster. Days like this were bad for her slowly dwindling supply of water.

She spotted a distinctly human shape in the distance and decided to abandon her usual solitude in hopes of being directed to a nearby settlement. She was well outside her usual stomping grounds, and her map was sketchy at best and downright wrong at worst.

As she got closer, the figure suddenly stiffened and then turned, aiming a shotgun at her. She raised her hands to show that she was, well, not unarmed but not planning to do any shooting in the near future.

"Truce?" she called to the man... oh, the ghoul. This was going to be interesting.

Dark Elf · **Posted:** Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:42 am **Post subject:**

The prewar phonograph made all the usual scratching noises, and though it always seemed intent on dying on me it eventually began playing my favorite song just fine.

I could feel the Jet take hold. I had a sip of my glass of Nuka Cola and whiskey, and then the tones and tunes flew out of the record player like fluorescent pink and blue bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the place, filling up the entire room and smelling like fresh strawberries. And a voice was screaming: "Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?"

Then it was quiet again. My customer looked somewhat nervous. "What the hell are you yelling about?", he muttered as he put a bag of Rad Away on the counter. "Never mind" I said. That will be 500 caps. The fellow gave me the cash I wanted and left the store in a hurried fashion. No point mentioning those bats, I thought.

It was almost noon, and I still had several hours before I could close the store. They would be tough hours. Very soon, I knew, I'd be completely twisted. But there was no going back, and no time to rest. I would have to ride it out. Next shipment of materials needed for Psycho was already under way, and I had to sell all that I could to make ends meet. I was, after all, a professional apothecary; so I had an obligation to keep such things in stock.

How long can I maintain? I wondered. How long before I start raving and jabbering?

Tough hours indeed.

Arthgon · **Posted:** Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:46 pm **Post subject:**

Under the hot desert sun, I walked through the dry and waterless wasteland, with Sam besides me. It has been a while that I stranded here, for my transport have died of a violent death some hours ago. Poisoned it seems, for he had a bluish tint on his lips. Through a quick inspection of his corpse, I came to the conclusion that he has died of slow working cyanide. That means, that someone has tried to stop me to solve this particular case, and that there is a traitor among the lads of the force.

Now that I am getting thirsty, I took out my full water skin and drank some of its precious water. After that, I gave it to Sam, who drank it very loudly. Then Sam gave it back to me.

'Who knew all about our travel plans, and things?” Sam asked me with a worried tone.

“Well... one thing is totally sure, that there is a traitor, among the force, who has told the culprit or culprits what we were doing. It will all be clear to me, if I have found enough clues to solve this case.” I said.

“Wait, have you seen that?” said Sam surprised, while he was pointing to the east.

Quickly, I took out the telescope out of my backpack, and I saw that there was a girl, and a man...no a ghoul were standing there on one of the dunes. “What in the name of the Gods, are they doing here? Are they like us, stranded here as well?" I said.

After a minute of silence, Sam said, “Perhaps they will know how to get back to civilization?”

“Perhaps indeed, but it would be safer for us, if we could join up with them, to get out of this bloody desert in safety. For a larger group could take on the dangers that roam in this place much better. Come my friend, let’s go and meet the strangers.”

Wolfsbane · **Joined:** Nov 11, 2005 **Posts:** 4273

Svensson sighed heavily. This was exactly the kind of situation he hadn't wanted to get himself into. Him pointing a gun at somebody, that was. Things always got so complicated once those pesky guns got involved. Then again, him pointing a gun at her was far better than the opposite.

He was going to have to do the first move. Weapons? he asked, expecting none but nevertheless staying cautious. She didn't look like much of a warrior, but you never knew with wastelanders.

Then, a flash of light caught his eye. He glanced towards it, and barely registered where it had come from before it vanished. A glass or metallic lense, then. Probably glass. Best case scenario? A looking glass. Worst case scenario? Sniper rifle. He hadn't much time to think; he hadn't even time to let the woman reply. Follow, he said while gesturing with the shotgun towards the edge of the metallic contraption before which they stood, Quickly.

Maybe now he'd manage to surprise whoever the other unexpected visitor was.

Xiao_Caity · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:20 pm **Post subject:**

"Weapons?" the ghoul asked, and she indicated her hip and the pistol slung there with a quick wave of a hand. She didn't like using it, but sometimes was necessary. She briefly pondered telling him about her scalpels, but seeing as how she didn't use them as weapons, she decided not to.

"Follow. Quickly." he suddenly said, indicating the weird metal thing with the shotgun. Normally she'd just have put a couple of bullets in his spine and legged it, but so far his actions had been, well, restrained. Courteous, almost. You know, for an armed ghoul.

She shrugged once, dropped her hand to her pistol's grip, and followed.

Wolfsbane · **Joined:** Nov 11, 2005 **Posts:** 4273

When he'd made sure they both were covered by the metallic contraption, he turned to her and eyed her inspectively. He seemed to come to a decision in his mind, and pointed in the directiction he'd seen the flash of light. People coming, he said, Saw reflection. Maybe raiders. Can you fight?

He gave her a serious stare and indicated towards her gun with a small nod.

Arthgon · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:02 pm **Post subject:**

I and Sam came finally there at the place where I saw the ghoul and the girl through the telescope. There were nobody there, but I had the feeling that they were hiding, presumably behind the strange large metal thing. I presume that they have seen the reflection.

“Are they hiding for us?” Sam asked.

“Of course, it is very difficult for them to see from the distance, who or what we are. I think that they must have thought that we were raiders. Perhaps it’s better to get acquaintance with them, and show that we mean no harm” I said.

While brushing my brown suit, and my short dark hair to get rid of the blasted sand, I yelled “You can come out now, we mean no harm, and we not even those barbaric raiders, if you are thinking that. We only need some directions to the nearest town or place.”

Grossenschwamm · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:56 pm **Post subject:**

Sweat. If there was anything a mutant could do on a day like today, it was sweat. Howard hated the heat's effect on his large body, considering he already had to drink more water than the average man. It wasn't all bad, though, what with the cap value of his cargo. He stopped just outside of a small town to check on his inventory, and Wiggles. Both were in fine shape, though Wiggles did smell a bit.
Howard whistled to wake Wiggles, and the mutant guinea pig hopped out of the large ruck sack with a look of intrigue. Howard gave Wiggles a quarter bottle of water. Knowing he had upwards of two gallons with him, he figured that in the worst case scenario (no water in town), he'd be able to last at least another...shit, three days. Well, with the caps he'd make, he could survive in town by buying drinks in bars and waiting for a water shipment.
Wiggles climbed up onto Howard's shoulder, and Howard got out his notepad and a pencil. He showed the town's guards a note;
I can't talk. Can you read?
The larger guard looks at the note, and stutters,
Uh...y-y-yeah...?
Howard smiles, because he already has everything he needs to say written down, and won't need to draw pictures in this heat.
I'm a wanderer, I've come to restock on supplies and trade with your town.
T-that's a pretty big gun if all you're doing is t-trading...
Wiggles chatters angrily.
I'm a maker of explosives and firearms, as well as armor. I can help you to outfit your guard.
As guard c-c-captain, I allow to you make y-yourself at home. No funny b-business, alright?
Howard smiled again, and Wiggles calmed down.
Noticing an apothecary, Howard decided to unload his radscorpion stingers first. He noticed a man rushing out of the store with a bewildered look on his face, and then walked right in.

Dark Elf · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:52 pm **Post subject:**

I knew I wouldn't last the day when something that looked like an insane guinea pig astride a mountain of soot invaded the premises. I was just about to reach for my Colt Magnum when the upper regions of the mountain clove in the broadest of smiles, the whiteness of which an impossible contrast to the blackness that surrounded it. There was a pair of eyes above the smile in all the usual ways, meaning that the mountain was, if not entirely human, at least humanoid, which has all the letters of human in it, though usually less cash. My own eyes, thankfully shielded behind a pair of sunglasses, went from the eyes of the giant to the shiny little black eyes of the rodent, which smiled at me too, though its jagged teeth looked much less friendly than the pristine whiteness the giant had in the dental department.

Yes? I said in what I believed was a respectable voice.

The giant didn't say anything, though the disconcerting little creature made chattering sounds using its teeth of a monster, oh Christ I hated it. The giants smile grew broader, and he showed me a succession of signs, going:

I can't talk. Can you read?

To which I nodded approvingly.

I'm a wanderer, I've come to restock on supplies and trade with your town.

I nodded again; an act which in my intoxicated state turned the whole world into a blur.

Apparently pleased, the mound of soot produced an ungodly bunch of Radscorpion stingers, which was great since my stock of antidote was growing thin.

I counted out the caps for the stingers, and put them on the counter.

The_Bob · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:31 am **Post subject:**

Blinding sun crept across the wooden floor, painting a long white streak in an otherwise pleasantly dim interior. It reached across the makeshift stage, highlighting the dust dancing in the waves of hot air above the guitar amp. From the tiny crack left in the back door went a thick, ragged cable powering the box, pumping the tubes straight from a microfusion cell. The bar, "Atlantis" it's name, had electricity alright, coming from a wind turbine somewhat beyond the peak of it's sloped roof. It was useless on a day like this however, so it was the bike powering up the house this time - a favor returned without unneeded discussion on either part. Strings slowly decayed from their dual phantoms into one vibrating shape, reflecting perfectly off the pristine blue finish.

Today will be special, thought Kyle, observing the orange glow pulsating within his amp, following the grate on the back, frowning at the blinding streak of light as he reached the top. He was up next, his partner finished a melancholic passage on a beat up harmonica. He replied in suit, savoring the moment when two musicians could talk to each other through their art, oblivious to how bored the audience was with their wasteland blues. That's what he called it, even though nobody ever bothered to ask. It was months since he had someone play with him, on any instrument. The heat toyed with his box somewhat, adding a hint of fuzzy distortion to the sound, seeming almost too perfect in how it matched the harmonica's worn buzz. Tiny drops of spit reached the invisible wall of light as the old timer went on to stretch his part a little, picking up the tempo a bit.

That's when words "mutant" and "huge" had reached his ears, almost making him miss his part. Kyle tried to listen in, playing a few quiet notes, but the old man clearly wanted to liven up the jam, and he couldn't resist the urge. Regretfully, Kyle forced himself to lead the part to a quick end, but not without an inevitable solo before that. There was some tired applause and a few caps rang inside the case. By then he collected enough clues to assume a supermutant with a big gun was at the drug store.

It was two days too early, and he heard no gunfire, which was very unlike his mark's projected behavior, but still, there weren't many supermutants in these parts... After quickly collecting the caps, a few handfuls at least, Kyle put the guitar gently in the case, cable still plugged in, and excused himself for a moment, saying he'll be right back. His partner replied with a nod, picking his earnings from his hat. While at the guitar case, Kyle slipped a small box out of the side, unnoticed as always, and was now on his way to the back entrance of the drug store, pulling a stinger glove over his right fist. A wicked contraption, three thick needles above the knuckles, packed with enough paralyzing agent to drop the biggest of supermutants in less then a second. Powered by a shotgun slug, the needles could easily penetrate through the skull if it the heart wasn't a viable target.

He cocked the weapon and stormed through the door, just to see he got the wrong mutant.

Xiao_Caity · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:57 am **Post subject:**

Liz quickly peeked around the edge of the metal contraptionat the stranger. He was decently well dressed, and he didn't have any visible weapons, which was a nice change. Then again, the man had a mutated hyena with him, so he probably didn't even need a gun.

"Me first," she said to the ghoul, and carefully stepped out into the glaring sun once more, hands held loosely at her sides. Today was shaping up to be a very peculiar day indeed.

"Hi," she said to the man in the brown suit, smiling without humour.

Wolfsbane · **Joined:** Nov 11, 2005 **Posts:** 4273

The ghoul took the opportunity to sneak away to the other side of the metallic object, thus outflanking the newcomers. He dared one quick glance to find out how many there was, and saw the man and his pet. Two of them, then, but only one carried a gun. That gun had to be taken away. Fortunetly for him the man and his hyena was focused on the woman for the time being, so he decided to move.

You, he said as he stepped out into the sun, his shotgun pointing at the man in the brown suit, Take off the jacket. Remove any weapons. Now.

Arthgon · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:34 pm **Post subject:**

After some minutes, I saw that the woman came out with some caution from behind the strange metallic object. She said "Hi," while smiling without any humor. Through the way she dressed and by her behavior, I could see that this girl was not a warrior. Nevertheless, everyone can use a weapon or a gun when they are in danger. Now I must proceed with caution, for I need some help and directions here from this woman, and the ghoul.

“Good day, miss. It has been awhile that we have seen a life soul in this blasted wasteland, so I am very happy to see one again. My name is John Clark, and this is my colleague and companion Sam.”

Suddenly I saw from the corner of my eye, a sudden movement. It’s seems that the ghoul outflanked me, and he is pointing a shotgun to me.

You, he said as he stepped out into the sun, his shotgun pointing at me, Take off the jacket. Remove any weapons. Now.

With caution, I took off my jacket, and dropped it down on the ground. Then I slowly took out my gun, by holding it with my thumb and index finger of my right hand, and put it down on the ground. After that I unsheathe my sword and knife put it next to my gun.

“Now look mister, I know that you are very careful, and I appraised that, but could you please stop pointing that shotgun at me?” I said, and showed my PI Badge.

“I am John Clark, PI, and I and Sam need some help with the directions to the nearest town, or any place to warn my client, who is very important. Some hours ago our transport died from a slow working poison, meaning that someone tried to stop me to solve this very delicate case.

There is high chance that the culprit or culprits wants to finish the job, and there is greater possibility, that they would not hesitate to kill you both as well. That’s why we should team up. Don’t worry; I am not here to harm any of you.”

Grossenschwamm · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:45 pm **Post subject:**

Wiggles began to twitch as Howard took the caps into his belt pouch, and suddenly a man wearing a stinger glove burst through the back door of the apothecary. Wiggles leapt from Howard's shoulder and landed on the counter, paused by a snap from Howard's fingers.
Howard knew the owner of the store was definitely on something, and his presence alone must've been alarming. And now, there were splinters of the back door scattered on the floor, underfoot of the man armed for bear.
Wiggles seemed to calm down, but kept chattering as he watched the man with the glove.
Howard realized the smile had faded from his face. He brought it back out, and produced a note;
Hot enough for ya?

Dark Elf · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:00 pm **Post subject:**

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.

The going had definitely gone weird that day. As if a maniac rodent riding a sign-flashing heap of smiling coal wasn't quite enough to fill the weirdness quota, some heavily armed son of a gun decided to turn my precious back door into splinters and seize the shop. I liked that door. The inglorious bastard.

So I went pro, picked up my trusty old Magnum, aimed it at the offending burglar and said:

You've bought the ticket, now it's time to take the ride!

The_Bob · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:34 pm **Post subject:**

Three hammers cocked and tension spiked within the room. Kyle was looking down a thick rifled barrel, while presenting the drug peddler with two smoothbore ones. The other guy was fast, but if he didn't have to draw with his left hand, this would be over already.

"No need for that, doc. I got a headache already."

It was a bit of a check, so he allowed himself to scan the room. He sensed little aggression from the mutant, although the oddball pet was likely to react badly if shots were fired. There were no people at the front door, so two quick shots could waste the clerk and the mutant pet. Maybe. And then he might try to run, maybe sting the big guy if he...

He thought against it.

"Check my right pocket," he looked the trippin man in the eyes, "the caps there should cover this day's expenses." He slowly raised the hand with the stinger to clear the jacket pocket, needles shining in the bright sun.

Dark Elf · **Posted:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 11:42 pm **Post subject:**

O Christ, I was in the process of being robbed by a raider who, while having me at gunpoint, decided that his best course of action was to pay me damages for the door he broke breaking in. I must have done a miscalculation somewhere, inhaled more Jet than I could handle, because things like this do not happen, not even in a place as twisted as the Wasteland.

Slowly, making sure that I kept my gun pointing at the assailant center mass, checking out that weird glove of his that looked like a more sinister version of a Power Fist, I approached him. It was surreal. As I put my gun to his cheek and my empty hand to his pocket, he just stood there while I grabbed a fistful of caps that would easily replace the door. I then backtracked behind the counter, and asked, to the world at large, What the hell just happened?

Wolfsbane · **Joined:** Nov 11, 2005 **Posts:** 4273

Wrong. Big trouble to us. People looking for you. Could hurt us too if they found you, he said, while still keeping the shotgun pointed at the man in spite of his request for its removal. This guy looked like bad business to Svensson, who quickly decided that inspection of the metal object would have to wait. What he really needed right now was to get out of there. He would at least offer the woman a chance to do the same before he went.

He turned slightly towards the woman and said, without taking his eyes off the man and his strange pet, I'm leaving. You should, too. There's a settlement nearby, should head towards it.

And with that, he disappeared behind the edge of the metal object and set off over the dune behind it at an impressive speed, leaving the two of them to their fate.

Arthgon · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 5:50 pm **Post subject:**

"Wrong. Big trouble. People looking for you. Could hurt us too if they found you." he said while he points his shotgun at me.

"Listen, you do not have to worry, because I quite sure that they do not know where we are now. I have hidden our dead transport and further traces that could let them to us." I said.

The ghoul did not answer, but he turned slightly toward the woman without taken his eyes off me and my friend. "I am leaving. You should, too. There is a settlement nearby, should lead towards it." And then he left us to our fate.

Now only the girl was left on this spot. I picked up my stuff, and smiled without humor as well.

"I know for sure, that you want to leave as well. You could at least tell me your name, and accompany us, to the nearest settlement. After that we will go on our own."

The_Bob · **Posted:** Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:40 am **Post subject:**

Kyle scanned the room again as the clerk backpedaled with most of the bike maintenance budget in his hand. Better that then a messy getaway, he thought. Killing the apothecary might aggravate the locals and the hit wasn't going to be straightforward anyway. And the mutant... He just made some deal here, judging by the stingers... If he hasn't wasted the guy himself, he might mind my doing so.

The two men kept the weapons aimed and ready to fire, but some of the tension was relieved by that rich handful of caps. From behind the counter, Kyle was just a silhouette in the blinding glare outside.

"What the hell just happened?"
"Nothing. Let's keep it that way." He glanced at the supermutant "I expected to meet a friend here... Wanted to say hi." Kyle was backing out through the glowing doorway, both barrels perfectly stable. "Neither of you looks like my friend though. So I'll just leave."

Kyle couldn't believe what he was doing... Leaving without a single shot fired... And that they were letting him. Today was really a fucking hot day.

Xiao_Caity · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:27 am **Post subject:**

Liz sighed massively. If she walked away from this man, she was pretty much guaranteed to be the one conducting his autopsy when someone found him. On the other hand, if she let him come with her, he was going to want to talk. Bloody Catch-22 again.

She turned and started walking after the mutant. After a few seconds she looked back at the bemused PI. "Come on, if you're coming."

Dark Elf · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:52 am **Post subject:**

It being a ridiculously hot day and all, I emptied my glass of Whiskey and Nuka. It was warm and flat, and didn't help in cooling me down at all, but there is a power in ritual we should not underestimate.

The guy with the surrealistic Power Fist had vacated the premises; one goon left. Well, two if you counted the giant it was riding on, although I had developed suspicions that the giant was actually the master and not the rodent.

I bit my cigarette holder hard, then asked the shambling mound:

You, eh... know that guy?

Arthgon · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 1:38 pm **Post subject:**

She turned and started walking after the mutant. After a few seconds she looked back at me. ” Come on, if you're coming." she said.

” Splendid! Come Sam, we are going to the nearest settlement.” I told Sam.

While we were walking to that place, I took a glance at this girl. She (I still did not know her name) seemed to be introvert, and extremely anti-social. I presume that she must have a good reason for this. Judging by the way she looked at me, her dexterous hands, and dried stains of medicines like Chems on her sleeves, this woman is a doctor.

” So, what is a good doctor like you doing in this blasted desert...miss...? I did not catch your name.”

Xiao_Caity · **Posted:** Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:32 am **Post subject:**

"Liz," she told him bluntly and without emotion. "I'm a wandering medic, and right now I'm lost."

She was only paying about half as much attention to the conversation as she probably ought to have been. being somewhat preoccupied by the need to restock when they found a town. Her supply of Chems was criminally low, and most of the plants she'd managed to find over the last few days were just plain useless. There was only so much she could do with scalpels and thread.

"So, what happened?" she asked, hoping he'd pick up that she meant the case he'd been working on. Despite herself, she was curious. People would kill each other and go to great lengths to cover up the strangest things, and sometimes local vices were good to know.

Lords of the Water Mark

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