Tomb of the Alicorn - RP Main Thread

[Dear Sir Knight 11]

Deorward wordlessly follows behind Kreidal, standing alongside him as they wait for Yearling.

[Foxx 0]

Yearling walks out with the trio, making room for Deorward. "It was a pleasure meeting you all. I hope-" She was turning as she exited and walked right into another pony. "Oh excuse.. me..." Eyes narrowing at the brown earth pony stallion. "I should've known you were going to be here,  Doctor Caballeron."

 

The stallions surprise at seeing Yearling dissipates quickly as he smiles, "But of course, uhm, Ms. Yearling?" He smirks, silently exchanging a joke between himself and Yearling. "The tomb of the Alicorn is the greatest find of the century. My colleages and I would amiss in not going to see its splendor."

 

"And clean it out and sell it," Yearling said. 

 

"Tsk, you wound me, Ms. Yearling." He ponders for a second, "of course this could be a prime opportunity for us to work together. I will be guessing that you are working alone, again, as always?"

 

As they speak, Caballeron hench ponies are lurking near by. His hired muscle for all things nefarious. 

[Dear Sir Knight 11]

Deorward shifts towards the hired thugs upon recognizing them skulk about and reached for Wintertide, the greatsword that rests upon the golem's back.

"Whatever ill-will you and your cohorts have, Doctor Caballeron, this Guardian strongly advises against it," Deorward rumbles.

[DawnOfNoob 46]

The Professor blinks a few times after hearing the Stallion speak, getting a strange sense of Deja Vu - before it comes to him that a situation like this sounds like something out of one of Ms Yearling's books. The sheer cheesiness of it made him mentally gag. Sneaking past or acting oblivious is going to be next to impossible when your charge and a gigantic automaton have revealed themselves. He looks over his shoulders, sighing before turning around and speaking up.

 

"Well. Since subtlety is completely out of the window on both ends, do you REALLY want to try to force a famous and beloved author to come with you in such a public setting? In broad daylight? With security that's overseen literal royal vacations? Where would you even go - considering we're quite high up? Even if you were to get away, it would still be slower than taking this craft. Otherwise you'd have used that to get there already. You two can afford to have your little play-date later...but for now....sit back....and enjoy the ride you paid for." he said, with increasing coldness as he went on.

[Frécinette 359]

Iris stood between the golem and the doctor's henchponies. "Alright big guy leave that sword alone, there is no need to threaten anyone. It works for you too, guys. No one has planned to do anything yet, we're just all here to visit the tomb, right ? RIGHT ?"

[Foxx 0]

Doctor Caballeron holds his fore hooves up, but he is far from repentant, "of course not, sir. I was merely chatting with Ms. Yearling. I see you've already found friends for this trip."

 

"Exactly," Ms. Yearling says. She looks to the rest, especially Deorward. "I don't think there is going to be any more problems here everypony. I think you made your, heh, point."

 

Caballeron retreats going back to his hench ponies and the leave for another part of the air ship. Ms Yearling sighs, exsaperated. "This is the reason Sand Script is calling for help. Ponies like Caballeron are scheming to get their hooves on the tomb to loot it for the own personal gain. Bunch of grave robbers..."

[DawnOfNoob 46]

The professor takes a deep breath, casually rubbing his eyes with the burnt scar tissue on his left foreleg.

 

"Almost lost my cool there because of how many cliches that Stallion was giving off. Old pet peeves die hard, I guess. Heh. So. Any reason why a disgraceful Archaeologist with a bunch of storybook mooks would want to coerce a novelist to work for him? Did you piss off a Librarimancer or something?"

[Frécinette 359]

Iris leant on a wall and remained silent. Whether they were grave roobers or not was none of her business, she never paid much attention to her employer's moral grounds as long as they weren't contradicting the brotherhood's creed.

[Foxx 0]

"Oh trust me, he's about cliche as them come and twice as annoying." Yearling sighed. "Looks like our trip is probably going to be more interesting than it should be.  I suppose I owe you three my thanks."

 

Thinking about the professors question, "He's... not a fan of Daring Doo."

[DawnOfNoob 46]

Kreidal raises an eyebrow at this. "Fair enough." he states, despite her obvious dodging of the question. 

 

"Anyways, enough of all this standing around. Let's see what our benefactor has uncovered before they change their minds - so we can be ready to go when we land. I'd hate to be a step behind our competition if they intend to just sack the tomb and loot what remains. Come along, Deorward." he says, beckoning the others as he slowly trots away towards Sand Script's apparent location.

[Dear Sir Knight 11]

Deorward watched as Dr. Caballeron and his cronies walked away, and did not cease until they were out of sight. After determining that the threat was gone, at least for now, the magical construct lowered its hand and turned back to the group, listening as they exchanged words. When Kreidal beckoned it to follow, Deorward complied, and followed beside.

[Frécinette 359]

Iris followed them, recalling herself the last grave robbing she took part in as an escort. If there was something they shouldn't learn about her, it was this.

[Foxx 0]

"Uh, might a be a while," Yearling says. "Sand Script is not on the ship but in the Minotaur lands. Though he should be meeting us tomorrow when we land."

[DawnOfNoob 46]

Kreidal stops in his tracks, looks back at the author and sighs. "Well. He must have forgotten to send a few of us that memo.  And here I thought the chap was being anti-social this entire time, but here he's making me look quite the fool. I'll have to get him back for that later....heh. Well, in any case, that's quite disappointing - but at least we're by the sleeping quarters. I suppose now we capitalize on it try and get some rest for tomorrow? We may need it when we do land." He states before closing his eyes and teleporting away to his quarters in an indigo flash.

[Frécinette 359]

"He's so excited he couldn't wait for us." Iris sighed. "Whatever, i'm just gonna catch some z's then". She dropped her bag at the entrance of her room and dropped dead on her couch. 

[Dear Sir Knight 11]

Deorward watced as its companions left for their respective rooms. When it seemed that they were all gone, the artifical giant turned to the deck once more, observing as the ponies went about their business. Inexplicably, Deorward slowly began to move onto the deck, and once there found a railing to stand beside. 

The rest of the night it spent on gazing at the curious lands below and the ponies that surrounded it.

[Foxx 0]

    A new dawn and Steady Wind is making its final approach to the shores of the Minotaur lands. The wind is with the ship and with it the humidity coming off the water. The water is warn for this time of the and off in the distance inland you can see storm clouds pouring down rain. Mist covered mountains form the back drop with deciduous covered valleys and hills spread out to meet the shoreline. The land gives off a wild and untamed vibe, but not as sinister as the legendary Everfree forest. 

 

    The immediate shore is the first sign of civilization. It is, or was, an ocean port where several massive ocean going vessels are docked. The newest additions  around the port are the large collection of airships lining the coast. Along the airships is an ever increasing number of buildings of pony design. Even as you watch there are industrious ponies at work putting up new buildings; a lot of the are earth pony designs. The one exception is the air ship that lacks a dirigible laying on its belly on the beach. It also stands out for the massive eagle figure head taking up the front of the ship. 

 

    Closer to the shore, the Captain dispatches fliers to notify the port of their arrival. A landing tower had been built just for the Equestrian airship and appear to be tended by several ponies. Now you can see a few Minotaur with them as well. Those these are wearing practical shirts, they are striped black and white. Much like the shirts referees wear in sporting events. The Steady Wind crew handles the docking with skill and precision like true professionals. 

 

    Once the ship is tied off and the gang plank set, passengers are allowed to disembark. The Captain is there to wish everypony well and to have a safe trip. He looks quite relieved when the ice golem steps off. As does the ship, as it floats a few inches higher. Passengers are taken through customs, which is more a welcome to the Minotaur lands, please don’t mess with the weather. Weapons are allowed, though some of the Minotaur referees are giving Daoward a cynical look over as he proceeds through the process. 

 

    Finally, you reach the end of the in processing where an older Minotaur is waiting to talk with all of you. “Listen for you first timers here to shores of Van Canto. Leave the the weather alone!” He inhales, “also the Reigning Champion, King Midos had decreed that all ponies are to remain here at port Van Canto till he summons all you to the Great Ring to discuss digging up your dead goddess, thing, over there.” He vaguely tilts his head in a general direction towards the mountains. “Lodgings are in Van Canto or you can do like the rest and build something.” He pulls out a sheet of paper and nods his horned head. “Oh, for the love of the ring, leave the weather alone. Its suppose to be raining this time of year.”

 

    With a back kick, he opens the double doors for everyone to venture out into the new lands. Some ponies just a little huffy about the dead goddess thing, but they let it go. 

OOC:
Welcome to the Minotaur lands.

[Dear Sir Knight 11]

Deorward scans its immediate proximity, searching for things that may be of caution to the group, before determining that there are no such things present. Aside from the bulky minotaur inhabitants, of course. The golem turns to face its companions. 

"What should our first course of action be?" The artificial entity inquires, prior to it changing its stare towards to the non-dirigible airship lying on the earth, then to the group again. "Perhaps the vehicle there is of interest?"

[Frécinette 359]

The constant flow of ponies in the disembarkation area made Iris uncomfortable. She immediately took off to get a breather from the crowd.

"Let me see if i can find our contractor." she launched at Kreidal before scouting the area.

[DawnOfNoob 46]

Kreidal rubs his eyes, still a little sleepy. "Welp. I didn't see where she ran off to so quickly - oh the joys of being young and ignorant." he says with a chuckle. "In any case, she'll catch up to us later. We might as well scout that vehicle out in the meantime." He states, slowly trotting over to the site in question.

[Dear Sir Knight 11]

Deorward is close behind, ever cautious of their newfound surroundings as they approach the landed airship. 

[Foxx 0]

The airship is a unique design. Ninety feet from after to stern, all wood construction and what look like about four desk in all. The top was open save for the wheel house. As noticed before the craft has no balloon attached to it for gaining altitude. Nor does it sport the traditional wing flaps or tillers to turn or elevate the ship. One would think it a ocean going vessel save that the bottom is almost completely flat as well. A unique, but awkward design. Yet, there is a sense of magic about the ship. A literal sense, as if a great deal of magic were poured into the ship. Though that magic seems dormant at the moment, resting.

 

Another sight to add to the griffon headed ship is an actual griffon lazily flapping his wings as he directs the crew in off loading equipment. Set up on the ground was a pavilion where everything is being gathered and placed into a wagon. Two more griffons are there talking.

 

As Kreidal and Deorward approach the ship, one of the griffons on board spots them and whistles to the griffon directing. He observes the two before dropping down and with a flare of his wings lands. He pads closer to say, “Greetings! If you are here to purchase something, we're currently getting ready to bring everything to the shop. We can take care of you there...”

 

Naturally, all the while, he is watching Deoward. His demeanor is friendly, but he appears he has no decided rather this is going to be trouble or not.

 

Iris is up and flying over the head of the ponies and Minotaurs on the ground. The budding pony town around the establish Mino-town is an amusing mishmash of two different cultures. It does not take Iris long to spot what she is looking for, but not in the form of an aging academic. A lady Minotaur is standing on a platform holding a sign. The sign bears Professors Sand Scripts cutie mark and a sure tell way of attracting the people that he sent for. The only problem Iris might expect from the female Minotaur is the rather precious younger Minotaur, a daughter or a sibling is going absolutely insane with pony fever.

 

“Please, please, please, can't I just hold one, for minute, thirty seconds, a second, please..?”

 

The lady Minotaur sighs heavily, obviously getting this request more times than she even wants to count. “No~, please child, stop asking.”

 

The child frets for a moment, watching the ponies walking or flying by.

[DawnOfNoob 46]

"Oh, we're not here for souvenirs just yet - perhaps on our way back to Equestria though. The construct just spotted your ship out here as we landed and it's unique design piqued my scientific curiosity. We ponies don't exactly have vessels like these back home, you know?" The professor states courteously.

[Foxx 0]

"Yes, its rather unique to my people," The griffon ponders the request then asks, "and who is asking, if you don't mind? We've had plenty of ponies curious about the Griffonhiem, but the captain doesn't want just anybody trotting around the ship."

[Frécinette 359]

Iris was flying rather high above the crowd, looking for Sand Script when she spotted a sign with his cutie mark printed on it . She was about to present herself to the lady holding it when her attention shifted toward a pony that was blending in the crowd a bit too perfectly. She wanted to investigate but the thought of landing into the flood of peoples again bugged her. She instead reached for the minotaur, hovering over the top of her head.

 

"Good day Mr Script, you look really diferent from your photos you know ? Just kidding. So the old man sent you to fetch us, huh ?"