The Rise of the Windigo King

Dr Blight wrote:Verana blinks once and nods at the answer before going back to inspecting the corpses. "It's strange. I can feel some of his magic in them but I feel it has more to do with how they died than why they rose. Traces of it along their wounds... It feels like something else mixed with it to animate them... But most of the magical energy in them is gone now." She says before finally backing away from the two corpses.

Torch is about to ask Verana more when suddenly,

XandZero2 wrote:
The robot then turned his gaze on Ragna, Lobber, and Torch, and nodding with his gold-plated, tennis-ball sized frame, "Greetings." At the same time, Death Ray raised a hoof from the sands, muttering a weary, "Hay..."

Spoiler:

Torch turns to Doc and GREGG, very startled by their sudden appearance. He then grimaces, and says, "Still, we're down to 4 of us now, and she probably had the most combat experience. Sorry, Doc."

"Sorry...?" Death Ray looked up and scanned the group, "Halynn isn't with you guys? B-B-But how'd you even... how'd you even know she was missing? Is it that obvious?"

The Doctor got up slowly, dusting himself off and shaking his head, "I... We... It..."

He sighed, lowering his gaze, "You're right... She is gone... It's my fault... I'm sorry... It happened last night when we were getting dinner... She just... panicked. Flew away from me screaming... and... and maybe it was something I'd done... I don't know... I tried looking for her... I searched all night... But I... I couldn't find her anywhere..."

"Don't worry sir," GREGG piped in hopefully, "Mr. Lobber's hypothesis seems the most probable. In all likelihood sir, Ms. Halynn is perfectly fine."

"But she ran. away. SCREAMING," Dr. Death Ray looked up at GREGG and slipped back his black goggles so he could stare the little robot straight in the eye, "GREGG, if she were perfectly fine, then why would she do that? Why?"

The color in GREGG's eye faded slightly and he drifted down a notch - seemingly embarrassed, "I... don't currently have enough information to determine that sir..."

"BML!" The Doctor kicked up a spray of sand, then started pacing back and forth, glancing up at Ragna, shaking his head, muttering to himself, "Assume the worst... Pffft... Give up... give up on her already? Just like that... Move on and... and just forget about her...?"

"Dr. Death Ray sir, I don't believe Ms. Ragnarok meant it like that..."

"SHUT THE BUCK UP GREGG!" Death Ray glared up at his robotic companion, "YOU'RE JUST A STUPID ROBOT! WHAT THE BUCK WOULD YOU KNOW?!"

GREGG drifted down until he was nearly touching the sands, suddenly looking extremely small before his creator, "Sorry sir..."

For a long moment, Death Ray gave GREGG a hard stare, but then his gaze slowly softened. The Doctor shook his head, his eyes beginning to well up with tears, "No... No. I'm sorry..." He took a deep breath and exhaled, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean that..."

Dr. Death Ray glanced at the others, then looked down at his hooves - and remembered the bags of food he'd brought with him from Sweet Hearts... He slid everything forward across the sand and nodded towards the others. "I... um... picked up some breakfast... enough for..." the Doctor paused, "...for everypony... if you guys want any, help yourselves... There's coffee... some doughnuts... cinnamon rolls... prench...prench toast..."

For a moment, the Doctor simply froze - then, without saying another word, he turned on his hoof, trod off to the edge of the shore, sat down and buried his head in his hooves.

A deafening peal of thunder rolls out just as the doctor yells, and several smaller rumblings follow it. The wind has picked up now as the leading edge of the storm has reached the shore. The clouds sweeping out in an almost arrow formation with the leading point just a little ways out into the water. Suddenly, almost unnaturally so considering the wind, they seem to stop just as you can hear wing beats behind you. A small squadron of pegasus and bat pony guards flying overhead and into the cloud bank.

A few moments later there are two small bursts on the bottom of the clouds and something long seems to fall out of them. You realize they're anchors just as they splash down into the water and a large section of clouds begins to descend. As it gets lower you begin to see a structure on top of the clouds, a mixture of clouds and wood. Blue sails make themselves visible followed soon after by a pair of white, snake-like dragons emblazoned on them. A mast, lines, and finally the hull, most of it made of clouds packed together into shape. Windows and cannon ports line the sides along with two long white oars made of a marble like material on each side that dip into the clouds underneath the floating vessel.

Once it's floating little more than 20 feet above the waves it begins to turn its side towards the town. A small group of guards fly off the deck escorting a pegasus in elaborate robes as they fly towards Fort Storm, you recognize the captain among them as they pass. Once the ship has finished turning a gangplank is lowered onto the shore, allowing more ponies in elaborate robes to climb down. The clouds underneath the ship rumbling softly from time to time as it floats at anchor.

"That was a rather impressive entrance but only of who..." Ragnarok then tries to remember if she had ever seen the emblem on the ships mast before.

Spoiler:

Torch trots towards the breakfast, remembering how long it's been since he's eaten, and has a doughnut in his hoof when the storm-riding ship hits. He turns and stares in awe at the arriving... cruiser thing, then decides to find out who's important enough to get that kinda ship, and if they might be willing to lend them the ship they flew in on. He trots up to the pony with the fanciest robes he can see and asks, "Hello, that was... certainly a grand entrance. Might I introduce myself? My name is Healing Torch, and I'm wondering who warranted a ship of this magnificence, and why they chose today to show up."

Persuasion:

Aoi, in all her sparkling glory, appeared out of the crowd of monks like a dragonfly that suddenly zips into your field of view, landed before Healing Torch, and said, "That... would be me. And I came here to find you I think." Then she looked to monk Healing Torch had addressed, waiting to be introduced.

"This is the lady Kongouseki Aoihime! Heir to the great dragon goddess of the winter snow to which we've devoted ourselves for eternity." The monks says with a note of reverence clear in his tone. "We have come seeking an ill omen in the winter winds."

Dr Blight wrote:"This is the lady Kongouseki Aoihime! Heir to the great dragon goddess of the winter snow to which we've devoted ourselves for eternity." The monks says with a note of reverence clear in his tone. "We have come seeking an ill omen in the winter winds."

Healing Torch grins, and says, "Well, she's only a foal! Shouldn't she be learning... heir... type... things? But... why are you all the way out here, looking for me and my friends?"

"Because, the situation developing here falls under my purview and is my duty to attend." Aoi says and looks straight at Verana. Then she bows her head lightly and says in a formal tone, "Greetings Lady Verana Patron Goddess of the Summer and the Storm."

"There are some things that cannot be learned from a book, and few books indeed can teach one how to be a goddess. Even if she is still young, the best way for her to learn her duties is to experience them herself." The monk says sagely, then blinks in confusion for a moment looking at Aoi and then around the boat.

Verana's ears perk up for a moment as she floats a little above Healing Torch and turns to face Aoi, speaking in a slightly nostalgic tone "...It has been a long time since I've been called that. Thank you Lady...Aoihime was it? You need not trouble yourself with the full title however, it does not mean much any more."

The monk doesn't show any signs of having heard Verana speaking as he continues to look around for who was being addressed.

Healing Torch's jaw drops and he looks back and forth between them for a bit, before exclaiming, "You can SEE HER?! But... Celestia, do I need to figure out what differentiates who can see her and who can't. But there are more important things happening right now," He says looking at Aoi, "And apparently you know about them. I suppose I should introduce you to my group so you can tell us how much you know all at once." And with that, he turns around and leads her to the group, before saying, "Ladies and Gentlecolts and assorted species, may I present, Kongouseki Aoihime, an heir to a dragon goddess apparently. Also important, she came here to look for us! I'm sure she'll waste no time in telling us how she knew about us, but first, introductions are in order!"

"Land Lobber." Land Lobber's self-introduction was as short as he was tall, looking away from the scene at hand instead to face the doctor, and seeing someone truly in need of a path, of a guide, walks over to him. Clearly, this was one of those empty-headed philosocrat types conversations anyways. All the 'Oh hello, I am Maria Susan Holy Esquire Beloved The Fifty Seventh Descended From Celestia's Farts' jargon. Not his thing. He sits by the doc. "If ya be needing to talk 'bout it to someone who ain't a construct, ye can call on me. These ponies be deluded, and ye know it, but ya gotta keep together. This be for you, you got a chance yet."

The minotaur hands the scientist a black metallic necklace, everyone else preoccupied with yet another authority figure claiming superiority based on birthright. "Ye be fancying it earlier. Hope it be good luck fer ya." He gives as the only explanation.

Dr. Death Ray had heard all the commotion from the storm and watched the airship come down to disgorge all the ponies in robes. It was definitely a spectacle, and under better circumstances he might have been impressed, but as it was, right now he really didn't give a buck.

The others were talking with somepony but the Doctor was only vaguely aware of that - starring out into the storm clouds and watching the lightning streak across the sky. The blue-yellow light reminded Death Ray of the Lantern's energy ring...

As Land Lobber came and sat down beside him, the Doctor was stirred from his thoughts by the minotaur's words - which seemed... uncharacteristically kind of him actually...

Then when Lobber offered the necklace, Death Ray turned and stared at it a moment blankly before realizing what it was. Taking the artifact in his own hoof he turned it over, inspecting the make and design. He sighed, nodding to Lobber in way of thanks before admitting a moment later, "I... uh... I could use some... some good luck right about now. Thanks..." Lowering his voice, he added, "But you heard what the... the deity said... these things are supposed to be cursed..." Dr. D shrugged, "Not like it really matters now... I'm already cursed, and that was before I laid hooves on this thing..." The Doctor nodded towards the necklace.

Dr. Death Ray sir?

Not now GREGG. Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait...

But sir, proper protocol would state that you should introduce yourself to Ms. Aoi-

Later GREGG...

But sir, she's royalty-

Yeah... FYI - A royal pain... I don't care if she's Ms. Universe. I'll talk to her later GREGG...

Yes sir, as you wish Dr. Death Ray sir...

The Doctor shook his head, going back to thoughts of the artifact and it's aforementioned curse. He paused a moment to give Lobber a sad half-smile, "What do you think? Curses? Are they more like... like multiplication... or addition? Will two of them cancel each other out you think? ...Or will they just be combined?

...

"With my luck, it'll probably be the latter..."

The conversation around dulled as Land Lobber focused on his task. The minotaur looks at the little pony sadly. He wasn't the most comforting of beings, but he could at least answer the rhetorical question.

"Curses be what ye make of them." He points the trident out across the ocean, vast endless space. "A curse o' fiscal misfortune be bad, but ye can have friends to short-sell yer own decisions to still make a mint. If ye draw storms to wherever ye be, droughted villages'd be paying fer yer vacation there, and resorts paying fer ye to stay away. I once heard o' a paladin whose plate-and-mail drew arrows to it, he wore it every day to ensure nopony else would ever be hit by a stray shot."

Land Lobber barks a quiet and sombre laugh, if such a thing was possible. "But this is not what you be looking fer. Introspection be good, but ya got ta ask yerself, what do ye be looking for? Base animal urges? Change? Or be it validation ye seek? Vindication?"

-As Dr. D waxed mathematically, GREGG hovered up above, taking turns looking at the Doctor, the airship, the rest of the party, and the newcomer - his red eye flashing as he accessed his internal database, searching for information that would prove useful in the current situation...

Observation: Dr. Death Ray's heart rate, lung capacity, and cerebral discharges do not indicate signs of apprehension or concern - but he is currently suffering from a state of mental distress and lethargy classified as 'depression' by internal datafiles... Subject - Land Lobber is administering care and concern for the Doctor's predicament. It would seem that further assistance from this unit is not necessary, and may do more harm than good...

Observation: But when met with deities, monarchy, and cartoonists - protocol would demand that one should greet them properly, shortly before robbing them blind and/or holding them hostage... Yet the Doctor argues that they can wait for later...

Query: What should this unit do about the current situation?

Processing. Processing. Processing.

The little robot's eye flashed red at intervals - until an audible 'bing' echoed from within it's core.

Solution: In the case of Dr. Death Ray not feeling up for introductions - this unit should introduce him on his behalf!

With that, GREGG zipped up to the rest of the party, halting before Aoihime and stabilizing his internal grav generator so that he hovered at eye level before the princess.

Loading royal introduction program...

Lowering his mechanical eye - along with his altitude - to mimic a gesture of genuflection, GREGG's red eye then flashed as he piped up with a dignified, "Greetings Ms. Aoihime mam. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am known as GREGG, an acronym which stands for 'Gravitational Reverse Engineered Gyroscopic Generator.' I am the product, loyal servant, and life-long friend to my creator - Dr. Death Ray, whoooo..."

GREGG glanced back at the Doctor before returning his gaze to the princess, "-under better circumstances mam, would have... undoubtedly... introduced himself to you personally... Unfortunately, the Doctor is currently distraught by recent... tragic events and is not yet in the right state of mind for introductions of his own. I apologize for any inconvenience this might cause for you, Ms. Aoihime mam, but I ask that you do not look poorly upon my creator. My internal database assures me this might be considered a slight to one of high station, such as yourself, but Dr. Death Ray wishes you no disrespect mam."

As he said this, GREGG searched his internal database for any specific information he could find on the princess's species, religion, native climate, and manecut - among other things...

Spoiler:

"Professor Ragnarok at your service. Also it appears that it has fallen to me to apologize for the other of my compatriots Princess Aoi. The Minotaur does not in the slightest understand the concept of tactfulness nor does he have any respect for anything resembling authority but nevertheless he has built up a camaraderie with the Doctor and is attempting to console him."

Aoi looks to Healing Torch and raises an eyebrow in response to Land Lobber's and GREGGS introductions, then nods in understanding at Ragnarok's statement. She opens her mouth to say something, then thinks better of it having remembered cultural differences, and responds, "I see. Well, I won't hold you accountable for their manners Professor. It seems Lady Verana has assembled quite the interesting group and I suppose I shall have to trust in her judgement. As such, I'll allow you to call me simply Aoihime or Kongouseki-sama as you will. I doubt we will be attending many formal occasions and the full title would be rather bothersome in the midst of whatever great adventures we may find ourselves engaged in. I would like to- huh? Dr. Death Ray? That's not his actual name is it? That sounds more like the kind of alias one of Iron Pony's foes would have."

Torch turns at Aoihime's statement and says, "Well, Verana didn't really assemble us, we were just in the right position to help at the right time. And when did you decide to come with us? You're a foal, there's actual risk of life and death here. It's pretty dangerous for us, and we're all pretty mature!"

Aoi gave Healing Torch an annoyed look. "As I said before, attending to this matter is my duty. I am 'coming with you' because Lady Verana is with you. Though, I would characterize it more as that you all, would be coming with me, not that it much matters. I may be a bit younger than you but, I can handle myself if that is your concern. I've also yet to be convinced of the accuracy of your last... assertion." she says, somewhat haughtily and finishes clearly fishing for the word for a moment as she looked over at Land Lobber and Dr D.

Ragnarok looks at Healing torch with a smoldering look. "I find myself forced to agree you do have a tendency to be rather immature. While I am not entirely sure Doctor Ray would be the type to actually change his legal name to what he currently calls himself. Princess if you should prove yourself capable then that shall be enough for me."

Torch turns to Ragnarok and says, "I'm sure it seems that way to you, Ragnarok, but I simply have more... long term goals in mind then most others." With that, he turns to Aoi and says, "We've been handling this pretty well ourselves, for your information. Speaking of which, how much do you even know about what's going on?"

Aoi responds, a little flustered, "I. Wha? I meant those two- oh nevermind." and gives a little huff that sounds like "foo". "I'm not sure why I need to prove myself to you Professor but, please state what you have in mind. Maybe I will find it entertaining at least." she says, then looks to Healing Torch and says, "Not much. How much do you know about what's going on?"

Torch frowns and says, "Well, Verana's old arch-nemesis, the Windigo King, is beginning to return, and his followers are hunting down his artifacts, formal personal effects of his charged with his power, to revive him. If that happens, we are very much in trouble. We're gonna try and stop them, recover the artifacts ourselves, and... safekeep them. The first one we know of is somewhere out to sea, past the Maw. We got a ship, and we were gonna have some breakfast and then head out, to the best of my knowledge, unless anyone objects?" He calls out over his shoulder. "Anyhow, we also know the W.K is skilled at spirit and mind manipulation. We know bout that part... all too well. I suspect one of our friends was driven mad by his influence, during our first encounter with him.

"The Windigo King!?" Aoi shouts then she starts pacing in circles repeating "not good, not good, not good" to herself for several seconds. After snapping out of it she turns back to Healing Torch and says, "What followers? Shouldn't all his followers be long gone? Even Lady Verana doesn't really have any anymore and she hasn't been deposed like he has. So, I guess I'm going to object since I'd like to know more about whoever it is we're going to be fighting. Professor, does this island have some kind of record keeping for local legends or such? Did these followers have any identifying items like banners or crests? Oh um. I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I hope we don't end up having to fight them."

"Somehow he has managed to form a cult devoted to restoring him. Currently I am for the theory that it was started quite sometime ago by someone who managed to fine one of the artifacts which was then used as a point of influence. The academy would be the best option short of finding a native tribe and asking them I would be willing to accompany you there. As to a identifying marker they have a tendency to wear red cloaks over armor. If you wish to see some for yourself I do believe that Mister Lobber has appropriated some for his own usage from the bodies of his foes." Ragnarok pauses for a moment “As for proving yourself how about you give a demonstration of what ever you are best at when an opportunity presents itself.”