It's been weeks.
Weeks, since the Phlogiston Brotherhood's Grand Master Engineer, Galahn Tinhelm, has made a single gun.
It is understandable, perhaps, Galahn reflects as he stalks his way toward the shattered mage village of Kirin'Var. I simply cannot make my best weapons without a proper nether battery. However, if Zaium's claim is correct...
The train of thought faded as a great, demonic-looking chimera floated overhead. The prospector ducks into the shadow of a ridge as his Winterspring Frostsaber hunkers into stealth until the monstrous creature's gaze bends elsewhere.
Large, intelligent feline eyes look a question at the goggles of his companion.
"What? It isn't as if we needed that fight." Lavender eyebrows lowered on the giant tiger's face. "Besides, I fed you already. Come on, Sar. More pressing matters beggar."
Galahn patted the great frostsaber between the eyes affectionately before slinging his crossbow on a shoulder and scanning the Twisting Nether from atop the ridge. An energy storm was forming beyond the tortured earth of Netherstorm. Its beautiful streaks of light obscured his vision, and he sighed in resignation.
"Sorry, Sar. You don't want any part of that light show. I promise I will meet you back at Area 52."
Worry showed clearly in the big frostsaber's eyes, but the Dwarf hugged him in return for a giant paw covering his shoulder and back. Then the embrace was over and the Dwarf resolutely marched toward the edge of the world and fished out a remote control.
Galahn settled himself onto the ground near the edge, and settled an arcanite helm over his head. After securely strapping it under his beard, he pressed the big button on the remote. On cue, a worn flying machine descended through the sky in the direction of Area 52 and landed softly close by. Here goes...something!
The Dwarf hopped into the flying machine and pressed a glowing cyan signet to the metal contact in the ring. He lifted the small craft off even as a light blue glow suffused the small craft, and once airborne, zoomed it south of Kirin'Var.
Energy danced and zipped, but a cyan barrier protected the prospector and his flying machine. The wild pattens shifted and flashed madly, but then in the distance, a shape.
The long-abandoned barge rested on its floating island, dark and forlorn. A few nether hunters were disturbed and flew away as the machine touched down with a dull clang. Galahn drew a magical dagger as he warily made his way through a ragged hole in the hold...and then his shoulders slumped.
Smashed crates littered the hold, half covering the those still magically sealed, but no trace of the rare crystal he desired. Noise rang through the dead ship as he rummaged through the debris, noting that those crates that were not smashed contained everything from commodities too cheap to merit breaking to reagents so rarely used to make looting unprofitable, especially this far out in the Nether.
With a resigned sigh, the prospector decided to at least get a good look at the rest of the ship. Silvery dust from beyond any world covered everything in the above decks. Provisions had long since been pillaged by unknown entities. Wood was darkened and brittle from the strange weather of the Twisting Nether. Alas, nothing new to a-
A small alarm beeped in Galahn's ear as he visually inspected the main mast. Lenses clicked in and out of position as a gleaming item began to appear through the thin material of the Crow's Nest. At last! A remnant from a long gone storm, delivered from the darkest, coldest regions of the Twisting Nether...said to be the fabric of the Nether itself, crystallized into a tangible shard. Quickly yet carefully, he scales the blackened mast, through deteriorating ropes to his prize. With extreme care, he draws a curiously shaped multitool and unfolds tongs from its tangled metal trappings to dislodge the crystal and wrap it in linen. Finally, the core of his nether battery was replaced!
Some time later, the flying machine touches down within the walls of Area 52.
"Hey, hairbrain! How's the weather out there, champ? Ya mind as fried as your inventions yet?"
"Ach, bloo it oot yer ears, ya daft Goblin!" Professor Galahn Tinhelm, Grand Master of the Phlogiston Brotherhood, retorted with a grin. "By tha wae, toss me ah
Khorium Power Core."
"Gots a new crystal, huh? You sure I can't buy it off ya?"
"Ah said bloo it oot yer ears, sapper."
The Goblin cackled as he retrieved the part from his store and exchanged it for the Dwarf's gold. "Here ya go, champ. Have fun!"
Weeks, since the Phlogiston Brotherhood's Grand Master Engineer, Galahn Tinhelm, has made a single gun.
It is understandable, perhaps, Galahn reflects as he stalks his way toward the shattered mage village of Kirin'Var. I simply cannot make my best weapons without a proper nether battery. However, if Zaium's claim is correct...
The train of thought faded as a great, demonic-looking chimera floated overhead. The prospector ducks into the shadow of a ridge as his Winterspring Frostsaber hunkers into stealth until the monstrous creature's gaze bends elsewhere.
Large, intelligent feline eyes look a question at the goggles of his companion.
"What? It isn't as if we needed that fight." Lavender eyebrows lowered on the giant tiger's face. "Besides, I fed you already. Come on, Sar. More pressing matters beggar."
Galahn patted the great frostsaber between the eyes affectionately before slinging his crossbow on a shoulder and scanning the Twisting Nether from atop the ridge. An energy storm was forming beyond the tortured earth of Netherstorm. Its beautiful streaks of light obscured his vision, and he sighed in resignation.
"Sorry, Sar. You don't want any part of that light show. I promise I will meet you back at Area 52."
Worry showed clearly in the big frostsaber's eyes, but the Dwarf hugged him in return for a giant paw covering his shoulder and back. Then the embrace was over and the Dwarf resolutely marched toward the edge of the world and fished out a remote control.
Galahn settled himself onto the ground near the edge, and settled an arcanite helm over his head. After securely strapping it under his beard, he pressed the big button on the remote. On cue, a worn flying machine descended through the sky in the direction of Area 52 and landed softly close by. Here goes...something!
The Dwarf hopped into the flying machine and pressed a glowing cyan signet to the metal contact in the ring. He lifted the small craft off even as a light blue glow suffused the small craft, and once airborne, zoomed it south of Kirin'Var.
Energy danced and zipped, but a cyan barrier protected the prospector and his flying machine. The wild pattens shifted and flashed madly, but then in the distance, a shape.
The long-abandoned barge rested on its floating island, dark and forlorn. A few nether hunters were disturbed and flew away as the machine touched down with a dull clang. Galahn drew a magical dagger as he warily made his way through a ragged hole in the hold...and then his shoulders slumped.
Smashed crates littered the hold, half covering the those still magically sealed, but no trace of the rare crystal he desired. Noise rang through the dead ship as he rummaged through the debris, noting that those crates that were not smashed contained everything from commodities too cheap to merit breaking to reagents so rarely used to make looting unprofitable, especially this far out in the Nether.
With a resigned sigh, the prospector decided to at least get a good look at the rest of the ship. Silvery dust from beyond any world covered everything in the above decks. Provisions had long since been pillaged by unknown entities. Wood was darkened and brittle from the strange weather of the Twisting Nether. Alas, nothing new to a-
A small alarm beeped in Galahn's ear as he visually inspected the main mast. Lenses clicked in and out of position as a gleaming item began to appear through the thin material of the Crow's Nest. At last! A remnant from a long gone storm, delivered from the darkest, coldest regions of the Twisting Nether...said to be the fabric of the Nether itself, crystallized into a tangible shard. Quickly yet carefully, he scales the blackened mast, through deteriorating ropes to his prize. With extreme care, he draws a curiously shaped multitool and unfolds tongs from its tangled metal trappings to dislodge the crystal and wrap it in linen. Finally, the core of his nether battery was replaced!
Some time later, the flying machine touches down within the walls of Area 52.
"Hey, hairbrain! How's the weather out there, champ? Ya mind as fried as your inventions yet?"
"Ach, bloo it oot yer ears, ya daft Goblin!" Professor Galahn Tinhelm, Grand Master of the Phlogiston Brotherhood, retorted with a grin. "By tha wae, toss me ah
Khorium Power Core.""Gots a new crystal, huh? You sure I can't buy it off ya?"
"Ah said bloo it oot yer ears, sapper."
The Goblin cackled as he retrieved the part from his store and exchanged it for the Dwarf's gold. "Here ya go, champ. Have fun!"
Edited by Galahn on 10/23/2011 6:17 PM PDT
