Beginnings

No…no…focus…I CAN’T BREATHE

Carnelia’s eyes shoot open as she reaches for her chest. Not a single growth…

Her fingers trail over the crystals, a shade turning from calming blue and green at her head to a more dull fiery red to her chest. It’s been too long, where are you? She closes her eyes. She tries…

Her mind flies through the thick ether currents, past mountains and seas. West.. she tries to reconnect with the person who gave her solace through the years. That unknown soothing presence, but the air gets thinner the farther she gets. She reaches out her fingertips, so close... Then the air dries, and her lungs burn. Her mind returns to the cave.

Nothing. ''The air is too thin… I miss you. ''She gathers herself…and for the first time for the past one hundred years… she opens her eyes. The light is blinding. She is sitting cross legged and alone.

On a single rock in the middle of a lake, deep inside a cave.. Crystals have fallen off her and into the water.

They have lost their shine. She stands up slowly and as she walks the water freezes step by step. She eventually reaches the mouth of the cave and shields her eyes from the sun. She slowly touches a crack in the wall and the stones shift to reveal a room with supplies and an old dusty satchel. Reaching for the satchel she wears some clothes and looks at a tiny golden crystal, touching it with a sad glint in her eyes before getting ready, steeling herself, and stepping out into the light.

…

The sun rises over the docks on the Eastern continent. A large Quatryl ship with a giant wheel on each side that had long curved paddles that glide through the water was docked. Scheduled to travel to the western continent, all the way to the relatively new city of Gloomhaven.

‘Have the family approved showing off all my mzz… erm…inventions?’

Ohm Voltek hoists his rucksack as he scurries along the Dock Tinker. His long fingers flicking back and forth through his various metallic contraptions. Fiddling incessantly. The Dock's Tinker, what was his name again? Had a binder with documents that he was flipping through, ship manifests and logistic schedules.

'''‘No Ohm, mmm... surely you understand that half of this still needs a thorough analysis. We haven’t prepared the papers yet. We could maybe get you a post at the University but simply going around showing these off?’ '''He points at a tiny robot with a few screws loose that has a crudely etched engraving reading ‘Mr Tinkers’ It lowers its arms sadly in response to Tinker. Looking up at it sadly with blank glass eyes.

'''‘As a fellow Tinker, I recommend you look into ship aquamechanics, potion biochemical analysis. Things our people can actually use! Your father spent a lot of money on your education.’ '''

He waves Ohm off and keeps walking.

'''‘Wait! They should understand, the world should see! Look!’'''

Ohm fiddles with his wrist and accidentally shoots out flames and an oil bomb into the water.

Impressively if not unintentionally setting the water on fire, next to some smaller boats.

As the Tinker is too busy calling others to put out the watery flames, running to a contraption which sucks water from the sea and shooting it onto the growing oily water flames; Ohm sneaks past and makes way for the ship.

‘The world will know the great inventions of the amazing adventurer, Ohm Voltek!’ 

Mr tinkers raises a tiny robotic arm to high five Ohm but Ohm completely misses this, he looks down sadly once more.

''There is more to me… I will show them. I can do this! I must! I.. Oh what’s that?''

He breathes in the fresh sea air and walks onto the ship where a strange tree woman was arguing with another Quatryl. Her speech slow and unusual, maybe a little calming.

But clearly showing signs of clear agitation.

…

Maul is moving a crate of supplies north of the Old Docks, in Gloomhaven Square. He was a laborer working for a theater troupe that performs in the square and they were just finishing up. He moves the large box of stage masks, costumes and... heavy props, why did they need an actual metal prop ship! Lowering it backstage he hears the lead actor practicing and can't help but hum along.  'La...La...la la..' Wiping his brow he practices a few steps.

Then he hears some laughter.

 'Look brother, the beast thinks himself a performer.' A valrath was walking past the stage, in a fine silken tunic as he nudges his brother next to him. They looked almost identical, and equally as arrogant and extravagantly dressed.

 'With a face only a mother can love, and a voice as well!'  The guffaw and one gets out a handkerchief to dab at his eyes. Maul glares at them.  'What did you say about my mother?' They look around and wave at someone who's out of site behind the stage, and a Quatryl appears. The small humanoid steps in front of the Valraths and crosses his arms. ''' 'What? I expected another Inox but your bodyguard is ''that. I'm not sure if I'm angry anymore...''

Maul scratches his head in confusion before he remembers, he was angry.

''' 'Never mind. I AM angry. He charges at the Quatryl in front of the two mocking Valrath brothers.

 'We paid good money for you Chuck, show protect us!' They say in unision as they cower behind the tiny Quatryl, he quickly whips out a contraption and fires. Maul sees smoke as something pierces his shoulder. He keeps running.

When he hears the noise again he remembers the dance in the theater and twists his body, still taking the bullet but causing his back to impact the Quatryl Bodyguard, Chuck, like a ton of bricks. Spinning with his arms knocking the tiny man six feet and into some boxes with more supplies. But then he notices the blood... and things go a bit dark...

... Voices. ''' 'Damn, seems like someone knocked out Chuck.' 'Still, if the brute dies from his wounds there'll be an investigation. Well erm.. Chuck is actually from a pretty good family. Always wanted to be a bounty hunter, we tried to warn his that statistically Inox are better at these jobs.' '''Two quatryls stand over Maul's bleeding out body, a bullet in his shoulder and back. His large muscular form heaving, three horns jutting from his Inox skull.

''' 'What do we do? Mmmzz.. Look, let's take him to the Old Docks, there's a quatryl ship set to go back to the motherland... We know a medic on board who can look at him, off the books...

...

‘'''Look lady, we accept gold here. No gold, no ticket.’ '''A female quatryl folds her arms, pulling levers as the large wheels on both sides of the ship start spinning. ''' 'Surely, I can assist you in someway. I can tell you of the air currents or aid in navigation? Maybe regale you of the ancient history of your race?' '''Ohm eyes the crystals growing in a branching like manner on the tree manner, as he taps the power core in his chest.

''' 'Hold on! This crystal tree woman could help me... I mean us...''' ' He takes out a tiny ruler and measures the distance of some of the crystals on her chest as she slowly slaps his long fingers away.

 'What is your name miss...?' Carnelia asks the female quatryl. ''' 'First officer Jezel Pumptank. We're setting off soon and you.. where's your ticket?' '''Ohm fiddles around in his rucksack and gets out some gold, she raises an eyebrow but because he was clearly overpaying says nothing. ''' 'Kezel Jumpcrank, if you let us help with the rotational vigorconverter, I can increase our efficiency by 204.6%! We'll get there in half the time!' '''

Carnelia looks to first officer Jezel, she was too busy starting up the crank which will get the ship moving. She waves them away, maybe he paid enough for both of their tickets? Ohm beckons for her to follow and she does so since she wasn't sure how to behave on a ship. The air is already getting thinner, but... so much water... He leads her down some stairs. ''' 'You see crystaline power stores are immensely mmm.. zz.. more concentrated? Yes! Even without elemental infusion but more! Come, look at this.' ''' He leads her into the main engine room, there was one engineer that was busy with some paper work. ''' 'Are you two.. erm.. supposed to be here?' 'Of course! Ohm replies and the engineer just goes back to his charts. Quatryls seem to be effecient and trust others to be as well, especially of their own kind. If not sometimes a little naive. Ohm sneaks past into a side room and Carnelia joins him.

''' 'See? This! I think is the engine. But... He tries to reach for one of her crystals and she snaps his hand away.

 'Ok hold on.'  He takes out a device and shoots two prongs attached to wires. ''' 'Delivering electrical stimulus! Overcharging capacitors!' ''' Then he links the wires to the crystal in his central core, on his chest. The wheels around the ship start turning faster and faster. ''' 'Now.. you try! He gives her the two wires and points to one of the larger crystals on her chest. ''It doesn't work the way he thinks it does, but his contraption on its own merit... It.. definitely seems to be generating mana of a sort. More organized ether, and yet very chaotic and dangerous. ''

To amuse him she attaches the leads to a chest crystal, she feels the ether retain within her. But he had generated enough etheric divergence to generate extra power for this device already. Seeing the glee and joy in his face was worthwhile though. After long years of solitude and searching seeing someone find simple pleasure was, interesting.

...

Maul had been working on the ship for a few days now, he doesn't remember taking the job but maybe he did get too drunk that night. The ship's medic, Fibber Curie assured him that was the case. The ship's lead engineer calls him. ''' 'You! Inox erm.. Maul! Stop carrying whatever you are carrying and come over here. There are people messing with the engines!' '''He sighs and follows him to see an Orchid and a Quatryl, standing against a wall as the first officer berates them.  'Pay for your tickets on deck and within minutes you're messing with the...!'

' '''No erm.. look! Well, you can analyze the readings yourself! See the value of Voltek Engineering Trademark Incorporatedzz.. Mmm..' '''He fidgets nervously and the lead engineer goes over the gauges and bars.  'He's right first officer Pumpcrank, the velocity vector is over nine thousand!'  ' Yes, remember the invention of the famous adventurer, Ohm Voltek!' Mr Tinkers gives the crowd a thumbs up. Carnelia raises her arms in a shrug.

''Adventurers eh? That is actually a good idea, sick of doing grunt work. I should be doing.. something more graceful.''

 'So do I need to beat their heads in or can I go somewhere else?' Maul sighs as he folds his large arms.

The trip was a long one, but they made it in half the time before the engine overloaded and Ohm had to waste the remainder of his money on repairs. On the docks, Carnelia and Ohm couldn't afford the entry tax into the city.

''' 'Taxation on visitors! How opportunistic...' '''Carnelia sighs.

Maul steps forward and uses his wages to pay their way in. ''' 'Look, we talked a bit on the ship. I'm sick and tired of just lugging things around and doing menial work. You two said your adventurers...

' Actually, it was me who said that, not crystal tree.' 'My name is Carnelia...' 'I AM OHM VOLTEK!'

He and Mister Tinkers fold their arms. ''' 'Yeah, well, right... A few of the Inox workers say there's a woman who pays good money to adventurers who need a bit of coin down at the Sleeping Lion Inn, I know this place all right after I moved her from the wilds a bunch'a years back. Join me and you can earn a few coin.

''' 'Well... I guess currency is a valid point in most times. I will accompany you, I will do my best to aid you both.' 'The air is thinner here than I thought, I... would need help. I can't use all my incantations until I adjust...''

''' 'And I need money for my contraptionsss... sure erm... Let's do it!

They all shake hands and head to the Sleeping Lion Inn, where they will meet Jeskerah later today.