Andromedan Orbiting Operations Center (and offworld adventures)

[Baron Tredegar]

Kurt spoke in the ancient language. There was some more back and forth.

After a moment, the lead Hound got a bit more menacing. Kurt held a hand up and summoned the pet carrier to his side, showing the puppy within.

Immediately, the Hounds' eyes all went wide. They prostrated themselves before Kurt.

Kurt spoke again. They all stood, several of them going in different directions but one of them staying.

"It took him a bit to catch on that the Architects and the Great Old Ones were the same beings. It really sucks that the binding prevents me from recognizing or saying my own name... we'd have had trouble if I didn't have the Hound puppy."

Two of the Hounds came back. One carried a red flask of some kind, and the other a slab of pink meat.

"It's custom to offer food and drink to a guest here..... thing is, any alcohol here tends to be fermented blood and this particular slab of meat is raw. The Hounds don't tend to take 'no' for an answer on this, and I think it's caused fights with other species on this planet. If I weren't here, you'd have no choice but to accept. But since I am here, it's up to you."

Dont worry Ive eaten and drank stranger things.
I accept the wine and meat and then I raised the flask in a toast.
Qapla'!
I then gulp the wine down and then savagely begin tearing into the meat.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Dont worry Ive eaten and drank stranger things.
I accept the wine and meat and then I raised the flask in a toast.
Qapla'!
I then gulp the wine down and then savagely begin tearing into the meat.

Well, they did the best they could with the wine... the meat was tasty for sure.

The Hounds bowed in respect. They spoke in an ancient tongue. There was more back and forth. The lead Hound pointed to the ancient-looking building.

"I told them about our situation. They tell me my old kennel is in the ancient building there. I have vague memories of a menagerie that isn't just the quadruped Hounds, but also includes several other exotic creatures of this planet."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

Well, they did the best they could with the wine... the meat was tasty for sure.

The Hounds bowed in respect. They spoke in an ancient tongue. There was more back and forth. The lead Hound pointed to the ancient-looking building.

"I told them about our situation. They tell me my old kennel is in the ancient building there. I have vague memories of a menagerie that isn't just the quadruped Hounds, but also includes several other exotic creatures of this planet."

So this was your world at one point? Its not what I would have expected, but I guess you were a bit more wild back then.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

So this was your world at one point? Its not what I would have expected, but I guess you were a bit more wild back then.

"And if I'm not mistaken on out-of-place worlds, it technically still is my world. As for me being wild.... we'll see if that aspect of me re-emerges."

Kurt entered the ancient-looking building.

"Ask about any of the wildlife you see in here. I'll see what I can remember."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"And if I'm not mistaken on out-of-place worlds, it technically still is my world. As for me being wild.... we'll see if that aspect of me re-emerges."

Kurt entered the ancient-looking building.

"Ask about any of the wildlife you see in here. I'll see what I can remember."

I looked around the building and saw some carvings of strange creatures. They appeared to be white hounds accompanying a figure that appeared to be a hunter.
What are these?

 

[Universe]

"Despite six eyes, my eyesight is actually kinda bad. No luck here."

"I know it looks like I have eyes, but they don't function well for what I've molded my body for. Nothing."

"I see it. It looks like some green crystal. But there's been so many types of green crystal through the ages...."

Cosmos:”That peculiar picture was taken right after my metamorphosis I remember now”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

I looked around the building and saw some carvings of strange creatures. They appeared to be white hounds accompanying a figure that appeared to be a hunter.
What are these?

"Hmmmm.... there's a few different types of Hounds I have. There's the traditional bipeds and quadrupeds I have, there's..... wait... there's a hunter in those carvings."

Kurt held his head for a bit.

"I have vague memories of hunting, but believe it or not, there's a second hunter that I vaguely recall teaming up with in the past that uses white hounds. Mine are blue and they're sole organisms, though with an eldritch tinge.... the other hunter uses white hounds and they're not sole organisms, but more of a brood organism."

Kurt pointed at the carvings.

"So either that hunter is me and those hounds are a variant that got into something bright.... or that hunter is Eihort and those are his Brood Dogs. Can you see any hints to which it would be in these?"

 

[Universe]

*The background of the card was an ancient cave that they’ve never seen before but Cosmos*

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Cosmos:”That peculiar picture was taken right after my metamorphosis I remember now”

*The background of the card was an ancient cave that they’ve never seen before but Cosmos*

"Your metamorphosis, huh? The five were bound a bit over a quadrillion realities ago... was this before that or after?"

 

[Universe]

"Your metamorphosis, huh? The five were bound a bit over a quadrillion realities ago... was this before that or after?"

*Cosmos looked at him* Cosmos:”Way before this is the only picture of me to be taken in that reality and I remember where I was standing in that picture”

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"Hmmmm.... there's a few different types of Hounds I have. There's the traditional bipeds and quadrupeds I have, there's..... wait... there's a hunter in those carvings."

Kurt held his head for a bit.

"I have vague memories of hunting, but believe it or not, there's a second hunter that I vaguely recall teaming up with in the past that uses white hounds. Mine are blue and they're sole organisms, though with an eldritch tinge.... the other hunter uses white hounds and they're not sole organisms, but more of a brood organism."

Kurt pointed at the carvings.

"So either that hunter is me and those hounds are a variant that got into something bright.... or that hunter is Eihort and those are his Brood Dogs. Can you see any hints to which it would be in these?"

Upon closer inspection the hunters face appears to be that of a stags skull with a large rack of antlers.

 

[Universe]

Cosmos:”Before I tell you do you recognize that cave in the background?”

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

*Cosmos looked at him* Cosmos:”Way before this is the only picture of me to be taken in that reality and I remember where I was standing in that picture”

Cosmos:”Before I tell you do you recognize that cave in the background?”

"I would be old enough to know what that cave is, but I don't recognize it."

"I believe I came into being slightly after you, so I might be old enough but I don't have a clue either."

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Upon closer inspection the hunters face appears to be that of a stags skull with a large rack of antlers.

"Hmmmm.... that.... it could honestly be a few different beings, but it's not Eihort. And my form is a little harder to decipher than that."

Kurt had his hand on his chin.

"......seems to be too old to be a Wendigo.... you know, that could have been a depiction of me, but I want your guess. Do you know of anyone with a stag skull for a face in this time?"

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"Hmmmm.... that.... it could honestly be a few different beings, but it's not Eihort. And my form is a little harder to decipher than that."

Kurt had his hand on his chin.

"......seems to be too old to be a Wendigo.... you know, that could have been a depiction of me, but I want your guess. Do you know of anyone with a stag skull for a face in this time?"

Ive heard stories of a horned hunter named Cernunnos and sometimes called Arawn. Do those names ring a bell?

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Ive heard stories of a horned hunter named Cernunnos and sometimes called Arawn. Do those names ring a bell?

"Now that you mention them? Vaguely. But only vaguely. Very, very old servant of mine. We're talking several billion realities ago here. I consider him something of a respected rival, truth be told."

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"Now that you mention them? Vaguely. But only vaguely. Very, very old servant of mine. We're talking several billion realities ago here. I consider him something of a respected rival, truth be told."

You think they might still be around?
Either way lets keep moving on through here. Lets hope past you didnt booby trap anything.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

You think they might still be around?
Either way lets keep moving on through here. Lets hope past you didnt booby trap anything.

"Unsure, to be honest. He tends to disappear for long stretches at a time. Think the last I saw of him was a few hundred realities ago."

Kurt moved on through the building.

"And don't worry about booby traps. There's a designated course for that sort of thing, we won't be crossing it on the way to the kennel."

 

[Universe]

"I would be old enough to know what that cave is, but I don't recognize it."

"I believe I came into being slightly after you, so I might be old enough but I don't have a clue either."

Cosmos:”The center of the Earth”

 

[Baron Tredegar]

"Unsure, to be honest. He tends to disappear for long stretches at a time. Think the last I saw of him was a few hundred realities ago."

Kurt moved on through the building.

"And don't worry about booby traps. There's a designated course for that sort of thing, we won't be crossing it on the way to the kennel."

My experience with animals indicates that the hounds will either be happy to see you or angry that you havent showed up to feed them. Lets hope its the first scenario.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

My experience with animals indicates that the hounds will either be happy to see you or angry that you havent showed up to feed them. Lets hope its the first scenario.

As the duo proceeded through the building, they eventually reached a larger room with very roomy cages. There were two more of the hound-like bipeds at the entryway. One of them accepted Kurt's pet carrier. To the surprise of all present, they spoke in Earth languages.

?????: "I am surprised you brought someone to this planet, Tindalos."

"Ahrakas, meet Baree and Kazan. Vague memories of them as kennel masters have come back to me."

Baree: "He is... still bound, then, Ahrakas?"

 

[Baron Tredegar]

As the duo proceeded through the building, they eventually reached a larger room with very roomy cages. There were two more of the hound-like bipeds at the entryway. One of them accepted Kurt's pet carrier. To the surprise of all present, they spoke in Earth languages.

?????: "I am surprised you brought someone to this planet, Tindalos."

"Ahrakas, meet Baree and Kazan. Vague memories of them as kennel masters have come back to me."

Baree: "He is... still bound, then, Ahrakas?"

Unfortunately yes. We are close to undoing the binding though.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Unfortunately yes. We are close to undoing the binding though.

Kazan: "It will be great, seeing the master unbound again after all these years."

Baree: "It is already great seeing him in some form again, Kazan. Tindalos, do you plan to keep the otter form as one of your avatars?"

"It's a possibility.... say, Ahrakas? If I WERE to keep any of my past bodies as permanent avatars... you've heard some of the descriptions of them, are there any you'd personally take if you were in my position?"

 

[Baron Tredegar]

Kazan: "It will be great, seeing the master unbound again after all these years."

Baree: "It is already great seeing him in some form again, Kazan. Tindalos, do you plan to keep the otter form as one of your avatars?"

"It's a possibility.... say, Ahrakas? If I WERE to keep any of my past bodies as permanent avatars... you've heard some of the descriptions of them, are there any you'd personally take if you were in my position?"

Thats hard to say, I can comprehend your otter form pretty well, your body from the past reality may complicate things because that image has been tainted by the rebellion. Your original form might be good as well.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

Thats hard to say, I can comprehend your otter form pretty well, your body from the past reality may complicate things because that image has been tainted by the rebellion. Your original form might be good as well.

"Hm. I should try that question with Cosmos or one of the other dragon gods."

Baree: "Did you already have some in mind, master?"

"A couple. The otter form is likely. Estark, from two realities ago, is in consideration... as is that of Chronos Coyote, the form I took when I was an android once."

Kazan: "An odd choice, the robot reality. There was you, Empyreal Ermine, Landscape Leatherback, Melody Magpie, and..... who was the other?"

"Render Rhino. Look, I know they sound like Maverick names... that's pretty much how bad the robot reality was."

Baree: "I have no idea what you mean by that, Tindalos."

"Never mind. Ahrakas, Fabiana was the magpie, Oriana was the turtle, Cooper was the rhino and of course Pavlin was the ermine. Anyways.... there may be a couple of other forms... I know I'm keeping Tektite as an avatar, but I was thinking of something a bit creative as one of the avatars. Dragon body and limbs and wings, wolf face and hands and feet and tail."

Kazan: "Still needs something.... any ideas?"