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No. 77129
Somewhere over the ocean, a sleek-looking black vessel drifts slowly, far above the water, hidden in the clouds. This sky-going vessel is, strangely enough forged entirely of metal. It possesses no sails, and no other obvious means of propulsion, though along the sides are elongated cylinders set horizontal that have red lights that form rings around each end. Portions of the ship are painted red, in an obvious sort of symbol that stretches across the entire belly of the ship. Nobody stands aboard the deck of the ship, but visible through a window on the upper forward portion stand several figures, and panels colored with what appear to be all sorts of blue, glowing arcane sigils.
"Faerûn..."
This voice belongs to the figure standing furthest forward. He wears a strange sort of armor, something like half-plate, comprised of hardened reddish-brown leather with white plate sabatons and gauntlets, as well as a chest piece that includes shoulder armor as well as a heavily stylized helmet that covers the entire face and head. The helmet is ornamented by wing-like protrusions from the sides that jut straight back, and a beak-like design that curves down between the eye slits which are covered with a non-reflective black glass, and a circular breathing apparatus covering his nose and mouth. His build suggests a male humanoid, perhaps a human or orc.
"A land ruled by false idols. Gods. Dragons. Primordials. Fiends."
There are three other figures standing behind him wearing similar suits of armor, though with varying colors and designs. One is short and stocky, with a build that suggests a male dwarf, though his armor plating is red in color, and the helmet lacks the bird-themed design--instead, the helmet comes forward to a single elongated horn that protrudes from the forehead a few inches, and sweeps back into two spike-like protrusions above where his ears would be. On his gauntlets are grooved protrusions that make it look like heavy plates of some sort are meant to be attached to the back of the forearm. Another possesses a lithe and feminine build, perhaps a female fey humanoid such as an elf or eladrin, and wears silver armor, with the helmet boasting no forehead design, but featuring two large curved horns that seem to loop around where her ears would be, with the pointed ends on the bottom. Unlike the others, the leather portions of her armor are white rather than reddish-black. The final figure is armored in blue, and is much smaller than the others, with a build that suggests a goblin or perhaps gnome. His helmet possess no spikes or horn-like features, and instead is bulky and nearly circular, with a gray metallic breathing apparatus at the mouth, and black lenses covering the eyes. Its gauntlets are somewhat comically over-sized, but oddly, the fingers look very flexible and dexterous. There are a few other humanoids running about, wearing outfits of much simpler design, tending to the panels boasting the arcane sigils. Their armor is of black and red cloth, and with only a metal helmet that only covers the top of the head, leaving the rest of the head and face exposed, and leather gauntlets, boots, and a belt completing the ensemble.
"In Abeir we have worked tirelessly to wrest control of the world from these outside forces," the white-armored figure continues. "This is the so-called world of mortals. But the people of Faerûn are weak. They turn to these false idols for succor and strength."
He turns to face the three other armored figures, who as if on cue, kneel before him. "For the 'world of mortals' to carry any meaning, mortals must rule the world. It falls upon us to bring order to the chaos that is Faerûn."
"Bluehand gearworks are notmatched! Sturmgust's contraptions now pastthings. Bluehand is the future!" the smaller humanoid says, his voice sounding very goblin-like.
"As you will, it will be done, my lord," comes the melodious voice of the fey figure.
"Yah, zee might ought zee Empire icht unrivaled." confirms the red-clad dwarf.
The figure wearing white armor raise a fist and clenches it. "While our forces in Returned Abeir continue their battle against the dragons, we have been charged to champion our cause on the mainland. By the word or by the sword, we will spread the Imperium through Faerûn until the devotion to the false idols is naught but memory!" He whirls back towards the window, and gazes upon the coast rising in the distance--the Sword Coast. "And we have you and yours in alliance... correct, outsider?"
Another figure seems to materialize behind the three kneeling figures--an orange-robed eladrin male that seems to unnerve all others on deck aside from the white-armored leader. "Indeed. Your goals and ours coincide," Hemah says. "All shall be as the Master... as Dalamud wills. Faerûn will be yours."
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