Campaign: Memories of Ambition

Ghost smiling at the wise crack Kaiser made looks over to Emil. "Hey do you know of any spices that would grow around here for the food."

Emil was still sitting cross-legged on the floor next to his belongings, all of his concentration dedicated to examining the sharpness of his chef knife, which flowed so smoothly through his two hands that it seemed it were part of it. His trance suddenly broke as Ghost addressed him. He recalled something he overheard from one of the hungry businessmen he had served at his restaurant a few years ago. "Yes, actually," began the Tierisch, who was now hovering over Kaiser's catch. "I once heard a patron of my restaurant saying something about a massive old volcanic crater somewhere in the African Savannah where his company once mined unrefined salt deposits." Upon returning to his business, Emil addressed Ghost once more. "By the way, I don't believe I caught your name, friend."

He then turned to Kaiser, who was napping on the ground. "I think one would have been enough, sir," spoke the Tierisch to deaf ears.

"oh yes formal introductions are at hand seeing as we did get off to a rough start. Just call me Ghost. I work for the military before this happened." Ghost said with a friendly tone. Looking at Emil and his uniform he asked. "Where did you work before this?"

The chef drew a feigned perplexity. "So, you're Julius," he pondered. In truth, he had known this fact for quite some time. "I'm surprised that you feel no angst towards myself or Kaiser, my friend. The tattoo on my arm should immediately tell you that I'm Tierisch," he extended his left arm, rotating it slowly so Ghost could see the entire wrap-around pattern. He then nodded over to Kaiser. "And his smell of sulfur should easily give away his Thanatos origins."

Turning to retrieve his chef's knife once more, Emil continued. "I was a chef, and co-owner of a Benihana restaurant on the space deck of Jericho II, the 'City of the King'."

"Yes, I am a Julius. Im a ranking officer actually. But if you try and look me up you wont find anything because Im in Special Operations. The classified kind. Hey maybe when I can visit your restraint one time." Ghost says as he is watching the fire crackle. He starts to grin and says "If i remember"

Emil had driven his knife through the first zebra carcass. Like car upholstery, the zebra's hide peeled cleanly off its flesh as the blade sliced, like butter, through the animal's meat. "Your life must be truly interesting, then, friend," he spoke, somewhat unamused. In a matter of seconds, the chef had cut out a beautiful pink piece of fresh zebra. He then went to work to get a second. "And don't bother visiting my restaurant. Even if it were still around, there would be nobody in it. The man I co-owned the place with is dead, and the Julius banished me from the city when they found out I was a Tierisch." By this time, the skillful hand of the cook had produced several more cuts of meat from the body, its skeleton now partially exposed. As he continued dissecting the animal, the young man spoke again, "Also, don't worry, friend. I hold no grudges against the Julii, myself," his eyes flew over to the napping Kaiser for a moment, "But, be careful of the Thanatos. He may not be as...good-hearted with your kind," he returned to his business of preparing dinner. "So, will you go look for the salt? If you can, bring back a large slab of it, large and flat enough to be a table. I have an idea," a seldom smile lined his face.

Ghost listening to Emil's words walks out of the cave in search for salt. As he gets some distance from the cave all kinds of thoughts rush into his head the cold now caressing his body, the men inside the cave, and the memories. He reaches into his pocket and pulls another cigarette out. Getting his lighter out he looks at if for a second. Its cold exterior feeling warm in his hand compared to the deserts chill. He light the cigarette and breathes in the first time. The warm soothing feeling comforting him as he walked along. The moon in the sky bright as ever casting a bright white light on everything making the surroundings look serene knowing take a wrong turn he could end up a meal for some of the wild animals in the area, but those were the least of his worries right now he needed to find a salt deposit. A considerable distance away from that prodigious rock he looks around for it.[Dude the graphics!][?]

YOU KNOW WHAT ITS FOR

The member 'Reaper' has done the following action : Dice roll

'Success Roll' : 7

Emil had completely removed the flesh of the first zebra by the time Ghost had left the cave, its twisted skeleton lay still next to the delicious-looking stacks of meat wrapped in the animal's own hide to protect it from exposure. The cook's hands were remarkably clean. Blood barely dampened the cave's floor; he had sliced the zebra meat in such a fashion that it would hold in its juices. He had thrown the innards out into the entrance of the cave, allowing the vultures to have their fill. He looked at the pyramid of zebra steaks; it was easily enough to sustain the three for several days. "Great. Now, what will I do with these," he mumbled to himself, staring at the heap of three extra dead zebras.

With a sigh, he grabbed one of the small cooking pots Kaiser had found within Cinto. He proceeded to pour about a cup of the Vozhd's black blood from Kaiser's bag into the pot, and set it over the fire. As it began to bubble, the boy removed his right shoe. Taking his knife, the chef sliced down the red Converse's blackened sole, producing a neat fillet of rubber. As the liquid within the pot began to bubble, Emil tossed the rubber in, and stirred the strange solution with his knife until it was well-mixed. He then removed his shirt, his chest and abdominal area displaying a menagerie of battle scars, including several bullet wounds, and even a few stitching scars. With the knife in his left hand, the Tierisch pierced his right arm in a seemingly random area, allowing the black residue from the knife to set inside the wound. "I wonder if I still remember the pattern," he spoke as he dipped the blade again into the tar-like mixture, and repeated the process. After taking the knife to his arm several thousand times, the chef's arm displayed behind its bloodied veneer signs of a new tribal marking in the works that resembled sharp claw marks. "Hmm," the cook pondered, examining his work, "I think that's what it looks like...well, a few thousand more 'ink' injections, and it should be ready." With that, the chef continued his violent art piece, blood pouring out of his arm.

The moon's glossy reflection revealed plenty in the empty plains. As Emil's customer had said in his story, there was a volcanic crater in the savanna. Only a few miles away from the rock itself, it was earmarked by various elephant bones in the area. The salt HAS to be there, Ghost thought to himself.

Ghost towards the giant mammoth graveyard a feeling of death rushed past him. The enormous bones raising from the ground are only a remnant of the massive animals. As the moon shined down from the heavens it brought of the pure white of the bones and the fact that some creature had kill them. What went though his mind at this point was, ivory, a rarity that people payed millions to have after the elephants weren't so easy to come by. Throwing that thought way he set his mind to the real goal. Get that salt from the volcano, this way even if we don't eat the meat it would be preserved long past when it is supposed to be expired. Shadows casted from the gigantic bones darkened small parts of the cemetery of animal souls. He got to the mountain. ANd started to look for salt. [Dude the graphics!][?]

Most of the flooring looked as if the area was once a lakebed or a small sea, as it was distinguished by bleached chunks, separated by cracks. Ghost recognized the chunks immediately.

taking his knife Ghost attempts to cut out a huge chunk of salt.

Ghost managed to carve out a good number of salt slabs. Embedded in some of the salt, for some reason, are pieces of ivory. However, the weak feeling overcame him again. He is now down to 1 Body, and he levels down to Level 4! 6 Flair until Level 5.

With his new prison-style tattoo near completion, Emil had ripped a large piece of excess zebra hide from beneath the stacks of meat. After dotting his entire arm with the black tarry substance still bubbling over the fire, the chef finally dropped his knife; his work was complete. He examined his appendage; it dripped profusely with a mixture of ink and blood; from beneath the mess, the chef noted the pattern he had made; from what he could make out of it, the tattoo resembled claws, or fangs. It made him feel empowered merely looking at it.

Taking the strip of zebra hide, Emil created a makeshift bandaging for his arm. Within seconds, the chef's appendage was completely encased in zebra skin.

Weakened by some unknown force Ghost struggles to stand. Taking a moment to collect himself he picks up the slabs and ivory and starts down the volcano. Struggling profusely as he makes his way to the bottom. From there he takes a break. Only to resume in a minute or so. He eventually staggers back into the cave and lays the salt next to Emil and falls down to the floor where he rests. Looking over at Emil and his Zebra covered arm he says "What’s with the animal pattern on your arm?"

The chef, startled slightly by Ghost's sudden return, rushed to retrieve his tee shirt. "Well, uhh, you see," he stumbled over his words, "this is a...err...fashion statement of mine!" He flashed the makeshift cast at Ghost before fully pulling his shirt back on. His eyes, somewhat nervously darted over to the boiling pot of ink. "And, uhh, I was trying to brew some tea, but, uhh, I guess the leaves I used were....not...tea leaves."

His nervousness faded as he looked over the slab of salt. "Very nice work, friend," he spoke, as he ventured out of the cave briefly. He returned, holding four large rocks, his casted arm easily cradling them all. As he dropped the rocks around the fire, simultaneous small tremors shook the floor; obviously, the rocks were far heavier than the cook had made it seem. He placed his hand over the slab; with one swift motion, he had rolled it over to balance on the rocks, the fire burning steadily beneath it. It truly resembled a Benihana table. "Let it warm up, first," he began, "then wake up Kaiser."

Ghost thinking about the peculiar way Emil was acting but was too tired to do any interrogating he just scooted over to the cave wall where he set himself up staring out at the cooking slab. "So, what are you making?"

"Zebra, of course, my friend," spoke the chef as he began scraping some oil off from the zebra's hide with his cleaver. After accumulating a decent amount of the yellow syrupy substance, he splashed it over the salt slab; it sizzled immediately, unlocking mouthwatering aromas of cooking beef. "It's ready. Wake up Kaiser. He wouldn't want to miss this," a grin lined his face as he dragged his uniform belt over next to him.

Ghost wonder what the chief had planned got up and walked over to Kaiser. Picking up his hat and moving it off his head, he nudged him. Not waiting for a response he went back the seat that to watch.

Kaiser awoke with a start. "Hey, hey, hey asshole. That's my hat." He punched Ghost lightly, then stood up and sat himself down across from Emil, a hungered looked on his malicious face. He licked his lips, and watched greedily as the chef worked over the meal with careful practice and expertise. "That looks good.. looks better then Human, hopefully.." He patted him on the back. "And that's an achievement. Friend."

Before the group began their meal, Ghost felt himself weaken again. He is now 7 Flair to Level 5!

Emil examined his knives; they were beautiful, and ready, but were stained with dirt and blood from all sorts of creatures. They were certainly too unsanitary to cook with. He turned to Ghost. "May I borrow a few of your knives?"

Ghost reaches down and gets one of his many knives off of his belt. Large and extremely clean he hands it to the chef.