KING OF THE WASTELANDS

THE BARA OF BARA MAGNA

[askmalum]

How big is your cave.

The area I most frequent is large, and there are many alcoves in the stone for storage or other such things. I filled one with blankets and sleep there sometimes.

The cave itself… that is another question. Admittedly, I have not fully explored it. I thought it unwise to go too far into the depths, as a cave-in or any other such event could be my slow, terrible demise.

…

This said, recently, I’ve felt oddly tempted to explore further. I’ve had worrying dreams of someone in the darkness, and while they are nothing but dreams, their frequency concerns me enough to consider investigation. It’s as if the dark itself is c̀͞all̷̀i̵̸͜n̕͏͟g͜ ̷t̨̢o m̧e.

[askmalum]

You've mentioned before that since spherus magna reformed there have been a lot more water features around. What does your tribe feel about those? Do they like to live near rivers or lakes or are they just too used to the desert? Do they like to swim? Also, have you noticed any big differences between the rahi that have showed up since the reforming and the animals that we're already native to SM? Also also Shisk is adorable tell her I said hi and her art is fantastic.

There is a lot more water and plant life, nowadays. It is welcome; we do not have to go far for food or water. For reasons unknown, the area surrounding my cave remains desert-like, but I can see green from our territory. I consider it a boon. Enemies have no cover if they wish to attack us.

Many Vorox and Zesk do not know how to swim. I… am not the best at swimming either, with my armour. But they are learning. As for living near water, we occasionally stay near streams and rivers if we are travelling. Our tribe is unusual, in that we largely stay in the same place compared to the typical roaming of other packs, but… I suppose I have grown used to my cave. And my tribe is happy here.

If ‘Rahi’ are those armoured animals, then the difference I have noticed is that they are rarely worth the trouble of hunting. The metal components make up far too much of the animal, and so the meat is scarce. But, often, they seem less likely to pose a threat.

I have informed Shisk of your appreciation for her craft. She made this as thanks.

[askmalum]

Have you recently spotted any giant purple bug piles shaped like you?

It’s like... they’re trying to tell me something...

[askmalum]

That's... Noticeably small for a round 150mm in diameter. Wait, how tall are you?

Ah, an easy mistake to make. The round is not small. I am simply very large. There are few Glatorian as impressively immense as I.

You may take a moment to bask in my presence.

[askmalum]

What would happen if someone fired a high velocity, 150mm armor piercing shell, from about 50 meters away, directly at your center mass?

Nice try, asker, but these pecs are impenetrable.

[askmalum]

Apologies for my hiatus. The little device I found refused to respond to my commands, which are hard enough to issue with claws.

You would not believe the hassle and effort I faced to rectify this and acquire this power box. I only use it when I need to power up the device. The noise bothers my tribe. It also bothers me. Immensely. I have the worst headache.

I have no idea how those in the new villages tolerate the noise.

[askmalum]

To the mighty Helen, if you had to list your top pick for the best to worst Glatorian fighters, who might they be?

The best Glatorian fighter is, obviously, me. The worst whatever-you-are is you, for insulting me with that non-attempt at spelling my name.

[askmalum]

Do you like seafood? Can you remember what it tastes like? Or has it simply been too long since Bara Magna had seas?

Spherus Magna becoming whole once more means that water is plentiful, and the planet has oceans, lakes, and rivers once more. I have recently become reacquainted with the tastes of all manner of fish and aquatic life.

The taste of fish is nice, not quite as filling as red meat but still enjoyable if one takes the time to remove the bones. I have had to show the members of my tribe how to do this, as they have long forgotten the taste of fish. I do like calamari, especially; there are no bones to deal with when preparing and eating it.

[askmalum]

((guardian-of-the-sand)) "...You smell like pack, but not my pack."

You are correct, little one. You certainly aren’t from our territory, are you? Well, thankfully for you, charity is a luxury I can afford these days. Stay if you must. I’m sure your pack will be along to find you.

[askmalum]

What is your workout routine and do you ever skip arm day?

My workout routine is focused on strength. Some of the other Glatorian would also work on toning, I never cared for that. What good is defining muscle shape when you could be getting more powerful?

As for arm day...

[askmalum]

Are there any Zesk in your Pack? How well do they get along with the Vorox?

What a silly question. Of course there are Zesk in my tribe. They often forage for the Vorox in return for protection. Many of them can fight for themselves, but are not typically as skilled in combat, especially not alone. Their true strength is in their numbers; the presence of many Zesk is a sign of a strong tribe.

With the relatively peaceful times we’ve been having recently, and the high abundance of food, they’ve had an easier time finding enough food for the tribe. Similarly, the Vorox have not had to expend as much energy to hunt or protect our kingdom. It’s left us all with time for more frivolous activities, though I ensure that we are still ready in the case of an emergency or disaster.

[askmalum]

Do you ever give the vorox / zesk piggyback rides? If so how many at a time?

There are circumstances in which I have carried members of my tribe. Most recently, a Vorox warrior who had her tail removed by a certain shiny hooligan had fled until she could run no longer, and I carried her home when I found her. Besides this, the younger members of the pack occasionally demand to be carried, and… well, I cannot find it in me to refuse.

And, as for how many, it really depends on how many want to be carried. If you are asking about how many I can physically carry…

ALL OF THEM.

[askmalum]

Malum, having retired to his cave, inspects a sword one of his Vorox brought to him. Where it came from is a mystery, albeit possibly a dull one; it could have been dropped, for all he knew. Still, he set aside his newfound source of entertainment, just for the moment.

Deep within Malum’s cave, in the caverns deep below the planet’s surface, something stirs, still slumbering, but roused into a semi-conscious state.

A̴h̴̨͘.͏ ̵͠N̵͜ờ̷ ̶҉̀f̢͝a̢̡c̨͞e.̧ ̷҉͘Sp̸̴e̸̕àk͡ş͡ f̷͟r҉͜o̧m̵͟ ̶̴̢b̸͞e͠͞h̕͢͝íńd̵̨̀ a m̢͟a̢sk̨͠,͘͞ ̀͜͜h̵͏m̸?̵ ̴S̵p̧e̴͡a̷̴̧k̸͢s,͟ ̵̢͜p̡͟͢è͟r͞h̴̛a҉̸p̷͡s̷ ̧l̴̷̷is̨ţ͠e̷̕̕n͡͡s͏.̀ W͜o̶҉k̷͢e ̡҉͜m̧̀e͝͏̢, ̷̛c̀a̸͢l̵̵͡li̶͠ņ̸g̛̕.̵͜ ̸̨͠V͟͡҉er̵̴̢y̴̨̛ ̧͜r͢u̧͝d̕͜é͝.̷ ̀͜ ͟͞F͞r̀í̢é̸͜ń̢͘d͢͝?҉͡ ̴͠G͞͡i̧r̴͝ļ͜͠?̶̴͢ ̸̧҉Y̷̕͞òu̢ ̷̴̀s͘͢p͝e͟a̛͠k̛ ̕w̴̵i̴̶t͏̴h̢͡ ͏̡n̛͡͡o̷̢ ̵kn̵͡͠ow͢l̡͠͞e̵͡d͘҉g̶͝ę.͜͡ ͘N̴̛͠ó̕͡ ̡şȩ̛͡ns̕͘͟e̸̛͢.̷͞ ̵̀W̵͞͡h̸͝y̵ ͘͏͟d̢͘o͝ ̨y̴ǫu͟͏͝ ̸s͘pe̶͡҉a̴k ͝͏҉o̶f ҉̀m̧̛a̢l͡i͜c̕ì͟o̵͢ų͘͠s̕ f̧̨́r̸ù̀ì̧t͡͏҉s?̨͏͏ ̡T̕h͢͝e̢y͠ ̨m͏è̢à͟n͏ yò͏͜ù̡ n̶͞ơ̢ ̴̀h͟͠a̷ŕ҉̶m̢̡̧.̛ Un҉le͜sş͟͝ ̡̛the̸͜y̷͡ ̛d̷͜o͟.̸ 

I͏ a̴̛͡m̢҉ ̴̵r͜e͝s͝t̡i̸n̸g̸, ҉fa͘c̷͝e̵-̧ĺ̛ą̢͝cḱ̴e͟͜͡ŗ҉͏. ̴͜Į͡ ̕s͞͝l҉u̶̧m̧҉͝b̷͜e̸̕r̢͡,̧ ͘͞͞I͏͜ ̨̕̕wai̕͢t̀.̧ ͠Į͟ h́u̷͢n̴g̕e͟r͏҉.͘͟ ̵̡͞I̡͏͡n͘҉̛ ͟et҉̕e̷͢r̸͟͡n̶̨i̶̶t̨͠y̸̸͢,҉ ̵͘̕t̀͏i̴̧m̶͡e ͜i̧s҉͞ ̢̡b̕e̢y͝o̷̧n̢͢͡d̷̢̛ ṕ͜a͏̴i͞͡n̵̡,̴ ͜f̸a͏̶m͜͜iń̀e̷̡, ̴͏l҉҉eth̀͢a͠r̷g̷҉ý.̨̕͝ ͜͟I͏̢ ̸ẃ͢ąi̕͘͡t͢.͠ 

L̴̶͠e̡͟t͝ ̵̢́m͘e ͜͝r̶͠e͏̷s̨t̸̨.͢͏̧ ̢̕͢L͘èt ̧́́me̷ ̶w̡ài̛ţ̸͝.̵ ̷̛ ̨̢I͟t͏ ́a̴̛͟ch̕e̢͡s͜ ͢tǫ b̵́e̡̨.̴ 

In the caves above...

... What?

[askmalum]

Why are you all so curious about the Toa? A few have passed through, I suppose, but I have no business with them, nor they with me. As for Glatorian... Ackar visits occasionally, but-

Wait...

The nerve.

[askmalum]

What are your thoughts on Scarabax beetles? Pest or pet?

A good source of protein if food is scarce.

[askmalum]

What happens if one questions your might?

[askmalum]

If the Vorox language consists mostly of Whistles and Hand gestures, how difficult is it for you to do said hand gestures with your claws? Assuming they are part of your body and not just tools? Speaking of which, how do you wield a sword with two-pronged claws?

… That aside, the hand gestures are rarely a problem. Some, I have difficulty with, but the Vorox and Zesk know some Agori words. So, it is not too much of an issue.

As for the sword, my claws have an attachment atop them. I am able to fit a weapon into it, to account for the difficulty in holding a weapon with a handle too small to grasp in my claws.