|
Post by dragonforgotten on Feb 13, 2020 10:51:48 GMT -5
We found a sloping enterance into the temple and I discover Elmarths new spell wizard eye. That s***s amazing! The moment we enter into the complex my lungs and eyes imediantly begin to burn uncomfortably. I’m not alone in this. Everyone is feeling it from the way they struggle to breath. We need to get through here fast before we choke. I’m just glade Smider didn’t accuse my kill us with his lantern. The air could have been flamiable for all we know but at least that’s one paranoid idea off the list. We find a secret door but it’s caked with grey sludge. That ten foot pole I finally remembered to get came in hand but doesn’t offer any new information. Cayleen touched it and it immediately becomes clear as it burns her hands. It’s decayed lime. The temple is so rotted that the lime is in the air and that is what’s choking us slowly. I keep my eyes on Krill and Elmarth concerned for their health. Krills a fellow thief. We’re not known to take much abuse from my own personal experience. He hasn’t even experience the true horrors of some traps I’ve run into. He’s a trap virgin currently. I may not have known him long but I’ll stick by him. We are stronger together after all. Suddenly a commotion rises up ahead of me. Smider has gone off and caused trouble. Again! This guy! I run to the next entry way to here a small shrill voice screaming in an unknown language followed by a large booming voice in the same language There’s not much I can do as I reach the door. A giant dead hermit crab lies dead in the middle of the room with arrows sticking out of its eye stalks. Avelins chasing, skidding into the mud after a crayfish with Smider as it shrieks in that same tongue pinching at him. Smider then grabs him and we all hear the auditable crunch. Bloody hell. There goes the only lead we had! I’m ruling that this man will not be allowed to interact with any living thing first ever again. Everyone feels morally dirty except for Smider who seems to be completely oblivious that he instigated a meaningless fight and has murdered a harmless sentient creature. We search the room and it’s three exits with Nylens wall seeing sword. It narrow sour choices to a large upwards slipping room with bamboo carvings along the wall. He informs me that their is a pressure plate stretched across the middle of the room keeping a pile of logs suspended in a hiden compartment above. Ah! My old enemy! The log trap! Nearly killed us all last time. I volunteer to try to kill the trap first. I’m alittle stronger now. I can take some abuse though I’m not loving my chances. I approach the trap as bat lee. Flys and perches onto the ceiling, keeping an eye on me. God I appreciate that crazy elf. I hover near the traps pressure plate. Sweat already forming in my bore as I run through my head in how to approach this. I’m about to try when it Dawns one me. Why not do this on the opposite side of the trap so I don’t get crushed! Everyone is waiting outside the room away from the logs after all. Turn to the wall and carefully climb a foot up and shimmy around. When I’m now further up the incline and on the opposite side of the plate I reach into its mechanical guts and tear out the springs. Its clunks and clicks echos the room. “I think I did it? Maybe?” I say not sure if I just made the situation better or worst. I take a chance and push in the plate. My body remains unbroken by logs and I finally breath and choke on some more poison. “It’s good!” Damn that was stressful. Everyone begins to climb up as batleen flys ahead. Avelin pulls me into a hug. “I’m so proud of you!” I blush, rubbing the back of my head. Suddenly we hear a car give an ear pricing scream. “What the heck was that?” We all funnel in through the door and into the hallway to find that a small jungle viscously tear into Cayleens face. She suddenly begins casting a spell and tells us all the screw off because she’s got this. I shrug. Alright. Ok starting to not feel well anyway. It’s getting harder to breath and everyone is starting to feel the same. We all leave the temple minus Nylen and Cayleen. Not soon after the cat bolts past us as the other two returned unsuccessful and bleeding. Hans turns to all of us. “Why don’t you all make yourself useful and clear out some of that rubble that’s blocking enterance two.” There’s a second entry way?! Should have been paying attention. Avelin bickers with Hans calling him lazy but in the end it is work that needs to be done. I join the work force while Hans and Cayleen pray for heals and poison cures. It doesn’t take me long to realize that everyone has joined in, leaving me not with much to do besides pick up a rock and move it to the side. This is boring. With all these extra people here there isn’t much I can do. I’m honestly just getting in the way. I hope Cayleen and Hans haven’t been eaten by a cougar or something. I sounded if he put the moves on her yet. He’s been dropping hints but they all have failed. Just say it damnit! It’s too painful to watch a man suffer! I’m leaning against a tree when I notice Avelin drinking her mead. Crap. I left my wineskin back with Cayleen. I can feel a smirk come across my lips. I sneak up next to her and obviously try to take it from her hand The moment my fingers touch the container Avelin jerks away holding it out of my reach, or at least she thinks it’s out of my reach. I have long arms. “No! I'll run out!" "I have extra, just give me a sip!" I laugh. "Fine!" The moment it leaves her hand and it’s in mine I jump from her as she tries to catch me. “Jaris!” I go behind a tree and she chases after me shouting out obscenities as I make her run in circles having a laugh. “Gotta be faster then that!” She lunges at me but I jump away “Too slow!” She tired again unsuccessful. “Nearly had me there!” "If you want to remain my husband you will unhand that immediately!" I scuff amused. “You knew what you signed up for my lovely wife!” “Jaris!” I ignore her having way too much fun at her expense. Suddenly I bump into someone behind me. It’s Nylen. He’s got his arms crossed looking annoyed. He the. Reaches for the severed hand around his neck and slaps me with it just as Avelin catches up looking pissed. What the hell Nylen. I really didn’t want to know what being slapped by a severed hand feels like. Now I do. Well it was fun while it lasted. "Aevlin, what is wrong with you?!" I joke, laughing , throwing her back her wineskin. Just as she fumbles with it I sneak in a kiss before safely backing off from her strike range. She’s blushing bad. "I'm protecting this work site, Jaris. Get back to work!" I think for a moment. “Naw, You don’t need me here distracting you. I’m going to head back to make sure the Cayleen and Hans haven’t been eaten by wild animals. Good luck!” I turn back and make the short trip back to the forest slide we’re they are still praying. I start trying to make my own set of dice after remembering I lost my last pair in a slithering tracker. They return as I look at them with a grin. “Welcome back. Find anything of interest?” “The rats are real!” Avelin exclaims. I rise an eye brow, not sure what to say to that. “Cool..” that was lame. I could have said something better. She goes curl up next to a tree and I move over to sit with her. Resting my head on her shoulder while pulling on my classic disgruntled face. Trying to make her feel guilty. What's wrong?" She asks me, turning to face me. "You know, already." I sigh dramatically. "The drinking? Jaris, it's not a problem anymore!" "Are you sure? Seems like it is." She groans annoyed. “I have everything under control! Stop worrying. Let me live and enjoy myself. You never know when it might be our last day. I'm sorry I didn't share with you, okay?" I wrap my arms around her chuckling. “I forgive you. I was more peeves you were being stingy but not really.” I laugh. “You always leave me high and dry during our adventures after all! I was desperate for a sip for a change. You know as well as I do I can’t stop you drinking. That’s like asking a cleric not to pray and I don’t do double standards.” We fall silent as the day and night goes by uneventful. There’s talk of playing a type of game about a group of people who do exactly what we’re doing now except the players themselves don’t suffer bottle harm that comes with adventuring. Sounds like a laugh but I only made one set of c***p dice and I can hardly read the numbers. The next day we go to the clear entryway. Heavy doors stand before us. Cayleen every bold and not giving two s***s opens its and steps in. Nylen and Krill soon follow after as they call to us saying it’s the history of this group of people called the Omen tribe and theirs plenty of things to touch in there. Before we even move the door slams shut, trapping the three inside. We all stand their wondering what we should do. “If I expand I can try to rip the door off it’s hindges.” I throw out there as we scramble and panicking outside. Suddenly the door opens again to see the surviving three sitting ontop of each other’s shoulders while krill is on top, theives tools in hands and a victorious smile on his face. “Did it!” We all release the breath we didn’t realize was being held and finially enter the room. It’s a massive room filled with statues of different events of the tribes history. I start throwing out my thoughts to the group but it’s a hit and a miss. Trying to work at a solution. I’m walking in circles thinking. Nothing so far is adding up with me. Cayleen picks up the statue of a man and suddenly it turns into a very real p***ed off man who starts attacking us screaming in gibberish. He doesn’t last long but it makes us wary on what to grab now. If only we know what they were saying, maybe they could tell us the solution to the puzzle. Suddenly a dog appears. Avelin appears, grabbing it leg as it barks and snarls. I’m struck with inspiration. “Cayleen! Try speaking to it! Maybe it can tell us the answer to this room!” Her eyes light up. She casts her spell and the animal calms down. The dog, sally, then pees on Avelin as he begins questioning his existence. Cayleen then tells him about outside and the dog begins to get excited and running in circles. Sally runs to the door but the moment he jumps outside he turns back into a statue. Cayleen and Avelin stare with pity. Wow. That was depressing. Noooooo! That was my dog!" Avelin cries. Cayleen looks devastated. Avelin sighs and lays her shoulder. "We will get you another pet, Cey. Maybe a dragon to replace Ricardo!" Suddenly avelin slaped across the face. Holy s***. Cat fight. Too soon love. Way too soon. "You can't replace Ricardo!" She yells. "That's not what I meant!" Avelin sputters spitting out blood. "Forget it." “I need a moment.” Cayleen then steps outside and I can see her in the jungle back to us, probably crying. She doesn’t like to show her emotions around us. Don’t know why. She’s seen the entire spectrum from me by now. I glance at Hans and elbow him in the ribs gesturing my head. “What?” I give him a incredulous look. “Go to her! Nows your chance! She could use a shoulder to cry on” I hiss under my breath at him. “I’m not bothering her.” I say nothing and walk away from him. I gave him advice, let it continue to be used. Cayleen eventually returns to us red eyed but ready to continue this s*** and continue we will. Just got to figure out which way to go next
Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by Aileen on Feb 18, 2020 8:37:05 GMT -5
The men are all staring open mouthed at the beautiful, blonde and very naked woman in the water. Smyder swims out to her, but when she goes in for a kiss he freaks out saying she is evil. Well, yeah, pretty people often are.
Turns out the naked chick is about as untrustworthy as I expected. A water serpent comes out and attacks us, especially dear Ceyleen. I start shooting it until I remember back in Darkshelf... that water weird barely took any damage from my arrows. I'm just wasting them. The woman resurfaces, flirting with the boys... including my husband, who is- ENJOYING IT?!?!
"Jaris! Stop looking!" I scream.
Then I shoot the b****. The water woman, not Jaris. She screeches and disappears below the surface. I start wading in with Ceyleen.
"We have to kill her, Aevlin! The men are useless!"
Then some huge humanoid shape with an elephant's head emerges from the water. It shocks the hell out of us, and I feel myself start to go under the water. I quickly retreat, needing to get out before the panic takes hold.
Water b**** pops up again and I shoot her right in the chest. There is no way she can survive much more. She disappears under the water, and the water begins to rise. Suddenly a great wave comes toward me, knocking me off my feet. So this is how it ends afterall, is it? It's always in the water.
---
"Cyn, I got something!"
"So pull it in!"
I'm trying my damndest, pulling in the line, but whatever it is is really strong! It's hard to see much now that we're in the rocky area of the river, so I lean in for a closer look. Suddenly the boat lurches, and I can't stop myself before I go headfirst over the edge. I shriek, knowing I'm a terrible swimmer, and feel water enter my nose and mouth. My head smashes into a rock, and my vision goes starry as I try to breathe and only take in water, sputtering and choking.
I struggle, trying to keep my head above the water. Why isn't Cynthea pulling me out? I see the boat, and between struggling to surface I see my big sister staring at me, emotionless. I go under again, and again, and everything fades away.
---
"Aevlin, I've got you! We're out!"
I cough, dripping wet, clinging onto Jaris for dear life. I'm alive?!
"Breathe. Look at me."
Jaris grabs the sides of my face, forcing my attention on him. He smiles, and I remember where I am. Not drowning.
"You're alright. You hear me?"
I nod, panting. That was a close one. We leave the Ziggurat, heading back to camp to rest and heal. I'm mostly shaken by almost drowning, but also incredibly salty about my husband staring at another woman... water creature or not!
"Aevlin, I'm sorry. She compelled all of us with magic. I only have eyes for you, and only you."
"You better."
"I do."
I grab him by the front of his armor, and drag him into the woods.
"Prove it to me."
We get back to camp thirty minutes later, met with the stares of the rest of the party. Elmorth lounges with a cigarette in his hand. He takes a puff and grins.
"Got some sticks in your hair, kids."
The next day we head back to the Ziggurat, happily strolling through the jungle. For some reason we all start making turkey calls, maybe hoping to draw out jungle turkeys. Suddenly a Margay leaps down from a tree, landing on Ceyleen's head! Soon it dies, and Ceyleen is a bit sad. We will get you a pet, Ceyleen. We will.
>>-----> Aevlin B-J <-----<<
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Feb 19, 2020 0:09:46 GMT -5
Have’n run out of ideas about the big statue room we explore some more till we reach a pair of large bronze door. I checked it and it’s not trapped thank the gods! I open the door and I hear a female yelp and a splash of water. Did I just knock someone into a pool? Peeking around the corner I don’t see anything but a narrow passageway and continue on with the party in tow. It opens up to a small watery grotto with us standing on the beach. A small shawl pits in the far beach, a doorway submerged under the water and a corridor that we confirm leads back into that same large room. Still no stairs up. Drat! Suddenly the water ripples and a head emerges from the water. A beautiful woman stares up at us from the pool, her eyes enchanting. Hans smiles bashful, waving. Krill is hiding in the shadows obviously staring at the goods, Smider looks giddy with joy. Elmarth is blushing trying to fix his hair. I thought he was only into men! Looking about Every guy begins to lower their guard, even I find myself relaxing. I don’t get it. It’s just a woman in a pool. Nothing to see here. I make the mistake to look back at her. She winks and I can feel my ears get hot and my heart race. What the f***ks happening!? Is she trying to Seduce me?! It’s just a woman. A naked woman. No! No, no! Your better then this! Your married! Avelin is the only one. I can’t be staring at other naked women! I shouldn’t be flustered by this! F***. It’s like I’m being enchanted. It then starts to fall into place. Echoes of the troops campfire stories begin to bubble from my memories. Of beautiful women who lure men to their doom through their wilds and charms. I back up and take Avelins hand. “Jaris I don’t need protecting!” “No, you need to protect me this time. That’s a water witch.” “A what!?” “A water witch. They looks like beautiful woman who live in ponds. They enchant men and steal their souls!” “Where did you hear that from?” “Granny.” “Oh, right. You know half the time she’s just trying to spook you right?” “I can never tell anymore. I grew up one these stories you know.” My eyes slide back to her and I see the water witch blow me a kiss as she splashed in the water. “Where you staring at her just now!?” “No! No not at all!” “Lies! You were staring at her! I saw you!” Suddenly a giant serpent made of water rises from the pool and begins to hiss and attack. The water witch screams in terror and tries to swim away. I pull out my bow and begin to shoot at the snake. I’m not going in the water, not with that thing and not with her in their. It feels nice to shoot with Avelin for a change. I try to copy her techqnuie as I pull back and release. I miss horrorably. Cayleen sends a death glare at the woman as she peeks her head out of the water. “You there! Is that thing yours.” She shakes your head. “Want us to kill it?” She nods. “Can you bloody speak.” She shakes her head looking on the verge of tears. “Cayleen lay off. She’s obviously frightened.” She then turns her Icy stare to me. “You were checking out her boobs weren’t you?” “Oh F***k off!” I tell her mortified. I once again glance at the nymph in the pool. She looks so afraid and helpless, it’s only natural for a man to kill beasts inorder to protect pretty woman right? It’s natural isn’t it? Ah f***k! I did it again! F**king witch! I peel my eyes off her and try to focus on the water snake but from the corner of my eye she keeps trying to catch all the men’s attention. The woman peeks her head out of the water, flipping her hair and batting her eye lashes and every man in the room practically swoon in her presence, even I feel weak in her presence. She then spits an incredible distance and it hits Krill in the eyes as he shouts. “Oh hells Shed blinded me!” He drops his crossbow, draws a dagger and starts swing wildly. Thankfully he’s facing the wrong direction so I’m not getting slashed at. Cayleen comes to his aid and rinses out his eyes before drawing her scimitar and charging at the water beast. Suddenly Smider goes into the water towards the witch! “What’s that crazy b****d doing? He’s going to get his soul stolen!” He wides into the water and the witch swims right for him. “Run man! Before it’s too late!” It’s too late. She grabs him gently, creasing his face and leans in to kiss him. “Ave! She’s trying to suck out his soul.” I mutter horrified. “Alittle busy here!” Somehow as Smiders eyes widen he starts flailing in her embrace. He manages to break free and dash out of her arms. “She’s evil!” He shouts as he manages to make it back to the beach. I don’t know how he did it but he escaped with his soul intact. He’s got the devils luck. Avelin slides next to me as we unleash a hail of arrows. Well, she does. I simply shoot around the damn thing. Why can’t I hit!? It’s the curse isn’t it!? Or could it be The naked witch in the water and a beautiful goddess shooting next to me! Ah! Why!? “Your doing great dear.” “The hell I am!” I shout pissed off. After the fifth shot I look at my bow. “F**k this. I’m doing this the old fashion way!” I draw out my sword and charge the water and stand besides Cayleen. “Cayleen. If I start losing my mind I need you to hit-.” My head is knocked to one side as my cheek stings. “Really!?” “Well you shouldn’t have asked.” The rest of the party rushes in except for Elmarth who looks more and more pissed as he keeps shooting off magic mussels only for them fizzle out. He looks like he wants to kill her but he’s having the same problem every guy is having right now. Avelin lowers her bow hesitant as she inches a little forward. “What’s the hold up? The waters fine!” I nudge Cayleen glaring. “Lay off. She’s just doesn’t want to get wet.” She huffs but leaves it. I know the reason. I wouldn’t let her go through with her fears alone. Not while I’m here. Suddenly the water witch rises from the water and begins to chant a name or a spell. The water snake begins to change. It grows larger and more humanoid with a elephants head, a large water trident clutched in its fists and it raises it up to impail Cayleen as it sparks with electricity. Oh, s***... It slams it down into Cayleen as the electric current ripples out towards us! I scream in pain as fire travels through my veins. From the corner of my eye I spy Aevlin looking enraged. “Don’t touch my husband and friends you b***!” She unleashes an arrow and it strikes true! It hits the witch in her stomach as she shrieks in pain. She then waves her hand and suddenly the waves push me under! The manta wings come to life as the hood wraps around my face. I take in a breath disorientated, righting myself in the water. We can’t beat her! This is getting too dangerous! Aevlin! Oh no! I search around the area and I see her! She’s beginning to struggle to stay afloat! I don’t hesitate. I cut through the water like an arrow and slide under her arms. When I feel her wrap then around my neck I pump my wings and we are off towards the bronze doors. Rolling across the floor we find solid land as the mantas wings transform back into the cloak and the hood releases my head. Aevlin is hacking up water squeezing the life out of me as her nails dig into my leather armor, looking shaken and frightened. "Aevlin, I've got you! We're out!" I tell her but she doesn’t answer me I go to her scooping her face in my hands, turning her head to look into my face "Breathe. Look at me Aev." She does so, locking eyes with mine and eventually her breathing returns to normal. I can help but sigh. Smiling “There you go. You're alright. You hear me?" She nods quiet. I help her back to her feet as the rest of the party begins to do the same. Well. Well be back there but first we need a way to kill her. I was pretty f**king pathetic back there against her. No one has ever got the better of me like that. That wasn’t normal what was happening to us. How can I even try to explain this to Aevlin? Gods I feel like a a***hole. I help her along outside while we meet up with Nylen and tell him the story of what happened. We’re all huddled around the campfire trying to warm up and get dry when I sit next to Aevlin. She looks pissed. “Aev, I'm sorry. She was compelling all of us with magic. I only have eyes for you, and only you." "You better." She says with a lot of spice. Oh boy, what does that mean. "I do.” I say with a lot of sincerity taking her hand. Suddenly she grabs me by the front of my armor and starts dragged me into the woods. “Umm, where are we going?” She doesn’t say, she just continues dragging me through the bushes and vines. “Make sure you don’t kill him. We still need him in the morning.” Calls out Hans as I flip him the bird. When we’re alone I’m completely confused what’s going on till she leans into me. "Prove it to me." I blink at her words “Prove what-?” finally her words catch up to me. Oh! That.... I wasn’t expecting. ———-
We stagger back to the camp ground thirty minutes later as I hide in my hood with a stupid smile. Elmarth sees us creeping back to the our bedrolls. “Got some sticks in your hair, kids." He chuckles. I give him a death glare that could turn Medusa to stone just as avelin makes it back to the bedrolls. “Alright, Settle down. It’s not like it’s new anymore.” I sigh, feeling exhausted but content as I sit down near Elmarth and hold out the silver dagger. He eyes it puffing his pipe. “I know you’ve been feeling frustrated that you can’t throw off some of your big magic so consider this a trade. It’s silver.” He slowly takes it handing me his old normal dagger. “Thank you.” He says quietly as I simply stand and return to my own bed roll. I quickly pass out the moment I hit the soft bedding and my arms are wrapped around her.
-Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Feb 29, 2020 21:11:04 GMT -5
“Ok, what the heck are we going to do about her.” Aevlin spits out ‘her’ with disgust as we stand outside the doors to the water witches chamber. Cayleen eyes sweep over us as me and the rest of the men lean against the wall. We’re... kind of in a pickle. Can’t attack her and can’t even cast magic on her. I think. “We could destroy the water.” “Didn’t prepare it today.” “Oh.” I go back to my thoughts running over what we have on us. “Krills got a polymorph potion you know.” “How the heck do you know that?” He asks guarding his bag. “Habit. I know what everyones got on them. I just keep tabs on things that look useful.” Or have my eye on but I'm not voicing that thought. Doesn’t help ease his tension as i notice with a bemuse smirk that he’s clutching it tighter to him as if I could suddenly stealing it just by a glance. I turn away from my thoughts. I’ve got nothing right now. Avelin then speaks up. “I’m thinking. One of us use the potion to turn into a woman.” All the men except for me and Nylen bulk at the idea. Aevlin starts cracking up with laughter from the look on our faces. I feel a smile break across my face as I holding onto her shoulder for support. “Praise Oli! That’s hilarious and brilliant!” “It’s why I thought of it. So who’s it going to be.” Hans looks flushed with embarrassment. “I’m not doing it. I’m pretty comfortable with my manhood.” “Count me out!” “Nope.” Just me and Nylen. Eyes turn to me. I don’t say anything for obvious reasons so all eyes slide to Nylen. “Fine. As long as it lets me fight.” The potion is brought out. “Cayleen, I think we need a song for this!” Aevlin and her begin to break out into a song about womanhood as I chuckle in my hood. The laugher soon dies as I realize what the heck Nylen would look like as a woman. I give a hard stare, try to imagine and then shutter. What. have. I. done. He’s about to drink the potion when krill screams out. “Wait! What’s that label say!?” Under the salable there’s a tag hanging from the bottle of the potion. Nylen eyes skim over it. “Caution, does not change who you are inside, winky face.” We all groan in disappointment as some of us sigh with relief. Bullet dodged. Cayleen returns to stare at us. “Guess there’s only one option left. Boys, handover all your s***. Chop, chop.” Nylen hands Cayleen his cloak while I take off the mantaray cloak and clasp it around Aevlin shoulders. She whispers to me. “Where you considering doing it?” “Only if it got a laugh out of you.” I whisper to her She did a double take. “My gods Jaris. Why?” I chuckle shrugging. “I’m also pretty confident in my own masculinity considering I have you. If it would have help me fight besides you I could live being woman for a few minutes but.... then I thought some more and hoped it didn’t come down to me.” Aevlin laughs as I pull the hood up over her head. The laughter reduces to a chuckle as she changes topic. “Ok Jaris, she’s not going to come out unless there’s a man out there. So tell me how a man acts.” I rise an eyebrow. What the heck does that mean? It’s the same as me asking her how does she woman? I just am. I can’t really put something like that into words. “I don’t know, stomp about and pretend to be me. That’s all I got.” “Oh you mean like this?” She presses herself to the wall trying to make herself smaller and rogue like and I burst out laughing. “Maybe not me. I don’t exactly ooze toughness at times. Try Kork. He’s loud.” “I suppose that’s a start." The new guy then steps forward. "Before you both go out there let me cast a haste spell." All the fighters agree to it and he then begins a his spell. Suddenly as the spell takes effect one the ones recieving it i notice with growing horror that somethings changed in Aevlin. I grasp her face look into her features and i notice theirs a subtle change in her face. Its so small no one would have noticed but i know her too well. She's been aged a year. One less year I'll have with her with her painfully short lifespan and i am furious. I swing my head feeling outraged but keep calm. "Why did'nt you meantion that your spell ages them." Aevlin grasps my trembling hand. "Its ok. It's not a big deal." It is to me but i know she's just telling me this so i don't cause a scene. I release the punt of rage through a forcful breath. "Next time please leave that spell to the elves. I don't want to lose anymore years with you just for an edge." She creases my face as i lean into it. "I know. Dont worry. We have bigger things to deal with currently." We part as she joins with Cayleen at the bronze doors "Here goes nothing.” “You’ll be ok. Remember you have the cloak now.” I remind her as she enter the lair of the water witch with Cayleen. We all sit outside waiting as I can hear Aevlin stomping about in the water, calling out to the witch. Suddenly a twang if an arrow rings out. “Killed her! It’s safe!” We slowly enter the cover and don’t see anyone, I don’t see anyone except for a Aevlin's bow on the ground. She must be battling under water. I sit down, place the bow in my lap and wait. Suddenly they both burst out of the water. “It’s safe now, there’s a big eel in the pool but it won’t harm us.” Informs Cayleen as Aevlin gives me back my cloak. I look into the water as I see a tangle of kelp. Maybe... “I’m going to search the bottom of the pool. I’ll be right back.” I drive in and I make it a good distance till a sea turtle swims besides me. Cayleen. I’m honestly glade she’s here as well. It defiantly makes me feel better knowing She has my back. Past the kelp I find a grotto filled with treasure and fill up a sack with all the goods before swimming back up. The party swarms the loot and begin distributing it amongst themselves as I watch. Cayleen claims a pair of bracers and passes her old ones to someone before reassuming her turtle form. We all sit on Cayleens Giant turtle back while I swim next to her, gliding through the water. We fought some fire beetals in the stairwell but they didn’t put up a fight. Next room New guy got himself stuck to a false hallway with Smyder as bars jut out and pin them both against it. I’m kind of worried for them. There has to be more. I’m not so much worried for Smyder but the new guy. Already I pity the man and I don’t know his name. I pass by Nylen who’s searching a wall when my senses go off and I look to the blank spot adjacent to him. “The secret doors right there.” And I continue to move to the trapped duo. Suddenly the bars release! I look back to see that Nylen has opened the secrete door. Clever trap. The next room contains a hallway filled with stone artistic renderings of animal head but before I can get started krill and the new guy are already checking them, leaving me standing their with my hands in my pockets. I can’t help but feel a little disgruntled and that ugly twist in my stomach. I’m being stupid again. This is new. I never felt this way. I’m just so use to operating by myself. George only provides info but the thievery has always been on me and while adventuring everyone has always relied on me for traps and locks. Now I’m just standing around being useless. I stomp out the ugly thought before it has time to develop. No! You are not useless. Your time will come. Just be patient and let the new blood learn. I check out what Krill found. He’s standing near a stone statue of an eagle’s head, a large stone bracelet in its mouth. That could be something. That looks like it’s going to bit your hand off the moment you touch it. I can tell Krill has reached the same conclusion as I have. “How you thinking about getting it?” He pulls out a crowbar. “Just going to knock it out.” I nod in approval. “Good idea. Could use a pole, save the crowbar.” He shrugs. “Naw, already have this out.” I take a step back as he swings, knocking the bracelet out of its mouth as the eagle’s break snaps into the crowbar. Krill pick up the bracelet victorious as the party continue on. I’m surprised when the new guy is able to create an unseen servant like Elmarth and sends him down halls to secure our safe passings. We’re about to reach a crossing between multiple paths when a glowing light twinkles in the distance before zipping off around the corner. “We should go see what that is.” I look at Hans in a serious expression. “Hans, this is obviously a trap. We should pretend we didn’t see anything and move on.” He returns my glare. “Well Jaris it seems you are not brave enough to continue forward once again. You will not receive any healing from me. You have not prove your honor today.” I roll my eyes. Again with this? You'r telling a thief should be honorable and brave? You'r asking a wolf not to bit or a cat to come when it’s called. I will not say this out loud but I don’t heed to anyone’s beck and call. No one can tell me what I am or what I do. If I am worthy of praise then only the god of thieves, myself, or my wife can tell me if I have proven my worth. I do not pay heed to Kords call. I listen because Hans is my friend and I treasure my friends more then my greed but I’m getting really tired of him assassinating my character just because I will not risk my skin on obviously bad ideas. I still haven’t forgotten, the scars still sting. The new guys the. Creates an invisible servant who goes down that hallway and comes back with a bone. “You see Hans, following the light is not a good idea.” “It’s ancient. We’d know more if you went ahead.” “No, let's go. This is a sign and I trust my instincts.” It almost seems I’ve won this time and we start moving the group away from that hallway till A certain goose waddles past me and back down that hallway, taking the entire group with her. Gods damn it! Why does no one listen to me? We come across a pit filled with sand and bones, across from it is a stone slab of sorts. Gooseleen flies into the hole inspecting it but doesn’t find anything. I’m eyeing the walls and the pit, expecting something to happen. When the search come up empty it looks like the party is going to turn around. Then f***ing Symder throws the Pyramid after Cayleen. B*****d! How the heck?! Oh right, Cayleen threw it at him and he held onto it. Hans jumps the pit and discovers that the slab can be moved to create a narrow passage way but we’ll need to remove our armor and packs in order to squeeze inside. Gooseleen is already on it. A light spell is cast on a coin and she’s gone and waddles into the tight tunnel just as I put my pack down two loud vibrating thuds echo through the quiet tomb along with a panicked honk! Cayleen!
-Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Mar 10, 2020 15:17:50 GMT -5
I start cussing out every god I know in the pantheon as I’m weaseling my way out of my leather armor. Half the party has already squeezed through the crevis as me and Aevlin are trying to free ourselves of our armor. Smyder is just standing there in the dark lighting a torch. When the last of the leather guards fall from my body I practically fly across the pit and easily squeeze through the hole after Krill and everyone. We all rush to a massive set of wooden doors bound by heavy bronze. “Cayleen were here!” “About time!” We can hear Cayleen on the other side. All the men with me, Nylen, krill, me, and the new guy all attempt to pull up while Elmarth blasts the door with magic mussels but when that doesn’t even budge krill drink his potion. He turns into an orger and then Elmarth into a gorilla. Still not enough. I then focus inward and expand till my back rest uncomfortable against the ceiling. With a single hand I easily lift the doors up as sand spill into the hall way and Cayleen tumbles our choking on dust. Rescue Mission complete I slam the doors down in the hopes of trapping the sand. I release the tension in my bones and snap back to my normal size as krill and the new guy look at me with shock. “Ya, I have some tricks up my sleeve. Let’s get out of here.” “No! There’s a door on the other side.” I look at Cayleen dumb struck. “There’s sand filling that room and you want to go back in!? It’s a lost cause! We’re leaving!” I drag her with me as she fights me all the way till finially and gruffly surrendering. We hustle back through the crevice and I catch the glimpse of Aevlin restrapping her armor on as I stare. Nylen pushes me forward when I’m not fast enough. Scurrying across the pit I find my stuff but find something strange. There’s seven copper pieces in it. My eyes glide to Aevlin who subtlety gestures to Smyder. “Your not getting these back.” I tell him as I pocket his money and begin to belt myself back into my armor, adjust my scarf and pull up my hood. As we’re getting all sorted I stride over to Cayleen who’s sorting herself out and getting the sand out of her hair and her long ears. “I’m really glade you ok, Cayleen.” I give her a quick hug before stepping away quickly. “what’s this about?” “Nothing. I’m just a bleeding heart who though for a quick moment he lost one of his good friends. You take far too many risks sometimes.” I mutter quietly before retreating to Aevlins side to help pull her chain mail back over her head. We carry on back the way we came and rest at camp. The fat sticks are getting sparse now and my dice making skills are still lacking. Cayleen tells me if I finially get better she may run a game of her own. A Druid running a game. How scary. What the kind of game she’ll create has me curious. I start taking the first watch, returning to invisibility when I feel someone unseen lean against my back. I just smile. “So you joining me tonight.” “Of course. What would you do without me.” I chuckle quietly. Suddenly our quiet time together is interrupted by a terrified scream! Rats has sneaked into the camp and had begun to swarm and naw on the defenseless new wizard as he slept. I woke everyone else as Aevlin quickly disbatches the rats. Hans fears that the poor young wizard is now diseased and his worries are confirmed in the morning when the bits are swollen and he’s fever ridden. Thank the gods for remove disease. We continue back into the decaying temple and run into some zombies. A lot of zombies. If honestly impressed Smyder is able to turn half of them away and then in comedic fashion walk themselves right into a wizards web spell. Like fies stuck to glue we torch them and the battles quickly over. Moving on. I keep up the prayers to Oli and my impeccable instincts that the stair case is not far. We need to get higher, I’m sure of it. High enough out of this putrid air. We enter this massive chamber with three doors, the standing before a stone table is robed corpses of a man and woman, besides each other with a bottle and container near them. We find another warning in ancient omen and old broken common, the message clear enough and it’s what’s expected. Certain death ahead, no turning back. We’ve seen this all before. I run my hands over the words engraved into the stone, trying to divine a hidden meaning behind it but I can’t seem to see anything that would indicate otherwise. Avelin and Nylen have their arrows trained in the corpses as we investigate the table. There appears to be a powder sitting at the bottom of the containers. Oh gods I hope Aevlin isn’t thinking what I am thinking. She probably is. Addicts think alike after all. Suddenly as we are exploring the room the corpses begin to move! “Defliers! You dare to disturb our glorious slumber! Prepare to-!” And the arrows are fired. They strike at the corpses but then they begin to parry and deflect the missiles with the back of their hands, assuming a fighting pose. S***! Undead monks! Just what we needed. Suddenly it dawns on me as I stare between the bottles and then. Don’t tell me that’s poison. Don’t tell me they mummified themselves! A shiver crawls up my spine as I vanish. Smyder then approaches the female monk, pyramid in hand. “Oh mysterious lady! I’ve brought you this pyramid and hope it appeases-.” He doesn’t get to finish. In A flurry of blows she beats Symder an inch from life. He spits blood on the floor desperate as he places the pyramid on the ground with mace raised. “One more hit and I smash it!” What!!?? No! That could be a key you fool! Fortunately or unfortunately he doesn’t get to carry out his threat. The female monk punches him in the solar pelxis and he drops to the ground dying. I pity the poor fool. I remember clearly when I was beaten an inch from life by a flesh golems iron fists. It sucks and you feel in pain deep in your bones. It’s the type of pain that makes one want to curl up and never move again. I sneak into my position behind the male monk and strike! Only for Nylen to jump infront of me and cut the man down. I reappear, annoyed as he moves on to get rid of the last decayed monk. Son of a b****... This is getting old. Ah well. Better luck next time. I catch sight of the pyramid, thinking. After that threat I don’t I cant trust him to hold onto it any longer. I have little patients for rashness. Hans and Cayleen put Smyder back on his feet we turn our attention back to the bottles. Personally I think it’s garbage till Cayleen pours water into the power and it looks like it’s become poisonous garbage now. I can see the look in their eyes. “Your going to do something crazy hold onto this.” I put the rock in her hand and she glares at me. “What does your lucky rock do?” “Helps me over come poison.” She glares. “You has this the entire time and failed to tell me?!” “You never asked!? I’m not psychic.” She glare further and rises and eyebrow. “Honestly, I’m not. That would be a helpful ability.” She drinks and nothing happens. Aevlin takes it and I shove the agate into her hands. Nothing happens. The new wizard takes it but as I hold up the agate to hold he stops me. “No, it’s fine. I don’t need it.” He then drinks it and collapses to the floor seemingly asleep. Cayleen removed the toxins from his body. We now know what it does. Knocks you out for 5,000 years. That wizard should thank his gods for Cayleen tonight.
-Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by matthewkusza on Mar 12, 2020 2:34:07 GMT -5
A Dwarf’s Musings Entry #34 As a dwarf I never minded the heat or spending the day sweating from good, honest work. Yet, the terrain of this realm is thick with growth! The endless droning of insects, birds and the ever pressing vegetation is new to me. I know not what I abhor more…. the blasted brightness of the Sun or the constant soaking rains. One gives my eyes a break from the light and the other dries my beard, but what I wouldn’t give for the comfort of a mine or even a halfling’s hole. These small annoyances have no power to brush away even one mote of my determination to see my quest to its end. The conniving, despicable thief may run, but he can not hide.
And yet, the flowers that abound here are of the most vivid colors in a myriad of shades that I have only dreamed of. At twilight as I rest and survey my surroundings, I am delighted with the sapphire blue of the sky and the radiant emerald of the golden light filtering through the leaves. The beads of water clinging to the blossoms are like minute jewels of all colors. I find myself dreaming and planning for how I can capture and preserve these colors to adore the clan’s great hall. I thank The Dwarf Father for the small comforting thoughts that give my mind a bit of rest from its razor sharp focus on seeking my quarry and bringing him to justice.
I now return my attention to my task to dutifully record my travels until I can return home with much wealth of knowledge of this world and if luck have it fine metals and gems. Today, I thought I found the camp of my enemy, but instead came upon the camp of a group of adventurers. They were weary from some recent danger and regrouping and resting. I was delighted to hear that they had been recently inside a massive, ruin of stone shaped like a pyramid. I believe this must be the ruins that dastardly, wretched thief was seeking next in his quest to increase his ill-gotten hoard. Why, he seeks to loot the dead instead of robbing the living now is beyond me.
The grim group of elves and humans explained they have been having much difficulty dealing with stone traps and foul, poisonous air. I told them that clearly the humans that built this impressive structure had neglected to proper plan for ventilation. Being used to foul smokes from the forge and orc lairs, I explained poison was not anything I was afeared and that being a hearty dwarf with good honest stone lore I would endeavor to aid them. They seemed quite upset about a recent death of a much loved comrade named Elmarth. I took pity on them and decided to join their party. After all it seems our quests now travel the same passages within these ruins. I have no problem with good, old-fashioned, honest treasure seekers looking to recover ancient lost magics and finely wrought artifacts that do no good to anyone being lost. Besides the dead need no treasure. Despite my protesting that a little poison rarely hurt a dwarf, the cleric,Hans, cast a spell to somewhat purify the air in the pyramid. Apparently, this was the only way they have been able to venture safely in. It was a pleasure to feel the stone about my head as we traveled through various passages. My new companions immediately began coughing upon entering the ruin, I did feel a slight dryness in my throat and a bit of post-nasal drip. Yes, the air was foul. It was no place for the weak.
I am ashamed to admit that I was surprised by some huge rats that somehow snuck right up behind me and Jaris. But, before I could bring my axe to bear on the rodents, Nylen had done a jolly little step-dance all over three of the rats and made a mess of entrails and fur on the floor. The jungle druid that had also joined this party recently had just managed to skewer the last one with her spear. She offered to cook it up later. I explained that dwarves don’t eat rats. She seems to be a local, so perhaps the elves here eat rats. Strange…most of the elves I’ve met seem to be vegetarian, if not vegan! The other elven druid, Cayleen looks different. Not a local …definitely! She appears to be quite brash for an elf. She claims to come from a swamp or was it a marsh? Regardless, she’s a bit disheveled and the mad glint in her eyes reminded me of adamantine. I asked her for a strand of hair. It was an impulsive request. Perhaps, it’s because her hair reminds me of a lady-dwarf’s beard.
We turned down into a passage that descended slightly and I marveled at the clever cylinders of rolling stones embedded in the floor. They would make heavy loads easier to move up the passage. But, what they had been used for I did not know. The fellow Jaris, looked like his linage was a bit muddled up between human and elf. Humph, humans always wanting to live longer. Anyways, I digress. Yaris was quite hyped up about finding traps which I could see some point to, but I saw no traps. He claimed to know a lot about traps. It appears he’s gotten caught in a lot of them. I consider he may be the thieving type. I will have to keep an eye on him to see where the line of his honesty ends. A clever dwarven expert in disabling traps is always handy and welcome until they start showing signs of the “greed sickness.” Most of the party was eager to proceed and we decided to descend without worrying about traps. The passage stopped abruptly with a block of shoddily cut limestone.
The stronger ones of us pushed the stone further on and as I suspected a blocked passage was revealed. As we ventured down the passage we were pestered by bats. This time I took charge and cleaved most of the bats with my axe and the jungle druid again skewered away with her spear and was able to dispatch one. Nylen seemed a bit distracted this time and the rest of the party was swatting bats frantically away with their hands. I believe the magician may of screamed and ran. Good thing I am not afraid of bats. Bats neutralized, we drove on further.
At the end of this new passage we came to a large stone capstone on the floor at the bend in the passage. A hemisphere had been hollowed out on one wall and the floor and walls had several glyphs depicting some ancient sport of the ruins long dead inhabitants. The silly cleric, who is constantly cracking jokes, puns and singing nonsense, had a hammer I could use to drive a spike under the capstone. Hans, Nylen and I moved the capstone. I was impressed with their strength. These two look like they would be good to have next to me when facing an advancing hoard of goblins.
Under the stone was a 10 foot deep put full of bones. My eyes alighted instantly on jade figurines and a tablet. Jade is not my favorite stone, but it does have some worth. The dead peoples in this part of the world seem to have greatly cherished this stone. The magician suggested his familiar Moff should go into the pit and retrieve anything of value. I was a bit confused. Was this Moff like Jaris who clearly wore a ring of invisibility? He was always popping in and out of view. He’s a bit jumpy. Nevertheless the rest of the party stopped and stared into the pit with apparent expectation. Suddenly, one by one, bones were with other random bits of debris floated up and over to the wizard. He sighed and with exasperation gave more direct instructions to this “Moff” to bring up the black cylinder out the pit next.
Then all havoc broke loss. As soon as the black ball cleared the pit it started flying about wildly. It struck Aevlin and continued back and hit the wall with the small hemisphere alcove The alcove glimmered with a magical orange glow briefly. There was some shouting about what to do and something was said about a game. Apparently, the group thought this ball was playing a game akin to the kind depicted in the glyphs on the walls and floor. I jumped down into the pit to retrieve the jade plaque.I felt it must have information we might need to stop this ball and hopefully save us from an impending trap. I was again a bit flummoxed honestly. This is a strange ruin and a strange land. I know battle…and treasure…. and stone, this oddity was new to me.
The next thing I realize is that the wizard had sprayed sticky spider-like webs all over the walls about the pit! It was only my quick wit and decisive action that kept me from getting stuck. I clamored out of the pit and saw that everyone was yammering about how the ball was stuck to the wall. I thought well that’s good...trap avoided. Wizards are useful, but like a thief you have to keep your eye on them. The jade plaque only had another irritating glyph of some ball game. I was wondering how much jade was worth and if it would be more like marble or granite if I tried to cut it into the shape of a leaf for my future planned floral sculpture when I was drawn from my thoughts by Cayleen yelling out. She was demanding to know if they has found another fish pouch. I realized Hans and Aevlin were down the end of the hall whispering and holding something. I wandered down, after all if there was something valuable I wanted in.
We were looking about at the fish pouch and other etchings on the stone when it became clear the passage turned again. A ways down it ended in at door. On either side of the door was a frog. Hans cast some magic and started talking to one of the frogs. I had heard of such magic, but saw no real point. What would a frog tell us that was worth our time? Hans asked the frog if Jaris could open the door. The moronic amphibian didn’t even know what a door was. Yaris wanted to check for traps which is prudent, but time consuming. The spell stopped and the frogs attacked. Hans head butted a frog dead. I was amused. This human is like a dwarf….thick headed. Humph! I think Smyder is affecting me. I’m starting to joke. Nylen or Aevlin killed the other frog with a quick arrow to its jelly belly. Oh no… another bad joke. Blast that Smyder! Is he a cleric or a bard? I’m unsure.
The door was untrapped, thus we opened it. We proceeded on to find a bizarre room full of cats. Stuffed, dead cats, carven cat statues, cat etchings and even a cat man! One of the cats was tipped over and had its ear torn. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. What new, fresh evil had we discovered? I examined a stone altar and elaborate stone calendar on the far end of the chamber to see if they hid something under or behind them. As I turned back disappointedly to survey the center of the room I saw my companions also searching. Aevlin walked by. I looked back towards the altar, as Aevlin grasped the flint dagger lying on the altar. It was then I heard the menacing sounds of a feline hiss.
-Azgalhad
|
|
|
Post by matthewkusza on Mar 12, 2020 3:17:26 GMT -5
Hey Guys!!! MVP aside.... I thought I'd compliment the whole team. Nylen excellent rat step-dancing, Jaris keeping us safe from traps as usual, Cayleen thanks for the lock of hair and keeping the wizard alive with goostastic healing, Aevlin excellent sportsmanship and skill with ancient pre-columbian sports, Hans head-butting frogs brings you're wrestling to a whole new level, Smyder thanks for jokes, puns and songs I think you're really a bard in denial, new druid I forgot you're name lol you're kebab skills are unparalleled but perhaps rat and bat might not be the best meat to use for a shawarma, wizard also can't recall name lol you scored the only goal in the game....nice webbing.Let's not leave out the DM pulling all the strings, levers, lights, sound board, scenery and acting out all the badies. I love the voices, jokes and pop culture references. You're the reason we all play! - Azgalhad
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Mar 13, 2020 13:21:01 GMT -5
The group falls into talks on where to go next and I put my plan into action. I return to my invisible state. I know where he’s keeping it. I watched him pick up the pyramid and drop it into his bag. My deft hands easily search his sparse belongings and snatches the pyramid with ease with no one the wiser. I reappear as I lean besides Cayleen. “Gezz Cayleen. You have your work cut out for you.” And I tell her dropping it back into her bag as I slink away back to Aevlin as the choice is made. That... felt great. I proably shouldn’t make it a habit though. The group would have my head. They decide on a door but it turns out it leads back to the sandbox so it’s a very dead end. We turn to the next door and I see a room filled with spots of lights and a chill rides up my spine. “No! No ghosts! Good bye!” I try to pull the doors closed but Hans keeps it open. Cayleen squints her eyes. “There beetals.” I look again to see that yes, they are beetals. I stop fighting with the door. “Oh....” there’s a large mound of rubbish in the middle of the room surrounded by beetles, clearly a nest of sorts for these insects. Hans as expect looks right at me. “Hey Jaris why don’t you check that out.” I stare at him and break into laughter using Aevlin as support. He moves to speak but I hold up a hand. “Hahhaha. No.” I straighten up. “Hans, I’m not walking into obvious dumb plans anymore. I like not being dead or unconscious.” “Fine Jaris. Fine.” He huffs and we turn to our new wizard and he summons up a invisible man to do it. I love that invisible man. Thank you Oli! Thank you! He starts ruffling through the garbage and all the beetals click to attention. The invisible man drops what he was holding and the extermination begins. Killing the beetals happened practically in a blink of an eye. We end up finding some goodies in the beetal nest and a dagger pitted with age. Aevlin wants to keep it which confuses me since she barely knows how to use a knife but I’ll support her interest in daggers. I like collecting them after all. Maybe she’s trying to understand my hobby to. She already got me cutting fruit after all. We find starring going upwards which makes my heart sore with hope. Please. Please no more poison as we climb higher. This toxic air has been murder on everyone but it’s been quickly taking its toll on Me, Elmarth, new wizard and Krill. My breaths come up as rasping and short as we go, the pain only being kept away thanks to the efforts of Hans and Cayleen. I try as much as I can to not burden them but I find it harder and harder to manage and I’m sure the other three are struggling as hard as I am. It’s extremely demoralizing for me. I’m just the more vocal about it. I don’t want to admit I need this much help staying alive. I want out of this f***ing place. I can’t properly search now that we’re under such foul conditions and I feel like the jungle gods conspire against us. Forcing us forward so we will fall into increasingly deadly traps in haste to not choke to death. Of course no one needs help with that. No one listens to me anyway. I wish they did but they mistake my caution with paranoid. The poison air is starting to weaken us. It’s getting to everyone so we retreat for the night. I get onto my rock invisible as I keep watch. I spy Aevlin speaking to Elmarth and I see him slip something to her before she to vanishes. Once again I feel a invisible back against mine as I lean against hers. This is nice. “We Proably shouldn’t be on watch together.” I whisper to her as I feel her hand search blind till she weaves her fingers between mine. “Nonsense. You know you need me.” I laugh again. “True. I do but your very distracting.” I whisper back chuckling under my breath. While we’re sitting together I hear her chewing on something. “What are you eating?” “Sshnothing.” She mutters through a full mouth. I raise an invisible eye brow. “... if you say so.” We fall back to silence cuddling together for awhile till Suddenly a dry branch snaps in the woods and she leaves abruptly. I’m up on my feet when the dying yowls of a bit echos rough the jungle and I wait, ears up. And I wait alittle longer. It’s taking too long. I start moving forward and I see her knelling over a marga corpse, dropping my invisibility. “Is everything alright-.” I’m stopped dead as I see she has not only mangled the corpse but has the flab’s of its skin on her head. I can only gap in complete confusion and disgust. “How does it look?” “Why....??” I ask slowly. She then put up a finger in her lip to quiet me and I see her eyes are not right. Her pupils are huge. Damn it Aev! We’re in the middle of the god damn jungles not the city. “What the f*** he give you?” I demand through hissed teeth but she shushes me. “I’m gonna surprise cay.” Before I can stop her she rushes back to camp and pounces on Cayleen as a scuffle breaks out! The entire camp is awakened by Cayleen cursing and Aevlins temporary maddness. I’m in the cat fight before Cayleen decides to pull out her sword. She’s already screaming at Elmarth to kill her with his magic just as I manage to drag Aevlin away from her. “I don’t know what the f*** she was thinking! I’ll take care of her.” “Oh so your going to kill her for me right!” “No! She’s tripping hard! Gods cay!” I then drag her off back to our bed roll and I fish for the hangover medicine in my bag. Which is a just me tying he to her bed roll till she finally comes to her senses. The rest of the night passes somewhat quietly. I think Aevlins furious cussing and screaming scared them away. ——
Bright and early we arrive back to the stair case. I stare up at it a heavy feeling settles in my stomach. My instincts never lie to me. “That’s a long stare well.” “Ya, so.” Says Nylen. My eyes narrow not leaving the stone stair case “It could be a boulder trap.” “What are you going on about Jaris?” I look as Cayleen. “You know. Someone places a huge boulder at the top of a set of stairs and once a lucky soul steps on the trigger it chases after you and crushes you. That one.” She ruffles my hair through my hood, pushing my helmet into my eyes. “Jaris, has anyone ever told you think far too much. Relax!” I huff as I fix my hair, straighten my helmet and pull my hood back up. As Kork takes the head of the party and we begin climbing up. Halfway up the stairs we all hear the dreaded click echo down the stairwell. In slow motion my eyes widen as his foot sinks into the step and a giant. F***ing. Boulder. Begins to roll towards us form the top of the stairs. “Run!!” I scream. We turn tail and hail a*** down the stairs. In the panic I drop my dagger, avelin her bow, and a few other things fall from hands as well. The worst happens when the boulder slams off of Korks broad shoulders towards Elmarth. I ducks and we hear the tearing of leather as the rock rips his pack open. It flies down to the bottom of the stairs as the tattered and ruined Spellbooks flutters free in the air before the boulder slams and crushes the remains of the pack. We all stand there, silent, horrified. No one died but a piece of Elmarth definitely did. I never knew would a broken man would look like till I saw it in the depths of his eyes. All that money, all that time of collecting and learning and it’s gone in an instant. His entire life and identity was just destroyed in front of us and it leaves a lot of us visibly unnerved. My heart hurts for him. It’s like if someone had cut off my hands. That pain strikes deep into your soul. The fighters can’t understand how much it hurts to feel weak. I pick up one of the pieces off the ground and begin collecting all of the Spellbook while everyone watches slacked jaw. I grab the leather book cover and stuff the tatter pages inside like a folio. I clasp his shoulder turning his face to look at me. “Well fix it. We still have the pieces. There has to someone is civilization who can mend it. It will take time. I can’t promise you’ll have all your old spells but we will not abandon you.” He stairs at his book and can see him fighting against the pain since everyone’s watching. “R-right. Of course.” I put it in my back as i go collect my dagger. Somehow it out itself wedged in a crevice. Saving it. Jala’s blessing and curse is still holding strong. I’d rather have traded my good fortunes with his misses. One dagger I could live without, there nothing of value in my pack. What we lost today was part of a mans soul. I go to Aevlin to see she’s is weeping over the splinters if her bow. Another victim in the trap. She’s had that bow for a long time. It was a gift from Greg after all. Her first bow. I shrug off Delilah and hold it out. “Take Delilah. She’ll be better in more capable hands.” I then sling off my quiver and dump my remaining arrows into hers. She stares at the bow in her hand, tracing the bows name carved into the wood as I wipe her tears away. “Thank you.” “No problem at all.” We convene at the bottom of the stairs, collecting our baring New wizard summons Mott again and as usually he does an amazing job. There’s something alive in that room. Hans turns to me again. “Jaris, why don’t you go see what’s up there.” “Sure.” Doesn’t seems that hard. The traps already been triggered and if its alive I’ll run back. I become invisible. Then Elmarth becomes invisible, then Krill follows very visible as I go up the stairs. Ummmm this isn’t the plan. Why do I have an entourage now? I don’t have the heart to scold Elmarth but Krill. Very visible Krill. “Krill.” I mutter to his ear. “Your visible. Your going to get us caught.” He growls annoyed. “I want to do something besides sitting on my hands.” Yes I’m aware but your becoming a liability now, I want to mention but I know it’s no good. This is a bloody mess. We find this massive chamber with a giant circular design, in the middle lays a bag made of fish scales. Before I can stop krill he brazenly walks in, taking the bag and inspecting the circular relief. Then something difts into view. Something terrifying. The hair raises on the back of my neck as a floating circular creature stares at us with is one big eye, many tenticules waving about. What the heck is that!? It’s floating towards krill! We don’t waste time, we all run back down the stairs and Elmarth is losing his s***. “It’s a Beholder! Oh gods!” “Beholder?” I ask him as the rest of the party looks confused if slightly scared if Elmarth is freaking out this hard. “A eye tyrant! They hold terrible powers and can shoot eye beams that can turn a man to ash!” We all freeze as at the top of the stairs the eye tyrant appears. “Shoot! Shoot it now!” Aevlin raises the bow, shoots it straight through its eye and everything vanishes in pain and screams. —-
...where? I slowly open my eyes to find I am staring into darkness. Slowly I get to my feet confused and dazed. It’s so dark that even i can barely see. I look at my body to find that I am glowing. I’m just a solid mass of light shaped as me. At first I thought I was alone till my foot bumps into someone. It’s Elmarth as he grumbles and rises from the ground but my heart sinks. “Blasted thing. How could I have made such a blunder” he grumbles to himself as I help him up. He looks different. Hes like me. His form is still recognizable but it’s not solids. Swirls of energy is what is keeping him together as wisps of light part from him and fade away. he’s barely tangible. I can’t hardly hold onto him and when I do grasp him I feel him come apart and reform in my hand. Even his voice sounds wispy and distorted. He holds his head as he blinks confused. “Jaris.. where are we?” I don’t know what to tell him. “I.. don’t know Elmarth.” a horrifying realization crosses my face as I feel the familiar call to come to it. “Gods. Gods please no.” I try to grab Elmarth by the hand and run away from it with him but I can’t grasp him long enough. He staggers confused. “What are you doing?” “Don’t question it! We just need to run!” I tell him. It can’t be! We can’t be! I must not be hiding my emotions properly because it dawns on his face. “Are we dead?” I don’t say anything. Not yet. I still can feel that I’m alive! It’s this way! I just have to make it. If I’m alive then he must be as well but... He looks at me hard and then at himself. “So, this is my spirit. If I am a spirit then what I’m staring at is your very soul.” He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Jaris, do you still sense your body?” I stop struggling to grab him. “You can to right?” He looks at me greif stricken. “No, I can’t.” He looks back to the infinite darkness. “Jaris, you must go on ahead. It appears my time has come.” “No! We can go back together. We can fix you.” “No jaris, you can’t.” He takes my hand and compares it to his. “Spirits cannot be brought back from the dead. Only through powerful magic can they be returned to life. As an elf I can not be restored to what I was. Not with the resources the group has now. But you are still alive. You have a soul so Hans magic will work on you.” “Elmarth.. I’m sorry.” Is all I can say. He pats my shoulder. “Don’t be. It’s fitting I should die the same day as my spell book.” He then pulls me into a hug as I weep into his shoulder, clutching him tight as a light shines at the end of the darkness. “Take care of the party for me. Tell them I don’t blame them for my death. You were all my wonderful friends. Good bye.” And with that he dissolved into light and vanished through the door. I dry my eyes with my sleeves and turn away from the light and start running back into the darkness but it feel like the light is catching up fast on my heels. I can’t help myself. I look back to see that there is in fact a door attached to the portal of light. I do the only crazy thing I can think of. I turn around, grab the door and try to wrestle it closed. “No! I’m not going yet! Not today!” I shout at it as I have it half way closed. “Come on in Yaris! It’s shamazing over here.” “Piss off Sean!” I shout into the void as I slam the door shut! ————
I gasp shooting up right, choking and wheezing as the party hovers around me. Aevlin flings herself at me and sends me back to the ground as she sobs. I hug her back as my eyes dart about. “Wheres Elmarth?” I croak. Everyone tenses. “He’s didn’t make it. Damn gas spore.” Nylen growls through his teeth. I feel the weight of the world on me. I’ve seen many people die, a lot of them family but it’s hard to choke down Elmarth. He was part of the core group. I’ve gotten attached to the flamboyant wizard and I honestly thought after everything he’d make it though. But honestly I think he died the moment his spellbook was destroyed. Aevlin pushes herself under my arm as she half drags, half carries me as the party retreats with the dead in tow. The moment we step outside the zyggarot we gather wood and create a wooden pyre, resting a Elmarth body into the bed. I place the remains of his spell book on his chest and set the pyre ablaze. Aevlin and Cayleens are tears, Aevlin clinging onto my armor as she cries into it. I can only stroke her back as I look into the fire. The fire was my idea. It’s family custom to burn where they lay but sometimes it’s nessesarry to move them and leave some superstitions behind. At least now his body is safe from harm or evil spirits. “I can’t believe he’s dead.” Cayleen tells us through tears. “I thought he would be the one to kill me. Remember when he killed 35 orcs.” “It was 25.” “Not now Jaris!” We stand their watching the embers fly into the sky. “That man was the most impressive fast talker I ever had the luck of meeting. I’m going to miss his company and his magic.” We fall back into silence. Soon one at a time everyone shares their fondest memory of him before we leave, the fire warming our backs. The walk back to camp was hard as we sat around healing wounds and recovering our energy. No one is in the mood to talk. I look around camp to find there’s no sticks and I can’t help but sigh. I was hoping for a distraction but it seems like it’s not going to happen. It seems I’ve caught Aevlins attention because she stands up. “I’m gonna look for some sticks for you. I’m be right back.” “Aev wait-.” To late. She’s gone. Oh boy. Why does she always run off. I go back to my watch which doesn’t drag quiet for long. Two zombies saunter towards our camp and Nylen and the rest quickly kill them just as Aevlin returns with her stick, handing it to me. “Here you go.” I smile, ears perking up. “Thanks, what do you think I should make?” “Hmm, try a horse.” “Ok.” I start trying to make a miniature horse but the stick is too small. I quickly turns into a headless horse and we chuckle a little at this failure. In the fish bag that was found it turns out to be full of sling sliver bullets. Thinking they might be more to them she throws one into a tree just in time for a dwarf to suddenly step in front of its path and get struck in the head.
-Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Apr 5, 2020 1:34:47 GMT -5
A dwarf has joined the party, he’s extremely knowledgeable about the temples tone work which impressed me but worries me is that he’s only here because he’s hunting a theif. Apparently one stole his families ring. I rattle my brain thinking back to anything of note I did back in town. Hmmm.. I threw Aevlin's birthday party, got high, stole a really expensive mask, Mugged a pair of blue bloods behind a tavern, went on a drunken carousel with Everyone, pick pocketed a dwarf.... this dwarf...? naw. That one had his beard braided differently. When I asked him to describe his thief he said he had a blue cloak, not red. I wonder if I know him? Know I defiantly don’t want to be him. We explored more of the temple still coughing our lungs out. We spent a large amount of time pushing a giant boulder down a clogged hallway before revealing it lead back to the sleeping dead monks were. We progress farther inside and found a room filled with stuff and stone cats. Lots and lots of cats. Some one was a tiger person it seems. Theirs a realistic statue of a cat headed man with six pets of pecks and nipples standing in one corner while an alter with a flint sacrificial dagger rests in a alter with one of those giant carved wheel that’s must have meant something to the omen people. We all funnel into the room as Nylen has his bow trained on the statue. This isn’t our first rodeo. That things going to come to life the moment we touch something. I follow Aevlin as she approaches the altar. I look up the the massive circular carving. As I’m trying to wrack my brain thing how much it’s worth or what it’s iconography mean Aevlin pick up the dagger and slices her palm onto the altar! “Why did you just-!?” Suddenly the statue becomes a real man and he pounces, sniffing with eyes scanning each and every one of use before charging and pouncing on top of Cayleen! The creep stumbles over his own feet as Cayleen lays into him with lots of sass and salt. Nylen then fills him with holes as Hans and Aevlin join her side with me following close behind. One of his arrows bounces off the catman’s back so he switches to silver and they sink deep like a hot knife through butter. Before we can do anything catman turns back to stone. We stow our weapons away as I glare at the statue. I don’t feel like this is over. Not by a long shot. We gather together the treasure in the room while Aevlin claimed the font dagger. I’m touched she’s taken an interest in my hobby of dagger collection. This room apparently has more secretes to hide. The large tiger faced relief in the wall but theirs a catch. You got to stick your hands into the eye holes, where you can’t see them. “Well, you gonna open the door?” I tell Hans as i sweat. “Well, let’s see if we can find-“ before I finish Kork already has his meat fists inside and the cats mouth opens. A tunnel filled with a red light is what greats us. It’s far to narrow for everyone. Me, Aevlin and Kork file in as Hans, Cayleen and the others stay back. We travel down the closterphobic tunnel till it leads to a pit filled with thorny flowers. Wooden bar line the path over the pit. Taking the plants theirs a heavy feeling in my stomach. “We should think this through. Maybe we could tie each other off or something?” I puzzle, not getting anywhere till Kork stands up and begins to sprint! Thorns shoot from the plants as he skips over each bar taking three thorns into his back before reach the door at the end. I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding looking at Aevlin. “Alright. I’m going to get Cayleen, maybe she can find a safer way across. Please don’t run off.” She scowls with a huff. “I thought we talked about your overprotective ness love!” “I’m not being over protective! Just wait five minutes. Maybe theirs a safer way forward. I’m just asking for five minutes to get everyone else.” She sighs, shoulders sagging. “Alright. For you.” I smile and peck her on the cheek. “Ok five minutes, agreed! I’ll be right back.” I start jogging back and I grab the rest of the gang from outside. As I lead them back through the tunnel I reach the ledge to find she’s gone. Looking across the pit I see she’s is standing at the door with Kork! “Five minutes!! You couldn’t wait five minutes!” I shout across outrage as she simply gives me a cocky smile. “You took too long!” She tilts head towards the fighter, listening to Kork mention to step into the next room without us! F*** me! I growl between my teeth frustrated. She never listens! I wasn’t asking for much! The dwarf looks at me noticing my distress. “Why do you put up with all this frustration anyway?” I look again and watch her stare back at me as she disappears beyond the door into parts unknown. Even when she’s gone I can still feel her eyes on me and I feel my ears heat up. I sigh, defeated. “Because she’s worth it.” I look along the walls and become invisible. We need to get over their fast. I try scaling the walls but immediately realize how horrible the idea is when they all start shooting at me, missing every shot as I progress inch by inch before retreating back to the ledge to an irritated Hans as I tap his shoulder. “What happened to the walls?” “Took too long. Gonna have to do it their way.” I tighten the Bandanna around my forehead and ready myself, taking in stead breaths. I need to get across. I will get across. I repeat my montra in my head as I take off. My feet touch each bar as I focus forward, only forward as the wind whistles by me. I feel the thorn brush past me but they don’t land as I weave in and out of their range. I hear a crack under my feet but I lock my eyes forward not slowing down. Hesitation leads to death and I do not want to die. Do not think, just keep moving forward. When me feet hit solid ground I rush through the door only to see Aevlin and Kork kill the last of the Mandrils, a dead two head snake on the ground. Looks like I wasn’t needed after all. I take her hand as she weaves her fingers with mine. “Told you. You worry to much.” “I wish you listened to me more.” “I wish you’d worry less. Your going to go grey before I do at this rate” “I’ll probably go white if you keep driving me crazy.” She chuckles smiling as my heart melts. I can’t stay mad with that. At least I can Finially breath again. It’s seems my hopes have been answered. It doesn’t hurt to breath anymore. I release her hand dropping invisibility as the rest of the party arrives. We start milking about searching the room for anything useful or valuable. As I’m making my second pass through the room I kick a object. Looking down I see a small cracked crystal sphere. Picking it up I hold it to the light. Hmmm.. pretty. Could be one of them seeing balls wizards use. If I run into that human wizard I think I’ll give it to him. I do owe him for making his invisible man and saving me a lot of pain and injury. “Hey I found something!” Kork screams as boulders begin rolling down the half collapsed room! I just manage to get out of the way before I’m pulverized! He slaps his hands over his fat lip as we whisper and continue searching Throwing it into my bag Kork finds himself some new accessories off the skeleton as Cayleen returns through the opening in the ceiling as a bird. She keeps trying to speak in her bird form but she’s forced to transform back tells us we can head to camp back through that way. We now have a perfect exit and entry into this damn place without being slowly poisoned to death. Thank The b*****d luck of Oli. We exit without problems and immediately after my watch is done I hit the bedroll and pass out. ———
The next morning it doesn’t take long till we find stairs. Blood bloody stairs. Their trapped. Their definitely trapped. I can sense it. I look to the group serious. “I’m going to check the stairs going up. It’s going to take some time though.” For once I don’t hear any complaints about how long I’ll take, Elmarth still fresh in our minds. Climbing up the stairs I feel my way each time but as I reach the middle of the stairs I feel my foot give as the dread clock rings in my ear. The granting of stone against stone echos from the stop of the stairs as a massive dragon statue slide out of place. Oh... s***. Dread fills me as I wait for the fire to come sailing down the stair well till suddenly I’m blindsided as a burst of scalding steam slams into my side as I scream. I stagger back down the stairs leaning against the wall as I approach the party, pushing back my damp hood. “Are you alright?!” “No! Blood hells I’m not! I just had parts of skin boiled off me!” Aevlin approaches me, pushing my hair out of my eyes. “You gotta admit, it is alittle funny.” I give her a crooked smile. “Not so funny when your experiencing it.” I glare up at the statue. I refuse to let this f***ing thing get the best of me. I’m pep back up with alittle healing, pull my hood back over my head and I get back up those stairs. I try retracing my steps on what I did wrong. My hands glide over the stair I felt trigger the trap. Ok, this was the trigger, if I simply disrupt the pressure point perhaps that will do it. I slam the daggers blade in the crevice in the steps as I slide it along the seam. Alright that should do it. The moment I stand up the steam burns into the side of my face as I scream clutching my face. I stagger back down the stairs legs weak. They give out and suddenly I’m falling. My body slamming into the cold stone as I roll down the stairs. I groan in pain as I feel a hand fall on me. “Help... me.” I wheeze, dizzy and weak as I stare up into Aevlins and Hans face with one eye closed. I feel the life come back to me as I can see again with both eyes. I pull myself to my knees angry. Shameful! Damn! I stand gritting my teeth. “I’m going back up!” Aevlin watches me worried. She looks like she wants to stop me in a strange turn of event but she does nothing. I climb back up the stairs back to where I fell. Fine. If I can’t deactivate it then I’ll climb further up. I skip the step but then I’m blasted by more scolding stream as it burns my flesh! I roar in pain and agony! “F***! Son of a ****! F*** you all you b*****! C***!” I continue screaming all manner of profanity till I sit in the step exhausted. Then the stone statue slides back into place seemingly done. Aevlin then ascends the stairs and I flinch waiting for the steam but None comes when I open my eyes. She walks past me standing in the top step, beaming with pride. “You did it!” “I did it?” I let it sink in. Seems like I made it waste all its energy on me. I still didn’t kill the trap myself but I’ll take it.... I raise my arms in the air cringing as I feel my burns scream. “I did it!” I then flop onto the step looking pitifully back at Cayleen with my best puppy dog eyes. “Cayleeen.... help please.” She sighs climbing up the stairs as she sends her healing into my burnt skin. "You know you'r suppose to disable a trap, not soak up all the damage." "Just let me have this. Please."
-Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by Aileen on Apr 6, 2020 22:55:58 GMT -5
It's a massive relief to have found fresh air inside the Ziggurat. Exploring is not as bad when we can actually breathe. Unfortunately for Jaris things are not going so well.
There is a dragon statue at the top of the stairs we want to go up, but every time Jaris walks up to try to disable it it breathes hot steam on him. He keeps coming back burnt and red, drenched and absolutely pissed off. I don't even try to stop him- he's stubborn, just as I am, but his stubbornness is that he does not like being bested by traps. He doesn't disable anything, but the dragon rolls back into the wall.
I make a run for it, dashing up the stairs and reaching the top despite much slipping around on the slick steps.
"Watch out, gang- Its really slippery, I think Jaris was sweating a lot."
My husband rewards me with a pinch to the behind in retaliation for making fun of him. I laugh and move on down the corridor. We decide to go right, Jaris scouting ahead for traps.
We head through a set of double doors into an awesome room filled with a lifesize model of a hill with all kinds of features, that we can even walk through. I immediately head towards the river of lava.
"You don't want to go to the river with me?" Jaris asks. Is he pouting?
"No, I want to look at the lava!"
He shrugs and we part in our respective directions. I get close to the lava, but the air is so hot that I feel my flesh beginning to burn. Guess there is an environmental effect to this place, too. So, I head to the river, ignoring the idiots standing on top of the hill and rolling down it. I can't tell if they're falling or going down it on purpose. I find Jaris gazing at the river. He turns and stares at me.
"Hi." He says.
"Heyyy?" I smile.
"What's up?"
"I was looking at the lava and got too hot so I came to the river to be with you."
"lava? What lava? Who are you?"
My mouth drops.
"Your wife?!" I snarl. He thinks he's funny, now, I guess.
"Look, you seem like a nice girl but I don't have a wife."
"Very funny, babe." I walk up to him, and he backs away. "Jaris, what the f-"
"Who is Jaris? I don't know you!"
I can't help it, I start crying. What has gotten into him!? He seems to really not know who I am.
"You're clearly mentally unstable, lady. Please back off and leave me alone. I am not married to you, and I don't love you!"
That hurts. I snap, springing forward and trying to slap him. He blocks me with his invisible sword, slicing my arm open. I scream, charging in and drawing my own sword.
"Aevlin, the path is safe!" Yells the magic user.
Hmm. I walk backwards onto the path, hoping Jaris follows. He just stands there, staring in an offensive stance.
"Jaris, please!"
I walk forward towards the river again. There's some guy standing in front of me with a sword. Why is he glaring at me? Why am I here? Who the f*** am I?!
The man rushes me and swings, and I feel cold steel slice into my arm. I scream, realizing I have a sword on my hip, and draw it. We exchange blows back and forth, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see my blade is glowing. A horrible pain shoots through my back, and I realize I've been shot by some other guy with a bow. I'll deal with him after.
Soon it is evident that I am the superior fighter, as I cut my attacker down. Too bad, he was cute. A burly man jumps on him, pinning the body to the ground. I turn my attention to the bowman, but suddenly what looks like a giant spiderweb shoots out over us. I deftly escape before it pins me in, and take a blow at the elf on the ground. I need to get out of here! I start running, and pass a wizard looking guy with his arms in the air. The door isn't far, I can make it! I cross onto the pebbled path, and-
Oh no. What have I done? I forgot... I didn't know who I was! I killed Jaris! The river... it makes people forget!
Luckily Hans gets Jaris back on the path healed up, and Jaris looks horrified. He won't even look at me, and I fear his words were true. Does he not love me?
Krork enters the sands, and comes back with a bad nose bleed. The magic user doesn't seem too bothered by that, and runs off across the sands heading for the next set of doors, and I follow. If Jaris won't speak to me, I'll ignore his presence. I pinch my nose and join him. Immediately I can feel my nose start to bleed, and pinching it shut just makes the blood go the other way. Spitting out a mouthful I just let it flow. We open the doors, and enter a small room.
As all of us cross the threshold, what I thought was a pile of garbage suddenly begins opening eyes. And then, mouths rimmed with horrible fangs. I find that I can't move, just staring at this thing as it moves towards us. I can feel blood running down my face, even as the bleeding stops, but I can do nothing but stare.
Mouths start clamping onto me, fangs sinking into my legs. It's awful! My heart is overcome with fear, but I can't move. It's on me and and floor is turning into quicksand! I scream and scream, and it finally dies. I run from the room in terror, back onto the sands. The blood begins pouring out of my nose again, and I... Wait, why am I running?
I turn and go back to the room. Everyone is searching the room, but there isn't much. I grab the flask, hoping it's booze as that's what I need more than anything right now. Nope, powder. So Krork adds water to it and I take a sip. Healing potion, the next best thing to booze!
I feel someone grab my arm and pull me close. Jaris wipes the blood off my face, and kisses me. He doesn't say another word as we all leave the chamber. We need to save this conversation for camp.
I'm looking forward to a rest, but these damn baboon things have other ideas.
>>-----> Aevlin Baumann-Jörmungandr <-----<<
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Apr 7, 2020 13:40:41 GMT -5
We continue our journey past the stair to the door. Our new human wizard is back and Im reminded of the crackled crystal sphere in my bag. As Kork and Aevlin prepare to bust open the door I hand it to him. Perhaps he will be able to get more use out of it. Seems like a wizard thing. The doors are open and we’re met with a room filled with life like diagrams. Above the threshold is marked land of the dead. This must be a clue to figuring this room out. I think of any stories I’ve heard around the troops campfire stories, thinking of the ones that revolve around death and the afterlife. Those were common ones considering how many of us we lose to this curse. One of the stories of is about a musician who died and was told by a devil in disguise he could leave if he could cross the river of souls. He attempted but the moment he reached the other side he had lost all his memories and thus couldn’t return to life. Maybe all these images can be compared to different stories of the omen afterlife. This room is called the land of the dead.... this is a stretch but better then nothing. “I’m heading towards the river. We should try and stick together.” I tell the group but the dwarf steps forward disgruntled. “Nonesene! We should all split up and search each one.” “But if something happens we can’t help each other.” “We’ll be fine! It is not a large room after all.” I sigh. I can see his perspective, it is sound logic but I feel we’re going to be dipping too many hands in different pots. “Alright. We’ll split up.” I concede sagging my shoulders. We each go to our perspective spots. I though Aev would follow me but she lingers back as I pause. “Not going to follow me to the river?” “Naw, I want to see what the magma river is like. Are you trying to guilt trip me!” I frown, dishearten but understanding. “Maybe.” I chuckle before heading to the diarama of the raging river. I step my foot onto the river and begin to cross it.... I blink awake as I take in my surroundings.... where... am I? I look out to see a group of people I don’t know interacting with different replicas of objects. Two guys keep trying to climb up a hill, one on a green skinned mans shoulders before suddenly being violently thrown off and into the marsh diarama. I turn away from his problem back to where I’m standing. I’m standing in the replica of a river. How did i get here. I close my eyes thinking, searching in my head for answers but I find nothing. I search further into my memory and I find nothing!! My eyes snap open as I look at my person and I don’t know who this is! Im grasping something and as I look at my scared gauntlet hand I see that I’m only holding a hilt with no blade, a red ribbon tied to it. I don’t even know what gave me all those scars! I don’t know who I am! I don’t know anything! I feel the chilling fear crawl up into my throat as the room starts spinning around me. What’s wrong with me!? Suddenly my ears move as I pick up the sound of footsteps heading towards me. I turn around. One of the people from the diaramas are heading towards me! Maybe they know who I am!? A woman steps towards me, bow on her back and sheild in one hand. “Hi.” I say with a polite wave, hiding the existential panic behind a smile. Her brows furrow as she looks at me “hey?” This.... is awkward. I don’t know what to say. “what's up?” She looks behind her then back to me getting closer “I was looking at the lava and got too hot so I came to the river to be with you.” With me? Why would she want to be with me? And lava? The relica down their? It’s not real lava. “lava? What? Who are you?” “your wife?!” My eyes go wide I’m married!!? No that can’t be right!? I don’t even bloody know who I am! I can’t remember! F***! I start sweating, the confusion and fear already mixing as I take a hesitant step back. “lady, I don't know you. I mean, you seem nice, but...” Her eyes go wide and then she starts to cry, sobbing hysterically. I’m at a complete lost now. I didn’t mean to make her cry. I’m getting frustrated. I need to be alone. I thought she was going to help me. Guess I was wrong. Now I’m more confused then ever. She’s only making things worst. I can’t think if I have this woman crying here! I sigh hand pinching my brows as a headache forms. “Listen maybe you’ve had too much to drink. Your obviously mentally unstable right now and can’t help me. Ill admit your pretty but I’m not married and I don’t love you. I wouldn’t marry someone I don’t love so go away-.” I’m cut short as she storms towards me and sends her hand straight to my face. Faster then she can response my muscles move on their own with the sword hilt in hand as I raise it up to block. Her palm connects with a unseen force as it bounces away. My eyes widen. “Holy c*** it’s invisible!” I mutter to myself looking back at her. She staggers and before I can stop myself I bring the blade down as blood appears on the tip of the unseen blade. My eyes go wide. I-I didn’t want to hurt her! She just wouldn’t stop. Am I a terrible person? Why the heck would she hit me if she loves me? She doesn’t even know my name. If this is what love is to her I don’t think I want any part of it. She charges again but I stop her with the point of my sword as it cuts her cheek, glaring down at her. “Piss off.” She staggers, tears streaming down her face and slowly she backs off but I don’t drop my guard even as I watch her step onto the path She seems confused and I hope she walks away but instead she looks at me desperate. “Jaris please!” She then approaches me again as I stiffen. She’s back again! Why is she back again!? Who the f*** is Jaris? Suddenly her eyes change as she approaches me. They go from heart broken to empty. I don’t like the looks of that. She looks to her wound and then at me. Oh s***. She looks really pissed now. I feel my body jerk back, one foot takes a step back. Run? Why should I run? I’m the stronger one right? I have this weird sword. She gets too close and I strike cutting a deep wound up her forearm! She looks pissed and then she draws a sword that glows as bright as day. Well... we both have weird swords now but I’ve already gotten first blood. She should have backed off. I don’t want to kill her but she’s left me no choice. She then brings her blade down on me and she cuts through my armor and shoulder like butter as i shout in pain, blood everywhere. How!? I dodge the next swipe and I slide quickly slice through her thigh but the damage I do might as well have just been a paper cut because it does nothing to slow her down. I hear shouting as a heavily muscular man comes charging for me! F***! More of them! I can barely hand one! He’s just going to attack me thinking I’m the bad guy but she started it! She snarls as a arrow hits home in her shoulder. A elf, my savior, stands far back reading another shot. I move in to strike but something holds me back. My muscles tighten and I don’t strike as hard as I plan as a scurry away. I’m not fast enough when she reversed the blade and tears it skyward nearly bisecting me as a cry. I stagger back holding the wound closed, couched low to the ground like a cornered animal. No! No! I need to run! I need to run! But I can’t run! Why do I need to run!? She slices into my leg as I stagger frantic. I- I can’t win! Im..! In the sort spans of time I’ve come to know myself i sliver of understanding dawns on me and the realization is sickening. I am outclassed in every single way. The realization of the disparity in power kills me! I was doomed the moment I drew first blood! I can feel my ears fall, my entire body trembling as I look at the fighter in fear. I want to grovel for mercy but every fiber of my body is frozen. She stares at me cold and before I know it she brings her sword down on me again as I collapse to the ground. I look up at her, tears in my eyes as I feel my life fading. I didn’t even get to know my name. I think with remorse. I look up at her glaring and chuckling through the spite. “Guess you never loved me neither.” I tell her bitterly as I succumb to darkness. ———
I snap awake and everything comes rushing back as I cough and wheeze, Hans hovering over me. I am Jaris, I’m a theif of the jala clan and my wife had just tried to kill me and I had tired to kill her. I feel like everything I knew about myself has been called into question and I hate that fearful, arrogant person I was. He made Aevlin cry. He even injuried her. Worst of all he was me stripped of everything, filled with nothing but fear and spite. She’s by my side tears in her eyes “Jaris I’m so sorry.” She reaches out to touch me but I flinch hard and jerk away, like my body expects she’ll hurt me again. I can’t look at her, not like this. She says nothing else and stands up. I want to focus on anything then what just happened even if my wounds won’t let me. Kynigos steps into the desert path and manages to open the doors to that room. I follow along in Aevlin shadow as the party files in. My nose starts bleeding and I feel light head as we make it into the room. It looks like a dead end. Just a bunch of clay pots and a few items of interest. Kynigos walks into the center of the room, casting detect magic when eyes, hundreds upon hundreds of eyes begin opening along the floor as fanged mouths sprout everywhere shouting and screaming. I look to Aevlin, a sick feeling in my chest as I vanish out of sight again. “Aevlin! I want you to know that I do love you!” I tell her as the floor becomes quicksand. We all begin to panic but knowing there is no escape we focus all our attention to the horror in front of us. The party is in a mix of fear and confusion but their is a few of us that can act. The dwarf uses her hammer to pummel it into submission as Kynigos projects a series of magic missiles into its eyes. My heart lerches as the mouths begin to latch onto Aevlin! I need to save her! Just as I’m about to move the horror spits at the wall and the light sends my vision into blackness. The gibberish of its voice freezes my limbs as I stand their dazed. I feel something bit at my ankle but I hear Aevlin scream! What’s going one!? Is she ok!? Suddenly the teeth around my leg disappears along with the sand. I’m able to pull my legs free as I feel her rush by me! “Aevlin Wait!” I stagger still blind, slamming into the wall. Clutching my face i give up, leaning against the wall in the hopes for my vision to come back. Eventually my eyes swim back into focus as everything is back in my sights. Everyone is searching the room. Seems like there are some magic items here. The obvious potion vial being one of them. Nylen checks a run and finds that the source of the magic is a dried up heart. That’s not going to sell back in town. I approach Aevlin, sneaking my proof against poison agate into her pocket as I take my extra water-skin and fill it. She drinks it and she says she feels alittle stronger. Don’t know what that means yet. Our dwarf really wants me to climb up that hole in the ceiling. The one hovering over the hill that kept pushing people into different zones. I kindly remind him theirs still a hallway to search and we can come back and try again once we’ve explored the rest of the decayed nightmare temple. It’s appears everyone is in agreement but first we need to recover. That near death experience we all had took a lot out of us. Aevlins about to walk by me as I grab her arm gently. Wiping the blood from her face I kiss her briefly on the lips and weave my fingers into hers. I don’t have the courage to say anything yet. I just want to hold her hand and not think about the gibbering mouther. I’m dreading the talk we’ll have to have back at camp.
-Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by Chris on Apr 7, 2020 22:46:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Aileen on Apr 13, 2020 20:08:56 GMT -5
Back at camp I expect to have a blowout with Jaris, but instead we end up crying and apologizing to eachother. What he said really hurt, and physically he hurt me too. Nothing hurts more than your husband telling you he doesn't love you. I know he was not in his right mind, it happened to me too, but it just keeps repeating in my head.
We spend a day at camp while Hans regains some healing spells. Nylen, Krork and I go hunting for a day, and I'm really looking forward to just hanging out in the jungle with my friends. We come across some deer, and of course they run away. Nylen ends up running after the one he injured, but when he regroups with us it has escaped. It keeps going like this the whole day, and I wonder if maybe having Krork with us was a bad idea. He is pretty loud. I mean, maybe I am too.
The next day Nylen goes hunting alone, and I decide to try my hand at foraging. Kynegos wants to go, and then Jaris wants to come with me. We start with the three of us, but then I casually ask Kynegos to go on ahead. Finally, alone time!
We trudge back to camp having been very successful in foraging, Jaris picking sticks out of my hair as we go. Hans finally finishes healing us and resting, and we head back to the Ziggurat. Oh, and Krork eats the dried up heart we found in the mouth room. Once again there is an issue with getting past the steaming dragon statue. Jaris keeps getting steamed, so I go up to try to help him. I get steamed myself, and despite the pain I know that it is beneficial to my skin. Not to mention I'm much cleaner after it- there's no bathing in the jungle.
We get by it after it disappears back into the wall, and come to a new room. There's a pile of coins with a skull and the hilt of a sword. Inside the eye of the skull is a little spider, which Hans tries to befriend from a distance. It ignores him, so he moves in and I follow. As he talks to his spider friend, I grab the sword hilt. Moff, the invisible servant, starts picking up coins to bring to Kynegost. Suddenly as the coins shift a cloud of dust puffs up throughout the whole room. I choke on it, but am fine. Kynegos however keels over. Luckily Hans gets him to his feet.
My sword hilt is nothing special, and not cursed as far as I know. Hans announces there is some kind of secret door, so Jaris checks it out. After determining it's safe to proceed, Krork opens it and Jaris enters. I hear the breaking of glass, and see a broken mirror as we walk through to the next room.
"I broke the mirror, there was something weird about it." Jaris announces.
"What, your face?" Hans mutters.
"Excuse me?" Jaris snaps.
"You're excused." Hans claps him on his shoulder as he muscles by.
This room has an altar in the middle, and a raised platform accessible by four sets of stairs. I head directly to the altar while some go to the jade mask across the room. Seeing a bunch of offerings on the altar, I pull out my ruby earrings and place them there. Nothing seems to happen until Kynegos has Moff touch the jade mask. A bar cage slams down, trapping Kynegos and Nylen, while the door we came in slams shut with bars in front of it.
A strange voice reverberates throughout the room, telling us that we are interlopers and will be tested. The air is filled with a poison gas, and if we solve the puzzle of this room we will get the antidote. And something about the brave leading the way and the sly crossing a portal. Puzzles are not my thing. We a decide to split up, with the dwarf Azghalak running up the bloodstained stairs, Hans the dark ones, and Krork another set. Hans gets thrown down his after being unable to see in the darkness, Krork is on a stairmaster, and the dwarf makes it up his only to be faced by a statue coming to life.
"Aevlin, check the western stairs!" Hans calls.
"Right, on it!"
I run to those stairs, and begin to climb. The carved Olman heads start babbling, and immediately I feel awful, week and dizzy. I sit down on the first step, nearly passing out. I can't even find the strength to speak, even when Hans comes to my side. He just sits down next to me. Soon Krork runs over, yanking Hans up and leaving me. I feel all hope is lost, but then Krork comes back for me. We can't get Kynegos free of the cage, and Nylen escaped due to his potion of etherealness.
Jaris calls us upstairs, and we leave Kynegos to accept his punishment. Theres a hole in the crystal wall thing, and we all go in to find a stone with a strange sigil engraved on it and a potion bottle, our antidote. All of us are incredibly weak, and certainly succumbing to the poison gas.
“So you have reached my altar, but your time is nearly exhausted and the antidote is just beyond your reach. Trust your souls to your god foolish mortals.”
Hans goes to reach for the bottle but his hand is stopped by some kind of force field. He stares at the stone thinking long and hard, and then puts his holy symbol to the sigil. Theres a melting sound, and then Hans is able to grab the potion. As he does, a creature appears! It's big, snakey and has feathers and an amulet around its neck. The dwarf attacks, and I realize what I must do. I pull out the strength potion I found in the mouth room, and swig it down. I feel a thousand times better!
"Fools! Ingrates!" It snaps at us. "You could have received great treasure, but instead you attack me!"
Yah, buddy, that's what they all say.
"Oh great serpent!" Azhgalak puts on the dramatics. "We were just kidding. Ohhhh great serpent!"
It ignores him, and fights back attacking the dwarf. Krork and he keep swinging at it, and I get in for a blow. My sword slices though the snake is if I sliced through butter!
"You have made a mistake!" It says ominously before dying.
"All this is is a healing potion!" Hans announces. "We've been bamboozled!"
I take the amulet off its neck and place it around my own. Jaris, standing next to me, crumples to the ground. I step away and he is able to get up again.
"Hmm. I feel great, how do all of you feel?" I ask.
"Weak!" Krork growls.
"Take that off!" Hans orders me.
I go to take it off, and... it won't budge.
"I can't! It's stuck!"
"Oh no, it's cursed!" Jaris looks horrified.
I spend the next several minutes performing feats of strength while making the others weak. I tear the bars right off of Kynegos and also the ones in front of the door. I even kick the door down, which appears to have been potentially wizard locked.
"I AM the knock spell!" I growl, hoisting Hans over my head.
"Aevlin, you're going to give yourself a hernia." Says my husband, leaning against the wall to stay upright.
"I'm the strongest woman alive!"
There is some talk of the others going back to camp to rest while Hans prepares remove curse, but that is quickly shot down when Hans offers to stay with me.
"I'm not going to cheat on Jaris!"
"I'm too weak, I can't perform." Agrees Hans.
Jaris knows I would never betray him, but he does look upset. We decide to spend the next 7 or so hours camping in here, and I settle in front of the broken door frame. My super strength wears off after a while, and I'm pleased to find the amulet does not weaken me. As I sit there bored out of my mind, four hours into the rest with everyone else unable to be close to me without feeling brutally weak, I unconsciously make my Margay call. Several minutes later, I feel the familiar tickle of whiskers against the back of my neck. Hmm, I feel a new hat coming on!
>>-----> Aevlin the Strong <-----<<
|
|
|
Post by dragonforgotten on Apr 15, 2020 10:23:50 GMT -5
The walk back to the camp fills me with dread. I don’t know what I can say to here. She hasn’t even looked at me. When the camp comes into sight I tap her on the shoulder. “Can I.. speak to you for a minute. It’s important.” She turns to me, letting go of my hand as we stope walking. When the part moves out of hearing range I start. “Listen. What happened back their I was-.” I seize up. “You know I never would have hurt you if I knew who you were right. It’s important that you now that because.” I pause again stumbling for words and when I speak again my voice rasped with pain. “It’s tearing me up inside, what I said to you. I didn’t know anything. I was so damn afraid and lost I tired to do anything just to feel safe again. I was so twisted up that I even started hating myself for it. Just please don’t think what I said was true. Please don’t-.” I don’t get to finish as she wraps her arms around me, her legs giving out as she sobs into my chest. “I’m so sorry! I never wanted to hurt you!” I can feel my own eyes get wet as I bury my face into her hair, wrapping my arms around her. “No! I’m sorry!” We stay like that for awhile till the party gets sick of our smaltz but it was needed. Hans needs to rest after all. Nylen suddenly wants to go hunting out of the blue as Avelin, Kork and Kinagios jump at the chance to do something. Unfortunately for the wizard he’s remained of his physical limitations and being told no he sulks near the fire looks offended. “Alright. Have fun.” I tell her and her eyebrows shoot up to her forehead. “Your not going to demand you come!?” I tilt my head chuckling. “First your the one who always complaining how I follow you and now you complain if I don’t. Make up your damn mind!” I laugh waving her off. “Go have fun. Let off some steam. I’ll be right here when you get back.” She smiles and disappears into the dark after Nylen and Kork. An hour passes as I’m building a little tower out of pebbles when I hear Kinagios complain again. “It’s so frustrating! I wanted to be of some use! It’s not my fault I can’t see in the dark.” “Don’t let that bother you. You’ll go grey stressing about things you can’t control. Their just going to get themselves roughed up abit and come back alittle more tired then we will be.” “Easy for you to say! You can see in the dark and you don’t have to worry about greying.” He says starting at my ears.” “I can half sympathize. Also I do enough worrying and been through enough near deaths that I’ve at least shaved 100 years off my life expectancy. Hopefully that will be enough.” This interests him. “Do you not want to grow old.” I huff. “Please, my longevity is gos se. I don’t live long enough to become a jaded asshole like the elves but I do live long enough to not be able to grow old and die of it with my human friends and wife. That sucks. Though seeing at night is a very nice perk.” This draws out a chuckle out of him. I start rattling off my past misadventures but I just end up dwelling on the maiming I’ve received from traps as I show off my scars. I’m not so much stressed anymore by my experience, more so that there the most interesting stories and entertaining stories I have. Though the horrors I’ve experienced has definitely instilled me a deep instinctual fear and paranoia of traps and the unknown. “Well we’re still here now.” Says Hans hands clasping his holy symbol. “Praise to Kord.” “And Olidammara. May he one day answer mine and Aevlins prayers to make it rain booze.” I add in for good measures. I gets a raised brow from Hans now. “If you going to be praising gods we can’t forget my patron god.” I pause looking up at the sky. It’s funny. If things were different I may have taken that path. As the wizard throws more onto the dead fire. I stop him from grabbing the tinderbox. “Watch this.” I concentrate on the dry wood and it begins to smoke. Soon it bursts into fire as the wizard looks at me in amazement. “That’s awesome.” “Thanks. I’ve been practicing but it takes a bit of time to heat up.” We fall into a natural lull in the conversation. When I feel like the band of hunters will not be back soon enough I retreat to my bedroll and try to catch up on sleep.... ... I’m awaken when I feel her slide in next to me and wrap her arms around me. “Did you catch anything?” I ask sleepily. “Don’t ask.” “You didn’t catch anything did you?” I don’t hear anything else but I don’t press my luck. I’m already alseep minutes later. ——-
The next morning Hans fixes my burns and scraps from Yesterday as the group prepares to go gather some food to save Hans spells. I’m about to settle in, accepting I’m going to have another boring day with Hans when Aevlin asks me to come with her to gather food. Proably wants me to hold them while she collects so I go. Hans got the dwarf for company. One day his name will stick but not today. Kinagios finally graduated from being just Mr wizard now. We break off into our own groups while Nylen hunting alone like the lone wolf he is. My group consists of Aevlin and Kinagios. I’m searching through the brushes when I’m approach by Aevlin who’s very much empty handed. “Find anything yet-? Wait. Where’s Kinagios?” “Oh, I sent him ahead.” “Ahead?” “Yes. Should be busy for a few hours.” She says coy and pulls me into the brushes A few memorable hours pass later and I can only blush as I’m trying to pull the leaves and branches form her hair, one arm full of ripe mangos. Enough for the two of us. “We really shouldn’t be doing this out here.” “Please dear. Everyone knows what we do at this point.” “Yes but Im going to get it from Nylen. He’s going to think I’m distracting you. I also have a reputation to keep up.” She punches me in the arm. “Oh let him. Not like he can tell me what to do.” I just sigh. She really is crazy sometimes. We go find Kinagios bring back what we find. Nylen once again come back empty from hunting. I think I’ll try my hand next time. I’ll need to collect some vines first though. The day passes uneventful and we come back refreshed from our day of relaxation. Everyone really needed it after our encounter with room with a thousand mouths and eyes. Me and Aevlin certainly needed it. I meet again with my old foe, the dragon stair case. It still burns my skin off but when Aevlin puts herself in the line of fire I redouble my efforts, disabling multiple steps but it seems no matter how many steps I go theirs just more of them going up! Eventually the dragon runs out of stream and I charge it hoping I can kill the f**** before it crawls back into its hiding hole. Sadly I’m to slow so the party finds me cussing beautifully at a brick wall. We go down the next hallway and find a small room with a pile of gold, a sword sticking out of it with a skull and small spider sitting atop it. That s*** is trapped. No one leaves out gold for nothing. Grandma didn’t raise no fool. Theirs always a price to something after all. Hans bends down low, waving to the spider as people being to mill about in the room touching the gold as I wait with Nylen and dwarf. The dwarf huff folding his arms. “Wouldn’t be surprised if an explosion went off.” He tells me when suddenly his prediction came true! A explosion did happen. A loud puff echos into the air as yellow spores fill the room. I quickly cough into my cloak, waving the particles out of my face. I’m not surprised but also very surprised as I look at the dwarf. “By gods you were right.” And Kynigos drops wheezing for air. Thank Olidammara and Kord for Hans. While Hans was trying to make friends for a change he found a secrete door. Good on you Hans. We enter and travel briefly to a secrete door, cracking my knuckles I feel confident as I check the door and it comes up clean. “Ok, it’s all clear Kork-“ I’m stopped dead in my tracks as I look up and find that I am staring at my own reflection as a chill runs my spine. I don’t like my own reflection at the best of time but it gets weirder. Suddenly my appearance in the mirror changes and I am adorn with omen warrior attire with its vibrant feathers and golden adornments. My reflection glares and snarls at me and I don’t think. Freeing the dagger from my sheath i smash the pummel into the small mirror as everyone jumps. “Ok all clear now. Just saw something freaky in the mirror.” “Jaris! That’s seven years bad luck!” Exclaims Nylen as I shrug. “Already have a death curse on me and family, can’t any worst then that.” We shuffle into the room to find medium sized chamber with an alter and a crystal thing towering over us along with a statue of a warrior. Four stair cases branch out around us, each one different. Kynigos sends Moth to grab a mask off the wall and the moment it leaves the wall both him and Nylen are trapped as a angry voice booms around the room. He tells us that he has poisoned us all to punish grave robbers but he believes that perhaps we did this out of curiosity instead of greed and thus our only hope of survival is solving his riddle. I don’t catch all of it but I catch almost all of it. the brave leading the way and the sly crossing the portal. I was too busy panicking to remember the rest. It seems I’m not alone Everyone begins to scatter as I stand watching them. For once I take a deep breath and think. The second verse rings a bell in me. People tend to call people such as I sly or cunning and that are virtues I strive to be. So we need a theif for the second part of the riddle. The first part? I look about the room and see that Korks stairs just leads him to run in place. Hans climbs up the dark steps and immediately falls down but the dwarf blazing charged up the red steps and is unharmed till he is confronted by a warrior on the top of the stairs. The voice then mocks us saying how we need our cleverest tool. So, I’m in the right train of thought! He is talking about theives, pacifically my tools! So that means the first part is suppose to be for fighters, the brave. Then the hopefully the third piece of the puzzle is a spell caster. Which one, I don’t know. I can only hope we don’t need a wizard since ours is very stuck. I feel my limbs grow weaker. I need to follow that dwarf. “Everyone! Stop running all over damn the place! We need to follow the dwarf! “Jaris! Climb up the black stair well! You can see up it.” I turn to Hans in disbelief. Why does he never believe me!? I have the answer! Also he just proved it’s not the right stairs! “Hans, your wrong! I’m not wasting anymore time! For once listen to me damn it!” He doesn’t. He tells me to stop arguing and do it and I can only scowl. “No. I’ve listened to you for a long time even when it nearly cost me my life again and again. I know the answer. Have faith in me.” I then rush up the stairs but I don’t get far as I collapse halfway. I.. can’t move my legs! I grit my teeth, trying to Will them to move when suddenly I’m violently tossed off the steps and back to the floor. Ouch. I can only shuffle up to my knees. “I need a warriors help! I can’t make it on my own.” I search for help but no one comes. Aevlin is dazed on a set of stairs and Kork is busy trying to pull her off them. He wastes time proving my point with the black stairwell and then goes to scoop my up to my feet by the arm and drags me upstairs while Hans follows at last. The dwarf has killed the warrior and I am met with the crystal wall. The riddle said a portal. A invisible door? I go through the motion of running my hands along the wall but I find no hints of passage. I then take out my tools and press them against the wall in a imitation of opening a lock and my eyes widen as the wall dissolve. With the shuffling of bodies finally the party has gotten together again except for poor Kynigos who we are forced to leave caged due to time and our muscles quickly turning to jelly. We pass the threshold but i can’t make heads or tail on the last riddle. A cleric is involved due to mentions of “turning to your gods” quote but how so? The potion is right ahead! Hans tries to reach for it but is blocked by a force field. He notices the glowing glyphs at it’s base and once he places his holy symbol against it he’s able to obtain it. Elation sends me sky high till it’s knocked down again. A hint feathered serpant appears hissing at us meacingly as we ready for battle. My stomachs twists in confusion. Somethings not right. This creature is obviously a object of worship among the omen. I’ve seen the imagery in the first diarama room on the first floor. Why would it go through all this trouble just to kill us? Once again two of our fighters are too quick with their blades. The dwarf and half orc charge the serpent and it begins to scold us. Calling us fools and how we’ve just tanked our chances at great rewards. This makes my ears twitch. Did I hear rewards! F***! “Great serpant! I apologize for my companions! You scare us with your appearance! We will stop attacking if you do not harm us!” “Then why are invisible wretch?!” “Because your f***ing terrifying and I am brittle!” “Drop your invisibility!” I do as he asks and I pled to the two warriors to stop. They do not and thus begins a fight we did not need and one Aevlin finishes cleanly. Thank the gods for potions of strength. “You have made a mistake.” It rasps, then dies. I join her, standing over the body feeling like we just shot ourselves in the foot. We could have gotten s****. The flying scaly feather duster made us jump all these hoops and solve a riddle just for one damn healing potion which is nice but that is not going to keep a roof over my head when we leave this temple. Now all we got is a dead feather snake and a single healing potion. Aevlin puts it on and it turns out I was wrong. We have a dead snake, a healing potion and a cursed necklace making me as feeble as a old man along with everyone. With the danger gone I just collapses to the ground and ask for her help in a dramatic fashion. She answer by bridal carrying me down back to the lower levels and rests me against the wall. I watch her play about with her new strength as she rips Kynigos prison apart. I chuckle alittle. It’s getting to her head. Good on her for enjoying it. I don’t get to enjoy my giant strength too often since it’s terrible for my health. It turns out this is a perfect room for Hans to pray. We’re wizard locked in here anyway. I watch impressed and dismayed as Aevlin with just her foot kicks the door so hard it flys off its hinges and slams into the end of the hall way. It’s seems even magic falls under overwhelming strength. "I AM the knock spell!" She growl, hoisting Hans over her head. I use the wall to slowly climb myself back to my shaky feet. "Aevlin, you're going to give yourself a hernia." I warn her. "I'm the strongest woman alive!" It’s decided that we’re going to stay here while Hans prays for curse removing. “Why don’t you guys head back while I stay with Aevlin.” I give him the most pissed of glare he’s seen. Her jaw drops in outrage. "I'm not going to cheat on Jaris!" He shrugs feebly. "I'm too weak anyway, can't perform." Says Hans thinking he’s being cute. “Fun. Very funny. I’ll keep that in mind.” I tell him. I know Aevlin would never hurt me like that but it still gets me worked up when I hear him even joke about it and he knows it. With Cayleen missing I don’t appreciate him flaunting with my wife. I’ll keep that very much in mind.
Jaris FJ
|
|
|
Post by Aileen on Apr 20, 2020 15:15:25 GMT -5
The Margay jumps on my head, claws scrambling in my long hair as it tries to get to my face. It rakes its claws across my face, narrowly missing my eyes. I can see the others watching in amusement, knowing I've got this. It's not my first Margay rodeo. I hack at it with my sword, a difficult task considering it's on me, and luckily hit it instead of me. It gets one more good swipe in before it bounces off me and tries to run away. Gotta be quicker than that, kitty! I slay it as it reaches the door.
"Aevlin, you okay?" Jaris tries to come towards me but I motion him to stop.
"I'm great," I mop at the cat scratches with my sleeve. "Don't come any closer, I'm not picking you up off the ground."
We finish our rest, and Hans is able to weakly grab at my amulet as he casts a spell. I am able to lift it over my head, and toss it to the ground.
"Nobody touch that thing!" I snap, rubbing my now free neck.
"We could get money for that, though!" Says the dwarf.
"Oh... yeah, we would."
I bend down and pick the necklace up to put in my bag, and stand back up.
"Dammit, Aevlin!" Hans growls, stumbling.
"What?"
"You just put the amulet back on!" Jaris half laughs and half sighs.
I reach up to my neck, and sure enough it's right back on. Hans rolls his eyes and touches it again.
"Alright, this time don't touch it after you've already put it down!"
I grab it off myself and walk over to the dark stairs, tossing it into the shadows. Hopefully nobody ever finds the stupid thing again.
"I'm never going to financially recover from this." I sigh.
We head to the diorama room with much reluctance. The plan is to get Jaris, and hopefully the rest of us, up the chimney thing. The only problem is the hill which knocks people off of it and into the bad parts of the diorama. Jaris gets up on Krork's shoulders and climbs up the shaft with the promise of reporting back if he gets to the top and finds anything.
Meanwhile, Krork falls off the hill, lands in the plains, then goes back up only to get thrown into the marshes and start drowning on dry land. Nylen gets him out. Jaris reports back several minutes later that he found a dark chamber up top and what he thinks is a water wheel. We conclude that is best to take another rest before attempting to go up there again.
When we come back from our resting room, we discuss several plans before I realize we are being stupid, and give the rope of climbing to Hans. He goes up the hill and the rope climbs up the chimney on it's own, with another one tied to it. I do love Mr. Ropey. And then Hans gets pushed off, falling in the flames area. Luckily he doesn't seem bothered, and goes back up with my ring of invisibility. He disappears up the rope.
Some of the crew decides to try climbing the hill and end up in other areas. I go to fetch the wizard from the plains and get thrown into the marsh. Suddenly I can't breathe, water choking me. I'm drowning! I'm going to die, why is it always drowning?!?!?
Using all my willpower I run and get back to the path. I can breathe again! No time to panic about it, as much as I want to. Jaris went up the rope. I wait a couple minutes and then try the hill again. This time I'm not thrown off, and I start climbing. I get about halfway up when I find myself face to ass with a massive spider. I pray it doesn't notice me as I hold on with my legs and one hand and draw my sword. The shaft is filled with the glow of my blade, illuminating the nasty eight legged bastard. It's attacking something, I'm assuming Jaris, but I can't see him. I slash and hack at it as others start climbing up under me shaking the rope, and soon it screeches and skitters into it's hole and dies.
"Thank you for helping, sweetie!" Jaris pants above me, invisible.
"Help? That was all me!"
We get up to the top, and find Hans trying to scare a wall. Guess he was waiting for Jaris. It's all wet in here and filled with small pools.
"Hans, we can see you," I say. "May I have my ring back, please?"
He hands it back to me, and I get down on one knee to tie my boot lace.
"Oh, right. Hans, here is your ring back."
"Aevlin's proposing!" Azgalhak calls.
"I'm already married!" I snap, getting to my feet. "My damn shoe was untied!"
Jaris finds a key inside a dead, calcified crayfish, and then checks a set of stairs leading to a door. With the all clear, we head into the next room. This room is filled with treasure, mostly junk, and there is a huge statue of a mummified centaur. Krork goes inside the room and the centaur comes to life, rearing up at him. I get a couple shots off before switching to my sword. Krork is in a desperate battle with it, and then I finish it off.
Azghalak knocks over one of the urns carved to look like wicker baskets, and out comes a bunch of cool stuff. I go to do the same to the other one, and we are greeted with the sounds of squeekie bats coming our way. My foot goes through the urn and it shatters mostly, but we are diverted by a quick dispatching of the bats. Upon kicking around the stones, I find another crushed silver mask like the one in Azhgalaks urn, some pretty jade and silver hair pins, and a creepy monkey statue. I start putting the pins in my hair as I have the longest and prettiest hair of the whole group, but Hans decides he wants one too. Even though it's clearly a matching set, I let him use one. Whatever makes the cleric happy.
"Aevlin, what about me?" Jaris pouts. "Don't you know what I am?"
"Umm... a woman?"
"Obviously not. Thief, my love!"
"Then get your own hairpins. These are mine!"
Further in we find a funky room of metal rungs on the ceiling, and past that a room with a wheel and lever on the wall. After fiddling around with them, Jaris finds that it opens up the floor. Luckily we don't fall into the pit that has glistening bones in it. After more fiddling, a portcullis slams down in front of the staircase blocking us, but strongman Krork tries to lift it. Poor guy puts his back out, so Hans takes over. We all manage to get through before he drops it.
Upstairs we come to a dead end, but Jaris finds a secret door. This leads us into what looks like the top of the Ziggurat, a temple with bat motifs and a huge bat shrine altar. I just hope we don't have any more annoying live bats.
🛡🍻🍺🍾🍷Aevlin, Margay Queen 🏹🍓🍎🍍⚔
|
|