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Post by Aileen on Jul 5, 2020 19:40:04 GMT -5
By Kord’s blessing I make it back to the party, getting blasted by burning hot mud as I go. I finally come into the corridor, collapsing to the floor. I was about to draw Blackrazor, but something told me to just go back. I’m glad I did.
“We’re not getting across there,” says Jaris. “Not like this.”
We head back to the start of the tunnels, and Hans offers out healing. Jaris thinks there might be a way through to bypass the mud room, but I know we are going to have to cross it. The other two paths had difficult trials to get through, it only makes sense to have us face this. We come to a heavy iron-bound oak door, and Ogden tries to open it.
“It’s stuck, guys!” He announces.
“So slam it open!” I snap, harsher than I meant to.
Ogden does so, and I follow him in. The door slams behind us, and I turn to see we are the only ones who went in. Ogden tries to open the door, and slam into it, but it won’t budge. We search the room but find no way to get out, just nine silver balls hanging from the ceiling. I’m expecting a riddle or something, but there is nothing. Looks like we are trapped.
Ogden starts smashing, and after the first ball breaks dumping gems and a key down on us, we determine this might be our only way to find a way out. The key doesn’t turn, so we smash another. This time more gems, a key and an angry air elemental come out. I try attacking the elemental, but can’t damage it, so I grab the next key and run for the door. No luck. We continue smashing and dashing while the elemental whips up a whirlwind. It gets stronger by the second, but I don’t know how to stop it.
Another globe unleashes three scraps of grey fabric which turn into shadows. We fight them, but the whirlwind is getting worse. I manage to destroy one before the whirlwind is unleashed. I slam into the far wall, and crumple to the ground in a daze. On the plus side, another of the shadows is gone, leaving only one left, but the whirlwind starts forming again. I destroy the last shadow as Ogden smashes another globe. Out falls a ring and a key. I put the ring on to no effect, and the key does not work. Next globe unleashes a grey ooze with more jewels, and it attacks.
I’m a bit shook when a torch we light has no effect on it. Poor Ogden’s armor is destroyed while he tries another key on the door, and we know we have no way of defeating this thing. We run to the next globe. A wand and a key! I point the wand at the ooze, but it clearly won’t work for me. Next globe has a key and a ring, but when we go for them the key speaks in our heads, listing off it’s magnificent powers and telling us we must decide who gets to be its bearer. I let Ogden take it, and he wishes us out of the room. Poor Ogden is struck by the ooze and collapses, so I dive for the key and then make a run to the door. The door opens!
“THANK KORD!” I shriek. “Ogden’s down, I can’t do anything to that ooze!”
Olmirth and I get Ogden out while the others fight the ooze with magic. Kynigos uses the wand on the whirlwind, and Olmirth’s golem friend tears it apart. I hand over the ring I found to Olmirth, and he concentrates while wearing it. Suddenly he shoots up to the ceiling, and slams his head into it before falling down.
“I’m so sorry, Olmirth!”
He laughs, kissing the ring.
“Ring of flying, just as I hoped!”
We decide to rest in here since it’s a pretty well closed off room. Hans gets to sleeping as I do my daily devotions to Kord. As I get down to do push-ups, I see the thief smirking at me.
“What?” I growl.
“You Kordites don’t believe in fun, do you?”
“We do. But we also believe in staying strong.”
“You think I’m not strong?”
“String bean like you?” I laugh. “I’d like to see you beat me at pushups.”
He shrugs and gets down on the ground, looking to me to begin.
“Alright, then. Ogden, time us.”
And so I am embarrassed to be beaten by a thief. I did not expect that. I get up, panting, and hold my hand out to Jaris.
“I’m sorry I doubted you,” I say.
He grasps my hand, and laughs.
“Don’t judge someone for their career choice, Paladin.”
We rest up and then head out with the new treasure and to search for thistledown for Hans to use for air walk. We collect it and then head back in, and for once in my life I actually get the answer to a riddle! The gynosphynx is her usual apathetic self.
We proceed to the mud cavern. Olmirth nearly falls into the mud, but Ogden is able to save him by using the ring of flying. He comes back and grabs Kynigos. I’m absolutely shocked to see Jaris suddenly grow massive, in the form of a giant!
“How did you do that?” I shriek. He just laughs.
I’m next to ride Ogden over across the chasm, and hold on for dear life as one of the geysers goes off. Luckily the damage is minimal, and Ogden keeps flying. With all my gear I’m a bit heavier than others in the party, so it’s slow going. I lay hands on Ogden as we go, and he winks at me. He’s a big, strong warrior, clearly my type, but my heart is already taken by another. He sets me down on the other side, and I wait with Kynigos and Olmirth.
Eventually everyone is over on this side, and Jaris shrinks down to normal size. I missed the horror of Hans and Ogden nearly falling in the mud. If I had lost Hans... I shake my head, focusing. I take the lead going down a narrow passage, and we are immediately set upon by a wight. Thankfully it is exploded by Hans before it can hurt me further. At last we reach another door, and it opens easily when I push. We walk in, and my heart drops. There’s a coffin in here, which means-
“S***!” Whispers Jaris. “Vampire!”
The coffin opens, and sure enough, up rises a vampire. He begins to charge, but Hans holds his holy symbol aloft. The vampire hisses, folding his cape around him as he turns away. Kynigos webs him, and Ogden, Nylen and I charge. Just as I reach the coffin, I feel a cold blast hit me from behind. Kynigos!
The vampire breaks free of his bonds as we barrage into him with our swords. We must have had the upper hand because he turns to mist, and disappears into holes in the floor.
“Coward!” I shout.
Nylen looks in the coffin, and I go to look under it when all light in the room is snuffed out. I can’t see anything, there must have been a darkness spell! I reach under the coffin, and tug out a heavy sack. I toss it into the coffin, eliciting a small shout of pain.
“What was that?!”
“It’s me, Franzia! You just crushed me!”
“You’re fine, Olmirth. Search through that sack!”
I hear something far behind me, but I’m pretty sure I hear it wrong.
“You’re a mongoose!?”
“No! I am among you!” The vampire repeats.
Perfect, I know exactly where his voice is! I move in and attack, and can hear my friends fighting around me. And then, the vampire is gone. I feel around but find nothing.
“Got him!” Hans laughs.
We spend some time searching the room with our hands, having no way of lighting the room. I feel something heavy as I reach under, and grasp my hand around a smooth handle. My head is filled with a voice, telling me to kill giant creatures. However, it doesn’t take over me like Blackrazor does.
“I’ve found Whelm!” I call out.
We leave the room with our treasure, and I get a better look at the warhammer. It’s beautiful, but I already have Blackrazor talking to me all day long. I hand the hammer to Hans.
We gather our things, and make for the cave. We finished what we came for, and we will head back to town and return the weapons to their respective owners. Sadly, I will be parting ways with this party. I do not wish to leave Hans after being so long without him. I wonder if he feels the same way?
🛡Franzia🗡
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Post by dragonforgotten on Jul 8, 2020 1:02:44 GMT -5
Everything hurts when i wake up in the morning. My injuries scream at me and I feel sick and light headed. It hurts to move but I get up and follow the party anyway out of pure stubbornness to see this thing through, greed and concern for the rest of the group members. I may have said I won’t contribute until Hans righted his wrongs but despite how much of an asshole he can be I don’t want to see him or the party die in there if there was something I could have done to prevent it. They need someone who atleast looks before they jump. I staggered behind them and watch as they solve a puzzle and gain a flesh golem for it and then come upon a room filled with boiling mud. The only way to cross is on these swinging wooden disks. I’m not loving our odds. “People are going to fall if you go across them. There has to be another way.” I tel the group as Franzia attempts to cross the mud. She nearly falls off but manages to hold on as One of the spouts go off and blasts her, catch us in it as I yelp stagger back into the hallway my burns sap what little is left of my strength. By some miracle Franzia makes it back. After seeing Franzia nearly fall to her death with blackrazor we decide that checking the other routes might be better. If it’s a dead end maybe there will be something to help us with it. As we walk I fall back to Hans. This stupid situation needs to end before someone or I die from it and I know how to f***king fix it. He owes me big for this. “Hans, we can’t keep doing this gos se. I’m sorry I failed you back at the kelpies. I thought your chances were better if Franzia saved you but I was wrong. You also have to realize that you’ve also failed me time and time again and I don’t pull this gos se on you.” I sigh feeling myself get worked up again. Calm down, your trying to make peace here. “Look. I’ll give you the cloak but you have to treat me better and not like a abused donkey.” “I treat you well!?” I burst out into a hysterical laughter which turns into a hacking wheeze as my broken ribs jab at my lungs. This catches the parties attention. “Like hell you do. I don’t thinking leaving me for dead, helping yourself to loot first when I’m down, or pressuring me into your standards of bravery or bad ideas is being treated well. At least the ground doesn’t known when it’s being stepped on but I certainly do and I’m f***ing tired of it and fighting with you” I start taking off the cloak as I glare in his face. “I still want to be your friend but I don’t want to be treated so shamefully. I want you to swear on your god to treat me as a friend and not like dirt.” Hans looks into my face unflinching arms folded. “What’s the catch?” “There isn’t one if you keep your word. You’d be surprise to know that theives keep theres. It’s sacred. In the streets your word is everything. I will see to it you keep yours. So are you ready to end this pissing contest. I am.” He takes the cloak from me and immediately heals me and the relief I feel not being near death and in constant pain is amazing. During this heart to heart it turns out stuff happened. Franzia and Ogden have gotten themselves locked into a room. I try to open the door but nothing happens. I then take off my magic items, expand and put some muscle behind it. It doesn’t nothing. I swing my arm back to try a snake batter the door down but I only successfully bruised my knuckles as my eyes widen. I have the portional strength of a stone giant and it’s still up..... s****... I drop my size, frantically donning my gos se back in while Hans and Nylen deal with a bunch of gargoyles that dropped in on us. There quickly dispatched but we still can’t get into the room. We need a wizard but Kynigos isn’t knowledgeable enough. Man I really miss Elmarth. Hans and Nylen dispatch a pair of gargoyles but we still can’t open the door. It seems like franzia and Ogden are doomed till suddenly the door bursts open and there she is! She’s half dead and there’s a grey ooze clinging to her! We all jump onto her and manage to kill it as she sigh. “Thank kord! Can you get rid of that now! Also here you go kynigos!” She hands him the wand and my eyes widen. Holy s***. There’s some sort of glaring tornado in the room. Then it’s struck by a beam from Kynigos new wand and the flesh golem rips it to pieces. Wow. I love magic. Gathering together the loot in the room everyone allows Ogden to use his found wish to get his armor back. Not what I would have wished for but hey, live and let live. he’s been kicked down enough and losing his armor must suck. As I’m inspecting the gems my gaze slides over to Franzia who is in the middle of doing push ups just after a huge fight. Doesn’t this girl ever stop? Proably not. She’s kords. She’s all leg bands and wrestling. In a way she’s abit like Aevlin if she had a massive stick up her a***. I must have stared at her for to long or maybe the smirk on my face because she turns to me with a glare as she’s about to start her push up rep. “What?” She growl, her brows falling heavy over her eyes. “You Kordites don’t believe in fun, do you?” She huffs standing back up. “We do. But we also believe in staying strong.” I chuckle amused pocketing the gem. “You think I’m not strong?” She scoffs at me, gesturing in my general directions. “String bean like you? I’d like to see you beat me at pushups.” I shrug and gets down on the ground, looking to her to begin. I’m kind of tired of getting s*** on by kords followers. Bring it on. “Alright, then. Ogden, time us.” She starts out strong as I take my damn time, not expending too much energy. She burns out quick and calls for a rematch. “Fair enough.” She’s back on the ground again and I decide it’s time to show my real skills. I flip and stand on my hands, place one behind my back and push against the ground. She flops to the ground red in the face a few moments later. When she gives up a jump back to my feet and dust off the wrinkles in my cloths. I’m suprised when she holds a hand out to me. “I’m sorry I doubted you,” i can’t help but smile and laugh. Finially. This is a nice change. Humility and acceptance is the first step to happiness after all. “Don’t judge someone for their career choice, Paladin.” I tell her shaking her hand. ——
We meet again mud pit. I’m sweating with anxiety as I’m standing face to face between life and my old friend death who visits me often and through many encounters in my life. Hans perpared a air walk spell and prize room despite its deadliness did provide us a ring of flying. Ogden borrows it and with his help he transports people across the room. I’m not sure if I should just hitch a ride with him or just tempted fate myself with air walk. Both are solid but which one is faster? I feel Hans tap me on the shoulder and magic run down my spine and feet. So far he’s been a very great pal. I already like the change even if I miss the cloak. “Alright. I cast air walk on you. Take Nylen and I’ll go with Ogden.” “Right. Right.” I say lazily as I concentrate inward and expand. The look on Franzias face is pure gold. “How did you do that?” I chuckle and it vibrates through the air as my shoulders press against the ceiling. “I’m not quiet as I appear now arnt i?” Once Ogden takes Franzia and then Hans I scoop Nylen under my arm and walk. The coolest thing ever though I had the misfortune to have one of the mud spouts go off near me and the air literally pushes me against a wall and splashes me with boiling mud. With minor burns I made it! Apparently Hans wished he went with me now since the ring suddenly quite on Ogden and him halfway through the bloody death room and had to use another charge not to take a swim in the boiling mud. We all travel the dark corridor later, ran into a wight but my stomach drops as we step into a single room with only a wooden coffin persent. No! Not again! A vampire rises from the coffin and we call know what to do. Hans hold up his holy symbol, Kynigos casts his cone of cold rod, our fighters move in as we nuke him with everything we have. The vampire becomes smoke as we all filter into the room. I press my back to Hans guarding him as Franzia searches the coffin and Olmarth climbs in. Then the lights go off. Oh hell no! Bloody cheating vampire! I don’t know where the heck he is anymore. All I hear is bloody screaming, hissing and yelling as swords hack away. It takes Hans shaking me and telling me it over, that they got him that we finially let our guard down. Olmarth found the sack which Franzi dropped on him. After finding a source of light we found it. The hammer is ours. Whelm turns out to be less of an a***hole then his counterparts but still one due to being picky with who wields him. Also I’m not dealing with this hammer losing its s*** if I expand into my stone giant height. As I claim the dragon control potion I look up at everyone ecstatic. At last! We did it. It’s finally over. I’m coming back to you Aevlin. ——————
I break away from the party the moment we’re back in town. Finding the garrisons was a piece of cake. Scaling the flimsy wooden walls is a breeze. I find her practicing with a short sword as my heart flutters. He forms a little sloppy, there’s no one around to tell her she’s not in the right position. It’s been so long That seeing her again after the s*** I’ve experienced without her makes it worth it. I take Lyon off and put him away in my bag as I creep behind her. I reach out and lift her arm up. “Your forms off.” She screams and before I know it she’s flipped me onto my back. Well. I knew this was coming. “Holy s***! Stop doing that!? My hearts going to stop.” I chuckle from my position on the hard ground. “Ya I deserve that. Alittle help?” She helps me up front he ground and immediately I wrap her up in my arms. “I missed you so much Aev.” “I missed you to.” She kisses me and cresses my face. “I brought you something.” I tell her and I pull out the broken flowers for her. “There alittle squished but there still good.” She takes them blushing. “Oh also!” I dig through my bag and hand her a tiny wooden horse.... sort of. It kind of sucks. It has a head that looks like a lizard. “Is it a dog?” “A horse actually. I won’t take it personally if you toss it. I’ll get better eventually.” She tucks her hair behind her ears. “I’ll put it in our room back in saltmarsh.” I start running out of things to say as I glance about the field. “So. Im kind of thirsty. Want to go to the bar? Catch up?” “Oh you know me to well.” “Don’t I always.”
Jaris FJ
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Post by Aileen on Jul 13, 2020 14:17:34 GMT -5
It’s good to be back with the crew, and my husband! Training kicked my ass, and I’m a little sad I didn’t get to witness the paladin going crazy over a sword, but I’m feeling good about my fighting skills. Franzia gave me some of her cut for the time I was in White Plume Mountain, and then left to return to her temple. Poor Hans started moping the moment she left. Hmmm.
In searching for new adventure we ended up visiting my parents in Nyrond, Jaris and I had a great anniversary celebration, and then somehow we ended up in Urnst. In the middle of political upheaval.
Drinking in a tavern one night things got a little crazy. I admit I remember very little, my blackout giving me only snippets of memory, but I do know we made some new friends. And our drunken shenanigans turned into trying to kill a duke, and ended in jail.
This prison wasn’t nearly as bad as the Slavers’ underground dungeon, and luckily we were kept somewhat close together. I had to share a cell with some monk lady who I decided I do not like. Pretentious and smells like patchouli. I also met an old cleric of Olidamarra, who suffered through alcohol withdrawal with me.
“Kid, I am your future!” He warned me. “Stop while you are still young!”
I think not, old man. Finally after a miserable time in the dungeon I am rudely lifted off my cot mid-nap and marched up into a throne room with all the others. The duke addresses us all by name, and says something about the monk lady’s temple offering her services to help him. And now he wants us to go raid an old haunted tower and bring him back a rock or a gem or something. The price, our freedom. Obviously we agree.
And so, Jaris, Hans, Nylen, Olmirth, That Hoe, Zinnie the cleric, Hodar and I head to the horribly abandoned fortress of Inverness. I pray there are no more wights. No vampires, either.
🏹🍓💀 Aevlin Jörmungandr 💀🍓🗡
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Post by dragonforgotten on Jul 14, 2020 15:56:37 GMT -5
My head is killing me. I turn over in my bed only to not feel Aevlin besides me. Not only that the bed is hard, smells of meldew. Damn, that’s the last time I will rent a s***y room. Where did Aevlin go? It’s not like her to be up early. I sit up to rub my head but my arms are heavy, the sound of chains echoing off stone vibrate in my ears. Chains!? My eyes snap open as I find myself in familiar settings. Stone walls with bar keeping my in. My hands and feet bound in heavy chains. “What the f***...? I don’t remember this being godsday already. Ughh. What the hells happened.” “You got caught.” My eyes drift to a vaguely hooded man in the corner of the cell, just as chained as I am. A theif, I can tell from his build, his shifty eyes and his scared hands. “Since when? Doing what?” He chuckles. “Saw the entire thing while I was getting hauled off. You and your lot tried to assassinate a duke. Looks like it ended poorly on your part.” “A duke...?” That’s right. We were drinking at the bar. We were approached by a man, start a revolution and we all bought into it. Us a few other folks. I can remember scaling the wall. The Duke was at my knifes edge but... then Aevlin was in trouble. I killed a man. A commanding officer. Got him in the throat before he knew what happened. Then I can’t remember what happened next. What was I even thinking. I’m a theif not an assassin. Ah well. I perk out of the cell and I spy Nylen looking very pissed off with a monk, Hans looks less in a good mood though the wizard seems to lighten him up, Aevlin is having a roaring conversation with a priest. I turn to my cell mate. “So what brought you here?” He holds his finger to his lips. “It’s a suprise.” “Of course it is. Why haven’t you’ve gotten out yet?” “Would if I could. This isn’t exactly the average jail house. It’s the Kings of Uryst.” I can feel my eyes narrow. That’s not good. ————-
I got to know my cell mate well. We talked the s*** about the woes of our profession. Seems his luck has abandoned him. I offered him my condolences. There’s nothing worst when luck abandons a Theif to their fate. I could escape any time. If I can just heat my chains and melt the bars I’d be prancing the streets before breakfast but I can’t say the same for my wife and friends. I’ll have to stick around and hope for the best. We are all skilled after all. Perhaps the king will show us some mercy I return for a favor. Till then I once again have to watch Aevlin from a distance. The guards do come for all of us the next day and drag our Sorry hides to the king. It’s then I learn of each of our new companions circumstance in why they were imprisoned. I can’t help but whistle as I hear my cell mate manage to steal the king jewels. This kid got some guts to pull that off. I may need to recruit him in the future if he’s still alive. Per typical he does want something from us. We’re given one task in exchange for our freedom. Retrieve the soul gem from the ghost tower. Greatttt. There better not be anymore bloody vampires! The creepy viser known as the seer informs us of the jewel and provides us with a pendent that will teleport us all back to this castle once we have it. Something tells me mr cloak and dagger is not telling us the entire story. We’re turn loose and stock up on your supplies. Arriving to the discerning castle walls the next day. A knight rides up to us just as we’re about to make our way through the cracks in the walls. I’m shocked when he approaches me and hands me a letter with the Kings seal! Everyone is shocked and I’m kind of as well that the knight thinks I lead the party. I guess I have that type of face. I am going to be a leader if men eventually after all. I open the letter and a scowl falls on my face as I read aloud the Seers words. Like we needed a bloody reminder. Pocketing the letter we enter the tower. I pray there’s no ghosts. We reach the large iron doors. The lock is rusted and old and can’t be picked. We need muscle. Everyone tries it but no luck. I stretch and loosen up. Guess it’s up to me. I slam into it and the door pops open. I’m getting death glares from dear Aevlin as I chuckle. “You must have loosened it.” She huffs and we see to possible routes. The up stairs clogged by boulders, or downstairs which are rubble free. Scourging the dungeon I open the door and find... nothing. Just four square walls. We check and yep it’s a whole lot of nothing. We continue on, kill a ooze cube and find a similar room with nothing. This repeats over and over again till one similar room something does happen! A rust monster pops into existence! Aevlin rushes farther in to escape it but only for a poisonous spitting snake to appear! Then a giant spider attacks Nylen while Hans pins the rust monster, choking it into submission. I take that as an invitation to chop it’s head off. Suddenly a hell hound and some sort of abomination appears! The wizard has some balls because he just runs up and shocks the dog before getting a chuck ripped from his hide. I try to backstab the mutt only to be side checked out of position by the new eager cleric who’s name I have memorized yet. Eventually the beast are dead bury we haul ass before more crop up. I don’t like this place. It’s far too quiet besides a monster here and there and the rooms are screwing with my head.
Jaris FJ
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Post by Aileen on Jul 25, 2020 20:03:24 GMT -5
The Lucrotta don’t stand a chance against our crew. This place is fairly quiet, but occasionally we run into things. After defeating them, we go into a room full of bugbears in some weird trance. They’re killed pretty quickly after I get a bit of an ass-kicking. It’s clear we are in need of rest for the clerics, so we head outside to make camp.
Things are quiet in camp as I take watch, and I sit listening to the crickets and peepers as the sun sets. I have my bow out, ready for anything that might attack and disturb our clerics. And then I see them- three cats, walking past. They don’t see me, so I stand and keep an eye on them hoping they pass. As they draw closer I see they’re much bigger than expected. One of them catches a scent, and turns in my direction. They charge! It becomes clear as they get closer that they are tigers- not the Margays I’m so used to!
“Tigers!” I scream, loosing an arrow.
My arrow doesn’t seem to hurt the tiger I hit one bit. Jaris springs into action, going invisible.
“Aevlin, dear, please tell me you have silver?!”
I switch out to my silver arrows and start shooting. The arrow sticks, and a very angry tiger turns in my direction. Weretigers?! It’s on me within a second, massive claws sinking into my flesh. I draw my sword, dropping my bow as the tiger nearly puts my whole head in its mouth. Teeth close down on my skull, and blood pours down my face into my eyes.
I’m fairly certain it’s going to kill me when it starts tearing into me with its back claws as it continues to chew on my head like an apple, and then suddenly it lets go. I stumble after it as the two of them attack my husband, who immediately goes invisible again standing over the body of a woman. So they are weretigers. F***.
They sink their fangs and claws into Jaris as I leap through the air, stabbing down into one with my sword. They’re tearing him apart, and soon he drops. I kill one, and then Hans helps me slay the other.
“Nobody has permission to kill my husband,” I growl, wiping my sword on the tiger’s fur as it slowly turns back into a man. “Except for me.”
We end up going back inside and barricading ourselves in a small room. I fall asleep next to my unconscious husband, hurting all over from the tiger attack. I’m sure I’ll be totally fine, I was bitten by a wereboar less than a year ago and did not turn into one. I sleep hard, only waking up when the clerics are done sleeping. I’m healed up, and then we sit around waiting for them to pray for more spells. It’s then we are attacked by another rust monster. Fortunately I fill it with arrows and then Le Hon finishes it off with her fists. Jaris is worried about us humans that were bitten- Lembu, Hans and I have bites on our heads, and we are susceptible to lycanthropy whereas Jaris isn’t, courtesy of his elven side.
“I’m not eating that! It’s poisonous!” I snap as Jaris tries to get me to eat Belladonna once again. “I’m fine! I didn’t turn into a wereboar so I’m sure I won’t become a tiger!”
At last we are ready to move on, and head back to the bugbear room to check the sarcophagus. Of course we confront an ogre mage, and are scared sh*tless but then Nylen and I kill it before it can get to us.
We head into the bugbear room and Jaris and Zinnethar check the sarcophagus. The cleric tries open it alone, but it won’t budge.
“One of you young strong lads, get over here and help an old man out!” He calls.
Lembu and I go over, and we get it open. Inside are thousands of coins, mostly coppers. Zinnie finds a weird flat spoon, which Olmirth and I mistake as narcotic paraphernalia. Moving on with our exploration and turning up with more empty rooms, we at last come to a wall of metal which it turns out the flat spoon thing fits into a recession like a key. It is clear that we need to find more of these to open the door, as there is space for three more. So, we leave this tower and head to the north.
In tower two we come to a room with a beaded curtain, and are immediately attacked by several giant centipedes. Nylen and I kill most of them and then Hans and Zinnie kill the rest. I try to go through the beaded curtain, but there’s a strange invisible force stopping me from going through! Ergo the wizard casts Dispel Magic, and all the beads fall down, scattering everywhere. We proceed, and come into a room with gnolls.
With a combination of shooting, hold persons, web and swords we kill them insanely fast. We make quite an adventuring team for people who came together in prison! Heading down a corridor, we come to a human sized cubicle with a person shaped indent. Brave Zinnethar steps in, leaning his back against the indent. Immediately metal bands bind him, the cubicle spins around, and it shoots off down the corridor.
We have no idea where it goes, but it seems to be the right course of action. I go third after poor Olmirth who was strapped in around his neck. It’s a terrifying ride, but fortunately does not end in an incinerator or something worse! Instead I am deposited in a square glowing yellow. Ahead and next to me are many more squares, in blue, green and grey. The others all end up in different colored squares, and we stand looking about us. Ahead on the far wall is a passageway, and a large statue straddles two squares with his hand stretched out. Warning or greeting, I do not know.
“It’s a chess board!” Says Jaris. “You have to move like your assigned piece!”
“Great! Sounds easy enough.” I snap. I’ve never actually played chess.
“You’re the king, Aev.” He says, effortlessly crossing the board.
I step diagonally into a yellow square, and it glows red. I feel a horrible pain run through my body, taking my breath away. Apparently I chose the wrong path. I jump a few squares forward to a blue one, and the same thing happens. Ugh, I am not good at this! I move sideways a square and this one turns white, but then going forward I get hurt again. Luckily I’m most of the way across already, and hop the last couple squares to join my husband in the corridor. Zinnie figures out he can cross by zigzagging, and then Jaris has to go back to rescue poor Ergo as he is struggling to get across.
Finally we all are by the statue, and Jaris checks it out. As he is doing so, I give the statue a high five. Then I grab the hand firmly, and a panel in his chest opens! There is another drug spoon inside! I take it out and hand it to Zinnie, who grins like a schoolboy as he brings two of the ends together. The spoons fuse together, creating an L shape. We are making great progress it seems! Moving on, ten more giant centipedes attack!
🏹 Aevlin, Margay Queen
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Post by dragonforgotten on Jul 28, 2020 15:32:28 GMT -5
Well, I knew I wasn’t going to finish this fight without one stray arrow courtesy of my wife. I was on a roll cutting through bugbears like tissue paper, blood and guts everywhere. Then I rush in to help the wizard and there I am coming to again, faced down on the ground. Least the bugbears are dead. What the heck was wrong with them. Their eyes were glazed over and they didn’t even blink when I disemboweled their leader. This entire place is unsettling. They couldn’t have been charmed or hypnotized. Could their souls have been stolen by the soul gem? Why did my mind have to go there. Now I’m not going to stop worrying about it. Nylen not here currently. He went on one of his spirituality quests with the monk. Me and Hans seems to be in the leader boots now so I suggest we sleep outside of the dungeon. Hans translate it that we sleep literally outside with all the wildlife and gos se. Bloody hells. It’s fine! It’s fine! Well deal with it. First sign of trouble we go back in and do Hans plan of sleeping in one of those ominious empty square room. I sit besides Aevlin in some rubble invisible as she places her ring on and vanishes. We watch the ruins and foliage around us when we see something. A group of tigers are stalking the ruins. I hear the strings of her bow stretch as we wait. Perhaps they’ll leave if we don’t bother them. That was too much to ask. They rush us as Aevlin starts desperately shooting. When her normal arrows bounce off harmlessly it’s apparent we are going to have massive problem now. They pounce ontop of the new fighter and savage him along with the wizard. The entire camp is awake now as they scream and roar at us, swiping with their massive claws. I’m patient and wait for my chance. If I don’t do something, if I miss my hit them the fighter is going to die. I steady my breathing and focus. I see my chance as the tiger leaps and misses his victim. I rush forward and in a familiar movement I run my blade through its heart. It does in my arms, transforming back into a man as the two remaining scream in fury. I change my posture, readying for them. I know this will not end well for me but I had to. Least the fighter is free. They rush me and I begin fading fast as they tear and bit into my skin. ———
I drift back into consciousness in the lap of my wife, her arms around me while Hans heals me. My eyes fart about seeing I’m back in one of those small rooms again. “What happened?” She tucks my hair behind my ear as it flinches. “You were mauled by tigers. We retreated back here and managed to get Hans spells back.” I sigh in relief. “That’s good.” It’s short lived as I spy the bits and blood on her. “You hurt!?” I struggle to sit up as she helps me. “I’m alright. They didn’t bit me that hard.” “No! No it’s not alright! I have Balladora. It’s not to late!” “Jaris that was hours ago. It is too late. Also I am not eating poison on a small chance.” She creases my face. “I’ll be alright. I’m stronger then the curse.” I settle back down worried. “That’s what they all say.” The conversation ends there as I’m healed back to working order. We all turn back to the bugbear room. I check the sarcoffious, the mysterious lettering still meaning jack gos se to me. Zinny tried to open the chest but the old man lacks the muscle so Aevlin and the fighter Lambu help and push it off. Thankfully no mummies are inside, just a ton of silver and a spoon looking baton. Leaving the silver here for now, Aevlin takes the spoon and we find a strange dead end. There’s holes in the walls that fit the spoon and it clicks to all of us. There’s keys! Four holes! Four Keyes! Four towers! That’s the answer! There doesn’t appear that there’s anything left so we leave the tower and manage to hustle to the next one before sun set and thankfully no tigers. The first entryway is this gaudy bead curtain. Not a second later a swarm of giant centipedes rushes in but Aevlin and the rest cut them down though Olmarth came out do it with a few red bits. We try every way to pass through the curtain but the beads won’t move. The wizard the dispels then and we are faced with a army of Gnolls. It went much smooth then the bugbears as they charge us through the narrow doorway and are then cut in the wizards web while everyone picks them off cleanly. Continuing our travel we come upon a disturbing indent in the wall a head. An encove stands ahead with the indent in the wall shaped like a human figure. I check it for traps but I can’t find anything amiss. It’s just creepy. Zinny has the balls to go first and Olmarth coming up with worst case scenario does not put me at ease. The moment he steps inside iron bands trap him in and whisks him away as another empty human shape wall thing takes its place. With no choice we each step into the contraption. The moment it locks me in do I feel sick. With lightening speed it whisks me away and drops me onto a checkered board patten floor. Each of us stands in a square as they flash a color before becoming white. Mine flashes green. Before us at the far side of the room is a statue of a man with his hand out in warning or welcome. Hard to say. My wife is in the square next to me and begins leap frogging as I observe. She tries to jump to her color only for it to glow red and hurt her. She does it again only for the same result. It pains me that she’s hurting herself like this but I take a mental step back to observe what works and what doesn’t. Olmarth just flat out cheats by flying over the board. I thinking of the checkered board but all I can think about is chess. Could it? There doesn’t seem to be the right number of squares. Maybe it’s because the statue represents the missing piece. Hmmm. Well. Let’s say there’s no queen. Then maybe I’m the king? Or the pawn? Anyway. If I’m right, if I keep the same course slowly then I should get hurt. I begin to step forward and I am not hurt! It is chess! I don’t try anything crazy and stick to what works. I continue going straight unharmed as the rest flounders. I make it to the other side as Aevlin leans against the wall panting. “How did you not get zapped love?” I shrug, feeling rather confident as I stand a little taller. “It was chess. I was the king.” “Ohhh. Wait. That means I was the king.” “You were? Then what was I?” “Pawn.” “Oh....well pawns can become queens if they reach the end of the board and... I walked into that one didn’t I?” She pats my shoulder. “Yes you did love.” She kisses me on the cheek as the pained screams of the wizards echo back to us. I go back out to help him but I can’t tell what piece he was and he’s listening to Elmarth who still believes that colors are the answers. Eventually after a lot of pain on my teammates part they make it as I’m inspecting the statue. It’s just far to out of place to be nothing. While my hands are rooming it’s surface Aevlin jumps besides me and behind fussing with the arm. This causes the a secrete compartment to open and another key to reveal itself. The moment it’s in the hands of Zinny he starts tapping the ends together till they merge. What the heck does this mean now!? We don’t have time to speculate as more giant centipedes swarm near our feet
Jaris FJ
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Post by Chris on Aug 27, 2020 13:29:52 GMT -5
"So this is the Ffenargh? Mile after mile of stinking bogs overlain by a swirling mist that clings to the skin and chills to the bone. Ahead, a decrepit causeway rises scant inches above the fetid waters and meanders its way through the twisted forms of stunted trees into the depths of this forsaken land.For years, these blighted fens have been ignored by the outside world, but now an urgent summons brings you into the Ffenargh, to the Court of the Lords Spiritual at Eylea. A foul murder has been committed. Geoffrey D'Arcy, Lord of Myrkfast, has been slain by his own son and you are called upon to find out why.Death has always hung heavy over this mire, but now an ancient evil has returned to haunt the mist - an evil whose icy fingers reach out to crush any who dare delve its secrets. You who have faced death a thousand times, meet it now in ts most terrible guise. Can you defeat it, or will you fall victim to the Ravager of Time?"
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Post by dragonforgotten on Aug 29, 2020 9:49:46 GMT -5
My god this place just keeps on going. I’m having Deja vu just walking around this place. After the swarm of giant centipedes our archers effortlessly kill we had a run in with a multi head creature. It had six bloody heads all snapping and bitting but the wizard put it on ice and arrows dropped it so still nothing of worth. We did come across a mysterious glowing ball with stuff in it with cryptic words enscribed on the pedestal. It means jack to me. It turns out each time we speak a word we get a host of monsters attacking the speaker. We cycle though the names. Two bloody owl bears popped into existence thanks to Bromely speaking the same time Hans did. They gave Aevlin a nasty hug till we all strike it down and it’s friend. Turns out our reward for doing this is.... nothing. Another dead end. The next key must be somewhere else. Nothing of note to say. Continuous samey rooms and a rest later me and my entreped, loot hungry gang find a large room with tunneles borrowed into the walls. In the man made tunnel there’s a iron chest sitting in the far side with a lock. “This looks trapped.” I mention glancing at Aevlin. Suddenly the room begins to shake. “Everyone! That wall!” Nylen shoutes aiming his arrows towards the one untouched wall as the sound increase. Suddenly a great hulk monsterosity with long claws, found heady eyes and massive mandibles bursts through the wall and begins charging at us. I can feel my head fill with cotton as I glance into its eyes but I shake it off. Zinny seems to lose his marbles. As Nylen and Aevlin and filling the umber hulk with arrows Zinny is running about the room. I stab at the beast and as Aevlin splits it with her sword it falls with a thud. Zinny still having his moment. At first he stops and drools on himself, then he starts flailing at Nylen who gives him a few jabs before the poor beaten man snaps out of it. It turns out the chest is filled with copper bits but nothing of interest except the next price of the key. Time for the next tower! Turns out the next tower isn’t as promising when it comes to loot and we nearly got turned to stone by the hideous green eyes of a basilisk. We had a strange run in with a orb that would randomly spit out monsters. Olmarth opened his trap and caused two owl bears to appear out of nowhere instead of sticking to the plan, causing Aevlin to receive the hug of a lifetime before I disemboweled it. She find the next key and some gold in a coffer. It falls on yours truly to carry it alllllll the way to the next tower. Oh lucky me! I expand and heft it over my shoulder. I spy Aevlin watching and can’t help but feel important for once in this dungeon of empty rooms despite I’m just holding a chest. We manage to reach the other tower but poor Aevlin got alittle over her head and was mauled by grizzly bears. I wish I could carry her so she doesn’t have to walk but my hands are full with this bloody chest. It’s only when we reach the door to the nearest empty room I groan, feeling weakened while needleing pain run between my eyes. I shrink back to my normal size, huffing and puffing and covered in a cold sweat. “You alright dear?” Aevlin asks touching my arm. “Ya.... I over did it Alittle... They’ll return eventually.” She scoffs, a smirk in her face: “I swear I married the biggest child around sometimes. I was mauled by bears and your winded by a headache.” She tells me poking my side while I chuckle. “Well who was the one who rushed in there love? Certainly wasn’t my suggestion my bow.” She knocks the wind out of me as she grumbles but smiling. “Once I’m better I’ll wipe that smirk off your arrogant face.” “Oh arrogant I’m i? I thought I was a child?” We dart inside the room as Lembu nails the door shut. I simply slide against the wall, my eyes feeling heavy. Aevlin sits besides me, her injuries catch-up up to her. “Your mortality catching up with you love?” She simply shakes her head, hugging her wounds trying to be tough. I shake my head. “You look tired. Try to sleep alittle.” I tell her. “I will after this watch.” I simply scoop her up from the floor and lay her onto her bed roll. “Not now. Rest with me. I’m going need to as well if I want to keep my mental defenses up and I can’t with you trying to act tough.” She stops fighting me as she settles down. I pull her into a hug from behind as I nod off into the crook of her neck. ——
She certainly bounced back fast. A little healing and she’s in fighting shape again and antsy for blood. It turns out I’m not only psionic but I’m psychic to, or my families good/bad luck has kicked in. Nearly stepped right into a gellantinus cub after commenting about how they look like the color of that one drink I had back in the bandit kingdoms. That’s what I get for calling on forces I can not grasp nor understand. Everything blends together in a haze from the series of sameish rooms and hallways. We find a complete manticore, not the sad but deadly ones back in white plume mountain but before it could even shriek and roar our ace shoots fill it with arrows. It drops stone dead and we find more coins that are too heavy to carry, a impressive ruby and the finial piece of the key. With the square completed the only way now is to find where it fits. Everything once again blends together. I’ve given up searching at this point. No ones trapping this place, why waste the energy. I reach and open the door. “Alright, everyone get.... Holy f***!!” Instead of the same 20 by 20 room I see a f***king boulder racing towards us! We sprint, running as fast as we can. The boulder nearly grazes me before everyone throws themselves into the empty room. My hearts still beating frantic in my rib cage. “Damn! That was close! They bloody tricked me again! Who’s still alive?” All voices go up except one. Oh no.... racing the the scene of the incident we find him. At last poor Zinny, flatter then flop jacks, too old and too slow to put run the boulder. “Damn... I feel like gos se now.” I mutter looking at the corpse. The poor priest didn’t deserve such a grizzly end. The boulder strikes again. I take out my wine skin. “A toast to you my friend. May you visit our laughing patreon in his halls.” I chug it down in one go before hooking it back to my belt. I look to Aevlin, sniffling from the loss. “You take the arms, I take the legs. Hans can rise him and we can apologize for leaving him to die.” We do that but the moment my hands touch him she suddenly bolts upright, whole again screaming as I scramble away, jumping out of my skin. “Ghost!! He’s a ghost!” It takes me a moment for me to calm down as it turns out no. He’s not a ghost, he just thought he was dead. Olmarth confirms his thoughts as another boulder rolls by and it passes harmlessly through us. An illusion! We ran all this way for a damn illusion! Well we’re here bloody now! We find what we’re looking for in the next room. The key fits perfectly in the slot and it opens into a circular room with soft looking reclining seats. Ummm.... this is werid. All that build up for a nap room? It must be trapped this time. I don’t get to check. Aevlin walks right in and as her loyal husband and protector I follow. This the party follows and the doors close and vanish on us. With nothing left to do she starts lying into the bed, then Hans, then I follow nervously as I make myself comfortable. It really is comfy till suddenly the entire room begins to move upward in blinding speed, pushing me hard against the cushions. Lembu and Olmarth are not so lucky, they go crashing to the floor as I wonder where the heck we are going. We’re moving up, yet there’s no tower here anymore. Oh god! I’m going to be sick. It’s going to fast. I want off the ride please. Wish granted. The room halts and were left shaken and confused with the only way out being a series of rungs too high for normal people and not thieves to reach. El rope solves that problem and we climb, higher and higher up till Aevlin reaches a hatch and we stumble into a lush jungle. The mist is so thick I can barely see the person next to me. Well, I’m out of ideas we’re the heck we are. Are we even still in the tower? Olmarth flies up and reports that he sees something flying in the distance. Aevlin starts marching off and I chase after her invisible. I don’t know how she thinks she stealthy. I can hear her perfectly in this fog. Just as I’m pondering this a huge bird creature swoops down and tries to strike out at Aevlin. A sphinx! I need. To get the others before she gets hurt! Rushing I manage to gather them all only to return to find she has killed the veil spinx. I’m reminded again and again how badass she is. Following the trail towards the last thing Olmarth spotted we not only find more stairs but mother f***ing dinosaurs! Where the heck are we!? The petrasaurs swoop at us but between arrows and lightening they fall off fast and we continue only to run into su lemurs. My senses are screaming at me in fear as all my mental barriers go up. They don’t put up much of a fight. The forest then thins as another set of stairs emerges. A hooded woman tends a garden of flowers near by, song a enchanting, beautiful... my eyes widen, leaning close to Aevlin. “She’s a witch!” I mutter fearfully in elvish. She turns to looks at me like I’m crazy. “How the heck do you know?” “It’s too good to be true. Everything wants to kill Us in these types of places.” “I heard that Jaris! Shame on you! Hey beautiful lady, are you all right?” Hand calls out. The singing stops. She rises from the flowers and in one swift motion pulls down her hood as silted snakes eyes burn our souls as snakes hiss on her head. My eyes!!!
Jaris FJ
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Post by Aileen on Aug 30, 2020 20:56:09 GMT -5
After resting on an island, Hans takes a dip in the water swimming straight out to the coral reef. The shark fish goes after him, but stops when it gets to the reef. Guess it’s safe! I jump into the water and swim out to the reef, meeting up with Hans who has brought company. A bunch of manta ray things attacking him! We have a quick fight, joined by Ogden and Nylen, and soon they are all slain.
“There’s a hatch under the water! Over there!” Announces Hans.
We head back to shore, but not before the shark gets in on some action. It goes after Ogden, and I go after it. I slash into the giant shark fish, and it whips around faster than I can get out of the way. It’s jaws close in on either side of me, crunching down into my abdomen. The water turns red as I realize it’s tearing into me. It shakes me in its mouth, and I black out.
I come to coughing up murky water, in horrible pain. Jaris holds my head in his lap, keeping me still as the clerics do their work. Zinnie prays over me and Hans holds cloth to my stomach. I see loops of bloody rope that I know are my intestines, and I scream.
“Put them back in!” I sob, thrashing around.
“Put what in?” Jaris holds me down.
My intestines fall to the sand, and then I realize it’s just El Ropé. I breathe a sigh of relief, leaning into Jaris.
“I thought that was my guts,” I laugh, groaning in pain. “Oh gods, I’m dying!”
“You’ll be fine, love,” Jaris says, planting a kiss on my forehead. “Just going to take a bit to heal.”
“Hey, look!” Hans holds up a big, bloody tooth. “Found that near your liver!”
We rest some more on the island as Nylen and Ogden comb the bottom of the lake for loot. Hans found a hatch down below when he was swimming away from the shark, and we are going to try to open it. Once Zinnie gets me back on my feet, we take to the water. Hans gets it open, and swims down into the shaft with me following behind him.
Gravity seems to warp again, and I find myself climbing up and out into a circular chamber with a glowing white gem in the middle of it, suspended In midair. The Soul Gem! At last, we have found it! I step into the side, and a beam strikes out at me, and I look down to see my hands are deathly white and my clothes completely drained of color. My once black, long hair is now an impossible pale white. It looks amazing, but my poor skin... I look like a goddamned vampire!
“Jaris, I’m a blonde!” I screech. “Oh, wait. Someone go back for Jaris!”
“Right, Jaris... we probably need him here.” Says Hans, going back in.
Hans comes back a moment later saying he couldn’t swim back. However, everyone including my husband comes in, having not drowned. The gem fires out more beams, turning Jaris and Hans white like me. It’s pretty shocking seeing my dearest friend and my husband turn monochrome. Jaris and I try to smash the invisible force field around it, and suddenly Ogden begins to scream. His soul leaves his body, screaming as it goes, and then enters the gem. His body collapses lifeless to the ground.
“No! Ogden!” Jaris screams, and continues to batter the forcefield. I stopped when it started hurting me, instead trying to orchestrate and escape plan for if we do get the stone.
Zinnie and Hans try dispelling magic on it, to no avail, but Jaris finally breaks through! It turns visible and then shatters, leaving the gem exposed.
“Aright, everyone grab hands,” I order. “Someone grab Ogden, no man left behind!”
I grab onto Ergo, and link my arm through Jaris’s as he grabs a sack. Once we are all touching, Jaris uses the sack to cover the gem and ties it off. Hans activates the medallion, and suddenly we find ourselves standing in the sage’s workshop. He looks up in surprise, but then grins.
“I have been expecting you! Do you have the soul gem?”
——
The Duke lets us free, our end of the bargain paid. Luckily Ogden is returned to life, but none of us turned white can be cured. I’m stuck having white hair for the rest of my life, it seems. Weeks pass by in which I spend my days hanging out with our new friends and Ogden while my husband and old crew go to training. I try my best to get my skin back to a more lively color, and only succeed in getting horrible sunburns and pissing Zinnie off for having to work during his vacation.
Several weeks later, we are in town celebrating Needfest, the midwinter festival. Zinnie and Jaris are having the times of their lives, laughing and drinking as we enjoy the festival. It’s nearly sunset, and my plans of staying out all night partying are starting to fall apart. I feel like absolute s***, and can’t even stomach another sip of beer.
“Drink up, Aevster!” Zinnie pushes my drink toward me. “Need to get your practice in for later this week. This is nothing compared to Oli’s night!”
I gag as the smell hits my nose, and push it back.
“All yours, Zinnie,” I turn to my husband, and lean my head on his shoulder as he takes a drink.
“You alright, love?”
“I don’t feel very well,” I tell him. “I think I want to go back to the house and lie down for a bit.”
“Oh, Aevlin! I’ll go with you.”
“No! Stay and keep Zinnie out of trouble. Have fun! If I feel better I’ll come find you, it won’t be hard. It’s just cramps, really.”
“Ah, right. Sorry, Aev.” Jaris kisses me. “Feel better, love. I’ll see you later.”
I leave the boys in the tent, and pass Hans talking to the auburn haired barmaid. I think he must miss Franzia, he’s always talking to girls that look like her but never getting anywhere with it. By the time I get to the house, I’m covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat, and know it’s going to be a rough night. After vomiting everything I ate and drank all day, I retire to our bedroom and pass into a fitful sleep.
—-
I wake up on the floor of our room, head pounding and totally naked. I scramble to the basin on the table and am violently ill before stumbling over to the bed and crawling under the covers shivering and groaning in pain.
“Aevlin?” Jaris’s voice comes from the hall, and the door opens a moment later.
He comes in and joins me in bed as I curl up on my side.
“Hey... you alright?”
“No.” I groan. “I’m sick.”
He wraps his arm around me, turning me to face him.
“Oh, Aev, you’ve got blood all over your face!”
“I do?” I wipe my hand over my face, and find dried, tacky blood around my nose and mouth. “Must have been a nosebleed. Did I get punched? Feels like it.”
We spend the day in bed, and by evening I feel more myself. Jaris and Zinnethar had a great time at the festival, as did the others in our merry band as we find out over dinner.
“The constable came by this morning,” Nylen tells us. “Those big cats killed three people and a bunch of livestock. Circus people don’t know whose cats they are, so there’s a manhunt to find them. They’ve asked us to help.”
“Sounds fun,” says Hans. “You all up to it?”
And so we spend a good portion of the evening out in the tall grasses and woods of the town, looking for two escaped tigers, only to find nothing but a few tracks long trodden over by drunk festival goers. I spent the whole hunt sitting on stumps and moaning and groaning as my stomach rebelled against me all night. Ergo didn’t even join us, staying in his room and nursing a horrible hangover. Men, such babies.
Back at the house I head straight for bed as the others want to go out and drink. Zinnie is going to indoctrinate Hans into some Olidamarra customs tonight from what I overheard. I can’t even think about alcohol, and neither can Jaris seeing as he decided to stay in with me.
“You still not feeling well?” He asks me as I curl up under the covers. “
“I’m dying, Jaris. Let me die in peace!”
He doesn’t obey my wishes, and I wake up the next day feeling more myself. As we walk down to get some breakfast, one of the doors opens and a shirtless Ergo walks out. I stop in my tracks, breath catching in my throat as I get a good view of his body. He’s got a decent amount of muscle for a wizard, and so perfectly sculpted. That well trimmed black beard is just so...
“Morning!” He grins, winking at me.
I feel Jaris’s hand at my back, pushing me onward toward the stairs.
“Good morning.” He says icily to the wizard.
Breakfast is an awkward affair. I nearly choke on a piece of bacon whilst staring at Ergo, who can’t seem to take his eyes off me. Jaris looks confused and a bit angry, but I don’t really care about him. Ergo... the magnificent. He really is. I wonder what those long fingers can do besides casting spells? Ah, right. I’m married. Dammit.
“Hey, Jaris... how do you feel about getting a cat?”
🐅 Aevlin 🏹
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Post by dragonforgotten on Aug 31, 2020 0:32:54 GMT -5
The fights done, the Medusa dead and I’m still pulling stone bits off my skin as I search her flowers for money, avoiding the thorns of the roses. “How come you never get me flowers!?” I look at Aevlin confused. “Well you never ask! I’m psionic, not psychic even if that slime cube made you believe so. Ill get you flowers when our lives aren’t in danger.” I find a small coffer amongst the flowers and it’s filled with beautiful gems. Nothing quiet like a good find. Aevlin pockets the biggest of the rubies while Olmarth claims the zercon as me and Aevlin hold onto the rest. With that in order we climb up the stairs to be faced to face with our first giant. A fire giant. He starts throwing boulders at us while we frantically try to dodge and run across a series of narrow passage ways. Of course there not only blood sucking bats but bats are on fire. It hurts like a b****. They also are able to sense my presence so I drop my invisibility after to stab at them visoiusly with my dagger. I kill one but struggle on the last one. I’m seeing spots in my vision when Ogden finially kills the thing. It seems like I was woozy form blood loss they all killed the giant but there a hole in to ceiling with a gravity field in it. Olmarth scouts and reports that the hole leads to a miniature ocean with a island, a big fish swimming in its depth. This sends a chill down my spine but I chin up and ask to barrow Hans ring of free action. Now I won’t drown miserably out there and have my a*** saved by my wife. Look up at the hole as I see everyone jump in. I follow through, angling my body for the perfect swan dive. Pain ripples through my arms as I cut through the water and emerge floundering and threshing in terror. Oh gods! Oh gods! I’m going to drown! In my terror I spy the wizard drift lazily down into the sea. Lucky b*****d. I’m about to dip under when Aevlin wraps her arms around a me and swims to shore while manta Hans keeps the monster fish at bay. I flop onto the beach like a drown rat, thankful for solid land. Blessed solid land. In the safety of land we begin to settle down so Hans can prepare for the coral reef. I fashion a hammock out of the thick foliage of the trees and bushes as we rest, snuggled together as we soak in the artificial sun. The hours pass peacefully. Considering I’m a dead duck in the water I give Aevlin my magical belongings to protect her in the water since I can’t be with her. She swims after Hans when he runs into trouble and in left on the beach memorializing her and Hans heroism through and art. Two of them turns into real master pieces till Ogden smashes the one of Hans wrestling the big fish. There’s a ton of blood in the water but everyone is looking good. I’m on my sandcastle five when they try to swim Back to shore only for the damn fish to attack Hans. Aevlin stays behind to fend off the fish while Hans swims back to us, Ogden on the shore waiting for him and Nylen rushing to her aid. I’m horrorifyed when a large cloud of blood appears! I don’t know who’s blood it is and I’m frantically pacing back and forth along the shore, looking for something! Anything to grab onto so I can doggy paddle out there and save her! By some miracle Ogden manager to grab her and the moment she’s back on the shore I’m holding the wound closed while Hans heals her injuries. She’s panicky, believing her stomach has been cut open but it’s only the blood soaked rope that fell out of her beg. I scoop her up in my arms consoling her as she clings to me while Hans and Nylen scout for more goods. They bring back a big haul of gems for me to investigate along with a magic ring from the evil mantas. I’m satisfied in their worth but I’m still worried for poor Aevlin in her shaky state. She hasn’t had it that bad since she was nearly killed by the giant shark. Kiss her forehead while she regains her strength again. During Hans dive with the mantas he found the exit and I have to face the water again. Luckily they find me a piece of drift wood to cling onto while Hans opens the latch. Everyone swims through. Hans finially comes to take me with him before I drown. We emerge from the hatch to a startling sight. Aevlin is stark white, everything about her is white, even her curtain of ebony hair has become white as snow. In the center of the room is the thing we’ve come all this way for. The soul gem! Oh gods it’s active!! “What the hell happened!?” I barely get to finish when a blinding light washes over me and Hans just as I manage to climb out of the hatch! I grit my teeth, clutching my chest. My chest burns! I feel my very soul trying to escape my body but in a force of power and will I didn’t think I had I reached and pull it tight against my chest as the pain ebbs. When I open my eyes again My jaw drops. My skin has gone pale and my cloths also bleached white. I don’t want to think what this damn thing has done to me. It’s not important right now. My eyes lock onto the gem. It is too dangerous for it to do this again. It needs to be contained! For once I don’t think. I rush forward. Trying to grab it but my hands hits a barrier! With no options left I am draw Lyon and to my shock he’s become visible for the first time. Stark white he truely is a beautiful sword now that I can’t see him and my heart sinks as I realize what has been done. I hear a splash as Hans exclaims the cloak no longer works. The light flashes again over Olgen. A long drawn out scream rips through his voice as we watch his very soul emerge from his body and fly into the gem as Aevlin gasps as his body drops lifeless. I scowl. No more! I will not let this damn thing kill anyone else! I slash at the barrier, the magical force trying to repel me as cuts suddenly appear along my body. Aevlin joins me in my efforts, the spell casters are trying to disable the wall with no luck! Aevlin backs off, desperate and hopeless but I refuse to relant. This is all I can do. I will not stand around while my friends get their life force sucked out of them! I grit my teeth, viscously cutting away as pain ripples through my body. Break! Break! Damn you! I’m a mess of blood and pain but I refuse to relent. I will not let this thing harm Aevlin, or my friends anymore! The suddenly the barrier appears and shatters. I let out a whisper gasp of relief. “Im taking it! Get everyone together!” I shoute taking out a sack as Aevlin brings everyone together, linking arms and holding onto ogdens lifeless form. I don’t trust this gem not to pull anymore tricks, wizards are cunning b*****ds when they are protecting there s***. I shuffle the gem into the bag, tight in my fist as I link hands with Aevlin. I can only hope the amulet still works. Hans activates the amulet and in a blink of an eye were in the dark office of the seer. I crumble to the floor in exhausted, breathless from what we had just experienced. The wizard looks up form his work desk suprised. “I have been expecting you! Do you have the soul gem?” I growl in the back of my throat. “Why did you not tell us it was still active!” “Do you have it?” I sigh pinching my brow as I hold up the bag. “Fantastic! Would you kindly take it out of the bag.” I start grumbling and reach into the bag. I can feel the power inside the gems, the millions of souls trapped inside as it cools against my skin. I hold it up to the light and can almost see them inside. I glance back at the wizard. I do not want to give him this. I still believe it should be destroyed but I am in no position to bargain right now and I have to do what is best for everyone. I’ll let this one go... for now. I hand him the gem as the wizard puts his greasy palms onto its white surface. “Congratulates are in order heroes. We certainly weren’t wrong in conscribing you for this task.” “Your gem killed our friend.” I spit with a voice full of venom. “Fear not I am familiar with the magic of the gem. I can locate your friends soul in the facets of the gem and will return him to his body.” She begins to chuckle darkily. “Good thing you bright the body. Otherwise I’d have to find a ‘volunteer’ to place his soul In.” Creepy f**** I think to myself and I hold onto dead Lyon scowling. What a joke. All this for what? A few gems and our freedom. We did not ask to be apart if the circus show yet we paid dearly for it while they have what they want. “Once again thank you brave warriors. For compensation I shall allow you to keep your spoils for the loses you may have suffered. “Fine. I’m leaving to get a drink. Tell Ogden I’ll be getting wasted at the bar when he’s walking again. Aevlin lets go.” I hook my arm with her and I leave the damn palace. I’m suprised when I run into a familiar face in the way out. “Holy hell, what happened?” “Don’t ask.” —————————-
A days later I’m expecting myself with the mirror, running my fingers through my now white hair. I can’t believe the person I’m looking at is me. Joe would be laughing if he saw me, the family would think I’m a ghost looking like this. Joe... I feel Aevlin slide next to me on the bed. “I think you look good.” I sigh. “I barely even look like him. I feel time is robbing me of my brother.” She rests her hand over mine. “I know you miss him. I miss Greg as well but There still with us. Maybe it time you let him rest now.” I grasp her hand. “Perhaps I should.” She begins to twirl her white hair. “Hey, we match now atleast,” I chuckle, bring her close. “Still thinking of dying it back?” My shoulders shrug. “I’m not sure. I may just let it be if your doing the same.” “I may try some new looks. Gives me the perfect excuse.” She glances outside the window of the inn to the setting sun. “You better hurry up now. Your going to be late for training.” “Ya your right.” I agree standing up with her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? I don’t mind putting off my training if your still not feeling well.” She pushes me with a scoff. “I’m tougher then I look. Now go. I’ll see you at needle Feast of Fools.” She pulls me into a quick kiss, caressing my face. “Don’t be late.” “You know I won’t. I’ll be back before you know it love.” I heft my bag and throw my cloak across my back, a scarf around my neck but I linger in the doorway as I chance one last look. “I love you Aevlin.” She smiles, blushing. “I love you to Jaris. I’ll be expecting those flowers on your return.” I smile, feeling happy to hear those words and with that I depart into the night and frost bitten streets.
Jaris FJ
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Post by Aileen on Sept 7, 2020 21:26:39 GMT -5
Zinnie comes to us one day as we are hanging out at the house in Saltmarsh and tells us he has a new quest for us. His church was approached by a small, nowhere town that needs people of certain skills an prowess to help them with a murder case. The other guys were busy, so they asked for us. We pack our bags, hand the keys over to the older Kord Scouts, and head out on our new horses. We get halfway down the main road when I realize I forgot something.
“Ah, s***- I forgot my bow!”
“How can you possibly have forgotten that?!” Nylen looks appalled.
“I have a lot of stuff to bring, okay?!”
We ride back, and as we approach the house we hear loud, booming music. Dismounting and walking up to the front door, the music suddenly stops. I open it and find the Kord Scouts sitting in the den reading, and some praying.
“You guys never read! I’m so proud of you!” Hans exclaims, coming in behind me. “Why does it smell like booze?”
“We were uh... cleaning!” Says little Johnny.
I fetch my bow and we leave. As we ride into the marsh, I’m sure I can hear loud drumming coming from the house.
We ride for days, coming at last to a misty fen. It’s desolate and depressing here, just miles of marshy fen. Cayleen would love it here. Our first night in these lands, only a couple days most likely from our destination in Eylea, Ergo and I are in the middle of watch around midnight when we hear something strange.
“Sounds like... an owl?” I look at Ergo. “I’ll go ahead of the light and see if I see anything.”
“Okay, be careful!”
I go out of the light of the campfire, and see a big black owl swoop down, heading for the woods. It sounds like it wants me to follow. I go back to Ergo.
“Should we follow it?”
“Might as well!”
And so we find ourselves in a clearing, the sickly sweet scent of decay permeating the air. The owl perched over a tree with a covered hole in its base, and looks at us.
“Beware!” It hoots. “Beware!”
And then it takes off into the night.
“Want me to go in the hole?” Ergo asks, standing extremely close to me. I can feel myself blush.
“The h... umm...” I’m getting too hot under the collar. “oh, that hole. Yes. I’ll join you.”
We go inside the tree hole and find a chamber filled with decaying bodies. On further search and gagging at the scent, we discover four fancy rings and a couple potions.
“We can bring these back to camp and check them in the morning,” says Ergo.
“Good idea.”
“We don’t have to go back just yet, if you don’t want.” He gives me a look, and I know what he wants.
“Ergo... I’m married.”
“Ah. Yes. Well, guess it’s time to wake the next watch.”
The rest of the night is uneventful, and I wake up feeling refreshed despite the environment we are in. We pack up camp and ready our horses, and are just about to head out when some strange mist starts coming at us. Before I can even draw a weapon it heads straight for me.
I feel immense pain as it attacks me, weakening me. It hits and hits as my friends come to my aid, and soon I succumb to my wounds and pass out. Zinnie wakes me back up, but it keeps attacking, turning redder and redder as it feeds on my life force. I start to crawl away as Jaris leaps in to block my retreat, but it completely ignores him. The last of my strength leaves me as horrible pain shoots through me.
—-
I open my eyes and find I am in a field, surrounded by various crops. I smell corn, and grass, and roots. The breeze brings with it a hint of rain and earth. A dark haired man, shirtless and muscular works the field, wielding a golden hoe. He looks up, and the realization of where I may be hits.
“Gregolas!” I shriek, running to him.
“Aevlin!” He wraps me in his arms, and I can actually feel him, smell him... he’s real! “You shouldn’t be here!”
“Where am I?”
“The Fields of Merikka,” he says, gesturing to the seemingly endless field of crops. “I’ve been here since that dungeon. I was a bit surprised to wake up in the afterlife, to be honest. I didn’t even know I died.”
“It was a stupid death. Someone should have seen that thing get you!”
“It’s no matter. I wasn’t well, anyway. Here I’m strong again, but I have my debt to pay to Merikka. How did you die?”
“Some mist thing. Am I really dead?”
“Unfortunately, yes. But I don’t think for long. That husband of yours won’t let you stay dead.”
Even as we stand there talking, I begin to hear a distant voice.
“Aevlin... come back to us...”
Zinnie!
“Time for you to go, cousin,” Gregolas smiles. “I love you. And I hope I don’t see you for a long time.”
—-
“Aevlin? Can you hear me?”
I blink blearily awake, feeling cold and weak.
“Hi, Zinnie.”
“Um, hi Aevlin. How are you feeling?”
“Not great.”
“You’re doing very well for someone that just died,” he says, casting more healing with Hans. “So when were you going to tell us about... that?”
“What?”
“You’re a damn tiger, Aevlin!” Jaris snaps. “That’s a hell of a thing to keep from your husband.”
“Huh?” I sit up, shivering as I am now naked for some reason. Jaris wraps his cloak around me, pulling me in close.
“Looks like you were infected after all,” says Nylen. “Your armor is going to be an issue, it seems. Zinnie got you back and it knocked you right back out.”
Well, the cat is out of the bag, everyone knows I am a weretiger. Hopefully Ergo can keep his secret, I don’t know how I am going to be treated from this point on.
We mount up and move on. Ergo wanted to rest and get some spells, but I’m terrified of this place. Dying is horrible, and I do not wish to go through it again. I ride in silence, still in shock but not wanting my friends and husband to worry.
The first town we get to we are treated warmly by the bailiff, who tells us we can stay the night. However, it’s still a ways to Eylea and it’s not quite dark. She gives us directions to the next town, but warns us they’re not as nice.
“Let’s go, I’m not ready to rest,” I whisper to Jaris. “We can reach that town before dark and that will put us closer to the river and Eylea.”
So we make it to the next town, and although the people are nice it’s definitely not the last town. On the plus side, they have a wall around the town. We are given to a family to spend the night, but when we get to the house we find it’s way too small for our group. So, we camp outside.
It’s a rough night for me, I’m afraid to sleep lest I never wake up again or another horrible mist monster attacks. I tried not to think about my death all day as we rode, but now in the encroaching darkness it’s all creeping back into my thoughts. Jaris holds me as I try to sleep, empathizing with me, which helps a little. But there’s another who I would like to hold me. The feelings I have for Ergo are wrong, I know this, but I can’t help them. I’m losing who I am every day.
The next day we get to the river and find a riverboat operated by a bunch of peasants. They’re a strange bunch, and do nothing but pull the boat. That’s it, their entire lives... it’s sad. They get us down river, and we arrive in Eylea at nightfall after a near attack by vapor rats that Ergo... vaporized. His fireballs are undeniably sexy. We finally arrive in Eylea, ready for a new adventure.
🐅 Aevlin
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Post by dragonforgotten on Sept 8, 2020 16:05:22 GMT -5
Never thought my training would take me to the highest tower of this the dukes castle with Discinque as my wing man. Perched on the ledge with the ice and snow battering against our backs, the bitting wind stealing the warmth from our bodies. Patiently we set to work quietly in work to steal something of a higher grade. The winds howl blocks any noise of our work. I hear the satisfying click as the lock to the window opens. Like shadows we slide into the room, me pulling my collar closer to my chest whole I adjust my mask. My partner is a quiet man, a nice change compared to Tim, the green horn wanting to prove himself. As silent as he is the man is a genius at the craft despite his abilities. I feel I made the right choice in bring him along, I’d would expect any less from the man who almost stole the uryst King’s jewels Shutting the window the halls become silent. We slink through the halls, going through the motions. He watches my back as I open door after door into lanvish spaces of expensive finery. We go through each room quiet as a mouse but as avernius as a pair of jackdaws. we fill our sacks with expensive perfumes, family heirlooms, and the like. When we reach the dukes chambers. Discinque garrotes a guard as I slip past the doors and into the dukes private quarters. I find him and his wife sleeping peaceful in beds while my eyes scan their room. Perfect. I don’t Dare wake the pair as I take my time running my deft hands over items of interest, scanning them for value while the Duke sleeps his worries away. I pocket only three things, an ornate hair brush, a golden cloak clasp studded with sapphires, and a tiny music box. Slipping out the room find my partner waiting. “Anything good?” I nod my head. “A few.” “Excellent whitey!” He whisper shalf excited as I glare. “Sorry, to soon?” His clothes start singeing. “Alright! Alright! Let’s mozy in out before we weak sleeping beauty.” Our mischief managed we climb back onto the icy roof with its battering winds. Sliding down rafters and the dusted roof tiles we reach the battlement and take a breather with frozen hands. “Nice work partner.” I tell him while Discinque desperately tries to warm his hands. “Tell that to mi mits. There blocks of ice!” With a chance to look over my gains I reach into the bag and pull out the music box. It’s a delicate little thing. The tiny circular box as a key on it side. I crank it, hearing a satisfying click. A tinkling melody sings from the box, opening like a flower as a pretty little dancer spins on her machanical legs. “It’s beautiful.” I remark watching her dance. “Looks like a waste of money to me.” I hold it off to the dying light of the setting gloomy sky. It glistens in the wind and snow. “There’s to worth then material things Discinque. You just have to find it.” “Ya, ya.” He tells me cleaning his teeth with his dagger. “You just wanted something to give to that pretty thing back home.” I chuckle. “Your Proably right.” Pocketing it’s I stand, hefting the sack. “Let’s get out of the cold now. I have a date tonight after all-.” It’s then I feel my feet slip from under me and I am falling! My heart leaps into my throat as I fall out of Discinque view. To terrified to scream I fall the windows of the high buildings, with the snow and ice till a hand snaps out and snags my wrist. I slam into the wooden walls of the building as I hear my savior struggle under my weight! “Hurry the bloody up! I can’t hold on forever!” A female voice screams over the wind. I certainly take her up on it. I scramble into the deck wheezing and panting from the horror as my savior leans against the wall in the same state. Her green eyes perice through the thick cowl of her hood as she straightens herself out. “.damnnn... that was close.” I mutter, clutching my beating heart. “Thank you for saving me.” “Think nothing of it. But of course. I could use alittle something something for my good deed for the day.” I sigh, I dig into my pockets and hand over gold. “Much abliged. By the way are you two with the guilde? Haven’t seen your faces before.” I start to sweat under my hood. “Ummm... yes we are. Just a different one from the far side of town.” “Interesting... ah well. I gotta go. What’s your name whitey.” I scowl at the nickname, bristling under my cowl. “Jaris.” I answer coldly. “What’s yours then.” “Oh, I’ll keep that a mystery for now. Let’s just say we’ve met before.” With a flourish shes up the roof tops “See ya around new blood.” She tells me showing my sack of goods off before running off! B***! I worked hard to steal that! Bah, I’m not interested in chasing this in a snow storm. I need to get back to Aevlin. I hope she missed me as much as I miss her. With that I continue my treck back to her, hoping for the snow to die down.
————
I make it back right on time for the festivities. Aevlin throws herself into my arms with glee as I twirl her in the streets and gift her a pair of roses for her, threading them into her hair. Then the party truely begins! Zinny despite his lawful steint has become a great drinking partner. I but on a great show in sing and grandstanding amongst pleasant company. As people begin to converge I look into Aevlins eyes and take her hands and hand her the trusty bow. “So love. As per custom of today I have a perposel for you.” “Oh and what is it?” “Hmmm. You see that man right there. In the robes and club. I dare you to shoot his hat off his head.” “Oh god Jaris! What if I kill him.” She chuckles. “You won’t. Your arrows only hit me after all.” She ponders then nods. “Oh fine but you owe me one next.” “Of course.” She strings her bow, taking aim as my arms wrap around her middle. She strikes true but a panic breaks out amongst them. He flops out of his chair, shrieking and scrambling down the streets. We both laugh, tears In our eyes. “See what did I tell you. Now what shall I do?” “Hmmm.” Her eyes scan the crowd till the lock above to the towers were the Nobles watch. “I don’t know. How about you steal me some of that wine?” I tut. “How about alittle grander.” “Welll... how about both the wine and her handkerchief. I heard all the noble ladies have one.” I set back and bow with a flourish. “Consider it ours then.” And I vanish, dashing through the throng of people. I effortlessly scale the tower and I am amongst them while they chat and gabble on about useless matters. My hand easily grabs the bottle and it vanished from sight when I goes into my bag. I sneak behind the noble woman and lean next to her ear. “Boo.” She shrieks as I hop back. she on her feet in an instant wildly exclaiming and panicking. In her panick I find her pockets and with feather light touch it is also with my possession and I slide and scale down the tower as the nobles make a fantastic mess of themselves. I join aevlins side, dropping my invisibility and drap the cloth rag into her hands. “This is for you. And this.” I pull the wine out of her bag and into her arms. “Is for you.” “I love it Jaris!” She kisses me, feeling bashful I chuckle rubbing the back of my neck. “You know what else we should do?” She asks me. “Haven’t a clue.” It’s then she pops open the cork and takes a swig of the wine, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. “Drink this and get some more!” I clap my hands. “That’s a perfect idea!” I turn behind me to the old cleric who’s was lost in thought “Hey Zinny! Drinks on us!” It begins. Me, Zinny and Aevlin bar crawl like our lives depend on it, hoping from tent to tent of specialty made brews, all set up by the finest vintagers. I’m have a great time, the setting sun turning a bright red as I drink and play cards with the old timer, my feet on the table. Least till I feel Aevlin lean heavily into my shoulder, becoming very quiet. “You alright, love?” I ask nudging her as she rubs her forehead with a groan. She looks pale. Well. More so. “I don’t feel very well....I think I want to go back to the house and lie down for a bit.” I frown rubbing her back. “Oh, Aev! I’ll go with you.” “No! Stay and keep Zinnie out of trouble. Have fun! If I feel better I’ll come find you, it won’t be hard. It’s just cramps, really.” She tells me looking green. “Ah, right. Sorry, Aev.” I kiss as she stands up holding her head. “Feel better, love. I’ll see you later.” She returns my goodbyes with a meek wave before slipping outside. “Looks like she over did it again.” Zinny tells me. “Ya, I guess.” I glance at her tankard, healing it and drowning it down. “She didn’t even finish her drink. She must be really sick. The old cleric stretches as I can hear his bones pop. “Hey. I found this in the shops. Heard it’s your brand.” It’s then he pulls out that! Fire giant ale. “Oh gods Zinny! Do you even have an idea what that does to me?!” “Nope but I heard tales and I want to see.” “Gods man! You don’t know what your asking for.” “Aww come on! What’s the harm?” He places it on the table as I stare at the bottle. “Just... one sip. But that’s it!” With convictions set I take the bottle and drink. ———
My head feels like it’s going to split open. I peel open my eyes to see I’m sprawled in the bed with Zinny across the room with a harrowed expression, dark circles under his eyes. “Hey... what happened last night?” “Don’t. Just don’t. Remind me next time not to get you near that devil Brew. I spent half the night trying to stop you from burning gos se down and getting you to running. Gods..” I look around and can’t find Aevlin. “Say, do you know we’re Aevlin is? Don’t tell me she ran off in the night.” The preist chuckle. “Naw, she’s asleep in the next room. I booked another room for you due to how much a disaster you were. She was still there last time I checked.” I hear her then, reaching in the next room. Groggy I crawl out of bed, head throbbing. Opening the door to her room if find her in absolute misery. Head buried in a pit while completely exposed. It’s a good thing I’m married to her and none of this is new to me now. She crawls into bed and I make my move, sitting in the empty half of the bed. “Hey... you alright?” “No.” She moans. “I’m sick.” I can’t help my brows knitting together in worry. I wraps my arm around her, turning her to face me and it’s covered in blood! “Um, Aev, you’ve got blood all over your face!” “I do? Must have been a nosebleed. Did I get punched? Feels like it.” “I don’t remember last night very well but it doesn’t matter.” I tell her, retrieving a washcloth and some water to wipe her face off. When it’s clean I take the excuse to crawl back into bed and pull her against my chest. Immediantly I’m out like a light. Later that night Nylen tells us he’s dragging our a***s out into the night to hunt this beast in the forests. I can’t help but groan with Aevlin. “Why on earth should we be combing through the woods and the snow for something that’s not our problem.” Nylen scowls. “There killing live stock. There already killing people.” “F*** the sheep.” I blink as I finially notice My words being echoed by none other then Aevlin. That’s... not normal.... it’s uncanny. In the same line of thought I run through. Cold, alittle uncaring, with a hint of pragmatic. “I thought you loved animals dear?” She sighs stretched out on the table. “Not tonight. Stomach is killing me.” I sigh rubbing her back. Must be my imagination. Expected we comb through the woods. As expected we find nothing, not even a few hairs of these savage beasts. Eventually we retreat back to our little home and sleep in late. Over lunch Zinny comes to us. He tells us that this place in the swamps needs our help in a matter. Some rich nobles in some far off country, they need help with a murder or something. I couldn’t careless. I bloody hate nobility, I just like there stuff but since this is on Zinny word to his church I’ll tag along if only to make sure Aevlin is alright. She’s been strange. Very very strange. Packing up the horses we say good bye to the scouts and as expected I hear the music and the partying. I’ve known about the parties for awhile now. One kid asked what song I was singing so I told him about one of Olidammara exploits. Seems the idea of free expression and booze may have had an influences in some drinking in the house of Hans. I’m so proud of these sneaky little b*****ds. With the house affairs settled we ride off. It feels like days or weeks go by till we’re marching through the bitter fens of the swamp. It’s too bad Cayleen isn’t here. She’d love this. An air of uneasy chokes the air around us. The horses pick through the path with no issue but my unease are not quelled when we find the first village, or what’s left of one. It’s a husk if it’s former self, nature slowly decaying the entire vallage, not a soul in sight. What could have happened to cause an entire village to go under? We bed down in one of the decayed buildings and I curl up next to Aevlin as I complete my part of the boring watch. ———
Morning rolls in with the swamp fog as thick and heavy with moister and bitting insects. I’m setting up Sebastian when he shakes his head, trotting against his rope in unease. That’s not a good sign. It’s then I see it. A figure standing amongst the mist. The monk rushes to it but it’s suddenly in amongst us in all it’s screaming and terrifying visage. The clerics try to turn it but it doesn’t even flinch. It begins to rack its long claws at Aevlin, cutting deep furrows of blood in an instant as it grow in a deep red color. We try to strike at it hit our blades don’t cut it except for Nylen a dagger. Oh s***! My heart sinks as instead of turning to face us it’s gaze is solely focused on her. My blood boils as she drops to the ground in a pool of her own blood while all I can do is flail at it and hope in vein that it attacks anyone but her. Zinny is able to wake her but she is not looking good. I run, as fast as I can but everything is trapped into a crawl as I watch in horror as the creature shrieks and cuts her from shoulder to hip as she crumbles to the ground, the life gone. I fall to her side, scooping her up in my arms as the fighting fades out of my ears. Li hon joins my side as she checks her pulse and shakes her head. I’m trembling, feeling the world crash around me. Aevlin... Her blood soaked through my clothes and into my hands as once again I feel the void open in my chest, growing as my vision blurs. The familiar agony of being entirely alone in a cruel uncaring world. I’m being shakened when I’m brought back to My senses, my mind reeling and my head buzzing as Zinny drops besides me and ray of hope burns through the despair. The tears break from my eyes as I’m overwhelmed. “Please! You have to save her! Please!” He takes my hand and rests it in hers. “I will try.” He then begins to cast his spells as the shoes on the back of my neck stand up. I’ve seen it before with Hans but being so close to the spell now causes my old scar to twinge in pain as memories I blocked out of my time on that ship echo back to me. Her wounds close up and she begins to move! Choking and wheezing she grasp onto my arm in a death drip! “Aevlin, it’s alright! Your going to be alright!” I tell her breaking out into a smile but then something else happens. She twists in pain and suddenly she roars with a fang filled mouth. Her soft blue eyes now slited like a cats and as sharp as glass. She twists in my arms yowling in pain as she grows in muscle and mass. I can feel her muscles rearrange in a grosteche display, becoming more cat as white fur and claws sprouts painfully from her Skin and nails. More tigeress then woman her eyes lock onto me, pleading till a wet pop is heard and she relaxes back into my arms and reverts back to normal, her cloths In tatters. “Holy....f***.....” I mutter feeling gutted myself. I don’t have words to say or emotions to express. I’m numb by joy and by horror in a confusion blend. I feel sick but I just remain frozen in my spot as I instinctively bind her wounds. Looks like she chokes herself out with her own armor. Another heal spell later she’s turns to us confused and disorientated. Zinny speaks first while I make a convincing statue. “Aevlin? Can you hear me?”
She blinks blearily eyes and shivering “Hi, Zinnie.” “Um, hi Aevlin. How are you feeling?” “Not great.” “You’re doing very well for someone that just died,” he says, casting more healing with Hans. “So when were you going to tell us about... that?” “What?” She says cocking her head to the side. It flys from my lips in such a way I barely even heard myself say it. “That You’re a damn tiger, Aevlin!” I snap, feeling my nerves fry and unbind in one burst of words. “That’s a hell of a thing to keep from your husband.” “Huh?” She sit up, shivering from her lack of cloths. I throw the remains of a rotten cloak I stole along the road, wrapping her up in it pulling me in close. I should be mad. I should feel betrayed, confused, I should feel a lot of things right now but for now I’m just happy I haven’t lost her. “I’m glade your alive Aevlin.” Urgo says leaning in far too close as I practically snarl, ready to but his head off. He backs off but his eyes are still on her. I turn to Aevlin wanting answers, wanting anything to explain this madness. “Aevlin that this was after the both of you. What happened last night to piss it off?” Her eyes widen. “Oh. Right... well we’ll you were alseep we followed this black owl who was hooting beware at us, then we found these bodies under a tree with some rings and a few potions.” “Oh wait! We!?” “Ya me and ergo.” I feel another string inside me snap and the sharp pop of my neck of swiveling in the wizards direction doesn’t exactly sound comforting before I turn back to her. “Let me get this straight. You abandoned watch and you were alone with ergo.” She shrinks in my arms looking guilty. I take a breath and stand up the buzzing growing in my head. “I need a moment.” I march outside in a flurry of rage I expand, pick up the nearest decayed cart and throw it as hard as I can into a building. Both objects disintegrate on impact as I return to my size gasping and wheezing and feeling my emotions bleed out. I return to look at the rings they found and find they are of good wealth but I’m still pissed off but the task of this job eased my anger. The ride also clears my head but the spitting anger inside my boils when I see ergo staring at Aevlin again. This I wouldn’t have mind but she’s looking back. That hurts worst then you can imagine. Even with Sean I knew she never felt the same. She’d tease me and s*** but this is different. Knowing she’s a tiger things start to make sense. The illnesses, the mysterious beasts in the country side, her sudden change of personality that now has become more and more apparent now that the evidence stared itself in my face. She’s becoming a different person. One I don’t recognize and I’m losing her to the curse. She’s suffering and I lack the magic to help her. the fear is more consuming then my jealousy could ever be. I need to do something but not now. I can’t jeopardize this. If I’m hasty I’ll drive her into ergos arms. I need a plan. We reach a more friendlier and lively village even if so many people are worn and old. They offer for us to stay here but we carry on wanting to make good time. The next village sucks. They are even worst off but thankfully we’re housed in one of the residences homes. It’s awkward and uncomfortable to be inside it so we just camp outside instead with the horses. During morning I’m too numb to even feel guilty for eating there small bits of porridge. I catch Aevlin sneaking outside and follow her into to find her crying her eyes out. I sit by her side and pull her into a hug. “I died Jaris! Oh god I died!” I stroke her back as I let her sob. “I know love. I know.” I fall silent as I let her speak incorherantly as I only offer a shake of the head. There’s no words I can say that can make this hurt any less. The feeling of turning away from eternal peace is a emotion that’s hard to forget. “I’m sorry Jaris. I’m so sorry.” She mutters into my collar bone as I feel the tears in my eyes. “I know love. Well get though this.” I hold onto her like she could vanish into thin air. “I won’t let this happen again.”
Jaris FJ
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Post by Aileen on Sept 14, 2020 22:09:36 GMT -5
The Ffenargh is a dreary place in every sense of the word. We are welcomed warmly by Lord Clavados, a fat old guy that’s nice enough, but seems a bit fake. He announces that we are to be welcomed guests and are being given fine lodgings and whatever else we may require while staying here.
“Could I get some new clothes?” I ask. “I seem to have... ripped mine.”
“Of course, my lady, they will be brought to you!”
“Oh, thanks! Make sure they’re fashionable!”
Jaris sighs and grabs my elbow to lead me, but I shrug him off. We are lead to our housing, and despite the fact it’s shabby and outdated, it’s not bad. Jaris and I share a room, and I feel a little miffed about it. As we are getting ready for dinner with our host, there is a knock at the door. Jaris opens it and is handed a package, and the person leaves.
“Clothes for you, dear.”
“Oo!” I grab the package and lay it on the bed, tearing into it. “Ugh, this is what they call fashionable?!”
I hold up the plain trousers and grey shirt, boring as anything. And worn, possibly.
“Well, they’re in one piece. You can’t exactly go out with your midriff showing, and there’s a bit more chest than I’d like other men looking at.”
I snarl, rolling my eyes.
“I didn’t hear any complaints, Jaris!”
We dress and clean up, and head over to Clavados’s personal quarters. We are welcomed in by his staff and shown to a lush dining room, just as shabby as the rest of this place. I return a smile to Ergo as I take my seat between Jaris and Clavados.
We dig in, having a decent meal and wine. Clavados tells us about the murder as we eat, and then asks if there’s anything else we require. His servants are sharp and ready for everything.
“Do you have an Whiskey?” I ask.
“We can!” He snaps his fingers at one of his men. “Whiskey for the lady!”
“Oh! Nice! I’ll take Whiskey mixed with wine and beer for a chaser!”
He repeats my order to the servant, who disappears. Sure enough he comes back with exactly what I asked. And then it’s on to business. Clavados wants us to go into the vault tonight to see what has become of the guards that were sent in and never returned, and see if anything has been stolen. There’s some important relics to the city or something. I wasn’t really listening, as I am drunk.
So he leads us to the vault after dinner and drinks, and we go in. Everything is well and good until some scary dog thing jumps out at us, breathing fire.
—-
I wake up to a massive headache and the taste of wine on my lips. Groaning, I open my eyes and sit up to find Jaris still asleep. I take a moment to regain my bearings and try to remember last night, but it’s fuzzy. Oh, wait... I tigered out! S***! And we have to go to a trial this morning!
I hurriedly get dressed, shouting at Jaris to wake up as I pull my boots on. He scrambled out of bed and joins me, and we make it to breakfast just in time. Unfortunately it’s just an all you can eat porridge bar. Disgusting, I hate it here! After breakfast we head over to the Hall of Justice it whatever it is and file into the crowded courtroom.
It seems like we won’t get a seat, but then an officer shows us to our own bench. Looks like we are VIPs! The trial finally begins, and I completed zone out, too fascinated by the old people running the show. I pick up that the accused Miles Darcy claims innocence, but speak with dead was used on the victim, but they don’t count that as proper evidence, blah blah blah. Darcy wants a retrial with proper evidence, but they claim only lords can do so. Then he points at us! We are lords and one lady, so we... Ah, s***, we are being drafted into going out to find evidence. This could get interesting.
We leave the next day, deputized by the authorities of Eylea. Our destination is a town some ways from Eylea, so we head for a closer town halfway to spend the night. A stranger joins us, a wanderer who stumbled into town and made friends with us over breakfast. His manner put me instantly at ease, a gentle way about him.
Everything is great, our boat moseying downriver as our new friend Trebor Ssor pushes us along. He was very eager to paddle the boat, and seems to delight in pointing out trees and mundane things but describing them in a way that makes them seem the most beautiful things in the world. As we go along, two massive frogs come hopping up to the boat and attack!
One grabs me with its tongue, and I am yanked off the boat and into its mouth. I panic, pulled under water and being agitated in its jaws like a washerwoman’s clothes. And then I change, my armor digging into my expanding body and snapping, bones painfully shifting and enlarging. Not again!
It chews down on me, but cannot pierce my flesh! So it just gums at me, clearly confused. I get out of its mouth, pushing up to the surface with my four strong white-furred legs. A giant manta ray swims in and starts attacking it, and I join in. I can’t claw it but I can bite it, and soon we kill it. I drag it back to the boat in my mouth as I swim, but realize it’s too heavy. It was a good snack while it lasted.
Trebor looks a bit shocked that a massive creature is climbing up on board, but I pay him no mind. I stand dripping in the middle of the boat and watch as Manta Hans and Jaris dive in to the water. Soon they resurface carrying all of my stuff that dropped to the bottom when I changed, and climb back on board to put it in a pile.
Ergo runs his hand down my back, squeegeeing the water out of my dense coat and letting it plop on the deck. Jaris stalks over, glaring daggers at my friend Ergo.
“Don’t touch my wife!”
“I’m getting the water off her, relax!”
So, to diffuse the tension, I plant my feet and begin to roughly shake my fur out. Water goes everywhere, flinging into everyone and soaking Jaris and Ergo. I come back to my normal form mid shake, and am immediately jumped on by Jaris with a cloak to cover my nudity.
“Oh come on, Jaris! The show was getting good!” Ogden jeers.
“Bunch of perverts!” I laugh, going to my clothing pile. “Ugh, it’s all soaked. Guess you all just have to see me naked.”
“What a shame!” Huffs Hans.
“Not you, too, Hans!” Jaris snarls.
🐅 Aevlin, Margay Queen
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Post by Aileen on Sept 21, 2020 22:44:27 GMT -5
I don’t even know who I am anymore. I thought I loved Jaris, I thought we were happy, but now I don’t even want to be near him. I only want to be with Ergo, and I know tonight we must break away from these people. Luna calls for me, and I know he feels it too.
We head to Murkfast Hall following a lead, and arrive to find a half elven guy in chainmail and a bunch of... zombies? With bows. He tells us that the case has been solved and we can leave, but when we pry further he gets aggressive. So I do what any reasonable girl would do in my shoes- well, jumping boots- would do. I take a giant leap and jump right up in front of him. The look of surprise on his face is priceless.
It’s then that I see the other one of him down below, on the other side of the gate. One of them is real and one isn’t, but if I were him I would send the fake me on the wall. So I jump down, landing in front of ground-him. Immediately he calls the archers, having just shot a volley of arrows at my friends, down. They surround me, and I grin at the guy.
“Good luck!” I laugh.
They tear into me. I feel pretty stupid, thinking I’m invincible. My lycanthropy isn’t protecting me from their horrible claws raking into me. I fight the wizard guy, but only hit the doubles he keeps making. The zombies are going to kill me, but at least I go down fighting. The last thing i see before they take me down is Le Hon coming to my aid.
—-
I wake up in a fancy room, my cheek on a soft, plush rug. I feel terrible, my wounds all fresh and open. Blearily I look up to find Ergo and Jaris sitting on either side of me, locked in a glare off. I let myself go to sleep, not wanting any of it.
When next I wake it’s not the nice room anymore. Instead I am in a cell, with the others, and I feel like I’m trying to swim through maple syrup. My whole body feels heavy, but I force myself to sit up. I look out of the barely visible bars of our prison, and see my reflection looking back at me. And then she starts to move, walking toward me.
She touches me, and I feel my entire life force draining out of me. The others all have doubles too, doing the same to them. A beautiful young woman looks on, laughing. She speaks to us, telling us these doubles will be doing our work for us. Aevlin 2 looks at me one last time before turning and walking away.
“Very soon you will be able to sleep forever and ever! Farewell dear old things!” Laughs the woman, and goes off with them.
Almost as soon as she is gone, two gross fat troll things open up the translucent bars and throw in an old man before closing it up again. He blabbers on about needing to kill the other him to be himself again, but I can’t hear him very well. Looking down at my wrinkled, gnarled hands and seeing my lover and my husband shriveled and old, I realize what has happened. We are ancient, all our youth sucked out of us and given to our doubles. We need to find them and kill them.
👵🏻 Aevlin
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Post by dragonforgotten on Sept 22, 2020 16:05:30 GMT -5
The boat ride to the city of Eyia is a cold and miserable one as we prattle along the river by sullen ferrymen, weary with age and exhaustion. Something’s rotten in this swamp and it’s not just the rot and decay in the icy winter waters and frosted fens. There’s a decay so deep that the peasantry is a sorry sight. It makes me wonder what state will this place will be. We arrive and are quickly escorted into the cities walls by a knight as Hans attempts to relieve the boaters burdens with some money. I scoffed at Li hons attempts at helping the people through paying the balif but as kind as Hans is trying to be I know it’s in vain. A few coins will do nothing as a long as the rot stays. It needs to be cut out if there entire country wants to survive and we are not the people to do it. We are simply here for a murder, nothing more and nothing less. It’s not our duty to interfere in the affairs of countries that can’t take care of their people. Walking through the city, I find my imagining were far grander then What I expected. It stands, people living a modest lifestyle within its walls but no matter how it seems I feel the revulsion in me. This? This is the heart of nobility in this country? This is it? We meet with Lord Clavados, fat as expected of nobility. He offers us a place to stay, rather very comfy beds and he even provides Aevlin with new clothes after her ‘incident’. I told him the brambles didn’t it and he didn’t even blink and eye. I try to take Aevlins hand as he leads us to our chambers but she simply shrugs me off and marches forward as I trail in her shadow feeling the weight of dejection. The rooms are nice... just nice though. As expected but nothing as impressive as I’ve seen. I’ve visited enough noble quarters and kingly suites in my nighttime adventures to know it should be better. The way a noble treats his guests is representative of his statues and wealth. This is comparable to lower high class. The silks on the bed though are genuine if dusty and unused. Again, not a good sign. It’s like everything else we’ve seen. Aged, tired and listless. “Ugh, this is what they call fashionable?!” I hear her call out as I turn away from the window after inspecting the curtains for value. She holds up a plain pair of riding trousers and a grey dress shirt, terribly creased. I see she has my outfit laid out as well. Just the same if a slightly more different design. I sigh, my ears sagging. “Well, they’re in one piece. You can’t exactly go out with your midriff showing, and there’s a bit more chest than I’d like other men looking at.” She huffs and snarls at me. “I didn’t hear any complaints, Jaris!” I sigh again and I already feel worn and full as her new set of clothes. “Not what I was saying Aev. Just be glade he didn’t put you in a peasant girls dress with the frilly bits like your aunt tried to stick you in at our anniversary.” She scowls pointing at me. “It never happened. Remember.” I see a chance and I go over and try to pull her close. “But you looked so beautiful in that dress.” She sighs and I see something inside her before a sneer pulls in her lips and she breaks away from me. “Come on jaris. Stop messing around. We have a job to do.” I can feel the linger smile fall from my face as the playfulness is crushed. “Of course. Bussiness first.” I admit sullen as we get ready in a stagnant silence. ——
Seated in Lord Clavados dinning space he tells us the case while I’m inspecting the silverware. Noble murder. Guards find body in the drink so preist casts a spell on it as it sings to them. Noble Son supposedly killed his father with help of a stranger. Missing articfact, missing paiges. It’s a mess. A familiar mess when it comes to this business. Not exactly what I was hoping for but atleast I get to see the inside of a treasury without all the work of breaking in. What really has my attention is the silverware again. I glance at Aevlin to see she’s eating fine regardless of her condition, not a silver burn in sight. Of course, what is up with nobles and having fifty different spoons for each dish? “Are these real silver?” I ask the noble as he scoffs. “That is a spoon good sir. You use it to eat.” I glare. “Not my question. Are these real?” The man look to Nylen. “Oh dear you certainly don’t teach your men table manners now do you?” I can feel the cheap metal of the spoon bend slightly in my hand. “And I guess your mother never taught you it’s imploite to dodge simple questions.” “Excuse me!” “Your excused. Someone pass the salt.” The conversation between us ends there but I’m not liking this. I really need to see the vault now. I’m getting a sinking feeling about it all. Dinner was fine and were sheapherd off to the treasury. We’re told not to touch anything but the moment we’re inside I’m slapping my forehead for forgetting about asking if it’s still trapped. So much for a easy pass. It’s not long till we run into trouble again. The first door i open and there’s a snarling hellish hound on the other side. Aevlin rushes in again and she gets torn up by the dog before I can stop her as it spits fire at us. Then she starts changing, it’s painful to watch every time and I can’t help the chills running up my spine as she bursts from her armor a enraged white tiger, abandoning all her gear to the ground as she runs off. “Aevlin! Slow down!” I huff as I grab her stuff and jog after her. I hate things I can’t hit with normal magic weapons. The party kills the dog but no sooner had we killed that one Aevlin has run away and hides behind me as the party advances on the next beast hissing and snarling. I pet her head and it seems to ease her as the jobs finally done. Hans tries something and my hopes leap up! Yes! Do it Hans! But fire washes over us and his spell is ruined as Aevlin hisses at him. Better luck next time I guess. We start pricing together the clues as best we can. I’m proud of how I held up. Surrounded by priceless artifacts and heirlooms would break a normal man... well... it is really pretty... No! Nope! I grab my hand as I feel the itch, catching before it could try and touch the glass displays. So far in this mess we find a charred body, a empty displace and a broken display. The conclusion we’ve put together is the theif took something but managed to get away which the unfortunate boy walked into hours later and paid the price. Sucks to be him. This is all we can find for now. The things that don’t make sense is the rope and the thin dagger. I’ve got nothing right now. This miles is well and truely f***ed if we’re his last hopes. There’s nothing here that proves otherwise he didn’t off his father. Tired we return to our rooms. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t stop us with the sudden appearance of a massive tiger and the mysterious disappearance of my wife. I lead her to her room as I sigh, feeling beaten, lost, Tired. I lock our room as the tiger that was once my wife makes herself at home, knocking gos se off any surfaces she can find before returning to my side. I ache as I drop her stuff into the corner of the room along with my stuff. I remove my gear and climb into bed, she follows after me and immediately she flops her entire weight ontop of me, wrapping her massive deadly fore paws around my body as my pulse race. Oh gods. She’s going to eat me isn’t she? Just like what happened to my uncle. Will there even be anything left of me when she’s done? She begins to purr, slicking my hair back with her wet tongue as her rough tongue starts from my neck to my hair line. Is she... trying to groom me? She continues licking me, grumbling as she maneuvers my body with her massive white paws as she tries to clean me like a mother cat while I shiver under her. Praying she doesn’t suddenly decide I make a better meal then a salt lick. I guess eventually when my skins licked raw she rests her great feline head onto my chest, effectively pinning me under her bulk. With that strange experience over I’m left chuckling over the strangeness of my new reality. Licked by a tiger. If I hadn’t experienced it I doubt anyone would believe me. The chuckling through dies in me as it gives way to tears. Oh Aevlin, what has happened to you? I want more then anything to have you back. Back to the sweet girl I met back in the bar. Not this creature that’s stealing you away from me. I hate this. I hate this so much and I’m powerless to help. Please, gods. Don’t do this to me. She must have sensed my emotion because she starts licking my face as I stroke her back, running my fingers through her thick coat of animal hair. ...... I must have dozed off after my episode. I’m waken to the sound of shuffling and felin grumblings as I sit up groggy. The suns not even up yet but the moons are out of sight. Thank you clouds. The tiger is in my things. She’s got her head in my bag and she seems to find what she’s looking for as her great head emerges with the full wine skin. She bits down on it and it pops in her jaws. Flooding her maw with booze, staining her fur and dribbling down her chin. She then begins to shift back as her bones pop and begins to shrink, returning to being my beautiful wife. My naked beautiful wife with a wineskin between her teeth as I sit up. “Welcome back.” I announce as she clutches her head. “Jaris? What happened? What time is it? Where is ergo an everyone?” I glare my ears flicked back. “Tiger problem, bedtime, don’t give a damn.” “Oh.” She simply says as I climb out of bed to her side. “How are you feeling?” “Ok I guess, the wine helped.” I simply smile. Now that sounds like her “It’s why I got it for you.” I take her hand, my brows furrows. I want to tell her all that I’m feeling but I just can’t, it hurts too much. “Aevlin. You know that I’ve always love you. Regardless of who you are even What you’ve become.” I clutch at my wildly beating heart as fear and devotion course through me. I need to do this. I can’t live in fear of the tiger. She’s still here. She’s still the woman I love. I glance at the bed and give her a sly smile. “You know. Did you notice The sheets are satin by the way?” She gives me a curious look. I simply wrap my arms around her. ......... ...... “Jaris! Get up! It’s time for breakfast.” I’m awaken, sitting up as I run my fingers through her hair, my wounds sore. “Can’t they wait?” “No we have jury duty today.” Oh right... I nearly forgot about that considering the chaos my love life has become. I burry myself back into the blankets and pillows. “Can’t we blow them off kitten. It’s not like they’ll notice us right.”. I’m fully awake as I feel her throw my bag at my face. “Dont kitten me! Out of bed!” I sigh, escaping the silk blankets. “Fine...” It’s just porridge in the morning. A strange choice considering things. Where has the country’s wealth gone? Even the treasury was spare for what it should be. I’m surprised when I spy a new face eating at the table. Aevlin practically has her face buried into the bowl as she licks it clean. When she comes up for air I wipe it off with my own napkin shaking my head. I don’t have his name down pat yet. I’m just calling him Moss till it sticks. He’s an extremely chill Druid, listening practically puts me to sleep though I’m already pretty ragged from the series of shocks I had yesterday. We’re lead to the court room and seated in the seat of honor as we watch bellow at the accused. I have my feet kicked up, knuckles propping up my chin as I take in the exchange. This is a strange turn of events. Watching down at this pompous young noble surrounded by washes up old diddies is a strange sight indeed. In a strange way I can see this being me one day. Thieves don’t have long lives. Eventually all the fast talking, bribing and skill can’t save you from the gallows. Now this noble is going to face the same fate. We all know he’s f***ed. I’m about to nod off when the condemned man points at us. “Ladies and gentlemen of the court I put my fate in the hands of these fine people. They will certainly prove my innocence.” The court goes into a up roar and I shoot up in my seat suddenly wide awake. What now!? ——-
Well! Here we go again! We’re leaving the damn city back into the stinking swamps as we paddle down the river. Your new Druid ally is taking the helm when suddenly we’re attack by giant frogs. While I’m dropping my bag, becoming invisible to stab the one holding my tiger wife I notice Ergo staring, intensely, at my wife. He’s practically over the railing drooling as he stares at her white pelt of fur and I feel my darker impulses rise it’s ugly head. Just push him. It whispers to me. He will drown. It will look like a accident. No one will notice a thing. But I will. I will know. I argue with myself. Aevlin did not marry with a man who would kill her own allies. She maybe be acting strange now but it’s the curse. Once the curse is lifted everything will be fine again. I just have to be patient. Wait, prove that I will always be her support. Gods, why have the clerics not done anything yet? Why are they wasting all this time as she fights alone against this evil curse and I’m left to wallow in neglect and pain. I pull my hand away from the wizard as I rein in my self control and dive in after the frogs They don’t put up much of a fight and I’m left driving into the river to retrieve Aevlins things as she’s once again has turned into a tiger due to stress. Just as me and Hans finish the retrieve he looks back at me. “Since when did you learn how to swim?” I cast my eyes down to the deck. “Aevlin taught me.” I say simply as I join her side feeling the spikes of rage as Ergo tries to puts his hands on her. I glare at him and I hope my murderous intent is clear in my eyes. “Cut it out.” “Cut what out?” “This your last warning.” I finish as I return to my invisible state. “Is he your invisible stalker?” Bob moss asks Aevlin as she changes back. “No, that’s my husband.” I take pause as I look back at him. Stalker? I’m not- sigh. It’s not like that. The rest of the river ride is quiet thanks to ergos flaming fireballs burning up anything we run into. It’s between the lull that I spot them. He and Aevlin and close together, too close. I can see the way she looks at him. I turn away, feeling a cold blade through my chest. It hurts. And I’m powerless to stop this. Always powerless. Always losing the things I cherish the moment I find a silver of happiness in my life. She promised she’d never hurt me. That we’d always be together. I could face anything if we were together but this... how much longer can I stand before I break. I tell myself it’s the curse but knowing it’s a curse doesn’t make the pain hurt any less. I have to wipe the tears but they won’t stop. The anger buckles under itself and falls into despair. I’m just glade I’m invisible. The last thing I want is for the group to see me like this. ———-
We find a shambling mound in our investigation. The heartache continues. Every time I move to stand besides her she backs away from me and retreats to ergos company. Each instance is a slow poison to my soul. Aevlin once again almost shot me with an arrow again but I kind of wish she had. It’s killed and we tried to raise one of the villagers form the dead to tell us what happened but even he doesn’t want to come back to life. Man, there life here much be so desperate if not even a free offer to come back will is taken up. I look to the sky and can see the moons, one of them nearing its fullest moment. Soon she’ll turn into that beats again. She’ll kill again. What are the clerics going to do? Once we reach a village I grab a fist full of Hans robes and drag him behind a building out of ear shot. “I can’t take this Han.” I tell him dropping to my knees. “I’m losing her and I’m dying inside watching it all play out. We need to cure her.” He won’t look me in the eye. He prances about, telling me it’s not time yet, giving me excuses. I clutch at his robes tighter, head bowed. “I’m begging you Hans. I’m on my hands and knees in the dirt begging you because I’m such a waste of a man who can’t even help their own wife all the while I lose her more and more each day to this f***ing curse while she carve out my heart. Even if she grew to hate me after this I just want her free from the tiger. Then I can know if it is just the curse or if she has moved on from me. I’m begging you as a friend, as her friend! Save her!” He falls silent and moves from my hands. “Jaris, I don’t know yet. There’s too much going on. I know it’s hard but you must be patient. We can’t risk deviding the group in the middle of a mission. Well sort this out but not in the swamps. If I undid the curse now she’ll be in more danger without her armor. I already jumped the gun once and broke that trust. I’m trying to build that trust back so I can help her. Just be patient.” I fall silent, feeling gutted as he pats my shoulder and rejoins the group. I know what Zinny will say. He’ll tell me the same thing. Why does no one give a f*** besides me? I think to myself pulling my pieces together as I stand up and return to invisiblity. I’m truely on my own with this. I glare at the moon, wishing I could destory it. If no one will help me I will find a way. I won’t give up, she wouldn’t if this was me. I can’t give up no matter how much it hurts or how much I want to. ——————
A manor appears from the mud and fog of the fens. Zombies surround the outter walls as a half elf stand above it all. He tells us to leave but we’re stubborn b*****ds and Aevlin being Aevlin jumps without thinking onto the battlement. The half elf on the wall turns out to be a illusion because she then jumps down into the heart of the keep itself. The arrows fly as I try to get into position and gut these zombies but they are stronger then they appear. They are not normal. Only magic can cut them and poor Ogden is left bashing them around to little effect. The shadow dogs rush in on Ergo and I watch as it bits him but but the wounds instantly heal. He’s bloody one to! He’s cursed! It all makes sense now but that doesn’t make my plans to free Aevlin of it any easier. Li hon scales the walls but I’m getting nervous. It’s been some time. She should be back by now. Somethings happened. I resheath Lyon and look to Hans. “I’m going to expand! We need to get over this bloody wall!” I concentrate and soon find myself looking into the keep from the upper wall. “There taking Aevlin! Li Hons been fallen, killed!” I’m about to rush the door when a green cloud suddenly materializes over us. I gag and wheeze trying to breath. I just manage to stagger out and regain my breath but urgo isn’t so lucky. He’s left choking in the cloud, helpless but he’s the least of my worries. I pick everyone up one by one but the half elf wizard Does it again. He casts a spell and everything because a massive pain in the a***. Everything is going slow. I don’t have time to play lift to everyone. The cloud is dispelled and I take the opportunity to slowly and loudly pull the door down as I step in. I rush, running as fast as I can. A army of zombies ahead of me. I just need to get close! Close enough to grab him! To stop the madness. I finally make it outside the slow but the wizard grabs Aevlin by the scruff of her tattered collar. “Surrender now and you all may live!” He calls out and I stop, taking in my surroundings for the first time. Nylen is down, Li hons dead and Aevlin is in his slimy hands with 20 zombies guarding him. He’s holding all the cards and we are left with a empty hand. Even if I act the hero and grab him the zombies will kill me. My new height doesn’t mean I can take more hits. There’s no choice. “I surrender.” Zinny calls as he tosses down his mace. The rest of my group fallows. We already lost one today, we can’t lose anymore.. I can’t lose Aevlin. “You to invisible giant. Do you surrender?” I was hoping he wouldn’t catch on. Was hoping the door could be waved off as magic to his eyes but it is what it is. I reveal myself and release the burning energy in my core as I shrink to my normal size. “You win. Just don’t hurt her.” ———-
They take us to the stony dungeon, locking us all in the same large cell. As the moon rises Aevlin because the white beast again but ergo also finially reveals his cursed nature. The b****d won’t let me near her the entire night. Seeing them like this only makes me grieve with pain. It should have been me. I should have been me if it wasn’t for my elven heritage. I was torn apart by those beasts while he got a scratch. I should have pushed more for the balladora. Aevlin only feels this way to her because he’s also a tiger, that is all. I wish painfully to be cursed as well. Then I could fight ergo, then she’d love me again. When the night passes and she returns to human form I join her side, holding her hand while she sleeps as ergo rests against her other side in a similar state... atleast there’s one more night she won’t have to feel the burden of killing an innorcent soul. ——
I jolt awake as I find we’re in a new cell with bars of energy keeping us in place. I must have nodded off. What is going on here? Where are we? My body feels like lead. Suddenly I spy it. My reflection leers at me and comes closer, reaching out to touch me. All our reflections do. Try to escape it but there is no escape. It’s grasps onto me and pulls at a unseen force inside me. It draws long painful screams form all of us as I feel my very life blood into its grasps, becoming tangiable. Our screams vibrate through the cage that deafen me. The others grow silent but me and Nylen scream as we have more years to steal away then the humans. When it’s over I collapse to the ground, feeling like hundreds of years have fallen into me and crush me. When my eyes focus I stare up weakly from the floor and into my own face, devoid of any emotion as he watches me with head tilted to the side. The horror grows in me as I look down to find that under my leather gauntlets are not the hands I remember the the waiter gnarled hands of a senior, practically curled like raven talons against the dark cracked leather. My hair lays at my feet and as my eyes sweep around us I find everyone has changed, aged and withered. Including poor Aevlin who weeps in despair. My ears swivel trying to hear but it’s like someone has wedged cheese into them. Sound is muffled. I turn my gaze back to my twisted parasitic reflection, a impossibly beautiful woman standing besides him as she runs her hands each of our doubles. Aevlin tears, the stolen 300 years. A wave of anger crashes into me and I snarl. “You b****!!” I slam against the bars, trying to grab at my reflection with murderous intent as two abominations step into the room. They toss a feeble old man into our prison. He babbles nonsense and strange truths as the weight of our situation crashes in on all of us. Unless we can reclaim our youth we are going to die in a few days time, I can feel it in the new weight of my bones. This body is a walking skeleton waiting to die! “Very soon you will be able to sleep forever and ever! Farewell dear old things!” Laughs the woman, and our younger doubles follow. We are left her, husks if our selves but I glare on and on where my clone had stood, feeling the gaping emptiness of what he stole. The prices of my non magic equipment, Aevlin tears, my own pitifully appearance makes me angry. Impossibly so. No one steal from me. No one. She’ll feel my wrath.
Jaris FJ
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