Talos watched the small group as a gruff man told tales to a younger audience. The expression on Talos' face was a common one, curiosity. It reminded Talos of how the first stories were told to the first people. Talos remembered how the first native people of the world learned how to communicate through story telling, and how it had continued down through the ages. Talos had been there for every story, heard every word, and saw the expression of the yearning to understand on the faces of all those listening.
Talos remembered one story in particular. The story circulated around the time that the world was created, and the oceans still were crimson red, running like blood through a vast network, giving life to things of all sorts. The story told of how Talos came into exsistence when the tear fell to the ground, and how life sprang up like a beautiful blossom of red geraniums under the glowing sun. It was the first time Talos had heard anything about itself, and never had it been so joyful. Stories, as Talos had experienced through all of time, are made to remember something important. Talos loved the story of itself, and gave good fortune to those who had heard it. As time passed, the story of Talos hadn't been told as much as it had before, and Talos grew disturbed. Talos searched throughout the world, until it heard it's story being told. Speaking with a weak and sickly voice, an old man spoke the story of Talos to his grandson, a strong looking young man. Talos listened, it had a smile upon it's face, happy to be hearing of itself amongst the people it loves once again. As the story reached it's conclusion, Talos noticed it had stopped. With saddened eyes, Talos looked over at the old man, only to see he was bleeding out of his heart. Pierced inside of him, was a dagger. The hand holding the dagger was shaky, and the face on the weilder looked terrified. It was the grandson. He had killed the old man out of greed and hatred, for the old man was wealthy. Talos remained there, suspeneded in the air, wondering how evil a spirit would have to be to murder it's own kin. Talos had seen death before, but this was a different kind of death, it was the death of the memory of Talos.
Looking back to the gruff man, Talos saw he was a captain of a ship, and that the group listening to him was a small party of adventurers looking to lift a curse from the tomb they were at. Talos liked their eagerness, and sensed a strong spirit amongst them, especially as the man Talos knew as Rial. Talos had been following Rial for quite some time, feeling his uniquness, his wanting to be something in this world. Talos then prepared to do something it hadn't done in a very long time...
Talos changed it's appearance into a young girl. She was garmented in tattered rags, and her long red hair draped down to her chest. She un-phase shifted and appeared as a normal little girl among the party. Rial was the first to notice her.
Rial: Hey! You, little girl. How did you get in he-
Before Rial could finish, Talos made a motion with her tiny hands, she wanted them to follow her. Talos, being mute, found it hard to motion them to follow her, but this appearantly had worked. The entire party was chasing after her in an instant, calling her and asking where she is going, slow down, and other things like that. Talos lead them around several corners, and through a passage only a finely trained eye could detect. She ran down one last flight of stairs, and around a corner. Rial, being in the front of the whole chase scene, reached to grab her shirt, and got caught of it as she turned the corner. However, as he and the group turned the corner, the girl was gone, and Rial found himself grabbing thin air. It wasn't the biggest loss however, for they now found themselves in a secret place beneath the tomb. The group stopped to catch a breath and wondered if the girl they just saw was real, or just a phantom. The thought was quickly regarded as useless, because the real matter at hand now, was getting through this maze-looking cavern, and stopping the curse.
[ June 11, 2004, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: Yasa, Fist of Krosa ]
Ultimate RPG: Glory
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Blake
- Member
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: A generic place such as a house
- Contact:
OOC: Although Truke isn't here, I'll help roleplay through this so that we can continue. After this make a post please!!!!!
----------------------------
The group inside the tomb scanned the room for anything useful, although moments later, the entrance from which they had entered slammed shut.
"Damnit," grumbled Raen as he took another look at the room again for any exits.
As everyone stood in silence for the next few moments, the torches that hung on the walls had been mysteriously blown out, leaving the group in a completely dark room, but not for long. Another spirit appeared in the center of the room and everyone backed up a few feet. The spirit resembled a human, a high-ranked official of some kind. The white spirit lit the room up quite brightly during his presence.
"What are you guys doing here? I can't believe you followed 'her' of all people!" exclaimed the general. "Oh well, she only brought me a handful of warriors with her. She might as well enjoy the show."
The general disappeared just at that moment, leaving the room in darkness again. Two skeletal warriors appeared seconds later, one weilding a sword and shield, the other a gigantic battle axe. The group took their weapons out and got ready to fight.
The first swordsman undead warrior charged at Rial. Rial blocked the undead warrior's attacks with ease, but all his hits landed on the warrior's shield. The second warrior slammed his axe into the ground, but Raen managed to dodge by just a slight inch. Raen showed no look of surprise as he nearly died again, and began fighting.
Kerlea charged at the swordsman, aiding Rial while trying to land some hits on the skeletal swordsman. The undead warrior had less focus on Rial, and focused more on Kerlea. Taking the opportunity, Rial thrusted his short sword into the undead warrior's right shoulder, but it appeared it had done no harm to the warrior. The warrior turned around and knocked Rial down on the ground back a few feet.
In the meantime, the captain just stayed next to Aeros and watched the battle while grinning, although not the captain's wisest choice. The undead axeman sent Raen on the ground at that moment and almost killed him, but Aeros quickly took action and used a wind spell to slam the axeman against the wall. The axeman dropped his axe as he hit the stone wall with some force and begins charging a fireball. Aeros quickly ran over and took an un-lit torch from one of the walls and held it in his staff-free hand. The axeman aimed the fireball directly at Aeros and the captain. Aeros used another spell, however, to slow down the speed of the fireball, and managed to catch it with the torch, setting the torch on fire again. The captain, seeing his life flash before his eyes, gets serious, and joins the fray.
Rial and Kerlea back up towards a corner of the room, while they slashed madly at the undead warrior. Just as Rial was about to be impaled, Kerlea swings her sword high, and cuts off the undead warrior's head. The warrior fell down instantly.
The captain joined Raen with the axeman as soon as Aeros saved his life. While the captain charges, the axeman takes the captain by the neck with his hand and begins choking him. Raen backed off a bit, attempting to reach the warrior's arm to free the captian, but he couldn't get any closer without getting grabbed himself. Aeros takes this opportunity and slamed the axeman against the wall once more, and the axeman ended up dropping the captain. The captain took and thrusts his sword into the warrior's chest while Raen finished the axeman off by decapitating him.
The group sighed in relief after killing the warriors and rested a few moments.
"Perhaps this matter be more serious than I thought." said the Captain a few moments later. "One thing I forgot to tell ya mates is that undead warriors can die of only three ways. One, by decapitation; two, from fire or incineration; or three by holy magic."
"Well next battle should be simpler," said Aeros as he took more torches and lit one for each of the members to use against any upcoming warriors.
Rial spoke a few moments later after everyone received a torch. "Well, there's only one way to get through this maze, and standin' here won't do us any good!"
[ June 12, 2004, 01:22 PM: Message edited by: Guy That Goes To The Roleplay Forum ]
----------------------------
The group inside the tomb scanned the room for anything useful, although moments later, the entrance from which they had entered slammed shut.
"Damnit," grumbled Raen as he took another look at the room again for any exits.
As everyone stood in silence for the next few moments, the torches that hung on the walls had been mysteriously blown out, leaving the group in a completely dark room, but not for long. Another spirit appeared in the center of the room and everyone backed up a few feet. The spirit resembled a human, a high-ranked official of some kind. The white spirit lit the room up quite brightly during his presence.
"What are you guys doing here? I can't believe you followed 'her' of all people!" exclaimed the general. "Oh well, she only brought me a handful of warriors with her. She might as well enjoy the show."
The general disappeared just at that moment, leaving the room in darkness again. Two skeletal warriors appeared seconds later, one weilding a sword and shield, the other a gigantic battle axe. The group took their weapons out and got ready to fight.
The first swordsman undead warrior charged at Rial. Rial blocked the undead warrior's attacks with ease, but all his hits landed on the warrior's shield. The second warrior slammed his axe into the ground, but Raen managed to dodge by just a slight inch. Raen showed no look of surprise as he nearly died again, and began fighting.
Kerlea charged at the swordsman, aiding Rial while trying to land some hits on the skeletal swordsman. The undead warrior had less focus on Rial, and focused more on Kerlea. Taking the opportunity, Rial thrusted his short sword into the undead warrior's right shoulder, but it appeared it had done no harm to the warrior. The warrior turned around and knocked Rial down on the ground back a few feet.
In the meantime, the captain just stayed next to Aeros and watched the battle while grinning, although not the captain's wisest choice. The undead axeman sent Raen on the ground at that moment and almost killed him, but Aeros quickly took action and used a wind spell to slam the axeman against the wall. The axeman dropped his axe as he hit the stone wall with some force and begins charging a fireball. Aeros quickly ran over and took an un-lit torch from one of the walls and held it in his staff-free hand. The axeman aimed the fireball directly at Aeros and the captain. Aeros used another spell, however, to slow down the speed of the fireball, and managed to catch it with the torch, setting the torch on fire again. The captain, seeing his life flash before his eyes, gets serious, and joins the fray.
Rial and Kerlea back up towards a corner of the room, while they slashed madly at the undead warrior. Just as Rial was about to be impaled, Kerlea swings her sword high, and cuts off the undead warrior's head. The warrior fell down instantly.
The captain joined Raen with the axeman as soon as Aeros saved his life. While the captain charges, the axeman takes the captain by the neck with his hand and begins choking him. Raen backed off a bit, attempting to reach the warrior's arm to free the captian, but he couldn't get any closer without getting grabbed himself. Aeros takes this opportunity and slamed the axeman against the wall once more, and the axeman ended up dropping the captain. The captain took and thrusts his sword into the warrior's chest while Raen finished the axeman off by decapitating him.
The group sighed in relief after killing the warriors and rested a few moments.
"Perhaps this matter be more serious than I thought." said the Captain a few moments later. "One thing I forgot to tell ya mates is that undead warriors can die of only three ways. One, by decapitation; two, from fire or incineration; or three by holy magic."
"Well next battle should be simpler," said Aeros as he took more torches and lit one for each of the members to use against any upcoming warriors.
Rial spoke a few moments later after everyone received a torch. "Well, there's only one way to get through this maze, and standin' here won't do us any good!"
[ June 12, 2004, 01:22 PM: Message edited by: Guy That Goes To The Roleplay Forum ]
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Prince Toad
- Member
- Posts: 11642
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: Rookery
- Contact:
OOC: ^Dude... uh... mind the tense changes. You went from past to present to past again. But thanks anyway.
IC:
The group passed through another corridor. It seemed as though they had gone for hours without finding any semblance of a shift in the hopeless labyrinth they had entered so carelessly. The only slight alteration they could remember was a narrowing in the passage that had resulted in them being forced to go single-file. Raen, as ever, led the way, followed by the knight, the mage, the bard, and the gruff captain at the rear.
Raen: Dammit. I'm hungry, and we've been walking for how long? without any sign of change. If we're just going to keep strutting along and turning every so often, how do you think we'll get out of here?
Rial: What do you want us to do, sit down and wait for the axe to come to us? We don't even know where this damn maze leads, but by Zade we'll see it through and find the end.
Raen: Wait... this could help.
Raen reached into his pocketbelt and withdrew his dull gray Orb.
Captain: What's that, some kinda crystal ball?
Aeros: A Magic Orb. You must have seen them before...
Captain: Ah yes, one o' me mates used to use one o' them to bring me good trade winds. 'Twas more of a pinkish color though.
Aeros: Assuredly. An Air-element Orb, as is mine. *shows captain his Orb*
Captain: Aye, that's the one. Why's that one gray though? Does it bring storm clouds to yer rivals?
Raen: Not quite, cap'n. It clears up your mind so you can know what you're doing before you do it. Helps you think.
Rial: You surely don't use it too often, then...
Raen: Quiet, bard. Clarity!
The same crystal psyche that had guided them to safety at the Black Cat returned, with a pleasing familiarity. The five continued down the hallway until they reached an intersection. They paused to examine their memories, but each was much the same as the last. Shortly, a thought occurred to Kerlea.
Kerlea: Why don't we just put some marker down showing the path we took? When we return to an intersection we'll know we've been there, and where to continue moving.
Rial: Bright idea, Kerlea. What can we use?
Raen: Some splinters, perhaps? I've an idea on what we could make them out of...
Rial: This lute is a precious artifact, passed down from Galyeon himself. Keep your mad eyes away.
Aeros: We wouldn't be able to pick up that kind of sign anyway. Here, cut strips off of my sleeves. I can get a new robe, but we'll have to get out first.
Captain: Aye. Let me.
Aeros turned, and the captain slowly drew out his cutlass. Rial, briefly concerned, reached back and casually placed his hands on the hilts of his swords, but the captain simply slashed several little white shreds from Aeros' robe sleeves. After collecting a sufficient supply, he handed them up the line to Raen, who was leaning against one of the stone walls. They set out.
Another hour passed. They had been executing Kerlea's plan as detailed, but somehow had never come upon one of the white cloth bits again. Finally, as an experiment, Raen ordered the line reversed some time after leaving an intersection, where the last of their cloth slips had been placed. The captain headed the group back. When they reached the place, there was no sign of their passage to be seen!
Kerlea: What? How could this happen?
Rial: Maybe something lives here... that doesn't want us to live, here.
Captain: That's sound reasonin', but what can we do?
Rial: Let's see. It has to be intelligent, and this is its home, so it's going to be difficult for us to hunt down. It's probably pretty tough, too, or else someone would have slain it by now...
Raen: Not necessarily, who's poking around old tombs for secret passages?
Rial: Okay, granted. But it doesn't hurt to have caution. I imagine it's carrying our friend's sleeves here, since they aren't strewn about the passageways. So when we find it--
Raen: If we find it--
Rial: ...we'll be able to implement Kerlea's plan without hindrance. We should split up and search.
Raen: I can handle it by myself. Cap'n, you take Aeros. Kerlea, you're stuck with the singer. I'm sorry.
Kerlea (glancing at Rial): ...no problem.
Rial: Er... right. Each group take a strip-- Aeros, we'll cut off three more-- and when you spot this... whatever lives here... drop your cloth on the ground and deal with the inhabitant. If any group finds a strip lying around, wait there for the others for half an hour before leaving. Raen, you double back. Kerlea and I will go left, the two of you right. Okay? Let's go.
The captain deftly sheared off three more ribbons of cloth, handing one to Raen and one to Rial. The groups headed their separate ways.
IC:
The group passed through another corridor. It seemed as though they had gone for hours without finding any semblance of a shift in the hopeless labyrinth they had entered so carelessly. The only slight alteration they could remember was a narrowing in the passage that had resulted in them being forced to go single-file. Raen, as ever, led the way, followed by the knight, the mage, the bard, and the gruff captain at the rear.
Raen: Dammit. I'm hungry, and we've been walking for how long? without any sign of change. If we're just going to keep strutting along and turning every so often, how do you think we'll get out of here?
Rial: What do you want us to do, sit down and wait for the axe to come to us? We don't even know where this damn maze leads, but by Zade we'll see it through and find the end.
Raen: Wait... this could help.
Raen reached into his pocketbelt and withdrew his dull gray Orb.
Captain: What's that, some kinda crystal ball?
Aeros: A Magic Orb. You must have seen them before...
Captain: Ah yes, one o' me mates used to use one o' them to bring me good trade winds. 'Twas more of a pinkish color though.
Aeros: Assuredly. An Air-element Orb, as is mine. *shows captain his Orb*
Captain: Aye, that's the one. Why's that one gray though? Does it bring storm clouds to yer rivals?
Raen: Not quite, cap'n. It clears up your mind so you can know what you're doing before you do it. Helps you think.
Rial: You surely don't use it too often, then...
Raen: Quiet, bard. Clarity!
The same crystal psyche that had guided them to safety at the Black Cat returned, with a pleasing familiarity. The five continued down the hallway until they reached an intersection. They paused to examine their memories, but each was much the same as the last. Shortly, a thought occurred to Kerlea.
Kerlea: Why don't we just put some marker down showing the path we took? When we return to an intersection we'll know we've been there, and where to continue moving.
Rial: Bright idea, Kerlea. What can we use?
Raen: Some splinters, perhaps? I've an idea on what we could make them out of...
Rial: This lute is a precious artifact, passed down from Galyeon himself. Keep your mad eyes away.
Aeros: We wouldn't be able to pick up that kind of sign anyway. Here, cut strips off of my sleeves. I can get a new robe, but we'll have to get out first.
Captain: Aye. Let me.
Aeros turned, and the captain slowly drew out his cutlass. Rial, briefly concerned, reached back and casually placed his hands on the hilts of his swords, but the captain simply slashed several little white shreds from Aeros' robe sleeves. After collecting a sufficient supply, he handed them up the line to Raen, who was leaning against one of the stone walls. They set out.
Another hour passed. They had been executing Kerlea's plan as detailed, but somehow had never come upon one of the white cloth bits again. Finally, as an experiment, Raen ordered the line reversed some time after leaving an intersection, where the last of their cloth slips had been placed. The captain headed the group back. When they reached the place, there was no sign of their passage to be seen!
Kerlea: What? How could this happen?
Rial: Maybe something lives here... that doesn't want us to live, here.
Captain: That's sound reasonin', but what can we do?
Rial: Let's see. It has to be intelligent, and this is its home, so it's going to be difficult for us to hunt down. It's probably pretty tough, too, or else someone would have slain it by now...
Raen: Not necessarily, who's poking around old tombs for secret passages?
Rial: Okay, granted. But it doesn't hurt to have caution. I imagine it's carrying our friend's sleeves here, since they aren't strewn about the passageways. So when we find it--
Raen: If we find it--
Rial: ...we'll be able to implement Kerlea's plan without hindrance. We should split up and search.
Raen: I can handle it by myself. Cap'n, you take Aeros. Kerlea, you're stuck with the singer. I'm sorry.
Kerlea (glancing at Rial): ...no problem.
Rial: Er... right. Each group take a strip-- Aeros, we'll cut off three more-- and when you spot this... whatever lives here... drop your cloth on the ground and deal with the inhabitant. If any group finds a strip lying around, wait there for the others for half an hour before leaving. Raen, you double back. Kerlea and I will go left, the two of you right. Okay? Let's go.
The captain deftly sheared off three more ribbons of cloth, handing one to Raen and one to Rial. The groups headed their separate ways.
Prince Toad, the shroom-o-doom
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
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Lord Umbra
- Member
- Posts: 1687
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: Tangiers
- Contact:
Raen left the others, backtracking through the corridors of the maze. Torch in hand, he comtemplated the plan. Whatever down here could have attacked them already if it was taking away the markers. Was it playing with them all? Watching them blunder to amuse it's bored mind, secluded in the horrible maze...
Another possibility occured to the mercenary. What if the thing was unable to confront them all at once? It would try to pick them off one by one. Raen felt relieved that he was with the others, even the annoying bard. It took him a second to remember that they had split up. Despite the calming effects of his orb, terror crept into Raen's body. Raen dismissed any thoughts of having the group re-join, the damnable bard would never forgive him. Besides, he was merely assuming that his thoughts were right.
Cautiosly Raen moved forward, coming to an old intersection. He did not have any specific memories of it, but all the intersections seemed to be identical. Whoever had made this place appeared to like their forks to have a torch-holder only on the right side. Something above him caught his eye, and Raen brought his torch nearer. A small blue stone was embedded above him. Raen pried it out, and abruptly remembered his dream.
He had been wandering in the maze, which Raen grimly noted was much like the one that he was trapped in currently. For some reason there were carvings of gnome-like creatures on the torch-holders in his dream. At last Raen actually ran into a band of such race, 2 armed with hatchets and the other 3 with slings and an ample supply of stones. Without warning the gnomes struck, blue stones flung from the gnomish-slings.
The dream had been fairly correct about the maze. Raen wondered if whatever had been stealing the markers were gnomes.... His suspicions were confirmed when a gnome appeared.
Raen: You, gnome!
Gnome: You walk upon corridors which are not yours to walk. For years no man has walked here, and the gnomes have thrived.
Raen: And?
Gnome: We do not wish to deal with the interference of you large monsters. As you may have guessed, it has been us who have taken your precious markers. We had intended to let you wander these halls and see what you would do... Alas, you had gained knowledge of our presence.
Raen: You are unarmed, how do you plan to deal with me?
Immediately the gnome whistled, and more gnomes appeared. Unlike the first gnome, they were armed.
Raen: Come now. All we want to do is to deal with the dead Lord, and remove the curse from Tarbend.
Original Gnome: Attack the man-monster!
Raen quickly threw his marker down on the ground and drew his scimitar. Just as in his dream, the gnomes split up into a group armed with slings and a melee group. Raen already disadvantaged with respect to numbers also had to deal with foes half his height. He began to rely on dodging more and more, staving off the gnome warriors with wild swipes.
OOC: I stole your style of having people talk, PT. It's so much easier....
[ June 12, 2004, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: Lord Umbra ]
Another possibility occured to the mercenary. What if the thing was unable to confront them all at once? It would try to pick them off one by one. Raen felt relieved that he was with the others, even the annoying bard. It took him a second to remember that they had split up. Despite the calming effects of his orb, terror crept into Raen's body. Raen dismissed any thoughts of having the group re-join, the damnable bard would never forgive him. Besides, he was merely assuming that his thoughts were right.
Cautiosly Raen moved forward, coming to an old intersection. He did not have any specific memories of it, but all the intersections seemed to be identical. Whoever had made this place appeared to like their forks to have a torch-holder only on the right side. Something above him caught his eye, and Raen brought his torch nearer. A small blue stone was embedded above him. Raen pried it out, and abruptly remembered his dream.
He had been wandering in the maze, which Raen grimly noted was much like the one that he was trapped in currently. For some reason there were carvings of gnome-like creatures on the torch-holders in his dream. At last Raen actually ran into a band of such race, 2 armed with hatchets and the other 3 with slings and an ample supply of stones. Without warning the gnomes struck, blue stones flung from the gnomish-slings.
The dream had been fairly correct about the maze. Raen wondered if whatever had been stealing the markers were gnomes.... His suspicions were confirmed when a gnome appeared.
Raen: You, gnome!
Gnome: You walk upon corridors which are not yours to walk. For years no man has walked here, and the gnomes have thrived.
Raen: And?
Gnome: We do not wish to deal with the interference of you large monsters. As you may have guessed, it has been us who have taken your precious markers. We had intended to let you wander these halls and see what you would do... Alas, you had gained knowledge of our presence.
Raen: You are unarmed, how do you plan to deal with me?
Immediately the gnome whistled, and more gnomes appeared. Unlike the first gnome, they were armed.
Raen: Come now. All we want to do is to deal with the dead Lord, and remove the curse from Tarbend.
Original Gnome: Attack the man-monster!
Raen quickly threw his marker down on the ground and drew his scimitar. Just as in his dream, the gnomes split up into a group armed with slings and a melee group. Raen already disadvantaged with respect to numbers also had to deal with foes half his height. He began to rely on dodging more and more, staving off the gnome warriors with wild swipes.
OOC: I stole your style of having people talk, PT. It's so much easier....
[ June 12, 2004, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: Lord Umbra ]
\"Be kind to your neighbor. He knows where you live.\"
- Anon.
- Anon.
-
Prince Toad
- Member
- Posts: 11642
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: Rookery
- Contact:
OOC: VITA!
IC:
Rial and Kerlea ambled carefully down another passageway. The bard had been something of a wanderer before the invasion, rarely caring where his feet took him, and had generally stuck to roads, so his direction sense was less than admirable. Kerlea's was naturally somewhat better, but between them they managed to get themselves utterly lost in the bewildering labyrinth that lay beneath the lord's tomb. Rial absently began to sing, in a deep voice that sounded somewhat strange from his boyish frame, an old traveler's song to pass the idle time.
Rial:Got no map to mark my place,
Got no torch to light my way,
Got no sword to guard my life,
But Zade, I'm happy for today
'Cause I've got love, and I've got life,
I've got strength to bear my load,
I've got all the joy I've found,
Travelin' on the open road,
And that is all that I need, Zade, that is all...
He trailed off, being unsure of the rest of the lyrics. He hummed the tune and began to pluck a few notes on his lute without taking it from his hip. His song had snapped Kerlea out of her silent reflection, which had currently been about solutions to their minor problem of being trapped in an endlessly identical series of hallways and intersections with no way of discerning where to go and how to exit. The lord's axe was the last thing on her mind. Now, however, the Zadean's thoughts turned to her companion.
The knight was somewhat attracted to this odd bard. He was fairly handsome, youthful, and appeared well-built, and had a strange, wild look in his eyes that appealed to Kerlea's inner girl (which was normally kept well under wraps.) What she'd heard of his voice had also been pleasant, and he seemed to have a degree of oratory deftness and personal magnetism that would make a favorable first impression on anyone. Her curiosity was suddenly piqued.
Kerlea: So, Rial... how did you become a bard?
Rial: Not much to it... I had a good voice, from my mother, I think--
Kerlea: You think?
Rial: Well, she was, er, a lady of the night. I never met her.
Kerlea: Ah. That's sad.
Rial: Oh, I don't mind. My father was a good man, a carpenter, but he encouraged me to sing. He always said people needed to be entertained as much as they needed to be sheltered, and I think he had a special sort of affinity for bards, but I can't say why.
Kerlea: Because of your mother?
Rial: Well, that must have been some of it, but the way he pushed me to learn the lute and choral... I've always believed there was more.
Kerlea: Hm. That's interesting.
Rial: Yeah... well, what about your past? How did you decide on being a knight?
At this, Kerlea's countenance altered defensively, and her eyes turned from Rial to her boots.
Kerlea: I... well. As I said, I'm the daughter of the duke of Calapei. My mother died, then my father, and I went to Zade to become a knight.
Rial easily picked up that this was not the whole story, but his companion's eagerness for talk had abruptly died, so he did not push the matter. They continued walking, and shortly reached an intersection of paths.
Suddenly a small projectile went whizzing right past their ears. They cried out in low voices and drew their weapons. A startled Kerlea demanded in a too-shaky voice that the assailants reveal themselves and state their purpose.
Someone responded with a distorted snarl.
Voice: Leave this place at once, intruders. Humans have nothing in the underground.
Kerlea: No! We do... we need to... um... we need to lift the curse of Tarbend... yes, the curse! We need the lord's axe!
Voice: And why would we give this to you? The curse makes you sun-sky men miserable, and keeps the ground free of your poison. Your city is all but deserted, and we live here in peace. Why should we invite war upon ourselves for you pathetic humans? No! You'll never get it.
Kerlea: This is not a matter of us! It's something bigger... isn't it... Rial?
Rial: Uh... yes! The elves will come and do worse than we ever could.
Voice: Humans! Your lies have deceived us before. You'll wander these halls forever!
Rial: No! Show yourself!
A single, diminutive humanlike body stepped into view, brandishing a sling menacingly. Rial and Kerlea shared a glance and each stifled a laugh.
Gnome: Something's funny? Oh, you won't be the ones laughing when we feast upon your flesh.
Rial: Come on, little man. Throw down your weapon and save yourself the pain.
Kerlea: Rial? Riiial? He said "we."
Rial: So? Maybe he's got a few friends, we'll take 'em all. A couple little slings can't stop me!
Kerlea: No, uh... look behind you.
Several more small bodies seemed to simply appear out of thin air from the tunnel out of which they had just emerged into the intersection.
Kerlea: And to the left...
From the third passage, even more appeared. All had loaded slings, and several carried short, hooked swords at their belts.
First Gnome: Surrender now, and we'll take you to our chief for judgment...
A dozen voices echoed the word "judgment" in snickering, raspy voices.
Rial: Terrible chorals... I wouldn't want to hear them sing.
Kerlea: Now is not the time, Rial...
IC:
Rial and Kerlea ambled carefully down another passageway. The bard had been something of a wanderer before the invasion, rarely caring where his feet took him, and had generally stuck to roads, so his direction sense was less than admirable. Kerlea's was naturally somewhat better, but between them they managed to get themselves utterly lost in the bewildering labyrinth that lay beneath the lord's tomb. Rial absently began to sing, in a deep voice that sounded somewhat strange from his boyish frame, an old traveler's song to pass the idle time.
Rial:Got no map to mark my place,
Got no torch to light my way,
Got no sword to guard my life,
But Zade, I'm happy for today
'Cause I've got love, and I've got life,
I've got strength to bear my load,
I've got all the joy I've found,
Travelin' on the open road,
And that is all that I need, Zade, that is all...
He trailed off, being unsure of the rest of the lyrics. He hummed the tune and began to pluck a few notes on his lute without taking it from his hip. His song had snapped Kerlea out of her silent reflection, which had currently been about solutions to their minor problem of being trapped in an endlessly identical series of hallways and intersections with no way of discerning where to go and how to exit. The lord's axe was the last thing on her mind. Now, however, the Zadean's thoughts turned to her companion.
The knight was somewhat attracted to this odd bard. He was fairly handsome, youthful, and appeared well-built, and had a strange, wild look in his eyes that appealed to Kerlea's inner girl (which was normally kept well under wraps.) What she'd heard of his voice had also been pleasant, and he seemed to have a degree of oratory deftness and personal magnetism that would make a favorable first impression on anyone. Her curiosity was suddenly piqued.
Kerlea: So, Rial... how did you become a bard?
Rial: Not much to it... I had a good voice, from my mother, I think--
Kerlea: You think?
Rial: Well, she was, er, a lady of the night. I never met her.
Kerlea: Ah. That's sad.
Rial: Oh, I don't mind. My father was a good man, a carpenter, but he encouraged me to sing. He always said people needed to be entertained as much as they needed to be sheltered, and I think he had a special sort of affinity for bards, but I can't say why.
Kerlea: Because of your mother?
Rial: Well, that must have been some of it, but the way he pushed me to learn the lute and choral... I've always believed there was more.
Kerlea: Hm. That's interesting.
Rial: Yeah... well, what about your past? How did you decide on being a knight?
At this, Kerlea's countenance altered defensively, and her eyes turned from Rial to her boots.
Kerlea: I... well. As I said, I'm the daughter of the duke of Calapei. My mother died, then my father, and I went to Zade to become a knight.
Rial easily picked up that this was not the whole story, but his companion's eagerness for talk had abruptly died, so he did not push the matter. They continued walking, and shortly reached an intersection of paths.
Suddenly a small projectile went whizzing right past their ears. They cried out in low voices and drew their weapons. A startled Kerlea demanded in a too-shaky voice that the assailants reveal themselves and state their purpose.
Someone responded with a distorted snarl.
Voice: Leave this place at once, intruders. Humans have nothing in the underground.
Kerlea: No! We do... we need to... um... we need to lift the curse of Tarbend... yes, the curse! We need the lord's axe!
Voice: And why would we give this to you? The curse makes you sun-sky men miserable, and keeps the ground free of your poison. Your city is all but deserted, and we live here in peace. Why should we invite war upon ourselves for you pathetic humans? No! You'll never get it.
Kerlea: This is not a matter of us! It's something bigger... isn't it... Rial?
Rial: Uh... yes! The elves will come and do worse than we ever could.
Voice: Humans! Your lies have deceived us before. You'll wander these halls forever!
Rial: No! Show yourself!
A single, diminutive humanlike body stepped into view, brandishing a sling menacingly. Rial and Kerlea shared a glance and each stifled a laugh.
Gnome: Something's funny? Oh, you won't be the ones laughing when we feast upon your flesh.
Rial: Come on, little man. Throw down your weapon and save yourself the pain.
Kerlea: Rial? Riiial? He said "we."
Rial: So? Maybe he's got a few friends, we'll take 'em all. A couple little slings can't stop me!
Kerlea: No, uh... look behind you.
Several more small bodies seemed to simply appear out of thin air from the tunnel out of which they had just emerged into the intersection.
Kerlea: And to the left...
From the third passage, even more appeared. All had loaded slings, and several carried short, hooked swords at their belts.
First Gnome: Surrender now, and we'll take you to our chief for judgment...
A dozen voices echoed the word "judgment" in snickering, raspy voices.
Rial: Terrible chorals... I wouldn't want to hear them sing.
Kerlea: Now is not the time, Rial...
Prince Toad, the shroom-o-doom
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
-
Blake
- Member
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: A generic place such as a house
- Contact:
"Arr.. I've wasted my time here. Let's head back. I'm losing valuable trade right now," the captain moaned.
"Keep cool and be alert. I want to get out of here myself," commented Aeros.
As the Captain and Aeros wandered, they heard a foul voice.
"Do not proceed any closer or you shall forfeit your life!"
The voice had sent a chill down their spine for a second, but the voice sounded different than any they've ever heard.
The Captain held out his torch in front of him with courage and asked, "Come any closer to us, and yer rotten miserable life will be burnt to a crisp!"
"Two men cannot challenge a thousand, however..." the voice replied.
"We're only here to lift a curse." said Aeros.
"Warriors like you think taking that axe will lift the curse, but the curse can't be lifted! We've contained the curse for thousands of years, lifting it would ruin your world!"
The figure came out of the darkness with a group of about 12 gnomes, all ready to attack the two.
"Come with us and pray warriors, for if the Chief does not approve of you, you'll be begging for mercy!"
====================
Meanwhile back in Tarbend, word of danger had already been spreading around town.
Truke was half worried and half disappointed. Ever since the joining of the resistance, he hasn't ever been exposed to so many people. He was slowly being found, people slowly starting to recognize him.
A presence of death slowly circled about him. It was too late for him. The curse's close presence allowed him to talk to Truke even from the tombs telepathically.
"Servant Truke... why aren't you helping me escape these tombs?!"
It was his old master, Lord Kairce; the one responsible for the curse in Tarbend.
"Keep cool and be alert. I want to get out of here myself," commented Aeros.
As the Captain and Aeros wandered, they heard a foul voice.
"Do not proceed any closer or you shall forfeit your life!"
The voice had sent a chill down their spine for a second, but the voice sounded different than any they've ever heard.
The Captain held out his torch in front of him with courage and asked, "Come any closer to us, and yer rotten miserable life will be burnt to a crisp!"
"Two men cannot challenge a thousand, however..." the voice replied.
"We're only here to lift a curse." said Aeros.
"Warriors like you think taking that axe will lift the curse, but the curse can't be lifted! We've contained the curse for thousands of years, lifting it would ruin your world!"
The figure came out of the darkness with a group of about 12 gnomes, all ready to attack the two.
"Come with us and pray warriors, for if the Chief does not approve of you, you'll be begging for mercy!"
====================
Meanwhile back in Tarbend, word of danger had already been spreading around town.
Truke was half worried and half disappointed. Ever since the joining of the resistance, he hasn't ever been exposed to so many people. He was slowly being found, people slowly starting to recognize him.
A presence of death slowly circled about him. It was too late for him. The curse's close presence allowed him to talk to Truke even from the tombs telepathically.
"Servant Truke... why aren't you helping me escape these tombs?!"
It was his old master, Lord Kairce; the one responsible for the curse in Tarbend.
-
Vinny
- Member
- Posts: 20042
- Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: The Fletcher Memorial Home for incurable tyrants a
- Contact:
OOC: Remember when I told you that you could go on without me and I'd appear out of a corner to save your ass? Well, I'm holding true to that promise 
.
IC:
Kerlea and Rial observed their surroundings, attempting to account for all the small, hostile creatures that darted ungracefully from shadow to shadow, almost as if feeding off of the darkness that the overarching, cracked walls of the entrapping labyrinth of sharp turns, branching intersections and three-way forks with dead-end walls marked by the humidity-exploiting moss firmly attached to its rigid birthplace provided. The already stale smell of unexplored cavities and damp passageways carrying upon them the heavy burden of thousands of years was now punctuated by the rank smell of quite possibly the most unsanitary of foes: goblins.
Dozens of them lined the passageways, sticking close to the dank walls as if they were attempting to emulate the nature of the bricks that had been planted firmly into the foundations of the maze thousands of years ago. And yet, hungry like a newborn robin bird, waiting anxiously in its nest for a sign of its approaching mother carrying worms to feast upon, so the goblins were hungry for blood now that their appetites had been enticed. And, though by nature not the most belligerent nor the most assertive or fearless of beasts, they risked little against such heavily outnumbered foes, and were not about to step down.
"You humanses have disturbed our sacred halls. You must face judgment!"
"Look," said Rial. "Umm... we can go back if we're not wanted."
"It is too late now," replied one of the goblins, its hunger now voracious and viciously taking sharp bites at his stomach, as if he had swallowed an enraged wasp whole (which he easily might have, considering the quality of the meals he had been receiving lately). "We must teach you a lesson, yes, we must. See if any more humanses come down once you don't come back..."
Rial looked desperately from one blocked path to another, attempting to find a means of escape, his desperation and hopelessness increasing by the second. His eyes glanced from one carved passage in the rigid wall to another, but all were filled with goblins, now licking their lips in anticipation for battle and for human flesh. Slowly, the goblins began their lethal advance, closing in from all sides and stepping forth from the shadows to reveal faces distorted with hatred and a lifestyle of greed, lust for unnatainable riches, and uncleanliness. Green as the moss that covered the old walls, their faces were so repulsively hideous that, had Kerlea and Rial been doing anything other than worrying about whether fate would favor them in the following minutes, the thought of how the goblin species had managed to survive so long through mutual attraction between mates despite the goblins' unavoidable repugnance might have flashed across their minds. As it was, it seemed like the hourglass of life was running on its last grain, and thoughts like those were much too trivial.
And much sooner than Kerlea and Rial would have wished, the goblins were mere meters away from them, the harsh features of their faces more apparent now than before.
"How many?" asked Rial.
"Erm... fifty or sixty?"
"Think we can take 'em?"
"What the hell do you think, idiot?"
"There's no need for that..."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I tend to get slightly irritable when I'M ABOUT TO DIE."
"So, umm... what now?"
"You tell me, genius. You're the self-imposed leader of this damn thing."
"Maybe if we come quietly they'll spare us."
"I very much doubt that. This 'judgment' thing doesn't sound pretty, if you ask me."
As the goblins advanced, so Kerlea and Rial backed into a corner, further entrapping themselves. Neither of them had the burly composure and tank-like fighting ability to slash their way out of this situation. Now there was no escape, and thus, like a cornered animal in mortal danger, Kerlea and Rial decided to do the only thing they possibly could: give 'em hell.
The first wave of goblins advanced hesitantly, resentful of having to be the first to deal with a now vicious and determined enemy. At least the ones in the back had the insurance of the humans being either captured or exhausted by the time they got their chance to attack. In fact, they were even fearful and felt cheated at having to be the first ones in line, so much so that their comrades had to push them into action. And their fear was for good reason, for as soon as they were forced into the brawl, Kerlea and Rial had begun slashing left and right, desperately slaying anyone who came close in the most heroic last stand never to be sung in songs. Soon enough, the first wave of goblins had fallen. And then the monsters were pissed.
Ten goblins ganged up on Kerlea, who did her best to hold them off until one of the slimy, despicable creatures grabbed her from behind, and one of its compatriots proceeded to stab her in the gut, the cold steel piercing her warm flesh and forcing an astonished gasp as well as a spurt of blood out of her mouth. Her eyes rolled back into her head and the rapid loss of blood from her stomach lulled her into unconsciousness, and she collapsed like a sack of potatoes into the corner that the goblins had encircled. Rial saw Kerlea fall and ran towards her to try to save her unconscious body from the enemy, only to be stabbed in the back of his knee by a goblin. Rial had made one of the most basic mistakes in battle: never turn your back on the enemy. And now, incapacitated and crippled, he would pay for it.
Rian fell, and turned around so that his back was on the marble ground. Pushing himself back with his arms in a futile attempt to escape, he moved back only a few inches before he felt his back hit the hard wall that meant his demise. It was then that he felt true panic surge through his body. He would die a useless death without even having begun his quest. All he had was a lute, his swords in his hands, a knife firmly embedded between two fleshy walls of muscle in his leg, and a limp Zadean knight lying peacefully next to him in an insentient coma. As a last, frantic move brought on more by instinct and the frenetic will to survive than logic (logic would have laughed at the thought), he raised a weak hand clutching a sword to attempt to block an impending goblin blow. But an advancing goblin, grinning at his enemy's hopeless demise, lifted his sword and brought it down on Rial's blocking weapon so hard that it not only knocked the sword clean out of Rial's hands, but also broke his wrist in the process. Now, a malevolent smirk crossing his face, the goblin raised his sword once more, for the last time.
And, as Rial saw his life's hourglass shattering in the wake of the sword, now speeding like a bullet towards him, suddenly the sword stopped its lethal trail halfway to its destination, and fell to the floor. Rial looked up to observe the same goblin, but with the sharp end of a blood-soaked broadsword protruding from his chest, its arms hanging down by its sides, a blank look of surprise perpetually etched on its hideous face. As the sword withdrew from the goblin's chest, the monster dropped to its knees, and then fell face flat on the ground, inches from the weakened Rial.
A colossal, burly figure towered over Rial's crumpled body. It was that of a tall and very powerful man, with bulging muscles visible through a dark, black shirt. A dark blue cloak like the color of the sea hung off his broad shoulders. The man looked down at Rial, then glanced at Kerlea, nodded, and turned around without saying a word. Looking up, Rial saw a whole line of dead goblin bodies through which the man must have sliced his way to reach him in time to save his life. Without saying a word, the man calmly turned to face the enemies. Every swipe he took with his large broadsword seemed to cover a radius of five meters. The indefatigable, strong but nimble warrior stood his ground with a determination and a physique too overpowering to be beaten down, skillfully slaying all enemies who came too close for their own good. Goblin after goblin fell, spraying the walls with blood in a gory manifestation that the warrior did not even flinch at the sight of.
Soon enough, whatever goblins remained fled in sheer terror upon seeing this new, seemingly invincible warrior defeat dozens of their companions without sweating a drop. One clumsy goblin that tripped while attempting to escape found that this would be the last mistake he would ever make; the powerful warrior walked over to the cowering, pitiful creature who was hiding his head in his arms and begging for mercy. But mercy was not given. The human grabbed his broadsword in two hands and stabbed downwards, impaling the goblin across the head.
Pulling the sharp object out of the goblin's head, the man turned around to look at Rial with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Quite a mess you've gotten yourself into here."
"I - wh - who are you?"
"That's not important. What's important is that you need to get the hell out of here. Now."
"Huh? What could be worse than those goblins?"
"Trust me on this. Go."
"But I need to break the curse!"
"You - you what? Do you have ANY idea - never mind... Look, you need to get out of here. There's worse things coming, and they won't be pleased that a legion of its minions is dead."
"I can't leave her alone," said Rail stubbornly, pointing at the fallen Kerlea.
"Of course you can't. That's why you're gonna use that healing orb on your belt."
"I - uh - ok..."
"That's great. Now shoo, kid," the man turned around to walk away to some other dark, secluded corner of the maze.
"Hey! I don't know who you think you are, but no one calls me ki-"
Suddenly, the man turned around, incensed. He grabbed Rial from the neck of his shirt and pinned him against a wall, looking him menacingly in the eye. It was at this moment that Rial perceived that the man's left eye was not as the other brown eye. Instead, in his pupil, there was an illusion of water cascading from an unknown source.
"I know exactly who I am, and what I do know is that I just saved your worthless ass from a pack of goblins. Don't you dare talk down to me, or I'll do to you the same damn thing I did to them. And believe me, I'm not bluffing. You mean nothing to me. I had no reason to save you, but I did. Now you better do as I say, and for your own good, LEAVE!"
"I... have other friends here," mumbled Rial, intimidated and fearful of what reaction his reply might draw out of the powerful man.
"That's not my problem."
"Well, I'm not leaving them here."
"I'm telling you that you're leaving them here and that's damn well what you're gonna do."
"I don't even know where the exit is!"
The man sighed in exasperation. "Is this your first day of work, or something? Must I do everything for you? Here, get the chick awake first," the warrior said, pointing at Kerlea.
"I'd thank you not to call her a ch-"
"I'd thank you not to be a smartass! Do it!"
Fearful of aggravating the warrior even further, the bard complied and used his orb to cast a healing incantation that awoke Kerlea from her coma. She looked around, disoriented, and tried to take in her surroundings without being overwhelmed. She took about five minutes to get her head straight, looked at the disfigured corpses of goblins, Rial's almost-healed knee wound, the powerful man standing in front of her, and guessed that they'd found a new saviour.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the only reason you're alive. And now that you're all fine and dandy, you'd better run along, littluns."
"You're not that much older than me, you know," said Rial, dissaproving of the man's abrasive and sarcastic attitude.
"No, but I know better than to run blindly into a trap, which makes me older mentally, if not physically. Now, if you excuse me, I've got things to do, people to maim."
The man turned around to leave once more, but was interrupted by Rial. "We still don't know how to reach the exit."
"What a damn shame." The man didn't stop walking.
"Hey! We need your help! I'll... I'll pay you for it!"
"Oh, please!" exclaimed the man, turning to face them. "Did it ever cross your mind that I might have more important things to do right now? Things that can only be done now and at no other time? I don't need your money, and besides, looking at the rags you're wearing, you wouldn't have enough to satisfy me. But yes, I'll help you if you promise to never return."
"But I don't understand why we must leave!"
"Understanding is not a prerequisite of obeying! Just do as I say and shut the hell up. I've already gone far enough out of my way to help you out, so you might wanna start appreciating it a bit more and stop whining. And my advice is: get out of here. Now. Follow me and I'll lead you to the exit."
"Yeah, but..." interrupted Kerlea.
"WHAT?"
"That." Kerlea was pointing behind the warrior, who promptly turned around to observe an even larger troop of goblins coming back with reinforcements. The swordsman merely rolled his eyes, extended his palm, and shot forth a pressurized jet of water that sent all of the goblins flying back through the tunnels, knocking into each other.
"There. Happy? Now let's go."
But as soon as they had turned past one corner, it soon became obvious why the warrior had wanted them to escape. A mighty, blood-curdling roar of fury reverberated through the marble walls of the maze. And then, thunderous footsteps caused tiny earthquakes that shook the tunnel to its foundations. Something bad had happened. Something monstrous was angry. And someone had to pay.
A terrible monster the likes of which not even Kerlea, after so many years as a dragon hunter, could even begin to envision in her mind from the roars it had produced was approaching. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and it was after them, running far too fast for them to be able to escape in time.
"So much for that," said the swordsman. Then, to Kerlea and Rial's surprised, he turned around and grinned at them. "Well, I guess this means we'll be getting to know each other pretty well over the next few hours. Hi. My name is Reeve."
EDIT: I just had to sort out a few typos that were annoying the hell out of me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week:
"Of course I have played outdoor games. I once played dominoes in an open air cafe in Paris." - Oscar Wilde.
Pointless fact of the week:
Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.
[ July 03, 2004, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Skankin' Pickle ]
.IC:
Kerlea and Rial observed their surroundings, attempting to account for all the small, hostile creatures that darted ungracefully from shadow to shadow, almost as if feeding off of the darkness that the overarching, cracked walls of the entrapping labyrinth of sharp turns, branching intersections and three-way forks with dead-end walls marked by the humidity-exploiting moss firmly attached to its rigid birthplace provided. The already stale smell of unexplored cavities and damp passageways carrying upon them the heavy burden of thousands of years was now punctuated by the rank smell of quite possibly the most unsanitary of foes: goblins.
Dozens of them lined the passageways, sticking close to the dank walls as if they were attempting to emulate the nature of the bricks that had been planted firmly into the foundations of the maze thousands of years ago. And yet, hungry like a newborn robin bird, waiting anxiously in its nest for a sign of its approaching mother carrying worms to feast upon, so the goblins were hungry for blood now that their appetites had been enticed. And, though by nature not the most belligerent nor the most assertive or fearless of beasts, they risked little against such heavily outnumbered foes, and were not about to step down.
"You humanses have disturbed our sacred halls. You must face judgment!"
"Look," said Rial. "Umm... we can go back if we're not wanted."
"It is too late now," replied one of the goblins, its hunger now voracious and viciously taking sharp bites at his stomach, as if he had swallowed an enraged wasp whole (which he easily might have, considering the quality of the meals he had been receiving lately). "We must teach you a lesson, yes, we must. See if any more humanses come down once you don't come back..."
Rial looked desperately from one blocked path to another, attempting to find a means of escape, his desperation and hopelessness increasing by the second. His eyes glanced from one carved passage in the rigid wall to another, but all were filled with goblins, now licking their lips in anticipation for battle and for human flesh. Slowly, the goblins began their lethal advance, closing in from all sides and stepping forth from the shadows to reveal faces distorted with hatred and a lifestyle of greed, lust for unnatainable riches, and uncleanliness. Green as the moss that covered the old walls, their faces were so repulsively hideous that, had Kerlea and Rial been doing anything other than worrying about whether fate would favor them in the following minutes, the thought of how the goblin species had managed to survive so long through mutual attraction between mates despite the goblins' unavoidable repugnance might have flashed across their minds. As it was, it seemed like the hourglass of life was running on its last grain, and thoughts like those were much too trivial.
And much sooner than Kerlea and Rial would have wished, the goblins were mere meters away from them, the harsh features of their faces more apparent now than before.
"How many?" asked Rial.
"Erm... fifty or sixty?"
"Think we can take 'em?"
"What the hell do you think, idiot?"
"There's no need for that..."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I tend to get slightly irritable when I'M ABOUT TO DIE."
"So, umm... what now?"
"You tell me, genius. You're the self-imposed leader of this damn thing."
"Maybe if we come quietly they'll spare us."
"I very much doubt that. This 'judgment' thing doesn't sound pretty, if you ask me."
As the goblins advanced, so Kerlea and Rial backed into a corner, further entrapping themselves. Neither of them had the burly composure and tank-like fighting ability to slash their way out of this situation. Now there was no escape, and thus, like a cornered animal in mortal danger, Kerlea and Rial decided to do the only thing they possibly could: give 'em hell.
The first wave of goblins advanced hesitantly, resentful of having to be the first to deal with a now vicious and determined enemy. At least the ones in the back had the insurance of the humans being either captured or exhausted by the time they got their chance to attack. In fact, they were even fearful and felt cheated at having to be the first ones in line, so much so that their comrades had to push them into action. And their fear was for good reason, for as soon as they were forced into the brawl, Kerlea and Rial had begun slashing left and right, desperately slaying anyone who came close in the most heroic last stand never to be sung in songs. Soon enough, the first wave of goblins had fallen. And then the monsters were pissed.
Ten goblins ganged up on Kerlea, who did her best to hold them off until one of the slimy, despicable creatures grabbed her from behind, and one of its compatriots proceeded to stab her in the gut, the cold steel piercing her warm flesh and forcing an astonished gasp as well as a spurt of blood out of her mouth. Her eyes rolled back into her head and the rapid loss of blood from her stomach lulled her into unconsciousness, and she collapsed like a sack of potatoes into the corner that the goblins had encircled. Rial saw Kerlea fall and ran towards her to try to save her unconscious body from the enemy, only to be stabbed in the back of his knee by a goblin. Rial had made one of the most basic mistakes in battle: never turn your back on the enemy. And now, incapacitated and crippled, he would pay for it.
Rian fell, and turned around so that his back was on the marble ground. Pushing himself back with his arms in a futile attempt to escape, he moved back only a few inches before he felt his back hit the hard wall that meant his demise. It was then that he felt true panic surge through his body. He would die a useless death without even having begun his quest. All he had was a lute, his swords in his hands, a knife firmly embedded between two fleshy walls of muscle in his leg, and a limp Zadean knight lying peacefully next to him in an insentient coma. As a last, frantic move brought on more by instinct and the frenetic will to survive than logic (logic would have laughed at the thought), he raised a weak hand clutching a sword to attempt to block an impending goblin blow. But an advancing goblin, grinning at his enemy's hopeless demise, lifted his sword and brought it down on Rial's blocking weapon so hard that it not only knocked the sword clean out of Rial's hands, but also broke his wrist in the process. Now, a malevolent smirk crossing his face, the goblin raised his sword once more, for the last time.
And, as Rial saw his life's hourglass shattering in the wake of the sword, now speeding like a bullet towards him, suddenly the sword stopped its lethal trail halfway to its destination, and fell to the floor. Rial looked up to observe the same goblin, but with the sharp end of a blood-soaked broadsword protruding from his chest, its arms hanging down by its sides, a blank look of surprise perpetually etched on its hideous face. As the sword withdrew from the goblin's chest, the monster dropped to its knees, and then fell face flat on the ground, inches from the weakened Rial.
A colossal, burly figure towered over Rial's crumpled body. It was that of a tall and very powerful man, with bulging muscles visible through a dark, black shirt. A dark blue cloak like the color of the sea hung off his broad shoulders. The man looked down at Rial, then glanced at Kerlea, nodded, and turned around without saying a word. Looking up, Rial saw a whole line of dead goblin bodies through which the man must have sliced his way to reach him in time to save his life. Without saying a word, the man calmly turned to face the enemies. Every swipe he took with his large broadsword seemed to cover a radius of five meters. The indefatigable, strong but nimble warrior stood his ground with a determination and a physique too overpowering to be beaten down, skillfully slaying all enemies who came too close for their own good. Goblin after goblin fell, spraying the walls with blood in a gory manifestation that the warrior did not even flinch at the sight of.
Soon enough, whatever goblins remained fled in sheer terror upon seeing this new, seemingly invincible warrior defeat dozens of their companions without sweating a drop. One clumsy goblin that tripped while attempting to escape found that this would be the last mistake he would ever make; the powerful warrior walked over to the cowering, pitiful creature who was hiding his head in his arms and begging for mercy. But mercy was not given. The human grabbed his broadsword in two hands and stabbed downwards, impaling the goblin across the head.
Pulling the sharp object out of the goblin's head, the man turned around to look at Rial with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Quite a mess you've gotten yourself into here."
"I - wh - who are you?"
"That's not important. What's important is that you need to get the hell out of here. Now."
"Huh? What could be worse than those goblins?"
"Trust me on this. Go."
"But I need to break the curse!"
"You - you what? Do you have ANY idea - never mind... Look, you need to get out of here. There's worse things coming, and they won't be pleased that a legion of its minions is dead."
"I can't leave her alone," said Rail stubbornly, pointing at the fallen Kerlea.
"Of course you can't. That's why you're gonna use that healing orb on your belt."
"I - uh - ok..."
"That's great. Now shoo, kid," the man turned around to walk away to some other dark, secluded corner of the maze.
"Hey! I don't know who you think you are, but no one calls me ki-"
Suddenly, the man turned around, incensed. He grabbed Rial from the neck of his shirt and pinned him against a wall, looking him menacingly in the eye. It was at this moment that Rial perceived that the man's left eye was not as the other brown eye. Instead, in his pupil, there was an illusion of water cascading from an unknown source.
"I know exactly who I am, and what I do know is that I just saved your worthless ass from a pack of goblins. Don't you dare talk down to me, or I'll do to you the same damn thing I did to them. And believe me, I'm not bluffing. You mean nothing to me. I had no reason to save you, but I did. Now you better do as I say, and for your own good, LEAVE!"
"I... have other friends here," mumbled Rial, intimidated and fearful of what reaction his reply might draw out of the powerful man.
"That's not my problem."
"Well, I'm not leaving them here."
"I'm telling you that you're leaving them here and that's damn well what you're gonna do."
"I don't even know where the exit is!"
The man sighed in exasperation. "Is this your first day of work, or something? Must I do everything for you? Here, get the chick awake first," the warrior said, pointing at Kerlea.
"I'd thank you not to call her a ch-"
"I'd thank you not to be a smartass! Do it!"
Fearful of aggravating the warrior even further, the bard complied and used his orb to cast a healing incantation that awoke Kerlea from her coma. She looked around, disoriented, and tried to take in her surroundings without being overwhelmed. She took about five minutes to get her head straight, looked at the disfigured corpses of goblins, Rial's almost-healed knee wound, the powerful man standing in front of her, and guessed that they'd found a new saviour.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the only reason you're alive. And now that you're all fine and dandy, you'd better run along, littluns."
"You're not that much older than me, you know," said Rial, dissaproving of the man's abrasive and sarcastic attitude.
"No, but I know better than to run blindly into a trap, which makes me older mentally, if not physically. Now, if you excuse me, I've got things to do, people to maim."
The man turned around to leave once more, but was interrupted by Rial. "We still don't know how to reach the exit."
"What a damn shame." The man didn't stop walking.
"Hey! We need your help! I'll... I'll pay you for it!"
"Oh, please!" exclaimed the man, turning to face them. "Did it ever cross your mind that I might have more important things to do right now? Things that can only be done now and at no other time? I don't need your money, and besides, looking at the rags you're wearing, you wouldn't have enough to satisfy me. But yes, I'll help you if you promise to never return."
"But I don't understand why we must leave!"
"Understanding is not a prerequisite of obeying! Just do as I say and shut the hell up. I've already gone far enough out of my way to help you out, so you might wanna start appreciating it a bit more and stop whining. And my advice is: get out of here. Now. Follow me and I'll lead you to the exit."
"Yeah, but..." interrupted Kerlea.
"WHAT?"
"That." Kerlea was pointing behind the warrior, who promptly turned around to observe an even larger troop of goblins coming back with reinforcements. The swordsman merely rolled his eyes, extended his palm, and shot forth a pressurized jet of water that sent all of the goblins flying back through the tunnels, knocking into each other.
"There. Happy? Now let's go."
But as soon as they had turned past one corner, it soon became obvious why the warrior had wanted them to escape. A mighty, blood-curdling roar of fury reverberated through the marble walls of the maze. And then, thunderous footsteps caused tiny earthquakes that shook the tunnel to its foundations. Something bad had happened. Something monstrous was angry. And someone had to pay.
A terrible monster the likes of which not even Kerlea, after so many years as a dragon hunter, could even begin to envision in her mind from the roars it had produced was approaching. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and it was after them, running far too fast for them to be able to escape in time.
"So much for that," said the swordsman. Then, to Kerlea and Rial's surprised, he turned around and grinned at them. "Well, I guess this means we'll be getting to know each other pretty well over the next few hours. Hi. My name is Reeve."
EDIT: I just had to sort out a few typos that were annoying the hell out of me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week:
"Of course I have played outdoor games. I once played dominoes in an open air cafe in Paris." - Oscar Wilde.
Pointless fact of the week:Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.
[ July 03, 2004, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Skankin' Pickle ]
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Vinny
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Uh... I just realized I made a whole post dealing with goblins instead of gnomes. Should I change it, or would goblins be a better foe?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week:
"Of course I have played outdoor games. I once played dominoes in an open air cafe in Paris." - Oscar Wilde.
Pointless fact of the week:
Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week:
"Of course I have played outdoor games. I once played dominoes in an open air cafe in Paris." - Oscar Wilde.
Pointless fact of the week:Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.
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Prince Toad
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Vinny
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I'll go with D 
. Well, I guess B would work. I mean, hell, if there were undead soldiers, why wouldn't there be goblins and gnomes co-existing in harmony, however extremely unsanitary that harmony may be?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week:
"Of course I have played outdoor games. I once played dominoes in an open air cafe in Paris." - Oscar Wilde.
Pointless fact of the week:
Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.
. Well, I guess B would work. I mean, hell, if there were undead soldiers, why wouldn't there be goblins and gnomes co-existing in harmony, however extremely unsanitary that harmony may be?-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the week:
"Of course I have played outdoor games. I once played dominoes in an open air cafe in Paris." - Oscar Wilde.
Pointless fact of the week:Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave.
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Prince Toad
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- Location: Rookery
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[img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img] Actually, I think in my post I did mention them seeing gnomes specifically... I dunno, up to you. Suppose I should make a post at some point. I'll do it tomorrow, when I have more energy. I did just get back from vacation, after all...
Prince Toad, the shroom-o-doom
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
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Prince Toad
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Rial blinked back at the massive fighter.
Rial: I, uh... I'm Rial...
Kerlea: I'm Kerlea.
Rial (mumbling): Not "the chick."
Reeve: Huh, fascinating. Maybe you should help me out a bit. Tunnel's big enough for two of us.
Rial glanced about and noticed that the crumbling tunnel walls had indeed widened as they neared the exit. Reeve again turned, facing the creature. The bard stepped forward, swords already in hand, but Kerlea shoved him aside.
Kerlea: I'm used to this, let me handle it.
Reeve: Yeah, just try not to get killed, chick. Maybe you can poke him a couple of times when I've hacked him to pieces.
Rial: I'll get out my lute then...
Reeve: Oh, that's sweet. Why don't you sing me a little sweet serenade, then we'll dance in the moonlight on Aldresil's beaches and play hopscotch and pick daisies--
Rial: Fine, I won't, see if it doesn't make a difference.
Reeve: Don't give me that crap, kid, or I'll make your little toy into matchwood. Fools... ah, here comes our friend.
The enormous creature had finally caught up to them, and rumbled down the passage with terrifying speed. Its movements were blurred in an odd manner, somewhat due to its celerity, but it seemed that there was more to it than that.
The muscular mercenary and the shy knight braced themselves for the onslaught while Rial crammed his lute onto his belt and grabbed his crossbow, loading a quarrel from the case. As the singer worked frantically at the crank, the beast reached the extended sword of Kerlea, wrapping one of its many limbs around the blade and yanking it from her grip. A shocked gasp escaped from the soldier's lips as the murky thing swept another of its appendages under her legs, knocking her to her knees. At this moment, Rial fired his quarry and Reeve took a huge, arcing hack at the enemy, bellowing fiercely with effort and strength. The projectile stopped its target's advance, causing the beast to slow enough for Rial to sneak a quick look after snatching up another bolt.
The creature was a black, multi-tentacled horror, some kind of twisted nightmare that had found its way into the real world from a madman's dreams. Behind it, a trail of steaming, black liquid gave off a sickening stench. From a gaping orifice in its center dripped some kind of alien liquid which caused the hard stone floor to smoke and dissolve upon contact. It was presently making a ear-splitting screech at the pain from Rial's bolt and Reeve's blade, sending droplets of acidic spray from its toothy maw towards the three humans it faced. Even the tank-like Reeve recoiled at the intense burning sensation spreading throughout his body.
Thinking quickly, the burly sellsword invoked his Orb and lightly sprayed water from his hand onto his wounds. Somewhat protected from the corrosive effects of the beast's saliva, he pressed the attack. He drove straight for the shadowy opening at the thing's oozing center. His great broadsword began to score its slimy flesh, but its tentacles whipped at his outstretched body before the attack reached its midpoint, leaving sizzling marks on his face and arms that burned agonizingly into his skin.
Rial again pulled the trigger, this time aiming to the side a bit in order to avoid the hulking frame of Reeve near the nightmare's center. His eyes told him that he should have hit, but the quarrel continued on and made the normal whistling noise of its trajectory instead of the dull thud that dictated flesh. Convinced that the enemy had some kind of natural enchantment that impeded and distorted the vision of its foes, Rial began to panic, unsure of what could be done.
Kerlea, in the meantime, was staring at her weapon. It had clattered off the walls and was now resting unattainably on the side of the odorous thing. The general effect was unnatural and distinctly unnerving-- the sword's location was obvious, if not constant, but the beast's form appeared to shimmer and distort itself, making its definitions uncertain. Between her blade and her enemy, Kerlea's vision was toyed with and twisted until she wanted to vomit.
However, the knight blinked it off and steeled herself to make a blind leap into the creature's thrashing tentacles in order to snatch up her blade and, perhaps, be in position to mount an effective attack.
During this time, Reeve was recovering from the initial shock of receiving the burns when he was delivered a new set, courtesy of the tentacles. This time, though, they wrapped around his body, drawing him closer and closer to the slobbering mouth. Holding down his panic, and his last meal, Reeve struggled mightily to break the tentacles by sheer strength, but the pain and their grip was too great.
Rial beheld the scene with an uneasy feeling. The confident, arrogant mercenary who had saved his and Kerlea's collective ass by decimating an entire legion of goblins was now entrapped within the grasping tentacles of this disgusting creature. He knew that if Reeve was unable to destroy it, Rial's chances of doing so were slim to none. Kerlea was currently disarmed as well, but had began to take a few steps back and appraise the foe, looking as though she was gauging distance for some reason. Not knowing what else to do, he tore his Orb from its pocket and cast its spell, then picked up his lute and began playing a wordless melody.
The magic lute's effects were felt immediately, after the Orb's healing set in. Kerlea found herself dashing forward faster than she had ever run, and leaping straight through the mass of waving tentacles to grab her blade, acrobatically somersaulting to her feet on the other side, and poised her lithe body for attack. Reeve, drawing closer to the fanged mouth, found himself seized of an even greater strength than he'd known before. His great muscles bulged with effort. With a primal roar, he burst his living bonds, shattering the limbs into tiny pieces that melted sickeningly into the surrounding walls. Raising his huge, curving blade high, he brought it whistling down in a slashing cut whose power was worthy of a titan. As Kerlea drove her own longsword into the thing's back and Rial continued his enchanting melody, Reeve's strike clove the creature clear in two, straight through its center cavity and into the dark mass below.
A nauseating odor was released as pus seeped out of the huge gash. With a final, terrible screech of agony, the creature's tentacles ceased their flailing and the entire thing shuddered and collapsed, dissolving into the floor until nothing remained but a black, steaming puddle of acid and thirty-odd wicked-looking teeth.
Kerlea: ...ew?
Reeve: Time to go, kiddies. Once the chick hops on over here, I'll show you to the exit.
Rial: No... we need answers.
Reeve: I don't owe you anything! I killed that thing, I took the pain--
Rial: I played the song.
Reeve: Oh, that was lovely, let's just ride on our pink unicorns and... look, see this stuff dripping from the edge of my sword? Yeah. That means I killed it. You had nothing to do with it, boy.
Rial: But--
Reeve: I don't have time to mess around with the two of you. I have to do something, and I have to do it now.
Rial: Can... can we come?
Reeve: No! You're getting out of here, NOW. Just follow me.
Rial: I'm not leaving.
Reeve: Oh, okay. You can just lie down there in that pool of acid, not like I've never killed two things with one cut before.
Kerlea: I won't go either.
Reeve: You really are stubborn, aren't you? You're leaving. Or not? I don't care. I'm going to show myself the exit, then, and then I'm going to come back and do what needs to be done.
Rial: What needs to be done?
Reeve: None of your business, boy. Now come on.
Rial: No. We're not leaving.
Reeve: Okay. Great. Then don't bother me. You two can starve to death here.
Rial: We're coming with you. I need to find my friends--
Reeve: What the hell were you doing down here?! Having a little campout in the goblin-infested underground passages of Lord Kairce's grave, oh, splendid idea.
Rial: I told you, breaking the damn curse.
Reeve: The curse again? Dammit kid, you don't know what you're messing with. Think it's as simple as an axe? Oh, no. There's more.
Rial: But you're not going to tell us.
Reeve: No. I've wasted enough time with you. I'm going. You aren't coming. Bye.
The huge tank leaped effortlessly over the spreading acid and continued angrily on his way.
Rial: Then we have no choice.
Reeve (without stopping): That's right, you're starving to death. Good pick, kids. Maybe the goblins will get you first, that's a choice.
Rial wordlessly put his swords in their sheaths, replaced his Orb, secured his lute, and sprung over the acid, then continued down the hallway. Kerlea, briefly startled, hefted her sword and followed.
Reeve looked back, growling.
Reeve: ...damn you. You'll get yourselves killed, but that isn't my business. Fine, you can come, kiddies, but don't say anything and don't do anything without me saying it's okay. This blade's got an appetite that can't be satisfied, and anything it kills will do. So you'll bleed if you make mistakes. Get it? Got it? Good. Come along, kids. It's time to play.
[ July 06, 2004, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]
Rial: I, uh... I'm Rial...
Kerlea: I'm Kerlea.
Rial (mumbling): Not "the chick."
Reeve: Huh, fascinating. Maybe you should help me out a bit. Tunnel's big enough for two of us.
Rial glanced about and noticed that the crumbling tunnel walls had indeed widened as they neared the exit. Reeve again turned, facing the creature. The bard stepped forward, swords already in hand, but Kerlea shoved him aside.
Kerlea: I'm used to this, let me handle it.
Reeve: Yeah, just try not to get killed, chick. Maybe you can poke him a couple of times when I've hacked him to pieces.
Rial: I'll get out my lute then...
Reeve: Oh, that's sweet. Why don't you sing me a little sweet serenade, then we'll dance in the moonlight on Aldresil's beaches and play hopscotch and pick daisies--
Rial: Fine, I won't, see if it doesn't make a difference.
Reeve: Don't give me that crap, kid, or I'll make your little toy into matchwood. Fools... ah, here comes our friend.
The enormous creature had finally caught up to them, and rumbled down the passage with terrifying speed. Its movements were blurred in an odd manner, somewhat due to its celerity, but it seemed that there was more to it than that.
The muscular mercenary and the shy knight braced themselves for the onslaught while Rial crammed his lute onto his belt and grabbed his crossbow, loading a quarrel from the case. As the singer worked frantically at the crank, the beast reached the extended sword of Kerlea, wrapping one of its many limbs around the blade and yanking it from her grip. A shocked gasp escaped from the soldier's lips as the murky thing swept another of its appendages under her legs, knocking her to her knees. At this moment, Rial fired his quarry and Reeve took a huge, arcing hack at the enemy, bellowing fiercely with effort and strength. The projectile stopped its target's advance, causing the beast to slow enough for Rial to sneak a quick look after snatching up another bolt.
The creature was a black, multi-tentacled horror, some kind of twisted nightmare that had found its way into the real world from a madman's dreams. Behind it, a trail of steaming, black liquid gave off a sickening stench. From a gaping orifice in its center dripped some kind of alien liquid which caused the hard stone floor to smoke and dissolve upon contact. It was presently making a ear-splitting screech at the pain from Rial's bolt and Reeve's blade, sending droplets of acidic spray from its toothy maw towards the three humans it faced. Even the tank-like Reeve recoiled at the intense burning sensation spreading throughout his body.
Thinking quickly, the burly sellsword invoked his Orb and lightly sprayed water from his hand onto his wounds. Somewhat protected from the corrosive effects of the beast's saliva, he pressed the attack. He drove straight for the shadowy opening at the thing's oozing center. His great broadsword began to score its slimy flesh, but its tentacles whipped at his outstretched body before the attack reached its midpoint, leaving sizzling marks on his face and arms that burned agonizingly into his skin.
Rial again pulled the trigger, this time aiming to the side a bit in order to avoid the hulking frame of Reeve near the nightmare's center. His eyes told him that he should have hit, but the quarrel continued on and made the normal whistling noise of its trajectory instead of the dull thud that dictated flesh. Convinced that the enemy had some kind of natural enchantment that impeded and distorted the vision of its foes, Rial began to panic, unsure of what could be done.
Kerlea, in the meantime, was staring at her weapon. It had clattered off the walls and was now resting unattainably on the side of the odorous thing. The general effect was unnatural and distinctly unnerving-- the sword's location was obvious, if not constant, but the beast's form appeared to shimmer and distort itself, making its definitions uncertain. Between her blade and her enemy, Kerlea's vision was toyed with and twisted until she wanted to vomit.
However, the knight blinked it off and steeled herself to make a blind leap into the creature's thrashing tentacles in order to snatch up her blade and, perhaps, be in position to mount an effective attack.
During this time, Reeve was recovering from the initial shock of receiving the burns when he was delivered a new set, courtesy of the tentacles. This time, though, they wrapped around his body, drawing him closer and closer to the slobbering mouth. Holding down his panic, and his last meal, Reeve struggled mightily to break the tentacles by sheer strength, but the pain and their grip was too great.
Rial beheld the scene with an uneasy feeling. The confident, arrogant mercenary who had saved his and Kerlea's collective ass by decimating an entire legion of goblins was now entrapped within the grasping tentacles of this disgusting creature. He knew that if Reeve was unable to destroy it, Rial's chances of doing so were slim to none. Kerlea was currently disarmed as well, but had began to take a few steps back and appraise the foe, looking as though she was gauging distance for some reason. Not knowing what else to do, he tore his Orb from its pocket and cast its spell, then picked up his lute and began playing a wordless melody.
The magic lute's effects were felt immediately, after the Orb's healing set in. Kerlea found herself dashing forward faster than she had ever run, and leaping straight through the mass of waving tentacles to grab her blade, acrobatically somersaulting to her feet on the other side, and poised her lithe body for attack. Reeve, drawing closer to the fanged mouth, found himself seized of an even greater strength than he'd known before. His great muscles bulged with effort. With a primal roar, he burst his living bonds, shattering the limbs into tiny pieces that melted sickeningly into the surrounding walls. Raising his huge, curving blade high, he brought it whistling down in a slashing cut whose power was worthy of a titan. As Kerlea drove her own longsword into the thing's back and Rial continued his enchanting melody, Reeve's strike clove the creature clear in two, straight through its center cavity and into the dark mass below.
A nauseating odor was released as pus seeped out of the huge gash. With a final, terrible screech of agony, the creature's tentacles ceased their flailing and the entire thing shuddered and collapsed, dissolving into the floor until nothing remained but a black, steaming puddle of acid and thirty-odd wicked-looking teeth.
Kerlea: ...ew?
Reeve: Time to go, kiddies. Once the chick hops on over here, I'll show you to the exit.
Rial: No... we need answers.
Reeve: I don't owe you anything! I killed that thing, I took the pain--
Rial: I played the song.
Reeve: Oh, that was lovely, let's just ride on our pink unicorns and... look, see this stuff dripping from the edge of my sword? Yeah. That means I killed it. You had nothing to do with it, boy.
Rial: But--
Reeve: I don't have time to mess around with the two of you. I have to do something, and I have to do it now.
Rial: Can... can we come?
Reeve: No! You're getting out of here, NOW. Just follow me.
Rial: I'm not leaving.
Reeve: Oh, okay. You can just lie down there in that pool of acid, not like I've never killed two things with one cut before.
Kerlea: I won't go either.
Reeve: You really are stubborn, aren't you? You're leaving. Or not? I don't care. I'm going to show myself the exit, then, and then I'm going to come back and do what needs to be done.
Rial: What needs to be done?
Reeve: None of your business, boy. Now come on.
Rial: No. We're not leaving.
Reeve: Okay. Great. Then don't bother me. You two can starve to death here.
Rial: We're coming with you. I need to find my friends--
Reeve: What the hell were you doing down here?! Having a little campout in the goblin-infested underground passages of Lord Kairce's grave, oh, splendid idea.
Rial: I told you, breaking the damn curse.
Reeve: The curse again? Dammit kid, you don't know what you're messing with. Think it's as simple as an axe? Oh, no. There's more.
Rial: But you're not going to tell us.
Reeve: No. I've wasted enough time with you. I'm going. You aren't coming. Bye.
The huge tank leaped effortlessly over the spreading acid and continued angrily on his way.
Rial: Then we have no choice.
Reeve (without stopping): That's right, you're starving to death. Good pick, kids. Maybe the goblins will get you first, that's a choice.
Rial wordlessly put his swords in their sheaths, replaced his Orb, secured his lute, and sprung over the acid, then continued down the hallway. Kerlea, briefly startled, hefted her sword and followed.
Reeve looked back, growling.
Reeve: ...damn you. You'll get yourselves killed, but that isn't my business. Fine, you can come, kiddies, but don't say anything and don't do anything without me saying it's okay. This blade's got an appetite that can't be satisfied, and anything it kills will do. So you'll bleed if you make mistakes. Get it? Got it? Good. Come along, kids. It's time to play.
[ July 06, 2004, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]
Prince Toad, the shroom-o-doom
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
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Galen
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- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2001 2:00 am
- Location: I'd rather appreciate if nobody knew that right no
Ooc: Would it be alright if I were to join this role playing? Even though it's already started.
If not, it's okay, i was just wondering. If so, my character would be introduced at the present point in the storyline right?
I really don't mind reading it all, though I know most people wouldn't bother. But I like reading role playings, because they're usually great stories.
If not, it's okay, i was just wondering. If so, my character would be introduced at the present point in the storyline right?
I really don't mind reading it all, though I know most people wouldn't bother. But I like reading role playings, because they're usually great stories.
Gathering his wings, Kaiser Wreihz takes his gun and.... what? Over already?
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Prince Toad
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Sure, but first you gotta do some things. First, go to page 2 of the RP Forum and read the Ultimate RPG: Glory (idea topic) thing. After you're done with that, go to the stat topic and post a character. Then you can make an intro post.
Prince Toad, the shroom-o-doom
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
^Proud member of the Circum-flex Revolution!
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Galen
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- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2001 2:00 am
- Location: I'd rather appreciate if nobody knew that right no
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Lord Umbra
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OOC: Your favorite nerd is baaaaaaaaaaaack. And just for the record, I'll be disappearing yet again pretty soon for a trip to Japan ^_^
1) Damn your bastardization of my gnomes to goblins =P
2) If you did the sign-up sheet correctly Galen, you can join any time
3) You have all those lengthy posts and we're still dealing with gnomelings?
4) I'll be posting my inferior junk sometime in the far future.
1) Damn your bastardization of my gnomes to goblins =P
2) If you did the sign-up sheet correctly Galen, you can join any time
3) You have all those lengthy posts and we're still dealing with gnomelings?
4) I'll be posting my inferior junk sometime in the far future.
\"Be kind to your neighbor. He knows where you live.\"
- Anon.
- Anon.
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Galen
- Member
- Posts: 1795
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2001 2:00 am
- Location: I'd rather appreciate if nobody knew that right no
ooc: I don't know which group to appear in, it's hard, to get massacered or to get bossed around by a premadonna? It's all sooooooo good. I fixed up my stat sheet, for some strange reason i had two bios, so i stuck them together, they were supposed to be one. huh. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I'll wait until another person posts, to see where this is going, then I'll come in.
Ooc: D&D has lost its luster I'd say, but this is a d20 system that a buddy of mine did, he's my sister's boyfriend, and let me tell you, this is some of his best work!
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/d/a/d ... kmore.html
[ August 05, 2004, 01:59 AM: Message edited by: Galen ]
I'll wait until another person posts, to see where this is going, then I'll come in.
Ooc: D&D has lost its luster I'd say, but this is a d20 system that a buddy of mine did, he's my sister's boyfriend, and let me tell you, this is some of his best work!
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/d/a/d ... kmore.html
[ August 05, 2004, 01:59 AM: Message edited by: Galen ]
Gathering his wings, Kaiser Wreihz takes his gun and.... what? Over already?
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Lord Umbra
- Member
- Posts: 1687
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: Tangiers
- Contact: