The Mountain of Shadows RP
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| Author | Topic: The Mountain of Shadows RP |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 11:38
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IC: As the others head up the spiral staircase, Edith decides to stay behind and have another look around the room alone. Flower light in hand, she proceeds to reexamine the room closely while thinking to herself. Something about this room just does not tally up with the diary that Cain was reading. According to the parchment, there should be dead bodies in here of the people who died in the attack. Yet, there are no traces of any of them. Even the statues are missing from the exit tunnel. And what exactly attacked them? It’s clear that they weren’t attacked by the basilisk until after they entered the exit tunnel. And from whence did the attackers come? If they came from the necromancy chamber, then the group was followed and ambushed from there. Yet, it seems hard to believe that they could be ambushed from a flight of stairs. Is it possible that they came from a different source? Perhaps if I look hard enough, I can find that source. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, she turns her attention back to the symbol engraved on the wall. Hmmm. There is something about this symbol being here on this wall of all places that bothers me. For a sword to just fall off the wall and reveal this as we are passing through is more than just coincidence. It could be a sign that something important lies beyond this wall. And yet… It’s then that she notices something that she would have otherwise missed had she not been looking for it. She sees two straight parallel crevices, almost invisible to the naked eye, that run from the floor to the ceiling on either side of the symbol. They are about four feet apart and upon closer inspection, they turn out to be the sealed sides of a door. Hmmm. A sealed door. That’s a dash bit odd. It appears to have been magically sealed right into the bedrock. There’s no way I could open that with my magic. Unless… Edith gets an idea and takes off one of her knapsacks. She takes out a few herbs, a mortar and pestle, and a small flask. Sitting down on a large anvil, she starts making a potion. -------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, Edith’s absence is noticed by the group. Filbert is the first to voice it. "Hey, where did Edith go? I thought she was right behind us." Tuulentekija stops, as does Cain at the revelation. Cain starts getting impatient. "She isn't behind us? Hmmph. This woman grows more mysterious by the minute. Well, someone had better go check up on her to be sure she isn't in trouble. Tell you what, you two go back and look for her. I’ll hold the fort here in the meantime and wait for you. You can yell if you need any help." Tuulentekija hesitates for a moment at Cain's sudden command, but then reluctantly turns around and heads back down the stairs with Filbert, lantern in hand. Cain gives a slight smirk when they are out of sight, and commences to climb the steps without them. -------------------------------------------------- As Edith is finishing her potion, Filbert and Tuulentekija reappear in the room from the stairwell. When he sees she isn't in trouble and appears to be fidgeting with her herbs, Tuulentekija walks up to her and questions her. "Miss Edith, what are you doing? You are holding us up." Edith gets a slight smirk on her face as she replies. "Well, my dear sir, I am investigating a discovery I have just made." Filbert runs up next to Tuulentekija at hearing this. "A discovery? What sort of discovery?" "I have just discovered a secret door." Says Edith with a grin. Tuulentekija is taken aback by this. "What do you mean a secret door? This room is solid stone. I didn’t see any signs of one earlier." "Well, you really didn’t know to look for one then either. Cain’s parchment, which you didn’t read because you were too busy with that rune-engraved pearl, alerted me to the fact that this room might possess one. I did some searching and determined that it’s right there where that strange symbol is engraved on the wall. That sword fell off the wall for a reason. Someone or something wanted to draw our attention to that wall for more than just the symbol. And now that my potion is done, we can try to open it, for better or for worse." Edith stands up with mounting excitement and walks over to the wall where the engraving is. "There was once a working door here made of the bedrock and was probably set on a pair of strong hinges on the other side. It was sealed magically by something that melted the door right into the bedrock. With a little “push”, I’m sure that I can encourage it to open. Though it will never function as a door ever again as you will see. And with that said, here goes nothing!" She backs up a few feet and throws the flask at the wall with some violence. It shatters on contact and coats the wall with a black tarry substance. At first, it appears to do nothing. Then smoke starts to emit from the wall and the substance starts to bubble and eat into the rock. Within a minute, it eats several holes through the door, which soon promptly crumbles and falls away. Instantly, Edith becomes aware of cold misty air wafting into the room from the opening, bringing a smell of decay and sickness in with it. "That’s odd, I was expecting a more stale and musky smell when I opened it. This scent is more like that of a tomb. I don’t like the looks of it. We better put on our masks and keep alert. I can smell disease and death in the air." They all cover their noses and mouths with cloths and Edith leads the way cautiously through the opening into a tunnel about six feet wide and seven feet tall. She makes her way along the tunnel to an area that opens out into a vast cavern-like tunnel. When she almost walks off a ledge, she gets startled. "Oh my goodness!! Watch your step as you come out of that tunnel! There is a ledge here along what looks like a cliff." The others come out of the tunnel and stand on either side of her. "I’m afraid that I can’t see much. Our lights aren’t bright enough to penetrate this strange darkness. Could you produce a brighter light for us by any chance?" Says Tuulentekija. "I think I can. Hold on." Edith answers as she digs into her other knapsack. She pulls out a spell book and flips through the pages for a minute. "Ah, here it is." She mutters a series of words and her flower changes into a ball of fire. She then throws it out into the darkness and it stops 50 feet out in front of them and then hovers in the air. She mutters a few more words and the cavern suddenly gets nearly as bright as day. "Oh wow!!" She cries in surprise. Before them, they can see a large spiral ramp winding along the edges of a huge man-made cavern like a metal spring. Part of it ascends above them out of sight into the thick darkness. The other part of it descends down into a deep abyssal darkness that the light also can’t penetrate (Think of the spiral ramp in the Caverns level of Goldeneye). The cavern must be at least 100 feet across and of undeterminable height and depth. Edith looks around her in amazement trying to find an explanation for what she is seeing. It then dawns on her what it is that they have found. "The treasure ramp!!" Filbert and Tuulentekija stare at her in bewilderment. They both question her in unison. "The what?" Edith groans in disbelief at their ignorance. "Don’t you see? There are some mysteries surrounding the legend of King Albert’s treasure. One of the mysteries is that if such a wealth of treasure exists in the mountain, then his forces must have had a special way of transporting it with ease to the treasure vault believed to be located at the peak. Carrying it outside along the face of the mountain would be time-consuming and very hazardous. So, what would be one of the easiest ways of getting the treasure to the vault with the least amount of hazard? Two things come to mind for me. Magic and--" Filbert jumps in. "Ah, I see it now!! A large ramp constructed inside of the mountain!" Edith snaps back with a positive compliment in her voice. "Exactly!! This ramp has to be the way it was done!" Tuulentekija chimes in with some excitement. "So this ramp brings us one step closer to proving that the legend is in fact, true?" Edith goes to reply excitedly, but all of the sudden she becomes aware of a decidedly eerie feeling around her in the cavern. When she does reply, the excitement is no longer evident in her voice. "Uh, yes. Exactly." "Then what are we waiting for?! Let’s go get Cain and show him the ramp." Says Filbert eagerly as he turns around to run back to the forge. Edith grabs his arm suddenly as he turns and stops him. "No! I don’t think that is wise. We should leave this place at once and get away from it." Tuulentekija looks at her with utter confusion on his face. "But you just said that it may lead us to the treasure. Why did you suddenly change your mind?" Edith begins to look pale as she eyes the abyss below her and her voice sounds terrribly grim. "Because I get the distinct feeling that I shouldn’t have opened that door and that we are quite possibly not alone in here. Aren’t either of you concerned with the fact that my light cannot penetrate the darkness above us or below us more than fifty feet? I am very troubled by that. The secret door obviously was once a normal door used to access the forge from the ramp and vice versa. But it was sealed up magically and hidden for some strong reason. A reason we are not yet aware of. On top of that, the ramp is dangerous. See how the protective wall along the ledge has crumbled into ruin? One false step and it would mean death. And have you noticed that the smell of decay has started growing stronger since we have been standing here? Until I know what is down there below us in that darkness, I want nothing to do with this tunnel." With that, Edith chants again, and with a downward motion of her hands, the ball of fire travels down into the abyss below them. As the fireball descends into the darkness, it lights up the spiraling ledge around it bit by bit. The group suddenly becomes aware of movement along the ramp about 100 or so feet down. Writhing creatures lit up by the descending fireball, hiss and growl at it as it passes by. "Dear god!!! I don't want to know what those things are! I think now would be a good time to RUN!!!" [ Tuesday, September 06, 2005 23:33: Message edited by: Sir Sherlock Holmes ] -------------------- "Keep your wits about you, the game is afoot!!" - Sherlock Holmes Gay Christian Network The Polaris Board Posts: 935 | Registered: Friday, August 8 2003 07:00 |
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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 19:41
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Melora led the guide to the door and stood casually nearby, clearly watching his every movement. The others made their way over gradually. Norran lay his bony hands against the cold steel and pushed, to their surprise, with all his strength. The door did not budge, but the mage didn't seem upset by this fact. Slowly, almost inperceptibly, ignoring the confused whispers of the group behind him, Norran drew his hands back, muttering under his breath. I cannot let the elf near Orloki by herself. Melora's bright eyes darted from Norran's hands to his lips, and back again. I cannot guess what shadow lies behind those veiled eyes. The mage took a small step backwards and tensed his entire body. I know only that it is there. With a piercing screech, a crack appeared between the metal slabs. And if it can kill a man through her blade, it is dangerous. A horrid groan rose from the entrance of the tunnel, causing the archer to wince and the skeleton to jump, adding to the din. But he is in danger... The black-haired mage threw all of his weight against the door and shouted one last word, an elvish word of power. The doors flew open. Norran fell to the ground, panting. Melora, a rapacious smile on her face, stepped over his heaving form into the blackness. Andros, in an obvious attempt at careless bravado, followed closely behind. Cyrus, bending to offer the mage a gauntlet, turned to Lisha. "Coming?" "No." Melora halted, froze. Andros turned around, only his outline visible in the darkness. "What do you mean? You're not coming? This elf showed us the fastest-" "I'm not coming. Brother Sequoia needs- may need my help. I shall go through the portal." Andros snorted. "Fine. I don't need you. But when you reach the dead demon, if you survive, don't expect to find any treasure lying-" "There are more important things in the world than gold and petty trinkets," Lisha hissed, her words dripping with venom. "But I am at no risk of finding the demon even mildly harmed." She turned and sprinted to the portal, her mind set and hear ears deaf to Cyrus' entreaty. And - was that the elf? Had Melora called after her? But it didn't matter, it was too late. She braced herself and leapt through the portal. She returned to the surface amid scene of destruction. The scent of death still drifted into her nostrils. Had the battle truly reached this far? The grass was more than just trampled by the boots of the returning warriors. Lives had been lost here. A race had almost met its destruction. The thought of gold, once again, had come within a hair's width of driving a thing of beautiful melancholy from the earth and from human memory. Shaking her head, Lisha began making her way to the north. She would find no trace of the druid and his undead companion among these trees, but she could guess which direction he had taken. One so closely attuned to nature would have no difficulty finding his way up a slope; nor would he disturb his surroundings in a notable way. Lisha relied on Sequoia's sense of direction and Caecus' style of destruction to guide her to them. Assuming, of course, that their paths had crossed. Whatever unknown power rules Melora's mind, she thought, it is far to subtle to be a demon. Orloki has no hold over the elf. If anything, the influence will get weaker as she gets closer. Caecus, however... She began sprinting again, watching carefully for signs of the spirit's passing. If Orloki wants Sequoia dead, his life is significantly more at risk with every step he takes with that undead abomination at his side. She cursed herself mentally. What did it matter to the Grand Lord if a simple druid lost his life trying to take Albert's treasure? Would that not most likely further whatever plans he had formed? What did it matter to her? Shivering, Lisha fed more and more energy into her legs. The druid could not be allowed to be at such risk. For Lisha's sake, Brother Sequoia could not die. -------------------- And though the musicians would die, the music would live on in the imaginations of all who heard it. -The Last Pendragon Polaris = joy. In case of emergency, break glass. Posts: 3351 | Registered: Saturday, April 6 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 20:03
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OOC: I tried to make a ruthless character this time to avoid such situations. But regardless of the kind of character I play with, the moral dilemmas are bound to come at some point. Need some time. :P -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 20:31
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OoC: Wait, if Norran's from Verwey, shouldn't he have silver hair? IC: The druid's path through the woods was becoming less and less obvious. As the trees thinned out, the slope of the mountain grew rockier and colder. In fact, the entire landscape was growing grayer with every foot he climbed. Very quiet. There's something evil around here... there should be birds around, or something. he thought, almost missing the loud crunches and cracks from the forest below. Crud. He tapped his staff on his traveling cloak, and it quickly turned a mottled gray. Quickly sizing up his climb, he noticed a large cliff ahead and to his left. He practically sprinted up the mountain to get to the clifftop. As the crunches grew louder, the druid began to move slower among the dull-colored rocks on the mountainside, trying to avoid detection. It's too cold up here... this cloak won't work forever. he thought, pulling his staff out for a second. It glowed golden for a second, and his cloak was suddenly filled with a comforting warmth. The growing noise was getting even closer now. It started to take on a more metallic sound, accompanied by some angry growling. I don't want to know, I don't want to know... he thought, nimbly jumping from rock to rock. Then, an idea struck him. He stealthily returned to the cliff's edge, taking his staff out of his cloak again, and waving it along the cliff's edge. A small crack appeared in the rock, along with a thin vine outlining the crack. A smaller vine grew out of the druid's staff and anchored to the first one, and it extended as Brother Sequoia slowly edged away from the cliff. The sounds had reached the bottom of the cliff, and Brother Sequoia yanked the vine as hard as he could. With a sickening grinding sound, a chunk of the cliff face fell down onto whatever was following him. Agitated sounds followed, and the druid could tell that whatever had chosen to follow was trapped, but still alive. Well, that buys me time. Silently, he continued up the mountain, drawing his cloak tighter about him to guard against the icy winds. The clouds around the mountain were growing more ominous, and the druid could hear a few distant howls ahead of him. We shall meet soon, whatever or whoever you are... OoC: Your call what (or who) I just trapped. Obviously, Caecus is an option, and might be completely appropriate. -------------------- Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. I hate undead. I really, really, really, really hate undead. With a passion. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 5450
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 21:35
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OOC: Well, as I am going on holidays, and I can't think of anything to write, I'll end this. IC: Brail walked along. He heard a rustling in the trees, and a bear jumped out at him and ended his life in a brutal fashion. Another wasted life. OOC: I'll participate in the next one, whenever that is. Hopefully I will have had more experience by then. -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. Polaris Posts: 2396 | Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 21:55
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OoC: If there is a next one. And that just seemed like a huge dramatic letdown, Spring. -------------------- Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. I hate undead. I really, really, really, really hate undead. With a passion. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 5450
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written Tuesday, September 6 2005 22:08
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OOC: How so? I am lazy. -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. Polaris Posts: 2396 | Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 00:21
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OOC: What a loss. IC: Melora stood at the tunnel entrance, watching Lisha's receding back as she returned to the portal out of Verwey. Choices. Time gone, she would not even have shrugged. The Underworld is not for everyone, and she fared better alone. Lisha could be an essential aid if the path turned more dangerous than expected. A self-important archer and a mage who could not open a door without collapsing? It would be madness to enter the cave without Lisha's help. When did I need a companion in the icy plains and the lost city of Rang? Would I have found the great, terrible archives of Khom, buried beneath the sands, if I had had to take care of some surface-dweller tailing my heels? Six score years, and forbidden places that nightmares could not match, and in all my travels I was alone. This is different. Lisha has saved your life. So close to the fruit of more than a century of struggle! Life and sanity I have gambled away for the promise of knowledge, and at the brink of it I am to turn away? Perseverance is the source of wisdom, but impatience will hasten nothing save downfall. You have searched and waited a hundred years, can you not wait a fortnight more? Who am I to turn and run after a human? What duty compels me to follow a surface-dweller, an Easterling? When have I ever allowed lesser obstacles to stand in my path in all these years? Who was she indeed? I am of the shadow folk. The caves are my home, I walk where I choose and I answer to none. She left her home. And if? Had she forsaken her race when she left the caverns? Had she become a human when the daylight struck her? Her hair had remained silver, and the shadow on her mind as dark as her face. What was she, that she could not make a choice - a Verweyan? She could not deny the changes. How often had she shuddered when thinking back to the ways of her people? When had she prayed to their goddess? When had she seen one of her own kind in the last two hundred years? The way of the drow has remained with you. You cannot deny your nature. I am not. Patience was ever my guide, even before I left. Curiosity and patience, and where would I be without either? I will go with Lisha. You're going to regret this. --- And for the second time this week, Melora found herself running, trying to catch up with a human female to help her. Norran, still shivering with the exertion of opening the steel door - all for nothing -, and Andros, who had already vanished inside the yawning darkness, she left without a word. Let them go in and seek treasure. If they are lucky, they will find nothing. If they are wise, they will seek another road. OOC: Gah, this was tricky. I didn't know myself what I was going to end up writing. Well, here we go. -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4248
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 03:00
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When Edith and Filbert sprinted out of the room, Tuulentekija stayed and stared in amazement to dephts of the mountain. Wallcrawlers. I've never seen that many wallcrawlers in my whole life. The creatures slowly slithering up the wall were big, centipede-like worms with sharp, venomous jaws growing from the sides of their heads. They also had multiple, hexagonal eyes; Tuulentekija could almost feel the thousands of eyes staring back at him. I wonder what they have eaten during all this time , Tuulentekija thought. This passage was propably sealed away hundreds of years ago. What could have offered nourishment to all these creatures? "Tuulentekija! Where are you? Come out of there, now!" he suddenly heard Edith shout. "I see no reason to!" he shouted back. "These are just normal wallcrawlers. They're not even paricularly venomous. I suppose it's perfectly safe to stand here!" First of the worms had already crawled upon the cliff Tuulentekija was standing on. Some of them were nearly six feet tall, but they didn't show much interest towards Tuulentekija. They feed on carrion and rotten plants Tuulentekija pondered. But I'm sure there aren't any down here...waita second, what was that? Something much bigger was moving down in the cave. "Edith, could you please come back here?" Tuulentekija shouted but recieved no response. Even the magical fireball Edith had created was starting to dim; Tuulentekija knew he would soon be without any lighting. Very well then, I suppose it's time to use some abilities of my own he thought, closed his eyes and concentrated. The darkness around Tuulentekija became more intense very moment. The voices of thousands of small feet running over the floor also became louder and filled Tuulentekija's ears, as did the eerie sound of wind blowing trough the chamber and the sounds of hot spring in the earlier cave. Then, after he had stood still for more than five minutes, he could finally sense it . It was towering above him, breathing slowly and silently, it's breath smelling of death and decay. It was moving around nervously, continuously switching it's weight from one leg to another, causing some metal items (Weapons? Armor?) to cling against each other. After a long while, Tuulentekija could also hear a low, angry growl like that of a wolf's. Tuulentekija ran out of the chamber, cold sweat flowing down his back. Without any light, it was hard to move around in the caverns, and so he managed to soak his feet to the boiling hot water of the hot spring. Finally he found the stairs, and started climbing as fast as he could with his burned feet. But the pain didn't trouble Tuulentekija at all; it was the fact that he still was alive that did... -------------------- Somebody PLEASE turn the heat on. Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 03:10
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quote:OOC: Burnt or Frozen, which is better? :P -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4248
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 04:46
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OoC: Shut up, Aran. -------------------- Somebody PLEASE turn the heat on. Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 2940
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 05:26
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Cain finally reached the necromancy chamber above. It was, as he'd expected, empty. Most of the undead were roaming the woods or guarding other entrances to Orloki's lair. Only stench and a few pieces of unusable bone were scattered across the long fetid hall. Horrible tools off all kinds hung from the walls and ceiling and at the very end of the dark hall, a platform. The platform was dominated by a blood covered altar. It was not hard to guess where the animation ceremonies took place. Cain had just given his first steps in the hall when a wave of stench flew up the ladders he had just climbed.What are those idiots doing down there? Ignoring the stench below, Cain walked to the platform to give a better look at the altar. Then he stopped. He could feel it right before him, the power of the altar covering the platform. One step on it and it would trigger unspoken horrors. To his disappointment, right behind the altar, a stairway continued the path higher up the mountain. Cain played it safe and started to walk back when he heard the others running up the small spiraling stairway, by the sound of it, in panic. Cain suddenly had the distinct feeling they would soon be between the sword and the wall. What now. [ Thursday, September 08, 2005 02:59: Message edited by: The_Nazgul ] -------------------- "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it through not dying." Posts: 469 | Registered: Thursday, May 1 2003 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 2339
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 14:41
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OOC: Caecus will find his own path, then. IC: Caecus was following footsteps and the occasional flickering of a soul trying to hide it self. He was walking through a gray and dead forest. He could also feel Orloki's power here. Suddenly, he heard a grinding sound, and the next thing he knew, a boulder had landed on him. He was trapped! He perceived the boulder more carefully. It, like the cliff, was not very sturdy. He managed to unsheath one of his swords. He put as much might as he could into a swing and broke off part of the boulder! It was light enough for him to free himself. Who did that? And how did they do that? I must know who did that. Whoever did that must still be on the top of the cliff. he thought. He perceived the top of the cliff. Someone had intentionally dropped a boulder on him as far as he could tell. "Find and kill that person who dared to harm you!" the runes whispered. As Caecus got angry, something unexpected happened. He lost control of himself! He perceived himself slashing and killing villagers, and finally, a fiery entity with a demonic laugh. Caecus snapped back to reality. The villagers were dead trees, and the demonic laugh was his own. He found himself near the top of the cliff. I'd better control my temper when I'm close to Orloki, lest I kill innocent creatures. he thought. [ Wednesday, September 07, 2005 20:40: Message edited by: Zephyr Tempest ] -------------------- *Blue screen error* NONEXISTANT WINDOWS ERROR Windows detects no current errors, so Windows has decided to screw around with the files until one occurs. If you never rise against your oppressor, then you've already lost. -Zephyr Tempest, your personal entertainer Posts: 1779 | Registered: Monday, December 9 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Wednesday, September 7 2005 20:29
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EDIT: Total overhaul. OoC: Thank you Zephyr, a bit of solo traveling never hurt anybody. IC: The loud wails and slashing sounds had stopped. Brother Sequoia stood up from behind a rock, still cloaked and looking for all the world like just another rock. Must be a minion of Orloki... the real thing would've charged from above. Simple tracking. Chase from below, and you lose too much breath to cause any surprise. he thought, walking into what was rapidly becoming a slicing cold gale. The rocks around him slowly turned icy, a sign that the mountain's peak was ahead. Then, the druid looked up, the spire of the mountain still painfully high above him. This could be a while... Looking up, the druid lost his footing momentarily, and slid down a short ways into what looked like a solid ice wall. Upon impact, however, Brother Sequoia realized it was merely a rock face coated with ice. A network of fine cracks spread out from where the druid hit the wall, and a section of the ice sheet fell away, revealing a modest cave entrance. Unconscious, Brother Sequoia's mind settled on a disturbing nightmare of his homeland wrecked by the minions of the mountain. He stood amidst of the wreckage of his hometown of Vriel, and a pack of possessed wolves charged across the charred town square at him. The dream ended, and he drifted into a deeper unconsciousness. OoC: I think I'll pull myself out of this one, so don't bother. The cave begs to be explored. [ Wednesday, September 07, 2005 20:56: Message edited by: Ephesos ] -------------------- Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. I hate undead. I really, really, really, really hate undead. With a passion. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Thursday, September 8 2005 02:00
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OOC: Which would significantly ease the whole process, since Melora *does* want to enter those caverns, she just doesn't want to leave Lisha just yet. Out of what will you pull yourself, Ephesos? :) I'm building a post-by-post summary of this, and I just need to list 65 more posts. --- Also, for the benefit of synchronization, here's a vague list of plot events ordered chronologically. I've tried to go by time of day mentioned in the posts, as well as rests. It is important to note that Cain, Edith, Tuulentekija and Filbert set out almost a day later than the first party, and are behind. The blademaster they dispatch would accordingly be a straggler rather than a scout. Nazgul also claimed to see a battle which actually happened a day earlier. Pre-plot events: -Lisha arrives at the village, 6 weeks ago. -Brail sent to investigate Lisha, 3 weeks ago -Brail explores surrounding villages, 1 week ago. -Melora arrives at the village, 4 days ago. Day 1 -Guy finds Sullust half-dead, late morning. They descend the mountain. -Cain arrives at the village and murders his guide. Late morning. -Meeting in the tavern/undead incident, noon. -Lisha and Undead, etc. enter forest afternoon. -Cain leaves and returns to village in the evening. He sleeps in the provided house and finds the diary. -Edith retires to her basement room. -Melora follows forest party, evening. -Andros sees forest party and Melora, follows, sundown. Day 2 -Melora is captured shortly after midnight. Andros arrives. -Confrontation with Blackrune, attacked by animated armor. -Cain wakes up, enters tavern and asks for adventurers. Morning. -Brail is attacked by wolves in the forest. -Lisha et al attacked by wolves. Brail joins. Morning. -Edith, Filbert and Tuulentekija join Cain. -Guy and Sullust come upon party, Guy is enraged. -Guy and Sullust leave again, Brail leaves. -Party splits up: Sequoia, Andros, Caecus, Cyrus enter Verwey, Lisha and Melora enter forest. -Cain's party finishes preparations, sets out. -Melora catches up to Lisha, pre-noon. -Cain's party comes across remains of Blackrune, armor, noon. -Andros, Caecus, Cyrus, Sequoia are welcomed into Verwey, shown around. -Brail meets Lisha & Melora, is mugged, noon. -Lisha, Melora find a tree to rest, afternoon. -Edith falls into trance, late afternoon. -Cain's party comes across dead wolves, late afternoon. -Verwey prepares for war, evening. -The Verweyan army leaves after sundown. -Cain's party is almost attacked by worgs, sundown. -Blademaster elites attack Verwey. -Lisha and Melora wake up. -Battle of Verweyan army against Blademasters begins. -Cain's party makes camp, almost midnight. Day 3: -Melora is wounded shortly after midnight. -Snakes attack Cain's party, long after midnight. -Melora and Lisha arrive in Verwey and are healed. Morning. -Cain's party sets out again. -Blademasters withdraw, a few hours before sunrise. -Cain's party are attacked by a straggling blademaster and kill him. Before noon. -[[ERROR: Cain's party think they can see the Verweyan battle, which already happened in the previous night.]] -Cain's party meets Basilisk, before noon. -Sequoia leaves Verwey, afternoon. Caecus follows. -Melora finds passage to cave. Lisha leaves, Melora leaves as well. -Cain's party enters the cave, afternoon. -Cain's party comes across spiral ramp with monsters, late afternoon. CURRENT TIME AROUND VERWEY: Day 3, afternoon CURRENT TIME IN MOUNTAIN CAVE: Day 3, late afternoon Future events: Day 24 Brail arrives at Aram, and is re-equipped and healed. He returns to the mountain. Day 41 Brail arrives at the mountain. He is killed shortly later by a wild bear. --- To avoid such confusion in the future, I suggest that everyone mentions the time of day at some point in their post. Edit: Fixed. You still can't see the battle though. [ Thursday, September 08, 2005 05:18: Message edited by: Arancaytar ] -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 2940
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written Thursday, September 8 2005 04:55
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I thought the fight sarted around midnight day 2 (Verweyans needed a clear full moon) but lasted all through the night untill day 3. Maybe what Cain's party heard was a last bunch of blademasters running away from persuing Verweyans. quote::D [ Thursday, September 08, 2005 05:05: Message edited by: The_Nazgul ] -------------------- "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it through not dying." Posts: 469 | Registered: Thursday, May 1 2003 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 5977
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written Thursday, September 8 2005 05:02
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OOC: Maybe, to catch up with the rest, we can sleep a night or so (cain's party)? Although in the middle of the mountain really isn't a good place for that. -------------------- Thralni's almighty Avernum pages: My webpage, containing scenario's and graphics made by me (And maybe someday the homepage of the almighty chicken gods). Click here for more information on Olga's fortune teller kiosk Olga's fortune teller kiosk has been temporarily closed down, but you can contact the prophet with a PM - Was signed by the prophet of the almighty chicken gods, gods of everything that is a chicken. Work has begun on the Nephilian grammar and vocabulary guide! Posts: 3029 | Registered: Saturday, June 18 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Thursday, September 8 2005 05:10
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quote:The full moon can be in the sky long before midnight, you know... in fact, in David's post: quote:The "dim golden glow far to the west of the zenith" indicates that the sun has just gone down or is currently going down. Mh... it does not seem to be essential that Sequoia leaves Verwey in the morning. We could extend the stay in the caverns till afternoon, and have Sequoia leave then. In that case, the battle lasted almost till sunrise, and Melora was only healed at noon. The sleep rhythms of our characters are wonky as hell anyway. :P Wrong, Thralni. By sleeping another night in the caverns, you are increasing the difference. "Behind" refers to the space travelled - you came across the places where we had been a day later. In terms of plot, you were one day into the future from our party at one point. It was day 2 for us, and day 3 for you. This is largely gone now because of the battle. It's afternoon on Day 3 for both parties... [ Thursday, September 08, 2005 05:14: Message edited by: Arancaytar ] -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Thursday, September 8 2005 17:07
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OoC: I'd come up with more IC, but I've quite literally wracked my brain working on an IC that took me nearly 12 hours to write. (And I am not exaggerating when I say that.) It's someone else's turn to develop the plot for our party for a little while. Also, I want to remind the members of my party and those of the other parties that the key around Edith's neck is NOT to be used as some sort of ancient artifact. Nor is it to be used in such a manor as... "Someone notices that it looks like it would open the golden doors of King Albert's Treasure Vault." I in no way want to repeat what idiotic thing I did in my Valley of Thunder RP. Looking back now I realize that finding a staff and a head-piece purely by "accident" was putting too much power in my character's hands. I have subtle plans to take the golden key from being a blessed item giving Edith good luck to an item slowly being cursed by the evil aurora surrounding the mountain. [ Thursday, September 08, 2005 17:19: Message edited by: Sir Sherlock Holmes ] -------------------- "Keep your wits about you, the game is afoot!!" - Sherlock Holmes Gay Christian Network The Polaris Board Posts: 935 | Registered: Friday, August 8 2003 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 6239
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written Friday, September 9 2005 00:22
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Hey was up? Why does it seem to me that I've become invisible?????By the way my char. isnt used for menial work, rather as someone with a lot of knoweledge about that area. And he is a FIRE mage... not one with earth magic. Oh ya he is a powerful fire mage at that. -------------------- if you cant dazzel them with your brilliance, baffel them with your bull****!!!!! remember me???? Posts: 6 | Registered: Monday, August 22 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Friday, September 9 2005 00:32
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OOC: Melora pretty much went sour on Norran's offer. It's not nice of her after the effort Norran went to to open the door, but she really doesn't much care. She was drawn between entering the mountain caverns directly, and staying with Sequoia and Lisha, and she eventually chose the latter. -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "I single Aran out due to his nasty temperament, and his superior intellect." --- SupaNik Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 5977
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written Monday, September 12 2005 06:53
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IC: Day 3 late afternoon They ran the small spiraling stair case up, not screaming as that would only atrract the beasts. Cain slowly walked over when he heard them coming. What now? He thought. Soon he saw, however, that there was nothing to be nervous about. Filbert, who ran behing the other two, was tired of the running. he looked at the spooky altar, and then at the room. "What is this place...." he asked, still trying to come by the fast stair climbing "I don't know" Cain replied. "Sorry, Cain, but I don't accept that. Was there maybe something written in that thingt you read?" Edith said. "Well, actually..." However, he couldn't finish the sentence. A purple mist had started to gather and encolse the four travelers. Now what! Filbert thought. A voice, frail and unclear, began to speak: "Mortals!!! Who has come here to wake me up!!!" "Its just..." Cain started but Edith interrupted him. "Quiet you fool! Don't answer! Don't say anything!" She whispered. "MORTALS!! HOW DARE YOU COME HERE!!" "Mommy!" Filbert suddenly shouted. "Quiet! Didn't you hear what Edith just..." But Tuulentekija couldn't finish it... A boney figure started to take form behind the temple, two black wings grew out of its back, the boney limbs started to get a shape... Balck arms and legs, and a belly... A belly wearing a symbol, wearing: --- - --- "My god..." Edith said "Its one of them, its an Uruk... Uruk..." "URUK-HAI!!!" The black figure shouted... -------------------- Thralni's almighty Avernum pages: My webpage, containing scenario's and graphics made by me (And maybe someday the homepage of the almighty chicken gods). Click here for more information on Olga's fortune teller kiosk Olga's fortune teller kiosk has been temporarily closed down, but you can contact the prophet with a PM - Was signed by the prophet of the almighty chicken gods, gods of everything that is a chicken. Work has begun on the Nephilian grammar and vocabulary guide! Posts: 3029 | Registered: Saturday, June 18 2005 07:00 |
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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Monday, September 12 2005 19:45
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The dark cloak rose and fell rapidly, regularly, pressed to her breast by the icy gale. She raced through the grey, twisted tree husks, by the occasional burst of vervant but hostile coniferous green, over the earth entombed in ice and stone, the cold air filling her lungs and driving sharp pains deep into her body. Panting, she drew the cloak tighter, fought the wind for it, gave up. The mountain knew her purpose, and pushed her back with all its majestic might; whether out of malice or benevolence, she neither knew nor cared. Not daring to pause for fear of being unable to move again, she traced her path relentlessly out of the forest and what little protection it offered. A path she had, indeed, for as she'd suspected, Caecus made no apparent effort to conceal his trail. He, too, had most likely been chasing the druid as closely as possible, and had not had time to stop to rearrange a rock or hide a broken branch. By this point, unless the druid had made an effort to put as much distance between himself and his companions as possible, his vile undead pursuer had undoubtedly found him. Luckily, she was faster. Lisha gasped for breath in the thin, frigid air, and prayed fervently to be restored ere long to the dry, scorching heat of the low-lying Tass Shanti deserts. But to return unsucessfully, to return to the Grand Lord in shame... May the fiery sun find me without water in the shifting dunes before I accept failure. No; regardless of the druid's status, she would not turn back until her mission was completed to her satisfaction. She slowed, panting, as she came to a pile of loose stone. Suddenly, she stopped. Her eyes traced the thin vine into the pile of stone before her, where she could see no more. Kneeling cautiously, she removed a glove and touched the vine. Not frozen. Barely affected by the cold, in fact. Her head snapped up. Sequoia. Quickly rubbing life back into her numbed legs, Lisha stepped back and surveyed the cliff. What had the druid done, and why? Particles of stone still drifted through the otherwise pure air; if so intended, this minor avalanch could easily have been fatal. She shuddered. Was there a mangled suit of armor beneath the fallen cliff, the spirit within insubstantial once more? So far from his people, Caecus had little hope of restoration, and Lisha, therefore, little hope of learning more of the demon's methods without encountering him directly and with impunity. Unless Cyrus... Shoving this new worry from her mind, Lisha sought and found what appeared to be the easiest path to the top of the cliff. Adjusting her belts and sashes, she reached for the first handhold unsteadily and began climbing, caution overridden by desperation and numbness. Allowing instinct to guide her, Lisha soon found her way up, praising her trainer the whole time. To walk the same way would have taken too long. Lisha dragged herself over the highest rock lip and onto the stone, treacherous with patches of ice. Lisha stood shakily and surveyed her surroundings. Sequoia must have passed this way, but how long ago? And where had he gone from here? In the cliffs there was no way to tell. Lisha sighed. Calling might set off another avalanch, and she couldn't risk that. She'd simply have to search. Her first step was stable, the second slightly less so. By the third she was sprinting again to keep upright. The rocky path dipped suddenly and her foot met ice. Unable to regain her balance, she twisted onto her back and allowed herself to slide down, feet poised protectively in front. After several exhilarating seconds, she came to an abrupt stop against a fleshy mass. She scrambled to her knees, a blade suddenly held before her. It hardly took long, however, to recognize the work green cloak. A cry choked in her dry throat, Lisha dropped the knife and desperately sought the druid's face. Turning it towards her own in horror, she found the knife among the ice shards and held its flat over his lips. For several agonizing moments, she perceived nothing. Then, finally, a faint mist found its way to the frigid metal, obscuring its polished clarity. Allowing herself to go limp with relief, Lisha fell over the druid's body and lay immobile. "Do you plan to get him to safety and revive him, or just keep his chest warm and his face from danger?" Controlled panic taking control of her, Lisha thrust herself from the ground and to her feet. Melora stood in the shelter of the cave, the expected half-smile absent. "What are you doing here?" Lisha hissed. “No more than you, I expect,” Melora said, “just more effectively. He needs to get below the surface. Grab his shoulders.” Too weak, cold, and weary to resist, Lisha placed her arms under the druid and lifted. A snowflake flew into her eye and she blinked, noticing for the first time the thin layer of snow on her cloak and that of the druid. Within minutes they were safely within the entrance of the cave, Sequoia still unconscious and Lisha only partially awake. Melora disappeared for a moment, then returned with a lighted torch. “He needs the heat more than we need the light,” Melora explained. She brought the torch near his heart and placed her free hand first on his chest, then on his face and neck. “He’ll regain sonsciousness soon. Then we must move. I’m not entirely sure what this place is, but it is rarely safe to stay immobile in such a place for too long.” -------------------- And though the musicians would die, the music would live on in the imaginations of all who heard it. -The Last Pendragon Polaris = joy. In case of emergency, break glass. Posts: 3351 | Registered: Saturday, April 6 2002 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 2339
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written Monday, September 12 2005 20:44
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After a bit of walking, Caecus could hear howling in the distance. Fearing that the runes could get a hold of him, he tried to pick up a large rock nearby to throw at whatever is coming. But, as he started to lift, his middle went limp and he collapsed! He percecived his armor, and found that the rock had made a rather nasty mark on his cuirass. His spirit felt hostile magics flow from the dent. Orloki or Blackrune must know that I'm here. They're trying to corrupt me! he thought. Caecus thought back to his paladin training. He remembered all of the priestly powers he had, and the prized Aureas Scimitar. Then, he felt hostile magic flow from his Runeswords. He concentrated on his lost ability to purge demonic powers. He muttered the ancient Moon-elven words that once activated this ability. I must try to call on my old abilities! I must regain control! He felt a warm sensation, a welcome change from the ever-present chill of death. He felt the hostile magics retreat, and Caecus once in control once more. But soon, the warm sensation vanished, and Caecus flt even more drained than before. He managed to stand up. If I had managed to regain control by calling on a lost ability, maybe I can summon my old sword, the Aureas Scimitar. He place his arms in front of him and concentrated. "I summon you, Aureas, Scimitar of the first-born. Come to me and help me purge this world of all evil influence!" he said rather quietly. A few sparks erupted from his fingertips, but the scimitar did not heed his call. "Come to me...come to me and help me purge this world of all evil!" he said. He felt drained and powerless. Aureas won't come. It won't heed my call. He limped on, barely able to move. He tried to perceive his surroundings. He was too weak to perceive. He collapsed in some bushes. Before his senses went inactive, he thought he heard some footsteps. -------------------- *Blue screen error* NONEXISTANT WINDOWS ERROR Windows detects no current errors, so Windows has decided to screw around with the files until one occurs. If you never rise against your oppressor, then you've already lost. -Zephyr Tempest, your personal entertainer Posts: 1779 | Registered: Monday, December 9 2002 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4248
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written Monday, September 12 2005 22:57
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OoC: IC under construction. -------------------- Somebody PLEASE turn the heat on. Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00 |
