The Mountain of Shadows RP
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| Author | Topic: The Mountain of Shadows RP |
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Master
Member # 5977
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written Friday, December 2 2005 23:33
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Did I say the passage went up the mountain? Or I can't remember it, or i really didn't say it. As a mattyer of fact, the passage is going down the mountain. If Mung would still participate, we maybe indeed would have seen something of her, but maybe she just waits for the right moment? Maybe she forgot? Who knows. As long as I don't see her saying she doesn't participate, I see her as still participating. Anyway, I don't want to make things more complicated, I just want to do what you guys want: let a confrontation with Filbert and the rest wait and do something else. I chose this because its something totaly different. If there are really big objections, I'll cut it out, but I wouldn't change the post. I'll try to get Filbert back somehow. -------------------- 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 # 4153
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written Saturday, December 3 2005 09:41
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OoC: Thralni, it's more of the fact that it's very late in the RP, and we kind of need to get this to a conclusion. If you hadn't noticed, it's been slowing down a lot, so we need to finish before it drops off the boards into oblivion. -------------------- 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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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Saturday, December 3 2005 21:25
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I'm pretty sure I fabricated this particular passage. It's definitely going up. Trust me. And yes, Ephesos, you're right, the pirate makes no sense. Mung, if you still want to get into the RP, you could probably take control of some NPC already in the mountain (some kind of human leader of the undead, maybe - I beleive a mage was mentioned in relation to the illusion). I'll post sometime soon but I'd like Aran to post first, if he has time... -------------------- 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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Master
Member # 5977
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written Saturday, December 3 2005 23:48
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David: I'm sure you wrote about only one passage. I invented the second one, the second one went down. Anyway, Okay. You've convinced me. I'll stop it. What if the character weren't a pirate, but indeed something like an undead leader? Will that make more sense? The end has to come, because it all goes slower and slower with posting, but remember that i would have attacked you guys already quite some time ago if you would have asked me to. I'm only trying to find something to do with Filbert until the attacking comes. -------------------- 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, December 8 2005 05:04
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OOC: I see you've kept it alive well past my most unreasonable hopes. Congrats to all five of you. :) I'm especially amazed at how well David played my character. However, I'm sort of back and have time now. I spent most of yesterday reading and summarizing the roleplay so I would know what I was getting into. Some people do not understand the importance of reading the thread, unfortunately. :rolleyes: To the point, Melora is now inside the cave a second time, with Lisha and Sequoia. Edith and Tuulentekija are trapped in a maze-like cave and looking for a way out. Filbert is somewhere deep in the mountain, and is getting affected by the constant barrage of illusions, because he's seeing pirates that aren't there. (Side note: Ephesos and David, don't hesitate to point out when I misjudge your characters. I still have to switch back from novel-writing to roleplaying; you'll notice from the wordiness and my lack of inhibitions against playing other characters...) IC: Wha--? Shaken as if by a sudden jolt, her mind grew wide awake in an instant, and she stopped walking. Suddenly, she felt a great clarity, as if awaking from a dream. She looked around and had no immediate recollection of where she was, but after a few seconds it came back to her. The central hall. The assassin possessed. The four-armed man. Orloki restored. Danger, fire and falling rocks, and flight... She had run after Lisha and Sequoia again, instinctively. There was survival in numbers, issues of trust aside. As her memories gradually returned, the rest felt as if she had walked in a dream. The scuffle at the cavern exit, Lisha's distrust, the meeting with Sequoia, entering the cave. Lisha and Sequoia, who had drawn level with her by now, had noticed something was up. "Why did you stop?" Lisha's face was set, her hands at the hilts of her daggers. She might trust Melora, but it was a guarded trust. Melora, now recognizing her symptoms, took a second to reply. "It turns out that I was possessed. I did not realize it until the possession ended just now." "Ended?" The word sounded wrong in the context. "'Awoke', if you want. I was in a trance, and whatever caused it released me a moment ago." Lisha's suspicions were not easily calmed. "If you were possessed then, you could be possessed now," she responded, her expression still hardened. "There would be little purpose in playing such an endless charade; even less purpose in leading you inside the mountain rather than killing you, if I were your enemy. You saw Orloki restored. He wants nothing further from us, save our deaths." When she saw Lisha's expression did not change, she went on. "I give you my word of honor that, as far as I can sense it, I am not possessed, nor do I intend harm to you." "There is honor among the Drow?" Melora fought with her anger at the perceived insult, but let no expression show, save a deep disgust that she could not hide. "It is said by some that the druids can read souls. If you do not trust me, will you trust Sequoia's judgement at least?" Sequoia, taken aback at this turn, looked dubious. "That was never my area of training. My power is weakened by my broken staff. But I can try." Rather than making any move, he gazed into Melora's eyes, which were like two dark holes, unreadable. But he held her gaze for a long time, though it visibly strained him. When he was done, he wiped his brow with his hand and leant against the cave wall. "Yours are complex motivations," he intoned quietly. "I see little good, and little intentions beyond your own interest. There is no bloodlust inside you, but you would not hesitate to kill for your goals. Yet, I see no nether influence on you." "That sounds accurate," Melora said. "Then why are you still accompanying us, elf?" Lisha spat. "We seek but the destruction of Orloki." "As do I, human." "What use could you have for Orloki's death? What is the drive that Sequoia saw in you?" "Greed. Orloki is a guardian. He is guarding a treasure, and I happen to want it." She spoke in short, clipped sentences. "And I intend to get it, too. If Orloki were to die in the process, it would make it a lot more easy. "You see that our interests coincide. If I lead you through the caves and help you slay the demon, we are all closer to our goals. Unless I have to prove and prove again my good will at every turn, which would be so troublesome I would be better off alone." Alone... the word hung in the silence. A bluff. Under no circumstances must she allow herself to be alone in this mountain, at any time. "As it is, you cannot find your way through these tunnels without me, and I cannot hope to stand against the demon without you." Plus, I need you to watch me in case I get possessed again. She didn't say this out loud. "We can go down the caves together, or we can split, and what you do then is not my concern. But if we do go, I would appreciate not having my loyalties questioned at every step. Will you trust me?" -- OOC: Sorry for long ramble. Since the distrust issue has been around since their first enounter, and keeps coming up, I thought it was best to build it up to a climax so we can resolve it. Sort of. -------------------- 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 Thursday, December 8 2005 05:16
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quote:I actually quite like that... Filbert effected by the sulfuric damps that come from the river, making him see strange figures such as pirates. I really like that, thanks very very much! And yes, welcome back. EDIT: IC: After about ten minutes of being flabergasted, Filbert shaked his head and wiped over his forhead. he looked again around, ut the tent and the pirate were gone. he looked at the river and the uruk-Hai, flying above it. It didn't seem effected by anything. Filbert called the beast back and decided to move on. There was a small passage along the steamy, hot river. He started to walk to it, but he heard a voice, an angry voice, in his head: What the hell are you doing! Go back and kill the mortals! Filbert stood still. But lord, why didn't you tell me about this! If the mortals would have found it, they could have easily escaped! The river leads out of the mountain, there's even a small ship, crude and broken, but there is one here. Something, or somebody should guard it. The voice was silent. It remained silent. Sfter a while, however, it came back: Very well. Place there the Uruk-Hai's and you go find the mortals. i'll send two to guard the place, and tell one of the three to stay with you. Again it became silent. He waited five minutes (at least he thought it were five minutes), until he heard flapping of wings. Two uruk-Hais landed next to him. The one that flew over the river, noticing the two new uruk-Hai's, came back and landed next to filbert. "You three will stay here. Don't let anybody pass. I'm going to seek the mortals." The beasts stayed where they are and Filbert walked to the narrow tunel, up to the place where he previously had fought Edith and Tuulentekija. OOC: I really hope I solved the pirate conflict in a sensible way in the fashion. All happy now? [ Thursday, December 08, 2005 05:30: Message edited by: Thralni, chicken god prophet ] -------------------- 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 Friday, December 9 2005 21:27
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Treasure. The word struck a chord in her head and rang out above all else, tearing her thoughts from Orloki and Sequoia and hurling them back to the Grand Lord. Gold. She shivered. Why else would she be up here in the frigid, forsaken wilderness, hunting demons? To help rid the world of evil? Hardly. She was there to investigate the rumors of King Albert's treasure, not to save a bunch of dirt-eating villagers from an undead invasion. The Grand Lord tended toward single-mindedness in such matters. He didn't particularly care what else happened, but he intended to know whether the treasure existed or not, and if it did, he would to anything, anything at all, to obtain it. And now the elf claims to be seeking it for herself. "Will you trust me?" Not bloody likely. "We'll see," she said, turning away. She took the lead and set a fast pace. There was no time to lose. Rather, there was plenty of time to lose, but as for the elf... But what of Sequoia? What of Sequoia? She glanced over her shoulder, saw him hurrying to catch up with her. The Grand Lord had no use for an altruistic tree worshipper. He was useful in combat, perhaps, but she was now sure that the treasure was real, and once she found it... The Grand Lord. Hah. So peculiar. Her entire life revolved around the man; every muscle of her body moved in his service, every thought fell in his favor. And yet, until that fatal word had passed the elf's lips, she'd almost... almost forgotten him. No, you fallen creature, I won't trust you. I can't ever trust you completely. The Grand Lord would forbid it. You've forced my hand; you must not know. The treasure will be ours, and once the demon in vanquished, I cannot let you live. But Sequoia... Unseen by either companion, her hand drifted to her poison sash. Her fingers stroked the hard leather of the pouches, gracefully caressing her instruments of death, so carefully prepared and preserved for just such a situation. Why does it matter? Her hand froze on the flap of a pouch as the tought came to her. Why did it matter? Why did anything matter? It wasn't for her to know, or to care. Only the Grand Lord needed to understand such things. She only did as she was told, and thought in terms of how best to facilitate his will. She glanced at the druid once more. His will? What about mine? She thrust the thought from her mind immediately. It was high treason; it was the kind of thing she eradicated, not the kind of thing in which she participated. She had bound herself to the Grand Lord years ago, given up all thoughts of her own wants in order to better serve him. Why this sudden change of- no, this... inconsistency? Had the demon found a way into her own mind? No, impossible. She had trained for years in mental resistance. She'd have at least felt it. What, then, had changed? She shut her eyes tightly and continued walking, carefully keeping her face invisible to her companions. If I - if we find the treasure... what then? If I claim it for my master, the elf must die. And even if - even... well, either way, it will not be hers. I will not allow it to fall into her possession. The greed of the Drow is formidable; if she's fixed on that treasure... Lisha opened her eyes and tossed the hood back far enough to keep Melora in the corner of her vision. She'll be useful. She ducked to avoid a stalagmite and a knife hilt came into contact with a poison pouch. Pity. -------------------- 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 # 4153
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written Wednesday, December 14 2005 21:12
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OoC: Again, this has to be dredged up. Sherlock, Frozen, where are you? IC: He could dimly remember why he'd came. Brother Redleaf had said it would be a good way to spread the faith, and Sequoia had been ready for a vacation. And it had seemed like that, since nobody paid him much attention. And if I hadn't jumped out to save Cyrus, I could still be relaxing in that tavern... he thought. One instant of peacekeeping had brought on this. Sequoia could scarcely believe it now. And now I have to keep the peace between these two, just to avoid being roasted by a demon. The journey was starting to wear on him. After thinking for a moment, he realized that he hadn't eaten since leaving Verwey. Normally, he was able to find something edible in the forest, even if it was just a handful of berries. But there was always something. But not here... just ice, rock, and death. Lots of death. And always fighting... Those eyes... he thought, casting a quick glance over at the elf. So little good, it was hard to believe. And he was fighting alongside her... he shuddered. Turning his eyes to Lisha, Sequoia was still nervous. An assassin. An assassin and a drow. Why am I here again? He ducked a particularly evil-looking stalactite, which had more pointy ends than normal. That's right... that presence. Something is warping this mountain, and it needs to be stopped. His body objected. Surely, he was more tired than he could ever recall being... or was it the mountain? That's it. This foul thing is sapping my strength... and the taint must be removed. Casting his eyes around the tunnel, he noticed the ice was changing. It was dirtier than before, with just a few more impurities dulling the sparkle of the frost. The taint was stronger here, and Sequoia could almost feel it clinging to his boots. The more he thought about it, the warmer he felt. He did have a purpose here. Nature's wrathful vengeance needed an outlet, after all... -------------------- 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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Infiltrator
Member # 4248
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written Thursday, December 15 2005 03:36
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OoC: Where I am? Well, I'm sitting in the library of Forssa's vocational institute, writing this reply... IC: The passage Edith and Tuulentekija chose to climb wasn't actually long, only very steep, and it had so many strange twists and turns that both adventurers soon lost all sense of direction. "There is something wrong with this place", Tuulentekija heard Edith's thoughts, "but I just can't put finger on it. Do you have any better picture of our situation?" Tuulentekija shrugged and shook his head. "Nope, but this passage will end soon. The smell of wet canine fur is quite strong already, don't you think?" This time, Edith agreed with him. Soon, as Tuulentekija had predicted, they catched a hint of fresh air and saw some light ahead. In the meantime they also grew more worried about facing the owners of the lair ahead, but as they finally reached it, it turned out their fears had been in vain. It was a small cavern, barely wide enough for Edith and Tuulentekija to walk side by side, and it's ceiling was so low that they both had to walk around crouched. There were pieces of fur and some small bones scattered around, but otherwise the floor was quite clean. "Fate seems to smile upon us" Tuulentekija said with relieved smile on his scarred face. "It seems the inhabitants have gone out hunting." Edith walked to a small hole in the cave wall, which was working as the way out, and peeked out. "Weather looks quite awful" she said. "I doubt it would be a good idea to go wandering outside right now." Tuulentekija inspected the entrance for a while, and his smile grew wider. "Well, then we'll just block the entrance and spent the rest of the night - or day - here. Which one is it outside, by the way. It's been quite a while since we saw the light of the sun." Edith peeked again out of the hole and blinked a few times. "I'm not sure", she said. "I can't see the sky very well, but I'd quess it's either morning or noon." Tuulentekija sat down and dropped what little equipment he still had left to the ground. " Well, what do you say then?" he asked. "It's been a while since either of us slept, so it would be a good time to have a break now." -------------------- Somebody PLEASE turn the heat on. Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Thursday, December 15 2005 22:07
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OOC: Sorry for the delay. I was beginning to assume that the RP was doomed. I've been busy preparing to move... my apartment was supposed to be inspected by Section 8 Housing today. IC: Edith nods her head in agreement. "That sounds like a great idea to me. I'm absolutely exhausted. What should we block the entrance with? I see nothing in here worth using." Tuulentekija looks around for a moment, and getting an idea, moves up beside Edith and peers out of the entrance to the tunnel. Well, there are plenty of loose boulders around. Maybe we can find one that isn't frozen to the mountain very well and pry it loose." Just as they prepare to crawl out of the tunnel onto the mountain, the air suddenly gets colder and the wind starts blowing at gale force. It forces Edith and Tuulentekija to recoil down into the tunnel to escape the freezing temperatures and the stinging ice. The tunnel suddenly begins to grow darker, and looking up, they see the entrance freezing itself shut before their very eyes. Within a matter of seconds, the entrance to the tunnel is completely blocked with a thick layer of ice. Using her ring, Edith crawls up to ice and inspects it. An astonished voice appears in Tuulentekija's head. "Well, that's certainly different. Come here an have a look at this." He does as she says and crawls up beside her. "Does that look like normal ice to you, Tuulentekija?" He looks it over closely and runs his fingernails over it. No sooner do his fingers come in contact with it when he withdrawals them as if burned. "ACK!!! Damn that's cold!!! Devilishly cold! I've never felt ice THAT cold before... not since... well, it's not important right now. But anyway, in answer to your question, other than the horrific deep cold, I can see nothing to distinguish it from other ice." Edith puts her ring closer to the ice and speaks is his mind once more, this time in an inquisitive manner. "Is that all that you observe? Look a bit closer..." Tuulentekija examines the ice with more scrutiny and soon sees what she saw. "Now I see what you mean. This ice doesn't reflect the light of your ring at all. On top of that, it's black... not white or clear as you would expect from an ice storm." "Precisely! This ice isn't normal at all. I'm willing to bet it's Orloki's doing. But what his objective could be in sealing us in here is beyond me at the moment. However, I'm willing to bet we'll find out shortly... YES!!! Listen to that!" As Edith ceases to speak, the familiar sound of stone grinding on stone reverberates up the tunnel from below. Silence soon follows after. For a moment or two, they look at each other and then down into the darkness. Tuulentekija breaks the stillness with a spooked voice. "I thought you said that these lesser used tunnels weren't likely to shift!? Please tell me that we aren't trapped..." Edith stumbles in her mental speech. "I... I don't know. I didn't think they'd be likely to... apparently, I was wrong. No... NO!!! I refuse to believe it! We CAN'T be trapped!!" Edith then surprises Tuulentekija by taking off down the tunnel in a frenzy of energy. He grabs his pack and chases after her. Bounding down around a curve, he nearly plows into her as she stands staring at something. "GEEZ WOMAN!! Give me some sort of warning before I come around a corner blindly into you like I almost did." Edith puts up a finger to his mouth to silence him and then turns his head with her hand. In the light of her ring, he sees the opening of a new passageway where one had not been earlier. Her voice then appears again in his mind. “It wasn't a section of the tunnel blocking us from below; it was a section opening up from the side. We aren't trapped after all." With excitement, Edith makes her way into the new tunnel and disappears around a corner. Tuulentekija sighs with relief and follows her. He soon hears her make a puzzled exclamation, and coming around the curve in the tunnel, sees what she is staring at. Before them, they see a section of stairs leading up at least 75 feet in front of them. At the top, it seems to curve off into another direction where more stairs may possibly lie ahead of them. "What the blazes is this doing here, Edith? A staircase this far up in the mountain? It doesn't seem possible." Suddenly they once again hear the sound of rock grinding against rock behind them. Edith bounds around the curve to see what's happening. Tuulentekija remains behind in the darkness and notices that the stairwell is lit up with colonies of glowing mosses. Edith soon returns with the news that he already was sure he knew. "Let me guess, the tunnel shifted behind us and we have no choice but to move forward up the stairs." She frowns at his statement, but nods in agreement. He turns around and looks up at the stairs. “Well, at least we can be sure of one thing. This must be a more prominent tunnel. I saw large amounts of glowing mosses covering the walls and steps when you left with your light. That must mean it leads somewhere important.” "Glowing moss or not… we're still rats, you know." Tuulentekija turns around and looks at her with bewilderment written on his face. "What? What about rats?" Edith looks at him and then up at the stairs. "We're rats... rats in Orloki's twisted maze of death. He's herding us where he wants us to go. Why else would we be put through all this rigmarole? He is pushing up towards the peak of the mountain. No doubt, he is doing the same to the others. I’m sure we’ll all meet in the same place, mark my words." He turns around and looks back up the stairs and comments with a sneer. "Well, if we must be ?herded’, couldn't we at least take this time to rest? We're both exhausted." Edith shakes her head. "No. We can't afford to do that. If he has control over the entire mountain, then he'll force us to keep moving one way or another anyway. However, there is something we can do to combat our fatigue without resting. I'll mix us up a batch of strong energy potions to lessen our weariness and increase our stamina. Just give me a few minutes to prepare them." Edith digs through her knapsacks and pulls out a mortar and pestle, two flasks, and a bunch of ingredients. In ten minutes time, she has her brews made and puts her supplies away. She hands one of the flasks to Tuulentekija and they both drink down the contents. After some noticeable wincing of their features from the bitterness and putting the flasks back into one of Edith's knapsacks, they slowly start making their way up the stairs. -------------------- "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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Infiltrator
Member # 4248
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written Friday, December 16 2005 02:27
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As they climbed up the twisting stairways, weird thoughts and memories drifted in and out of Tuulentekija's mind. The flavor of that potion... , he pondered, It reminds me of something. Didn't the easterlings use to make something similar out dried leaves of some weird plant? He tried to re-member if Edith had mixed something familiar looking to his draught, but he hadn't inspected the process carefully enough to tell for sure. Why am I thinking about that anyway? It's completely irrelevant... The stairway showed no signs of ending. No matter how long Edith and Tuulentekija walked, it always continued, spiralling up and slightly left, or so Tuulentekija thought. After a time that felt like ages, Tuulentekija noticed something was painfully pressing his waist. Cursing slightly, Tuulentekija began searching for the object that was disturbing him. He was surprised to find the black pearl he had picked up earlier. At least I don't have to leave completely empty-handed when we get out of this place, he thought and started to toy around with his treasure. He still thought that Melody had once spoken to him about a similar object. It had had something to do with Ashar's armor... Suddenly, Tuulentekija remembered the black ice that had blocked their way out just a moment ago. And after that, nothing stopped the memories from flooding his mind... --- Tuulentekija was standing in the main hall of Icy Fortress, staring the curious object on his hand, when Melody came to the room. "What are you looking at?" She asked and peeked over Tu-ulentekija's shoulder. "I'm just inspecting these black pearls" he said. "I've heard they are very rare. Who come Ashar has this many?". Melody giggled. "They are not pearls, you fool! They are pieces of magical ore the Death Hawks used to craft their ar-mour!” Melody grew much more serious as she said the last bit. “They used to fetch it from far away mountain. I think it was called something like the Shady Mountain. Novadays Ashar is the only one who’s left, and no one goes to the mountain anymore.” “The Shady mountain… I think I’ve been there.” Tuulentekija replied. “You have?” Melody asked and her cheerful mood returned. “Did you find relics of the Death Hawks there?” “No” Tuulentekija answered with a bitter voice. “It was a fruitless trip. I…didn’t know the tongue very well, so I learned practically nothing. And I ended up killing my employer. Not a good thing for a mer-cenary like me.” Melodys face grew dark again. “But it doesn’t matter anymore, doesn’t it?” She said and forced a smile back to her face. “We can both move back to Eagle’s beak, and buy a small piece of land and live happily ever after, right Risto?” Tuuletekija remained silent. --- Tuulentekija stared at the black pearl with his equally black eyes. “What’s taking you so long? Come on!” he could hear Edith’s angry thoughts. Slowly he started walking again. Strange, he thought, Just when I thought I had gotten the answers I realized I have no idea what the question is. I know now when and why I visited this place before, but that was a life time ago! Edith was probably only a child back then, and Filbert was not even born! Who the hell are we facing? In the same time, his thought flew back to the black ice that had blocked their way earlier; he realized now it hadn’t been ice, but metal. Same metal as Ashar’s armour, he thought and started to hurry to catch Edith. -------------------- Somebody PLEASE turn the heat on. Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 5977
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written Friday, December 16 2005 06:03
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It happened again. The rumbling. Twice. Filbert decided to walk on, when he heard the voice returning: The mountain shifted again. I made you a quicker passage, but be quick. When you get up, go immediatly to the right. The voice was silent again. Filbert just stood there for a moment, but then walked on. As he finnaly came up to the place where he already had fought with Edith and Tuulentekija, he turned right, as the voice had said. Again, he heard the flapping of wings, and the two uruk-Hai's he had sent up to search for Edith and Tuulentekija came back to him. Apparently, the tunnels shifted. They couldn't get to them through there. As Filbert turned around to walk to the place where the voice had sent him, he felt a cold breeze. It came from a small opening to his left. he walked to it and peeked through it. However, it was to dark to be able to see something, and he walked away. A small tunnel had opened, revealing a passage going up. This must be the place he wanted me to go. Followed by the Uruk-Hai's, he went up. As he walked on and on, the passage started to turn sharply to the right, until it ended by a crossing with another tunnel, but it looked familiar somehow. he looked left and right, and then he remembered. he was at the big gates he was earlier. The he also remembered his struggle to get the gates open... Cain... Eith... Tuulentekija... the lizard... He dropped his sword and fell on his knees, holding his head with his hands. He started to shout and shiver all over his body. He started remembering things. then things became black. He fell. The uruk-Hai's landed next to him. it was silent. He woke up, and was in a large hall. A big demonic creature walked up and down the room in front of him. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and saw he was in a rather large cage, filled with bones and skulls. The room was cold and slightly foggy. "You are awake, I see." "What... wha... where... am... am..." "Where are you, you mean? above the temple. Its time to make you just a little more obedient." Filbert sat up. more obedient? who was that creature, what had happened anyway? Suddenly, a pain struck his body, and he fell backwards. After a few moments he slowly stood up again. "Orloki," Filbert said. "Filbert," the demonic creature answered. "My sword. The mortals... are going to die.... today." -------------------- 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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Infiltrator
Member # 2940
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written Saturday, December 17 2005 03:32
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OOC: Hey, it's me. Its Christmas holidays, which means more time to kill, which means I can RP again. I have to give you people some credit, I thought this RP wouldn't make it. I was wrong. Hope you don't mind me joining again, I can always delete it. I think I'll follow MSW suggestion about Cain not actually dying. IC: Darkness. Is this hell? Is this the afterlife…The void? Why am I conscious? Touch. A single drop of water fell on Cain's face; he felt the liquid slowly evaporate on contact with his new flesh, still hot from the epic combat. He slowly opened his eyes. Sight. First a blur, then color, finally shape and slowly everything came together to form an image. It was moss. He remembered something. The glowing moss on the cave ceiling released another drop of water on Cain's face, the cool water quickly evaporated. What happened? Where am I? Cain breathed out strongly as he moved his hand to his face. It felt rough and hard. Smell. As he inhaled deeply he felt the odors around him. It was a fetid smell, a smell of decay and dampness, but there was also a hint of warm dust all around, it came with the smell of something scorched…something burnt. It is said by elders and wise men alike that the sense of smell is strongly attached to memories. It was not any different for Cain, images of battle and fire flooded his mind, accompanied by screams of creatures and the deafening sound of explosions and falling rocks. Cain groaned. Hearing. He listened to the echo of his own voice bounce around in the darkness around him. For a moment he thought of it as alien and dangerous before realizing it was his own. My skin, my voice… The images gradually organized in his mind as he slowly but steadily stood up. He felt heavier, but somehow faster and stronger at the same time. Then the images came together as a finished puzzle and it was all clear. The crystal case, Orloki, the four armed beast and his blades, the cave-in. The blades! Cain looked at his chest, where he remembered the cold blades of steel had pierced his body. Tearing the burnt leather jacket he once used he stared at his new form for the first time. His body was slightly more muscular than before, but it was also dark, red and rough, like leather. No matter how hard Cain looked, there was no sign of a wound of any sort, not even the smallest scar from Cain's past battles as a mortal. He then looked at his hands, just as rough as the rest of his body but accompanied by short black claws. He pierced his chest with one of his claws; black blood covered his finger tip. He watched in pleasant surprise as the small cut slowly closed. Cain smiled as he liked the blood of his finger. Taste. No, not the blood in his finger, for Cain that tasted to nothing he could recall in his mortal life. No, this taste was different. Cain tasted defeat, he was slashed and tossed aside in battle with the four armed creature and Orloki had escaped, covering his exit with a mantle of dust and rocks that fell over him and, coincidentally, over the four armed monster that was about to slay him. He remembered clearly now, crawling to the corner under the cover of dust and darkness that, to all nearby spectators, might have looked like the demonic ashes of a slain demon. But no, he had escaped; he had survived, crawling to this small side cave and collapsed. How long was I gone? Cain walked into what was left of the temple. Shattered bones and rocks decorated the ruins of a once majestic structure. There was no sign of life anywhere around, but he felt life around him, or what he thought was life. Orloki, Cain could feel his presence just as Orloki could feel his, somehow, part of their spirits were still held together. Cain would never be free unless Orloki was vanished from the world of the living and he knew Orloki had the same plans for him. Cain reached for his old dagger, protruding from nearby boulders. As he held the item in his hand it felt, light, small, insignificant even. He took the dagger with both hands and twisted the fine steel with incredible ease. Gadgets of mortal men, I no longer need them. He tossed the ruined item aside. As he walked out of the ruins and up the twisting tunnels he could not help but smile as he remembered how he spent most of his mortal life in search of magic gadgets and trinkets of men. He would not need such things anymore; he was a new creature, master of his own destiny. No, not yet. As long as Orloki was alive he would never be completely free. Taking a long deep breath Cain released a fearsome hellish shout of defiance. "ORLOKI!!!!" The name of the demon lord echoed through the veins of the mountain, and every small creature and insect nearby trembled at the thunderous scream, for in their inherent instincts, they knew a hellish battle would ensue. -------------------- "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 Saturday, December 17 2005 06:31
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quote:YAAAAAAAY!!! Good god! I never thought you would be back! I'm SOOOOOO happy! You made my day. and thanks for the credit. *starts dancing a stupid chicken-like dance* Hmmm... i was just thinking this makes it all ten times more interesting. I wonder how this will continue, espacially in relation to Filbert. One a demon, the other possesed by a demon. *smiles* This could be a new start to our story. [ Saturday, December 17, 2005 06:37: Message edited by: Thralni, chicken god prophet ] -------------------- 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 # 4153
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written Tuesday, December 20 2005 20:57
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IC: Sequoia shuddered. It wasn't the cold, because he'd acclimated as much as he could, and the passage was full of stale, unmoving air. He looked around suspiciously. Why do I get the feeling that a hellish battle is about to ensue? The druid quickly decided that this train of thought was unlikely to get him anywhere, so he abandoned it. Instead, he focused his thoughts on the increasingly dark ice which formed the walls of the tunnel. Some of it looked sooty... but mostly it just looked darker, as if some thick smoke had been trapped in it. Either way, Sequoia felt unnerved by it. A breeze suddenly appeared, one which seemed to come from further up the passage. With it came what looked like a fragment of parchment, much to Sequoia's bewilderment. He nearly spoke up, but it appeared that the elf had already noticed. The elf picked up the fragment and studied it for a moment, before lightly tossing it aside. Well, if she's not concerned, then this shouldn't be too bad. Another breeze came out of nowhere, this time smelling slightly of sulfur. Stranger still, a few more scraps of parchment drifted down into the passage, and settled at the elf's feet. The elf took off at a run up the passage, with the look of someone caught in a bad dream. Sequoia and Lisha were left in the elf's wake, and they exchanged a puzzled look before setting off after the elf. -------------------- 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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Infiltrator
Member # 2940
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written Wednesday, December 21 2005 06:53
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Cain had followed the dark paths of the mountain with considerable ease, while in his past life darkness provoked unease and even fear, his new form found only comfort and a level of warmth in the cloak of darkness. His steady pace was abruptly interrupted however, when he heard a guttural conversation in the cave opening ahead, it was not a common conversation, the language was not one of this world, he had never heard it before, yet it was a language he could understand. Somehow, these foul words where etched in his very mind, a possible side effect of his intense transformation to demonkind. Getting closer he could make out the words and also the constant disturbance of the air, something was moving very quickly. It didn't take long for Cain to notice it was actually the flapping of very big wings. "It was your fault Gurlak! You said we should charge them," argued one of the harsh voices. "When the Overlord or master Filbert finds us we are going to be tormented for our incompetence." A deeper one answered back. "Shut up Tukvar! You were not doing anything fool! Besides, how was I to know one of the mortals would blind us with light." Master Filbert? That imbecile; master of demons? What has happened with the world while I was gone? Cain tried to piece the story in his mind, while he carefully peeked at the cave opening before him. His suspicions about the identity of the creatures was confirmed when he found two Uruk-Hai slowly flying up one of the passages before him, they had nasty cuts over their heads. They continued with their argument. "I bet the mortals will be captured anyway, if not by us then by the Overlord himself, you know he controls this mountain like his very body." Snarled Gurlack. "Yesss," Hissed Tukvar. "The she-mage and the masked one will pay for what they did to us." Edith, Tuulentekija, they are still alive I see. They might be useful in the battle against Orloki. Cain slowly started walking towards the Uruk-Hai, testing his own stealth abilities. "Gurlak! Look!" cried Tukvar. Cain was close enough to see what Tukvar was pointing at. There was a clean-cut side passage before them. It was completely unnatural. "I don't remember this passage," answered a troubled Gurlak. "The master must have opened it for us! The mortals must have gone this way for sure." Tukvar suggested, flapping his wings excitedly. Gurlak flew towards the opening and stared at the passage before him, a long stairway up the mountain disappeared in darkness. "You know," answered Gurlak. "For once, you might be right Tukvar." There was no reply. "Tukvar!" Gurlak turned to Tukvar only to find Cain holding on to Tukvar from behind, one arm around his chest and with the other painfully pulling Tukvar's head backwards, his hand and claws brutally griping his face. Tukvar flapped his wings violently in an attempt to free himself from Cain's strong hold. He failed. With a brief snap, Tukvar's head was ripped off from his body; the snap was followed by the soothing sound of demonic ash gently falling over the cave floor. Needless to say, Gurlak was shocked; he had never seen anyone or anything restrain an Uruk-Hai and then literally break him like a worn out doll. Cain grinned, displaying a vicious array of sharp teeth. "Now," said Cain in the demonic tongue, shocking the Uruk-Hai even more. "You seem to know this mountain very well, I need a guide to reach the mortals and then to take me to Orloki." Cain had not even finished speaking when Gurlak turned to flee; his attempt was frustrated by Cain's strong grip on one of his wings. He then grabbed the other wing and, titling his body slightly, pulled Gurlak towards him only to turn on the spot and ram the Uruk-Hai against the right cave wall, without releasing him, Cain pulled once again, this time smashing the hell spawn against the left wall. He repeated the painful process a couple of times before slamming the battered demon against the cave floor. Lifting the winged creature by the neck, Cain spoke again. "Let me rephrase that." Cain drew him closer to his face, tightening the grip on Gurlak's neck. "You WILL take me to the mortals and you WILL lead me to Orloki." -------------------- "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 Wednesday, December 21 2005 08:15
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IC: "Who is your master!?" orloki said. "You are, my lord, Orloki. lead me, and I shall follow." Kneeling, he took his sword and stood up. "very well. this tim, go down and kill the mortals. As you said "today." Its of the essence that they get killed. If you wouldn't succeed, well. Who shall say what will happen to you." His demonic face twitches a bit. "Take this." he hands Filbert a small flask. "When you need healing, this potion will do that for you. You are still just... human." He clearly has difficulty saying the word human. Filbert takes the flask and walks out of the cage. "I will go, I will destroy them." Suddenly, orloki starts to shiver, bringing his mighty demonic hands to his head, holding it tightly. NO! The voice in Filberts head shouts. Master orloki! what's happening Filbert answeres. "Cain..." Filbert looks amused at the demonlord. "cain?" I'll crush him in the process of crushing the mortals. But if he causes such pains to Orloki, what happened to him? he clearly isn't dead... the whole mountain sheems to shudder as Orloki shudders. He quickly restores himself, small flames coming out of his nose, he sais: "Cain. You too... will die. Filbert, go. Kill, destroy." he turns his back to Filbert. As it doesn't look like he will be saying anything more, Filbert leaves him, and heads to the mortals, wherever they are. Where the hell did these Uruk-Hai went? I thought I called them back. As he walked along some stalagmites, the mountain started to shudder again. some small rocks drop down and crush the soft cave floor under their weight. We will meet soon, cain, we WILL meet, you WILL be destroyed. i don't care how you look, if you are god or a demon, your blood will be the blood on my sword. As he thought that, already thinking of how orloki would probably reward him, he heard shouting down the cave. harsh, unbearable shouting. Filbert took his sword, the flame in it once again igniting. As three shadows slowly grew bigger along the walls, so did filbert's tension. however, when the enemies were close enough, they appeared to be just some loos undead wandering around this tunnel. Filbert came out of his hiding place. the undead saw him immediatly and stooped walking. instead, they turned around and tried to run away. One of them tripped, though, thereby letting the other two also trip. The whole lot of them on the ground, Filbert took his sword, and with one quick blow sent the three undead back to their graves. he whiped the slime off his sword and continued. After a short walk, he came to a crossing of two cave tunnels. if he saw it correctly, two track marks passed by in one of the caves, going to the left. As he didn't know what else to follow, he decided to follow this track. After a while, he came across some strange glowing ink-like stuff. Edith, Tuulentekija, you're end is near. -------------------- 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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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Monday, December 26 2005 09:02
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OOC: Sorry for taking so long to post. Filbert may have some trouble following Edith and Tuulentekija. Their exit tunnel was forcibly blocked by Orloki and the second tunnel they entered that lead to the stairs was sealed behind them as well. So, unless Orloki opens it for Filbert, he'll come across a dead end. I'm going to make an attempt to have Edith and Tuulentekija encounter the other group at last. IC: Upon going around a turn, Edith comes up against a blank wall with a single symbol on it. She briefly inspects it and turns to speak to Tuulentekija about it. Its then that she finds he is not behind her as she thought. "What’s taking you so long? Come on!" After a moment or two she hears an audible "Yes, ma'am" a distance down the stairs and soon he rejoins her. "Take a look at this. Does it strike a chord in your memory?" He looks it over and gives a visible start. "It’s the same as the one that was on the hidden door!" Edith smiles. "Exactly!! I’m willing to bet that this is another sealed door. And as we already know, what can be sealed can also be opened. Give me a few minutes to whip up another acid potion." Tuulentekija sits down on the stairs behind Edith and takes out the black pearl to look at it again. Suddenly she interrupts his thoughts with a surprising comment. "Was Melody a lost love of yours?" He whips around to face her as she sits mixing her potion. "H-How did you know about her? You’re not a clairvoyant as well, are you?" Edith shakes her head. "No. No, I’m not. I forgot to tell you that my telepathy potion has the unfortunate side effect of allowing me to hear the thoughts of those who are near me." Tuulentekija turns back to the pearl and questions her nervously. "So you heard everything I was thinking?" Edith stops working on the potion for a moment. "No." Tuulentekija turns back to her again and notices that she has stopped working on her potion and now has her eyes fixed on his. "But you just said that you could read my thoughts." Edith grins at him and rolls her eyes. "No... I said I could hear the thoughts of those near me. That in no way means that I can hear everything a person thinks. What I can hear is mostly whispers... bits and pieces in other words. I only caught some of your thoughts here and there. I did my best to ignore most of what I did hear, because it’s none of my business. Still, some things just stuck out in my mind." He turns back to look at the pearl and she goes back to making her potion. "So, just what all did you hear?" Edith responds with deliberate words while trying carefully not to ruin her potion. "I only took in a few things. Melody... someone named Ashar... the Pearl you found... something about Death Hawks... and the ice sealing the opening to the tunnel being metal. I’m not going to ask you about any of them because, like I said, it’s none of my business. So if you don’t wish to tell me anything about them, I’ll understand. And now my potion is done, so let’s see about removing this door." Edith backs up a few steps to a safe distance and prepares to throw the flask. At the last moment, she stops and makes a quick comment. "Oh, and by the way, I am not an Easterling. I merely studied Easterling spells from other master alchemists and managed to obtain some rare ingredients while at the kingdom's Castle. If they seemed familiar to you, than I congratulate you on your supreme sense of taste. Such ingredients and spells, let alone those who can recognize them, are hard to come by these days." With that, she throws the flask at the wall. It shatters violently and coats much of rock with the corrosive liquid. Within 20 seconds, the liquid starts to bubble and hiss as it begins to melt its way through. After a minute or two, the wall starts to crack and crumble. Without warning, a blast of hot, steamy air demolishes the wall and throws bits of it down the stairs at them. They shield themselves from the debris for a few seconds and then turn back to the opening to inspect it. Pointing her ring through the opening, Edith and Tuulentekija can’t believe their eyes. Before them in the glow from the ring, they see the three adventurers they had met earlier standing before them in a tunnel that's perpendicular to the one they are in. They have their weapons up and ready to attack, but upon seeing who has just emerged from the wall, they put them down. Edith can’t help but grin maliciously. "My, my. I think our lonely luck has just changed." [ Monday, December 26, 2005 21:32: 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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Master
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written Monday, December 26 2005 23:26
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quote:I know. That is what i want to happen. That way i can buy some time for the other two groups. I'm trying to find a way up to you, though. IC under construction. other people may post, as they wont meet Filbert anyway. [ Monday, December 26, 2005 23:30: Message edited by: Thralni, chicken god prophet ] -------------------- 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 # 4153
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written Tuesday, December 27 2005 13:04
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IC: Once he and Lisha had caught up to the elf, the hissing sound took a minute to register in Sequoia's mind. Then, before he could search for the sound's source, a section of the wall beside him collapsed with an ear-crunching crumble. When the cloud of frost and rock dust settled, Sequoia, Lisha, and even the elf had drawn weapons (Sequoia had instinctively reached for the broken halves of his staff and now brandished them with a slightly embarrassed look). Behind the wall stood two of the four warriors they'd met earlier, and Sequoia was pleased to see that the demon-possessed one was absent. Still, the man and woman with masks seemed the worse for wear. As recognition set in, the masked woman (Sequoia tried to remember... Edith, was it?) lowered her ring, and the masked man (Sequoia surprised himself by remembering Tuulentekija's name) relaxed noticeably. "My, my. I think our lonely luck has just changed." Edith said. Sequoia still felt as if the words weren't quite taking the normal path from ear to mind, but he couldn't quite place the feeling. He shelved the thought back into his mind. "What brings you here?" Sequoia asked. "We think the mountain has forced us in this direction." Tuulentekija said. "Why are you three still here?" At this time, another scrap of parchment chose to blow down into the passage, landing squarely between the five travelers. The breeze still smelled of sulfur. The elf cautiously picked it up, then sighed and tossed it aside. Lisha caught it in midair, and glanced at it briefly. "It's blank. No writing, no runes, no ink." she said, dropping the parchment onto the dark ice. Sequoia could almost feel a wave of frustration emanating from the elf. "It seemed so close..." she barely whispered. After a moment's silence, Lisha spoke again. "I believe we've been lured here as well." Nobody said it, but everyone thought Perhaps Orloki wishes to wipe us all out at once... Another silence followed, and the sulfurous breeze died down. Casually glancing around the tunnel, Sequoia could no longer spot the parchment, which should've stood out against the dark ice. Another illusion? The elf spoke next. "What happened to the others? Shouldn't there be two more of you?" Edith shrugged. "You saw what became of Cain, and we don't know if he escaped the cave-in." "But apparently Filbert survived." Tuulentekija nearly spat. "The last time we saw him, he was flanked by two Uruk-hai. What has happened to his mind, I'm not sure I want to know." "Possessed?" the elf asked. "Perhaps, but I'm—" Edith said. "That's the only way a demon would obey him." Tuulentekija interjected. "And you should know, we think he's following us." A loud rumble echoed up the passage to them. "I bet the tunnels are changing again. That's the main reason we ended up here." Edith said. (Are her lips even moving? Sequoia thought) "Then shouldn't we get moving before we get trapped here?" Sequoia asked. "Perhaps. Let's go." Lisha said, anxiously looking up the tunnel. So Orloki wants us to move toward the top? I'll be ready. And this mountain's taint shall be removed once and for all... OoC: There. Can we get moving again? I don't plan on posting again until Aran or David does... EDIT: Hey, this is post #444, and you know what that means! Another meaningless number that just happens to line up enough to look important... [ Tuesday, December 27, 2005 18:42: 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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Master
Member # 5977
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written Wednesday, December 28 2005 04:40
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OOC: Right. moving mountain. Sounds as an excellent time to get Filbert moving again. IC: He started following the trail of starnge glowing ink. After a few steps, the tunnel started to rumble, shake. However, this time it seemed worse than normal, as if not one, but many passages had closed off, or just opened. Filbert looked around in bewilderment. walk! You are almost there! the voice in his mind shouted. Filbert didn't want to make him angry again and decided it would be best to walk on. He followed the trail, until he came to another crossing of the two tunnels. left or right. The one was more carefully cut, the other one drk and cold, but with the trail of inc! His decidion was obvious. the trail of inc would be more important then just some stairs. he kept following it, until the tunnel ended. It was a bizar site. To the right of him there was a big shiny wall, and the cavefloor was covered with bits of fur, bones, and other rotting stuff. the wall, however, intruiged him. He went to it and tried to touch it. he did. the stuff was cold, like metal, or was it just ice? However, upon his touch, the metal seemed to melt. Slowly by slowly he melted away a nice round whole. He stuch his arm through the whole and felt the outside, cold, world. he pulled his hand back, and the metal filled up the whole, until there was no such thing anymore as a whole. it closed off. After blank stares at the wall and his apparently warm hands, he went back. They weren't here, that's for sure. Where were they then? had they tricked him? Did they go the same path as he had went, only to be locked up in that dead-end cave? he didn't know. he decided to head back and clime up the stairs. When he came to the crossing with the staircase-tunnel, he saw three shadows comeing to him. As they were flying, Filbert didn't worry. When they landed, he knew he had it right, they were Uruk-Hai's. "The stairs. Follow me." The four of them slowly climed up the stairs. It was quite a walk, or flight. whenever Filbert thought he was finnaly there, the stairs continued. Higher and higher up the mountain. the stairs stopped at a certain moment. The tunnel continued for a short while, and ended in another tunnel. he heard voices. "Stay here! I'm gonna see what's there!" he whispered to the Uruk-Hai's, who landed and stood still. His sword prepared, Filbert moved close to the crossing of the tunnels. there was nobody there. was he tricked again? The he heard them again: voices. They were distant. he motioned the Uruk-Hai's to come closer. they walked, slowly, and silently, to Filbert. the four of them stayed there, and then went into the other tunnel. "Whatever you do, do it silently, on my command!" The uruk-Hai's nodded and followed him silently. -------------------- 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, December 29 2005 13:28
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OOC: And so passed another roleplay into the annals, sinking beneath the depths like another, similarly named one long ago... Except this time, I'll post. Ha. Sorry for the past bit. I kept wanting to post, then I was too lazy, then I had work, then it was christmas, than I was talking to a close friend I hadn't seen online for nearly two months, then I didn't know what to post, then everyone else started to post and I couldn't keep up with what was happening, then I was too lazy, and then... etc. IC: "A question, Melora." Melora looked over her shoulder at the sound of Lisha's voice. "What is it, Lisha?" She was surprised at the sudden shift from racial designations to first names - is she trying to lull me? - but saw no reason not to reciprocate, for the moment. Lisha walked ahead of the others, motioning to Melora that what they said should be in private. The disadvantage of being the guide is that you cannot fall behind when you need a quiet talk. "What is it that you seek here? You do not believe in King Albert's gold, yet you claim to seek treasure." "No. It is a far more ancient legend that draws me to the mountain." Melora went a little slower. The rest of the party could catch up if they wanted. Melora had noticed Edith was in conversation with Tuulentekija, and if Sequoia could hear them, there was little harm in it. Of all the ones in this mountain, he is the most unlikely to want the treasure anyway. "Do you want to hear about it?" "I would not mind knowing where you intend to lead us and why." Lisha's expression was wry. To Orloki, where else? Melora thought. With the shifting tunnels and the entire mountain seeming to come alive, her intentions did not seem to matter a whole lot. She drew her breath. This one was a long story. If Lisha was not keen on a small mythology lecture, that was her problem. Then she spoke. --- "Old tales - and I mean really old tales, myths that were half forgotten before we ever left our trees and entered the caverns, before humans had learned to write - tell of a people more ancient than us. They were wise above all, and curious. They gathered a vast store of knowledge. And because the sun pained them like it does my kind, they lived in caverns. "The more frivolous of the stories claim that they entered it all in a vast central library. It is a tall tale, but I am not one to dismiss it out of hand." "You believe the library has survived and is beneath the Mountain of Shadows." Lisha hardly bothered intoning it as a question. "What makes you think that story is any less far-fetched than the one of Albert's treasure?" "Not so fast. In treasure hunting, nobody gets anything from impatience save frustation. Or death, for the less lucky. It was a long time indeed before I came here." Melora's voice took on a strange depth as she recounted her travels. "Two score years I wandered the world. Where the boldest humans never trod, I have made my path. Caverns thought to be part of legend I have passed through. Primal forests, and ancient ruins in them, I have explored. I have mapped foul Ilyat in the blighted swamps, I have beheld the iron pillars of Gen in the eternal ice, and in the great plains of Shanaar, where the air shivers in the heat and shows strange visions to the lost traveler, I have walked through long-forgotten Khom and entered the Golden Temple." Lisha started at that last sentence; her surprise was not merely due to the uncharacteristic wordiness of the close-mouthed elf. Khom was a well-known fable in the lands of Tass-Shanti, a marvellous city half buried in the sands and hidden to all seekers. But it was a fable. Wasn't it? "The tombs and libraries I have raided would make anyone's mind reel," Melora continued. "And yet, I found not what I was looking for. The tales I read all told of the Great Archives, but they did not tell of their location, or whether they still exist. In a half-rotten scroll in the library of the Grand Lord, I merely found a cryptic remark saying it was guarded by an ancient being named 'Roc'." "The Roc? The giant thunderbird whose roost is an entire island?" Lisha did not even bother to ask how a shadow elf would have been admitted to the library. Great bribes must have changed hands, or Melora had a reputation in the world of sages that preceded her. "That is what I thought at first. But it made no sense! The roc is a completely different mythology, and definitely not as old as the archives I was seeking. It is a legend of your people, and certainly not something referenced by beings far older. I was stumped, to put it bluntly. "That was twenty years ago." "You obviously found a solution, or you wouldn't be here now," Lisha remarked, now intrigued by the story. "I did. The Golden Temple of Khom provided the key - a script in an ancient alphabet. Or rather, the same alphabet that is used in Tass-Shanti now, but with different values for each letter. After reading only gibberish, I was able to deduce these values from another text. "That was five years ago. "The discovery seemed of little use, until by some chance I came across a tale of giant birds again. I was reminded of the Roc, and that in turn reminded me of that mouldy scroll in the Royal Library. "I returned as quickly as I could to your city, and was admitted to the library. The scroll was in the place I had left it nearly two decades ago. And with the new alphabet, the word I had translated as 'Roc' previously gained a very different meaning." "Which was?" "R sounded more like 'oar'. O was a syllable pronounced as 'hlo'. The symbol for K or C, finally, was a drawn out syllable that resembled 'kee'. Oar Hlo Kee." Lisha, mentally pronouncing the new word, suddenly gasped. "Orloki!" "Yes. The name that the monster of King Albert had allegedly given itself was the vocal equivalent of the name mentioned in an aeons-old scroll describing the guardian of a forgotten vault. "That was six moons ago, and you can imagine how I hurried in coming here. It may have been at least partly my carelessness that caused you to be sent here to investigate, and apparently you arrived long before I did. I never had much use for horses." --- Melora had hardly noticed that Edith and Tuulentekija had ceased talking for quite a while, and that all four of them were now listening to her. Let them listen. We're all in the clutches of the guardian anyway. Just then, she noticed another scrap of parchment wafting down the passage on a hot gust of sulfur and - she realized with a pang as her eyes began to water from the smell - the smoke of fire. She caught the scrap, and saw it was burnt at the edges, but it was legible. Unlike the other pieces, the writing was in symbols she recognized. ...thou must travel to some lonely place where high ground overlooks the ocean. Take up the tablet in thy right hand and make the sign*... She tossed it away; this was nothing spectacular, not to a drow. Nonetheless, she quickened her pace. It is burning. "Hurry! Whatever evil lies ahead, we must meet it before the entire cave is aflame!" And before the greatest dream of any sage alive is lost forever. OOC: *With many apologies to Mr Lovecraft. [ Thursday, December 29, 2005 16:39: Message edited by: harf'er'melora ] -------------------- 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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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Thursday, December 29 2005 23:44
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A library. Walking at the fastest pace she could muster, which was a jog for most of the others, Lisha thought furiously. A library? The Grand Lord must have known. But if he had trusted her with this task, why hadn't he given her that information? She would've learned the truth anyway, and that misunderstanding may have cost them her success, if not her life. No. He couldn't have known. Why not? And if the Grand Lord of Tass-Shanti hadn't known a Tass-Shanti secret, how did Melora? Those damned scholars. They were in a world of their own, she knew, and it wasn't safe. The Grand Lord required utter devotion to himself, and rightfully so; that's how the kingdom ran, and it's how it had survived so much and prospered beyond the imaginations of its siblings. But the scholars answered to a higher authority: Knowledge. And knowledge, everyone knew, was power. For the scholars to give that power to anyone but the Grand Lord... This mission would potentially reap far more than was sewn. If I get out alive. So it wasn't a mountain of gold she was seeking, it was a pile of books. Not that she underestimated books, not by any means - they fueled some of the most powerful forces in the world, after all - but it meant a complete change in tactics, now that she was so thoroughly embroiled in the imminent battle. But what if there was gold, too? Why had she met the elf, who was also seeking the treasure and who had come from the same place as she? What if he does know? Another flaming page fluttered into the passage and flew at her face. Distracted, she responded instinctively; cloak pulled tightly around her, she threw herrself forward and rolled. Feeling slightly sheepish at the overreaction, she sprang to her feet and threw her hood back to see the entire party behind her. Then, several things happened at once. Melora, stopping the page with her blade, read a few symbols and yelled, a high, unearthly screech. The flame flickered and died, leaving a brittle scrap of parchment resting in her hands. As the firelight stopped its hideous dancing on the stones and the assembled faces, a new glow took its place. It was a steady orange glow, a sickening light broken only by the occasional flap of tought, leathery wings. Sequoia's deep bass filled the hollow silence left by Melora's shout, and was joined by the Tuulentekija's startled gasp as they noticed something behind Lisha's back. Another voice, Edith's voice, added itself to the mix but set itself apart somehow, choosing to activate her mind more than her physical senses. She was preparing some sort of spell, Lisha thought, some kind of precautionary defense that didn't seem to require distinct words. All four of her companions were staring with horror, fascination, and a deep hatred at something behind her. Lisha turned. "TAKE THEM!" The orange glow flared into an angry red with an unnatural tinge of white. Two dark shapes were silhouetted against the violent glare, and they were steadily growing. A third appeared from behind a corner, pushing before it something in the shape of a man. No. Not pushing. Being led by. Breaking his fascinated gaze, Sequoia collected his spirit and sent a beam of pure white light into the man's face. Before the druid ceased his illumination, the entire group had recognized the grimmacing face. Tuulentekija gasped. "Filbert!" Lisha's eyebrow rose slowly. "What's that fool doing here?" "I am the master of these forces!" Filbert shouted. "They do my bidding, and my bidding alone! Take them! Hurry!" The two uruk-hai in front began running toward the group. With the flapping of their leathery wings, they rose from the stone and began half running, half flying forward, the fiery glow growing more intense as they drew near. Filbert, content to watch, halted. His escort remained by his side. Lisha drew back slowly. "That bastard." She glanced over her shoulder, all pretenses in the face of relative strangers now completely gone. "Kill them. Destroy them. But keep them occupied for a bit. The meddling fool is mine. If I- find Orloki. Do not let this continue." With one last quick glance at Sequoia, she threw the cloak tightly around herself and drifted back into the shadows, the few that remained. Preparing to slide past the oncoming demons, she drew a knife. Filbert was a man. Blood pumped through his veins, blood that could carry her poison and shut his body down. But if the uruk-hai caught her alone... She shoved the thought from her mind and darted into another crack, another step closer to a death, one way or another. -------------------- 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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Infiltrator
Member # 2940
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written Friday, December 30 2005 14:37
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Orloki. Cain could not get him out of his mind. Every tunnel he entered, every stairs he climbed, the demon lord gained strength. Cain knew his Uruk-Hai guide felt his presence too, but he could not feel it as Cain could, after all, part of Orloki was now part of himself. Gurlak, his Uruk-Hai guide, knew all too well Cain's new strength and speed, as he had suffered his beatings every time he had lingered on their way up the twisted passages of the mountain. The tortured creature had, by this point, been brutally beaten into submission. The thoughts of Cain where interrupted by a slight breeze, a cold breeze coming from the tunnel ahead. The Uruk-Hai sensed this too and turned to Cain waiting for new instructions. Cain nodded, indicating the creature to continue forward. As they got closer and closer to the source of the breeze Cain was now certain he would have to walk through the wind, ice and snow waiting for him out there, he was curious as too how his new body would react to such weather. So far he had walked though warm and damp caves without having any trouble, but this would be different, mainly because his upper body was completely naked and his trousers where not in the best state either, it was only his fine boots that had remained relatively untouched. As Cain looked at his boots he gasped in surprise, making his Uruk-Hai guide stop immediately, fearful of another beating. Right there, below his feet. A pond of water reflected Cain's face. At first glance, he was unrecognisable. Not in the sense of a drastic new demonic form or shape. He could see his mortal face quite clearly and clean, free from the scars that plagued his mortal form; even his short dark hair was still there. No, it was not the new reddish hue and texture of his skin either, it was something else. Two strong, sharp yellow eyes glared back at him from the reflection like daggers. Cain smiled at his new features, these sharp incisive eyes would prove useful in diplomacy should he ever require dialog to save him troubles. As Gurlak made his way to the snow covered outdoors, Cain noticed he flapped his wings agitatedly for a few second before calming himself. Cain could tell Gurlak had seen something out there, Demonic reinforcement? He thought. Gurlak noticed Cain knew something and in an almost spontaneous reaction flapped his wings high and up the mountain, he flew quite fast considering the beatings he had received. Cain had launched himself at the Uruk-Hai but failed to catch him, the creature was high above him now, flying steadily towards the peak of the mountain. As he struggled to fly up the mountain and against the blizzard he spotted what the Uruk-Hai had seen and where he was probably going. In the distance, made almost imperceptible through the blizzard, he could see glowing lights similar to those emanated by the Uruk-Hai. Cain grinned at the prospect of testing his power with these creatures. "You will have to do better than this Orloki!" Cain shouted out loud in defiance. Barely bothered by the cold and wind around him, Cain steadily marched up the mountain. -------------------- "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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Apprentice
Member # 6623
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written Monday, January 2 2006 05:29
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(OOC: Whoa, this is succesful. Is there much of a chance of a newcomer being part of this?) Posts: 6 | Registered: Friday, December 30 2005 08:00 |