| Welcome to Imythess, the border between dreams and reality. We hope you enjoy your visit. Imythess is a creative writing board where you narrate the story of a character in the medieval land of Imythess, on the planet Chaon. Each topic is an opportunity for your character to interact with the world and its peoples by cooperatively writing pieces of a story with other members, one post at a time. We call this role-playing, because you assume the identity of your character as if it were your own. In order to play, you must register an account for each character you would like to write about, and begin their tale by filling out their basic profile information: Race (human, elf, demon, etc.), class (warrior, mage, etc.), physical appearance, and any other personal details you would like to describe. You are also encouraged to come up with some background history information for what your character's life has been like up to the point at which their story in Imythess begins. There is no approval process or application required to join, so long as you follow the rules then you are free to write whatever character details you choose. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Create a character now! If you're already a member, you can log into your account below: |
| Into The Depths; [Minor ST 3] | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Wed Mar 15, 2017 11:02 am (2,481 Views) | |
| Mistalee | Thu May 4, 2017 1:56 pm Post #106 |
![]() ![]()
|
Her lips grew tights. She had a suspicion of who this traitor could be. Though right now she did not want to throw out any accusations until they could gather more evidence. But it clearly was someone who knew a lot about this operation and who was going to be involved. She let out a long sigh. "Do you have any clue the exact power these things have?" she asked. "Any guesses on what they might be planning....besides destroy all of Norwood that is." "We really don't have a lot of time, regardless of what they are planning. We must find them and fast...we cannot let those things fall in anyone's hands. Do you know of a way we can safely neutralize the weapons?" Spoiler: click to toggle |
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Kalim | Thu May 4, 2017 5:10 pm Post #107 |
![]()
|
Kalim blinked and stumbled. His vision doubled for a few seconds and he stared down at two bloody werewolf heads before his sight snapped back into focus and winced at the sudden physical aches he felt from the previous clash. The other werewolf was already fleeing with the Dal'mar hot on it's heels. The elf and human warriors simply dropped down the hole after it. Volare followed, spreading her wings. He stomped back to the edge, Tyrist's greatsword still in his hand. Peering down at the roof below, he grubmbled. All well and good for them, but this posed a bit of a problem to him. Trying to jump down would just end up in broken legs. He glanced up at the ceiling and an idea came to him. Drawing out a small device that he fit onto his left wrist, the mercenary stepped back, measuring roughly the distance from himself to the ceiling, and when he was satisfied fired the device into the ceiling. A spike implanted itself where he shot, and he then removed the mechanism from his wrist, walked to the hole, and dropped it down. The chain now stretched before him from the ceiling down to the ground. He quickly slid down it, retrieved the device, and shortly after was reunited with the others, who had already found the engineers. Thrusting Tyrist's sword back to him, Kalim listened to their story. It was met with a good deal of confusion on his part. "Wait. If the weapon came from the Na'hill, shouldn't they know how to use it?" Kalim looked around, scowling. "They could probably bring these caverns down on top of our heads if they wanted. With this knowledge I'm not too against smashing the thing myself, but that's gonna depend on if I still get paid for it. Sorry, but that comes first." He glanced at the engineers. " You say city, but which one? We've passed through several underground cities down here." He frowned. "Unless they're all the same one. We saw some kind of machinery on our way here, actually. Didn't have a chance to investigate it, though." "At any rate, we can't go charging off with these ones in tow, and we can't leave them here either. Rescuing the civilians was one of mission objectives. It'd be stupid to let them get killed now. I'll escort them back to the Cunein camp, if no one else has a faster way." Edited by Kalim, Thu May 4, 2017 5:11 pm.
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Lachesis[ST] | Fri May 5, 2017 1:27 am Post #108 |
![]() ![]()
|
Everyone Before the arcane engineers could answer, Zilyana answers your question, Mistalee. "They may have a more technical understanding, if they have seen them, but Tyrist and I - and Throatslitter - have a more practical understanding of what they are capable of." She looked to the Al'shari with a grim mien, and nodded to the Cunein warrior. "I don'tthink they could destroy a city," said the saurian in a low tone of voice. Even as he spoke, they began to gather and leave this place, heading back the way they had come, back to the camp, with a moderate degree of haste. "Not physical destruction. It is like the manaspike that the Abnatheans use." He stumbled a little over that name - he knew of them from the Norwooders but not from personal experience. "They say that they can draw all the mana from an area, or some of it. I have been told that was used as a weapon of sorts. This does the same thing...and then does something else." "Our rescue crews in northern Norwood had difficulty at first, and eventually were completely incapable of uing magic. And the further into the affected area they went, the worse it got, until even innate abilities no longer functioned." "I don't think it takes much imagination," said Tyrist, "to imagine which city the technicians mean." "We don't really know." Misrey sounded...withdrawn, her voice quiet. Haunted. "They left some time ago - its impossible to say how long. Day and night are the same down here." She indicated some of the ancient machinery exposed on the floors. "This is not related to that weapon though, from what I can see. That weapon is nowhere near so old as this stuff is." "These fiends only talked of one thing: an end to the Great war." This was from Warde. Throatslitter looked up at that, apparently startled. "I saw that look, Al'shari. You know something." It was Tyrist who spoke, and it was a question and a demand all rolled into one. The saurian looked at him, and more than a trifle uneasily at that. "I do. You....would not understand. I don't believe they can end th war; its why we Cunein have tried to cease fighting it. Its why we banded together." He eyed the group, and shrugged. "A war that has been fought for a thousand years, maybe more. Who can say? But finally there is some unification in the Deep, whereas before it was chaos. Since the Fall." He gestured at broken buildings as they passed through a ruined part of the ancient city. "This is the remnant of the Fall. I don't know much beyond legends of it. The Na'Al'kaef would know far more about it." "You make a mistake, lady archer," Misrey said quickly. "They will not fall into anyone's hands. No one elses hands other than those who hold them now." She was surprisingly emphatic about that which she could not possibly know. "The Na'hill are....strong." This from Warde. "And how would you know that?" asked Zilyana, eyebrows arched. Even if an answer was already forming. "We have seen them. They are stronger in numbers than Norwood and her army alone could put up a fight against. The only reason they have not left the darkness into the Light is because of the Cunein. The Cunein are weaker in strength, but..." "But were are far more brutal and efficient." There was a note of pride in the Al'shari's voice. "This is not a friendly world, comrades. We have persisted because we are utterly brutal to our enemies. The goal wasn't protecting the world above, but it achieved that end." He looked to Kalim. "They will not bring these caverns down. Would you blow your home up to defeat an enemy? This place is home. This place is more home than you can imagine...its not just a bunch of caves and ruins. They are our ruins. They serve as a reminder." He paused. "And we never seem to learn, do we?" The saurian pressed on ahead in a kind of brooding silence. Misrey looked at Mistalee, and nodded. "They are arcane technology. They are not indestructible. If you mean their effect? I have no idea. I imagine the technicians that actually worked on this project would know. I was kidnapped, as was Warde. We saw enough of the weapon to know that it functioned, but of the actual effects..." "It would be best to not allow them to use it in the first place." Warde shook his head. "Or any of the other things they have dug up down here. The arcaneotechnology is different, but there were other things that they had claimed to have recovered. As for where they are going..." "Norwood." Tyrist voice was flat and hard. "They will either strike at the capitol or one of the more major villages, possibly along the border with Gloomwood. I can see a use for this weapon. If what we saw was any indication, it might destroy a couple city blocks - it could lay an army unit to ruin - but the real nastiness can cover forty or fifty miles." The Dal'mar cocked his head to one side, thinking. "Though I fail to see what anyone gains using it on a field of war. All it would do is reduce each side to its basest level, and then only skill and size would determine the outcome, not magic or technology." Throatslitter slide back to the group, looking distinctly unhappy. "Al'kaef Iosuf will meet us at the camp. It would appear word of this...unpleasantness has already preceded us, which does not surprise me in the least." The Al'shari looked at Shirine, a sickly grimace on his face. "I don't think that will be a problem, Sun-were. The Prince brought some of his elites down here and, it seems, you will take some of ours with you." "Calm yourself, Ahkrum." This from Zilyana. "Rushing back isn't going to solve anything. I highly doubt the people we are dealing with are incompetent enough to create an ambush like this and not give themselves ample time to be away doing what they planned on doing in the first place." The elfin Dal'mar had bent over low to whisper into the pixies ear, even as the group entered the cavern that served as the camp. When they had left, there had only been a few people in it, but now there were easily a hundred, all hard eyed, armed, and bearing that same black plate armor that Throatslitter himself wore. They didn't have an opportunity to go their own way this time, however; there were dozens of warriors here, and they formed a path that led to the building that they had been given their briefing in last time. One of the Al'shari approached Throatslitter, and delivered words in their guttural language. The saurian nodded curtly, and then motioned for everyone to follow. "It seems the 'Lord Under Stone' wishes to speak with you. Impart words of wisdom, or some such." He leads you back into that large room where, hours before, you had gathered to discuss how you would free the hostages that you now return with, victorious. After a fashion. As soon as you step into the room, you see the Na'Al'Kaef standing in the center of the room. There is absolutely no doubt who he is; he radiates authority and power in a way that Seyvel, the prince, lacked. That worthy was standing against one of the walls, looking sullen. Sullen, but somehow still determined. Iosuf was a commanding figure, indeed. Standign a solid six feet, the Al'shari was thickly muscled and, unlike all the others, wore not a single piece of armor, instead wearing an almost barbarian-like attire completely out of keeping with what essentially constituded royalty in this world away from the sun. The jerkin and breeches the man wore were made of a kind of leather, and it was probably best not to ask the source of that leather. The chieftain eyed the entire group, nodding to each in turn. "Well, if it isn't the lot that was brave enough to come down here with a certain character I have just recently become acquainted with." A jerk of the head indicated the Prince, and the young man clenched his fists, but said nothing. "I must say, if you people of the world above could play a straight game instead of these plans within plans, this whole thing would be a lot simpler." "What do you mean by that, Lord Cuineain?" Tyrist asked, and the chieftain barked a coarse laugh at the question. "I mean, all of the world above. You have a varka in your midst, and you couldn't tell because deceit is a common tool of statecraft, is it not?" The Dal'mar was silent to that. "Thats what I thought. Despite this thundering idiot and his idiotic ideas," a glance at Seyvel, who looked away, "I have decided that an alliance is in the best interest of the Cunein. Especially given the current circumstances. If the Na'hill carry off this plan I have heard about, it will put them on a level that we cannot compete with. And they will destroy us if that is the case. If they are not already beyond our sphere or reckoning, with the intervention of...certain entities from above." "An alliance? You will fight against our enemies?" Zilyana sounded as if she frankly did not believe that. Which wasn't unrealistic, after all. There had been warfare between the world above and the world below for longer than memory could serve. "Different times call for different measures." The chieftain grimaced. "Call it an alliance of convenience if you wish. We wish to not be destroyed, and so do you and, as it happens, our enemies are one and the same right now. Strength through unity, I believe you say. Perhaps the alliance shall persist beyond this current need, perhaps not." "That isn't what we disc-" Seyvel began, but the Chieftain silenced him by talking over him. "Its better than you deserve." The Lord Under Stone turned to face the prince, and shook his head. "You are not the direct cause of this mess, but you didn't help it any. You threaten your people and mine both, and it is only out of a combination of self-interest and pity for your people that I offer alliance at all. Without the knowledge of your father." He paused. "But clearly not without the knowledge of someone else. Isn't this a pretty puzzle?" "If I may, al'kaef?" Throatslitter spoke up. Iosuf turned to look at him, but nodded. There was a clear degree of familiarity between the two. "We do not have a lot of time, so we must keep this brief." "I know," said the chieftain. "But there is some consideration to be had, even if it needs to be done quickly." "Yes. Such as who the traitor is. It would have to be someone within the Noble families." Tyrist looked ready to do murder at the very thought of such treachery. "That, and their target." "Don't be an idiot." Iosuf grinned maddeningly at Tyrist. "They seek the heart of the kingdom. They can't destroy Sirfhiad outright....but they can weaken the kingdom sufficiently for someone else to sack the city and, through that, the entire nation." There was silence at this. "And there is still things that can be done here, though I would just be just as happy to tie up the loose ends here. Which leaves the main priority - the people with the weapon, and Norwood itself." Iosuf looked at all of you. "And we will not be able to march in force to avert this disaster, either. Although it is possible that this young...prince might be able to rally forces from his own kingdom. Anything we send must be covert, at least for now, at least until young Seyvel has had an opportunity to speak with the King and inform his majesty exactly as to the nature of his recent activities." "...which I would personally love to sit in on and listen to," confided Zilyana in a very low voice to the rest of you. The comment did not escape the ears of the Al'shari, either Throatslitter or the chief, who cracked a dire grin. "A plan is needed. We can get you to the surface much more quickly than you came down - the Dal'mar do not know the ways of the underground quite like we do. But you need a plan first, on how to approach this. The enemy is most certainly on the way to the capitol now, and is most certainly going to keep as low a profile as they can. Decide what you are going to do, and if I can offer any assistance I shall, though there will be some limits as to what I am capable of. I will do what I can." What do you do?
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Ahkrum | Sun May 7, 2017 11:02 am Post #109 |
![]() ![]()
|
It was beyond frustrating, it was practically insulting. To have somebody of the elves so far above them that there was even the possibility that Ahkrum's home could have been left unattended to those damn pixies, possibly broken open, uprooted, torn asunder. Home and families disrupted, tunnels collapsed, and the whole reason he was so far underground possibly nothing more than a hollow lie at the whim of some skinny dagger-eared giant. He wanted to roar, to scream, but fortunately for him and probably moreso for everybody else, he was not a member of his ruler's force by being just another run-of-the-mill berserker. Ahkrum kept his screams quiet, gritting his teeth and seething with rage as he struggled to keep a healthy pace to match with the long-legs. It would take a while before he could calm down, but when he did, he would sprint just enough to catch himself on one of this mismatched Force and make his way to their shoulder. He simply could not keep up otherwise. The sight that awaited them upon their return to their current base of operations was enough to distract him from meeting back up with his riding battle spider. A path of military forces. Perhaps unlike most or any of the other people who had descended into the depths for their mission, when Ahkrum looked upon upon him, he had no doubt in his mind that Na'Al'Kaef Iosuf was a true leader. Like Icasavs Durg'handhi, the Hagaan Kakaraja, he dressed not in fanciful silks or some pristine armor, but in almost classically wild equipment higher suited to survival that had become a sign of strength over years, like made from some very appropriate hide to reinforce just how great a person he was. For a moment, Ahkrum had forgot his worries for his home, and felt like he should do something as a sign of respect, only he had no idea what to do in the presence of this particular leader, and so, instead, did nothing. He just listened, something he had learned to do only for true leaders while in service to Ilok Aracak, until he could speak. The quiet seething gave him time to actually think, something rare for him. Maybe it was nothing to depth, but it was still enough. He had a lot of love and pride for his home, he did not enjoy the thought for a moment that it would be completely ambushed, but at the same time if he had managed to travel further before such unnatural destruction had occurred, then he would not have been able to get their in time to be much help, anyway. Even then, he was but one of many, not the best, but merely one of the best. He was of Ilok Aracak, one of Ilok Aracak, and that was but one Force within Ivah'galagaj, within the Spiderhaunt Woods. Without him, there were still many Hagaan who could fight, and as much as every fiber of his being wanted to kill, to punish, to rend asunder and turn enemies into feasts for days, maybe here, even with this band of what he considered mostly idiots, he could help avert a far greater disaster. "Weapons. Force find weapons, stop more destruction." Ahkrum said, vocalizing his decision, "Ahkrum want help Ivah'galagaj, but Ahkrum help Ivah'galagaj by help stop weapons. Ivah'galagaj Forces strong, dangerous, like Ahkrum, can do without Ahkrum. . . At least for now. How Force find weapons? Ahkrum help." |
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Lorica | Sun May 7, 2017 2:07 pm Post #110 |
![]()
|
Lorica was feeling a little miffed. Here she'd been, all covered in soot and ready to fight, and then she failed to get a piece of the action. The cellars had been practically empty, the vampire had been smote by a magical arrow, and the rest of the enemy had fled before she could so much as sneeze at them. It was all too easy... which, as it turned out, was by design. "Of course it's a trap," she bemoaned to no one in particular. The engineers they rescued finally shed some light on what was going on, although she couldn't claim to understand the politics driving the whole scenario. The weapon had not truly been developed by Norwood, but instead unearthed it from these very tunnels. Furthermore, their enemies knew exactly how to use it and already had a target in mind, some unnamed city. It didn't take a tactical genius to figure out where they would strike. A kingdom was much like a person in some ways: remove the heart and the body would have no choice but to die. Their group traveled back down to the Cunein camp. Here they met with the chieftain of the subterranean clan, one of the 'Lords Under Stone' that had been hyped back during their first briefing. Lorica sized him up as he talked and decided he didn't look nearly as intimidating as his lofty title suggested, although she could appreciate his sense of fashion. "Glad to have you," she said when he revealed he would be entering into a long-term alliance with Norwood and, by extension, her. "I don't mean to insult you or yours, but does Cunein... mean something? I feel like I'm talking through a mouthful of mush every time I say it." "I say we hunt down these assholes before they reach anywhere important. Even if we can't kill them all, we can take the weapon in a raid. They can't do shit without it." OOC Apology
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Kalim | Sun May 7, 2017 6:53 pm Post #111 |
![]()
|
When they arrived back at the Cunein camp, Kalim eyed the line of warriors arranged to meet them with some bemused thoughts. It wasn't like they had any other leads to go on; they had come back to talk and plan anyway. There was no need to block them off like this. At least the sight of the armored warriors proved that the clan actually did have teeth. He marched back into the building where they had rested before along with the others. It was blatantly obvious when they stepped inside who was calling the shots. The prince was to the side of the room, near a wall, while Iosuf stood before them, tall and proud. From the discussion, it seemed like Seyval had managed to secure them as allies; or, at least, he hadn't turned the entire clan against them. The mercenary settled back against a wall of his own as he listened. When they were finished, he nodded and pushed himself up. "I have some questions," he announced. "This weapon, how big is it? How quickly will the Na'hill be able to transport it?" "You had sentries posted near where they were trapped, didn't you? Do they know what route they're taking? How long ago did they escape? Any idea how long it will take for them to get to the surface?" "This path to the surface...how much quicker are we talking? It took us hours to get here. Where will we come out? It won't do any good if it doesn't put us in range to intercept the Na'hill or contact the city." "I remember hearing that there were three prototype weapons. Two were stolen. The third's still being kept in the cellar, right?" ST response Kalim frowned. That frown turned into a teeth-bared grimace. It felt like something was beating against his head. "It's easily transportable? Something that powerful, that mindlessly destructive, and you can just hide it in a wagon? Roll it up to whatever target you want, boom, the land's wrecked, magic's gone, the economy's trashed?" The arcane was a part of everyday life for most nations, of course draining an area that big of magic would have serious effect on businesses that relied on it to assist them. He groaned. The insanity of this thing was finally starting to dawn on him. He slowly crouched, clutching his head. Why did I assume... He had equated power with size. A big, slow weapon was an easy target. It's powers were still terrific, but it wasn't the sort of thing an army could march cross-country. But with a smaller object, and a team of transporters adept at evading patrols and checkpoints, a nation could deal a serious blow without ever having to engage in combat. He released a string of curses in military Istani and slammed his fist into the ground, ignoring the pain. Military technology had come a long way in a shockingly short amount of time. With a working prototype, how much longer until more were made? And how much longer still before they improved on it? The power to cripple a city with a wave of the hand. "Something like that," he muttered,"shouldn't exist." Kalim stood slowly. His posture had changed. Knees slightly bent, a hand tightly gripping the hilt of his shortsword, he was the image of someone readying himself for a fight. The mercenary glanced at the prince, and when he spoke, his voice was completely flat. "We don't know where the enemy is. They could be anywhere in the forest. It'll slow them down, at least, so we have a chance. When we get to the surface contact someone-anyone you trust that can get a message to the Feadin patrols. We need their eyes." I will destroy it. I will destroy it. Other nations could get their hands on it, just like the Na'hill had stolen it away. Which would be the first to use it as a weapon of war? I will destroy it OOC
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
|
|
Sun May 7, 2017 6:58 pm Post #112 |
![]() ![]()
|
Shirine found all of this frustrating. These new allies hadn't even found a way to track these enemies even a little bit.... they should have had some small bit of information... she should have just chased those last ones the first chance they got. Still it seemed they didn't have much choice in the matter. She also severely doubted that these people posed a true threat to the entire Norwood kingdom. Yes they weren't as powerful as some nations, but they had a lot of hidden powers. Older and powerful people who preferred more peaceful lives, but would rise up with a scary vengeance if provoked and it was probably getting close to where the more ancient elements of the nation would wake up. Underestimating old magics and ways was a mistake on the level of Istan who had underestimated the Katai union. Regardless she made her decision, "Can we get some maps on where these exits are and where we will be heading in general. Volare I need you to go to the surface and gather all our men. Get them on a fast march and use what light cavalry we can to cover as much as we can. I will continue to pursue things with the rest here, but you will travel along the surface and try to cut them off if they should surface. I will try to keep in contact when I can, but as you know it has proven difficult down here for some reason. Hmm... Prince I think maybe you should go to the surface too. Get escorted by some of my men or anyone who will accompany you once you reach the surface. Ride fast for the city and rally those troops you can. Give them the same maps and locations our allies can provide, so they can join in the search. The time for secrecy is over and if you rally the people and save the realm from these weapons, it will lessen any blows you take for being involved. A youngster such yourself may even be forgiven for being tricked by some one much older than you. You may even come out a hero. Well it is up to you of course." She was sure there would be a bit of arguing from her mate, but it was best to get their entire force and try and use it to smash this enemy before they could do anything. The prince she would hope could do the one thing he should be useful for. Royalty was meant to gather and inspire people. It was meant to be a trusted thing that helped protect people. Perhaps this lad could portray such a figure and rally some truly strong allies to help them before these bombs went off. He might even learn something and earn himself some real respect. With things being so vauge and uncertain the more people looking and fighting the better chance of intercepting these things before they got close. Edited by Shirine, Sun May 7, 2017 7:01 pm.
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Lachesis[ST] | Mon May 15, 2017 1:39 am Post #113 |
![]() ![]()
|
"How," the saurian replied to Kalim hen he stated the obvious - that something like his particular weapon should not exist, "do you think this world beneath the stone came to be as it is?" There was history here, ancient...and a lesson to be learned from that history, as well. The Al'shari did not elaborate further though. There was no need, really; the evidence surrounded them. "This is going to turn into a search for a needle in a haystack." Zilyana wore a sour look on her face as she eyed her companions. "There are a limited number of routes to the city, but Norwood is notorious for its labyrinthine nature. We could spend weeks looking for them, and not find them. It might be better to intercept them in the city. If we get there ahead of them we can monitor people coming in, and enlist the aid of the garrison within the walls." "Plus, this weapon may be easy to transport, but it will take time to use it. It took days to do whatever it was that was required to use it last time - we know this, because we know when the device was taken, and when it was used. Days, at least." Throatslitter nodded in a little more confident manner. "They cannot just haul it to where they wish to use it and then just use it, simple as that." "I might also add that running up to the Light and trumpeting the existence of such a weapon might not be the best course of action." This from Iosuf himself, he regarded the entire party with a serious expression on his face. "Throatslitter hinted, I will state outright. The Land Under Stone was not always as it is now. Devices like this are the root cause of the decline of our world into barbarism and eternal conflict. We were mighty, once, long ago. Our distant ancestors devised powerful magic and arcane technology, such as is seldom seen today. Some boxes are not meant to be opened, and some things never meant to be toyed with. Internecine strife and war ended it all. This weapon was one of those; there were others. Blessedly, they have been destroyed over the millenia; it is amazing that this was even found. Knowledge of it should have died when the nation of the Al'shari did, long ago, like all of the rest of that poison knowledge." "If others learn of this weapon - and if we speak openly of it before we reclaim them - then other factions may take a direct interest in claiming them for their own. The fewer people that know of it, the better." Tyrist did not look happy to be speaking so, but it was coldest, brutal truth. "We can enlist the aide of the Feadin and the Garrison in the capitol, but the existence of this weapon needs to be kept to those that already know, and the King as well." "Eradicate every trace of it, save the city. Its like a story out of a fairy tale, only this is all too real and the stakes are all too high." Zilyana shook her head. "Plan for the city, but lets hope someone can find them before they make it that far." "I will get you the maps you need, Shirine. As for our erstwhile...Prince, I will send him along now. He can pass word on the Feadin and set them to searching for anything out of the ordinary in the world above. Al'kaef, I presume you will remain?" "Yes. We will await word." The chief inclined his head. "Perhaps you should set your people to eradicating every trace of this thing from this end, though?" Tyrist asked. "We saw machines being unearthed when we went to rescue these engineers. And there is the Cellar and anything they may have gathered on it." "Consider it done. I wish you all luck on your endeavor." The great cheiftain turned away, gathering followers as he went. "Feel free to ride my shoulder if you need, Ahkrum. We will be in a hurry." The Al'shari grinned, a look filled with determination. The passage was as swift as promised, perhaps more so. The river that the Al'shari had spoken of was a raging torrent that, while not wide within its confining cavern, was as swift as a mountain river, raging in its stone channel. White froth boiled wherever the passage shifted in its course, which as it turned out was fairly frequent. They had loaded onto small boats with Al'shari steersmen to guide them, and it was clear from the first that these worthies were veterans of this passage. The speed with which they traveled was terrifying, and a misstep at the oars might well have cost the lives of everyoen aboard one of these vessels, small as they were. Falling into the water would have been a death sentence; the flow was ice cold and swift, with many hidden currents delving into depths that could not be fathomed. The ride ended in a seemingly placid subterranean lake, large enough for the distant shores to be lost. The river resumed but, as the boatsmen stated, there was no safe passage beyond. The waters eventually ame ot hte surface, but the path became a braided network of narrow caverns cut through soft limestone that changed too frequently to plot. Instead, they brought the party to shore. "There is a passage that comes out in a dense stand of woods. It used to be a tower from the days of old. It is mostly fallen in and overgrown now. We will be about an hour away from a place where we can get mounts." Throatslitters voice echoed in the expansive space, and he lead everyone to a smaller cavern that was clearly carved and not natural. The passage wound upwards for a while but, as promised, they had come much closer to the surface than the other route. Before long, they pushed open a door. It wasn't even hidden, an ancient thing of bronze dulled with long years of disuse. "A place to get mounts?" Tyrist enquired of the Al'shari, to which the latter nodded. "This is a place we have used for raiding in the past. It is not necessarily a secret, but there is no path back from here. The Feadin keep a corral for the beasts you Light-Blinded use to get around in this bright place." The Dal'mar merely nodded, and they set off, following the Al'shari. True to word, after about an hour crawling through the dense forest, they came across a paddock with the graceful elk grazing from within. However, there was also a Feadin there, and the woman looked as though she had been expecting them. "Greetings," she said with a nod to the Dal'mar. The elites nodded to her in respect. "The Prince said you would be coming out somewhere around here, so I have waited here. We have located the band of insurgents, as requested." The Dal'mar looked incredulous at that statement, the Al'shari no less. "How? I was certain that they would try to avoid notice." She shrugged. "Werewolves stink to high heaven, and they have at least one with them. We were told to look for a wagon or a cart, and for anything unusual. Werewolves in Norwood, in this climate, is unusual. But so are the others." She looked at Throatslitter with strong disapproval. "Others like him. The Lords Under Stone are bold, to be caught out here in the open." "This one is with us," Zilyana told her. The Feadin nodded. "There are seven of them, and they are not far from here. We followed their backtrail - they came to the surface about fifteen miles west of here, from a small cave. We searched, but could find no one following them." She shook her head. "They are camped, now. Early in the day for it, but the unmitigated gall to be out in the open like that..." "They do not think we are on to them, clearly, or they are secure in their own minds as to how they are going to go about doing what they have come to do." The Al'shari was grinning, but it wasn't a very nice grin. "If there are so few of them, they will be competent at the very least. I cannot imagine the Na'hill would be that/i] careless." The elfin scout nodded her head. "They are not far, perhaps four miles to the north of here. They have camped in a clear hollow, with the wagon in the center of their camp. There is plenty of cover for an ambush, and only two ways in or out. Which is stupid, but then again they are underworlders. I am reasonably certain the two men they have with them are werewolves. Two women, who look human as far as I can tell, and the rest are all lizards like this one," she said, jerking a thumb at Throatslitter. "I do not know if they intend to camp there through the evening or not, but I would assume so." The Al'shari looked at his companions, and the grin he gave them was feral as could be. "It seems this will be a bit simpler than we expected. I vote we just go in there and slaughter them, properly. Any objections?"
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Lorica | Wed May 17, 2017 5:36 pm Post #114 |
![]()
|
"I should have known better," Lorica muttered. "No matter how much politics and scheming is involved, in the end it just comes down to killing. Don't know why I bothered pretending otherwise." She laid a hand on the pommel of a knife at one hip, as if reassuring herself that the weapon was still there. "I've killed werewolves before. I'll do it again now. Let's get to it." "Oh, and just so you know... I'm gonna cut loose a little here. Work out some of my aggression from all of this." There was nothing humorous about her grin. "I recommend staying out of my way." Lorica peered down at the camp, frowning. She was settled near one of the exits leading up out of the crater, hidden in the underbrush. She agreed with the Feadin that it looked like a trap. Either that or they had no idea what to look for when picking a place to hole up. The depression only had two exits to speak of and any attacker would immediately have the benefit of high ground. It was tempting to just collect some more of the swill distilled by the lizard folk and throw a few firebombs down into the hollow and set the whole thing alight. The elves would probably frown on her starting a forest fire. She didn't have to reach far to touch the Wellspring. It lurked in her soul, waiting to be used, begging for release. The tainted font of life energy looked innocent enough from a distance, like a tantalizing piece of fruit. It wasn't until you bit into it that you realized that the core was rotten, that the promised sweetness had long been replaced with corruption. She took firm hold of the Wellspring, having only a brief moment to relish in the surge of power that crashed through her body. Then everything was consumed in a red mist of rage, an anger and desire for violence that defied all description. The Keeper rubbed her hands together, blacks veins spreading across her skin, the markings twisting with barbs that poked at her skin from underneath. Her jaw clenched, muscles standing out in her neck, teeth gnashing together. She could feel the life all around her, sense the trees from their leafy canopies down to their deep roots, could feel the bushes and grass and other vegetation as if it were part of her. Their serene existence offended her. They sought nothing more to drink in nutrients and grow, as if life could exist without brutality and bloodshed. She fought the urge to laugh aloud. "Drink up, little plants, drink blood," she hissed through her clenched teeth, reaching out with both hands, fingers twitching and convulsing. The ground of the hollow bulged as she pumped corrupted power into the nearby flora. Trees thrust out of the thick loam, twisted and stunted, the bark thick and knobbed with thick galls. The trees swung like clubs, lashing out at any of the Al'shari they could reach, their attempts to bludgeon them to death fueled by the Wellspring's dark desires. The galls on the trunks ballooned outwards, swelling with life energy until they could do naught but burst. The outgrowths exploded into a cloud of splintery shrapnel, spraying the depression with finger-long shards of wood. Lorica stood up, heedless of revealing herself. She didn't care if they saw her. She wanted them too. She would not be content with sitting back and letting the plants have all of the fun. As soon as one of the enemies approached she would bind them with the corruption, pierce their flesh with its thorns and drag them to the ground. She would slaughter them and revel as she bathed in their blood. She would punish them for the impudence of standing against her. Her eyes crawled with madness and daggers of black corruption, consuming all reason, all restraint. Abilities
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Ahkrum | Thu May 18, 2017 11:22 am Post #115 |
![]() ![]()
|
"When Force gets to surface, but here, Ahkrum has L'akolb." Ahkrum replied to the lizard-man's offer to ride his shoulder, greatly appreciated otherwise, but away from the dangers of intense battle, the riding spider would do optimally, "Thanks, Throatslitter." Gathering L'akolb and Danag would prove to be a simple matter, the spiders always following their same old habits and easy to find. Once Ahkrum had them, loading them onto a boat would be easy, keeping them on it even easier as they lowered to the floor as the vessel began moving, only the will of their master keeping them calm. Once they reached the surface and were to change to more deer mounts, the spiders would be left behind again for their own safety. L'akolb may have been trained and prepared for battle, but with how dangerous these larger beings might be, Ahkrum did not wish to risk his faithful companions. "Surround and scout first, plan, then slaughter." Ahkrum suggested from the Al'shari's shoulder, having transferred to it as the spiders took off to the woods to find prey to their respective sizes, neither going too far, "Otherwise, Ahkrum has no objections." Compared to these enemies, Ahkrum was very small. Stealth tended to be incidental and convenient. The web of a trap was obvious, the spiders in the crater waiting for their prey, but sometimes the prey was more fearsome than the spiders knew, capable of breaking the web and in turn eating the spiders. For true spiders, it was unfortunate, but for an analogy it was practically perfect. They would need to get caught in the web to break it, but the Asivah'drok Enacot was genuinely concerned about the Force's ability to handle such a thing. So far they had proven messy at best, and here they would have to assume no room for error, just go in and strike harder and faster than the trappers knew how to handle. Ahkrum waited upon Throatslitter's shoulder, a simple plan to be put into action, for when the saurian clashed with an enemy, which seemed like it would be an inevitability, Ahkrum would leap as harmlessly as he could from the shoulder of his reptilian ally and lash out at whoever was unfortunate enough to go against the Al'shari with the full force of his deceptively incredible strength. A strong cry for battle would leave the fae's mouth, The two wicked weapons that the Hagaan wielded would hunt for a grip flesh to sink into. Evilstitch would create an aura of dread for the enemies and sending horrible images to the mind of whoever it struck, and though unlikely, if any enemy did escape after meeting Pixie Eater's bite, their life would likely be short as the poison spread its way through their blood. They were weapons as vicious as Ahkrum, unforgiving to enemies and seeking to bring death to the enemies of the Spiderhaunt Woods people, and being that they were inhabitants of the Norwood area, any who threatened Norwood must also be an enemy of Ivah'galagaj. It was simple logic, at least Ahkrum believed so, and thus it was enough to warrant extreme acts of violence. There would be no time to waste given what the potential threat present was. Ahkrum would swing, leap, and strike for lethal blows, aiming to cleave out as much of the enemies as he could. He moved as recklessly as ever, but this time with intent, this time pushing himself to go as fast as possible, to try killing as many as possible-- or at least to help in the endeavor. If they were not from the Force, they died, simple as that. ooc
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Kalim | Thu May 18, 2017 5:40 pm Post #116 |
![]()
|
The spoke words. Perhaps if he listened more closely, they would have calmed him, but he had set his mind on an objective now, and it was far too late to change his mind. He settled back at the side of the room, tapping his foot impatiently as preparations were made, speaking up only once when it was mentioned about other states learning of the weapon. "That's the problem, though, isn't it?" he spoke roughly. "Even if it isn't mentioned carelessly - and I certainly have no intention to do so - if the thing was ever used in war it wouldn't take a genius to find out what caused it. Balefire, at least, clearly already knows about it. Watch yourselves. These depths are a treasure trove to other countries. I won't be surprised if the day comes when you see an invasion force coming simply to take your auracite." And with that, he faded into silence. The trip up to the surface was a rough one, which suited him fine. It gave him an outlet for his focus. A calm boat ride when he was so riled up would have been maddening. Hours laters later, they waited before where the enemy was camped, half-hidden amidst Norwood's foliage. Kalim scowled down into the depression and began to stand. Lorica was quicker on the draw, already moving. In truth, she didn't seem to be doing anything, though to his eyes she seemed to in pain, or something similar. The effects on the area were obvious, however. Twisted trees sprouted, thrashing about, and splinters burst forth from them. He growled to himself. His goal was right there, but even he knew how foolish it would be to go charging into that mess. He cursed, loudly. It didn't help make him feel any calmer. With a loud sigh, he closed his eyes, ignoring the sound of creaking breath, and focused internally. When they opened again, there was once again a shift in his body language, more passive than before. Sweat broke out on his forehead, his feet were sore, and his muscles ached a little. He mentally thanked his teacher for giving him this control over his emotions; before, he would have wildly charged to attack, and been crippled at the very least. "Little warning before you turn the place into plant hell would be nice," he quipped as he stood beside Lorica. He did take the time to edge a bit away from her. Something about her behavior was a little unnerving. He called to the others. "The werewolves are dangerous, but the ones me and Volare fought before didn't seem terribly skilled in combat. Balefire might be holding out on our friends." Slipping his hand down to his waist, he once again grabbed one of the metal spheres and hurled it into the camp with as much strength as he could muster, along with a shout. "Flash incoming!" He waited until it was just above them before he turned his eyes away and shouted. The bright burst of light flashed outward, and a cacophonous blast of sound rocked the boughs of the trees around them. ooc
Edited by Kalim, Thu May 18, 2017 5:40 pm.
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Mistalee | Fri May 19, 2017 2:45 pm Post #117 |
![]() ![]()
|
Just find and kill them? She prayed it really would be that simple. For once, it would be nice if things really were that simple. When they found their target it really did look like things were going in their favor. It was just a question of how long that would last. She nodded to Throatslitter. "Give me but a few moments find a perch and flank them," she suggested. "Let's slay them quickly and ensure none escape." With that she climbed up into the trees, disappearing almost immediately. Norwood was her home, and she knew how to move through these woods more quickly and silently than any other place. The cloak upon her shoulders even made it difficult for her to detected by scent so long as she in a forest. She was glad she got herself quickly into position around on the other side of the camp...as one of her 'companions' wasted no time in twisting some of the plant life into a hellzone. That woman better be able to return the forest to its natural state or to say she would be angry would be an understatement. Though now was not the time to be upset at her companions, now was the time to fight. And that woman had at least provided quite the distraction. She placed an arrow upon the string...and her assault. Arrows flew quickly and with deadly accuracy. She knew that she would need multiple arrows to take the enemies out, she had rarely seen a werewolf ever go down in one strike. That is why she was unrelenting with her volley from her hidden perch in the tree. Spoiler: click to toggle |
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
|
|
Fri May 19, 2017 4:33 pm Post #118 |
![]() ![]()
|
Shirine had no objections to the plan. It was time to kill these things. She also decided to use one if her biggest trump cards. She warned her allies before hand. "I will be unleashing my strongest magic when we get there. Smashing the device eill not trigger it right? Or do we need to carefully disarm the thing? Still I do not use this often as it is exhausting, but it is time to end this fast. Keep clear about ten yards from that cart if you don't want to be caught." Once on the surface Shirine contacted her company and had the netire group move towards her as fast as possible (Forced March order used to speed things up). She wanst sure if they woukd show up in time, but she wanted them there if they needed to search for more camps or just clean up straglers. When they arrived plants errupted to attack things. Shirine was focused as Lunar Totality was called into effect. The sun becoming moonlight for a time as she also activated a gravity sheer around the cart and any creature caught in the 10 yard radius. For a minute she could increase the gravity by ten times and draw everything several hundred feet up only to smash then into the ground at accelerated soeeds caused by the enormous gravity pulls. She felt this would gaurentee death and destruction of all inside. She would do this to everything in the gravity sheer unless the device might be triggered by being smashed. If that was a possibility she just supressed those enemies by smashing them into the ground with the force of ten times normal gravity. She expected even with just forceing them down she would cause injurjes and death. The one issue was she was fully focused on her ability and wasn't able to really hide once she started. She did move a little aways from the group so she didn't reveal them all. Her defense was probably a bit weaker too. Edited by Shirine, Fri May 19, 2017 5:37 pm.
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Lachesis[ST] | Fri May 19, 2017 7:37 pm Post #119 |
![]() ![]()
|
Everyone There is no way to know exactly what you face, only who you face, at the outset of this particular nightmare. You have the enemy and their deadly payload in sight, and you knpw what you must do. And so you go to work. Lorica, your initial assault catches the small force below you completely off guard. If it had been any ordinary group of foes, it might have been enough to overwhelm them in the first instant. The trees you summoned flail viciously at the backs of several of the Al'shari present, and send a couple of them flying forward to land and slide on their chests, not stunned so much as shocked by the blows. In the same breath, the hollow becomes filled with lethal splinters of wood. As it turns out, the pieces of wood are ineffective against the Al'shari; those worthies' skin is too tough, and the wood shatters upon striking it. The humans and the wolves, however, are not so lucky. Blood flies in the air as well as shrieks of rage. A saurian stands in a quick motion, gathering a couple of spears and a buckler of some kind that had not been noted by the scout. The black steel gleams darkly as he turned and, with alarming speed, rushed the Keeper. The saurian isn't the only one; one the werewolves is alreayd pelting towards you, its body growing thicker and more muscular as it runs, sharps claws gleaming in the light- -that fades away to night. Lorica, your barbs strike the werewolf, viciously wrenching it downwards. That motion only lasts a moment, though; the beast places paws on the ground and with a howl of pain tears itself free, sending blood and flesh flying as it does. The barbs, all of them, slap against the ground and go inert. The beast itself falls backwards, breathing quickly and whining a little, the lines on its body - what survives of them - flashing in some bizarre pattern. The wounds already heal, though, flesh knitting itself together with surprisingly fleetness. The Al'shari is not even phased by this, and drove forward as a creature possessed. That black-bladed stabbing spears struck out multiple times, as quick as a striking viper. Moonlight filtered through the trees, and you Shirine settled to focus your mind on the task at hand. Only the faintest tug of your gravitational manipulation has begun when the woman - the one in the strange armor - spins around, and stares darkly at you. It is the very same woman you had left with your soldiers before, the one found outside the bandit haunted ruins. And she doesn't look even slightly happy. She draws her knives and, perhaps, you think that this will go your way. A complex gesture, and she spat in your direction. All of a sudden, the gravitational effect ceases. You suffer from an immediate, sharp headache. Your gravitational abilities no longer function properly; using them causes moderate psychic damage now. And then the woman started forward, gathering speed. Mistalee, one of yoru volleys takes her legs out from under her - the arrows are unable to pierce the armor, but the impetus from them is enough to upset her balance. Another of the Al'shari is rushing towards Shirine, but the woman growls something unintelligable out and the beast veers off, heading towards Lorica instead. Ailish stops, focusing on the two women she can see, and as she does so the Al'shari without any weapon visible rushes up beside her. A web of power, invisible except to those with sufficient preficiency in arcanum, springs between the two of them, and suddenly both are speaking some guttural words in unison. Shirine and Mistalee, just as the unholy monstrosity the two are about to unleash is set free, Tyrist leaps between you, sword thrust into the sky. Power swirls around the Dal'mar, far more power than you can even believe. A shimmering curtain sprins into being around the three of you, as the world seems to explode in flames, thunderous eruptions of mana-fueled power shattering trees and rending the earth. Outside of the influence of the Dal'mar; within is calm, barely a buffeting of the breeze. Even as the moonlight begins to fade, as sunlight replaces it following the shattering of Shirine's lunar control, smoke and bits of wood rain down. It is fortunate no one else was on that side of the clearing; even the tree Mistalee is in ends just above the protective Paling the Norwood elite had erected in that one moment. The shield vanished as the Dal'mar hit the ground, and hit the ground running towards Al'Kaef of the Na'hill and her sorceror. A flash of a light, and a curse from the enemies remaining near the wago, which was peppered with splinters from the burst glass. The flash of light was just enough to allow Throatslitter, already in a mad rush, to close without much resistance. He was after the other werewolf, and even as he charged and speared the beast through its chest, Ahkrum leapt from the saurian to land on the beasts shoulder. The warcry ilicited no reaction whatsoever, but the attacks that followed did. Despite his size, the fae delivered might blows, staggering the beast, which was just dropping itsh ands from its eyes and trying to reach for what was striking at it. The wounds healed nearly as fast as they were made, though, and when the Al'shari drew his weapon from the beast, that wound closed with marked rapidity as well. One of the guards for the cart approached swiftly, and the blow they delivered took Throatslitter from behind, and he blow did enough damage to crack the armor the saurian wore. Throatslitter spun, part by the force of theh it he had taken, and part by design, catching the spear with one of his own and deflecting it before stepping forward for his own attack. All was madness now, of course; battle had been joined. Only two of the Al'shari remain out of the engagement, standing with weapons ready, protecting the wagon as their circle of potected space shirnk before the attacks. What do you do?
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| Ahkrum | Mon May 22, 2017 12:30 pm Post #120 |
![]() ![]()
|
The battle had begun, swung into full force. There was chaos about, noisy, messy, and somewhat beautiful if Ahkrum had to admit it. It was battle, pure and simple, and he knew that at the very least he had no intention of losing. He paid little attention to the lizard he rode in on, instead focusing his efforts on the wolf-like person that stood as his enemy, the wounds he caused closing even as he moved about the foe and dug his tiny blades deep. Nothing seemed to phase fear into the heart of the beast-man, and the wounds that the Hagaan created were healing rapidly. It was an infuriating but simultaneously exciting battle, a new sort of foe that he had not faced before, and a completely new condition that he had never encountered. To heal with each strike would take something special, and maybe Ahkrum's poison was entering with each strike of Pixie Eater, maybe it would ultimately work to fell this foe, but for the definitive and obvious future, he needed to figure out how to surpass the healing. "STOP IT!" The fae roared furiously as he swung about the furred creature's body, the heat of explosive fury quickly overtaking him as he continued to flail at a single opponent, "STOP HEALING!" The Fae's already deceptively powerful blows would increase in a desperate attempt to break the wolf faster than it could heal-- and at the back of his mind was this obnoxious realization that even if he did fell this one, it was not alone and there was no telling how the others might respond to attacks. For now he focused on the werewolf he had begun with, delivering blows that could shatter bones as quickly as he could, and if he could fell this one, then he would just jump furiously at the next-closest foe and start all over again with his raging assault. OOC
|
| Offline Profile | Quote To Top |
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
![]() Our users say it best: "Zetaboards is the best forum service I have ever used." |
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Kingdom of Norwood · Next Topic » |











7:28 PM Jul 11

