The Rod of Lordly Might

[Dream]

Braandu stopped and stared upward at the ceiling.  Even with his un-living sight he could see the decorations.  "Father always tells me ornaments are useless", he thought to himself,  "But I like it".

His people, the Graandu, never use jewels, gold, ornaments or things of visual beauty for an obvious reason...  They can't see very well.  The maps in the trunk were made of gold foil for utilitarian reasons... it is thin and won't rust.  The weapons he and Father had made were efficient and totally functional.  No engraving or ornaments.  So, either the Graandu had not been behind the creation of this cavern, or someone long ago had decorated it.

Braandu was so impressed with this fabulous scenery that he walked forward without exercising any care.  His enormous foot stepped on a trigger placed in the floor of the cave opening and the frightening rumble of an enormous rock slide was instantly heard.  All along the tunnel, from many yards behind to as many in front, large boulders were released from their places set in the tunnel walls.  They crashed toward the travellers.  Braandu dropped the trunk he was carrying and braced himself as the first few -- each a yard in diameter -- struck him in the chest and legs.  He fell beneath them.

[Nobody]

OOC: OK wait a second. Dream, you said:
 "All along the tunnel, from many yards behind to as many in front, large boulders were released from their places set in the tunnel walls."

However Alexia described us as entering a massive room at least two hundred feet high, and, given the domed ceiling, probably just as wide.

So unless I am missing something, and I could be, then according to Alexia's description, the trap that Dream had set doesn't work.

Can anybody enlighten me here?

[Alexia]

OOC: Nobody...no, I'm letting Dream do a series of 'pop ups' where the adventures encounter the traps. I'm letting it be free reign right this moment. I'll steer soon enough.

If you read my last statement, there were traps and are traps. Dream couldn't have gotten them all. I don't think Dream set traps..did he?

[Dream]

OCC:  Ummm, let's say Braandu is modeled after me.  Or vice versa.  Clumsy.  So, you are right.  

But since this is fantasy roleplaying, I whip out my magic wand and "Presto!"  The rocks are falling from their places set the nearby walls of the MASSIVE ROOM, as well as from the tunnel we just stepped out of!

Handy, this wand.

Hey, I'm humble.  I make mistakes sometimes.  It's disappointing, of course --  disappointing that it's only October, and here it is:  I've already made a mistake this year -- but, like I said, I'm humble.  Probably the humblest guy on earth!  


IC:  Klaatu squeaked out a warning to Braandu... too late!  It should have been obvious with the boulders set up in the wall, but he had been walking behind his son and had been daydreaming.

"By the depths!  Rockfall!"  Braandu was being bowled over beneath nearly a ton of granite!  Klaatu had only an instant to save himself.  He whipped out a vial from his robe... one of his favorites. The sticky substance his people had long synthesized based upon analysis of spider webs.  A recent development, since Graandu had not ventured near the planet's surface (with its spiders) until the last thousand years or so.

He flicked open the cork with his thumb and slung it to one side where the most rocks were rolling toward him from the right.  In a split-second the glue oxidized and foamed; splattering on the rolling rocks.  As they turned, the globs of glue touched the ground as the rocks surged forward ominously toward the mole-man... ...and relaxed back in place; stuck to the ground with a gooey web.

Other rocks were only a second away from him on the left.  Klaatu vaulted with his staff to the right onto the webbed rocks while the rollers on the left crashed into the ones he was clinging to with reverberating "clunks"... narrowly missing his arm and leg, but crushing the shaft of his staff.  A hissing, fizzing sound sputtered from the broken tool.

Klaatu was mortified.  His instant thought was,  "The Princess!  The others!  They'll be killed!  It's my fault!"    

He looked back, afraid to see what had happened to them...
 
 

OCC:  [Shameless advertisement section]  For more really exciting information on spiders and their webs, please visit Freeform Roleplaying Thread, "The Last War".  [End of advertisement].  

[Alexia]

OOC: Dream, you're all right. Believe me, we all make mistakes. That's the fun part.

IC:
Alexia didn’t hear anything. Odd, considering her vision. She could only hear soft muffles from behind and continued to look ahead. Her gaze was transfixed on the water fountain. With each step it seemed she had been the only one to pass through it. Odd. She didn’t think twice about anything than the fountain. There was something odd about the fountain.

It was circular. Three levels. At the top there was a female body, no head, arms, legs, just the neck to the lower pelvis. It looked ancient. It also was not made of stone. It was made of a golden powder. Once again, it appealed to many and fooled them into thinking it was stone or gold, it was powder.

Alexia reached over and touched the navel. Odd. Alexia pulled back her finger to feel the powder. It was soft. Her fingerprint had not left the navel. Instead something happened. The floor shook. It started with the powder. It crumbled. Dust filled her nostrils as Alexia coughed. Then it happened. The marble fountain crumbled.

Alexia’s eyes went wide. Reality hit her. Screams erupted from behind her. Alexia turned on her heel and started to head back. She stopped. There came a grumbling behind her. Frowning, Alexia’s ice blue eyes looked down. Nothing. Misted air blew towards her face. It was cool and refreshing. She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. She then took a step back to where the fountain had been.

Stairs…

[Alexia]

OOC: And nobody's going to respond? Hmm...

[Dream]

No.  Thanks.  I think it's just not working.  

I learned a lot about the Strolen forums while I posted here, and that was a great experience, but I guess it's just best that I drop out of this thread.  

Best wishes to you, Alexia, on your stories.  Maybe we'll team up again some day.    

[Andimia]

ooc: i'm back sorry about my hiatus, England was great, didn't have computer access really. got home had to finish moving into a house, register and start classes, and find a job. but i've read everything i missed.
Andimia didn't hear much about the rod, dosen't know Alexia is royalty, she slept through most of that hehe. Knows that they're off to a desert to find something they need to help Braandu. While they were at the moleman's she made a few arrows too.


Andimia's eyes scanned the massive room, looking at the ornate details with a silent awe. Suddenly she snapped out of her stare by a rumbling sound. Rocks were falling in all around. a trap? but there was no time to think, only react, but as Andi looked around, she feared she was going to meet her end in a dark dank hole under the earth and she regretted all of the missed moments in her life, but she then noticed the mole-man had something up his sleve, or in his pocket to be correct. She watched as he threw the vial of sticky substance, and as the rocks slowed their crushing decent the half-elf leped up onto them, balancing as they halted, the moleman seeking safety upon them as well.
"is everybody alright?" She looked quickly for Alexia and found her safe in the middle of the room destroying the dust statue and let out a sigh.