Dark Lands: The prison of death

[The_Warlock]

Throughout the years, stories of the Dark Lands have been told in many different ways. Some stories were told by campfire to scare friends with tales of evil. Bards sang countless tales throughout the lands in every tavern. Some stories were told by parents to wayward children to scare them into behaving. To most the Dark Lands were nothing more than a myth...a morbid fairy tale. Nothing could be further from the truth. For in truth, the Dark Lands did exsist. Though it only exists to those who dabble in the dark arts or have riches enough to afford to pay for a mark to be inprisoned. Thousands of years ago a powerful arch mage created a prison which existed between worlds. For the right price he would spellcast a target into the prison. Though labeled a prison, it was not just a prison. It was a magical labrynth built in catacombs of darkstone; a rare mined ore that was inbued with dark magic. The dark mage used his foul magic to shape the darkstone mine into his prison and called forth an ancient demon's spirit to act as a sentinent prison warden. The prison was designed to manifest it's inhabitant's worst fears into solid form.  It would continue to do so until the prisoners were dead. Once dead, these nightmare creations did not perish along with their creators, but lived on in the haunted catacombs and halls of the prison to hunt another day. Of course, the dark mage was not without humor or a sense of twisted sportsmanship. So, when forging the Dark Lands he did leave one portal of escape. A prize that none had attained in thousands of years. Finally, with the death of the dark mage, the secrets of the prison's creation were all but lost. Unknown to many, some of his followers were able to decipher scrolls illustrating the means to teleport prisoners into the prison. Such spells were placed in rings, scrolls and other enchanted items. These item were then sold to the richest customers to use as they felt the need. Suttle traps to ensnare a most hated rival or enemy. So, if you find yourself waking up in a dark catacomb with a smoky mist clinging to your body, don't be confused!  You are in fact, trapped and in extreme peril!  Either except your doom and die, or set out on a futile campaign and try to claim your freedom from the Dark Lands. Somewhere out there a means of escape awaits you.  And with it a chance at revenge on those who imprisoned you to die.  It will take true champions to conquer the prison of death. Welcome to Dark Lands, enjoy your stay!

[The_Warlock]

OOC: Hey all. Pretty much the way I like to GM/guide the story on this board is....you can post anything you like concerning your character. The one exception is...there actions. You can post what your character will attempt and I as the moderator will post the end results. Should be alot of fun. It would be nice if upon entering this board you can give a little background on what was happening to your character right before you were teleported into the prison. (exp.  Placed a necklace given as a gift around neck and next thing you knew, you were in a catacomb with mist everywhere...middle of a sword fight a spell was casted on you and boom....you were in the prison)  Good character descriptions are always a plus.   Enjoy and I will see you in game.

[Ria Hawk]

(OOC: Neat campaign idea.  Just so's you know, the first bit in italics is what was happening before she got pulled in. )

Jeremiah growled.  "You aren't getting anywhere near him, you bastard."
The man smiled darkly.  "Do you really think, Reyjen, that your hired muscle will protect you from me?  I gave you an option: join me, or die.  I'm sorry to note that you've chosen the latter option."
The magician glared back at the fellow.  "I think you'll find that Jeremiah and Jade are more than you think they are.  You've known my answer from the start."
The man snorted.  "A hunter, and his little sister who doesn't know enough not to tag along?  Please."
Jade glanced at her brother.  She couldn't tell if he was saying what he thought, or if he was merely trying to insult her.  She looked much younger than her actual age, and her small size didn't improve matters.  She decided it didn't matter.  "Y'know, I think we should teach the nasty man a lesson."
"Your privilege, then."
The man laughed.  "Oh yes.  Go on, little girl.  I'll even give you a free shot."  He put his hands in his pockets and stood there waiting.
The vicious kick she let him have knocked him off of his feet.  He looked considerably startled, then very angry.  "So you do know how to do some damage.  Enjoy that; you won't get another chance."  He glared over at Reyjen and Jeremiah.  "I was saving this for you, Magician.  But I think I'll use it as an object lesson on what happens to those who stand against me.  Count yourself lucky."  He threw what looked like a small ball at her.  She tried to dodge, but it hit her anyway.  
Reality tore itself apart around her.  

Jade stood in a dark stone corridor.  "Jeremiah?  Master Reyjen?"  The only answer was the echo of her voice returning to her.  She was understandably confused and disoriented.  Not to mention frightened.  "Where am I?" she wondered aloud.

[The_Warlock]

....as Jade inspects her surroundings she will notice she is in a large chamber dimly lit by two greenish glowing torches.  She will notice three dark tunnels leading out.  There is one tunnel directly in front of her and one to the left and right.  In the center of the chamber, five feet directly behind her, she sees a 7ft black stone statue of a knight standing straight with both hands resting on the pommel of a massive great sword.  The knight seemed to be sculpted wearing full plate armor.  The tip the sword is embedded in the ground.  Jade can feel a cold chill run down her spine suddenly as she glances at the statue, but the feeling soon fades away.  As if on cue, a moan can be heard bouncing off the catacomb walls.  It seems to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.  The moan is followed by a loud cackle which sounds like an old woman coming from somewhere down the middle tunnel.  Jade notices nothing else in the chamber but hears a whisper in her right ear,    "seek the first pathfinder, he lies somewhere in the beginning of the labrynth of tunnels.  He can set you on the path to freedom....and revenge...."  The voice fades and as Jade scans around her immediate area she finds nobody else in the chamber with her.  
(OOC:  Will wait for a few more to join before anything else happens Ria...feel free to explore some more in the chamber...Also, FYI, all characters enter the prison with whatever gear/weapons they had upon being sent in)

[The_Warlock]

....Jade can hear what sounds like a male voice screaming in pain down the left tunnel followed by the sound of a metal object hitting the cavern walls.  "Lyrid....nooooo!" a male voice shouts in anguish.  (another scream of pain cut off by the sound of something hitting the wall extremely hard then sliding down it.)  " You will pay for that demon!  Of this I swear!!", screams the same voice heard earlier.  Now Jade hears more sounds of a full out battle.  The sound of a man breathing heavily is starting to be drowned out by the sound of what you percieve to be multiple snakes hissing in unison.  The cackling of the old woman now begins anew down the tunnel you hear the battle coming from.  
   

[Shadoweagle]

((Brilliant Idea! I have a feeling Im going to enjoy this ))

Tarquin's eyes twitch spasmodically, before opening slowly and from his parted lips, a faint groan emits forth. His eyes dart fully open, though, as the memories flood back to him, and he scuffles to his feet, peering around, and already having a faint idea where he is... As he regains his senses, his eyes begin to emit a faint, crimson hue, his pupils fading slighty, and he now dusts down his raven black robes, leaning against a wall and tilting his head back, remembering... ... ...

The plain, grey robes of Valdus flowed across his form in the wind, as the man extends his right hand to Tarquin, a plain, twisted silver ring offered to the man. "Well? Can you do it, mage?" Tarquin simply smiled and plucked the ring from Valdus's grasp, clenching it in his fist as his feiry gaze slides across the grey-robed form. He speaks, his voice a broken, ragged whisper - such bieng the price for uttering such viciously powerful incantations - "As well as the sorceror who made those caverns... just watch."
"We shall see..."
Tarquin simply snorted rudely at these words, than narrowed his gaze faintly, his fist clenching even more tightly, and a dark, misty haze begins encircling it. Within seconds, Tarquins eyes flare brightly, before fading back to its usual, hellish hue. "It is done." he states simply as the black haze disperses into the wind, and he unclenches his fist, flicking the ring to Valdus, which now, though still silver, had several streaks of midnight black apon it. A circular imprint has been burned, etched into Tarquin palm, but he pays it no mind, simply smiling at the grey figure before him. "Now you can banish those who pose a threat with a word." Valdus smiles cruelly, twirling the ring in his hand before sliding it apon his middle finger. "Well done, Tarquin. Truly, you are powerful... Do you know what that means?" Tarquin blinks once as Valdus raises a hand, placing it on the black material covering his shoulder. "That means you are perhaps my greatest threat... goodbye, Tarquin." Tarquin snarls and attempts to draw back from the man, but Valdus darts his hand up to place the cool steel of the ring against the pale skin of the mages cheek, and he smiles mirthlessly whilst uttering a single word, "Begone..."

Bashing his fist against the wall he is leaning against in fury, Tarquin darts his gaze around. How could he have been so careless!?!? So foolish!!!?? He knows there is a way out of this place, and he also knows he has a chance... a slim chance, yes, but a chance nonetheless. He must find others and use them. He must be constantly vigilant for traps and overcome them. He must find the portal out, and he must go through it. He must find Valdus... and Destroy him. Betrayal... He is normally the one who betrays, and now he will teach that fool what it means to decieve Tarquin the black...

((Sorry if thats a bit wierd - Im not used to forum RPing   ))[/i]

[Ria Hawk]

(OOC: Don't worry, you're doing fine.  But we should probably arrange to run into each other rather quickly.)

Jade, forgetting for the moment all caution, ran towards the sounds of battle.  She was intensely thankful that she had not been given a chance to draw weapons; she still had her crossbow and her daggars.  She loaded the crossbow as she ran, and briefly wondered what she would face in this odd place.

[Shadoweagle]

((Heh, thanks. I dont know if I should post again before letting the DM set a scene for me (Never played with a DM before) so I wont post again until I get the go ahead ))

[Andimia]

[Andimia]

As dusk fell upon the city a plain man was on his way home from a lavish party. He decided to walk as the night was warm, but because of his excessive attention to ale earlier that night he soon became lost in the back alleys. The man heard a noise behind him, suddenly he felt a swift blow to his lower back, knocking him to the ground.  Out of the shadows, slowly, silently, came a woman, wearing a black cloak and a black mask to cover the lower portion of her face. All you could see were her deep brown eyes. He quickly drew his sword from its sheath and pointed it at his attacker. "keep away!" he yelled as he scrambeled to his feet. she stopped, reached both of her hands over her head behind her back, slowly drawing two curved short swords; wasting no time, she charged at him. The red-faced man was no match for the thief, as she quickly disarmed him, sending his sword skittering out of his reach. Quickly replacing her swords in their sheaths she charged again, sending her foot to meet the side of his head. stunned, the man fell to the ground. she bent over him and took the pouch from around his neck and a bag of crowns from his belt, then was off into the shadows as quick as she came. Once she was far enough from the point of her successful robbery she stopped to check her earnings. The bag contained twenty gold crowns. "not bad." she wispered to herself as she removed the cloth covering her face. No older then 18 and alone, crime and beggery had been her only means of survival since she was a little girl. She then opened the pouch and shook its contents into the palm of her hand. confused she looked down at a shard of porcelin; from some broken pottery she guessed. It had an unusual gold pattern on one side. As she stared at it she rubbed her finger accross its edge. "ouch!" she whispered, the shard had cut her finger. Blood oozed out of her wound into the palm of her hand, mixing with the shard, which became very hot. She quickly dropped it, and upon hitting the ground, shattered into tiny pieces. Her head suddenly began to whirl, the stars overhead became intensly bright as she took two staggering steps then crumpeled to the ground.

Andimia awoke with a terrible headache. She pulled herself up on her hands and knees, then, slowly struggled to her feet. Disoriented, she looked around the corridor, unfamiliar with her surroundings. Placing one hand on the wall to steady herself she replaced the mask over her face upon the sound of swift footsteps ahead. [/i]

[Ria Hawk]

(OOC: Interesting.  Yet another person to play.  Hey, I'm about to initiate some meetings here, so be warned.  ; P)

Jade was a very quick woman, and despite her tiny (for a grown human woman) size, a fighter to be reckoned with.  She muttered a quick thank-you to what ever gods cared to listen that she had remarkable night vision.  She could see nearly as well in this dim series of hallways as she could in broad daylight.  Her big brother had once sworn that they glowed in the dark in the same way that a cat's did.  She didn't care about that now.  The alarming sounds from up ahead had seemed to stop, and that was probably a bad sign...
She wasn't given time to ponder it.  As she rounded the next corner, she collided head on with another person standing there.  Jade, at least, went sprawling.

(OOC: I'll let you guys decide who I just careened into.)

[Shadoweagle]

((Hmph, ok, ill keep going, then ))

Tarquin blinks apon hearing the sound of footsteps from just around the corner, and he braces himself just as Jade swiftly turned and careened into him. He exhales in a gasp as the woman - smaller than what he had expected - crashed directly into his stomach, pushing the wind out of him and forcing him back a step. Consequently, he holds his hands to his stomach, gasping for the breath that was forced out of him as the woman sprawls back, and his crimson gaze slides up - penetrating the darkness better than light and therefore clearly seeing the form of the woman in this dim room. His lips curl into a silent snarl and, when he finally regains enough breath to speak, he rasps in a broken, jagged whisper, "Gods, woman! Watch where you are going! This is no place to be running around without a care!" His voice is full of annoyance and exasperation, and he simply stares down at Jade, his hellish eyes peering intensly beneath his black hood. Of course, his eyes would not remain trained on her for long, instead roaming the room, ever watchful for possible foes.
The woman may notice this man is unarmed, as when he was warped into this place he had nothing more than his robes and some basic spell components, acids and potions hooked in his belt.

[Ria Hawk]

Jade picked herself up easily.  She took in the fellow at a glance, and suddenly sneezed.  The smell of magic about him was strong, and it made her nose itch.  She admitted he had a point about rushing about.  A thought suddenly occured to her.  "Do you know where this place is?"  She did not admit that he was the first living thing she had yet seen here, or that she derived some small comfort from his presence.  It was possible that he was an enemy, but he lived and breathed, as a normal creature should.  Even if she had knocked the breath half out of him.

[Shadoweagle]

Tarquin, before long, would have completely recovered from the breath bieng knocked from him, and his lips curl into a mirthless smirk at the womans question, "You mean to say, you don't even know where you are?" His eyes slide back to Ria, staring at the woman coldly, "Well then, woman. Perhaps when you were a child you heard a story about a prison. A prison filled with death and pain. With one exit, but guarded by beasts of great power and multitudes of traps." He sighs faintly, now, his smile draining from his features as he shifts his eyes away from her once more. "You have fallen into the Dark Lands, girl. Now, do you have a name?"

[Ria Hawk]

Jade had long ago heard of the Dark Prison.  But she had long since dismissed them as fairy stories.  She frowned, but she didn't argue.  He undoubtably knew more of it than she.  Even if his manner was grating on her nerves.  She sneezed again before she answered.  His was not the same smell of magic that Reyjen used.  She wondered briefly if she would ever see him or her brother again.  "I am Jade."  She looked at him sideways, and suddenly smiled a cat's smile.  Two could play at that.  "Do you have a name, Sir Magician?"

[Shadoweagle]

Tarquins gaze narrowed faintly at the sneeze, but he nods slightly at the womans mention of her name. "Very well Jade... Yes, I do have a name." He crosses his arms in front of his chest, pausing momentarily before uttering, "Tarquin" simply. He tilts his head to one side as he now studies the woman openly up and down. "What is with that sneezing? Allergic to the dust down here, hm?" He quirks a brow in curiousity.

[Ria Hawk]

"No."  She wondered briefly how much it was wise to tell him.  Then she decided that it didn't matter.  "It's just that the smell of magic around you is awfully strong, and I'm not used to this particular type."  She sneezed again, and moved away from him.  She did retain enough discretion that she didn't mention the fact that the smell of his magic reminded her very strongly of things that scurried in unpleasant ways.

[Shadoweagle]

Tarquin simply laughs mirthlessly at this, nodding faintly. "Well, your going to be sneezing the rest of your time down here, in that case." Of course, to him, it was already settled that they would travel together - he does not seem to allow her own opinions, but this is simply the way he is. Either way, he then allows all trace of emotion to drain from his features - emotions only got in the way, anyway. "I take it, then, that before you managed to get yourself down here, you were in the company of a Cleric... Maybe a paladin or even simply a mage of white...?" The question is phrased in such a way that it appears he expects a straight answer - such knowledge may be useful later in these caverns, who knew? He made it his business to become as knowledgable as he can.

[Ria Hawk]

Jade shrugged, and inspected her crossbow, fighting back another sneeze.  She ignored the fact that he had decided they would travel together; it was only common sense in this place.  "I've never been too sure what Reyjen was.  All I know is that the smell of his magic always reminded me of the old secret places, like the deep woods.  Reyjen never spoke of the nature of his magic."  She paused for a moment.  "He never used it much, anyhow."  She stopped and thought.  "But then, that infernal stranger smelled differently.  He had some magic, but not his own."  She shuddered.  "It smelled like rotting things."

[Shadoweagle]

Tarquin nodded faintly, "Reyjen, hm? A friend of yours?" The name means nothing to him, but it would be something worth studying if he ever got out of this infernal place. "Well, how I smell matters little to me, but how to get out of here means everything." He lowers his gaze to the womans crossbow, studying the weapon, "How good are you with that weapon?" He eyes it critically shifting slightly from his position and clasping his hands together idly in front of himself.

[Ria Hawk]

Jade shrugged again, her sharp eyes carefully searching the corridor.  She decided that any more about Reyjen wasn't any of his business, and answered his other question.  "Good enough to hit a field mouse at a distance of a league and a half by a quarter moon."  She knew that precisely; she had determined that while settling a bet with a most foolish man.  "That's really not what concerns me."

[Shadoweagle]

Tarquin simply began moving once more to shift slowly around the form of the woman in an attempt to study her from every angle. Of course, dispite her words, he was not in the least impressed, though he was glad that at he had at least found someone who would be more of an aid than a hinderance to him - so he simply utters, "Good...". Whether or not she allowed him to circle her, he then turns his attention to the wall he was leaning on just earlier. He knew a bit about this place - Perhaps more than most or even any other person living. So he knew of the darkstone walls, and he pondered curiously over what effect his spells would have against such a rare mineral. Raising a hand, he gently brushes a finger over the wall - no doubt it would absorb or perhaps even reflect some of his spells... he would have to be careful.

[The_Warlock]

....as Tarquin and Jade continue to converse the strange hissing sound and the labored breathing of the human male cease.  A loud wooosh can be heard overhead the two companions, followed by a loud thud above Jade's head on the cavern wall.  A darkly cloaked form falls from the wall over Jade's head to hit hard on the rocky cavern floor.  The man moans and begins to lift his head slightly.  You can both see blood dripping from his nose and lower lip.  He begins to whisper as he lifts his hand and points a finger towards the direction he just flew through the air.  "she....(cough)......don't trust...........me and Lyrid went to help.....don't trust....he's dead...." he babbles incoherently.  Then his head slumps against the rocky floor.  You will notice he is still breathing, albeit barely, and that the hand he didn't point with is grasping a dagger which is faintly glowing with a white aura.  The old woman's cackling starts up anew and seems to be bouncing all over the place.  The sound of something shuffling toward you becomes louder.  Whatever is coming is not moving quickly, but it is definantly moving towards the group. It's breathing is loud and raspy and an occasional hissing can be heard, although it seems to be a great deal quieter than before.  (OOC:  I will give you time to make whatever plan you wish since it is moving slowly towards you.  Also, I will give the thief a chance to meet and interact with you before it gets there.....ENJOY...and thanks for playing)      

[Andimia]

Being alone in this strange place she thought it wise to find somebody who could tell her where she was and how to get back to the city. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in the palm of her hand. Upon further inspection she found her hand had been burned. Thinking for a moment, she had no recollection of how it happened, but the blisters alarmed her. Tearing a scrap of fabric off the bottom of her cloak, she tied a makeshift bandage around the wound. Turning her attention back to the footsteps, she began walking down the corridor, following the sound. Suddenly her well-trained ears could no longer tell which way the footsteps were comming from. She thought she heard somebody coming up behind her, but when she looked there was nothing. She uneasily drew one of her swords, and kept heading in the same direction as she first started, constantly checking the sounds behind her. "this place is wierd." she said aloud, the sound of her own voice somewhat comforting as she walked on down the dark corridor.[/i]

[CaptainPenguin]

OOC: Hey, dudes and dudettes.
Is it too late for me to join?