Author Topic: Dark Lands: The prison of death (Read 15516 times)

Exit · « **Reply #100 on:** January 11, 2004, 07:49:06 PM »

(OOC: Sorry. Wasn't able to hit a computer for several days.)

As the angry smoke cleared away from the passage, the stench of rotting decaying flesh filled Tras's nose as he moved slowly foward, towards a group of four or five. Vyre's hilt was slick with sweat, for although he had not helped bring down the demon thing, he'd watched, hoping for an opening. Now he studied each in turn as he walked thorugh the thinning smoke. Furion's Amulet pulsed against his chest, beneath his armor and his rough linen shirt. Magic was thick in the air and emittated from one or more of these people. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the figure farthest from his sight: a mage. Tras sheathed his rapier Vyre and walked foward, his hands raised palm up in the universal sign of "I'm here and I'm not armed." He stopped several paces away from both the other people and the mess of sludge and blood that was the demon's remains.

"Greetings. I'm Tras. Where am I?"

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #101 on:** January 12, 2004, 01:36:04 PM »

Coal Dog stepped forward, striking his chest with his fist in an island greeting.
"d**ned if I know, but we're all here together, so why not come with us? I'm Coal Dog." he said.

Andimia · « **Reply #102 on:** January 12, 2004, 02:32:16 PM »

Andimia turned towards Searren still pissed about not getting a hit in on the monster
"Hmm...that could be a problem. I can be stealthy but I don't know how well that'll work if the other creatures lurking in this hell hole have magic about them like this beast." She said as she looked down at the pile that was their attacker.
Andimia turned to look at the new arrival with the same dismay that occupied her face when she found her dagger upon the cavern floor. She didn't speak further. Just thinking about the beast made her question her abilities that she had so carefully trained over the years.

Ria Hawk · « **Reply #103 on:** January 12, 2004, 04:29:15 PM »

Briefly turning her attention to Tras, Jade introduced herself, then returned to the question at hand. "I can be extremely silent when I care to be, and if there are any more beasts such as this, I'll probably smell them before we see them." She wrinkled her nose, then sneezed again. She had noticed, however, that she didn't smell a whiff of magic from Tras, which, in her opinion, was good.

Exit · « **Reply #104 on:** January 12, 2004, 07:05:58 PM »

Tras relaxed slightly. Whoever these people were, at least they weren't the least bit hostile. Yet. Tras mimicked the pirate's greeting, nodding in acknowledgement, then looked over the others.

"So no one has any idea where they are or how they got here? I know I sure don't."

Tras trailed off as he examined the corpse of the demon with interest but the rising stench that eminated from its body soon deterred him. He glanced around the passage, dark and foreboding in all directions.

"Not a very friendly place, these tunnels, are they."

Siren no Orakio · « **Reply #105 on:** January 12, 2004, 11:19:13 PM »

The bronzed over knight only chuckles lightly at this latest remark. "Not cheery at all. Perhaps a little too damp for my taste." And a little too closed in, but he's not going to think about that. Thinking about it will only bother him, and that's not a good thing at all. After a moment's more attention to the fallen corpse, he reaches into a pouch, pulling out a rather thick looking candle, and proceeds to light it with a snap of his fingers, and a cantrip's worth of divinely granted magic.

As the wax at the top of the candle begins to melt, the knight tips it, enough to let a slow, steady dripping of wax fall to the floor. "In any case, we need to start moving. The more we sit here, the sooner we come to starving to death in this benighted hole. I've enough candle that we can retrace our steps for six hours, and it's not too likely that creatures like that one we killed would have the brains to recognize the trail. Anything that's smart enough to follow it can probably smell us anyway. So, let us go. Jade, will you take point?"

Shadoweagle · « **Reply #106 on:** January 13, 2004, 01:07:16 AM »

Tarquin Stares reservedly at Tras as he comes forth, and he simply gives a faint nod to the man in greeting, not offering his own name in reply. His gaze turns from him to the others as they speak, and his lips curl further into a disapproving frown. Apon question of where they are, however, the mage chuckles mirthlessly. "You are in the Dark Lands. You will have probably gotten here due to a spell or enchanted item. If the others want to waste their most-probable short lives telling their tales of how they got here, so be it." He falls silent, now, simply giving a fraction of a nod at Searren's words - much as he hated to admit it, the magician would make more noise than a lot of those in here - he doesnt have any skill when it comes to stealth. Thus he crosses his arms impatiently, awaiting the woman to lead the way.

Ria Hawk · « **Reply #107 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:39:48 AM »

Jade reloaded her crossbow, and, lacking any specific directions, chose a passage that no one had travelled through yet. She didn't much need the candlelight, and so she was not hesitant to range ahead of the group.

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #108 on:** January 13, 2004, 01:37:45 PM »

Coal Dog shrugged and said "Foward-ho!"
He stepped into the passage after Jade.

Siren no Orakio · « **Reply #109 on:** January 13, 2004, 05:10:10 PM »

Searren follows after Coal, with a quick look to Tras. "Keep a sword in the rear, I would think." Not very bright to let something sneak up on the softer folks first, now is it?

As he walks, the knight holds his candle out, and tilted, so that the wax drips to the floor, in a steady, almost measured pace. Hopefully, it'll be a little less tasty than Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumbs... and hopefully, it'll keep them from doubling back on themselves. The dust, after all, may not continue. For a man in armor, he is surprisingly quiet, fluid, elven grace serving to mute much of the noise of his movement, yet he's still in armor, and that, at least, is audible.

Andimia · « **Reply #110 on:** January 13, 2004, 10:10:50 PM »

"Hey, who are you calling soft!" Andimia glared as she brushed past Searren to join Jade near the front of the line. Her sight might not be as good as Jade's but stealth and exellent hearing make her feel like a good second. She walked forward with a ready hand upon her dagger.

Exit · « **Reply #111 on:** January 14, 2004, 07:26:53 PM »

Tras agreed without arguement and withdrew Vyre from its sheath. The polished blade shone dimly in the candle light, shadowing a deep blood channel that ran through its center. As they moved foward slowly, Tras inspected his clothing. The blue leather overtunic was soiled, covered with dirt and grime. The light armor underneath was fine, as was the rest of it. His heavy leather boots were also alright, though a bit worn from use. He clinked softly as he moved, most of the noise covered from the cloth that protected most of the metal plates. There was nothing here but dark stone, grime, and the foreboding atmosphere that seemed to envelope everything. Everyone. Tras shivered, a chill moving through his body.

The Dark Lands. Ah. That orb did eminate a thick aura of magic. Cursed by all, I am a fool. Stuck here with no way to leave, no guarentees of who is a friend or merely an ally united for a common goal. I don't like this.

Tras did not voice his worries, prefering to keep them to himself. Instead, he kept moving slowly, glancing back frequently as instructed.

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #112 on:** January 15, 2004, 08:48:11 PM »

Forward they went.
Along the hal, small alcoves were set, and in those alcoves stood the legs of statues, smashed off above the hip.
"Somebody doesn't like sculptures too much, eh?" said Coal Dog, examining the dusty stone legs.
Further along, there was a very large, round chamber, roof-dome soaring overhead.
In four alcoves along the walls stood great sculptural warriors, bearing swords of glittering obsidian. These sculptures were singularly inanimate.
In the center of the chamber, there was a great sigil carved, a serpent, twisting around and around in a spiral, with its lunging head reaching from the flags upward, snarling forever into the ceiling.
Coal Dog tapped one of the statues on the chest.
"How's it going, my friend?" he said, smiling.
But the smile was premature.
The statue's face moved. And spoke.
"Eternity weighs heavily."

Shadoweagle · « **Reply #113 on:** January 15, 2004, 09:05:42 PM »

Tarquin walks with the group, not at the rear or front. Upon entering this chamber, the mages gaze slides to these destroyed statues, peering at them curiously, and as they near those still intact carvings, he makes his way over to stop beside the pirate just as he taps on that chest. Surprise does not register apon the sorcerers face as that statue moves and talks, but as it does, he takes a hurried step back to peer up at the stony face. Already assuming it hostile, but not not having enough left in his reserves to be particuarly useful, the mage speaks instead, addressing the monolith in his rasping whisper, "Are you foe to us?" Great - by the looks of things, animated minions - no souls to steal again, but, just in case, the arch-mages eyes glint a hellish tint as he alters visions once again to search for any possible souls or leechable energies...

Ria Hawk · « **Reply #114 on:** January 15, 2004, 09:21:45 PM »

Jade sneezed violently. That was getting tiresome. She looked at the statues warily, then at the snake design in the middle of the room. This wasn't going to end well, she could already tell. She caught sight of Tarquin, and a disturbing glint in his eyes caused her to step back a pace, colliding with whoever was behind her.

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #115 on:** January 15, 2004, 09:52:22 PM »

The statue pushed Coal Dog gently but firmly out of the way and turned towards the rest.
"Why dost thou intrude upon our vigil, ape-children?" intoned the statue in its gravelly voice, raising the point of its sword slightly.
With a sound of loudly grinding stone, it stepped forward.
"The Vic art a wily spectre. It may escape in the spiritual world while I am distracted by you."
Coal Dog stepped away, predictably making a sign against sorcery.

Shadoweagle · « **Reply #116 on:** January 15, 2004, 10:04:24 PM »

That fiery glint within Tarquins eyes would dim slightly as he reverts back to his normal, penetrating vision, and takes another step back, glancing back to study the others. The sight of that ancient soul which resides in that statue is very tempting to him, but he was no fool - this 'vic' may cause quite a lot of trouble. So now, he was torn between gaining great power and risking freeing another beast, or to remain weak for the moment... Decisions, hm?

Siren no Orakio · « **Reply #117 on:** January 15, 2004, 11:36:16 PM »

After the others have awoken the statues, the bronze-gilded knight frowns to himself, before finally speaking. "Maintain your vigil, good Sir. We've no wish to unleash whatever you guard against, merely to find our way out of these lands to our homes. Might you point us on the way so that we can remove ourselves from your attention more swiftly?" He steps forwards then, half saluting the creature of stone.

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #118 on:** January 16, 2004, 08:25:34 AM »

The stone being turned to face the flame knight.
"Many hath past. Few hath found the way. All sought not my judgement. But I know not the way."

Exit · « **Reply #119 on:** January 16, 2004, 01:11:14 PM »

Backing up from the sneezing female, Tras noticed a greedy look flash for a moment on the mage's face. It faded almost as soon as it appeared. Tras gazed for a moment, perplexed, then stared at the stone guardian who had stepped foward.

I hate magic. And its users. The mage may plot to unleash that evil and turn both it and its guardians against us.

Still behind the others of the group, he stepped back and clenched a fist. Sparks of his antimagic played around his fist, which was hidden behind his back. Tras continued to glance around, though now he kept flicking back to the mage, who seemed to be closest to the 'vic' sculture. Whatever happened, he did not want the 'vic' thing to get loose. He only wanted to get back to the Hunt that he'd been so rudely thrown out of.

Andimia · « **Reply #120 on:** January 16, 2004, 03:36:12 PM »

Andimia stumbled and caught her balance after Jade bumped into her. "Bless you." She replied to Jade's sneeze. The Rogue looked up at the statue as it spoke, her face quizzical. She rubbed her eyes, half out of disbelief, and half of the dust causing irritation, then looked at Tariquin, his eyes were a fiery hue. Turning back towards the statue Andimia decided it would be best to keep her mouth shut, but readied herself to draw her swords if any danger should come from this thing.

Siren no Orakio · « **Reply #121 on:** January 16, 2004, 04:24:37 PM »

"Such is as I expected, though the news is weary to the ears that hear." The flame knight straightens from his bow as he speaks, molten green eyes surveying the area quite carefully, even while his fingers reflexively trace a sigil of blessing and purity.

"Guardian of stone, may I ask what it is you seal? Though we seek escape, I begin to wonder if the most effective path through this foul place is not to shatter the dark magics as we encounter them." Daring, perhaps even insane, but the candle that burns short burns brightly, and his Lord was not fond of sneaking and skulking.

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #122 on:** January 17, 2004, 10:50:47 AM »

The statue-warrior gave a sigh of eternal exhaustion.
"It art the Vic that I stand warden before." it said, slowly lifting a stony arm to point at the snake-head sculpture in the center. "It lies entrapped within the serpent, a thing of the spectral realm."

Exit · « **Reply #123 on:** January 17, 2004, 11:59:24 AM »

Tras stepped foward slightly, still holding Vyre in one hand, his curiosity aroused. The serpent sculpture was elaborate and had a deathly quiet around it, as if it dared someone to speak. Each time the silence was broken, it felt almost sacrilegious. And yet, it almost felt needed. Like the noise was wanted, required. Craved.

"Why was this thing imprisoned?"

CaptainPenguin · « **Reply #124 on:** January 17, 2004, 02:13:04 PM »

"It was necessary to my masters." said the statue with finality, stepping back into it's alcove in the wall.
"Allow me vigilance once more, ape-children."
With that, it's heavy stone eyelids slid closed over those singular ruby oculars and the transformation back into sculpture was complete.