The small opening beckoned. Despite her usual sense of caution, Dragon Wench felt compelled by the secrets that she felt sure it held; she also sensed that no great evil awaited them. She stared at it, as if mesmorized. Then, with some effort, she pulled her eyes away, and looked at her companions. "Whatever lies within, I don't think it's necessarily dangerous in and of itself," she murmured, "but we should take care nonetheless."
She asked Gwalchmai to cast "protection from evil" over her, and then stepped through the opening.
Once through, she sucked in her breath at the vision which greeted her. A perfectly circular, golden pool lay in the exact center of the completely round room. It shimmered, reflecting enough light to for her to see the cavern's glittering, domed ceiling. Looking up, Dragon Wench saw small intricately carved figures inlaid with gilded gold; nestled amongst those dancing figures lay many-hued gems all refracting the glowing light emanating from below. She stood there, held before the almost surreal beauty before her eyes, unable to move or speak. Then, realising that the others would be worried, she stepped back out and told them what she had seen.
Ooc. I'm not sure we should make Anomen completely fallen. Maybe keep him with the Radient Heart for a while so that he undergoes healing, a sort of sabbatical maybe????? Of course, given that he's been off getting himself into all kinds of....ahem....trouble, I figure that a little turn around is fair play.
[ 05-27-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]
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.......All those moments ... will be lost ... in time ... like tears in rain.
Loner had sat beside Kramo while he slept, and she had watched him toss and turn in his fitful dreaming. She could only wonder at what horrible images he was seeing, and wished she could help him somehow...
When he woke screaming his hand went to his side, and Loner knew he was trying to reach for a sword that wasn't there. She feared to approach him, but took the chance anyway. She went over and sat on the edge of the bed, firmly grapsed his hand, and stroked his hair.
"Kramo," she said softly. "It's me, it's Loner...you're all right, I'm with you. You were dreaming again."
His eyes slowly focused, and he seemed to calm a bit.
"I wish I could help you," Loner said. "Do you want to talk to me? To tell me about these dreams? Perhaps that would help a little..."
As Dragonwench emerged from the hole, Georgi felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned to face Gwalchmai. He was silent, but the concern in his eyes said all that was needed. She managed a faint smile, and he nodded.
"There must be something here," Jennabard was saying. "What could those knights have been interested in?"
"Perhaps they already found it, whatever it was?" Georgi suggested.
Upon hearing Dragon Wench's description of the small cavern, Gwalchmai (who'd had considerable experience crawling through many kinds of ruins )went to investigate the place himself.
He returned after what seemd a long time, and said, "I've only read about caverns like this......but they are thought to be more myth than real.....the ancient texts tell us that these sacred caves were settled by elven folk....and that the golden water holds the key to immortality."
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. Spoiler
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.......All those moments ... will be lost ... in time ... like tears in rain.
Dragon Wench shared her friend's concern. Yes, she said, "now we have some idea, however, of what the Gilded Rose is up to. I also think that the name "Gilded Rose," holds no small amount of significance."
Just then, they heard something behind them, they started and reached for their swords. A wry voice said, "no need for that, but it's good to see that Dark Poet has such wary companions." Turning, they saw a large, black dragon.........
[ 05-27-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. Spoiler
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.......All those moments ... will be lost ... in time ... like tears in rain.
"You... you know Darkpoet? Where is he??" cried Jennabard at the mention of their missing slave.
The dragon chuckled. "Fear not, human. Darkpoet is quite safe. He was concerned for his ladies and bade me find you... Hardly a challenge, sniffing out that one's aroma," he gestured towards Gwalchmai, who glared indignantly.
"Not so fast... How are we to know you're telling the truth?" challenged the slave. "For all we know, Darkpoet may be dead, and you may be planning the same for us..."
The dragon roared with laughter. "If I wished you dead, human, you would be dead. Let me introduce myself. My name is Darius... and I believe some of you may have known my mother."
Kramo took a deep breath, and began to tell Loner what had happened. She listened intently, of the horrors that went on. Up to the death of Odessa, and how Darkpoet inraged, charged the Drow. While he laid there, doing nothing.
"In the back of my mind, I try to figure out what I did wrong. But, everytime I think about it, I did what I could. Seeing you and the others, had brought back a lot of memories."
Looking at Loner and pulling her close. He kissed her.
"You need some sleep, let me sit in the chair and watch you."
"My heart aches for you, Kramo," Loner said. "You must let go of this guilt...You did do everything you could -- even though I wasn't there, I...I think I know you well enough by now to know that you did. You...you are the bravest and the most honorable man I've ever known, truly."
She sighed. "I don't think I could rest even if I wanted to," she said. "I grow anxious for my friends. Are you rested enough to travel? If not, we can stay here for a time; otherwise we can be off within the hour."
"That is correct, human." Darius related his story. "But this is all wasting time, if I have convinced you of my authenticity," with a look at Gwalchmai, "we must return to Darkpoet post-haste. He awaits you at the Copper Coronet... with another of your number..."
"Vivien? Thank Helm!" Jennabard said, voicing all their relief.
"There is little more we can do here," announced Dragonwench, taking charge. "Let us go to Athkatla, then." She wondered what had happened to the paladins, but dismissed the thought, remembering that senior wizard Manveru was taking care of that... They had other things to worry about.
The group emerged into the dying sunlight. "With luck, you will reach the Coronet before night falls completely," the dragon said.
"You're not coming?"
"No... You understand, I am somewhat weary around people. Darkpoet will know where to find me. Hurry now." Darius spread his great wings, and disappeared into the sky.
Georgi sighed. "It will be good to see Darkpoet and Vivien again. Shall we go?" As an afterthought, she bent down by the body of the dark mage, and retrieved the black amulet, casting it into her pack. As uncomfortable as she felt carrying it, she feared that it could cause greater destruction in the wrong hands. She turned and followed her friends as they began the journey back to Athkatla.
Darkpoet left the horses at the stable. He kick in the backdoor of the Copper Coronet. Scaring the cook and Bernard.
"Damn it Darkpoet, do you always have to tear up my place?"
"Bernard, I need a room quickly. With two beds, now."
"All I have is one with a large bed, the honeymoon suite."
"Bernard, I'm not here for jokes. Now, do you have a room with two beds? Yes or no?"
"Yes, follow me. You are the third person today, asking for a room. One of them was a paladin."
Darkpoet ignored Bernard's babbling, as he followed him to the room. Mazzy saw Darkpoet, carrying Vivien up to the rooms. She decided to follow, to offer any assistance. Darkpoet saw Mazzy.
"Hey there good looking, you want to help me with Vivien. I sent a message to the other's that I was here."
The four left the temple, and paused before the great waterfall, thinking of the cavern beyond. “Gwalchmai. Before we leave,” Lady Georgi asked “Did you have any other impression of the final tomb?”
“It seemed to me that the place was meant to hold a being of great power, judging from the runes,” Lady Jennabard said.
Gwalchmai thought about it, “Hmmm. I had examined the pictographs only briefly. Seems a great battle was fought, causing the destruction of this town as well as many others nearby. The being and her minions were eventually entombed there, deep underground. Seems the noosphere serves as an adequate ward against her evil and the cavern behind Ogre Falls maintains a perfect, benign, biotic environment. The spells cast upon the tomb successfully confined the being to its own chaotic plane. The ornamentation in the tomb, and the pool, though, these things are considerably more ancient. They predate the battle with the being. Perhaps even predate the being herself!”
“Wait!” Lady Dragon Wench hissed, “Do you feel that?” A faint tremor had begun, and the air became still, stagnant. A mist of non-light began to materialize from the waterfall.
“It’s the Being!” Lady Jennabard exclaimed, “Its beginning to make the transition to the material plane!”
Lady Georgi drew here weapon, as the mist began to move, but Jennabard stopped her. “No. We can’t touch her until she takes on her physical form. Where is she going?” The mist slipped into the temple.
“It must be heading to the temple, to the place where the Gilded Rose were trying to conjure something.” Lady Dragon Wench said.
“The Binding Rituals!” Lady Jennabard suddenly cried, “They were never completed! There may be nothing to keep that creature from gaining material form and wrecking havoc!”
“We must stop it, or die trying!” Lady Georgi called, already crawling through the passage.
Gwalchmai was left alone outside, struggling with the packs and equipment. Suddenly, words filled the air like the grating of a rusty metal door, “Wait for me, my Mistress!” A black figure suddenly materialized out of dry leaves, dust, and the acrid air.
“Fearnog! Again? Why are you here?”
“You thought that your Harem had finished Me, Oh Slave? I follow my own Mistress. I am like a mote of dust carried by the backwash of power that my Mistress has.” The loathsome beast slashed its acidic claws experimentally. “But I can tarry a moment to feed off the entrails of a lowly slave.”
“I am ready for you this time, foul beast!” Gwalchmai muttered as he fished in his pack. Quickly he threw back his cloak, quaffed a potion of strength, and shouldered his mighty, semi-sentient club (+5, 30% resistance to acid). The ‘Louisville Slugger’ sang out its battle cry, “Da da da dum da-daa! Charge!”
Fearnog’s first slice whiffed by Gwalchmai’s chest with a millimeter to spare, He swung the club down hard upon the shoulder of the beast and threw it off balance. “Take THAT out to the ballgame!” the club screamed. Fearnog roared, striking out backward with its other claw, slicing a burning cut into Gwachmai’s jaw, singeing the hair of his beard. The club was thrust into the beast’s solar plexus, ending its roar in a gasp of breath, “Strike One!” Another hit with the club brought the beast to its knees “We want a demon, not a silly sea-man,” the club taunted. Again the club fell upon the beast “Strike Two!” “Hey batta, batta, batta..” the club said as Gwalchmai readied the final blow. But as he brought the club down on the beast, it caught the club and tore it from Gwalchmai’s hands “I’m outta hereeeeeee…!” the club called as it sailed to the far side of the river.
Fearnog stood. “You could never defeat me, puny man. Now, I will feast,” it menaced. Its first blow sent Gwalchmai hard into the wall of the temple. Gwalchmai twisted out of the way of the second blow, which raked deep gouges in the stone wall. Another blow opened a deep gash on Gwalchmai’s side and thigh and threw him several meters up and back. Then, the beast charged with a final blow, but Gwalchmai twisted, grabbing the burning claw in his bare hands. Using the momentum of the beast’s charge to turn the blow around, Gwalchmai buried the beast’s own claw deep into its chest. With a gurgling roar, the dying beast reeled to the ground, then was silent, but for the green, steaming, blood bubbling from its open chest cavity. “That’s a little trick I learned from Lady Loner,” Gwalchmai panted, then collapsed.
[ 05-27-2001: Message edited by: Gwalchmai ]
That there; exactly the kinda diversion we coulda used.
"Then lets go find them, my dear."
He smiled as he got up, he put on his shirt and twisted alittle bit. Wincing, "Uh, no pain. I'm good to go, as long as I don't have to turn real fast."
As they got ready to go, he gave her another kiss, then opened the door. Just as Darkpoet, walked by with Vivien and Mazzy in tow.
"Hello Kramo, funny meeting you h......"
Darkpoet stopped in mid sentence, when he saw Loner behind Kramo. Darkpoet's eyebrow went up, looking at Loner, then at Kramo. Shaking his head, he carried Vivien in to the other room and gently put her on the bed. As Mazzy walked by she told them the others are on the way.
Georgi looked behind her, hearing some kind of commotion outside. Jennabard and Dragonwench had stopped in their tracks a little way behind her. Jennabard indicated that she would go back out and check on Gwalchmai. Georgi and Dragonwench continued through the tunnel, staying close.
Georgi felt her skin crawling. There was something different about the tunnels now. There was a stench of evil, but it was more... it was all around her, taunting her, enveloping her in its vile embrace. They stopped by the final tomb...
Georgi bent and peered into the hole. She didn't see anything moving... "Do you think we can seal it in?" she mouthed at Dragonwench, doubting that the two of them would be capable of fighting something so powerful.
"Jennabard could try?" Dragonwench mouthed back. Georgi indicated back the way they had come, and the two hurried outside.
Loner turned to Kramo. "We can stay here, I guess, and wait for the others, it's up to you..."
She looked at Darkpoet with new eyes, based on what Kramo had told her. She wanted to speak to him of it, but figured now was not the time. Instead, she just smiled at Darkpoet and said "What's the eyebrow for, DP?"
She followed him and Mazzy into the room, and sat by Vivien. The light was dim, so Loner retrieved a lamp from a nearby table and brought it close. She gasped. A change had come over Vivien that disturbed Loner...
"Her skin is...green..."
Mazzy came over. "She's very ill, I guess..."
"No," said Loner; "I think it's something more than that..."
Just then Vivien opened her eyes and looked at Loner.
They were greeted by silence in the twilight ruins. Cautiously they slid through the shadows. Georgi saw them first, breaking into a run and dropping to her knees beside the fallen slave.
"Ye gods! Jennabard, is he going to be ok?"
Her friend looked up. "It's too soon to know, but I think so..."
"What did this?" Georgi followed Jennabard's gaze to the Fearnog corpse, and gasped. "But... I killed it... It was dead..." she murmured.
Dragonwench impatiently reminded them of the greater threat at hand. "Jennabard, can you seal the tomb with magic, do you think? We don't have the power to destroy this demon, we must try to contain it, at least for a time."
"I... suppose I could try," Jennabard said doubtfully, looking down at Gwalchmai.
"Then let's go, we hve no time to lose. Georgi will tend to Gwalchmai."
Georgi nodded gravely. "It may be our only chance."
Jennabard rose, and accompanied Dragonwench back into the dark passages of the temple.
Darkpoet, just about fell to the floor, after hearing what Vivien said.
"First things, first. Loner, you and Mazzy stay with....Vivien. I don't want her leaving this room, try to thing of something, to get that fairy, Dryad crap out of her."
Walking over to Kramo, grabbing him by the collar.
"You come with me, you and I need to talk." Darkpoet snarled. Almost lifting, Kramo off his feet. Pulling Kramo into the other room, closing the door. Darkpoet then shoved Kramo against the wall.
"What's going on with the two of you? You are getting kind of cozy with Loner. You better not hurt her, like Anomen did. I'll hunt you down."
