Trekking in Abyss and a Red Dragon in Sigil
Was a nice day in the beginning, and me and Zilvai thought to go trekking in Abyss for a change with Sol. I was at least to say delighted when Kelth joined too *beams*.
Everything went at first as planned, and we encountered Mordechai there, too, who quite promptly joined our ragtag party, from which Zilvai departed a bit later.
But then - we entered a big cave - only to encounter three Pit Fiends there, along a number of more minor hazards. Quite promptly we scrambled toward the exit, but something or other unexpected happened, and Mordechai ended up as the rescuer of our rears.
After recuperating in a nearby small cave we proceeded to the fortress, deciding to forget about messing with the Pit Fiends. Well, the resistance at the fortress was unusually heavy, and Kelth and Sol got pincushioned by the Erinyes - literally. I had a moment of leisure to manage shift my form to one in which I could actually match the tanar'ri and baatezu. And eventually me and Mordechai had cleaned up the messy scene.
It's *chuckle* rather unusual that I end up taking care of Kelth and not the other way round. Nonetheless, I patched him and Sol up before we proceeded to get rid of the fortress' current warlord.
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Went to the gym with Kelth for a swim (and to get rid of that dreaded dust of Abyss). Gave him a back massage. However, I think that was more a workout for myself than to him. Heck, he's one of my best friends, but I'd be lying to myself if I said I'd not have a crush for him on some level *sigh*. Could've ended differently that massage session, but... Probably for the best in the long run that we got our more primal instincts in check - don't want to lose a great friendship cause of a moment's fun.
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Later the day, an alarm goes through Harmonium - calling to rally at Lady's Ward - a dragon was on loose! Went to investigate with Kelth and Naya'il. Heck, that red dragon thing was huge! And it was totally pissed off too! General chaos ensued. Shot a few arrows at it myself, but then the darned wyrm came chasing me. I think I've never before ran that fast from anything - those gnashing jaws could've bit me in half if it had caught me. Almost bit my tail off, but the joint effort of planeswalkers and Harmonium got it down just before that.
*chortles* oh boy, Conrad's gonna just love to hear about the wyrm! Can already imagine the expression he'll have then.
Mir Fnar
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*AniKai
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- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Thought to go for a little field trip with Kelth and Mashanie, Abyss-style. Was an exciting trek until things went truly sour at one of the fortresses. A band of Cornugons decided to gang me up and sweep my legs from under. Was no use to even try stand up again when there's a band of them using you as a door mat, and stomping on for a good measure too.
I woke up later, but how much later - that I don't know. Mashanie was down, gravely wounded, and Kelth was nowhere to be seen. The fiends had left me and Mashanie for dead. Good thing they didn't know just how fast my body could regenerate, the bruises and wounds disappearing in a few minutes.
Scared, worried, and pissed off, I felt the change come, as it often does - shapeshifting, becoming a brutal fiend myself! I grabbed Mashanie and made a mad dash through and past the fighting demons and devils to the nearest more or less safe location, knocking over a Cambion or two and slamming into an Erinyes before reaching it.
After I tended Mashanie back onto his own feet, the next plan was to reach Sigil. There was an army waiting outside, but I didn't truly care - I wanted out of that dismal place to find if Kelth had returned there or to find help in finding him in Abyss if not. I charged out of the cave... Mashanie following close behind my now spell-enhanced fiendish form. Couple Abishai tried to stop me, but bashing in their ugly faces remedied that.
We reached Sigil finally and the feeling of safety made me revert back to my more natural form. Yes, safe maybe, but no less worried. The next couple hours went in dashing the streets, asking around from people whether they had seen Kelth. No one had seen even a hair of him. We encountered Zilvai too, who joined in our "search team".
Upon emerging from Under Sigil, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure - it was Kelth. I yelled his name and ran toward him, but then the portal of Ethereal Plane flared into life in front of me and I lost the sight of him. I ran to the terrace's railing, gazing down to the waves, but then glanced aside and saw that he had just taken a step to side, leaning his back on a building's wall, deep in his thoughts. I quite literally broke him out of those thoughts, whatever they were, by leaping at him and hugging the wind out of his lungs - or would have, if he wasn't so big in frame.
I was so happy in seeing him alive and well (aside a few scratches) that I remember only fragments of what he told to have happened to him...
I woke up later, but how much later - that I don't know. Mashanie was down, gravely wounded, and Kelth was nowhere to be seen. The fiends had left me and Mashanie for dead. Good thing they didn't know just how fast my body could regenerate, the bruises and wounds disappearing in a few minutes.
Scared, worried, and pissed off, I felt the change come, as it often does - shapeshifting, becoming a brutal fiend myself! I grabbed Mashanie and made a mad dash through and past the fighting demons and devils to the nearest more or less safe location, knocking over a Cambion or two and slamming into an Erinyes before reaching it.
After I tended Mashanie back onto his own feet, the next plan was to reach Sigil. There was an army waiting outside, but I didn't truly care - I wanted out of that dismal place to find if Kelth had returned there or to find help in finding him in Abyss if not. I charged out of the cave... Mashanie following close behind my now spell-enhanced fiendish form. Couple Abishai tried to stop me, but bashing in their ugly faces remedied that.
We reached Sigil finally and the feeling of safety made me revert back to my more natural form. Yes, safe maybe, but no less worried. The next couple hours went in dashing the streets, asking around from people whether they had seen Kelth. No one had seen even a hair of him. We encountered Zilvai too, who joined in our "search team".
Upon emerging from Under Sigil, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure - it was Kelth. I yelled his name and ran toward him, but then the portal of Ethereal Plane flared into life in front of me and I lost the sight of him. I ran to the terrace's railing, gazing down to the waves, but then glanced aside and saw that he had just taken a step to side, leaning his back on a building's wall, deep in his thoughts. I quite literally broke him out of those thoughts, whatever they were, by leaping at him and hugging the wind out of his lungs - or would have, if he wasn't so big in frame.
I was so happy in seeing him alive and well (aside a few scratches) that I remember only fragments of what he told to have happened to him...
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*AniKai
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A bit after the incident in Abyss, the next day or so, me, Mashanie and Kelth were chatting at Khaz's when in sudden a heavy glass flies past my face and smashes into shards and shrapnel against Kelth's chest. Tomas, that fool... had thrown him with the glass, and in a few moments found himself in Kelth's headlock and getting his face punched hard.
The big bard eased a moment later though as there was no need and no use to pound the fool into any messier pulp. During the commotion after that I went to Kelth and begun to pick the glass shards off his chest, not really paying attention to what was said around me.
Eventually I ended nursing the wounds at his home while he and Mashanie were talking about something, listening their speech and tales with the other ear.
As we were leaving back to the bazaar, Kelth happens to ask whether I or Mashanie had a place to stay. Not very surprising that both of us answered "no". Without more fuss about it, he marched to Muriel and rented one of the three-room apartments, one right beside his and Naya'il's.
It was like a dream...! All in sudden I find myself with a home, given by a dear friend, sharing it with someone I've become deeply fond of.
*a happy sigh*
The big bard eased a moment later though as there was no need and no use to pound the fool into any messier pulp. During the commotion after that I went to Kelth and begun to pick the glass shards off his chest, not really paying attention to what was said around me.
Eventually I ended nursing the wounds at his home while he and Mashanie were talking about something, listening their speech and tales with the other ear.
As we were leaving back to the bazaar, Kelth happens to ask whether I or Mashanie had a place to stay. Not very surprising that both of us answered "no". Without more fuss about it, he marched to Muriel and rented one of the three-room apartments, one right beside his and Naya'il's.
It was like a dream...! All in sudden I find myself with a home, given by a dear friend, sharing it with someone I've become deeply fond of.
*a happy sigh*
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*AniKai
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Cozy Nest
Cozy Nest, the name I came up with for our home, mine and Mashanie's.
...and Trouble in the Neighborhood
I was selling some junk to Jezebel when Kelth came outdoors in a rush, carrying limp and bloody Naya'il, Liliara right behind them. Shocked by the sight and right away worried, I dashed after the trio - soon then to arrive at the Harmonium infirmary.
Trying to help Naya'il with Liliara was my first priority, although I felt I was more in way than of any actual help. Soon enough, however, two Harmonium Infirmary staff came to take care of Naya'il, and I moved out of their way to Kelth's side who was slumped to sit on the floor nearby.
A bit later Kelth stumbled to Naya'il, who was mumbling something delirious, and a moment later he rushed out of the infirmary and the whole building, fuming in rage. I ran after him to try stop him from doing anything drastic that'd get him neck deep in troubles, and caught up with him on the bridge just outside the Harmonium barracks.
After roaring his rage a while Kelth calmed down enough to talk with. He told he'd go visit Rashemen and wanted us to take care of Naya'il meanwhile and to explain her the situation. Can't pity a lion, but can feel its frustration and rage for doing something unstoppable involuntarily. For me it was all clear - Marius had used Kelth as a puppet; I had given Kelth a warding amulet to shield him from exactly that what had happened to him, but the amulet had been somehow removed or he had lost it in some other way.
I gave Kelth a tight hug, which he appreciated in the end albeit reluctantly at first. Then he ushered me and Mashanie to go take care of Naya'il.
Back at the infirmary I explained to Naya'il what exactly had happened to Kelth. Naya'il herself wasn't anymore in grave danger, but the child was lost. When she told that to me, I was shocked wordless, almost feeling a knife being wrenched within myself.
(Eventually we had to leave Naya'il in peace to rest and to be healed.)
Cozy Nest, the name I came up with for our home, mine and Mashanie's.
...and Trouble in the Neighborhood
I was selling some junk to Jezebel when Kelth came outdoors in a rush, carrying limp and bloody Naya'il, Liliara right behind them. Shocked by the sight and right away worried, I dashed after the trio - soon then to arrive at the Harmonium infirmary.
Trying to help Naya'il with Liliara was my first priority, although I felt I was more in way than of any actual help. Soon enough, however, two Harmonium Infirmary staff came to take care of Naya'il, and I moved out of their way to Kelth's side who was slumped to sit on the floor nearby.
A bit later Kelth stumbled to Naya'il, who was mumbling something delirious, and a moment later he rushed out of the infirmary and the whole building, fuming in rage. I ran after him to try stop him from doing anything drastic that'd get him neck deep in troubles, and caught up with him on the bridge just outside the Harmonium barracks.
After roaring his rage a while Kelth calmed down enough to talk with. He told he'd go visit Rashemen and wanted us to take care of Naya'il meanwhile and to explain her the situation. Can't pity a lion, but can feel its frustration and rage for doing something unstoppable involuntarily. For me it was all clear - Marius had used Kelth as a puppet; I had given Kelth a warding amulet to shield him from exactly that what had happened to him, but the amulet had been somehow removed or he had lost it in some other way.
I gave Kelth a tight hug, which he appreciated in the end albeit reluctantly at first. Then he ushered me and Mashanie to go take care of Naya'il.
Back at the infirmary I explained to Naya'il what exactly had happened to Kelth. Naya'il herself wasn't anymore in grave danger, but the child was lost. When she told that to me, I was shocked wordless, almost feeling a knife being wrenched within myself.
(Eventually we had to leave Naya'il in peace to rest and to be healed.)
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*AniKai
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It Stinks in the Sewers
A scream echoed thro the bazaar from around and above the ruined old inn while me, Mashanie and Zilvai were chatting in front of the other inn. Not a huge surprise then that we went to investigate.
There was a pool of blood next to the entrance to Under Sigil and couple Harmonium officers were interrogating some old lady in the distance. Mashanie, unfortunately, had business elsewhere, so it was just me and Zilvai who entered the Under Sigil.
After a bit of wandering around we found Maelfina and Drego in front of a barred gate, beyond which was a room in flames - a huge pyre made of burning corpses, the air heavy in smoke and stench of burning flesh and bone. Just a moment after we arrived at the two already there, more spelunkers gathered around too.
I noticed some tracks leading away from the pyre room and went following them, not really paying attention to others until Zilvai shout after me to not wander anywhere far on my own. A bit later the tracks ended, however, and I ventured to lower level, just to realize there wasn't anything to track and to notice a ball of flame erupting behind at the upper level.
Upon returning back the sight was rather puzzling; two drows were lying there, quite dead. Someone, in my opinion rather shady figure, was near them. Maelfina too the speaking into her control from there on, while I stood in watch at the stairs leading to the lower level.
After a while of commotion something struck me without sound or sight, and the stairs seemed to approach me at an alarming rate... Then everything went black.
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I woke in Zilvai's quarters. I had died, or had been very close to do so, but she had brought me back in a way or other...
A scream echoed thro the bazaar from around and above the ruined old inn while me, Mashanie and Zilvai were chatting in front of the other inn. Not a huge surprise then that we went to investigate.
There was a pool of blood next to the entrance to Under Sigil and couple Harmonium officers were interrogating some old lady in the distance. Mashanie, unfortunately, had business elsewhere, so it was just me and Zilvai who entered the Under Sigil.
After a bit of wandering around we found Maelfina and Drego in front of a barred gate, beyond which was a room in flames - a huge pyre made of burning corpses, the air heavy in smoke and stench of burning flesh and bone. Just a moment after we arrived at the two already there, more spelunkers gathered around too.
I noticed some tracks leading away from the pyre room and went following them, not really paying attention to others until Zilvai shout after me to not wander anywhere far on my own. A bit later the tracks ended, however, and I ventured to lower level, just to realize there wasn't anything to track and to notice a ball of flame erupting behind at the upper level.
Upon returning back the sight was rather puzzling; two drows were lying there, quite dead. Someone, in my opinion rather shady figure, was near them. Maelfina too the speaking into her control from there on, while I stood in watch at the stairs leading to the lower level.
After a while of commotion something struck me without sound or sight, and the stairs seemed to approach me at an alarming rate... Then everything went black.
-._,-´`-._,-´`-._,-
I woke in Zilvai's quarters. I had died, or had been very close to do so, but she had brought me back in a way or other...
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*AniKai
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A Trip to the Astral Plane, part #1
Astral Stray Cats
I met Vimil near Khaz's one day, unusually excited - he had had a discussion with Zilvai, and found out that she could help him enter the Astral Plane. He needed something, a component for the magics. Before he said what he was looking for, I suggested "something originating from the Astral Plane?", and his expression changed from excited into brilliantly beaming wide smile. Was close that after a while of digging my pouches and finding a shield made of astral scrap metals for him that he didn't break my ribs with a bearhug.
Later the same day Vimil came to me and Marx at Khaz's and said it was time to go. "Go where?", I asked. "To Astral Plane!", he exclaimed hurriedly and excited. So then, we grabbed Zilvai along and headed to Brux's waterfalls - a safe enough place to create a planar rift.
Zilvai generated the rift successfully, although it sapped her energies and she fell promptly either unconscious or asleep when the rift flared into existence. The gateway was unstable, so we hadn't time to plan anything really; Marx grabbed Zilvai on his arms in his fiend form and ushered me and Vimil through the rift with a heave, following along a moment later himself. We, however, weren't the only ones coming through it to the Astral Plane, for Dom had been observing us, hidden, and had jumped through the rift after us right before it closed.
Floating in the Middle of Nothingness and Rocks
Astral Plane was more peculiar than I had thought - very disorienting for there was no "up" or "down", nor really any other way to determine your bearings sans instincts and using the free floating rocks and asteroids as landmarks. Movement was equally peculiar... When not walking on surface of an asteroid, you had to generate momentum with pure thought, and that took a long while to get accustomed with - at least for me.
After who knows how long of aimless wandering we arrived to an asteroid Vimil thought he recognized from his dreams. I had my doubts however, and that gut feeling has so far never failed.
While Vimil examined to rock we stood on, Dom heard something. No one else heard a thing, and Zilvai was still asleep or unconscious anyway. However, a moment later the air rang slightly with an eerie "Arroooo-oo" of a ship's fog horn, the ship itself still far beyond the range of sight.
The men argued a while whether to try attract the ship's attention or not. Frustrated by that, and knowing that we'd be stranded there - lost - for who knows how long, I cast a flare "above" us and then another; and for a finish, fired up a bright static light right atop of us.
Spelljammer to the Rescue
Time passed, the ship came closer and sent a small boat to us. Vimil was about to freak out, obviously fearing they'd be githyanki. I wasn't so concerned of what they were, I just wanted off from the rock we stood on and to get some idea about where we were. Vimil eased up when I mentioned that the approaching boat had sails marked with a concentric target symbol and an eye. Whatever the markings meant I forgot, however.
After a while of discussing (Dom acting as the translator due the boatwoman gith speaking in rough dialect of elven) we boarded the boat, and a few moments later arrived at the ship itself. The ship was a marvel on its own - a Spelljammer. Oh dear, I'd give a fortune to get to own one of those someday!
The crew of the ship was somewhat strange - but what in giths isn't "strange"? The captain of the ship, however, was really nice and polite. A true gentleman, if I may say. The ship, Tongue of Zerthimon, was exporing and charting the astral space. Whether it luck or something else, they had happened to notice our signs and came to examine the situation.
My attention was soon distracted from Vimil and the captain by a rather peculiar metallic golem that walked clanking to me and Dom. The crew had picked it up with other junk somewhat earlier from another asteroid they had come up. The thing was apparently broken somehow as it kept more or less repeating one and the same. Dom begun bossing it around like half-brained golems usually are commanded, and got it to change language from bleeps and whistles to something more understandable.
Zilvai, who had woken up some time earlier while still on the asteroid from where we had been picked up, grew tired with the golem and the insensible noises and words of it, and suggested to take it apart. That riled up the golem however, and it entered some sort of a defensive mode, hell bent in determination to rip Zilvai apart instead. The golem however broke down a moment later, beginning to play back something it had recorded in the past - a song, fractions of monologues, directions to somewhere, and then music again before falling completely silent and immobile.
Over the Yonder...
The gith captain could take us to one place we wanted to go, and by a vote (which result stemmed both from curiosity and not-so-uncommon sense) we chose the location given by the strange golem.
And so we set the astral sails to "horizon" far away...
Astral Stray Cats
I met Vimil near Khaz's one day, unusually excited - he had had a discussion with Zilvai, and found out that she could help him enter the Astral Plane. He needed something, a component for the magics. Before he said what he was looking for, I suggested "something originating from the Astral Plane?", and his expression changed from excited into brilliantly beaming wide smile. Was close that after a while of digging my pouches and finding a shield made of astral scrap metals for him that he didn't break my ribs with a bearhug.
Later the same day Vimil came to me and Marx at Khaz's and said it was time to go. "Go where?", I asked. "To Astral Plane!", he exclaimed hurriedly and excited. So then, we grabbed Zilvai along and headed to Brux's waterfalls - a safe enough place to create a planar rift.
Zilvai generated the rift successfully, although it sapped her energies and she fell promptly either unconscious or asleep when the rift flared into existence. The gateway was unstable, so we hadn't time to plan anything really; Marx grabbed Zilvai on his arms in his fiend form and ushered me and Vimil through the rift with a heave, following along a moment later himself. We, however, weren't the only ones coming through it to the Astral Plane, for Dom had been observing us, hidden, and had jumped through the rift after us right before it closed.
Floating in the Middle of Nothingness and Rocks
Astral Plane was more peculiar than I had thought - very disorienting for there was no "up" or "down", nor really any other way to determine your bearings sans instincts and using the free floating rocks and asteroids as landmarks. Movement was equally peculiar... When not walking on surface of an asteroid, you had to generate momentum with pure thought, and that took a long while to get accustomed with - at least for me.
After who knows how long of aimless wandering we arrived to an asteroid Vimil thought he recognized from his dreams. I had my doubts however, and that gut feeling has so far never failed.
While Vimil examined to rock we stood on, Dom heard something. No one else heard a thing, and Zilvai was still asleep or unconscious anyway. However, a moment later the air rang slightly with an eerie "Arroooo-oo" of a ship's fog horn, the ship itself still far beyond the range of sight.
The men argued a while whether to try attract the ship's attention or not. Frustrated by that, and knowing that we'd be stranded there - lost - for who knows how long, I cast a flare "above" us and then another; and for a finish, fired up a bright static light right atop of us.
Spelljammer to the Rescue
Time passed, the ship came closer and sent a small boat to us. Vimil was about to freak out, obviously fearing they'd be githyanki. I wasn't so concerned of what they were, I just wanted off from the rock we stood on and to get some idea about where we were. Vimil eased up when I mentioned that the approaching boat had sails marked with a concentric target symbol and an eye. Whatever the markings meant I forgot, however.
After a while of discussing (Dom acting as the translator due the boatwoman gith speaking in rough dialect of elven) we boarded the boat, and a few moments later arrived at the ship itself. The ship was a marvel on its own - a Spelljammer. Oh dear, I'd give a fortune to get to own one of those someday!
The crew of the ship was somewhat strange - but what in giths isn't "strange"? The captain of the ship, however, was really nice and polite. A true gentleman, if I may say. The ship, Tongue of Zerthimon, was exporing and charting the astral space. Whether it luck or something else, they had happened to notice our signs and came to examine the situation.
My attention was soon distracted from Vimil and the captain by a rather peculiar metallic golem that walked clanking to me and Dom. The crew had picked it up with other junk somewhat earlier from another asteroid they had come up. The thing was apparently broken somehow as it kept more or less repeating one and the same. Dom begun bossing it around like half-brained golems usually are commanded, and got it to change language from bleeps and whistles to something more understandable.
Zilvai, who had woken up some time earlier while still on the asteroid from where we had been picked up, grew tired with the golem and the insensible noises and words of it, and suggested to take it apart. That riled up the golem however, and it entered some sort of a defensive mode, hell bent in determination to rip Zilvai apart instead. The golem however broke down a moment later, beginning to play back something it had recorded in the past - a song, fractions of monologues, directions to somewhere, and then music again before falling completely silent and immobile.
Over the Yonder...
The gith captain could take us to one place we wanted to go, and by a vote (which result stemmed both from curiosity and not-so-uncommon sense) we chose the location given by the strange golem.
And so we set the astral sails to "horizon" far away...
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*AniKai
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A Trip to the Astral Plane, part #2
The Twin Rising Stars
After a long while of sailing (maybe a week's worth) we arrived at our destination and disembarked from the spelljammer onto an asteroid that orbited two red glowing gigantic "embers", the Twin Rising Stars, as they were called by the sailors and the golem. A truly ancient looking gith lady followed shortly after us. The spelljammer then left us there and sailed over yonder out of sight.
It was impossible to tell whether the lady was a githyanki or githzerai, or whether she was neither - of which choices I'd bet on the "neither". Peculiar person, but I quite liked her casual and friendly demeanor.
The gith lady had come with us for a purpose, but didn't yet tell what it was - only that we had come to some important crossroad in events to come. The gith lady wanted to know if our minds were able to concentrate on the coming tasks, or something along those lines. Vimil took off an went to examine the "embers" closer, whereas the gith lady motioned me to jump up. Without a second thought I did so, my mind focused on my destination rather than in how I did it - soon soaring fast like an eagle, spiraling - the feeling exhilarating.
Alone in the Dark (for a while)
I flew far and fast, stopping then momentarily to gaze back where I came from, the asteroid now tiny at range. What I saw, however, made my concentration break completely. The two embers were like burning eyes in a demonic face... and they felt like staring straight at me. For how long I stared them back, I don't know, but I had drifted far beyond sight range of the asteroid when I became again conscious of my surroundings, or rather - lack of them.
For a while I was all alone, feeling panic begin to build up - floating on my own in the middle of vast emptiness. But then Vimil arrived and the overbearing feel of loneliness subsided and my usual carefree mentality returned.
There was two now, in middle of nothing. Although I had regained my usual demeanor, Vimil was worried for the worth of both of us - the main question being, "How do we get back from here?" There wasn't any landmark near enough to use as focus for moving, and so we were floating free, slowly gaining more and more distance to our origin.
Vimil tried to frantically search something from his bags and pouches, to create a landmark, until happened to ask if I could summon something big. And as it happened to be, I could, and summoned a greater earth elemental. The elemental's size was considerable enough to help us on move and to get our origin back into focus, and thus getting back there rather quickly.
Back on the Rock & Beyond the Yonder
The gith lady was rather pleased that we arrived back, having passed her little "test". I was more than happy to be back and to feel something solid under my feet again, but Vimil was furious, almost shouting at the lady for tricking me (and therefore him too) into my earlier situation. I forgot their words soon, but it was the general a "what if things hadn't turned out as they did?"-conversation, and therefore irrelevant in my opinion - the past is past, it's pointless to dwell in the "what if"'s of the past. I said something rather simple along the lines of what I was thinking about the pointless debate and it cut Vimil's arguments short.
The next debate was then about what direction to go next, as the golem's instructions had mentioned "north" and "beyond" the Twin Rising Stars. But what way in astral is north? That was a guessing game at best... It could be any direction as far as I was concerned. While having the embers behind me, a gut feeling told me that the correct direction was right behind me. Vimil, however, was adamant in that it was to my right instead. Sighing I yielded to that, knowing though that I was right all along.
We took a heading to Vimil's pointed direction and lift off the asteroid, "flying" through the void. I don't know anyone else noticed, but our supposedly straight flight path wasn't exactly straight - it curved, and eventually aligned with what I had had in mind back on the asteroid.
An Aeon Old Site & My Name
We arrived eventually at an asteroid larger than the average we had seen so far. There was a rather peculiar structure there, a large crane - like that at shipyards - and fortification walls. None of it made any sense in astral, at least not the fortifications - anything could simply go across them.
Dom and Vimil discussed something along lines of magic while the gith lady just gazed somewhere, sinking into her thoughts or memories. I sank into my thoughts too, examining the curious site until the gith lady came to tap my chest and said out loud something that sounded like a name.
The lady, as riddly as ever, called me "the key", Vimil "the lock", and Dom "the hand that turns the key". What she meant with that, remained a mystery as after imparting some knowledge into Dom's mind she ushered us to depart astral plane before we were found by something that was already near.
And thus we left, returning to Brux's waterfalls.
The Twin Rising Stars
After a long while of sailing (maybe a week's worth) we arrived at our destination and disembarked from the spelljammer onto an asteroid that orbited two red glowing gigantic "embers", the Twin Rising Stars, as they were called by the sailors and the golem. A truly ancient looking gith lady followed shortly after us. The spelljammer then left us there and sailed over yonder out of sight.
It was impossible to tell whether the lady was a githyanki or githzerai, or whether she was neither - of which choices I'd bet on the "neither". Peculiar person, but I quite liked her casual and friendly demeanor.
The gith lady had come with us for a purpose, but didn't yet tell what it was - only that we had come to some important crossroad in events to come. The gith lady wanted to know if our minds were able to concentrate on the coming tasks, or something along those lines. Vimil took off an went to examine the "embers" closer, whereas the gith lady motioned me to jump up. Without a second thought I did so, my mind focused on my destination rather than in how I did it - soon soaring fast like an eagle, spiraling - the feeling exhilarating.
Alone in the Dark (for a while)
I flew far and fast, stopping then momentarily to gaze back where I came from, the asteroid now tiny at range. What I saw, however, made my concentration break completely. The two embers were like burning eyes in a demonic face... and they felt like staring straight at me. For how long I stared them back, I don't know, but I had drifted far beyond sight range of the asteroid when I became again conscious of my surroundings, or rather - lack of them.
For a while I was all alone, feeling panic begin to build up - floating on my own in the middle of vast emptiness. But then Vimil arrived and the overbearing feel of loneliness subsided and my usual carefree mentality returned.
There was two now, in middle of nothing. Although I had regained my usual demeanor, Vimil was worried for the worth of both of us - the main question being, "How do we get back from here?" There wasn't any landmark near enough to use as focus for moving, and so we were floating free, slowly gaining more and more distance to our origin.
Vimil tried to frantically search something from his bags and pouches, to create a landmark, until happened to ask if I could summon something big. And as it happened to be, I could, and summoned a greater earth elemental. The elemental's size was considerable enough to help us on move and to get our origin back into focus, and thus getting back there rather quickly.
Back on the Rock & Beyond the Yonder
The gith lady was rather pleased that we arrived back, having passed her little "test". I was more than happy to be back and to feel something solid under my feet again, but Vimil was furious, almost shouting at the lady for tricking me (and therefore him too) into my earlier situation. I forgot their words soon, but it was the general a "what if things hadn't turned out as they did?"-conversation, and therefore irrelevant in my opinion - the past is past, it's pointless to dwell in the "what if"'s of the past. I said something rather simple along the lines of what I was thinking about the pointless debate and it cut Vimil's arguments short.
The next debate was then about what direction to go next, as the golem's instructions had mentioned "north" and "beyond" the Twin Rising Stars. But what way in astral is north? That was a guessing game at best... It could be any direction as far as I was concerned. While having the embers behind me, a gut feeling told me that the correct direction was right behind me. Vimil, however, was adamant in that it was to my right instead. Sighing I yielded to that, knowing though that I was right all along.
We took a heading to Vimil's pointed direction and lift off the asteroid, "flying" through the void. I don't know anyone else noticed, but our supposedly straight flight path wasn't exactly straight - it curved, and eventually aligned with what I had had in mind back on the asteroid.
An Aeon Old Site & My Name
We arrived eventually at an asteroid larger than the average we had seen so far. There was a rather peculiar structure there, a large crane - like that at shipyards - and fortification walls. None of it made any sense in astral, at least not the fortifications - anything could simply go across them.
Dom and Vimil discussed something along lines of magic while the gith lady just gazed somewhere, sinking into her thoughts or memories. I sank into my thoughts too, examining the curious site until the gith lady came to tap my chest and said out loud something that sounded like a name.
- "Murkblood Weaver", the lady said softly smiling, and left me rather puzzled as she didn't provide any better explanation to that.
The lady, as riddly as ever, called me "the key", Vimil "the lock", and Dom "the hand that turns the key". What she meant with that, remained a mystery as after imparting some knowledge into Dom's mind she ushered us to depart astral plane before we were found by something that was already near.
And thus we left, returning to Brux's waterfalls.
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*AniKai
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
To Azzagrat and Back
Wasn't much unusual in the day, at least not until I found Maelfina moping or musing over something at Khaz's bar along Marx. Sounded like she had somewhat a dilemma to solve... But as it goes, I agreeded to help with it before even hearing what it was about. The problem was rather "simple" - there was an Obyrith roaming around and under Sigil, and Maelfina had an idea how to get rid of it, which however required meeting a certain succubus down at Azzagrat in depths of Abyss.
So there, us three met up later with Saiph and proceeded to Minauros to create a gateway to Azzagrat. Before that, however, we decided on a bit of a faux reason for each of us to visit Azzagrat. Marx and Saiph were to be Maelfina's bodyguards, who herself was to be a merchant, and me her pleasure slave; each of us, of course, geared appropriately for our jobs, which in my case involved getting rid of the most I was wearing...
Minauros was a wee bit a mistake though for a rift point, for while Marx was busy in generating the rift, half dozen of greater Cornugons landed and surrounded us. Devils - stubborn and paranoid - there wasn't seemingly a way to coerce them to let us proceed, and against those odds we decided it was healthier to scramble back through the portal to Sigil.
Having learned somewhat a lesson we headed to Abyss next, and as it turned out to be, the inhabitants of Abyss didn't get pissed off with us too much cause of our intraplanar rift. The slaad barkeep at our destination though, some tavern in Azzagrat, wasn't too happy that we popped there through a gate instead of the front door. Was pretty close that I'd ended up as bribe for the barkeep, but then Maelfina produced some amulet that made the slaad about drool in glee upon seeing it. Amulet of Pure Evil (or somesuch) - an irresistible treasure for lower class henchmen in Abyss.
The barkeep went then to fetch Maretta (if that was her name), the succubus we had come to meet. She was rather unusual for a succubus, resembling and acting more like a businesswoman or a clerk.
The meeting itself went rather nicely, I think. I though spent the time by having fun with one of the succubi...
Wasn't much unusual in the day, at least not until I found Maelfina moping or musing over something at Khaz's bar along Marx. Sounded like she had somewhat a dilemma to solve... But as it goes, I agreeded to help with it before even hearing what it was about. The problem was rather "simple" - there was an Obyrith roaming around and under Sigil, and Maelfina had an idea how to get rid of it, which however required meeting a certain succubus down at Azzagrat in depths of Abyss.
So there, us three met up later with Saiph and proceeded to Minauros to create a gateway to Azzagrat. Before that, however, we decided on a bit of a faux reason for each of us to visit Azzagrat. Marx and Saiph were to be Maelfina's bodyguards, who herself was to be a merchant, and me her pleasure slave; each of us, of course, geared appropriately for our jobs, which in my case involved getting rid of the most I was wearing...
Minauros was a wee bit a mistake though for a rift point, for while Marx was busy in generating the rift, half dozen of greater Cornugons landed and surrounded us. Devils - stubborn and paranoid - there wasn't seemingly a way to coerce them to let us proceed, and against those odds we decided it was healthier to scramble back through the portal to Sigil.
Having learned somewhat a lesson we headed to Abyss next, and as it turned out to be, the inhabitants of Abyss didn't get pissed off with us too much cause of our intraplanar rift. The slaad barkeep at our destination though, some tavern in Azzagrat, wasn't too happy that we popped there through a gate instead of the front door. Was pretty close that I'd ended up as bribe for the barkeep, but then Maelfina produced some amulet that made the slaad about drool in glee upon seeing it. Amulet of Pure Evil (or somesuch) - an irresistible treasure for lower class henchmen in Abyss.
The barkeep went then to fetch Maretta (if that was her name), the succubus we had come to meet. She was rather unusual for a succubus, resembling and acting more like a businesswoman or a clerk.
The meeting itself went rather nicely, I think. I though spent the time by having fun with one of the succubi...