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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Dec 7, 2022 19:58:55 GMT -5
Quest Ash Lands Lore
It was no secret Cirice liked mountains, especially since they aren't very common on the Crescent Isle she calls home. So when her travels brought her through the Dragon's Spine mountains and she heard of a mountain that spits fire she had to see it for herself. What an incredible wonder it must be! A volcano! She thought to herself as she made her way blindly into the Ash Lands and into Darkveil City. The people of the city seemed pretty nice and welcoming, jovial and fun. Upon first getting there she'd met some locals and ended up in a drunken stupor dancing around all afternoon. They'd tried to pick her pockets and found them woefully and chronically empty of solars as she had just spent most of her money on a little hammer that made her giggle and reminded her of Astrid. When they'd tried to take her things they'd found themselves dazed and confused and without any memory of her at all, short a few solars themselves but oddly okay with it. She'd been wandering around the city for a few days now, trying to find a guide or maybe a friend to go with her to see the volcano up close. Cyran had chided her for trying to get into trouble on her own and going to see a place full of fire probably was dangerous, good to have another person on hand. Sitting in the small tavern alone enjoying some cider she overhears people talking about some rumors that people had gone missing on the volcano. Perfect, she thinks to herself, maybe I can get to see the mountain AND help people! She happily searches around for anyone else who seems interested in seeking out these lost people.
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Post by Celeste on Dec 9, 2022 15:47:31 GMT -5
She’s been doing a lot of traveling lately. She’s been kind of a nomad for a while here now, going from place to place. First it was the Zeivan desert, now here. She had heard rumors about this place. WHen she got here, she was not disappointed in the festivities. Everyone here was much kinder than any other place she’s been, and so she’s been taking part in social activities for once! Celeste spent a lot of the night dancing, and trying to figure out where she’s going next.
She couldn’t help but think of all the people she’s met on the way here. The first person, the adventurer, ‘problem solver’, Vikram. Flynn, who will always hold a special place in her heart. Janus, whom she hopes to come across again. So while she entered the old tavern, she looked around, looking for at least a somewhat comfortable spot for herself. She sat maybe a couple of tables away from Cirice, though she didn’t pay much attention to her. Celeste has been learning from her surroundings, and whilst she was on the Lunarbell, the pirates had taught her some tricks. Once she was at the table, she dropped a couple of coins from her palm, counting them out and sighing. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t that good at it. But she was still learning.
Maybe there was another way to earn some cash. She had been hearing about this adventure. The researchers stuck, or lost, or even dead on the mouth of a volcano. That sounded… easy enough to her. So, she spoke up. “Those researchers… How much would someone pay for someone to find them?”
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Dec 10, 2022 2:20:35 GMT -5
“Those researchers… How much would someone pay for someone to find them?”
Cirice's ears perk up as another person in the tavern speaks up about the same topic she was eagerly listening in on.
"For the researcher? I've heard that they'll pay fifty if you bring back the body and a hundred if you bring them back alive. They say he disappeared somewhere near the top of the volcano. Not sure what happened but its dangerous up there. Whole damn mountain's supposed to blow if you listen to the science folk." The patron rolls his eyes and throws back his beer with a loud burp. "Only a fool would go up there, its dangerous as hell."
"Not a fool, just someone who wants to help!" She speaks up herself, jovial and jolly and comes over to look at Celeste, her smile warm. "Hi! I'm Cirice! If you're interested in that job, how about we work together? I'm a pretty good adventurer." She looks at the sitting elven woman with interest, taking in her strangely pallid appearance. "I like your hair by the way, its really nice and two-toned. That's so cute! Do you dye it or is that all natural?" She plops down at Celeste's table and makes herself at home like they've been best friends forever.
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Post by Celeste on Dec 10, 2022 15:04:34 GMT -5
Celeste glares at the man, and is about to chime in about how he just might be a coward when a young woman had involved herself in the conversation. Celeste was…Caught off guard to say the least. She stared at the woman for a second, as she attempted to articulate a response. “H-hi. I’m Celeste.” She answers, blinking herself back into reality. “Um. ‘Natural’.” Celeste laughs a little. “You could say that, I guess. I don’t dye it at all.” Her hand reached up to her hair, pushing it back to sort of hide it in her hood again.
“If these fools aren’t going to take the opportunity to do this, I suppose we might as well, right?” She takes a moment to glare at the men for a second before looking back at the woman. “I should warn you I’ve never been on a ‘quest’ before. This is all really new to me. I get it might be dangerous but… I’m running a bit low on coins, so… Why not, I guess?”
“What do you know about the situation?” She asks. “Like.. The researchers and all that.. Or the area, for that matter? I don’t want to overthink this, but… I don’t wanna d–” She paused. Technically she’s already dead. “I don’t want to get hurt.”
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Dec 10, 2022 15:52:01 GMT -5
"Practically nothing!" Cirice responds with a chipper giggle to Celeste's question about what she knows. Theres no point lying about her knowledge or skills with someone she's hoping to work with. "I've never even been to this region before! But I promise you'll be just fine with me. I can heal so even if you do get hurt I'll patch you up no problem! I'm also pretty short on solars, so this works out very nicely. But I don't think they're fools for realizing they can't handle something. Knowing your limits is an important part of being human, isn't it. Lucky for us we're elves." She jokes with a wink.
"I've been wanting to see the volcano up close anyway. Perhaps you can tell me more about you while we travel?" She looks at Celeste with excitement. "People you meet while traveling and adventuring are the most interesting. I want to hear all your stories! I'll tell you mine if you're interested. I've met some truly wonderful people this way. You never know who knows who either, some friends lead to even more friends!"
"If you're done eating lets go ahead and head out!" She finishes her cider and bounces to her feet, raring to go.
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Post by Celeste on Dec 13, 2022 21:58:07 GMT -5
This woman somewhat concerned Celeste. She didn’t know if it was her chipperness, which she was fine with in Jester, or just… Well, this woman was sort of naive, wasn’t she? Celeste wasn’t even sure if healing worked on her. ”Uh…” Celeste cleared her throat. Well, it’s not like she was going to get a better partner for this. “To hell with it, why not. I’m already partially dead…” She said under her breath, scoffing a little.
“I’m almost certain your travelling stories are far more interesting than mine.” Celeste answers, standing up and dusting herself off as she replied. “But, nonetheless, if you’re that interested, I might.” Cirice’s… Energy…. Vibe? It scared the ghost a bit. Ironic, isn’t it? But if it helps her finish her goal… Well it’s not like she’ll ever have to speak to her again.
Celeste held her hand out for Cirice, and she looked over at the men. “Hey! Tell us more. Like… Directions, I suppose, would be nice.”
The men scoffed. “Alright little girls. It’s your funeral.” The men gave them directions, and as Celeste and Cirice walked out of the tavern, Celeste sighs. “Er.. I suppose we should try to… Get supplies?” SHe looked at the other girl, clearly unsure of their next move.
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Dec 26, 2022 3:07:25 GMT -5
Supplies, yes of course they’ll need some supplies. But what does one take to a volcano? “Hmm yeah definitely some food and stuff… Maybe like some water to take with us in case of.. Fire?” She really had no ideas, if things were bad she’d just trust that she had the magic to deal with it and Mother Moon would provide for them. So long as they didn’t find any monsters up there they should be alright, right?
They go and grab food, lots of water and other supplies to make sure they can make it all the way up the mountain and back. A shopkeeper also convinces them to get something to cover their face and some cute hats to protect their hair from falling ash. Cirice gets them hats that match, paying for everything and even getting a couple ash roses to tuck into the bands of the hats to make them extra cute. Its the little things in life after all.
“They said the researcher was on the north side of the mountain somewhere, right? Well I can make us a way to make sure we’re going north.” She lifts her hands in a praying motion, fingers steepled in front of her face. Violet light collects in the runes on her arms, traveling slowly up her ands until she opens her palms slowly, a small lavender moon forming out of the light and shooting up into the sky1. They’re bathed in the light from the little moon above them. “There we go! A compass and a light!”
1 North Star
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Post by Celeste on Dec 29, 2022 15:06:00 GMT -5
The shopping spree was… interesting. Honestly, Celeste was just going with it. Neither of them seemed to know what they were doing, and she figured if it got too dangerous, they could just go back. Right? Celeste was pretty nervous, but she couldn’t back out now.
It’s not like Celeste hadn't seen magic before- Frankly, it was quite normal on the Isles, so her casting the spell did not pause Celeste at all, though it was a nice spell. Celeste couldn’t help but smile at the prospect of an adventure - like a true, quest-like adventure. Did Cirice scare her a little? Sure, but what was a little adventure without some fear?
They began walking towards Mt Drakolt. It was a pretty good walk to the base of the mountain, and along the way, Celeste figured she would familiarize herself with the area - Thanks to a book she had gotten while supply-shopping. “They really weren’t kidding about this being an active volcano. What do you think happened to the researcher?” She asked Cirice. “Think he just found something worth sticking around for? Or do you think he’s in actual trouble?” Celeste did hope for the former. She was not much of a fighter, after all. “What do you think has everyone so scared? Ooh! Maybe we’ll see a dragon.”
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Jan 2, 2023 1:16:22 GMT -5
“A dragon?? Maybe! I don’t know! That would be pretty cool! Oh I bet Iryla would think that I was super cool if we fought a dragon!” Not that she’s much of a fighter either, if they fought a dragon they’d probably not survive in all honesty, but she’s excited nonetheless. “If there’s trouble we’ll just do our best to get him out of it. I really hope he’s alive and okay. I wonder what he was researching. Its really dangerous up here.”
She peeks over Celeste’s shoulder, reading some of the book along with her. She isn’t really concerned with Celeste’s personal space, their faces rather close together. “Oh look at that! There are a few native monsters up there… Elementals, salamanders, something called a fire beetle, OH and a phoenix??? Wow there are so many things around here… Fascinating!”
She leans back, lost in thought about what kids of creatures they might find up on the mountain. “It could be really bad if we encounter some of that stuff. I’m more suited to healing people and helping them than fighting monsters. If we get into real trouble will you be able to fight?” She looks Celeste up and down thoughtfully, realizing they haven’t really told much about themselves to each other. If a fight broke out they'd need some idea of how to work together ahead of time. "Like I said I can heal and if its in my face I can do a little damage."
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Post by Celeste on Feb 2, 2023 16:14:10 GMT -5
She had to admit, the girl was very in her personal space, to the point where Celeste would occasionally - and gently - shoulder her away so she could turn a page, or something or other. “I’m gonna be really honest, I’m sort of hoping we don’t run into anything.” She giggles. “I CAN fight, I just do not like to. I’m not a huge fan of blood.” Celeste looks over her shoulder to the girl. “But I am fairly sure we’ll be fine! I can fight, and if it gets too bad we can just run. Right?” She looks up at the mountain again. Oh Gods, what did she get herself into?
Celeste looks back down at the book, and points to something. “At least we’ll see some pretty things on the way there, right? It says here the view up there is to die for.”
The two talked a bit more about the mountain and what they would see up there, or come across, and eventually they started up the mountain. “We’re halfway there,” Celeste notes. “I don’t see anything out of the ordinary, do you?” Celeste looks around. There were no creatures around, it actually seemed weird. They saw a few things on the way up here, but… “This seems too quiet.”
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Feb 18, 2023 1:14:41 GMT -5
“Of course, we can always run! I’m not a huge fan of blood either but you get sort of used to it when you adventure. Never fully used to it, just desensitized I guess? Being a healer especially you can’t let it bother you.” Cirice shrugs. “I don’t really like that phrasing. Nothing is ‘to die for’ hopefully.” She chuckles.
It was a bit quiet on their trek up, oddly so. No bugs or pheonixes or… Right as she was thinking that she hears a sound like hooves? The girls turn to see a raging stampede of woolful running directly towards them!
These soft, adorable creatures are usually quite docile, something must have spooked them. But before they can see what might have stirred up the woolful Cirice throws up a wall of light between the herd and themselves1. “Ack what??? Do you see anything? These guys are supposed to be harmless!”
Red and black fuzzy woolfull stream past them on either side of the wall, bleating in fear as they toss their horned heads and rumble down the volcano. As the creatures pass they can finally see what has riled them up as a pack of hellhounds are right on their tails.
1 Wall of Light
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Post by Celeste on Mar 2, 2023 19:08:02 GMT -5
“Eep!” Celeste was definitely thankful for the wall that Cirice provided, though her instinct was to jump, air forming around her feet as she seemed to stand on nothing. She watched as the floofy creatures scrambled, and she would yelp as she saw the hellhounds. “Figured it out!” She yelled at Cirice. It was all chaos for a moment. The Woolful’s stampede seemed to last quite long. Celeste figured it was just a big herd. The hellhounds barked and yelped along after them. Though they were acting… unusual. Celeste watched as the hellhounds - who clearly saw the two girls - would continue running off the herd, just not in the direction that made sense.
“They’re… directing the herd!” She yelled to Cirice. “Away from the volcano?” Celeste sounded so confused - Which, to be fair, it was confusing. Hellhounds were typically not the type to just herd a prey species… away from their hunting area. “Cirice this is weird…” Celeste slowly climbed down, moving to Cirice as everything died down. “You noticed that, right? They definitely saw us! Do you think they’re tamed?”
There was no way, right? Celeste shook her head. “Something weird is going on, but… We should keep going, right?” Celeste definitely wasn't losing her nerve or anything...
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Mar 3, 2023 18:38:17 GMT -5
“Wha-?” Cirice exclaimed as Celeste leaps into the air. She wasn’t expecting that from her new friend but the vantage point seems to have aided her. Holding the creatures back with the wall was tough, but if theres something more going on they needed to get to the bottom of it. The herd and their hellhound herders rumble past in a thunder of hooves and snarls. As Celeste comes down she drops the wall and grabs her hand. “They absolutely look tamed! It’s super weird! And you’re right they saw us, let’s hurry while they’re occupied with the woolful before they turn around!”
She starts running the way the hellhounds came, pulling her friend with her as fast as possible. They reach a ledge near the top of the volcano with a cave in the side and she directs them towards it.
“In there! We can hide if we need to before they come back!”
The girls run inside and stop, breathing heavily as they try to catch their breath.
“We- *huff* should be safe here I think…” Cirice starts before she notices sounds coming from deeper in the cave. Voices… Perhaps the missing professor? No there are more then just one voice, and only one person went missing… Something weird really is happening here.
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Post by Celeste on Mar 8, 2023 19:28:19 GMT -5
Apparently, Cirice was also losing her nerve a little, Celeste guessed as she was pulled roughly by her hand towards the cave. Celeste follows diligently, fully agreeing with the decision. The two scurried along until they found a cave alongside the mountain top. Celeste nods as Cirice points it out, and pulls her along.
We should be safe here. Celeste nods earnestly, catching her breath as well. “What the -” Heavy breathing “- Hell is going on…” she stops, her breath catching again as she quietly puts a hand over Cirice’s mouth. “Do you hear that…?” She whispers to the other girl, pulling her down into a sort of crouch as she gets closer to the wall.
The sounds themself sound almost harmonic, as if it were a chorus of some sort. It would be sort of calming if it wasn’t so actively creepy. It also sounds as if it is right around the corner. As quietly as she can, Celeste tries to peek out a little, trying to see what exactly is going on.
She sees a bunch of people - Easily about a dozen, maybe more. All in black and dark red robes, circling around a small piece of still hot lava. Celeste’s face shows concern as she looks over at Cirice.
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Post by Lady Cirice Lunestre on Mar 8, 2023 19:54:13 GMT -5
Cirice’s eyes widen as the mass of chanting people comes into view. She shares a look of horror with Celeste before the chorus reaches its crescendo and from the bubbling lake of lava encircled by the robed cultists a bubble forms, growing larger and larger until it bursts, revealing a monstrosity within. Some eldritch nightmare, a mix between various creatures that should not be possible, floats majestically in the pool. A seahorse’s body adorned with spikes, with the legs of a crab and the tentacles of an octopus or squid and eyes full of malice glares down at the collected be-robed individuals.
As the girls watch in horror the cultists turn towards another figure bound in ropes and struggling in fear. The missing researcher, caught up in his findings, is dragged forward and presented to the creature. Long tendrils coil around his form as he screams muffled wails against the gag in his mouth. Into the lava he’s pulled, struggling against the monstrous appendages to no avail. The smell of burning flesh fills the cave as he touches the lava and is cooked alive.
As its meal cooks the creature’s crab legs poke and prod at the body, turning it this way and that. The chanting builds once more, as the creature takes a bite.
Cirice looks to Celeste and whispers, “They’re feeding that thing… We have to stop them, get out of here. What if… they were its food?”
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