Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Apr 19, 2023 12:35:18 GMT -5
The Ash Lands were not an inviting place to Taki, or her companions for that matter. Most had spent their lives in the jungle, though a few had come from other locales. Only Kurobe, whose herd lived in the Deadwood, was at home in this climate. The fluffy, pastel patterned Woolful strode along side the shaman without a care. Shuna rode on Kurobe's back, her tall ears poking up from the deep wool as Yukina soared overhead. Her guardians were close by, incorporeal at the moment.
There was a small town at the base of the mountain, where Taki stopped in for fresh supplies. As she wandered the streets, most people stared at her bright scales, flowery dress, and strange entourage of creatures. She in turn watched and listened to the bustling voices of the market. Most were discussing trades or mundane things, though one merchant was seen getting tossed out of an establishment. Taki approached the man, offering a pair of hands to lift him up.
"Well met, what troubles you traveler?" The curious shaman implored. Pulling himself up with the proffered hands, the man towered over most, his alabaster skin reminding Taki of lavish stones she'd seen in Sol City decorating opulent buildings. A goliath, down from the mountain for trade or travel? She wasn't certain as of yet.
"I bring warning, though no one listens. There was a rumbling in the mountain several days ago, and it has awoken a pack of hungry, flaming hounds. They roam the night, spitting flame and devouring anything or anyone they catch... I fear they'll leave the mountain soon but no one seems to care... Thank you for your help by the way." Replied the man, his voice gravelly and rich.
"You're most welcome. I could oversee this hound problem... my companions and I might be able to drive them away, though it would require enlisting more help..." Taki looked around, hoping to spot other curious adventurers.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on May 1, 2023 19:00:30 GMT -5
The Ashlands were the last place she would find comfort, she would've thought not long ago. But still, the land agreed to her as much as the desert - the heat didn't bother her, and the places warranted her enough of meaningful, strong connections to twist her opinions into positive ones. Not only that was the place Kalaf called home, but also one of her associates. And perhaps it was due time to repay his work in helping protecting and keeping Moonglade a safer place.
It was time to help the Ashlands.
Still, she was not exactly naive to the dangers of the land - most proeminently, its people. Usually she would be a walking target for quick hands aiming for her coin purse, but that's why the Black Quills always accompanied her to such places. As usual, Edgar followed her at a distance, while Allan and Poe remained invisible, somewhere among the people. Her quality clothes usualy drew enough attention to her, even more with her signature, feathery cloak, that was starting to get easily recognizable in a few places.
The Witch of Moonglade, of course.
But not this one, aparently. She couldn't blame him, though, so busy as he was, ordering his employes around his shop, one of the fancy ones in the small town. He was the blacksmith, a very no-bs, matter-of-factly man. He looked down on her, an impatient twist of the lips, as he crossed two massive, hairy arms in front of his muscled chest. The heat of the place didn't seem to even make the woman break a sweat. Uncharacteristically, her long, black locks were contained in a single, long braid. She was easy on his eyes, but he didn't like how she looked like she knew one's secret or thought. Maybe she did, after all, she was a mage.
"And what? What makes you think I need your help?"
He almost hissed at her, suspecting of her looks, of her clothes, of her foreign appearance and demeanor. Kamille curiously inspected a piece of helmet on one of the counters.
"Not mine, no. Remarnd's."
As she took off her eyes from the helmet, she glanced over to the man, the deep frown already a shade lighter, blood already fleeing his face. Ah, there it was.
"After all... Mr. Remarnd is always ready to help. In spite of everything..."
The conversation didn't last much longer. The blacksmith understood the message, and gave her a nod to indicate such. As she headed out, he noticed the ribbon that locked her braid in place was bright red.
Just as she headed out the blacksmith, she heard the neighboring establishment tossing out another person, and stood there to watch as someone offered him help. The Witch couldn't help but watch, tilting her head like the curious raven propped up on her shoulder.
A pack of flaming hounds getting out of the mountain? If that story was real...
"....oh...... Oh! I'm sorry for prying, but I couldn't help but listen in....... Perhaps I can be of assistance?"
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on May 1, 2023 21:38:19 GMT -5
Taki turned to the sound of the approaching voice, having missed the well dressed woman in her initial scan of the street. The man bowed and took his leave, having delivered the warning to someone who actually had listened. The shaman could tell this woman was well traveled, and successful in her endeavors... though little else aside from her own companions. She sensed there was more to be understood about darkly dressed traveler but figured it would be rude to pry further.
"That is indeed the message he was trying to deliver, hellhounds up the mountain and making their way down causing nuisance. I am Shitakibo, or Taki for those with stiff tongues." The shaman replied, scanning the surrounding street in case this quest didn't interest the lady. Who could blame her? Most adventurers were motivated by coin or treasures, and this probably wouldn't have much of both. Shuna nuzzled Taki's leg, prompting the shaman to scoop up the fuzzy, short haired feline and scratch behind her rounded, fluffy ears. The cat let out a rumbling purr, vibrating Taki's arm and chest as she held and pampered the fuzzy cat.
"Would you care to join me on a trek up the mountains, with potentially painful and fiery circumstance awaiting us when we arrive?" Taki inquired of the woman, who reminded her of someone she had read about in the journals her friend and mentor left behind. A silly but sad smile crept across her face at the thought, which she kept to herself for the moment.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on May 14, 2023 8:25:45 GMT -5
With potentially painful and fiery circumstances? Don’t threaten me with a good time...
Kamille smiled at the woman, easily picking up on her natural affinity to animals as she cuddled a fuzzy cat. The Witch would often be quicker to trust animals than people - animals were honest and direct about their feelings and opinions. She would often have to be roundabout regarding her intentions when around other people, but the beasts unapologetic honesty was one of the things she loved about them.
She raised a hand to shake the Shaman's.
"My name is Kamille, nice to meet you Ms. Shitakibo! If there truly is a pack of hounds getting out of the mountain, it's really concerning for the people on the village... Though a trek up the mountain... Hardly sounds like a good time..."
"CAWWW! Hi! I am Mischief!"
The raven on the woman’s shoulder cawed happily, flapping its wings in antecipation. Kamille chuckled softly.
"Gladly, I may have an alternative that can take us to the mountain in no time. Out of town I have a friend that can help us with that... If you have nothing against it, of course."
Seeing as the shaman seemed to have a good standing with animals, she hoped Taki would be receptive to her... friend. Granted, most people often found Kalaf, her friend, quite imposing and intimidating. After all, not only Kalaf was a black drake from those very Ashlands, covered in horns and spikes - but he was also a larger, older drake. A seasoned sailor of the skies, unapologetically aware of his own power. And yet, a gentle giant at heart, with a spiky exterior.
If Taki agreed to it, Kamille would be quick to introduce them, heading to where she knew Kalaf had stopped for a nap, rolled in the form of a giant boulder, his horned head neatly tucked in between leathery wings.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on May 15, 2023 6:33:32 GMT -5
"A pleasure to meet you both, My companions are Shuna"
"That's me!" exclaimed the jungle cat.
"Yukina, the Owl who will scout for us. My other companions will stay here to make our travel easier. I'm intrigued by this means of travel you have, by all means." She bowed, her way of saying thanks and signaled to Yukina. The group followed Kamille and Mischief, who looked every bit to be their namesake. Taki figured it would calm Shuna's nerves and gear everyone up for a new adventure with treats. She smiled and tossed one to Mischief as well.
"Go on, enjoy. Yukina loves those treats too." Said the shaman, who looked around for this means of travel. She sensed the powerful spirit nearby, but hadn't quite caught on to it's well hidden look. Circling overhead, Yukina was the first of the group to catch on to the drake. She dipped lower and swooped overhead, letting out a soft cry as she passed by the spiky boulder. Against the backdrop of her white feathers, Taki could see the outline of it's scales and marveled at the illusion.
"My goodness, that is a surprise indeed. Will you be okay to carry us?" She knelt beside the dragon and relaxed, fishing out one of the treats she'd kept for her Tidal Serpent. "It might not be your usual, but my good friend loves them when we travel across the seas and up river." Setting the treat down, it had a salty smell that was part grains, part seafood and baked into a flaky crust. They kept well on long journeys when smoked for a day after cooking, giving them a firm crust and a soft filling.
Looking over at Kamille, she smiled and said "I'll gladly share the recipes if you'd like them."
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on May 30, 2023 5:01:58 GMT -5
"Nice to meet you, Shuna! You got quite the entourage with you, Taki. They are all lovely."
It didn't feel like an empty praise, as Kamille was also a huge sucker for the critters, beasts and animals in general.
Kamille had a deep respect for the druids and shamans, and this one didn't look much different from what she was used to. That such a figure would be in the Ashlands was a tad interesting, but surely she would have time to inquiry any further should they stick together.
Upon their approach, the drake seemed to wake up. He was not very happy with it, but truth be told, was actually expecting it. It didn't take a trained eye to quickly learn the most important about Kalaf: he wasn't a young one. Kalaf was an older drake, larger than most, a massive mountain of polished scales that resembled black mirrors, muscles and spikes. His age was evident not only on account of his size, but his gaze was also heavier, deeper, an old soul seeping through hellish, scorching red eyes. He was a terrifying sight for anyone - but Taki, who she hoped to not be so quick on judging him by his appearance, could possibly notice he was in fact a gentle giant.
Kalaf lowered his head to smell on what was being offered, taking a good sniff of it before carefully biting on it. It was clear the drake was being careful about not hurting Taki - as it also became clear he seemed to enjoy the treat, licking his teeth.
"This is Taki, Kalaf. And their companions, Shuna and Yukina. They said there are some hellhounds on Mt. Drakholt that are endangering the villages around. Please be nice, Taki can understand you."
It also became obvious Kamille could understand them [1].
Kalaf huffed, smoke escaping his nostrils.
"When am I ever not nice, little one? Hellhounds are good treats. They already come in smoked on the outside. The Mountain of Fire has been acting up lately, though. You sure you want to go there? I can take you all there, but it is dangerous for the squishy ones like yourself."
[1]Necklace of Animal Speech
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on May 31, 2023 11:03:12 GMT -5
"Greetings to you Kahal, and yes, this is the kind of problem ready made for adventuring. Plus, anything short of severe injuries can be healed up with a bit of magic and a little help from the spirits. Yukina also has our escape covered if push comes to shove, with a bit of wintery bombardment of her own." Taki replied to the drake, walking around to the saddle and loading up with Shuna. The jungle cat tucked herself into Taki's outfit, which shifted to a set of riding leathers with a harness for her familiar.
"All set" Taki said as she finished latching the saddle's harness. She leaned down a bit and ran her hand over the drake's hard, smooth scales. She took a deep breath, relaxing while she flexed her senses and joints. Like a misty, ethereal overlay, the spirit realm overlayed itself with the terrain. While Yukina would be their long range scout, Taki could get hints from the spirits about where they needed to focus their search. She wasn't going to summon her guardians for now, hoping the pair of adventurers would be able to get their bearings and coordinate a plan to handle the hellhounds. Another journey on a flying mount would be a thrill, and this one especially so atop such a majestic mount.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jun 14, 2023 17:22:33 GMT -5
Kamille looked satisfied that Taki was so unfazed by the black drake, even if she seemed to recognize how great of a beast he was. Taki didn't look much different than herself on that regard.
Interesting...
When Taki started to load up, Kalaf promptly knelt down to make it an easier task. It didn't feel like they had a relationship of servitude between them, but they seemed both incredibly respectful of the other. Once again, it was another thing Kamille was so far noticing they might have in common. Curious how fate put in her path people like that...
Once Taki was all settled, Kamille jumped on the drake's back, quickly adjusting to his saddle.
"We're ready, Kalaf."
Once they were all set up, the great drake opened up his wings, and Kamille checked if Taki was properly latched to the several leather handles the saddle hadt. Kalaf was clearly an older drake, and though most of his scales were shinning and lustrous like thoursands of small black mirrors, he had several old scars, his leathery wings tattered in several places, though clearly not enough to hinder his flight abilities.
In a powerful jump forward, the drake took the skies, and Kamille braced herself for the rough take off. Even when she was getting used to it, she knew it better than to not prepare herself for it. The drake's powerful muscles shifted beneath them, propelling them into the air with each beat of his giant wings. The plus one - or two - on his back didn't seem to do much to hold him back, and after a rough rising that seemed to take much more time than it actually did, the drake leveled up. Kamille straightened up, and Taki could hear her voice directly in her mind [1]. To scream over the howling winds sounded pointless.
Kalaf knows this region well. He said he'll take us to the side of the Mt. Drakold he knows to have a lot of caves and smaller tunnels that small creatures like the hounds can use. He's too big to follow with us, but I guess we're good enough following from there. I assume we'll be able to easily follow tracks if there's a big enough pack of them.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 14, 2023 22:42:37 GMT -5
Beneath her, the drake's powerful body flexed and pumped it's wide wings. Taki braced her legs, relaxed her upper body and did her best to sway with the motion. As they shifted direction, heading towards the mountain in question, she heard Kamille's voice in her head.
'Kalaf knows this region well. He said he'll take us to the side of the Mt. Drakold he knows to have a lot of caves and smaller tunnels that small creatures like the hounds can use. He's too big to follow with us, but I guess we're good enough following from there. I assume we'll be able to easily follow tracks if there's a big enough pack of them.'
'My companions and I should be able to pin down a location if Kalaf doesn't mind circling the area for a few minutes to give Yukina time to scout. She can get closer without much risk, and protect herself if needed.' Replied the shaman, who was enjoying soaring through the air on the drake's back. She gave Shuna's head a scratch for a minute, comforting the feline as they sped through the sky. Taki enjoyed the trip as much as possible, getting a lay of the land from far above.
As the group neared the mountain, slowing down to a casual pace, Taki let out a sharp whistle. Yukina split off from the group, her wings tucking close to her body as she banked and descended into the craggy mountain territory to scout for the aggressive hellhounds.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jun 18, 2023 20:12:46 GMT -5
Kamille nodded to Taki's strategy, as it sounded good for the moment. The Witch apparently didn’t need to verbalize anything for the drake, as the connection between them ran deeper than that of mere rider and beast. Kalaf remained on his track, even as Yukina went off to search for the hellhounds.
While Yukina scouted, the drake flew in circles, lazily letting the wind guide him, beating his powerful wings once in a while. The wind swept over their hair, giving them a feeling of beeing weightless. No wonder it didn’t take long for the Witch to get used to flying with the gentle giant.
Yukina wouldn’t have much trouble finding the tracks of the hellhounds, but maybe they would find a bit of difficulty getting to it. It was a small cave to the side of the mountain, with a thin path leading up to it. One step out of the way and they would roll all the way down the mountain, painfully. The entrance of the cave itself was small, and they would likely have to bend over to get in.
Kalaf would then land close to the path that led up to the cave, bending over to help them dismount. The drake wouldn’t be able to follow them up to the cave because of its size, but Kamille patted him gently on the side of the neck.
"Wait for us here, Kalaf. We'll be okay."
With that being said, Kamille waited for Taki to follow along the path with her. While they had to bend to fit through the entrance, it wouldn't take long for the cave to open up and they would get to walk straight.
"....do you have any experience with these sorts of hounds? I don’t think I ever saw any up and close..."
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 19, 2023 4:26:59 GMT -5
As the group landed, she gave Yukina a treat and instructed her to wait with the drake and take care of each other while they were away. Unloading Shuna, the pair made their way up the trail and into the awaiting den of fiery beasts. Taki's steps went silent as she reached out with her senses to get an idea of what was ahead.
"....do you have any experience with these sorts of hounds? I don’t think I ever saw any up and close..."
Taki turned to her companion and almost slapped herself across the snout for not considering that she might not be used to hunting such predators. Without a sound, she shook her head, bringing a finger over the front of her lips in an attempt to have her stay quiet. The cave carried her voice in deeper to the wider chamber her senses told her was within. A rumbling growl replied to the echoes of her voice, making Taki sigh softly.
"So much for stealth... they're some of the biggest dogs you'll ever see, very aggressive and come spewing fire like a pint sized dragon... and now they know we're here." She replied to the question as she took a wide stance with her arms outstretched. While the tunnel leading below would funnel the group somewhat, she intended to give them the best chance at combat possible. Her four hands clasped the air as magic flowed through her body. A pair of spirits manifested within the chamber as she readied herself, bathing the room in a soft, misty glow that invigorated her allies and would sap the strength of her enemies. Looking as if she were gripping a her hands to the sides of a container, the shaman's magic flowed through the earth as she made a pulling motion. A pillar of crystal rose up from the ground to one side of the tunnel, nearly 8' wide, it blocked most of the entrance to the wider chamber. With her battlefield preparations complete, she drew what looked to be heavy guage needles from a pouch. The gleaming spikes tapered at both ends to sharp points and were carved with a small band of magical runes about their center.
"They'll be here momentarily, funneled through the entrance. If you have access to magics of the Sea Domain, they will be exceptionally effective, otherwise, ranged weapons are our safest option. There are about a dozen, with one larger than the others bringing up the rear... the pack leader. If we get overwhelmed, retreat back out the way we came and do not hesitate. Yukina has access to a bit of Ice magic and will cover us at my signal while we get clear and devise a new plan."
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jul 4, 2023 16:04:43 GMT -5
Kamille didn't look particularly worried about being stealthy, but she tried. She wasn't very good at it, though. Her primary thought was actually of luring the hounds out, so they could handle them - and she clearly thought they were plenty capable of handling them on their own.
As Taki made the preparations on the field - a few earth domain spells she gladly recognized - Kamille herself took out two small pieces of chess from her pocket. Whispering into them, she threw them on the ground ahead. Instead of landing as two small chess pieces, however, with a thundering tremor they became two, six foot tall stone gargoyles, identical to one another in both sizes and emotionless expressions.
"Miss Fortune, Sir Prize, position yourselves beside the narrowing of the tunnel. Attack on my mark."
The Witch was happy to notice Taki quickly whipped up a tactic, and she managed to follow through and build up on it - to be fighting a bunch of angry hell hounds with a complete stranger did wield some interesting friendships.
She did step back a few paces as to get more space between them. The group approached, barking and growling in anticipation, and the Witch already started to manipulate the flow of mana. Kamille felt the ground shake beneath their paws [1], and thus wasn't much surprised when they emerged. She had never seen these kinds of hounds, and she was satisfied they lived up to the name: had they not been so aggressive, she would love to take a couple of them home to call Jinx and Hexx.
Maybe another time.
Kamille raised her hands above her head, as the first ones came through the narrowed passageway Taki gave them. From above it started to pour down big rocks on the space between Kamille, Taki and the hounds [2], a known earth domain spell. But instead of rock and fire, it was ice and water that shot down from above [3], making for the small path to the two to become one hell of a ride for the hounds.
[1]Geomagnetic sense [2]Meteor shower [3]Elemental master
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jul 4, 2023 21:41:37 GMT -5
As Kamille began casting her spells, Taki figured it best to call her spirit guardians forward. The pair of ethereal beings coalesced in the chamber, Keta standing beside the pair of mages, and Ryu hovering above her golems as the creatures came barreling in. With a devious grin, Taki hurled her shuriken at any of the hounds that managed to escape Kamille's deluge. Between the shaman, the draining effect of the guardian's aura, and Kamille's spells, they quickly thinned out the beasts' number.
The entry Taki had narrowed suddenly burst forth in a shower of shrapnel and debris, causing the entire chamber to shudder and cracks to start forming along the ceiling above. The leader of the pack strode into the chamber, toppling one of the golems over with the force of it's charge. As it slammed into Ryu's aura, it slowed to a crawl and struggled to make headway through the cascading storm of ice and water. It reared, then dropped it's bulk on the craggy, weather hewn stone with all the force it could muster.
The cracks above deepened, raining dust and small rocks down on the room. Taki understood what it was trying to do, and refused to give it the satisfaction. From the center of the room, she summoned an even more immense pillar than first, the Crystalline Shard plunging into the stone roof and pressing itself into the growing crevasses. She gave the creature an eerie gaze, her fangs bared as she grinned. This seemed to enrage the hound even further, and it struggled desperately to try and launch itself at the shaman. Unfortunately it hadn't had any better options than it's brethren who lay battered on the ground..
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,504 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jul 6, 2023 23:55:47 GMT -5
One of the gargoyles toppled over, Kamille shouted for the other to spring into action. The remaining gargoyle jumped at the leader of the pack, grabbing its hind legs to prevent his advance.
Even though she didn't understand that kind of magic, she realized Taki had put something in place that hindered the giant dog's advances. Not only that, she also was trying to prevent the tunnel from collapsing. Kamille should act quickly.
Once again, the fabric of reality shimmered around her. In both of her palms a small ball of fire started to take shape, but then shifted to water as she weaved the spell. By the pull of the air around her, it looked like a big spell. When she joined her hands in front of her, they mushed together to form a giant ball of ice and water, that promptly shot out towards the giant hell hound [1,2].
While the gargoyle still held it by its hind legs, both of them were flung back into the tunnel by the impact of the spell, ice and water splattering all over the walls on the way. The impact of the giant beasts sent an echoing tremble towards them.
The tunnel seemed about to collapse.
"Taki! Let's get out of here before the tunnel collapses! Sir Prize! Miss Fortune! Out! Everyone!"
The leader of the pack might not be dead yet, but chances were that, if the tunnel indeed fell, it could get stuck under the debri.
[1]Massive fireball [2]Elemental master
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
620 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jul 7, 2023 0:59:04 GMT -5
With a final command to the golems, Taki sealed the lower chambers with their bodies. She and her guardians moved from the chamber and out into the wilds of the mountains. The entrance to the cave let out a great gush of debris and dust, collapsing with a thundrous explosion. As she looked around in the debris field, she spotted Kamille and her companion Gargoyles standing on the other side of the dust and scattered stones. She smiled and walked across the debris field towards them, relaxing her guard as she looked into the tunnel to find it buried.
"Such a foolish creature, to bury itself in a vain effort. I'm glad you're alright and thank you for your help Kamille." She said, her guardians at her side. Yukina soared to her side and almost toppled the shaman over rubbing against her side. Petting the Snowy Owl, she chuckled softly and fed her a treat from her pack.
Walking over to the tunnel's rubble filled entrance, she bowed her head and offered a prayer in Druidic to the spirits of the fallen creatures. She understood the need to keep such creatures away from cities and towns, but they were still living beings. Her companions gathered at her side as this was happening, solemn in the knowledge that there weren't many options when dealing with Hellhounds unless one had access to a powerful mind altering spell or ability of some kind. Once done, she returned to Kamille with her companions, ready to depart for the city and home afterwards.
|
|