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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jun 7, 2023 19:49:49 GMT -5
Being a proper noble lady whose name is more widely recognized across Dragon’s Cradle, it isn’t uncommon for Astrid to be requested to take care of something within her home region. Usually, she accomplishes this with Blue Raspberry, locally known as Lord Geoffrey Wolfe. Right now, Blue isn’t around for this adventure, so Astrid sent a message out to Zarius to see if he would be interested, and instead, she quickly received word back from Del rather unexpectedly. The girl takes this somewhat at face value. After all, Del is an “associate” of Cyran, and Cyran worked in the Rookery before it was totally destroyed by the earthquake. In all honesty, Astrid doesn’t mind Del’s company. The two of them are going to kick some monster butt together! Or at least they will when they find it. Right now, they’re in the western mountains of Dragon’s Cradle, the ones that form the border with Frost Gale, in a small village that isn’t unfamiliar to Astrid. Only a couple of months ago, Astrid and Blue helped some farmers in this village. Seeing it now though is heartbreaking. The fields have been turned up and ravaged. Homes and storage buildings are in shambles. Something massive tore through this area, and from the general report she has, many locals are missing. The situation is nothing short of a tragedy, and even though Astrid braced herself for it on the way, it still hurts to see a place they worked so hard to breathe life into be ripped to shreds like this. Still, they asked for her specifically, so taking a deep breath, Astrid looks up at Del. “Seems like we’ve got our work cut out fer us. Let’s go find the mayor or… whoever’s standin’ in fer him if he–” She stops herself and shakes the melancholy from her shoulders as Shaa’s words play back in her mind. There’s work to do.
Quest Details Quest Name: Uh Ur Participants: Two or more Location: Anywhere Post Requirements: 8 post per person, 250 words per post Reward: +1 Mystical Archive Ticket, +1 Ur-Beast's Breath Description: A rare, almost never seen Ur beast has been spotted running lose across the region. These are mythical beings said to be born from the gods, and normally sit dormant in their lairs. However with the recent influx in magical energy and the change in Charon's flow, these creatures have been disturbed and are now acting out. They are causing all kinds of troubles for locals and must be dealt with. The problem, they are extremely dangerous and put up one hell of a fight. If this beast is not handled, it could cause the death of countless lives. Special Requirements: At least one member of the group (PC only, no NPC's) must be knocked unconscious during this fight.) creature details Ur-Beast Everywhere but Capitol Landing and Luna Sea Power Level | Alignment | High-Extreme | Varies |
Description | Ur-Beasts (otherwise called Divine Beasts) are massive, celestial creatures that challenge the supremacy of civilization. These lordly animals are paragons of their kind, and are believed to be the spawn of Ginma. They have the intellect of humans, and have been gifted with divine speech, understood by all with whom they speak. More impressive is the sheer magical power they wield: the land and animals are at their command. Mortals should respect their domains, not only because they may represent Ginma's will, but because those who earn an Ur-Beast's ire may be turned into beasts themselves...
No two Ur-Beasts are alike, but all of them are unique specimens of their species. Some may have strangely colored fur or features that are unusual for their kind, such as clawed hooves. Most have a primal, wild look to them, while others look regal and glorious. They all, however, have glowing eyes, magical markings, and a prodigious size for creatures among their species.
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Abilities
| Crafting Material | - Large to Massive Size - Terrain Mastery - Spellcaster (Earth Domain / Cold) - Magic Resistance - Divine Speech - Command Beasts - Polymorph Foe - Inflict Werebeast Curse - Special Movement (varies) - Special Defenses (varies) - Special Attacks (varies)
| - Ur-Beast's Breath |
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jun 12, 2023 0:27:47 GMT -5
Hearing from Astrid after the past couple of months, especially after the upheval of Darkveil and the rebuilding that was being undertaken, was a breath of fresh air. Of course, it had come through the grape-vine, by way of Zarius to Cyran and eventually to her ears, but it was nonetheless good to hear from the young dwarven girl. Plus, she had planned to be in the area, making a delivery to Sky Peak Village. Once that had been taken care of, Astrid was at the top of her priority list while in Darkveil.
There had been much in the way of news regarding her accomplishments as well from the last time they had met; Astrid Stormstone was now a Lady, capital L, a respected and titled noble. An achievement for anyone, no less someone so young and vibrant. It was a delight to get to catch up with her.
So much so that Del could have forgotten why they were here in the first place. Could have. Would not, but could have. Del was not one to be caught so easily off guard, and more to the point, the wake of destruction before them was... daunting, to say the least. It was no secret that Del had a knack for preparedness, but total and widespread destruction seemed to be a little more than what she was used to. She was not as accustomed to what one marked as society here, but the village itself seemed removed from what little she did know. A relatively insular community, by all judgments. This would not be easy.
Turning to speak to Astrid, Del offers the young woman a quiet, reassuring smile. The young woman had cut herself off midsentence, but Del does not have much trouble filling in the rest of the words. If they still had a mayor. If he was alive. "I think that's a great idea. It would help to get a good direction on where the creature went so we can track it down. Are you alright?" she inquires, haed tilting slightly. She had caught the little note of heaviness-- a troubling feature, especially in a young voice like hers.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jun 12, 2023 18:08:51 GMT -5
While they got here as quickly as they could, the attack on this village seems to have had great impact. Farming operations sit unfinished. Livestock wanders fields in smaller numbers than Astrid remembers. Fewer plumes of smoke escape fewer chimneys. As they walk across the field and approach the village, they find a group of villagers trying to move debris from a home out of the road. The house looks like something smashed right through it. Whatever creature tore through the town had to be the same size as a house to do that kind of damage.
Approaching the group, Astrid’s clanking footsteps catch their attention, and when people turn their heads to look and see who it is, many frown at her. At the center of them is someone Astrid recognizes – the mayor’s son, Jessie. A lithe young adult man who couldn’t wrestle a pig if he wanted to, the farmer looks exhausted, and suddenly, he looks angry.
“‘Bout time ya showed up,” he says, tempering his emotions in some capacity. “What took ya so long?”
“We came fast as we could,” Astrid explains, taken aback by his anger. They’re here to help, why is he so mad? Well, they’ve been in a bad way for a few days, so he’s probably just exhausted. “Um, is yer da around?”
“No, he aint,” Jessie seethes. Oh, that can’t be good.
Astrid takes a bit of a breath. “Well, this is Miss Del, an’ we’re here ta help,” she says, steeling herself. “Don’t ya worry. I know it looks real bad, but we’ll go find the monster that did alla this, an’ we’ll look fer everyone who’s missin’!” The girl does her best to stay optimistic.
“Yeah, you better,” one of the other villagers says rudely. “This is yer fault, ya know.”
“Wait, what?” Astrid can’t help blurting it. She’s taken aback by the accusation. “What do ya mean?? I ain’t been here fer a while.” Looking around, it seems like a lot of people are giving her angry looks, but she has no idea why. What did she do to cause this?
“Tell her, Jessie,” the villager says. It’s followed by a chorus of others loudly agreeing. “That beast came rippin’ through here shoutin’ yer namesake and tearin’ up the place.”
“I got it, Hank,” Jessie says with a sigh, hands on his hips tiredly. His head hangs low for a long minute before he looks at Astrid and Del and motions for them to follow him. Astrid glances past Jessie as he walks away then at the crowd full of cold stares, hesitating slightly before looking to Del and following Jessie to a quieter area. This doesn’t make sense to her. She’s rarely fought a beast that could talk. There’s no way that dragon she fought months ago came back, but… maybe its kin did…?
Some small anxiety wells up in Astrid and manifests in her fidgeting with the straps and metal of her gauntlets. “Um, what happened here, Mister Jessie? Why’d ya ask fer me if yer all… if yer all angry with me over somethin’? I promise, I’ll fix it. I’ll do me best ta fix it.”
It takes a long moment for Jessie to speak up. He looks exhausted, almost too exhausted to be angry. For a twenty-something year old, he could look forty in the right light. Finally, he looks between Del and Astrid. “Some big deer beast came down from the mountain,” he explains. “Some folks heard of ‘em before. Emissaries of Ginma or somethin’ of the like, so we thought it was a good sign. Maybe it was here ta bless our crops or somethin’.” Jessie’s head starts shaking in defeat.
“But it weren’t here fer that. When it got closer, we saw it looked like… like a zombie or somethin’. Real big. Real badly decayed. Glowin’ eyes and antlers. Didn’t look like it was supposed ta be alive, but it were. Pops tried offerin’ it some food an’ water, some tributes of the like, hopin’ it’d get better, but when it got closer to the village, it just suddenly got angry. Started tossin’ its head and a buncha magic came burstin’ out from it. Kept shoutin’ ‘Stormstone! I smell Stormstone!’”
Jessie falls quiet again for a long minute, taking a deep breath. “I dunno why it was shoutin’ yer name, but all its magic and all the chaos, we’re missin’ a lotta people. We can’t find nary a trace of ‘em. My pops is missin’, an’ he ain’t the only one. Lotta people are scared an’ angry. We can’t run a town like this. We can’t live like this. You gotta do somethin, miss. Please.”
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jun 17, 2023 18:22:30 GMT -5
The answer to her question was given in the form of the angry people that looked their way on the approach.
The place was in a terrible state, of course, and Del could empathize with the tension and the worry bleeding over into fear and lashing out at the people around them. "Here to help." Del echoed.
Suddenly, though, the crowd seems to turn. This young Jesse person approaches, seething with barely restrained anger. As the villagers shout vitriol toward Astrid, angry and sneering, Del looks briefly taken aback before she scowls and takes one purposeful step forward, in front of Astrid. The young smith hardly needed protecting, but she was still a child, and if these grown adults meant to get in the face of a child to answer for the disaster that happened to their community, first they would need to go through Del. That a creature was shouting Astrid's namesake was... concerning, though. It did not concern Del for her own safety, but rather Astrid's. What could that possibly mean?
Her protective glower lingers on the crowd before she follows Jesse and Astrid away from what was left of the town square, putting one steadying hand on the younger girl's shoulder, jaw set. Now this was more than a problem for the town. This was a problem for someone she cared for.
Jesse's elaboration clears things up a little, though it adds even more questions. Questions none of them could possibly answer, except perhaps Astrid herself.
And so, the quetion was answered; Astrid was not alright.
Whatever this meant, whatever this creature was here for and why it was shouting the name 'Stormstone', Del could not begin to hazard a guess. The hand on Astrid's shoulder squeezes slightly, reassuring, before she looks back to Jesse, her gaze steely. "We will take care of this." She says evenly, speaking with a quiet confidence. "My mentor was a devotee of Ginma. He once told me of Ur-Beasts, which were said to be creatures of Ginma. So, if this is an Ur-Beast... the description otherwise doesn't fit, they're supposed to be divine creatures." She lets the sentence hang there. One that was rotting, decaying, fetid, was wrong somehow. An abberation that was caused by some outside source.
And it was, somehow, tied to Astrid.
"Regardless, we will find this creature, and we will come back to repair the town. I am a carpenter and smith by trade, and you know Astrid as a smith, yes?" She looks between them, and then back at Astrid. Her hand remains steady on Astrid's shoulder, looking to her. This had to be so heavy for the girl... and all she wanted to do was fix it. Her heart went out to her. "Does this coincide well with your thoughts, Lady Astrid?"
Adding the title was purposeful. Jesse seemed relatively amenable, but the others in the village did not. Perhaps the reminder that Astrid was a noble would temper the outward pouring of their anger somewhat. If it didn't, Del was not above decking a few villagers who tried to get up in Astrid's face, but there were more important things to work on at the moment.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jun 22, 2023 19:55:59 GMT -5
As Jessie explains the strange situation, Astrid’s brow furrows more and more. It really was shouting her name. It smelled her? Is that because she and Blue spent time in this village before? She can’t recall disturbing any graves at all. In fact, she and Blue helped till the land and gather crops. Why would some decaying beast of Ginma be after her?
Del’s hand on her shoulder brings some comfort and some confidence. That’s right, they’ll solve this together. “Aye,” she says quietly. “I built ‘em a whole farmin’ machine that the mules could pull. We’ll get the beast, then I’ll make sure this place gets rebuilt nice an’ proper.” Her eyes trail over through the fields and sees the broken pieces of the wooden till cart. "Guess it was wrecked too..."
Looking between Del and Astrid, Jessie’s face looks as aged as it is exhausted despite his youth. There’s hurt behind the anger in his eyes, the only way that he and the others know how to react to what’s going on. “What the heck would a divine beast want with us? Want with ya?? Why’d it attack us??” he asks, desperation clawing in his voice. “What’d we do ta deserve this?”
“I…I dunno,” Astrid admits, looking down. “I dunno what’s goin’ on. I never ever heard of these beasts before, an’ I ain’t ever seen one either…”
“Well it came burstin’ in from the west side with a buncha critters. Ran through everythin’ and tore out northeast of here,” Jessie says, motioning with his hand through the path of destruction. “We didn’t see no one leavin’ with it, figured we got some folks stuck in the rubble and others ran off to the woods. Hunters can’t find no shoe prints or nothin’ though. Just a buncha animal tracks.”
Astrid furrows her brow. “But they're not in the village?”
“Not that we can find yet, and it’s been days.”
The half-dwarf takes a steely breath. “Alright, we’ll figure it out. Promise.”
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jun 24, 2023 20:08:24 GMT -5
Del gives Astrid a solemn nod, lips pressing together in a thin line. "We can fix that, too."
The more Jessie describes it, the more it sounds like an Ur-Beast, but it makes no sense. There's a wrongness, fundamentally, from the stories she had heard. They were not to be trifled with, of course, but they were far from murderous, rampaging creatures, at least based on what she had heard from her mentor. Either she didn't have all the facts, or the creature itself was... twisted.
When Jessie asks the questions of Astrid, unanswerable questions that Del knows are just his way of trying to make sense of all that his happened, justify it somehow, she feels a pang of empathy. She understood all together too well the impact of things such as this, the sudden and the irrational that took away parts of your world. Glancing to Astrid, she also knew how it felt to be identified as the cause. It was what had moved her from place to place until very recently. That was no life she wanted for Astrid. Still, she understood Jessie, the townfolk. But there was no good answer.
"Sometimes,--" Del starts to say quietly to the young man, before pausing, apologetically. It was not what anyone wanted to hear, it was insufficient, but it was the truth. She sighs. "Sometimes there isn't a reason. Sometimes things are just... senseless. Sometimes things happen to us, to our people, our families, that they did not deserve. This could have happened anywhere." --anywhere that Astrid has been, Del does not add-- "But it didn't. It happened to you and your neighbours. For that, I am sorry. I know that isn't much comfort, and I am sorry for that, too. We will take care of this, find your missing people and stop this from happening again."
She pauses there. There were no platitudes, no words of comfort she could offer that would make this okay, save for their promise to see it through. Whatever they could do to find out why this happened and prevent any future incursions by this decaying creature, after all... it would not erase what had already happened. It could not bring back what was already lost.
As they turn from the Jessie to leave him to the village and the people that were left, Del takes a brief glance over her shoulder to what they were leaving behind. Understandable the reactions of the villagers may be, but in her experience, that sort of mentality was one step away from becoming a mob.
She could only hope that they could find a resolution for this problem that wouldn't make a pariah of Astrid. Or worse.
It doesn't take long to pick up the trail. The path of destruction the creature had left was a wide swath, wanton and chaotic. Moreso, the issue at hand was locating where specifically the thing was headed through the tall juts of rock that made up the mountains here, and what trees covered them.
"I'm worried," Del admits quietly once they are far enough away from the village that she is sure they aren't being followed. Confident as she was that they could resolve the situation, Del would not sugarcoat anything for Astrid. She deserved better than that. "This creature could be anywhere. We don't know why it's seeking you out. If it is what I think it is," gods, she hoped she was wrong, "then this will be a very difficult to battle, and I don't know if reasoning with it is possible. We have no choice but to stop it, but I am... She pauses, shifting her gaze to Astrid. "I do not want for you to be hurt by this creature anymore than you already have been." Her eyes flick back over her shoulder, in the direction of the village. "I have seen first hand how strong you are, but this feels like a trap, one that just used your village as bait. I think we need to try and get the drop on this thing as best as we can. You know this area far better than I do; what are your thoughts?"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jun 27, 2023 17:18:00 GMT -5
In a lot of instances, Astrid doesn’t quite have the answer, and in those instances, things feel like they’re going to work out. She’s always confident that they can make them work out one way or another, but being in a village full of farmers she once helped who now treat her with scorn? Well, that’s a different kind of hurt. It isn’t that she blames them, necessarily. They’ve been hurt, caught unawares, and frightened by whatever beast tore through looking for her, but it still takes her back to those days on the streets of Sky Peak Village where even her friendliest smiles were met only with disdain.
It sucks, honestly. She only hopes she can uphold the promise that she and Del made.
The trek along the trail of destruction is a quiet one, and Astrid can’t help but notice there aren’t any animals around. They must have been frightened off by the noise, but she figured even birds and curious rodents would make their way back into the area by now. Without the animals, the forest is eerily quiet. When Del breaks the silence, it’s a relief. Astrid needs to be pulled out of her circular wandering thoughts.
“I dunno why it’s so angry,” Astrid admits, having clearly been wracking her brain for anything in the past. “I’ve never even heard a’ one a’ these thin’s. An Ur-Beast…” She can’t help a bit of a mirthless chuckle as Del mentions Astrid’s strength. “Ya saw me rough up a scrawny guy, that ain’t nothin’.” But the expression falls as she looks around at the ravaged forest.
“I… I dunno. It don’t feel like a trap ta me. This is only me second time comin’ ta this village, an’ they said it came from the west… over the mountains. Can’t remember the last time I went ta Frost Gale ‘cept recently I was huntin’ a Remorhaz fer the WEF.” Astrid wonders if maybe this thing caught her scent and followed her back to Dragon’s Cradle from there, but she still can’t figure out why that would make sense.
“Ta be rightly honest, when they said a beast came runnin’ through, I half expected an angry dragon.” As much as she tries to jest, it still falls flat. There are too many questions, and she’s not sure they’ll ever get the answer. “Maybe reasonin’ with it ain’t possible, but I’d like ta try talkin’ ta it. Maybe there’s just a misunderstandin’...”
Across the valley, a guttural braying sends birds in the distance scattering. The sound of a tree crashing down shortly follows it. That must be their target.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jul 3, 2023 15:45:39 GMT -5
Del nods, slowly, but isn't convinced. She doesn't think the creature necessarily has the wherewithal to strategize in it's current state, but, frankly, she did'nt know that for sure. "I know these creatures are supposed to be smart. It's against general advice to mess with them, or their domains, but they're largely docile. This one is behaving strangely, based on what I have heard. That make me think it might be something else, something that that is involved with what this creature is now and..." shes gestures again behind them. Set it loose on a place Astrid had been to. Engaging in a rampage that had stolen people as they tried to run.
It might not be a trap, she thinks. She hopes it isn't. But the sense of dread pooling in her gut Del knows is a warning, the forboding she feel is very like those of traps, of too quiet forests and something lurking unseen in the foliage. Honestly, she would prefer a dragon.
A muscle works in her jaw, as Astrid states her intent to try and talk to the creature, the worry plain on Del's face. It was truly admirable that Astrid wanted to try and resolve it peacefully. She would hope for that too.
Before she can voice her support, there is a terrible, shrieking bray from the other side of the valley. Del watches, stone still, as a flock of birds erupt from the canopy, escaping something that crashed around them, and feels a prickle of the fine hairs at the back of her neck raise. "...I think that's as good a direction as any." Del says quietly, watching the trees to see if whatever had caused that tree to fall was moving towards them. "I've got your back. Are you ready?"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jul 11, 2023 21:55:33 GMT -5
A nervous pit forms in Astrid’s stomach when the ruckus across the forest brings things to a halt. The silence that follows is eerie, and it doesn’t last for long as Del offers words of comfort to Astrid. The little warrior takes a breath to steel herself. She’s faced all sorts of threats. This one just happens to be a bit personal, and even then, it probably won’t be worse than some of the other personal threats she’s faced. The important thing is that she isn’t doing this alone.
“Ready as I can be,” Astrid says with a nod. Her war hammer manifests in her hand, a cold mist falling off the surface that would be nearly impossible to see were it not for the sparks of electricity dancing on the icy glaze. Better to be safe than sorry. “Probably best if we keep a bit a’ distance. Sounds like it’s pretty magical.”
“STORMSTOOONE!!”
Her name rolls across the valley like a crack of thunder, and it comes from the direction the trees fell. Beneath their feet, the ground shifts and rumbles as if a wave were thrust through the very earth, lifting boulders and trees, sending critters of all sizes fleeing for their lives as their homes are ripped away. A blast of cold wind sprays through the ravaged forest as another roar escapes the beast.
Blue light scatters in the mist, cast from markings on the creature obscure much of its shape, but once things start to settle, they can make out an elk-like figure. Nearly as tall as a tree itself with antlers that reach through the icy fog like gnarled, desperate claws, the Ur-beast stands before them with tattered fur, exposed bones, and long rotten flesh. All that remains of its face is a skull with glowing eyes, and it opens its maw to bray again, as angry as it is haunting.
“I smell the flesh of Clan Stormstone. Last remnant of their curse upon this land, perish! I will sunder your stain with Ginma’s might!”
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jul 22, 2023 2:59:36 GMT -5
She nods, grim. "Right. Then we should--"
With a bellow that shakes the ground and rattles her bones, the rest of her sentence flies from her lips, unheard. There is light that obscures her vision and bitter cold that steals her breath as she digs the balls of her feet into the ground to prevent herself from being thrown by the force of the presence that weilded it. And when she opened her eyes, only a few seconds later, it loomed before them. Decaying, fetid, rotting magic and flesh, cervidae teeth bared in a terrible grimace as it drips ichor.
Del feels sick and horrified all at once; it was just so fundamentally wrong that even her own biological response to the creature is to be repulsed by it, harmless smoke trailing from the curls of her hair, smelling of wood and heated steel. Her breath ragged, her pulse racing, she looks at Astrid with wide eyes. Dust and ash, she hoped they really were both ready for this.
Steeling herself, Del takes a couple of steps forward, one fist on her chest over her heart in an honorific greeting to the giant, fallen divine creature. "Wait! Scion of Ginma, please, hear me," She calls up to it. "We beg you parley; please, help us to understand what... what happened, what has become of you." She lifts her eyes to the creature, nausea rising. It was a terrible sight that somethin so noble, something her mentor had informed her of should be laid so low. "Why do you seek the Stormstone? Where are the others of the village you passed through?"
Glancing over her shoulder to Astrid, Del gives the young girl a look of worried assurance; she did not know how this creature would react, or what it would do next, but if Astrid wanted to try reasoning with the creature, now was thier chance.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Aug 8, 2023 19:33:10 GMT -5
The earth threatens to rip Astrid from her feet, but she stays strong and ready even in the face of an impending threat that is deeply personal in ways she could never imagine. This creature is horrifying, a disgusting facsimile of forest life and somehow it bellows her name with the rage of a thousand lifetimes. Luckily, Del finds words where Astrid cannot.
Why does it seek her? Why did it take its rage out on the villagers who were innocent in everything??
A cloud of dirt and mist spews from the nostrils of the Ur-Beast as it heaves angry breaths. “Parlay? Parlay?! You dare demand a scion of Ginma parlay?!” With another haunting bray, it slams its heavy, cloven hoof through a downed tree, shattering the rotten wood with ease. Then it takes a menacing step forward, and its glowing eyes glower in Del and Astrid’s direction, head down as if it intends to charge.
“Stand down, elf. I have no quarrel with you. Once I spill the last blood of Clan Stormstone, I can return to my rest. Until then, I have earned no sleep. Ginma’s vengeance has not been enacted in full so long as Stormstone blood still pumps through the veins of living flesh!” Another wave of frost rolls through the forest.
Astrid takes a hesitant step forward. “I-I don’t know what problem ya have with me,” she says, trying to sound confident, but it’s challenging in the face of something she doesn’t understand. “Ya can have me, but ya hafta return the villagers first!”
An offended snort sprays from the exposed skull of the Ur-Beast. “I will not make deals with those of cursed blood. All who were tainted by your presence have been removed from society. Now, child of cursed clan and broken stone, DIE!”
Immovable Bastion
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Aug 20, 2023 17:58:44 GMT -5
Del winces at the fury in the Ur-Beast's voice, the indignance at the very idea of a parley. It was too far gone to reason with, as she had feared, but worse yet.... its intelligence was still intact. Was it truly corrupted by whatever was rotting its body away or.... was it acting in spite of that? Purely on vengeance, but focused, telling her to stand down. She turns her head away from the [1] burst of frost; the force of it threatens to knock her back, but the cold itself hardly seems to touch her.
Where was that clemency for the people of the village behind them?
Things rapidly begin to go from bad to worse as Astrid offers herself in place of the villagers, and Del looks at the young girl, horrified. "Astrid, no!"
Such a deal falls on deaf ears anyway, or so it seemed. Lucky, depending on your perspective. As the Ur-Beast declares its intent to rid the world of Astrid Stormstone once and for all, Del's feet begin to move, striking the ground twice before she is at a full sprint, rushing past Astrid to meet the creature head on.
This thing was doing its damndest to destroy Astrid. The Ur-Beast may not have had cause to quarrel with Del prior to this, but it definitely did now.
"You will NOT," Ki surges along her arms and through her body as Del's fist collides with the Ur-Beast's rotting head, the force of her blow resonating through the wooden clearing with a metallic clang[2][3]. The dross flowing over her limbs hurts, but not so much as she would without it, delivering a one solid cross with her fist, and a shoving kick to its leg, to try and shove it back or stagger it. She looks back at Astrid, eyes wide and full of fear. Quickly, before it could get react-- "Please, Run!"
[1] Heat Gland [2] Brawler Prestige - Fighters Sense [3] Delaela's Cold Iron Touch [4] Monk Prestige - Art of the Iron Fist (4/4 hit preventions) [5] Brawler Prestige - Two Piece
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Aug 20, 2023 18:47:15 GMT -5
The force of Del’s strike sends the Ur-Beast’s head reeling. Bits of bone loosen and fall from the cracked impact spot, and it’s icy blue glowing eyes shine brighter, the glowing orbs becoming magical flames, illuminating the snow-speckled area. “Very well,” it breathes, a disappointed rage seething between its exposed teeth. “You have chosen your grave.” Raising its head, the Ur-Beast lets out a low bellow that reverberates through the valley like a war horn. Birds scatter, fleeing their nests, then suddenly turn toward the destroyed area surrounding Del, Astrid, and the Ur-Beast. The earth rumbles beneath them, and from below the ground, a field of spiked vines bursts forth and covers the area, but the bellowing does not stop. Surrounded by thick brambles, Astrid looks at Del and the fear disappears from her eyes. Now there is only unwavering resolve. This thing can’t be reasoned with. It has to be put down. “Ain’t no way I’m lettin’ ya do this alone!!” she shouts. Gripping her hammers tight, Astrid charges through the brambles, completely unimpeded by them. Branches snap and grab at her, ripping at her cloak and damaging her greaves, but she doesn’t stop. She has to get a hit off on it. The Ur-Beast seems to have not expected the vines to fail at preventing the girl from moving, and it takes a step back just as a light gathers between its antlers and streaks up into the sky. Astrid leaps toward the beast with her hammers poised for impact. A collection of rocks, dirt, moss, brambles, and long-buried animal bones explodes in a wall in front of her, and she collides with it, being knocked back down into the brambles. When she recovers, her eyes open only to see the same collection of detritus rocketing down toward her from the sky above, held together by clumps of ice. She grabs at her cloak, hoping to get a cast of a teleportation spell off to get out of the way, but it’s caught in all the brambles. Panic is evident on her face in the shadow of the impact. The meteor crashes down on Astrid’s landing spot. An explosion of briars in the thicket fly out in all directions, and rising from the crater is a golem made of detritus, bone, roots, and stone covered in a thick layer of ice. The Ur-Beast looks satisfied, but it isn't finished with the mortals.
Ur-Beast: Vine field: A massive amount of vines and plants burst forth from the ground, spiraling around and creating a thicket in the area. This thicket is filled with sharp and pointy vines, thorns and bushes and is incredibly difficult to move through. This makes the field a good deterrent for anyone trying to move through the area. -Deals earth damage- Stone wall: You cause a large slab of stone to rise up out of the ground, creating a rectangular wall made of the earth. This wall remains where it was created and can be used to block ranged attacks or separate enemies, blocking off parts of the battle field. The wall can be returned to the earth by will or knocked down with enough force. This wall is ten feet in height and five feet in width. Kamille’s Summoning Pact: Mayhem (however, ice instead of fire) By clasping your hands together you summon forth a flaming meteor from the Earth Domain. This meteor is 10 feet in diameter and is a massive heavy chuck of heated stone. This meteor will crash into the earth dealing damage to the landing area. Once landed the stone will reform, becoming a massive molten golem of fire and heated rock. This golem will stand ten feet high and is able to attack things around it, dealing high blunt damage and fire damage. This golem can move on its own and understands your commands, and can even communicate with you, understanding basic concepts. The golem is extremely durable, it can withstand three physical attacks or spells from a novice or higher attack before it is unsummoned and returned to the earth domain. However if it is struck by a water spell of master level or higher it will immediately become unsummoned. Only one of these can be out at any time and can not be summoned for two post once unsummoned. Astrid: Radier’s Loincloth: A very suspicious piece of damaged cloth that can be worn around the waist, attached to a belt or sewn into another piece of fabric. While wearing this piece of cloth, your movement speed can not be negatively affected. You can't be slowed or restricted from moving by spells or other abilities in any way. Greaves -1 hit prevention (pushing through the vines) Earth damage taken from the Vine Field Status after the meteor: unknown
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Sept 4, 2023 19:38:29 GMT -5
Del bares her teeth right back, holding her ground and sliding into a readied stance. The bellow that emanates from the creature makes her bones rattle, an instinctual response telling her to move just as spikes began to thrust upwards out of the ground[1]. She manuvers between them quickly, trying to avoid the brambles-- just as Astrid runs past, hammers in hand and a look of absolute, steely resolve plastered on her young face. Mixed with the pride, Del feels a surge of dread as Astrid charges forward. She doesn't even have a chance to call out the warning-- it happens so damn fast, too quickly to act on as the Ur-Beast throws up a rotting wall between it and Astrid, toppling it down on her.
Her limbs feel like molasses. She can't get to her fast enough.
The panic on the girl's face as she vanishes from view is a knife in her heart, driven home, twisted, and ripped out of her rib cage as the Ur-Beast drops a meteor on top of the spot.
For a moment, a ragged scream cuts through the din of falling rubble and the silence as the bellow of the Ur-Beast gives way in it's victory. "ASTRID!"
The scars along Del's arms and legs turn a sudden and brilliant gold as she rushes toward the fallen meteor, and where Astrid may lay beneath. Desperate, not thinking, she jams her dross covered hands into the rock, seizing the impossibly cold stone. She grinds her teeth in pain, but worse is the agony of thinking this girl, this child, a friend, lays dead or dying below the giant stone.
Muscles flexing, glowing like molten metal in the cracks of an old and worn crucible, Del wastes no time. With a gutteral yell and a heave that strains every muscle, Del torques her body, planting her foot almost through the ground in the process of whipping the meteor off of the rubble and straight at the Ur-Beast[4]. "I'LL KILL YOU." She roars after it, clenching her burned hands into tight, smouldering fists in her rage.
Del hurriedly drops a knee, hurriedly digging through the rubble to try and find Astrid, before the creature could recover in any meaningful way.
[1] Fighter's Sense [2] Cat's Grace [3] Bull's Strength/Baloth Muscles [4] Improvised Weapons
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Sept 16, 2023 0:48:30 GMT -5
In her short time as an adventurer, Astrid’s been through a lot of things. She’s fought off bandits, befriended an ooze, killed a dragon, found a family and so many other people who are important to her. If her arms were wide enough, she’d hold them tight all at once. Part of what drives her to keep adventuring is her desire to keep the people she loves safe, but it’s also to keep the people of Charon safe. As someone who lived a long time without knowing what it really meant to feel safe, Astrid thinks that everyone deserves to know that feeling, even if it’s something they might take for granted.
The problem is… All those people in Oldone were affected by this creature because of her. Del might get hurt because of her. She doesn’t know what she did or what problem this creature has with her, but maybe… With her gone, that pain might stop. So she stops pulling against the brambles. Cantio and Blue’s faces flash through her vision as the meteor’s approach unfocuses her eyes.
The impact is quick, over in a flash and rumble of the ground. The half-dwarf is returned to the earth from whence her people once came, and all that resonates afterward is a bellow that sounds like laughter and a panicked scream. None of it reaches her ears. The ground is cold beneath her broken bones, and the blackness of unconsciousness takes her quickly.
When the arm of the very creature it summoned hits the Ur-Beast, it stumbles back, shaking its head to recover. The might with which the elven woman threw the boulder snapped one of its antlers in half and knocked its jaw from its socket. What incredible strength and resolve she shows. The Ur-Beast whips its head to look at Del, a large crack freshly formed in its skull leaking a black viscous liquid, its jaw hanging slack with cold mist pouring from it.
The beads of blue light in its eye sockets look to the meteor, and the other arm of the summon raises and pushes it to its rocky feet. The golem rises from the crater with a shower of dirt and debris covering the girl below. It evaluates its situation, realizing that its arm has been torn from its body before turning to look at Del beneath it. An icy boulder of a fist raises for a strike.
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