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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 21, 2022 0:55:51 GMT -5
Shaa wiped frog goo off his arm. Oddly enough, this isn’t the worst thing I have ever punched through.
Shaa took a moment to check the area for signs of any other problems. Shaa looked over to Tatalia and Zak.
I know this was pretty ugly, but from the looks of things, I think we may have gotten luckier than you think. Shaa points to some marks on the ground and trees.
Looks like our mixed up monster may have scared off all of spiders in the area. If we hurry, we might be able to get out of the forest before those eight legged menaces figure out it’s clear.
Rory walked out from behind a tree. You know we could have used some help. Shaa looked at him with a grimace.
Rory held up his hands. I gave you a heads up on the Rune Bear. You are welcome.
Shaa was going to say something else but they didn’t have time yeti argue. He motioned to Tatalia and Zak to follow, him down the path leading to Starlight City.
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 22, 2022 23:48:43 GMT -5
Tatalia couldn't help but giggle and snort at Zak's own delivery. The danger of the encounter was vastly eclipsed by the absurdity of it all, and in the aftermath there was humor to be had in thinking about just how weird the chimera had been.
But, of course, there was the matter of Rory. As Shaa spoke, the quiet man reappeared. Personally, Tatalia didn't blame him for vanishing as soon as trouble had arisen; it was the smart thing to do, if not the brave thing to do. However, the goblin did blame him for acting as if he'd made some great contribution when they'd literally had to wrestle and kill a giant three-headed monster. It was a goofy monster, but it was still a monster!
Nevertheless, Tatalia decided not to make any assumptions. The goblin waved the matter off.
"We can argue after we reach the next settlement!" the goblin chimed. "Though I suspect we'll be so tired by then we'll be too busy sawing logs to say anything! That's a euphemism for snoring, by the way," the goblin added off-handedly, remembering she was traveling with a minotaur and a tribesman, neither of whom seemed particularly likely to know that particular expression.
The path got harder before it got easier, but thankfully no spiders (of any size) came to harass the trio... or, rather, the foursome, but Rory wasn't exactly doing much to be a part of the group. Tatalia had a feeling that if danger did arise again he would either be the first to flee or the first to switch sides. Nevertheless, no danger of any kind made itself known. It was a good thing, too, because the rough terrain, the tangled trees, and the nigh-invisible giant webs did enough damage on their own. There were enough sticks and sticky threads in Tatalia's hair within an hour that she decided to exact some manner of revenge on the forest at a later date. Perhaps a sternly worded letter would suffice?
"How much longer do you think it'll be before we arrive?" the goblin asked her companions.
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Post by Zak on Aug 26, 2022 12:28:26 GMT -5
Zak trudged along with the others hoping the trek would end soon. He was definitely regretting his decision to join Shaa’s mission, offering more danger than Zak had anticipated. Zak had joined the quest because he enjoyed adventuring and meeting new people, and Shaa and Tatalia had proved to be interesting companions. But who in the hells was this Rory person who hadn’t contributed at all to their defense?
Glancing at the goblin, Zak chuckled. Tatalia’s reactions and deadpan flippant remarks continued to delight him even in the midst of the deadly fight they had just experienced. Continuing to muse about their situation, Zak noted a change in the terrain. As they crested another hill, Starlight City came into view.
“Ahh. …Finally. Our destination,” he said, his gaze moving to Shaa for his next words. “What ya have planned now? What’s the next step?”
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 26, 2022 20:41:51 GMT -5
Shaa looked across the plain down towards the village. During all of the commotion, they had not noticed the storm had blown back out to sea leaving a clear sky. Shaa thought it would be a good opportunity to take advantage of the beautiful night scape of Stargazer’s Field. They could head to the village to “deliver” the first bottle in the morning. So much had happened since they started he could hardly believe it.
Hey let’s go ahead and settle, we can head into the village in the morning.
Shaa pointed to a campfire burning a short distance away. While in most places, it was rude to drop in on a campfire uninvited, Shaa’s experience had taught him a few exceptions. Camping in the field was one of them due to “ The Clasp”
The Clasp was a small but infamous gang of bandits that, for some reason, had found a foothold up and down the field. With all of the campers out, the gang took advantage with quick hits on campsites. In response, it had become common practice for campers to camp together, the larger group the better, in order to discourage raids.
Shaa started to walk towards the fire.
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 27, 2022 8:07:54 GMT -5
As the group started heading for the campsite, Tatalia rubbed the back of her neck with a nervous grin. She'd had some bad experiences trying to take shelter at someone else's fire before, and truth be told. There was something about being a lone goblin traveling through the wilderness that made people assume she was up to no good. Of course, now that she was a goblin in the company of a tribesman and a minotaur, she felt far less likely to be outright chased off, but nervousness still had a good grip on her nevertheless.
The campsite wasn't very large. There were two, five tents, and about seven people scattered around the place. They looked to Tatalia to be tribal folk from King's Valley with horses and all, though one of them was clearly an overweight dwarven merchant. The humans - mostly men, though there were definitely a couple feminine faces among them - were probably acting as the dwarf's caravan guards. His wagon DID look particularly valuable, and Tatalia made a mental note to get a peek at his wares later.
One of the tribeswomen spotted the wagon, and she stood up and raised an alarm. Apparently, the sight of a minotaur and a goblin was enough to elicit some concern. Her fellows stood up and grabbed their weapons - spears and axes, mostly - before a hearty voice rang out over the sound of shuffling feet and weapons being raised.
"Oh, come! These travelers clearly don't intend to cause any trouble, my friends. If that minotaur wanted to hurt someone, he wouldn't come strolling! Look at his size!"
The speaker was the jolly, silvery-bearded old dwarf with the bouncing stomach. His hair was long and braided, and he wore the sort of jewelry and clothes to make a noble blush. Clearly, he was a successful merchant. With a wave of his hand, he continued calming his guards.
"They're here to enjoy the fire, I'd wager, and I think they'd make a good deterrent against those bandits. Don't you agree, hm?" The dwarf glanced over toward the adventurers.
"Erm, yes! I think we'd all appreciate a chance to sit by the fire," Tatalia admitted with a chuckle. "You do have room for four people still, right?"
"Ah! I see goblins are not as good at counting as they are at speaking!" the dwarf replied with a laugh, shaking his head. "Regardless, come! We can certainly feed three of you!"
Tatalia should have offered a witty retort when her ability to perform arithmetic was challenged. However, when the goblin started to speak, she glanced back at the group and realized... there were only three of them. Rory was missing.
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Post by Zak on Aug 30, 2022 11:01:12 GMT -5
Zak tensed as they approached the campsite and many of its inhabitants raised their weapons. He put his hands up in a ‘we mean no harm’ gesture, and slowed his pace. Luckily a bearded dwarf took control and welcomed them into camp.
When it became apparent that Rory had disappeared, Zak frowned. What was up with that guy? His attitude and demeanor throughout the trip had felt questionable and dubious for sure. “Where’d Rory go?” Zak asked Shaa, irritation evident in his voice. “He keeps disappearing on us. I’m not going in search either.”
Not wanting to ignore their hosts, Zak put aside his concerns about the missing human for the moment, and greeted the jolly dwarf. “Greetings, friend. I am Z'Khrta of the Putok clan, and we would most appreciate your hospitality. …Did you say something about bandits? Have you run into some in recent days?”
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 30, 2022 11:33:11 GMT -5
Shaa looked over to Zak and shrugged. Although Rory wasn’t there at the moment, Shaa got the distinct feeling that Rory could handle himself if it came down to it. He was probably hanging out there in the darkness, somewhere. Despite traveling together for so long, he still had no idea where Rory was ultimately headed.
After watching the exchanges between the dwarf and his companions, eventually everyone settled down in front of the fire. One of the dwarves servants passed around bowls of warm strew to which Shaa was grateful. All the walking had left him famished.
The dwarf turned to them and spoke, looking over at Zak.
Yes, well met. To answer your question, you have surely heard of the Clasp? They have become quite the thorn in the side of the gentile traveler nowadays. We are grateful for your company and consideration. The Clasp tend not to attack large groups. Especially those ( looking over at Shaa) of a largish nature. Quick and easy raids are their game. We will gladly trade some stew and a warm fire if that means they will keep their distance. But make no mistake, they are around…and watching.
But where are my manners? The dwarf laughed as he slapped his belly. I am known as Utral and these fine folks (motioning to his camp) are my servants. Pay them no mind, I pay them plenty for all of us! Utral laughed a guttural laugh. We were going to town but I did not want to miss the night sky. And who now are you?
Shaa took a hard swallow of stew. My name is Shaa Rhunn and we thank you for the hospitality. We also have some business in town and saw your fire.
Utral could tell that Shaa was being intentionally vague and noted it. He then turned to Tatalia. I am afraid I didn’t catch your name earlier. Surely you recall it? He said with a grin.
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 30, 2022 13:46:36 GMT -5
Truth be told, Tatalia wasn't sure how much she actually trusted the fancily-dressed dwarf and his companions. Part of he wondered if they were, in fact, bandits themselves, perhaps even the Clasp that everyone kept talking about. It would be quite the clever ruse, wouldn't it...?
Unfortunately, Tatalia wasn't sure how successful an escape attempt would be if they were bandits. The best thing that could be done was to be courteous and not reveal altogether too much.
"Well, Utral, my name is Tatalia," the goblin answered cheerily. "I can say that I'm not terribly familiar with the settlements in this region! You seem a well traveled sort; might you have some advice for us? Thoughts on the local customs?"
The goblin carefully steered the conversation away from prying too much about the adventurers themselves and to asking more about the region, the nearby settlements, and general experiences on the road. Tatalia offered the details of a couple of her own previous adventures to keep that conversation going - albeit with some details changed just slightly to make the affairs seem more impressive, as well as to conceal the identities of people involved - but overall just did her best to keep the others at the campfire talking instead.
Hours began to pass. Food was shared, as was drink, and Tatalia started to relax a little before the fire. But Tatalia noticed something that made her pause, and when she next had a moment to herself, she got up to "stretch her legs," purposefully walking between Shaa and Zak as she left the campfire.
"The man who went to fetch more firewood never came back," Tatalia whispered to them as she passed on by.
The goblin wasn't sure what was happening. Rory's absence was one thing; he seemed like an evasive loner. But now someone else had gone missing, too, and Tatalia felt he'd either been snatched by something or was bringing some of his bandit friends to the fire. The goblin wasn't sure which was the case, but she decided it was best to keep an eye open.
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Post by Zak on Sept 1, 2022 23:09:05 GMT -5
Zak sat quietly as the others told their stories around the fire. Not much of a spinner of tales, Zak much preferred staring at the stars in the night sky of Stargazer’s Field and breathing in the natural energies that emanated from above. Luckily, Tatalia expertly controlled most of the discourse, and he was able to refrain from conversing much with the group. Time passed, but Zak never quite relaxed. His instincts screamed at him that these strangers were not trustworthy, but he found it hard to determine whether they had ill intentions towards them or not. Regardless, when Tatalia whispered the fact that one of them had left and hadn’t returned, Zak’s senses went on full alert. As nonchalantly as possible, Zak stood up and began to meander around the camp, his gaze focused on their surroundings. Several minutes went by without Zak seeing anything out of the ordinary when he spotted a shadow moving in the distance at the edge of the trees. Zak stopped in his tracks, and stiffened. Slowly, the shadow grew and three figures could be seen moving slowly toward them. One of them looked familiar. Was that the human that had left to gather wood? The familiar man was limping heavily, while the two strangers flanked him. Heavily armed strangers if Zak was not mistaken. “ Three people approaching,” Zak announced to the group without taking his eyes off the incoming threat. “ Itral, those your men?” “Who? Uh.. Is that Drago?” Itral said. Zak could hear the dwarf shuffling to his feet behind him. “Don’t know the other two.” At that all of his servants went on alert and grabbed their weapons.
"Hey there, Drago. You bringing us more guests?" Itral called out cordially but concern showed on his face.
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Sept 3, 2022 16:25:55 GMT -5
Hail friend travelers! said one of the strangers as they approached the fire. We were just passing nearby when we “ran into” this young man all by his lonesome in the dark. That’s a dangerous thing to do, wandering by yourself here in the dark. We thought it only helpful to bring him on home.
The two strangers shoved Drago roughly towards the group. Im sorry master Drago said to Utral with a look of shame. Nothing to it boy, I’m just glad you made it back.
Touching reunion isn’t it Layra? Said the taller of the strangers. Almost as beautiful as the stars. I would shed a tear if I wasn’t so thirsty. Surely our good act has bought us come charity from this fine group? But fear not! I would not leave you provisonless. All we ask is a small donation and we will depart. What say you?
This guy was really starting to get on Shaa’s nerves. I mean who did he think he was fooling with this corny act? The two strangers seemed fixed on Utral for the moment.
I’m a dwarf, you see. By name and reputation, dwarves do not give up gold easily. But we are hospitable. If you two would like, you are more than welcome next to the fire, have some food.
The second stranger Lyra got rigid. We are not looking for any of your rot, stone sniffer. We have done well by you and expect you to pay up, even if you have to squeeze it out of that scruffy rag you call a beard.
Utrals people got in a ready stance but the strangers didn’t make a move. They knew something, but what ace did they have up their sleeve?
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 4, 2022 12:54:49 GMT -5
Tatalia didn't like how confident the two bandits were. They were clearly outnumbered, but they didn't seem the least bit fazed. They had something to back them up, something big.
The goblin scanned the group's surroundings, using her dark vision to better glimpse the area around them. She carefully stepped away from the conflict ahead, thankful that her small size made her less noticeable, more insignificant. It gave her an opportunity to try and spot the danger out there and maybe turn the tide of the coming fight before it began.
So, as the dwarf tried to calm the bandits down, Tatalia slipped away, unnoticed by those participating in the posturing and the arguing.
The darkness helped Tatalia creep about, and she was able to spot some movement up on a nearby hill. She quickly came to understand why the bandits were so cocky: there were more of them. Very specifically, there were two more bandits... and a woman in robes holding a grim-looking staff. It was difficult to make out, but it appeared to be topped with a skull.
And that's when Tatalia realized the two bandits standing next to the woman were, in fact, stinking zombies. And she hadn't seen the seven-legged spider on the tree next to him, either, its carapace filled with holes, its body rotten.
They have a necromancer! Tatalia could scarcely believe it. There was no telling what sort of spells the sorceress could bring to bear. But one of the bandits down below waved his hand in a strange gesture, and a bangle he wore shined in the firelight. The necromancer took that as her cue, and the woman whispered a command to her minions. The undead began to shuffle forward towards the campfire.
Tatalia panicked. She didn't have much of a plan, but stabbing necromancers was something she generally considered a good thing. So, she crawled out behind the necromancer, then leapt up to wrap her legs around the surprised woman's waist and clamped a hand over the necromancer's mouth so she couldn't give her zombies new commands. She managed to stab the woman a couple of times, then was tossed off the woman's back. The woman gasped in pain, and Tatalia scrambled back up to her feet.
"ZOMBIES!" the goblin shouted in warning to the group down below. The necromancer scowled, then tossed a black bolt at Tatalia, striking her in the shoulder and sending horrible, wracking pain through her whole body. The goblin retreated away, and then realized... the undead spider had lingered behind and was coming after her.
Tatalia decided messengers didn't get paid enough for all the hazards they had to put up with.
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Post by Zak on Sept 5, 2022 16:35:56 GMT -5
Zak tuned out the bantering going on between the newcomers and the dwarf. Instead his focus roamed the area surrounding their camp, expecting more visitors at any moment. His gaze noticed a small shadow moving toward a nearby hill. Was that Tatalia? Zak started moving cautiously in the same direction. Straining to see, Zak was only able to make out shadowy images, a figure with a staff and a small shadow darting around.
“Zombies”
No sooner had Tatalia’s shout reached Zak’s ears, the three figures cresting the hill became more clearly into focus. Zak watched the tall woman with a skull crested staff send a blast at the small shadow that Zak was certain had to be Tatalia, sending Zak moving in that direction as quickly as possible.
Zak didn’t do numerical calculations to know exactly how many foes they were facing. Nor did he mentally make any tactical decisions. Instead Zak ran on instinct, and right now protecting Tatalia was top priority. Zak charged toward the necromancer, his whole being vibrating with elemental forces begging to be released. As he approached, his hand shot out and a gust of wind struck the necromancer with enough velocity and force to push her back several meters, knocking her off her feet, and most likely cracking a rib or two.
Zak turned to check on Tatalia and instead found himself looking at the largest, most disgusting looking spider he had ever seen. Skin decaying and flaking off as it moved, the spider advanced on the goblin. Zak closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing his mana. This time when his fingers shot forward, a long thick beam of lightning lit up the night as it sliced into the back of the spider causing the creature to shriek in pain and stumble away into the shadows.
Spiders, necromancers, zombies, and bandits. They definitely had their work cut out for them. Zak gathered his magick around him, prepared to take them all on.
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Sept 6, 2022 9:02:41 GMT -5
The scene around the fire was getting intense but at least it was at a standstill. The last few days had been very hard on Shaa and all he wanted to do was enjoy his stew, the stars and fire. That’s all. It didn’t look like anyone was trying to get them involved and that was just fine. Surely Tatalia and Zak felt the same. Shaa looked over and saw they were both missing. What the…..
ZOMBIES!
That was Tatalia! The two bandits that brought Draco to the fire grinned wickedly.
We tried to be civil. Now pay up or it will cost you more than just a couple of coins.
Shaa was racked with indecision. Should he stay and help Utral with these bandits? Does Tatalia need saving from Zombies? Where was Zak? He looked down at his half finished stew with longing and regret. Moments later, the decision was made for him. A large group of men shuffled into the light. Men missing eyes, noses, ears and other usually necessary parts of their face. Several of Utrals men gasped and shrieked as the undead ambled closer to the fire. Maybe it was being attacked by sea monsters and weird chimera. Maybe it was the fatigue. Or the lies. Maybe it was the soon to be wasted stew. Whatever it was, something in Shaa finally snapped which is never ever good when you are a Minotaur.
Shaa jumped up and roared at the top of his lungs THAT IS IT! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. I TRIED TO STAY LOW. I HAVE TRIED TO BE COOL AND EAT MY STEW BUT NOOOO! YOU WANT MY ATTENTION? YOU GOT IT!
All eyes were now on the very very grumpy Minotaur. Shaa smashed his hands together and the runes in his horns started to glow. He pulled all of the earth energy around him and forced it into his body. (Spell Giant Size) To the groups horror, Shaa started to grow larger and larger until he became 4x larger, nearly 30 feet tall.
With giant sized hooves, Shaa started running roughshod through the pack of the undead like dry grass. He stomped and smashed them until they were nothing but gooey paste across the field. The two bandits tried to flee but were too slow for Shaa’s now giant strides. He caught Layra by the leg and swung her into the other bandit like a rag roll. They were not moving.
Now, where were Tatalia and Zak? Ginma help anyone who was messing with them, they wouldn’t be for long.
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Post by Tatalia on Sept 7, 2022 6:07:39 GMT -5
There comes a point in every adventurer's life where they reassess their life decisions. Some adventurers have multiple moments like that. Tatalia was having just one of many as she stared across at the vile necromancer conjuring dark energy around her fingertips.
There were many very valid reasons to be reconsidering the decisions that brought her to the position she was in. Tatalia certainly could've chosen a more peaceful career, one with considerably less violence, maybe even met a nice man or woman to settle down with. She'd never kissed anyone, so that was a regret she was having on some level as she considered her potentially imminent doom. She'd also never actually built that museum she wanted, and if she died there'd be no great stories about Tatalia the Explorer. These were all valid concerns, but there was one concern in Tatalia's mind that stood out above the rest:
Being a zombie is going to SUCK.
Those were the words that passed through Tatalia's head as the necromancer raised her hand to cast another spell... and then was promptly sent flying like a ragdoll through the air by a sudden gust of wind, crashing onto the ground next to the goblin.
Tatalia, of course, was a woman of instinct. There was a villain next to her. She had a knife in her hand. The solution was as clear-cut as the necromancer's throat became half a second later. It was a messy solution, but Tatalia decided anyone that raised armies of the undead and tried to use them to murder people probably deserved a similar treatment.
Of course, the battle had just begun! Tatalia raised her dagger up and prepared herself to face the spid-
Oh, nevermind. Zak took care of the spider. Well, at least there were still zombies to-!
Oh. No, no; somehow, Shaa had turned into a thirty foot tall titan of rage and was bulldozing his way through the whole swarm of zombies. Pun intended! But there were still those bandits that had to be-
Oh. No, those were splayed out in a heap over one another, looking rather silly and groaning in pain.
Tatalia gave up on trying to be helpful and just sat down. The situation was clearly working itself out.
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Post by Zak on Sept 10, 2022 14:26:39 GMT -5
THAT IS IT! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. I TRIED TO STAY LOW. I HAVE TRIED TO BE COOL AND EAT MY STEW BUT NOOOO! YOU WANT MY ATTENTION? YOU GOT IT!Zak’s whole body shuddered from the reverberations of Shaa’s roar. He watched in awe as Shaa grew to over 30 feet tall, and began stomping the undead into smithereens. While the giant Shaa finished off the undead and bandits, Zak strode over to Tatalia.
With a final perusal of the field around them to make sure that their foes were no longer an immediate threat, Zak sat down beside the goblin. A deep sigh escaped his lips before he spoke wearily. “Tatalia, this simple little courier mission sure has turned into quite the life and death ordeal.” With a shake of his head in the giant Shaa's direction, Zak added with a wry laugh, "Remind me to never get between the minotaur and his dinner."
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