Gepetto plays the dragoncite ocarina as he loops the thin gold chain it hangs from around his neck. The melody continues for some time; you all feel relaxed, happy, and somehow ... better. Dane notices his various cuts and scrapes seem to have disappeared.
You are all gathered in the fire circle around the leader and the other one with the red-feather cloak. It's late afternoon. The tattoo ceremonies are over, all of them similar to Twix's, except for the images and the details of what they might do. Heflam's remains a mystery; the leader simply promised Heflam would discover its uses in due time. Dane mutters something about his chi being focused, and the training postures with which he often fills his idle moments have taken on a new precision. He looks pleased. Bombar, meanwhile, has pulled a small, ornately tools leather bag out of the chest. He looks inquiringly at the leader, who grunts, leans over, and whispers something to him. Bombar looks pleased, and slides the small bag out of sight under his clothes.
The guards carry the chest away, out of sight, and other guards feed you dinner as the leader briefs you on the situation while the sun slides out of sight.
"Our bargain is that you rid our island of every last Imperial. This land is a week's walk across its breadth, the same along its height north to south. The Imperials stay to the coast, save for well-armed slaving forays into the interior villages. Most Imperials are at their port on the southern edge of the island, from whence they ship the products of the Smith and slaves as well. There are perhaps 100 troops, and merchants, and slaves at the port. There is also a wizard, an Imperial priest; we cannot see him as we see the others, and he is communion with the dead, so beware.
Your powers are yours to keep in exchange for freeing our island of all Imperials. Should you renege, these same powers will themselves turn against you.
Farewell."
And the next morning, they're all gone. There are no tracks to be seen but your own. They've left you food for a week, and skins of fresh water. They have also left Dane an obsidian sword, Gepetto a quiver of arrows with obsidian heads along with bow made of black wood carved with faces or masks, and Bombar a mace made of wood and blunt stone. Heflam finds no weapon, but there is a small ship carved out of black wood hanging around his neck, and as he touches it, his tattoo tingles.
The dragon seems a little bigger, as he circles above you in the morning light. He seems to like the smoked crocodile bits that Twix feeds him, as you clean up the remains of breakfast and prepare to start your quest.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Turn 12: the Quest begins
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I have a lot of stuff. I’m carrying a lot of stuff now. How did that happen? For example, saying, “I’m carrying a bow” is a far different prospect from actually carrying a bow. Even this compact re-curve is would be a hassle if it weren’t for this nifty back harness the ‘natives’ gave me. Rings, necklace, belt, earrings, headpiece, and bracelets. I’m actually a little surprised they let me have it all. I guess it would feel a lot heavier, except I think one of the rings provides an enchantment of Unencumbrance. I just made that up, but it sounds good and I actually did feel significantly lighter when I placed the mixed alloy gold ring on my small finger.
Dane is supporting himself in an upside down bridge with his belly high to the sky and his hands and feet on the ground. Based on his past labels and stretches, I recognize this as the Limber Turtle. He is musing, “It is usual that Imperials are harsher then they should be, abusing their rightful authority. I can also assume that these people would not interfere with anyone had they been left alone.” He pauses, lifts and opposing arm and leg in the obvious pose of the Stimulated Cactus with two Heads. He goes on “I judge this cause to be just and worthy of my support”.
I’m a musician and mechanic.
Exceptionally gifted at both. Some might say magically so? I dunno.
What I’m –not-, is a fighter. The prospect of engaging Imperial forces on purpose in anything short of my exit from their presence does not appeal to me in the least. I’m not a coward… I’m practical.
On the other hand, what the Sweet Bride of Fuck do I care? Seriously? I left home for my “big travel” to see the world. To have an adventure. Here I am, adventuring my pants off, quite literally in the case of the beach landing. If Dane is into it… and possibly a better fighter as a result of his tattoo… it looks to be exciting. Alright then. Bully!
“Great.” Everyone looks at me all of the sudden. Hrm… I should say something encouraging. Uh…. well I know volume is a good substitute for cleverness, so I use my biggest voice to cry out, “Let’s do this thing! Which way is the main Imperial camp?” I say, and just as I finish the question the index finger of my left picks up in the air, windmills around me flipping me over to my back, and points in a direction… lingers for 5 seconds, then drops to the ground. Everyone looks at me quizzically. Bombor laughs big. The answer is obvious. What looks like a plain pewter ring must be some sort of personal direction finder.
I sit up and look at my hand, “Hey… this ring is sweet. Check this out.” I can’t resist. “Where is the whiniest member of our little group?” To which my hand guided by the ring vaguely sweeps an arch over everyone. I guess it isn’t so good at that sort of indication, I thought sure it would pick Twix… so I bring my index finger back to point at him of my own accord. Hah.
“Hey, I’m not whiney. You’re mean or, or your ring is mean” Twix whines. Bombor guffaws. I like Bombor… he seems like he has a good sense of humor.
In the middle of where we were sleeping on a log sits a parchment that I notice for the first time. After a quick inspection, “Hey… they left a map of the island. That was thoughtful of them. Last person in line grab it” I say as Dane and I simultaneously start to walk in the direction I had originally pointed.
Twix
I jump in behind Dane and Gepetto. I don't want to get stuck in the back again.
The night was good for me. I wouldn't say that I'm used to seeing everything glow all the time, but at least it's not quite as hypnotic as it was initially.
Sleep is good, too. I can talk to Chip when I sleep, although when I wake up my head always feels like I've had a sack of potatoes pressing on it all night. I'm not quite sure why that is. Maybe it's psychic residue.
We spent most of last night talking more about the souls around me. He's much older than I would have guessed, although still a newborn by dragon standards. Still, he's certainly older than any of us by several decades. I'm willing to guess that he's almost seventy years old.
Bombur has taken up the position behind me, with Heflam grumbling in the rear.
"Shouldn't the person in front have the map?" He calls out.
He's got a point. I let it pass though. I hope that when we get to the camp we do a little planning. So far we've been guided by Gepetto's impetuousness more than anything else. I still don't trust him, and I trust his trinkets even less. They glow with their own light. I can't really describe the color, but it's a sort of ... dark red. Light shouldn't be dark, that's just weird.
Chip rests on my shoulder, snapping at bugs idly. He's definitely gotten larger, and a little heavier. I'll have to ask him about that tonight. If he keeps growing every night, I'll be the one riding him! That seems unlikely. He's seventy, after all. More likely that he's been impacted by the same magicks that burn in my flesh.
I see a free floating soul off to my right. I reach out my hand and think about it coming to my hand. It doesn't move. I push a little harder, trying not to grunt. Bombur gives me a funny look but says nothing. The soul begins to trail along behind our party. Progress! I release it and focus on another one up ahead of the party.
This one comes to me, almost eagerly. That can't be good. The soul envelops my hand, then shoots up my arm. Everything glows for a moment as my body convulses.
I hear Bombur call out for the party to hold. The sound is deafening. I feel Chip fly into the sky. I can sense he's not happy about this. I feel... thirsty. Very thirsty. I want to spread my wings, but I don't have them.
What did I absorb? The others have stepped back, taking defensive positions. I feel my teeth with my tongue. Sharp.
Vampire bat. I absorbed a vampire bat. I want to tell the others that I'll be ok. It's only temporary, but when I open my mouth, I screech and they all cover their ears in pain.
I'm so very thirsty.
"Nice work with that mace," I say to Bombor as we trek through the jungle. Mighty big of him also to carry Twix's limp body over his shoulder. He's not just rotund; he's apparently quite strong.
"Loud noises bother me," is all he has to offer.
The dragon's with me. I got a line from Gepetto and fastened a makeshift leash. He's flying above us like a kite. There's no way I'm having that thing perch on my shoulder.
"They can't get my name right."
"What?" I ask somber Bombor.
"Bombar. Bombur. My name is Bombor. It's not difficult. I've taken the time to learn your names."
I watch him silently for a few paces, my eye flitting occasionally to his slung mace. "You're right. I'll mention it to them."
Gepetto's hand snaps up in a fist and we all come to a halt. As he crouches, we crouch. Everyone hobbles forward until we're all peering through the same gap in the foliage.
We spy a seemingly out of place stone archway that lurches over the rough path. No other structure. Just the arch. No signage, nothing to distinguish one side of the arch from the other. Except, of course, for the two stone statues. Mean looking buggers. One facing one way, and the other, well, the other. Taller than us, they don't seem to move. Nevertheless, it looks as though we have to pass by - and through the arch - to continue on our way.
I turn to Gepetto. "Are you even LOOKING at that map?"
Dane
I can sense force. It's odd, I can feel all of us, everything really, connected by lines of force. Trees have long, heavy lines of power. Living beings have lines which are lighter and more complex. Gepetto's new jewelry has created dense spots of force on the different points of his body. Oddly, Twix has lines of force which seem to appear and disappear- more complex but weaker than those of the rest of us. His pet dragon has force lines dense enough to make me rethink my decision not to befriend him.
The archway ahead is thick with force. The twin statues seem to channel the force from the earth into the arch and then skyward. I feel the pressure of all that energy but it does not cause me to fear, only to feel caution.
"We should be careful with this artifact," I say, "It is extremely dense with force."
Gepetto talks to his ring again. "Which way to the imperial camp?"
His finger swings forward to point either at or through the arch.
"Don't be so gloomy, Dane," says Gepetto confidently, "My ring wouldn't lie to me."
With that, Gepetto strides confidently into the clearing toward the arch.
As he approaches the arch, I can feel the lines of force contracting around him.
"Please stop, Gepetto." I say, loudly.
He lifts his hand in a gesture of dismissal and steps into the arch. The force lines contract violently and I can feel them squeezing behind him as they propel him into the air at a ridiculous rate of acceleration. Gepetto shrieks like a young girl as he is launched. The map is left fluttering to the ground.
I can sense that the force is powerful and potentially dangerous, but very controlled. I suspect that Gepetto will be fine, if somewhat self-soiled.
"I think this is a means of conveyance," I say to the rest, "Give Twix to me and I will attempt the journey as well. I suggest that you follow, and when you step through, keep your arms and legs in - and enjoy the ride."
I say this last with a grim smile. Then I take Twix from Bombor and pick up the map and stuff it into my waistband. Holding Twix over one shoulder and the obsidian sword in the other, I enter the smothering embrace of the powerful force lines. As I am launched, I hurl a cry of exultation to the blue sky and the receding earth.
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