City of IF

[Lebrenth]

Episode 8: "Knock Knock. Who's there?"

Aspi slowly opens the door. The roc has given up and all is quiet. It feels like an hour since she’s seen the other treasure hunters. The collapsed interior of the fortress returned to its lethargic state, so she slowly steps out. She looks for new routes, perhaps a way to another roc’s nest, but there are no easy ways down. She retrieves the rope from the privy window and hops across the gap. The rocs do not stir but she is noticed. A roc lifts its head and looks at her, wondering if she is a dream. She doesn’t stay to let it decide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The bench should work,” Jenn says. Through a small chink in the wall, Thomas keeps watch of the rocs, while the rest of the party picks up the long wooden bench and aligns it against the door. At near the same time as Aspi’s careful knock on the library door, the group swings the bench back and determinedly slams the bench into the opposite library door. They hear her, but don’t really think about it, They’re so focused on their task. The slamming sound echoes amongst the aeries, a few loose rocks from a crumbling wall slip off and crash on the ground. Screeching protests starts with a few but soon all of the rocs join in, from the collapsed interior, from the broken rooms and passages, from behind walls and from rocs on the roof and in the tower. They’re everywhere. Aspi’s knocking becomes more urgent. Thomas casually looks through the keyhole at Aspi and smiles. The others look back at him, and he shakes his head.

“Nothing important,” he says, “just Aspi letting us know the privy’s free if anyone needs to go.” Aspi hears his words and realizes it’s no good knocking. The rocs take flight, but they are confused and nervous; they can’t tell where the sound is coming from. It doesn’t take long for them to find Aspi trapped in the corridor. She lifts her spear and waits for the first to get close.

The pounding of the door mixes with screeches and Aspi’s war cries. Thomas goes back to the small hole. There’s barely enough room to get his rifle barrel through and no room for aiming. He has to wait for one to get in front of his shot and fire before it flies past. The first shot he takes proves how difficult it is. He reloads and tries again, but can’t tell if he hit. The third time he aims, a roc’s talons and beak thrash the end of the barrel. Suprising at first, then Thomas pulls the trigger and the roc backflips with a hole in its breast. He ties a handkerchief to the end of barrel and makes it dance for the rocs outside. When they find it, they get a free surprise. “Fishing for rocs,” Thomas says to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the corridor, a roc chews at Aspi’s spear as she pins it to the ground and waits for its death throes to end. But another roc can’t wait its turn for a taste, diving at her while the spear is stuck.

~~~~~~~~~

And the treasure hunters continue to pound the door till the hinges strain and bend. They’re only a few hits more before they’re through when the sword slides out of the door. They drop the bench and look at each other to confirm what just happened.

There is a small gap near the top of the door, one more solid blow should do it. Jenn steps onto the bench and looks through the gap. She immediately sees a man with long frayed hair and beard, wearing ragged leather clothes with feathers clinging all over him. A jeweled sword is in his hands and when he looks up at Jenn, he uses it. The sword stabs through the thick door like it was paper. Jenn dodges, but the sword pierces through one side of her and comes out the other. As she falls, the sword easily cuts sideways through her flesh. If the thrust buried itself any closer to the middle of her body, it would have disemboweled her. As it is, a four inch slice bleeds like a spilling goblet of wine.

Ethan, Ross, Jeremy and Juan pick up the bench again and finish the job of knocking down the door. But the ragged man has fled. Father Charles retrieves his bandages and attends to Jenn with Chia beside them. Thomas reloads before catching up with the others. Beyond the door is a balcony over a small but tall chapel. Pieces of the stain glass windows litter the ground but there is only one large roc’s nest within and it is empty. The narrow balcony leads from the side to a gallery in the back. There are two more doors, both leading to stairs, but one only goes up and the other only down. The hunters split, Ross, Jeremy and soon Thomas go up, Ethan, Jim and Juan go down.

All of the doors are blocked from within on the lower level, proof that no one had passed that way, and with few places to hide, the three hunters quickly establish no one is there. Hopeful, they check the roc nest for eggs, but find only feathers and hair. Ethan investigates a moment more…. A roc was in the nest recently, at least within a few days, but probably within one day, but it wasn’t the only one who rested there. A man. A fastidious man, no less… signs show that the man cleaned after the roc, its excrement and the bones and remains of some eaten creature. Jim takes notice of a saint’s statue in an alcove because it has also been cleaned. None of the treasure hunters know what they are chasing except the wounded Jenn who had no time to tell them. All they know is something stabbed Jenn with a sword, but there are no signs of him, except perhaps on the next level up, which they hasten to find out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chia watches them hurry up the stairs before turning back. In turning she sees a hand beneath the knocked down door. She stands frozen until Father Charles wakes her,

“What is it?” he says. She points. Jenn sits up, in spite of the pain in doing so. “Rest,” Father Charles says and firmly keeps her down.

“Rest yourself!” Jenn shoots back, but decides to take it easy a little longer so as not to aggravate the wound. Father Charles pats Chia reassuringly and eases her back in the library before he lifts the door. An aged corpse, probably a soldier, with a sword beside him cut cleanly into two pieces. He gets a good look then gently sets the door back down. He sighs and goes back to wait in the library. He realizes the sounds in the corridor, where Aspi was, has gone quiet. He hangs his head and mutters a prayer.

[Lebrenth]

http://www.cityofif.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=407

Episode 8b: "Over My Dead Body"

On the roof, Thomas, Jeremy and Ross halt at the door. The rocs circle, looking for the invaders.

“Even one shot and would be like ringing a dinner bell,” Thomas says. “But if you’re ready for a fight, we can get them. That or we give them hunting practice and make a run for that tower.”

“We can make it,” Ross says, by which he means to say: ‘I can make it.’

“How do you know he went to the tower? We don’t even know who we’re chasing. Besides, the rocs are too fast, I’ve seen what they can do,” Jeremy says. “They’re just gliding right now.”

While they’re considering their options, Ross makes a run for it. The rocs were waiting for him to do that…. Diving down, they pick up speed, a lot more than Ross can compete with. Thomas blasts one of them and Jeremy wings another. Ross sees the shadow of the last one against the tower and dives at the last moment. The roc turns to make another pass with several more rocs coming in and Ross’s support can’t load fast enough to help. Ross throws his shoulder into the tower door, and it bursts open. The rocs come in after him. Their talons sink deep and tear, Ross’s sword reeks vengeance but not before numerous wounds. They’re nothing more than scars to add to the collection to him, but he doesn’t realize how badly he’s bleeding as he begins climbing the stairs. Heedless of his draining energy, he clambers up a flight and a half of stairs before passing out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomas, Ethan, Jeremy, Jim and Juan all combine their efforts to shoot down the circling rocs, and fight them back if they get too close. They stay in the stairway to keep them crowded when they attack, while Ross’s blood dribbles down the stairs in the tower just a hundred yards away. After a dozen kills, the sky clears, with another 7 or more escaping the fortress and flying far to the northwest.

“21,” Thomas says, counting the kills and the 7 escapes, but not including Aspi’s kills.

“I wouldn’t have thought it was so easy,” Jeremy says. “Those rocs have been after us for months.”

“Should we go see what Ross has found this time?” Thomas asks, remembering the last time Ross went on his own.

When they enter the tower they see the feather-covered man with a woman’s dress in his hands, kneeling beside Ross.

“I didn’t know it was a formal party,” Thomas says with his rifle bearing on the man.

“I’m dressing his wounds,” the man says without pausing.

“Literally,” Thomas replies and lets the man continue. He shreds the yellow dress and uses it for bandages. It takes most of the dress to do a proper job. “I don’t know how he’ll ever repay you,” Thomas says sarcastically. Yellow isn’t Ross’s color. As soon as he’s done tearing the bandages off, Ross will likely murder the man with his bare hands. Of course, the treasure hunters have better bandages, but then they would have to do it themselves.

With that done, the man turns and addresses them.

“Why are you out of uniform?” he says. Thomas raises his gun again.

“Drop the sword,” he says.

“Oh I see,” the man says. “Come to finish the job and take my sword too. I used to think of you as my brothers.”

“Sir, I think you’ve been here too long,” Jim says.

“It’s true. We’ve all been here too long, but that’s our duty. It seems I’m the only one who remembers what that word means.”

“We don’t know what that volcano smoke has done to your brain,” Thomas says, “and it doesn’t matter. We’re taking the sword.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Deal,” Thomas replies and fires. The bullet punctures the man’s heart and he is instantly dead. The sword falls at Thomas’s feet and he picks it up. The sword is remarkably light, and he’s already seen it’s sharpness so he doesn’t test it on his finger. It’s such a disconcerting blade… a Kris blade rapier, gold plate with dark faces on the pummel and guard. Certainly rare, but worth dying for?




“Who was that man?” Jim asks, considering the death a mercy killing, for he was certainly delusional, but there must have been some story.

“It might have been the old captain of the guard,” Jeremy says. “I’ve heard it said that the captain’s soul never left the fortress, they say he haunts the place. Anyway that’s his sword, and that’s his body. It wouldn’t be the first time the rumors proved exaggerated.”

“He is dead,” Jim confirms and closes the man’s eyes. “May he rest in peace.”

“Let’s not sit here and think about it. Let’s get him back in the library,” Thomas says, referring to Ross. “Then we can keep searching.”

“Who’s going to carry the sword?” Ethan asks.

“I can handle it till we get back to Gadiri Harbor,” Thomas replies subtly.

“We should talk about it with the others,” Jim says.

~~~~~~~~~

Aspi comes out from under the dead roc’s wing and looks around. A single roc stays and screeches to itself. The others have fled, catching up with the other 7 that decided Connelly Fortress was no longer safe. Eggs are everywhere. She takes two from the nearest nest and packs them up to the library door. She knocks again, gently.

Jenn sees no harm in it, and picks the lock again. Aspi sees the bandages on Jenn’s side and decides to give her some lenience for what happened earlier… some. Then she finds an alcove in the chapel and makes a fire and starts cooking one for lunch.

The hunters gather again, Ross awakens and can walk, but still looks and feels weak. Everyone eats, leaving the other egg for later. Any number could be taken.

“So here’s where we stand,” Thomas states authoritatively, “we have an egg, we have the sword, and we have the fortress pretty much to ourselves. Ross is injured…”

“I’m fine,” he says.

“Sure, you’ve never looked prettier, but you’ll slow us down. Jenn is hurt too, but it doesn’t look bad. So the question is this: do you spend the rest of the day searching this place or do we take while the taking is good and get back to Gadiri Harbor?”

“What about that sword?” Jenn asks.

“What about it?”

“It’s got special qualities… it might be worth keeping.”

“But who? We have to sell it and split the bounty. Unless you want to break it into pieces and spread it out that way.”

“One of us could offer to pay the full amount for it, spread that out,” Ethan offers, not revealing whether it is his intention to do so himself.

“And if more than one of us wants it?” Chia chimes in.

“…Fine, we’ll have an auction. Highest bid pays the rest of us for the sword. But let’s settle one thing first, are we staying here the night or not?”

[Kalanna Rai]

I'm in favor of salving the collective wounds and spending the night...but that might just be the selfish jerk in me talking.

And before I bid...what special qualities does the sword have...besides cutting flesh like butter?

[Lebrenth]

That is the only quality that is known. What the other qualities are, if any, remains to be seen. Anyway there doesn't seem to be anything else under preliminary inspection.

[LordoftheNight]

Wow - we really aren't the nicest group of treasure hunters in the world now are we?

Leaving Aspi out to fend for herself (though she probably deserved it, I'm sure she's really a baby eater or something).

For now though, I'd be prepared to spend the time searching the place. It'll also give the injured members of the group some R&R, while they wait for us.

And how do you intend the auction to work?

[Lebrenth]

I put another topic in "Fabled Island" forum. Go in there if you want to bid.

I was thinking the cutthroat style was more fitting the personality of the group considering the thing I said I wouldn't mention anymore. ;)

[Chinaren]

Finally managed to find a bit of time to sit and read the latest chapter.

Quote: “Over my dead body.”

“Deal,” Thomas replies and fires.

Cool! :D

Personally, Thomas isn't a swordsman, so not really interested in the sword for that. It certainly didn't help the Captain much.

I say we stay and look around some more, get some rest before heading back.

Nice chapter Lebs.

[D-Lotus]

I think I agree to staying, although it makes me nervous to stay in this old place, susceptible to falling down at any time. Thankfully, we're not in a hurry anymore, now that the rocs are gone.

Also, what is Aspi's position? She was betrayed, what are her feelings...could you expand on that? Great, action packed chapter, by the way.

I think Jim might be interested in the sword. He was respectful to the old man, and the sense has been conveyed to me that he appreciates good things. Of course, he is not obsessed with it, but he would make some attempt to pay for it.

[Lebrenth]

D-Lotus wrote: Also, what is Aspi's position? She was betrayed, what are her feelings...could you expand on that? Great, action packed chapter, by the way.


She's bitter, but otherwise hard to read. She might be biding her time for revenge or she might be accepting it as the sort of crap that happens to her all the time. She never talks, as I hoped you would recognize, but she doesn't smile or frown or shrug or roll her eyes.... She's very inexpressive, and if it was any other treasure hunter you would assume the lack of expression was fury in a low boil. But Aspi always has that confusing look, either powerfully stoic or helplessly resigned. Ethan would have the most insight on that, but you aren't likely to get much from him. Perhaps Jim can ask Aspi how she feels in the next chapter.

[D-Lotus]

Yes, I would like that. A little bit of friendship never hurt the giver nor the reciever, and who knows, maybe Aspi will one day repay the favor. :)

[Lebrenth]

I don't know... I've read over the chapter again, and although a lot of stuff happened, it seems kind of bland. I wonder if I rushed it or if I'm dividing my attention to much. I'm definitely writing in a different style than usual. I'll have to consider things more carefully next time. The quick summary of events is good for managing the large group, but is the story suffering for it? It's already over 2000 words long, so it's not too short... I don't know....

Any advice?

[Kalanna Rai]

This last chappy seemed a bit rushed, not bland. I don't think it'll kill us if you write longer chappys Lebby, going into a little more detail about what's happening to the parties when they're split up.

[Chinaren]

I thought it was okay when I read it. Now you mention it though, it could have been done a little more slowly.

Actually, one thing I did find was I was a little confused as to where everybody was. Dare I say it, a map could have been a little helpful possibly.

Maybe, just maybe, you could have done a chapter following one group of the characters, and another following another. Though that would have increased your workload somewhat!

This type of SGame is quite demanding.

[Lebrenth]

http://www.cityofif.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=407


So I thought to myself, what the heck, why not a quick sketch at least? Perhaps that would have helped if it was sooner?

[D-Lotus]

Nice sketch. To tell the truth, your style is rushed, Leb. You move from action to action. Your stories are more verb than adjective. That you think that the chapter was bland (it was not) only asserts my point. ;)

[Draven Bones]

I liked the chapter, I am reading from south america so I don`t know if anyone else is dying for a good story game.

Cap`n

I feel the chapter was rushed in the moments of killing the rocs and their fleeing, but overall I liked the chapter`s feel. I think in reality things are rushed like that and I hardley believe anyone is going to just pause, take it all in and enjoy the details of their surroundings while Rocs are screaming death, and your companions are being cut open.
The chapter was real to me and easy to follow. :tu:
I have to agree though that you have readers that don`t mind reading what you lay down for them to read. I would enjoy more story body to sink my imagenation into, but I also understand the need to allow ¨us¨ to be able to influence the story by making choices........In short, yours is a tuff job Cap`n

Aspi, I assume is one used to being treated inferior, and maybe one day will seek revenge, however I doubt that her anger would outweigh the pride and glory of the triumphant hoisting of the eggs.

I would however like to rest here in the keep, and since I sponser Aspi, I can see her using her stoic silent time to assure the Rocs wont return/ retaliate, buy setting fire to many of the nests.

:poke: Maybe even cooking several eggs and some Roc meat to store cooked for the journey back to town.
I don`t know how long it took them to get to the keep so maybe preparing food for later is more then a bother then a preparation. if so, she wouldn`t bother and she wouldn`t prepare.
She would be searching every inch of this place for any type of treasurey, armory or goods supply which in general are all kept
on the ground or even basement levels? maybe try breaking or lockpicking the door that went down?!
And why did the birdman go for the other tower? was he trying to devert us from something good or trying to go to the goods to defend them? in any case, we should search it all :gun: while the wounded rest. :dead:

Great work Cap`n

Draven Bònes

[D-Lotus]

Nice points, Draven Bones, and welcome to IF. You chose a great story to start with. ;)

[chiacutie]

I think that Chia wouldnt have been too interested at first, but as she watched almost everyone get all hyped up about it... She would sense a spark of interest in her brain. Then she would try and buy it, as determined as she is to prove herself and help those around her...

[Lebrenth]

chiacutie wrote: I think that Chia wouldnt have been too interested at first, but as she watched almost everyone get all hyped up about it... She would sense a spark of interest in her brain. Then she would try and buy it, as determined as she is to prove herself and help those around her...

Groovy, the auction is in here:
http://www.cityofif.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3520


I should warn you, it's steep.

By the way, Draven, from Gadiri Harbor to Connelly Fortress is pretty much a 7 hour walk. But I'm keeping track of provisions, which I might add, some of the treasure hunters are coming close to depletion. Everyone (alive ;) ) bought a week's worth of food and it's been 4 days. There's been a few supplementals though... fish and coconuts and freebooter's rations. Roc meat and eggs would do a lot. You've got some time.... Very resourceful of you!

[Draven Bones]

Thank you for the WELCOME, D-lotus. I am actually suprised that this site only has 400 people. I thought it would have more, but that`s ok with me. I bet if the Cap`n wrote more SG we would see our numbers rise!! haahahahahaaaa

Although I am poor in fables, how many fables does my sponsered ASPI have? are our fables connected? I assume so, but let me know anyway please Cap`n.

[Lebrenth]

Draven Bones wrote: Thank you for the WELCOME, D-lotus. I am actually suprised that this site only has 400 people. I thought it would have more, but that`s ok with me. I bet if the Cap`n wrote more SG we would see our numbers rise!! haahahahahaaaa

Although I am poor in fables, how many fables does my sponsered ASPI have? are our fables connected? I assume so, but let me know anyway please Cap`n.

Should have seen it before the mass exorcism. What was there, Ren? 16000 members or something? Most of them were inactive, but a lot of people sign up. Even now we don't have 400 active members. Not even half.

Nah, your Fables aren't connected. You can spend Fables on Aspi, buying her equipment and such, and when she gets treasure, you get a share. Aspi doesn't have her own money. She can't buy ANYTHING, it's up to her sponsors to provide for her. Nonetheless, you don't have to spend anything beyond the entry fee. She'll manage somehow... probably.

[Lebrenth]

All right, it's been a week so it's time for a poll!

The auction for the sword will continue for one more week, till it's time for the next chapter. D-Lotus is currently winning the bid at 250 Fables.

Check out the auction here:
http://www.cityofif.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3520

[D-Lotus]

I can't believe I'm winning the auction with 20 fables (after all, if occasion need, I can sell it and get everything except 20 back).

[Lebrenth]

D-Lotus wrote: I can't believe I'm winning the auction with 20 fables (after all, if occasion need, I can sell it and get everything except 20 back).

You said it. Of course, if we could get just one more sponsor, all of the treasure would be worth an extra 100 Fables. Lordy would get an extra 40 Fables to himself, as it stands.

But then, if we don't get an extra sponsor, the treasure will be worth the same... and the offer expires this month....

[Draven Bones]

I am dyin for the next chapter. :dead: I am probably the only one who looked at this site over the holiday. we should be able to find something else of value if this old man was keeping guard. I bet he has it all stashed away somewhere. or maybe it`s under the roc nests? In the last chapeter we read about how there was a nest that had been disturbed by the crazy man! maybe he hides the booty in the safest places....under the rocs themselves! anyway
before we set fire to the nests, we should check the bottoms of the nests!
:pirate:
I hope the cap`n writes us a good pirate song to sing while we search the castle!?

BONES