City of IF

[Lebrenth]

Fabled Island, Episode 11a, “Triple Treachery”

The island trembled beneath the treasure hunters’ sweaty feet. Gadiri Harbor once kept a wide range of peoples, but now all are leaving except natives and a few stubborn souls. The natives always had cold looks for the crew and any other foreigners, but now those cold looks had heated up and not in a favorable way. As the balance tips in favor of the natives, they begin taking more offense to the presence of outsiders. The dark haired and almond skinned natives have started staring challengingly and ignoring any friendly gesture. They’re watching the remaining outsiders leave and quickly looting anything they leave behind.

A few natives have started brandishing weapons, from simple walking sticks and traditional spears to swords and firearms. The Blue Swashbuckler becomes a sort of stronghold. The remaining foreigners gather there with their own weapons and start to discuss the situation. But they hold their tongues when Carmilla is near. She is a native herself and the only native that has entered the Blue since Noburu reawakened. She wears a disarmingly pleasant smile, but it does nothing to ease anyone’s apprehensions. She doesn’t seem to mind.

“Have you decided?” Carmilla asks, still smiling widely. Her precariousness does little to lighten the atmosphere. She slips under Thomas’ arm and rests her hands on his shoulder. Thomas merely smiles and holds out a purse of money, pooled from the treasure hunters, but not all of the treasure hunters. Carmilla takes the money gracefully. Aspi watches with burning eyes as the money passes hands. All of the hunters watch carefully with every intention of making sure it comes back to them.

“I’ll be only a moment,” she says. “Would you like something to drink while you wait?” She looks at Thomas, knowing his tastes, but he turns to the others.

“We’re not interested,” Jenn intercepts suspiciously. No one was about to take the offer, but Jenn wasn’t going to give Carmilla the opportunity to poison anyone.

“I will,” Ethan says and gives Jenn a look that doesn’t seem to be defiant. He follows Carmilla and Thomas to the counter. She pours Ethan and Thomas a drink.

“Just a moment,” she says as she leaves, and Thomas walks right beside her, but she turns on him. “Wait.”

“What? I was just going to help you get dressed,” Thomas says, but her smile is gone and she means what she says. “You haven’t gone shy on me have you?” Thomas asks.

“Just wait. I’ll be back.”

“How do I know that?”

But she doesn’t answer. She walks into the back. Thomas and Ethan follow at a distance.

“Hey,” the barkeep says as he spots them. Ethan advances on him, blocking him from intervening as Thomas continues. He finds Carmilla’s room, but the door is open and she’s not inside. He hears voices behind the next door and he presses his ear against it:

“I don’t want it Carmilla!”

“Then give it to my brother. I can’t leave it here and I can’t take it with me. We’ve already been through this.”

“Yes and I didn’t like it. You’re going to get killed and me too.”

“Please Meena, I need you. This is the last time, I promise.”

“… Oh all right. I’ll take it to your brother but this is the last time.”

Thomas sneaks back and enters another room. It is not unoccupied. Carmilla looks both ways into the corridor before leaving, but did not look in time to see Thomas. Thomas stands quietly as the other two people in the room are busy with each other. They seem to be enjoying themselves quite a lot, to the point that they did not notice the intrusion. He lets himself out just as discretely, though it did seem like a good opportunity for mischief. He goes back and reports.

The treasure hunters devise a scheme.


When Carmilla comes out she wears men’s clothes and her hair is tightly braided. She has a machete, an old pistol, and a small pack. Her smile has not returned and the contrast makes her neutral face seem like a scowl.

“Let’s go,” she says. She either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care that Jenn is not present. The rest of the group starts on their way toward the docks (to take the boat to a safer place) and Jenn waits in a high tree where she can see everyone who enters or leaves the Blue Swashbuckler. It does not take long before a nervous little barmaid leaves and heads north.

As the crew prepares the boat, they do not hurry. Carmilla does not seem to notice the slowness of their efforts.

Meanwhile Jenn slips out of the tree and follows the barmaid till she’s a fair distance away from the Blue. With much of the village abandoned, it seems as good a moment as any to make a move. With a knife to the barmaid’s back, Jenn tells her to quietly come along. Meena is too frightened to do anything but comply.




The boat is ready, but Jenn hasn’t returned. According to plan, Ethan speaks up:

“Wait, I’ve forgotten my pack. I’ll be back.”




Out of sight in a grove of trees, Jenn faces her victim.

“The money now,” Jenn says.

“What are you talking about?” the barmaid says.

“Don’t play with me,” Jenn says. “I don’t play nice.”

The trembling Meena can not maintain the bluff. She pulls out the pouch of money and opens it.

“Give it to me,” Jenn demands. Meena throws the money from the pouch in a scatter and runs away. Jenn ignores the money and gives chase. Meena screams as the branches tear at her skin and clothes. She doesn’t make it very far before Jenn tackles her.

“Foolish girl,” Jenn says as she grabs Meena’s hair tightly, pulling it back to expose her throat. Jenn puts her knife against the soft flesh. “I’m taking the money and if you tell anyone,” Jenn says, but as she does, she considers whether or not she should just kill her now. Either way, she gets the money.

Ethan sees Jenn returning with the money first. He already established that Meena had left and was going to see if he could find her, but as Jenn reveals to him, the money has been recovered.

“Though of course, we could say we didn’t find it,” Jenn says.

“Split it?” Ethan considers for a moment. Jim put half of the money forward himself and the other half…. They could probably handle it. Thomas expected a piece for his involvement, but couldn’t disapprove if there was nothing to get a piece of.

“We’ll just say I couldn’t get to her in time, that she had an escort, and she passed it to Carmilla’s brother.”

Ethan holds out his hand, knowing that even if Jenn is discovered, he could claim he was lied to as well. Jenn gives him 40 of the 100 Fables. Then Ethan stops.

“I did most of the work,” Jenn says.

“And you’ll get all of the blame,” he says, his hand still out. The pleasant deal sours.

“25 of it is mine already.”

“Which means you doubled your profit.”

She continues walking. “I go down, you’ll go down too.”

Ethan puts his Fables away. He still made 40 while she only made an extra 25. Nothing venture, nothing earned. She’ll keep quiet. Ironically, the disagreement helps keep them from appearing too pleased when they return to the boat. Naturally, with Carmilla present, neither Ethan nor Jenn can be questioned.

Jim swims back to the boat. He just finished sinking Chia’s rowboat with rocks so it stays out of sight till the treasure hunters are ready to come back for it (if ever).

Finally, they paddle out of the lava dome to where the wind catches the sails, and they proceed eastwardly.

[Lebrenth]

Fabled Island, Ep. 11b, “Molten Rock, Boiling Sea”

The waves are choppy, but the southeast wind is workable. Jim navigates, circling widely to avoid the curling waves that wash the southern beach. According to the map, it seems most prudent to land on the east side of the island, out of sight. The beach to the south would be too easily spotted and the lava fields are certainly not a safe place to land.

It will take time, but not much effort. The crew has the view to keep their attentions occupied. From out to sea, Noburu’s eruption is very well exposed. They can see the lava gushing over the side, then slipping down in a river till it boils away the sea into a tower white steam. It can not be seen through all the steam, but undoubtedly a shelf of rock now extends from the island, making it grow.







Before Akala’s lava fields, there is section of beach ornamented by trilithons and on a high cliff there is a circle of large upright stones, the latter looking very menacing and claw-like. For the others benefits, Jeremy offers what he knows. He says the trilithons are believed to be like gravestones marking the date of the death of ancient chieftains but not marking where they are actually buried, for others have already dug around them extensively and found nothing. He claims the ring of stones was a place of sacrifice, similar to another sacrificial sight that is deeper on the island.

“…There used to be an alter in the center of the circle, but it’s missing. It is one of the treasures FITH wants,” Jeremy finishes. Aspi notices Carmilla has a very faraway look as she gazes upon the circle of stones, as though listening to music from an ancient ritual that resonates through her blood across the ages. She holds her peace, but there is fury inside her, like the volcanoes of her island, ready to erupt. She does not correct Jeremy but the way she cringes at his words makes Aspi believe that Carmilla knows what Jeremy does not. Aspi does not share this observation.






















The Akala’s lava fields stretch widely across the southeast side of the island. The waves crash against it powerfully and fly away as steam. The fields are not as field-like as expected. They are evidence of a fickle volcano, one that can not decide if it is asleep or awake. There are deltas and plateaus, sinkholes and lava tubes. There are lakes of lava with cracked black plates encrusting them. The slow rivers of lava meander, eating away and reinforcing different parts of its banks into a network of gullies that are jagged in some places and smooth in others. At such a sight, the treasure hunters would invite a little direction from their hired guide, but all she’s said since the beginning has been: “Go to Akala’s lava fields.” Since then she has not offered any suggestions on which side to approach or any indication of a plan.

After passing the steaming coastline, there is an instant transition into jungle. Carmilla suddenly speaks up.

“There is a small lagoon farther north. It would be a good place to land.”

The coast appears very approachable. The waves are gentle and there are mangrove trees that grow in the water, giving them cover from being seen and a place to disembark without all kinds of inconvenience. He decides to take her advice anyway, and drift into a shady lagoon fed by a small river. It is very secluded, and safe from tossing waves, shifting tides and other concerns. The crew ties the boat to a tree and instinctively begins searching the area to make sure it is safe.

The crack of a rifle suggests it is not. A splash follows. The foliage obscures the distance along with a thin mist that drifts in from the boiling sea. Wandering into the jungle even a short distance makes any one of them feel they are alone for miles. When the shot reported they realized this obscuring effect. They didn’t spread out hardly at all. Thomas points as a body floats toward them.

“That’s a mundy,” Jeremy says. The creature is roughly the size of an orangutan, and for that not entirely intimidating, but when, out of curiosity, it is rolled onto its back, the sharp teeth and the enormous claws help the effect. The claws are nearly two feet long with a wicked hook at the end.

“It’s sharp,” Jim says, testing the inside edge of the claws with his thumb. If there wasn’t a large hole in its head from Thomas’ shot, he wouldn’t be so bold, but even now it seems dangerous. They thought the roc was dead too.

“You should see them together. They usually aren’t alone like this,” Jeremy says and looks around as if to confirm his assumption.

“Are you sure it’s alone?” Thomas asks as he finishes reloading his rifle.

“They’re loud,” Jeremy affirms. “We’d know if they were here. It’s deafening when they’re hunting. They like to confuse and intimidate their prey.”

“What if they’re not hunting?” Jim asks. Jeremy doesn’t answer because it is a faulty question. The mundies are always hunting.

Carmilla takes the lead with Juan beside her. Carmilla takes them through parts of the jungle that are not so thick that they must cut. She seems to be teaching a few new tricks. But there are still a few unavoidable patches of tall thick grasses and tangled saplings that require extra effort to get through.

Then just as they’re wondering how long it will take, the treasure hunters make it out of the trees and onto black rock. It is the edge of the lava fields, seemingly safe, but occasionally Carmilla reaches down and tests the heat of the rock.

After a mile it seems redundant, almost pointless, to keep testing the rock. Then she pulls back with a gasp.

“Everyone stop!” Carmilla yells. No one moves, except looking down at the surprising menace. Looking more closely, heat distortions are everywhere, seeping through cracks and floating over the rock, and the heat starts to creep into everyone’s boots. “Slowly step back.”

“Where have you taken us?!” Jenn yells. Everyone moves slowly. They back up, expecting each step to be the wrong one, but nothing happens. A detour at worst, but everyone starts checking the ground after that.

“Where are you taking us, Carmilla?” Thomas asks as do the others at different times, but she will say nothing.

Then as she’s walking ahead of the crew onto an innocent looking plate of rock, the crew hears a crunching sound and her foot plunges below the thin crust. A jet of steam consumes her and she screams as the heat scalds her body. She jumps away from the streaming gas and rolls in anguish, trying to extinguish a fire that does not exist. It is sheer heat, and every inch of exposed flesh is seared, as well as terrible burns on her left leg and her side. Juan quickly dumps all of his water on her leg, but the pain does not go away. It takes several minutes before she can finally lay still and calm. Her face and arms are very red. She won’t let anyone near her leg.

As the treasure hunters try to decide what to do next she unexpectedly stands.

“Let’s go,” she says, walking around the hot spot that is boiling the underground water. She does not limp or draw attention to her injury. On her wrist and inner forearm, blisters form the size of large coins. She ignores them. She continues to skirt the edge of the lava field, getting ever closer to Akala.

Not quite an hour passes when you begin climbing the slope of Akala. The afternoon is fading and it seems it will be evening by the time the hunters reach the top, but Carmilla is not heading up toward the caldera. She heads west now and no longer checks the ground for heat. You seem to be above the lava fields, with a clear view of the terrible magnificence of the lethal flows of lava.

At one point, something catches Thomas’ eye. With his telescope, he picks out a feature of the landscape that does not match… a circular object, like a large stone plate, about the size of a kitchen table. It is being carried along in a sluggish flow. It is half buried, or would seem to be if it is a complete circle. It is only a semi-circle as seen now. He shows Jeremy.

“Time’s Table?” he says tentatively. It would not be easy to get to, and for 5 Fables it wouldn’t even be worth enough to give every treasure hunter a single Fable.

“What is it?” Thomas asks, but Jeremy doesn’t really have an answer. Some speculate that it’s cursed, that’s why the islanders tossed it into the volcano, that’s why it isn’t worth much money.

















The crew also witness gushing lava tubes that seem to feed the entirety of the field. They look like dungeon entrances, but instead of dark and black, they are red and they belch lava. One or two of the lava tubes, however, do not seem to constantly stream out lava. At one such lava tube, Carmilla stops.

“I’ve taken you as far as I go. This is the bloodline the elder spoke of. Follow its path and it will take you to the place the Heart resides.”

The lava tube does not spew lava, but the walls and floor are still hot.

“Is it safe?” Jim asks doubtfully.

“No. You wanted to know where it was, I’ve showed you. I’ve done my part.”

“But lava doesn’t come out of this one?”

She does not answer, she keeps going, heading west.

“Wait, we’re not done.”

“I’m done,” she says.

A burst of lava spits out of the lava tube like a fountain and is gone. Ethan and Ross quickly intercept Carmilla.

“We said we’re not done yet,” Ethan says.

“There’s nothing I can do for you. It is unpredictable. It’s impossible, but that’s not my problem.”

“How do we know you’re not making this up?”

“I’m not making this up, and there’s no way for you to know unless you go in there. My father showed me when Akala was asleep. Every islander knows where it is. There used to be a statue above it to mark it.”

“We’re supposed to just trust you? I don’t think so.”

Ross and Ethan bring her back and tie her securely. She can not stand and there is very little room for her to wiggle. The others watch the tube dubiously. It seems calm, but just when you think it’s had its last gasp, another wave vomits out, and it doesn’t seem to have any pattern.

“Now,” Ethan says over the captive Carmilla, “if you don’t want to starve to death here, you’re going to have to help us.”

“Akala is angry. It’s even worse than it was before. There is nothing you can do.”

“We’ll see about that.”

[LordoftheNight]

Well, I'd send someone to test it out first. Either someone pretty useless - Carmilla, Chia (no offense) umm...that's pretty much it now I think. Or maybe Ross would do it, just for the challenge. If someone dared him to run it, then he might.

Wait for a while, and see how often the lava spurts (on average), just to give you an idea of how long it'd take.

And *collects 40 fables*

[Chinaren]

We could feed her into the lava bit by bit, though I am a bit peeved at the loss of my bedwarmer. And don't think I am not going to ask questions about my money. Hard questions.

[LordoftheNight]

Well, you could ask hard questions of your bedwarmer instead.

[Lebrenth]

Quote: Wait for a while, and see how often the lava spurts (on average), just to give you an idea of how long it'd take.


I'll answer that now. Within a specific 3 hours, the lava spurts 9 times. That's an average of 20 minutes, but the actual intervals vary from seconds to nearly a hour.

I'll carry the money concerns into the next chapter. I also need to ask Rai about Meena.

Did you kill her or do you want to let her live under strong threats?

[D-Lotus]

Nice, nice chapter. Not much time. Send Ross in for challenge sound good idea. But if he find anything value he could lie like Jenn, so make sure search thoroughly when come out (if come out). Force Carmilla to reveal everything.

[Draven Bones]

Great chapter cap´m!
I enjoyed the details. You know how I love details. The creature ¨mundie¨ was a great animal....have you used it before¿? I hope there is a fight with them as we return to the boat.

You did great on the discription of the island and emotions of the members. I loved the history! I found this chapter very fluid and felt that calmness before the storm. Great build up with Cami getting burned.

I loved the tricking Cami and the return of the money by jenn. I think they deserve such rewards for pulling that off!

Although I noticed the story develope in an attempt to grow simpathy for camilla in regards to her sister and brother needing the money, and then the burning. But I still hold no simpathy for a native gone rebel to sell herself even if it is to feed her kindred or to help them escape. there are other ways to servive and although she might have been a good lay for Aspi, her lack of judgement by just walking away from several armed people turns my blood cold. She is gonna burn!

I say we put a rifle to her head and make her get the stone! sure she might be inocently playing the gimmick but a little blood never hurt anyone.

Plus we don´t need her anymore if she showed us all we need to know.
If the group is not in accord with that then I agree in sending CHIA in, she is light, and she doesn´t do much (no offense).

either way Camilla seemed to not care about her other half of the money. she might be regretting it. shé´ll regret it even more when she finds out her sister is dead. HA!

[Kalanna Rai]

Meena's dead. Jenn would have covered her tracks by feeding the body to some random creature of the forest or sea.

We can always tell Carmilla this and warn her of her similar fate...naturally leaving just how Meena died.

[Lebrenth]

Clearly everyone wants to interrogate Carmilla, so unless there's any objections (and quick), I will proceed in that direction.

[D-Lotus]

I do think Jim would complain some. He doesn't know about Carmilla's attempts to help her family, but he would still be somewhat hit by her stoic behavior, so infrequent in a woman, and her assertion of the volcanoe's increasing anger. Perhaps he wouldn't fight for her, but yes insist on better treatment.

[Draven Bones]

So I be itchin fo da nex chapta. Cap´m mus be takin hees tam on dis won. Or call me fickle

[LordoftheNight]

There already is a new chapter - Ep Twelve: The Truth. Which can currently be found here http://www.cityofif.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3237.

[Lebrenth]

Careful now Lordy, or you'll lose your hard earned reputation for villainy! (Thanks!)